Forever It's You (It's You Series #2)

25 ✽ On a Mission

Night descended quicker than Eun-bi expected, the soft glow of lanterns illuminating the capital. Music and voices of people, like cicadas in summer, chattered around her. The tantalising smell of food and spices hit her nose, baiting her to go closer, but those had to wait.

Because today, she didn't come out to play.

She was a woman on a mission.

Most of her guards followed her stealthily, concealing themselves among the crowd, while Officer Hyong accompanied her through the bustling streets.

For tonight's mission, her chosen ally was Tae Jin-hee.

She kept her hand firm on the arm she was holding onto, knowing Jin-hee might run away any moment. The poor girl looked more disgruntled than ever. Her feet trudged forward, heavy in reluctance.

"Your Highness," she groaned. "What is the meaning of this? Where are we going?"

"This?" Eun-bi said. "We're enjoying a night stroll together."

Jin-hee stared at her with a look of accusation. "By taking me away in front of my father while you're dressed like...this?"

She waved at Eun-bi's male clothes, looking appalled.

"Of course. How else was I going to leave the palace without a disguise? I barely showed my face, so I doubt your father recognised me." Eun-bi tossed a glance behind them. "He doesn't seem to be chasing after us."

A snort escaped Jin-hee's throat. "That's because your guards are keeping our retainers away," she said. "Father must be thinking that we're a couple and eloping! This isn't good, considering all that time and effort I've spent trying to stop him from marrying me off to another family. Now, he's going to think that it's because I've hidden a lover from him this entire time."

She buried her face in her hands, groaning out loud. "When I return home, he's going to ask questions and kill me. What kind of story am I supposed to make?"

"Well," Eun-bi thought hard. "The best way to stop elders from asking questions is to confuse them."

"Confuse them?"

"You could, perhaps, tell your father something along the lines like, 'he's just a friend of my friend's friend and he's my friend too, so our relationship is nothing more than that?'  While he tries to understand your words, that's your chance to run."

Jin-hee let out a dry, sarcastic laugh. "Ha-ha. That's hilarious, Your Highness. What about my servants? They'll catch me if my father doesn't."

"That all depends on how fast you can outrun. Knowing you..." Eun-bi mulled over in amusement, "that might be too difficult for you."

With a disbelieving snort, Jin-hee adjusted her gat and tugged at the strings tied beneath her chin to secure the hat in place, loosening it for better comfort.

She mumbled under her breath in annoyance. "What was I thinking when I went along with you?" Her gaze dropped, and she glared at the male clothes she was wearing, her voice edging towards hysteria. "And how did I let you persuade me to wear this bunch of ridiculous clothes just like yours? This is insane! You're insane!"

"Hey! You were the one who asked to be friends!"

"Ugh, so that makes me insane as well!"

"Precisely." Eun-bi patted her own outfit in a satisfying manner. "But it's not too bad, isn't it? It feels nice to stretch and walk around like this."

Jin-hee gave a whine of protest. "But we look like clowns!"

"But, " Eun-bi corrected her, "we get to enter a place such as this one."