An Ode to Maehwa | kth

Chapter 29: The Crisis

"There's no way I'd bring Hoseok along."

You were walking down the main street with Misun, dressed as a commoner, followed by two guards with a safe distance behind.

"His priority is His Highness the Crown Prince, and he might as well spill the secret even before I let him know personally. I don't trust him," Misun pouted.

You chuckled at how childish but cute she looked—the undeniable charms of her.

No secret in between the master and servant. That sounded like the most reliable and ideal relationship for such titles, but it currently was Misun's enemy.

You two popped in and out of stores of interest, also not forgetting to drop eyes on things that were sold on the street. You noticed yourself looking out for man's properties, imagining Taehyung at the back of your mind.

So, it was his birthday soon. It wasn't like you were close enough to give him a present, but he did help you out a couple of times and to give him something as a thank you gift wasn't too odd...such excuses for looking out for a present unconsciously whirled in your mind.

You were sauntering further down the street with Misun jolly of her purchase, when you were alarmed by a malicious stare. You quickly scanned through the crowd, and met the eyes of a man wearing brown hanbok. You wanted to inspect further but he disappeared in the crowd immediately.

"What are you looking for?" Misun asked ignorantly.

"Nothing," you smiled, hoping it was just your imagination.

Just when you were going down a few steps of a short staircase, Misun felt a strong force push her back. She let out a small scream, shutting her eyes from the approaching ground.

The guards noticed and rushed quickly, but they were too far away. "Misun!"You quickly stretched your arms out and caught her safely, landing on the ground with your back.

You winced a little in pain, but the priority was her safety.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yes, thanks to you."

Carrying her frail body in your arms, you snapped back to look at the culprit. You saw a brown attire disappearing in the crowd, chased by the guards.

You were right—someone was coming after them, or her.

What was his purpose? Did he know who you two were? Was he a vulgar thief coming after Misun's money, or something else...?

"Sorry, we lost him," two guards reported, bowing deeply.

If they couldn't catch him, then the culprit was still out there and the place wasn't safe anymore.

"Misun, let's go back for now," you advised, in which she agreed willingly.

With one guard heading the way and another watching out their backs, you carefully walked the way back to the palace.

Not long after you left the bustling main street, you heard a loud groan coming from your back. You saw the guard collapsing with a sword struck in his stomach. The previous man, with the brown hanbok was looking down at the guard begging for his life, a smirk plastered on his face.

Misun gave a sharp scream. You gasped.

"YOU BASTARD-!" the guard at the front tried to approach the man, but he was caught by another man coming to attack him.

He wasn't alone!

The guard at the front was stuck fighting the other man while the brown hanbok man walked leisurely towards the two, sliding out a short sword from his sleeve.

"Misun, RUN, RUN!!!" you commanded, gripping tightly onto the arm of the girl who was about to collapse.

Misun bit her lower lip tightly and slapped her wobbling knees to do their job. She wasn't the body of her own anymore.

You ran through corridors and streets you didn't know, but you had to run far, far away from the chaser. You needed to protect her, and another life that was yet to breathe.

You weren't the athletic type, and Misun was worse. Your heartbeat pounded vigorously from the scare and the adrenaline, but your legs betrayed its speed.

Misun was heaving and you guessed making a pregnant woman run so much wasn't good for her body. You caught a small house with mountains of straw in its backyard, and you quickly decided to hide behind one of them.

Misun was probably at the edge, and as soon as she crouched down, she started sobbing.

"Y/n, y/n, are we going to get killed? I-I don't want to die, y/n-!"

You gasped hearing loud footsteps, and covered her mouth with your hand, another hand gesturing her to keep quiet.

"Hiding somewhere?" a raspy mocking voice was heard. You could hear his footsteps roaming around the place, with every step tingling your scalp with terror.

"You know you should have just fallen flat and hurt your womb earlier on. Otherwise we wouldn't have had to end two lives...actually three?"

Within your head ringing in alarm, you quickly confirmed that this man knew who Misun was and that she was pregnant. They didn't want her to give birth, and their first attempt was to make her have miscarriage. With that failing, they went for the more atrocious measure—to kill the mother.

You only noticed you were biting your lip too hard when you felt an iron flavour in your mouth. It was a matter of time he found out where you two were hiding.

You looked at Misun who was doing her best to swallow her hitching sob.

"Misun-ah, listen to me. I will drive that guy away, so you should do your best to run to ask for protection in the street. Understood?"

"N-no! You're going to get killed, you can't-"

"Do as I say. I'm quite fast at running, just so you know," you smiled defiantly as a bluff, but you weren't sure if you did well enough.

Before Misun could protest any further, you walked away from the mountain you were hiding behind to the one three piles away, and yelled. "Unfortunately for you, I hid the Lady somewhere else!"

The man looked at you in a disgusting smile. "Oh, where is she sleeping at?"

"Make me spill, or kill me," you retorted, doing your best to hide your trembling voice.

You ran. You feared the man wouldn't follow you behind, but he did. The predator was always attracted to prey that ran. The relief was momentary, and now you feared for the sake of your life.

A/N:

Dashi run run run~

/sorry I had to/