MY KNIGHT

22. UNTIL YOU CAME

The children were messing around the whole length of the garden. Some working their way up the teaky pine while the others capering about the sakura blossoms. The nebulous petals spilling a velvety carpet of the flamingo shade of pink. The birds were singing their own melody of vintage theme, while the commotion of the townsmen was depicting the bright eyed and bushy tailed aura of the conurbation. Everything in the town seemed so normal and cock a hoop, giving an ebullient vibrations from head to toe. Except for the bewildering whirlpool of fervour trickling down the east tower of the palace.

"Miss JiAh! Its been a week since the accident in the woods. Your wound is almost cured. Don't you wanna go out of the palace? Its unlikely of you to stay inside the room for so long." Hye Sun complained. She had a concerning look in her eyes watching the girl infront of her dwelling on the incidences of the past few days.

JiAh looked at the fresh calendula flower staring back at her from the clay pot sitting comfortably on the table . She never acknowledged the medicinal importance of the vibrant yellow petals until Mrs Min made her consume it. Though the spicy bitter taste of the calendula tea was almost impossible to swallow but the the warm feeling of Mrs Min's everyday visit made it worth a million penny. Beside the pot was a ball of red yarn pierced by two knitting needles which Jin and Yoon Wu gave her in case she feel bored. A smile grew on her lips as she recalled how both of them fought for an hour as to whom she'll gift her first self knitted scarf to. Difficult decision.

"Seems like a little girl is hungry. Look how gloomy you look without your favorite fish cakes." JiAh jumped from her bed after hearing this familiar voice. Mrs Min looked at her with smiling eyes, her hands busy holding the package made of badou leaves which certainly imprison the mouth watering fish cakes.

JiAh smiled at the lady as she pulled her into a hug. These past few days aided to burgeon their relationship to a greater extent. Both the women felt homely in each other's presence. Hye Sun left them to chat as she was relieved that Mrs Min was the right person to leave JiAh with.

"Ajumma! I wonder what I would have done without you." JiAh lured the lady with her puppy eyes, taking all the advantage of the chance to act like a toddler as much as she can.

"Well! If you miss me that much, why don't you make a visit to the house. Its been a week since you came. The house feels ghostly without you." Mrs Min said while stuffing JiAh's mouth with fish cakes. She knew this topic is a little tensed and wanted to carry it in a cheery way but soon she realised it wasn't a good thing to do. She saw the shadow in JiAh's eyes that screamed the hurted feelings that she experienced a week ago.

"Uhm-I'll think about it. I'll surely come around." A sad smile plastered on her lips.

Mrs Min sighed, realising that avoiding the ultimate conversation was inevitable. If there is a time to talk things out, this is the time. "JiAh, dear! I know what's stopping you from visiting the house but trust me he doesn't have any hard feelings for you. He too isn't happy about your absence."

"I don't think thats the case." JiAh took another piece of cake nibbling the edge like a baby. She kept her eyes on the patterns designed on the hem of her dress, putting in all the efforts to avoid an eye contact. "He doesn't care. He never dropped by, never asked how I am. I don't think I want to face him right now. I'd rather keep my distance." The silver glitters covering her eyes threatened to trickle down her cheeks. She sniffed back the tears that decorated the brim of her eyes not wanting to feel any emotions for the man who didn't bothered to even make sure that she was fine.

"I understand how you feel JiAh. But trust me he cares about you. I admit he never visited but there isn't a day he didn't asked how you're doing. Its just that he couldn't bring himself to face you the same way you do. My boy is a little stupid when it comes to expressing emotions but that doesn't mean he don't feel anything." Mrs Min exhaled, her mind full of the events she experienced in raising her son. "When his father died, he took it all upon himself to raise the family." JiAh listened careful as the lady continued the deepest darkest story of her life, which she dreaded to bring up infront of anyone. "If it wasn't for him, I and Yoon Wu would have ended up living a miserable life. His cheerfulness and innocence was all gone in a flash of second. He never laughed his heart after that. He was always confined to his little coop filled with all the stroke of despair and loneliness. I know he finds himself in the middle of nowhere but still he never said a word to anyone. Never let anyone open his heart."

"Until you came." Mrs Min looked at JiAh with hopeful eyes, dripping emotions that were both gratifying and pleading.

"Me?" JiAh was muddled up by this sudden statement. How on the earth can she make any difference to the heart of a man who never felt something even near as warmth and attachment.

"Yes you JiAh." Mrs Min continued. "Since you came, his smile has started reaching his eyes. He laughs, he jokes, he doesn't feel alone anymore. I know he doesn't express much, but I'm his mother. I can see things that others can't. Just give him a chance JiAh, he needs you."

Mrs Min changed the calendula from the pot before serving another cup of tea. JiAh had her mind wandering through the paradoxical words that craved to make head or tail of the sentences showing Yoongi's concern for her. The former grabbed her bag to go back home as the sun had already put itself together to bid a farewell. A deep orange light lit the room blending golden pearls with the interior.

The lady turned back at the doorway to look at JiAh one last time, "Do give a thought about what I said earlier. The house is waiting for you." Both the women smiled at each other before the elder headed outside the room and disappeared into the dark hallway.

◦•●◉✿◉●•◦

"Seems like something is bothering you. Are you not well." The woman smiled at the man standing under the peach tree, his eyes stern and his gaze fixed on the thin air. He pulled his hand from under the woman's grasp before pacing a few steps away maintaining a safe distance between the two.

Yoongi never felt comfortable around Suk Myong. Not just because she was a part of the royal family but also she always tried to intimidate him which he dreaded the most. The suffocation he felt around her made him choke but the least he could do was to escort her for the sake of her dignity.

"Yoongi-ssi! I've waited so long for you to show the same affection that I exhibit for you. But the more I come closer, the more you push me away. You know how I feel about you, right?" Suk Myong grabbed his had turning him towards her direction. Her voice cracked with desperation inflicting remorse of her failed attempts of capturing his heart.

"Yes Princess Suk Myong, I'm aware about your feeling but I'm afraid I cannot return the same for you." Yoongi said with his same expressionless tone, his eyes still not leaving the empty space at the far end of the expanse.

"Why?" Suk Myong yelled, her eyes filled with tears, staring gravely at the man who stood lacking any emotion that could call a breathing creature human. "Am I not good enough for you? I'm the most beautiful woman among the five nations. I'm powerful, wealthy, influential, there's nothing in this world I can't have. What else should I do to make you love me back?"

"Love cannot be bought with power, influence or wealth." Yoongi retreats his hand, still avoiding any sign of eye contact with the wailing woman. "You're right, you're perfect. And perfection deserves perfection. I'm sure you'll find someone much more worthy than me. Its my humble request that you should wait for the right man." He bowed infront of her, stipulating the final statement of his feelings.

"Is it because of her? That woman? Have you started feeling for her? Is that the reason why you're rejecting me?" Her ache took a bitter turn of anticipation as she searched Yoongi's face for an answer.

"It has nothing to do with JiAh." He replied. "I can't develop feelings for a girl I met just days ago."

Suk Myong's apprehension came back to life causing her world to shatter into pieces. Her lips curved into a desolating smile. She dragged her feet a few steps back before climbing the back of the white horse grazing on the dewy green meadow.

"I didn't took her name." She looked at him with disappointment congesting her eyes before she rode away into the depth of the forest.

A/N:
Honestly I felt a little bad for Suk Myong here. Its hard to accept that not everyone you love would love you back. Rejection feels like a cancer, swallowing you from within. Its okay to feel sad about it but moving on and letting things go is the biggest weapon to fight this cancer.

There's always light at the end of the tunnel, its just how much effort we put to see that light.

Now the question is how Suk Myong would react after her ultimate confession. And how this is going to affect Yoongi and JiAh's life.
Well.... Stay tuned to find out. ❤