Jun Su tried to shut his eyes, compelling himself to sleep.  But no matter how he restlessly turn left and right, how he even powdered his perfect little face multiple times, the much welcomed sleep is seemingly not fond of him tonight.  He touches his chest, trying to feel his heartbeat.  Once his delicate hand brushes through the linen of his night wear, his eyes shot open in distress.  Why is his heart beating so fast?  The uncomfortable fluid lingering on his forehead urges him to run his thumb on that surface.  It’s sweat.  He’s sweating, and it’s raining.  No one’s supposed to sweat when it’s cold.   


Thud.  The sound of the thunder outside faintly registers his hearing as he sat uncomfortably on his soft mattress, his right hand still on his chest.  He’s not feeling very good.  Something’s wrong.  Something’s definitely wrong, he’s sure of it.  He can feel it in his bones. 


Is it his sister, his twin sister, Kim Ji Hye?  Being born a few minutes before him gave Ji Hye the advantage of being the eldest child, forcing him to succumb to her every demands and serve her for as long as he had remembered.  Despite her bratty behavior, his bratty behavior and their gender difference, both Ji Hye and Jun Su shares this one very powerful bond.  A bond that can only be felt by twins.  And this bond right now, the bond that connected him with Ji Hye in spite of their thousands of miles difference, is telling him that something really really bad is going on.


He remembered feeling this way the day Ji Hye fell into the well at the back of their house 8 years ago.  But now, the feeling is worse, a lot worse.  He remembered what happened to Ji Ae, his arch enemy.  He frigging hates her and she frigging hates him (not that it's surprising since a lot of people does).  She died after she entered the palace.  They never send her dead body back, they didn’t even know what had happened to her corpse.  Did she even get a proper burial?  Her family wouldn’t know she’s gone if it weren’t for the letters from her quarters.  Her father had a mental break down after he found out, going on a killing spree on whomever he suspected in his mind. 


Oh God, would someone do the same to his sister?  Truth be told, Ji Hye is one beautiful girl, just a little below Ji Ae’s par.  With Ji Ae out of the way, would the target be his sister now?  Oh no. 


But Jaejoong is there right?  He saw him.  He saw him in Soo Jung’s palanquin.  He never gets off.  If he’s there, he’d help to protect his sister, right?  No matter what, she is still his cousin.  Even if he hates her, he'd still be obligated to help her if she’s in distress.


  Like seriously, just look at him.  Despite his hatred towards the guy, he still help to cover his absence from his family, telling them that after sending Soo Jung away, Jaejoong got too emotional and decided to spend a few more days in the capital of Joseon, near the Forbidden City, wanting to be closer to his sister. 


He’s lying, yes, but it’s for the best, for both of them.  What will people think of him when they found out he left his cousin in the Forbidden City alone?  For days at that!


  Something snapped in Jun Su’s usually slow brain.  Wait, Jaejoong still hasn’t come back up until now.  Could it be that they were discovered?  Jun Su shook his head, trying to send that thought away, but his effort is futile.


  Fearing for the worst, Jun Su gets off his bed and put on his shoes, clutching his robe out of his closet along the way.  With shaky legs, he walks out of the door, eyes falling straight to the red cloudy night sky. 


“Oh God, please don’t let anything bad happens to them,” he prayed, his eyes planted straight to the sky. 


He wanted to sigh, but apparently even sighing is too much of a work when someone is at his point of distress. He tore his eyes off the sky and turn left towards his family’s shrine, prayers leaving his trembling lips non-stop.  He tugged on his robe tighter.  It's so cold, but he can’t stop sweating.  “Noona,” he muttered softly.



“It’s raining right now,” Soo Jung said softly.  She lean against the dull wall of the dungeon for comfort.  Jaejoong is on the cell on her left while Ji Hye is on her right.  All three are sitting against the wall pathetically, waiting for the worst. 


She can hear Ji Hye cursing once in a while.  Cursing at her for dragging her into this, cursing at Jaejoong for not muttering even a word after being captured, cursing at the grey wall for having mosses, and cursing at her too sensitive of a skin for inflaming from the constant contact on the said mosses.


Three guards walked pass them, each passing them a small piece of stale bread and a small cup of water.  There was this cunning glint on Ji Hye’s face before she dragged herself towards the wooden rail separating her from the guard. 


“Umm, orabeoni,” she smiled cutely, carving the sweetest expression she can ever make, though it still looked bitter since it’s forced.


The guard scoffed at her before he turns to walk away.  “Wait!” she called for him instantly.  If her beauty didn’t work, there’s something that always would. She took off her beloved necklace from her neck and flung it to him, eliciting a smirk from him as he exchanges look with his grinning friends.  Not thinking twice, he took the necklace as his. 


“How can I help you, my lady?” knowing her intention, he asked her the question she’s been itching to be asked. 


“Yes. I need you to tell me. Do you know what she- I mean- Lady Ara is planning?” she asked, her voice quivering from the cold and fear.  Seeing the lady just once is enough to tell her that she’s not a force to reckon with.  She glances at Soo Jung and Jaejoong for a second, noting that the two are just as curious judging from their expressions.


“Lady Ara had requested for the emperor’s attendance,” the guard spouted immediately.  That is enough to put a crestfallen look on her face.  They’re done, this is really the end now.  “I believe she’s trying to get him to execute you all, that’s what I heard to the very least.  But I'm not so sure myself.  She's very favoured yes, but this is trivial matters, I'm not sure if the emperor will care about this.”


Execute. The word echoes in her ear, sending her stomach to the pit of darkness.  All of this is just so surreal.  It was just yesterday that she was laughing with her fellow tributes, taunting Soo Jung and her face, and pulling pranks on the uptight Ms. Chae Mool.  Life appears to be so good at some point, too good to the point where she hadn’t even think she’d be dying today. 


 The guard raise the gold necklace on his hand with a sheepish smile, ignoring his friends' plea to share the necklace with them.  “I shall thank you for this reward, My Lady,” he taunted sarcastically.  His friends broke into fits of laughter when they heard that.  After taunting the prisoners, the guards walk away while chatting boisterously.  The prisoner's reaction did not seem to affect them at all, it was as if they were used to seeing the fear and denial in death-row prisoners already.


Jihye turned to Soo Jung who was on the cell right next to her. That cousin of hers is looking down on the floor right now.  Then, her eyes travels to Jaejoong.  He too was looking down, his face blank. 


 Hearing the saddening sentence, Soo Jung had felt so hopeless.  This is so cruel.  Telling someone that they might not live any longer when all they’ve done their entire life was planning their future when they get older.  Her dying early is one thing, but what about Jaejoong?  He is so handsome and smart, he's got a bright future ahead of him.  If he weren't a bastard child, he would've been a powerful government official already.  It would be such a waste if he were to die so early.


Looking blankly at the straws on the floor, Soo Jung wipe the lone tear escaping her left eye.  She needs to be strong, Jaejoong is strong, he didn't even react when he heard those men taunting them, why can’t she be as strong as him?  There is this significant silence in the dungeon, none of them has the desire to say anything.  Even Ji Hye didn’t say anything as she crawls her way back to her previous place.  That particular spot on the wall is warmer since she sat by it for quite a while now, and since the rain is pouring heavily outside, this is the only source of warmth she can get.


Finally realizing how pathetic she is for being satisfied with something so low, she broke into tears.  Hearing her crying, Soo Jung’s heart clenched as she too broke into loud excruciating sobs, breaking her self defense and strength. 


“I’m sorry,” Jaejoong finally said.  Hearing that, the heart of the two ladies breaks even more, even the strong Jaejoong is losing, what else do they have if the strength they borrowed from him is lost?


“I- I don’t want to die.  Not yet,” Ji Hye sobbed, burying her face on her black and dirty palm.


 “What about Jun Su?  What about my parents?  What about them?  Who will take care of them when they’re older?  Jun Su?” she scoffed in between her cries.  “That guy can’t even do anything right, how is he supposed to do that? And- and- and he- Jun su hadn’t even got married.  I want to see him with his family before I died,” thinking of Jun Su aggravates her cry.  “And I haven’t even apologize at him for treating him like my slave all these while.”


Remembering how bad she treated Jun Su back then tortures her even more.  Jun Su was actually a sweet kid back then, but the constant nag and hassle from Ji Hye makes up for who he is today, a Jihye 2.0.  No longer innocent and charming, Jun Su turned to the darker side and becomes arrogant and mean.  Knowing how she ruined her brother makes her feels even guiltier.


Soo Jung, knowing how she felt, was overwhelmed by the need to console.  She scooted over to her, her hand reaching past the wooden rail separating their two cells.  Once her hand reaches Ji Hye’s arm, she gripped onto it tightly, trying to soothe her down.  


"Jun Su,” Ji Hye continued, moving her body closer to Soo Jung, cuddling against each other despite the barrier.  “I miss him so much,” she cried.


  From the corner of her eyes, she can see Jaejoong on his back leaning helplessly against them.  


"Jaejoong,” she calls.  Jaejoong didn’t answer, but she can feel his heart breaking.  That night, after all those years knowing each other, they finally share something in common.  They finally fel as though they really understand each other inside and out.  There is this one special feeling between them, feelings you can only developed once you go through something really really intimate with the others.  In this case, it’s waiting for their deaths, intimate yes but fearful at the same time. 


Despite everything, Soo Jung can’t help but to be grateful.  Grateful because if she were to die, she won’t have to die alone.  She know she’s being selfish but she really doesn’t want to be alone.


The sound the door opening startled them all.  The sound of footsteps walking down the stairs send terrors to their core.  The footsteps sounded like the beating of the drum of death, an instrument used to signify the execution of prisoners back then in the courts of Jamsil.  But this time, the sound didn’t come from the drum, but it comes from a particular lady in red instead.


  The lady in red smirked when she saw them, though while smiling, her eyes were nothing but empty.  She herself had taken the liberty to go down the filth of the dungeon to see for herself what had become of her prisoners.  She usually won't do that, no matter how powerful or beautiful her captive is, but today, she felt the need to.  She didn't know why.  The smirk however was rubbed off, replaced by a frown when her eyes landed on Jaejoong.  “What is he doing here?” she asked in authority, her head snapping towards the guards talking to them earlier on. 


“M-My lady-” the once proud and conceited guards are tongue-tied when she asked them that, not usual to communicate with someone so powerful directly.  “I said, toss him anywhere you want. I just want the two girls!” she suddenly yelled, hinting on a massive anger management issue.  She didn't like that man.  There is just something in him.


“My Lady-“ all the guards and servants bows before her in fear.  “We didn’t know where to put him, so we just put him here,” the head, a rather unfamiliar face to the trio, tries to reason his action.  There was this sheer unsatisfaction in her face, it was crystal clear.  Goodness know what the guards are feeling right now since that glare is specially directed to them.


Heaving a relenting sigh, Lady Ara turns her dagger-like eyes back to them, prompting Ji Hye to grip Soo Jung’s hand in fright, both of them trembling.  “Deal with him later.  For now, take the girls with me,” she solemnly said, eyes never leaving the two girls.  As fast as she appears, she walks away gracefully up the staircase, leaving her servants to go for her bidding immediately.         


“Soo Jung. Ji Hye,” if there’s a time for Jaejoong to panic, now would be it.  He scooted closer to the wooden rail, desperation clearly painted on his beautiful face.  The guards opened the door to Ji Hye and Soo Jung’s cells, intimidatingly marching in with predatory looks. 


“Soo Jung!” Jaejoong yelled when the guards pushes Soo Jung away from Ji Hye and grabbed hold of her arm. 


“Move!” as if releasing their anger for being yelled at earlier to the girls, the other guards does the same to Ji Hye.


“Soo Jung! Don’t touch her!” he pleaded, his usually placid looks long gone.  He saw Soo Jung looking at him helplessly, slowly shaking her head, before she stopped resisting the guard’s harsh treatment.  She herself willingly walk out of her cell, going one step closer to her death.  Finally close to her brother, she cried silent tears as she crouches down, her hands holding his tightly. 


“Jaejoong-“ there was no fear nor desperation in her tone.  She sounded so calm, so serene, as if she accepted her fate already. 


“-I’m sorry.  I love you.  I hope you knows that,” she forced a bitter smile before she proceed to kiss his hand.  It was a gentle touch on the hand, like the one a ten year old would do to her dear beloved brother when she sees him after months of separation, “I hope I’ll meet you in our next life.  But not as your sister, I’m not good enough to be your sister.  You deserved better.  If it weren’t for me and my selfish needs,  we wouldn't be in this sticky end right now.”  


The guard behind her pushes her shoulder, urging her to get up and continue walking.  A little shocked from the harsh push, she wiped her tears as she forced herself to smile again. 


“I know I don’t deserve to ask you of this, but please-“ she gulped, finding it very hard to request this from him, “-if you do survive, please take care of our parents for me.  I know they aren’t really the perfect parents for you, but at least for me they are.  Don’t let them break if I died.  Please tell them I love them.”


Losing his patient, the guard shoved her again, this time harsher, loosening the grip she had on her brother’s hand.  Desperate to talk more, she ended her speech with, “Jae, I love you!  I know I owe you a lot, I promise I’ll try to pay my debts in the next life!  Jae!” she called for him with her tears falling freely on her cheeks.  Jaejoong looked at her blankly, his own face drenched with tears.  


The last sight he caught of her was the heartbreaking look she gave him before she ascended the staircase.


“Ugh, this one is a tough one,” the sound of one of the guards whining about Ji Hye turns his attention to them.  He immediately turns towards Ji Hye who’s trying very hard to cling onto the wooden rail to prevent herself from being carried to meet her end.   


  “Jaejoong! Help me!” she begged for help, her cries are unstoppable as the guards harshly push her out of her cell.


“Ji Hye,” Jaejoong mutter softly.


“Jaejoong, get them off me!" she begged as the guards drag her away.  “Jaejoong, please!”


Guilt consumed his brain as he shake his head softly.  How can he tell her he is of no authority in this?  How can he tell her that he can’t help her?  That she’s going to die?  And that he’s going to die too.  


 Understanding the look in his eyes, she too stopped resisting and let those guards carry her away.  The last thing she said before she ascended the staircase was, “If you happen to live, please tell Jun Su and my parents I love them.”


With that, the door slammed close, leaving him battered all alone in that cold place. 


The two girls let themselves being dragged by those guards, hopes to let themselves free long gone.  Despite knowing that this may very well be the last time for them to see each other, none of them said a word after they left the dungeon. 


This is the first time for them to see the Forbidden City at night.  Usually they’d be on their beds right now, obeying the curfew imposed on first class and second class female attendants.  And even if it’s during the day, they won’t see anything farther than the garden at the end of their lawn anyway, they’re not exactly allowed to wander off the palace.


 The gardens around them are really really beautiful despite the hindrance the rain gave, the flowers though not blooming are still beautiful in their sealed shape.  The rain’s heavy right now, the water soaking them all along with the guards, but they couldn’t bear to even mind it.  Let’s just fill their minds with beauties before they died. 


There’s this beautiful sedan chair in front of them, held by four guards, the design so unique and creative that they had never seen such beautiful palanquin before.  They however know, inside that seemingly warm palanquin, lies a cold ugly woman, marred by jealousy and ambition, turning into a possessive monster who’d do anything to get anyone and everyone out of her way. 


It took about 20 minutes before they finally reaches a really grand and huge palace.  There is this big plat on top of the building, the words ‘Lotus Palace’ written on it in a very beautiful calligraphy.  So, this is the infamous Lotus Palace, the residential palace specially assigned to the emperor’s most favourite concubines.  It’s been that way ever since it was built 300 years ago.  From the look of it, it’s currently occupied by Lady Ara. 


Speaking of the devil, she’s now walking out of her palanquin gracefully, eyes boring straight towards them in an undefined look. 


“Take them inside,” she commanded coldly, walking in before them, ignoring the bow she’s receiving from her household servants.    



The hard beating of their hearts intensifies even more.  This is it.  Heaving a sigh, Soo Jung follows her steps with Ji Hye a step behind her.  Arriving in a large space presumably the lounge, the both of them were forced to kneel down on the floor as Lady Ara sat arrogantly on her seat, sipping her hot tea while at that. 


Wiping her lips with a handkerchief like a proper lady, Lady Ara proceed to turn to her trusted lady-in-wai.  “When will the emperor arrive?” she asked, her tone low.  Both Soo Jung and Ji Hye looked at each other in shock.  The emperor is coming?  Just because of them?


“My Lady, his royal highness will arrive soon.  The great eunuch, sir Hong Chul had already sent his people notify us,” she replied politely with her head bow down like a docile little puppy. 


Nodding in satisfaction, Lady Ara turn back towards the two kneeling ladies, a thin line of smirk ornamenting her face, as if taunting the two for their impending fate.  No words are exchanged from then on as the two ladies stay on the floor with wet clothes.  Their hearts are beating rapidly, scared of their future encounter with the ruler of the land. That was really unexpected.  Never in a million years would they thought they'd meet the emperor.  Sure they are consorts now, but there are always prettier ladies in the court and it will be too easy for them to be outshined in his eyes.


It wasn’t until a very loud announcement did Lady Ara finally smiles happily, the first genuine smile they ever sees from her. 


“The emperor has arrived,” the announcement was repeated, prompting all the people in the household to bow on the ground while Lady Ara curtseyed.  A loud and concrete footsteps can be heard, that alone can tell them how dominant the emperor is. 


Both Ji Hye and Soo Jung hold their breath as they glue their eyes on the ground just inches before them.  If Lady Ara is intimidating, goodness know how the emperor makes them feels. 


“Your highness,” Lady Ara’s sweet voice can be heard, different from the tone she uses on them.  She sounded so fragile and gentle right now.  Like she is crazily in love with him.  Maybe she really is.  Otherwise, she wouldn’t feel so intimidated even by mere second class attendants. 


“Which one is she?” a firm baritone unyieldingly asked, his voice alone sent shivers down the listener’s spine. 


“The one in white,” Lady Ara immediately answer, trying very hard to stifle herself from grinning.  Then, as fast as one can think, that powerful footsteps makes it’s way closer to Ji Hye and Soo Jung. 


Soo Jung who is still looking at the floor adherely sees his foot right in front of her.  The urge to shudder is just unfathomable.  Then slowly, she felt a finger lifting her chin.  The emperor's touching her.


Forced to look upwards, she is met with the most beautiful pair of eyes ever.  Drowning herself in the sea of pleasure, she didn’t even notice the shocked look on Ji Hye’s face, the dreadful look on Lady Ara’s face and the soft gasps coming from the servants around.


“From which family do you come from?” the emperor asked, his voice demanding and unwavering.  It took a second for Soo Jung to gulp and finally muster the courage to answer him. 


“From Kim Eung Soo, the Minister of Jurisdiction of Jamsil,” she timidly replied.  She can see a small nod coming from the good looking male, looking so ever manly even with that simple gesture.  Soo Jung felt her heart flutter. 


She can’t believe she actually bought Lady Ara’s threats.  Yes, she is indeed powerful, but no one is more powerful than the emperor himself.  And with one so wise (she'd heard of all the things he'd done before) like him, there’s just no way he’d kill someone without investigating it thoroughly.  She feels so stupid right now.  How can she have no faith in her future husband?  She spent so many hours bawling her eyes out next to Jaejoong and Ji Hye in their cells, when the truth is, there is actually a salvation for them here.  The emperor, their salvation.  Their sanctuary.  The one who can protect them from Lady Ara. 


The emperor let got of her chin and turn towards Ji Hye. 


“And you?  You’re her cousin, if I remember that information correctly.  Which family are you from?” he inquired, his eyes blazing with something indefinite to them. 


“K-Kim Eung Wan, the Minister of Treasury of Jamsil,” Ji Hye replies, her eyes now radiating with something similar to that of both Soo Jung and Lady Ara.  Awe and fascination.  The kind of feeling you would get once you happens to meet someone you never thought you would.  Someone that everyone wants to be, but never can.


It’s too early to call it love really, but how can someone not fall for someone like him?  Someone so dashing, so manly, so powerful and so- mysterious, like an unexplored abyss, which only makes them all want to take the liberty to be the first one to know him inside out.   


There is this undetected glint of satisfaction in his eyes once he heard of her father’s position.  “Good,” he said.  What’s so good about this?


He nods towards the head guard stand-by-ing on the door, signaling something.  The guard bows and takes out his sword from it’s scabbard.


The emperor turns around and walk towards the window, trying to enjoy the night scenery.  His expression remains unchanging as he ignores the horrified shriek coming from Jihye.  


Jihye stared at the unmoving body of Soo Jung on the floor with her hand clasped on her mouth.  Soojung's body bathes in her own pool of blood as the sword that was used to take her life was drawn back, covered in the same blood as the floor. 


“It’s a beautiful night,” the emperor, Jung Yun Ho commented, the loud sound of the rain and thunders resonating his ears.  “So beautiful.”        




AN: So Soo Jung died.... SURPRISE!!!!  XDD I hope this doesn't appear to be too fast-paced.  I tried my best to drag it on, but I find some scene to be too rushed.  

PS: I guess some can already sense this now, this story will be pretty dark from then on, after Soo Jung died.  But rest assure, Jun Su is making his appearance soon along with his boo-boo ;)