Monday afternoon,

Ji Hye looked at the ground intently, her face sour, the air surrounding her equally rancid. 


“My Lady, would you like your lunch now?” Soo Kyung asks obediently, standing right behind Jaejoong who is reading in front of Ji Hye in the Jang Mi Garden, clearly mistaking her bitterness for hunger.  She had been eyeing the Second Class Female Attendant ever since she woke up yesterday, and truth be told, she didn’t looked good.  Particularly after Jaejoong told her about him being the emperor’s consort.  She don’t know why, but her master appears to have known this girl very well.  She remembered what the girl said when she just had woke up, ‘Am I dreaming right now, or are you really alive?’


Needless to say, it sent multiple questions in her already congested brain.  However, knowing the Forbidden City like the back of her hand, she decided that it’s the best for her to just keep quiet for now.  She shouldn’t ask Jaejoong anything.  It might irk him, and irking the most powerful consort in the palace right now can never meant good, even if she’s his direct attendant. 


When she didn’t get any answer from Ji Hye who’s still looking at the ground, she turns to Jaejoong who is also looking at the girl right now. 


“Soo Kyung, go and serve our lunch,” Jaejoong ordered short.  She nodded understandingly, getting the underlying meaning right away.   In Forbidden City, orders like that are actually codes for, ‘Go away for now.  We need to be alone.’


Once she left, Jaejoong put down his book as he kept his eyes on Ji Hye. 


“What is it, Ji Hye?  What has been bothering you?” he asked, his face solemn.  Ji Hye scowled but she barely gives any answer.  Her eyes are still latched on the ground, refusing any sort of eye contact with him. 


“Ji Hye,” this time, his voice is stern, clearly telling her that he’s not going to take anymore nonsense from her.  He had been very happy when he got the consent from the emperor to have her.  He’s so close to running after he stepped out of the emperor’s residence, eager to aid her.  If he didn’t get to save Soo Jung back then, he’d get the chance to redeem it now by saving Ji Hye.  This time, he’s sure he'd be able to since he had gain massive power in the form of the emperor.  Back then he was a nobody, he can barely do a thing. 


  Once he had arrived in the prison, the first sight that greeted him was the very same guards who had been instructed to watch them back then.  He saw them eating the prisoner’s food while joking around.  He also noted that there are other people occupying his and Soo Jung’s cells now, probably people who offended their masters.


When the two guards saw him, the shock and fear radiating from them can be sniffed from where he stood really.  Who wouldn’t be?  They had been treating him bad back then, taunting him and the other two as if they were the lowest kind of people on earth, and now here he was, standing gloriously in front of them, armed with the protection of more than 10 attendants and dressed in one of the finest kind of linen they had ever seen.


They were instantly on their knees, the other prisoners too.  Flailing their arms out of their cell pathetically, trying to beg for his mercy and trying to get him to help them.  They know he can for some of them had heard of him before.  



Jaejoong narrowed his eyes when he saw the two shivering guards, clearly tempted to give them a taste of their own medicine.  But he knew better.  He knew that his priority back then was not those guards but Ji Hye.  His heart nearly breaks when he saw her lying half-dead on her cell, unconscious and pale.  He commanded his people to get her right away and summon the Royal Physician to her aid.



This time, a young physician came by.  He told him that Ji Hye was tired and hasn’t been eating, that’s why she passed out.  After feeding her with some kind of a medicinal broth, the physician tells him that she will regain her consciousness soon.  And he was right.  She woke up a day after, looking so ever weak.  But he didn’t miss the joyful glint in her eyes once she saw him.  She was happy to see him and he was too.  It didn’t take much time before she realized how different he is right now.  How different his clothes are.  How he always got people around him.  How he has the power to command everyone in this huge place to his bidding.


And it took an even shorter time before she started to ask.  At first, he hesitates to tell her.  But after much inquiry and questions, he told her that he’s one of the consort now, and that he had met the emperor after he ran from the dungeon.  He edited out the rape part of course for it is too much of a shame to be shared with anyone else, but apart from that, he told her everything.  And he happily told her about Lady Ara too, about how he outdo the conceited lady and causes her to be arrested in her residence for 100 days.


After he told her that, she started to change.  She won’t speak much, she started drifting off, and her expressions are rather bitter too.  He can’t help but to be reminded of the Ji Hye she was before they were sent to Joseon.


“He really pampers you, didn’t he?” the sound of her asking snapped him back from his muses.  He turns to her, looking at her questioningly.  She didn’t look back, and Jaejoong was glad she didn’t.  He didn’t want to see her eyes.  People says that eyes are the windows to one’s soul.  And he’s afraid that if he looked into her eyes, he’d see the old Ji Hye, the one who hated him and Soo Jung with guts.  The one who’d do anything in her power to bring them down.


“You, you’re different,” he mutters softly, eyes darting down to the book on his table.  The two did not exchange anymore words.  Silence filled the atmosphere, neither appeared to be aware of the fact.  Both of them are too busy drowning in their pensive thoughts to recognize the increasing tension between them.  The sight of Soo Kyung running to him desperately is the only thing that manage to root them back to the present time. 


“Your highness,” Soo Kyung breathes, “The emperor is here,” she continued despite the lack of air in her lungs.  It didn’t take more than 2 seconds before Hong Chul’s announcement can be heard. 


Ji Hye paled, her body tensing up. 


Jaejoong barely realizes that as he nodded softly to Soo Kyung.  “Is he, now?” he remarks non-chalantly, it wasn’t even a question, it was more like a statement.  And it shocked Ji Hye.  It was as if he is used to this kind of situation already. 


“Jaejoong, I-“ she wanted to beg.  She wanted to plead.  She wanted to grovel at him and beg him to save her.  To save her from the man who is coming to kill her.  Did he know she’s here right now?  Did he know she’s still alive?  Or did he even remember her? 


The last thought unconsciously brings waves of pain to her chest.  She didn’t know what to think.  She didn’t want to be punished, to be treated the same as he did to Soo Jung.  But if that happens, it can only meant one thing.  He didn’t remember her. That she’s not worthy of being remembered.  


Finding herself foolish for being willing to be punished as long as the male remembers her, Ji Hye fists her hands to her side.  Being enclosed in the dungeon alone for days had taught her a lot.  She had learned that life is not as sweet as it seems.  And that she’s practically nothing without power.  Her eyes darts back to Jaejoong, sharp. 


Well if he isn’t the luckiest being on earth?  While she was starving, he was eating off a feast.  When she was worried of Soo Jung’s blood in her clothes, he was basking himself in silk.  When she was shivering at the cold air of the night, he was swimming in an ocean of soft cotton sheet.  And when she was crying after the guards touched her inappropriately, he was cuddling on the bed with the head of their empire.


“You’re here, sire,” Jaejoong bows, followed by the people around him.  “Up, my beauty,” he felt a hand on his waist as he was pulled up to his normal stance.  Looking up, he sees the face he has been seeing a lot ever since he arrived in the Forbidden City.  “You look more radiant.  Are you happy now?” the emperor asks. 


He nodded softly, lips almost curling into a smile. Almost.  “It’s all because of you and you benevolence, your highness,” he answered softly. 


That Ji Hye counts as the longest sentence she had ever heard him said.     


“Then, it’s all worth it,” the emperor replied warmly.  He sounded so sincere and warm that Ji Hye can’t help but to avert her eyes from the ground and look up, to confirm that it was indeed him who was talking just now. 


The sight that her eyes meet unknowingly stab her already bleeding heart.  He looked so gentle, so loving that she’d never thought he’s the same man who had cruelly took Soo Jung’s life before.  She saw Jaejoong turning red from his words. 


She can almost scoff.  You knows nothing, Jaejoong.  Nothing.


She was about to roll her eyes when she saw a familiar looking eunuch staring at her sharply.  She saw him leaning towards the emperor, whispering something even Jaejoong aren’t capable of fathoming.


Then slowly, the tender gaze Yun Ho was showering Jaejoong deviates towards her, turning cold along the way. Her breath hitches when they locked eyes, glad that he finally gave her a morsel of his attention.


She caught Jaejoong looking at her and the male in front of him simultaneously, his face blank, but Ji Hye know he’s curious. 


“Let’s eat,” he said to Jaejoong before he dragged him back to the building.  “It’s cold out here, why are you wearing so little clothing?” she can heard the emperor ask. 


Her eyes barely left the two figures who couldn’t be anymore matching in the midst of all the servants.  The emperor with his hand on Jaejoong’s waist while Jaejoong walking submissively along his ministration.  It didn’t require much effort to realize that Jaejoong didn’t indulge much feeling while interacting with the ruler.  It was as if he was communicating out of mere regulation and not out of love.  The fool had no idea what he had in his palm.  He’s wasting his chance.


“Lady Ji Hye is it?” she can hear a rusty old voice speaking.  She widens her eyes upon seeing the emperor’s eunuch staring at her in authority. 


“We need to talk,” he continued firmly.  “I see you’re well and alive.  You must be really happy to have left that dreadful dungeon and live here.  Not everyone got that chance,” Hong Chul started.


“I hope you’re worthy of being alive right now.  If we find any proof that says the otherwise, you would definitely meet your dead cousin sooner that you thought,” he said, narrowing his eyes at her.  By then, she had finally understood the meaning behind his words and all the staring.


He’s sent by the emperor to make sure she didn’t disclose the fact that he killed Soo Jung to anyone, and by anyone, she meant Jaejoong.  “We knew everything.  About your cousin and the Occupant of Jang Mi's affair before her death.  And should any news or information of her death be leaked to the occupant’s perimeter, we wouldn’t second the thought of disposing the perpetrator to the gallows,” he threatened her coldly.  And Jihye knew he meant what he said.


“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t say a word.  You have my promise,” she timidly answers.  She didn’t know why she didn’t tell him that Jaejoong is Soo Jung’s step brother instead of lovers as what they had thought.  She didn’t even know why she felt a little uplifted when Hong Chul threatens her.  May be because it means that the emperor indeed remember her and think about her at some point, even if it’s based loosely on negative perception.


“And if I were you, I would not start anything stupid against the occupant of Jang Mi.  I know people like you the best.  He’s the reason you’re still alive right now and be thankful for that,” Hong Chul finalized before he clears his throat and walks away from the bewildered Ji Hye. 


Don’t think he had seen nothing back then.  He saw how that Second Class Attendant looked at the two males in a look he knows best.  It was a look he often see from other consorts everytime the emperor favours Lady Ara over them.  And he knows it never means good.


She’s lucky she got to escape death twice, and she really shouldn’t push her luck by going to any extreme measures this time around.  He recalls the conversation he had with the emperor earlier.


Flashback,
Eun Chan walks into the reading room while bowing.  “Sire, the new palanquin for the Occupant of Jang Mi is finished,” he announces.  The emperor merely nods as he continued writing, as if he had heard nothing at all.  Hong Chul signaled Eun Chan to shoo away after the lack of respond, fearing that Eun Chan will say the wrong thing and trigger the monster inside the ruler of their land.  Eun Chan nodded subtly. 


“Yes, your highness,” he timidly say before he walked out of the room carefully, scared of even a misstep for a wrong move at a wrong time might lead to something he wouldn’t dare to think of.


Once Eun Chan left, silence fills the reading room once again.  Hong Chul can’t help but to have his curiosity rising.  When Eun Chan first report to the emperor that Jaejoong appears to dislike the new palanquin he got, the emperor ordered them to make him a new one.  This time, a matching palanquin with what he had.  But now that the new palanquin is done, the emperor appears to have little care on that matter. 


“Do you think he’ll like it this time?” he heard low voice of the emperor asking.  Hong Chul turned to him, startled.  The youth is still busying himself with the mountains of reports right now, but he know he’s waiting for an answer.


Hong Chul fought the urge to smile.  So he still cares.  “Yes, Sire. I’m sure he would.  The design of the palanquin is rare and only you and him had gotten the privilege to use it.  I’m sure he’ll appreciate the thought,” he answers smoothly.


There was no feedback, but Hong Chul know he’s happy.  The youth continued reading and occasionally writing and they barely notice how high up in the sky the sun is right now.  “Sire, would you like to have your meal now?” he asks, prioritizing his superior’s well being. 


He saw the emperor putting down the scroll he’s holding, his eyes looking blankly to the air, contemplating his question.  “I’ll go to Jang Mi for my lunch,” he said with the air of finality.  Hong chul didn’t even question him as he bows understandingly. 


“And after we arrive there, I need you to do something,” he continued.  “Speak to the girl.  Make sure she says nothing to Jaejoong.  If Ara is telling the truth, then Jaejoong should be the dead girl’s lover.  The last thing I would want right now is Jaejoong knowing everthing I had done.  Do as I command you, and tell your people in Jang Mi to observe her.  Make sure she did nothing off,” Yun Ho didn’t stop there. 


“Wait for a while, and try to do something that will get her killed.  I don’t believe anyone and I shall never be. Try to do it in the most natural way possible.  I don’t want to see Jaejoong suspecting me of her death,” he commanded, his eyes dark and unreadable. 


“Sire?” Hong Chul asked, gasping at the unexpected turn of the order. 


“I should’ve just killed her from the start,” the emperor mutters absent-mindedly, ignoring Hong Chul’s questioning look.  Oh, he needs to kill Ji Hye alright.  As long as she lives, he’ll forever be reminded of how Jaejoong used to love a person before him. 


And as for that cousin of her's, he should’ve torment her with the worst kind of tortures known to mankind before he took her life out of her body.  How dare she?  How dare she touched Jaejoong in places only he can touch?  How dare she climbed her way up to Jaejoong’s heart, to make him love her so much that he’s willing to slip into the Forbidden City for her?  How dare she makes him desperate enough to make him beg just to save her cousin from impending death?


“Sire?” Hong Chul called for him. 


He gulped angrily before he stands up.  “Make sure you kill her,” he reminds the eunuch before he stomp off to Jang Mi.   


End Of Flashback




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AN : So this is the YunJae part you guys had been requesting.  lol, enjoy. Feel free to ask me any question.