My world came crashing down the moment my sister collapsed with blood pouring out of her mouth. I never in my entire life wanted to see anything like it again as Moon-Bok came running over whilst the rest of the men had to physically restrain Seon-Ho from charging over to her, who was already visiting me here in my father's village on his way to the palace. My sister, who I hadn't seen since I was forced to abandon her in the palace so that I could prepare the biggest surprise for her…and I missed my baby sister. I rarely got to spend time with her since we reunited so I wanted to at least take care of her like I had done for years for a while before I had to take on my other responsibilities; my marriage, my home, my village…and my best friend who was now apparently in love with my sister and had taken care of her better than I ever could as hard as it was to admit. He tended to her every need before she even asked, he looked after her at her work places and now he wanted to marry her. Please god, just let my sister live and I'll give her any marriage she wanted with the man she wanted. My sister, my baby sister, who knew what torments she was facing now on top of her epilepsy fits that lasted a decade. Why couldn't people just leave her alone? This was exactly why I kept her at home, Moshe wouldn't get caught up in the trouble she was in now.
My sister still had a pulse but she needed the women's care to get better. She kept opening and closing her eyes and reaching for me like she did every time she got sick or after her fits. We held onto each other when we finally got there with Moon-Bok and Seon-Ho closely behind me. I called out to the village chief whilst Moon-Bok went to retrieve his medicines for my sister as we placed her in the home of the village chief. Moon-Bok got to work and myself and Seon-Ho took up her hands, we didn't leave her side for a single moment until she finally regained consciousness. The blood was cleaned up and we had to leave the room so the girls could clean her up. In the meantime Seon-Ho, was gaming rather a lot of attention from the villagers and were waiting for him to introduce himself to everyone. I had a hard time tearing me away from her who was already setting up his bed besides her. I saw the look of grief and anger on his face that I had never seen from him before. He had a temper so he was always angry back in our youths when people ripped him apart for his illegitimate status…but I also noticed and felt a strong self of…possessiveness about my sister from him. That was when I knew that I had lost this battle and that I should give my Yeonnie to him before something happened between them and before he started making my life hell over this matter when we had just repaired our friendship.
We both didn't really notice how much we had changed until we noticed how everyone was watching us. We had both grown bigger in size, taller in height and I guess that our big statuses sort of made us intimidating. But soon enough it was Seon-Ho who was getting all the attention when he explained his story to everyone; the illegitimate son became one of the most important men in the King's closest circle by his own merit, combined with the efforts of my sister. The majority of the population here were unemployed, as they were still trying to sort out their homes and village with limited resources. But his story attracted a lot of the youths in the village and the children as well who couldn't stop staring at his size. I will never forget the expression on his face and the way it lit up as more and more people gathered around him more than myself and kept asking him questions until it was time to eat and get some sleep. We both went to my sister's side until she fully woke up where he asked me about my plans to redevelop the village. I could tell that he started having ideas of his own when he started talking animatedly about his own ideas that he had to at least develop it, but it looks like he had his mind set on creating a school here for both sexes to learn from. I raised me eyebrow at this, trying not to think how this entangled with my sister's job as giving tuitions or teaching kisengs how to keep house when she lived with him and his father.
"When are you giving her to me?" He had the nerve to ask me questioningly when he knew how I felt about her more than anyone else in the world. It was my duty to marry her off but a part of me wanted to keep her by my side forever if I could. She was still the light of my life, my companion and only source of happiness for years. She looked like my mother but her strong resolve reminded me so much of my father who had long passed on. She waited for me to come home with a warm smile on her face, she cooked for me occasionally if she recovered from her fits on time, she went out of her way todo small things for me to make me happy. I had a woman that I had a special connection with indeed but the truth was that no other woman in this world could take care of me better, knew my every thought, brought warmth to our cold and abandoned homes and gave me e reason to survive and keep living every single day. I had no idea how this brat had one of the most stubborn and complicated men I had ever come across wrapped around her finger but I could now see that he needed her just as much as I did, probably even more. "I will talk to her tomorrow and make a decision." "And that slave from my father's home that you tried setting her up with?" He asked me accusingly and I just sighed. "Enough, if you want him gone you need to tell him yourself. Just let me spend some time with my baby sister before I send her on her way." And with that, I fell asleep holding her hand just like I had done almost every single night before we were separated.
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Despite all of this it was becoming harder for me to restrain myself around Yeon in the presence of other's. I wanted to be the first one that she saw when she opened her eyes but it was her brother that she called for at first. They hadn't seen each other in a while so it was understandable whilst the men and children showed me around the village. Every part of they place was just brimming with opportunity that I was desperate to settle down here even more so than my own inevitable marriage. Hwi's home was almost completed and I had plenty of ideas of my own but I needed to discuss it with Yeon first. And after what seemed like hours she finally called for me as a bunch of little girls started grabbing my hands and taking me there. And the minute I saw her dressed in a new attire again with a new look with a group of children around her there were so many things that I wanted to tell her, to show her and talk about. She dismissed the children instantly and her hands reached out for me the minute she saw my face.
I tried not to crush her with my weight but she was already bursting with laughter at the excited looking my face. The last thing I was expecting was for her to make me blush at my age so all I could do was hide my face in her until she got all of it out before she asked me how I was liking the village so far. I made sure that she was alright first and i asked her repeatedly what happened that lead up to her poisoning, but she assured me that she told us everything that she knew. I promised her that the witches were dealt with for good and that I chose their punishments for them. Yeon threw me a little pout before turning her back on me which was completely rare for her and it took me by surprise before fully taking advantage of it. I soaked up as much of her jealousy as I could before almost wrestling her to face me while I told her about everything I was feeling and experiencing in this village. It was almost impossible to get me to talk about anything unless I had to, thanks to my father's particular training, but it was as if she had become my diary that I wanted to talk to non-stop. She had a unique way of seeing and understanding things in layers on intellect, reason, emotion and even political understandings that I couldn't get enough of. She was somebody I could truly share my burdens, thoughts and ideas was, which just made my life a whole lot easier. "You really do have plans for this place don't you? I've never seen you this excietd about anything before." "I really do, I've been dying to come here for so long." "No pressure, no expectations and total freedom right?" I couldn't hide my surprise but she just replied with a kiss.