Yun Ki and Soojin found each other in their most vulnerable moments.

Ones that had them thinking that life couldn't get any better than what they'd thought.

They'd been basking in each other's energy, all through the 3 days at Goryeo and as things do unfold,

good times often come to an end.

You wish you could press pause and have the moment stop, in all it's glory.

For Yun Ki, that moment would've been the one where he'd been lying next to Soojin, watching her chest rise and fall as she clutched his hand in hers, tightly.

A moment where he feared that if he even so made a minor positional adjustment, he'd wake her up.

And that was something not even he could do.

His heart was soft for her and her ministrations.

She was a spectrum of emotions, a ball of energy, one that had Yun Ki's heart racing.

Waking up next to her was an adventure in his own.

He never knew whether he'd be met by naive and innocent eyes, struggling to stay open or ones that had a notorious sly glint to them and yet again, that is what Soojin was to him.

Change and yet, an odd sense of stability.

For Soojin, however, a moment that she'd want to pause would be when she watched him in his vulnerable times, when he was getting his scar sown up and had held onto her knuckles with all his might.

She remembers the way his lower lip jutted out, the way the crinkles near his eyes accentuated as he held in his breath, withstanding the sting of a mere needle.

She wonders if it was then that she'd grown warm to him.

She wonders if it was then that she'd wanted nothing more but to protect him, shield him and just be near him as and how he wanted.

His vulnerabilities pulled her in.

The man who'd portrayed himself to be an absolute devil, someone cold-hearted and absolutely vain and conceited, was really not how he appeared to be.

His vulnerabilities were a bigger part of him and Soojin wanted to hold him so tight, he'd forego every worry he bore in his big big heart.

So here the two of them were, sat in a carriage, shoulders pressed to one another and hands intertwined.

Yun Ki's thumb rubbed reassuring circles over the top of her hand and looked away, stifling his huge wholehearted smile with a cough.

Soojin's eyes were trained on the road before them and yet, all she could focus on was how he caressed her, the heat radiating off of his palm and seeping into hers.

She wondered if this is what a blissful marriage ought to feel like - warmth, love and protection.

"Please, stop behaving as newly weds, it reminds me of the sorrow I bear in my life and heart.." An annoyed tone expresses before the duo.

Yun Ki looks at Chief Hong, who was seated opposite them in the carriage as he looks down at their intertwined hands.

"C'mon, you can be happy for me, can't you?" Yun Ki presses, causing Soojin's cheeks to heat up.

Chief exhales loudly, tapping over the velvet of the seat.

"What more can I do, Jeonha? It's rather endearing an action and yet, it reminds me of the thorns in my heart.." He sighs, heavily.

Soojin counters his complains.

"Jeonha, don't you think we should find someone suitable and virtuous for Chief Hong?" Soojin questions, wittily, watching Chief Hong's expressions pale.

Yun Ki looks over at Soojin and winks.

"Want to make him feel the way we do?" He questions, cheekily.

Soojin nods and laughs.

"You're not quite serious, are you? Or are you just pulling my leg?" Chief asks, looking rather confused.

Yun Ki breaks the eye contact he was maintaining with Soojin to look back at his Chief and give an audible.

"No, we're serious. Love and togetherness is a feeling, unmatched. Get yourself prepared, Chief. We'll start looking for someone for you." Yun Ki comments, smiling his famously attractive gummy smile.

The Chief claps his hands excitedly, causing the duo to burst out in laughter at the excitement he showed.

"I didn't just do that in public, did I?…" The embarrassed man sulks.

"Just go to sleep!" Yun Ki comments, with a wring of his other hand as the other clutches onto Soojin's tighter.

—————————

"P-Please give us water..Joon Ki i-is on medication…he ne-needs water.." Soojin's mother cries on the hard marbled floor as she holds Joon Ki to her chest, watching him convulse, his voice box emitting a strangled groan and hands clutched to fists.

The poor woman beats him on the back, getting his cough reflex activated.

Two men sit before them, on high chairs, watching down over them.

Yong Sun has the nurse, the caregiver, seated over his lap as he laps up her ear, filling the room in wet pops and squelches.

Joon Ki's animalistic sounds have him tutting in dismay, as he sicks his teeth, squeezing the nurse's hips in annoyance.

"Yah, get him to shut up.." He whines, planting kisses against the back of her neck.

Minister Choi looks down at them as he watches Joon Ki's lungs giving up and droplets of flood leaving his lips, creating a mess on the floor.

"Soojin's Eomma, if you want water…why don't you..beg?" He whispers, causing Yong Sun to laugh at his request.

"He's right, Eomeonim..why don't you kneel your old knees for us? We're kind people, after all.." Yong Sun adds, leaning forwards in his chair to get a better look.

Soojin's mother, places Joon Ki against a wall as she scrambles before the men, hoisting herself over her knees as she folds her shaky hands in mercy.

"Please, please give us water. You haven't fed us in 2 days..I ca-can take it but Joon Ki, can't..Please Yong Sun-ssi, be kind to us..We're only asking for water.." She cries, hair all greasy and messy from having been locked up.

Yong Sun raises an eyebrow.

"Eomeonim, we discussed this. I had elaborated on how I wished to be called..remember? Are you perhaps doing this on purpose to get on my nerves?" He questions, authoritatively.

Soojin's mother's head raises and perch red eyes stare at Yong Sun, chapped and torn lips spilling out with fervent 'no's'.

"Then, what must you call him?" Minister Choi, pushes..

The old lady bites her tongue, the ends of her nails are digging into her own knuckles, her bony knees are piercing into her thigh bone as she stays put, looking back at her pale malnourished Son who looks as disheartened as she.

He looks at her as though he's sorry.

Sorry, for being vulnerable.

Sorry, for being a soft target that had invited these uncalled and untimely guests into their lives and most importantly, Sorry for not being able to defend his Mother's honour and pride.

One that had been crushed and crumbled to shreds, right before his own two eyes.

Soojin's mother looks away from the emaciated, back over at Yong Sun, who's waiting on a response, eyes half lidded in arousal from the stimulation he's receiving from the nurse who is kissing up his neck, intoxicated.

Soojin's mother's lips tremble, tongue immovable.

"J-Jeonha..Crowned Prince of Baekmin, Min Yong Sun..Plea-Please give us water.." She implores, rubbing her hands in apology and beseech.

Yong Sun lifts the nurse off of his lap, swatting her backside as she goes to fetch water.

"See? It was really that simple, Eomeonim.." He responds, laughing with the Minister.

The nurse walks back in bending to give the glass down to the old lady's shaky hands.

Yong Sun tuts, clicking his tongue.

"Give it here, love." He calls out and her mother's eyes are open wide.

The nurse plops herself back on his lap handing him the glass of water.

Yong Sun stares at the helpless woman as he plants his lips on the glass and takes 3 big gulps, a thick droplet of water cascading down his throat as he pulls away with a sound of contentment.

"I was thirsty, as well.." He comments.

He offers the glass to Minister Choi, who drinks out of it, the very same way and hands the glass over to the shaky lady, who's insides are burning in hatred, absolute hatred.

She looks into the tumbler, watching as it is only 1/3rd filled and her heart skips a beat, in resentment.

But she bites down her lip, amidst cackles from the men and scrambles back to her son, giving him every drop of water there is.

She could survive but he couldn't, not without water.

------Author's Note--------

Hi everyone, I'm sorry as I haven't been uploading regularly.

I'm in the midst of some mid-terms which is why I've been absolutely swamped with work and just getting one round around my syllabus seems like such a task.

Anywho, I hope you will be able to understand me.

I apologise, once again, for the inactivity and I realise how much it affects one's interest in the book but trust me, I've been having quite a tough time.

Thank you for all your love, always.

- Ash!