It had been three days since Jun-yeol publicly scolded Lady Im in the main hall.The household carried on as usual, but something in the air had changed —too quiet, too polite, as if everyone was waiting for something to happen.
And indeed, something was being prepared.By Lady Im Hwa-jin herself.
That morning, a small rumor spread among the servants:Lady Im would be hosting a tea gathering with noblewomen —and she had specifically requested Han Eun-bi to serve as her main attendant.
"Why me?!" Eun-bi groaned while tightening her oversized hanbok.Mi-sun gave her a worried look. "I don't know, but… be careful. Lady Im looked too calm this morning."
"Too calm? Great. That's how every storm starts," Eun-bi muttered grimly.
The main hall looked perfect — elegant, refined, and painfully quiet.Lady Im sat gracefully at the center, surrounded by three noblewomen who spoke with soft, practiced smiles.Eun-bi stood at the side, carrying a teapot that felt heavier than her dignity.
"Is that a new servant?" one of the women asked, hiding a giggle behind her sleeve.
Hwa-jin smiled sweetly. "Oh, she's not an ordinary servant. Han Eun-bi is… a very special helper."Her tone was polite, but her eyes gleamed with intent.
Eun-bi swallowed hard."Okay, Eun-bi. Just pour the tea. Don't pour your tears," she whispered to herself.
But as she served, a few drops of hot tea spilled — right onto Lady Im's hand.
"Ah!" Hwa-jin gasped softly.
Eun-bi froze. "I— I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to— My hand just—"
Before she could finish, one of the guests commented,"How careless. Does Lady Im allow such clumsy servants to serve at her table?"
The air went still.Eun-bi lowered her head, her face burning red.Hwa-jin only smiled faintly.
"It's fine," she said gently. "Perhaps she's simply… not used to being around people of refinement."
The words were soft — but they cut deeper than any insult.Eun-bi clenched her fists, trying to keep her tears from falling.
And then — heavy footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
"Lord Kang!"All the guests stood instantly.
Jun-yeol entered the room, his expression unreadable, his voice calm but cold."What happened here?"
Lady Im stood gracefully. "Nothing, my lord. Just a small accident."
"Small enough for my servant to be humiliated in front of guests?" His voice stayed even — yet sharp enough to silence the room.
Hwa-jin tried to smile. "Tuan, I was only—"
"Lady Im," he interrupted quietly but firmly. "You may host a gathering, but you do not command my household. My servants are not pieces in anyone's game of pride."
Eun-bi stared at him, stunned — half embarrassed, half overwhelmed.It was rare to hear Jun-yeol speak with such weight.
Hwa-jin's composure began to crack."Are you truly rebuking me, Lord Kang? In front of others?"
"I'll rebuke anyone who humiliates another without reason," he replied plainly.
The silence that followed was so deep they could hear the sand in the hourglass shifting.
Hwa-jin bowed slightly, her voice trembling."I see, Lord Kang. Then I suppose I no longer need to ask who it is you're protecting."
She turned and walked away, her steps graceful —but her eyes burned like unshed tears.
When the guests had gone, only Jun-yeol and Eun-bi remained in the empty hall.Eun-bi stood awkwardly, eyes fixed on the floor."Tuan… it's fine, really. You didn't have to—"
"Close your eyes," he said quietly.
"Eh? Why?"
"Just do it."
She hesitated, then obeyed. Something soft — a silk handkerchief — brushed against her skin.When she opened her eyes, Jun-yeol was gently wrapping the cloth around her reddened hand.
"Tuan…" her voice came out barely above a whisper.
"You don't have to keep enduring everything alone," he said softly.
"I just didn't want to make things worse."
A small smile touched his lips — subtle, but real."Sometimes silence makes things worse. I learned that from someone who talks too much."
Eun-bi blinked. "Are you talking about me?"
"Who else could make me talk this much?"
For a moment, neither of them spoke — but the air between them said enough.
After a long pause, Jun-yeol said quietly,"Eun-bi… I know you might not believe me, but… I've begun to feel something I shouldn't."
Her breath caught.Jun-yeol continued, voice low and steady, like a confession carried by the wind.
"Whenever you're here, this house feels alive.Whenever you're gone, it feels empty again.I don't know when it started — but I can't pretend anymore."
"Tuan…" she whispered, eyes glistening.
"And even if this world has rules," he said, "I no longer care if they call me wrong."
Silence.The breeze drifted through the open window, carrying the faint scent of tea and silk.
Eun-bi looked at him, her heart trembling. "Tuan… I'm just an ordinary person. A nobody."
Jun-yeol smiled faintly. "Maybe. But sometimes, the world changes because of someone who was never supposed to matter."
That night, Eun-bi sat in her small room, her hand still wrapped in his silk cloth.She stared at her wooden pen and wrote slowly on a torn piece of paper:
Today, someone spoke a truth braver than any story I've ever written.
And outside her window, under the pale Joseon moon,Jun-yeol stood in the courtyard,watching the faint glow from her room —as if that little light was the only thing keeping his world alive.