06 The Girl

The sound of swords clashing against each other was heard in the courtyard of a house that was not too wide. There at this time an adult man as well as a young man were practicing the sword. The two men are Jung Yong Cha with his son Jung Soo Chan, who has now grown into a handsome young man. Since five years ago Soo Chan asked his father to teach him sword training, it so happened that in his youth Yong Cha was an expert in Swords and almost took the military exam if only his parents did not forbid him. He is more obedient to the words of his parents than to obey his heart, he does not want to be a rebellious child because he does not obey the words of his parents.

One of Yong Cha's hands rises, causing Soo Chan who was about to attack him to stop his intention. The man's breathing sounded heavy, a sign that he was no longer young. "Let's rest first," he said as he walked towards the terrace of the House.

"You're not as good as you used to be," Soo Chan commented as he sat next to his father.

"My greatness has been given to you," Yong Cha responds with a smile on his face. "By the way, do you have a lover?"

Soo Chan, who was drinking water, choked because of his father's sudden question. The young man coughed, while Yong Cha chuckled at his son's reaction.

"Why did you ask me that when i was drinking?"asked Soo Chan.

"Sorry, i didn't know you were drinking earlier," Yong Cha replied. "Just answer the question, are you in love?"

"No, i don't have a girlfriend. Why the sudden question?"

"Because some time ago i saw you walking with a beautiful girl," Yong Cha replied, making the boy look at him in surprise. "Tell your father this, who is that girl? Did she come from a noble family?"

Soo Chan is still staring at the father who looks very curious. The young man then turned his attention and looked at the clear sky at this time.

"It looks like it happened two or three weeks ago." Soo Chan started the story.

***

Soo Chan was so relaxed walking in the crowd of the market this afternoon. The young man had just returned from one of his friends to study together, because soon the state exam would be held. Along the way to the house, a lot of girls who pay attention to him, even some there are also greeting him. Soo Chan replied with a smile. The charm of a Jung Soo Chan who can make women fall in love looks like he got from his mother, who also always makes men glance and fall in love with her.

The young man's footsteps stopped when he saw a small child who was near a noble woman who was busy looking at selling goods. Realizing that the little boy was about to do something bad, Soo Chan immediately walked over to the two men. The man did not act immediately, but noticed for a moment the whims of the little boy. When her eyes caught the little boy taking the woman's money bag, Soo Chan's hand moved quickly to hold the child's hand.

"Hey little boy, why are you stealing?" Soo Chan asked, staring intently at the little boy.

Apparently what Soo Chan did managed to make the noblewoman turn around, and realize that her money bag had been stolen. "Hey, that's my money bag!" the girl said when she saw the money bag was in the hands of the little boy.

Just now the woman was going to take the bag, but the little boy just threw the object. It turned out that the child was not alone, because not far from his place stood a boy older than him already waiting for him. The bag was caught by the boy who immediately ran fast.

"Thief!" shouted the noblewoman.

Soo Chan immediately ran quickly to catch the boy. The young man ran past the people who blocked his way while shouting thief, so that there are citizens who help him catch the little thief. The young man stopped for a moment, he saw the road beside him and ran into the road. By running in a different path, Soo Chan speeds up his running in order to catch the thief.

The young man turned to his right when he saw the figure of the thief earlier. Soo Chan's tall body manages to catch the thief and detain him, also managing to secure the noblewoman's money bag.

"Caught you little thief!" Soo Chan said. He stood and looked at the thief.

"My money bag!" the noble lady had apparently gone after the thief. He takes his pocket from Soo Chan's hand, checking the same amount of money. "Little boy! Why have you been stealing? What do you want to be when you grow up if you learn to steal now!"

The boy apparently cried loudly when he heard the woman's words. This made Soo Chan and the woman surprised, even the people there noticed them. The woman approached the child.

"Hey, why are you crying?"

"My mom is sick right now. I need money to buy medicine, " the child explained, crying loudly.

The woman looked devastated by the story the boy had told. Although the child's appearance was a little dirty, but the woman did not feel disgust at all, she gently rubbed the crown of the child's head. "So you need money to buy medicine, that's why you stole?" she asked and answered with a nod of the child's head. "Then take me to your house. I happen to be a nurse who works at the village Medical Center, I can check your mother's condition and give medicine for free."

A twinkle of happiness rose in the boy's eyes when he heard that. "Thank you very much, Miss. Thank you very much."

The noble lady and the little boy stood up. The woman looked at Soo Chan who was still standing nearby. "Young master, thank you for returning my money bag," said the woman.

"You're welcome," Soo Chan replied with a smile on his face.

"Then we'll excuse you," said the woman.

"Wait a minute," said Soo Chan stopping the two men's footsteps. "I will come with you."

"Of course, you can come," said the woman.

***

Jung Soo Chan and the girl ran so fast, out of the creepy forest. They were deceived by the boy. Instead of being taken to the boy's home to check on the boy's mother, they were taken into the woods and handed over to a group of criminals. Lucky that Soo Chan was able to fight, the young man managed to defeat the criminals and escape.

From the beginning Soo Chan did not believe the boy's words that said his mother was sick. Fortunately, he decided to go with the woman, if not somehow the fate of the girl who ran with him. Soo Chan's hand firmly grasped the girl's hand, running out of the forest while behind them the criminals were still chasing her.

"Fortunately ... you come with me," said the woman with a broken breath.

"Don't talk, just run," Soo Chan pleaded.

The two finally managed to get out of the forest, although they could not breathe freely, because the environmental conditions were still far from the bustling city. The grip between Soo Chan and the woman was released because the woman suddenly fell. Soo Chan who realized that immediately turned around and approached the girl.

"Get on my back," said Soo Chan, crouching in front of the girl.

The girl felt surprised and also confused. If he climbed onto his back, wouldn't it be difficult for this young man to run?

"There they are! Get it!"

The voices of the criminals are heard again, making the woman finally climb onto Soo Chan's back. After making sure the woman's body was safe on his back, Soo Chan immediately stood up and ran quickly, much to the woman's astonishment.

"Miss, you have to eat a lot. Why don't I feel like I'm carrying you?"ask Soo Chan in the middle of his run.

"I really like to eat! And I ate so much that my mom and dad got angry!"the protest of that woman who was indirectly said to be thin by Soo Chan.

Soo Chan chuckled at the woman's ramblings. After running far enough, they finally arrived in the city and immediately went to the police officer's office to report what they had experienced.

***

"So, after that incident you guys became close?" asked Yong Cha after his son finished telling the story.

Soo Chan nodded his head. "Yes, from that day on we both became close. But we rarely spend time together."

"What's the girl's name? Which family is she from?"

Soo Chan was silent for a moment, he knew the name of the girl who was close to him. He didn't know which family the girl came from.

"Why are you silent? Don't say you don't know what her name is," said Yong Cha who was immediately answered with a shake of Soo Chan's head.

"I know her name, Seoyoon. But I didn't know which family she was from."

***

"Your Highness The Princess!"

The maidens continued to search for the whereabouts of the princess who disappeared since this morning. Not only the maidens were looking for the princess, but the mother of the girl was also looking for her daughter's whereabouts.

"My wife."

A call from a man made the woman who was the mother of the Princess stop stepping. The woman saluted her husband, Grand Prince Eunho, the sibling of the current reigning king of Joseon.

"Have you found Seoyoon's whereabouts?" asked the prince who was answered with a shake of his wife's head.

"I searched all the corners of the house, but Seoyoon wasn't found at all," his wife, Min Ok Yoon, replied.

Grand Prince Eunho sighed. "Where did the girl actually go so early?"