That's My Name? (Pt.2)

The thugs advanced towards them from every direction, causing Subin and the boy to retreat backwards.

"I've had enough of fun and games" one of the thugs grunted. "It's time you receive your punishment!"

Subin turned to the boy, who was whimpering in fear. "Any bright ideas?" she asked him, trying her best not to let her fear overwhelm her too.

He shook his head energetically.

Subin gulped. Great, she thought. Just when I avoided trouble, I had to go and get myself into more trouble. Her eyes darted around her as she searched for inspiration on how she could escape the new predicament she was in. Normally, a hero should come in about now, she said to herself inwardly. She thought about the young man who rescued her earlier and hoped that somehow, he'd sense she was in danger and come rushing in again. This is your cue, hero. Save this damsel in distress!

Fed up with waiting, one of the thugs lunged forward and Subin and the boy squealed in fear.

But before they could lay their hands on them, the sound of galloping horses and thundering footsteps caught everyone's attention. The thugs turned around in bewilderment and their eyes rounded in surprise when they saw a band of soldiers, bearing a green flag with a flower emblem, heading their way.

"Look!" one of them pointed out.

"That flag!"

The thugs were immediately fear-stricken as one of them exclaimed, "It's the Jade Lotus!"

The thugs scattered immediately, leaving Subin and the boy rooted to the ground. Subin was in awe of the effect seeing the flag had on the thugs.

Oh? Has rescue finally come?

She glanced up at the person leading the contingent, half-expecting the leader to be as charming as the actors she normally sees in K-dramas. She gazed at the leader amorously, anticipating the romantic cliché encounter damsels normally had when they met their princes. But her hopes were soon shattered when she saw that her tall, dark and handsome saviour was actually short, stout and, well... kinda ugly.

The leader snapped its horse's reigns, encouraging it to go faster as he pursued one of the thugs who had made a run for it. As he disappeared, the other soldiers followed suit in pursuing their targets. Subin blinked in confusion at why the soldiers had decided to rescue them.

"Cousin Namjoon!" the boy behind her blurted as one of the soldiers, who was on horseback, approached them.

Subin eyed the approaching soldier and noticed that he wasn't dressed like the others- he was wearing red robes as opposed to dark green ones. The man named Namjoon had a princely air about him that made him appear dignified and well-off. He led his horse towards the pair and Subin watched as he climbed off it with ease as he rushed towards the boy with a concerned expression ruining his princely features.

"Taehyung!" he called out to the boy as he closely inspected him. "Are you hurt anywhere? Did they hurt you?" He examined his cousin's body attentively, searching his arms for any scratches or cuts.

Taehyung struggled against the probing hands of his cousin which was currently latched onto either side of his face. "I am fine, cousin" he replied insistently. "They did not manage to harm a hair on my body."

Hearing his young cousin's reply, the taller of the pair sighed in relief. "Thank goodness" he murmured, his furrowed brows finally relaxing.

My, oh my! Now, that's more like it!

Subin admired Namjoon from afar, taking note of his dark, charcoal hair and strong angular jawline. She watched as he smiled weakly, revealing a pair of pronounced dimples that made the teenage girl within her squeal internally. Oh my God! This guy's gorgeous! she thought as she continued to ogle at him from afar.

But just as she started admiring his physique and princely aura, his demure appearance in her eyes abruptly crumbled as Namjoon, having confirmed that his cousin was safe, smacked the boy at the back of the head as he lectured him for his careless behaviour.

"You stupid child!" he berated him. "What are you doing pretending to be a peasant again? You know how dangerous it is for you to be wandering around without security. You could have gotten killed!"

Taehyung retorted as he rubbed his head gingerly, "I am fine, cousin! You know how much I detest being in the house all day. I just want to see more of the capital. It is not like any harm befell me while I was away..."

Subin listened to the pair as they bickered over their situation. They spoke about stuff that Subin had no idea of. Nobles? Peasants? Assassins? What?

Namjoon, finally noticing that he and his cousin were not alone, regarded Subin with suspicion. He addressed her guardedly, "And who might you be?"

"She is the foolhardy peasant that tried to rescue me" Taehyung replied in her stead.

Namjoon was surprised by Taehyung's statement. "She tried to save you?" He peered at Subin and his earlier coldness melted away. He bowed to her in thanks whilst uttering, "Thank you for saving my idiotic younger cousin."

But before Subin could reply, the leader of the brigade returned. "Master Namjoon," he spoke in a deep voice, "the others have apprehended the men who were trying to harm the Young Master."

Namjoon answered curtly, "Good. I will see to their punishment personally." The leader bowed in reply before departing on horseback. Namjoon turned his attention to Subin once more. "What is your name, young miss? For your bravery, the House of Kim shall reward you."

Subin's ears pricked up at his words. The House of Kim?

"Young miss?" Taehyung repeated in shock as he inspected Subin closely. "This peasant is a wench?"

Subin turned to him. "Yes, I am a woman if that's what you mean by 'wench'." She frowned as she realised, "Hang on, you thought I was a guy?"

Taehyung replied, "More like an 'it'."

Subin had to restrain herself from kicking him in between the legs.

Taehyung turned to Namjoon as he protested, "Cousin, you need not reward her. All she did was wave a hoe about- it was you who did the actual rescuing."

Subin glared at Taehyung. "Hey, I think I deserve a little bit of credit for buying them time to rescue you."

Taehyung loured at her and she returned it. Namjoon watched as the pair engaged in a childish staredown which amused him profoundly. It had been a long time since he'd seen anyone challenge Taehyung openly.

Seeing that they were going nowhere with the conversation, Namjoon cleared his throat to catch their attention. "May I know your name then, young miss?"

Subin broke away from the staredown first as she fumbled for a reply, "My name is..." but then she grew unsure of whether she should reveal her name. If I'm really in the past, she kept thinking, then didn't that mean that I have to be careful of my actions? Wouldn't everything I do here affect the future? What if I trigger some kind of butterfly effect? Subin pondered about this and asked herself, what if I already altered the future by saving the cheeky brat? Oh crap!

Namjoon gaped at her expectantly as Subin, unknown to him, went through internal turmoil as she debated revealing something as simple as her name. Tentatively, he asked her, "Do you not have a name?"

"What do they call you, peasant?" Taehyung asked impatiently. "If you have no name, we can just call you 'peasant' from now onwards" and he chuckled deviously.

"Do not be rude, Taehyung" Namjoon scolded. "Be grateful that she saved you or else you would have lost your hand." He addressed Subin, "If you do not have a name then we shall bestow one upon you."

Taehyung's jaw dropped. "Cousin?" he looked at Namjoon questioningly. "You are not serious, are you? Bestowing a name upon a peasant would only mean that-"

"Yes," Namjoon affirmed. "I plan to reward her by making her a servant of the Kim household."

Taehyung was astounded. "Are you mad, cousin? You barely know this wench!"

"This wench saved your life" he reminded him. "And shall be properly rewarded for her bravery." He turned to Subin as he stroked his chin in thought. "Hmm... what shall I name you? Perhaps... Yeseul? Or Yeona?"

Subin jolted back to attention. What? He's going to name me?

Taehyung shook his head in disagreement. "If you are going to name her, cousin, then you should give her a name that would raise her worth as a woman." He sauntered over to Subin and inspected her. "Because she is plain- looking, you should give her a beautiful name to compensate."

Subin watched Taehyung as he thought for a while. Suddenly, his eyes twinkled as he suggested, "I know! Gyuri. This wench shall be named Gyuri."

Subin froze at the sound of that name. Gyuri?

"Gyuri..." Namjoon repeated with equal consideration. He smiled as he nodded approvingly, "Excellent suggestion, Taehyung!"

Subin was dumbfounded. "Wait...Gyuri? That's my name?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Namjoon nodded. "Yes. From now onwards, you are Gyuri."

Subin, now Gyuri, stood motionlessly on the ground as she stared at the pair. Of all the names they could have chosen, they had to pick Gyuri...

As Subin continued to ponder at the revelation of her new name, a carriage arrived and Taehyung went inside. Namjoon climbed back onto his horse and gestured for Subin to join Taehyung in the carriage.

"We shall go home now and you shall come with us" Namjoon declared. "Let us get you settled into your new role."

Subin nodded numbly, still in disbelief at the sudden turn of events. As they rode inside the carriage, Subin couldn't help thinking about what her dad had read out from her grandma's book...

"Kim Gyuri, the deadly princess who infamously brought down the thriving House of Kim."

Subin stared at Taehyung who was sitting opposite her. Could it just be a coincidence that they had named her Gyuri as well as the fact that they were from the House of Kim?

Subin felt the familiar feeling of dread creep up her chest. Hot dang it, she cursed inwardly. I have a bad feeling about this. She turned her attention to outside as she quietly worried alone.

Kim Gyuri, huh? It seems as though I now know where I am, she thought. Or more importantly, when I am...