TEN YEARS BACK

"My lord! My lord!" Bai calls loudly forgetting her dignity as the Ming princess and the wife of the richest minister in Joseon.

Minister jang hears his wife's voice and wonders what could make the upright and dignified Ming princess shout with such discomfort. "Why is she shouting?" He asks himself.

"My lord!" Bai calls again and opens the door to her husband's room sitting opposite him as the small table separates them. "It has happened again!"

"What? Happened again?! Ok jung sneaked out again?" Minister Jang asks with so much annoyance.

"Yes." Bai nods almost sobbing. "I am tired now, what else can I do to make that girl listen to us? A girl child for that matter."

"I never expected a girl child will be this stressful, even her older brother doesn't give us problems the way she does." Minister jang laments.

"My lord! What do you think we do now?" Bai asks.

"I have no idea too, no matter what we do she still manage to sneak out of the house." Minister Jang sighs. "I am fed up already."

"Father, it is me Hae Jae." Hae Jae announces from outside.

"Come in!" Minister Jang orders.

Hae Jae walks in and bows. "Did she sneak out again?"

"Yes!" Bai answers loudly almost sobbing.

"What?" Hae Jae asks in shock and amazement. "But how come? I gave the guards my orders personally."

Bai holds Hae Jae hands. "Please talk some sense to her for me, she seems to listen to your more than us."

"Do not worry father and mother, I will find her and bring her back and i will make sure she does not sneak out and listen to all instructions we give her."

"That's good, please do that." Minister Jang says hopefully.

"I will be back soon mom." Hae Jae bows and walks out.

"I hope she is not in the bush hunting again." Bai whispers.

"Where else would she be? If she is not in the bush hunting, she will be displaying her archery skills in the market square or even wrestling and fighting with real swords." Minister Jang laments sorrowfully.

"Ok jung, please be fine." Bai murmurs beneath her breath.

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"I have told you not to come here again, Ming princess!" A low born man says loudly at the top of his voice depriving ok jung entry to the building.

"Oh! Mister! Must you be so stubborn? I promise no one is aware I left home today, no one will come look for me or threaten you." Ok jung says with a smile. "Please, just allow me do the sword display here."

"A noble lady like you shouldn't be seen in a giseang parlor, and why are you even dressed like this again?" He asks pointing at ok Jung's manner of dressing like a boy. "This is very bad of you."

Ok king shrugs her shoulders. "I wear what i am comfortable in, you shouldn't worry about my manner of dressing. Just please, let me in I beg you." She tries to enter.

"No!" The man retorts pushing her back. "Please, just go back to your mansion home and never come back here. You are a lady, a noble one, you shouldn't be seen in places like this at all. What if a minister comes out and recognizes you? It will be a great disgrace to your father."

"Since when did you care about my father?" Ok jung asks and scoffs. "Please just let me in, I beg of you please."

"I sai-" He was stopped by a blade held underneath his chin leaning directly on his neck.

Ok jung and the man traces the sword to see who it was and it happens to be Hae Jae.

"Brother!" Ok jung calls loudly with fear.

"Please save me." The man whispers with fear. "I asked her to leave but she wouldn't answer me, please save me."

"Standing and talking to her alone is a crime." Hae Jae whispers as he swifts his sword holding it firmly at his throat.

"Please!" The man says loudly already trembling and peeing in his pants. "Save me master, I beg of you."

"Brother, please bring down the sword. He knows nothing about me sneaking out." Ok Jung pleads with utmost fear.

"Shut up!" Hae Jae yells. "I am coming for you soon, let me deal with this man right here first. Watch clearly as innocent people will keep praying for your stubbornness."

"Brother!" Ok Jung yells. "Please, I promise not to sneak out anymore."

Hae Jae smiles and lowers his sword, putting it back in the scabbard.

"Thank you sir!" The man appreciates still in fear, he ran in the giseang parlor and locks the door from behind.

"Thank you." Ok jung whispers as she bows her head still feeling very bad from happened.

"Put your head up." Hae Jae says as he moves closer to his sister.

Ok jung puts her head up looking at her brother straight in the eye. "I am sorry."

"You are not getting any younger ok Jung, you shouldn't do things like this anymore, you are a lady, a noble one for that matter."

"I am sorry, I just got bored at home and wanted some fresh air, that's all." Ok Jung explains trying to defend herself.

"Our parents are already worried, when we get home do not try to argue and apologize to them." Hae Jae says and turns his back heading home.

Ok Jung looks at her brother and realizes he was sick worried earlier and very annoyed now. She runs to him and hugs him from the side. "My beloved brother."

Hae jae push her in shock. "What are you doing? Don't you know we are in public? What do you expect people to say or think?"

"Who cares? After all I am not wearing a dress."

"It doesn't ma-" Hae Jae stops all of a sudden, it was at that moment he notices that his sister is putting on his clothes. "Hey!" He yells loudly.

"What? What?" Ok Jung asks.

"Why are you putting on my clothes?" He asks loudly.

"Catch me if you can!" Ok Jung says loudly and runs home.

"Little witch!" Hae Jae murmurs and runs after her.