Driven by shame and a little kick of ego, Sae Joo had spoken, declared a big decision that could affect the lives of the applicants before him. He felt the need to unleash his stand, playing his role as the head of the hwarangs. Dae Wong might be doing his job as a Pungwolju but deep inside the Crown Prince, there was this sense of embarrassment, feeling that he was just like acting as a shadow.

His decision was hasty... yet calculated.

"I honestly think that it was not a bad idea," Jin Ri put in, grinning.

"Since no one wants to admit, all of them could prime suspects. But kicking out all of them, a bit hurried guess," butted in Jung Min.

All first batch participants from all provinces converged near the commotion scene. This was the perfect time when Sae Joo observed the diverse set of reactions and body languages of everyone inside the training camp. Quick yet keen. Examining their faces overall, he noticed that there was a common denominator among them: disappointment and exasperation.

I have a feeling that no one among these applicants is the culprit.

Shun suddenly raised his hand and protested, "Forgive my insolence but for me, I think it is unfair to do that. We have worked hard to finish the obstacles, and yet our application process would be in a tightrope because of this unknown person who plotted this?"

Dae Wong watched silently as he crossed his arms, waiting for more of Shun's fire arrows counter attacking the argument. The boy continued, "Is this not the fault of one of the marshals? Especially the one who mans the mud pit station where the incident happened." Shun impaled the red hwarangdo with a short blazing glare.

"What are you saying? That I am the one culprit?" the hwarangdo marshal defended, both arms on his waist.

"Sir, I did not say that..." smirked Shun. He resumed, "I was just saying that you are the one responsible for what had happened. It was your assigned station. You should have checked the mud pit before you let us do our task."

The hwarangdo stomped his feet closer to Shun with both red fists ready to blow fire, "Slow down with your words of accusations, kid. You are talking to a hwarangdo."

"Why do I even wonder that I have heard those chunks of words before?" he shot a quick glance to Jin Ri and spoke again, "I am not accusing you, sir. My point is that you should take responsibility for what had happened at your station."

"I am not at fault! Before your team dive into the mud pit, I made sure that it was clear of any materials other than mud and water... Maybe someone in your team wants to sabotage you. Did you not notice that it was in your turn when that shard was found? If that glass was there all along, the first two members of your team should have been impaled, not that fat boy." the hwarangdo shook his head and sniggered at Shun, eyes projecting contempt. "Sometimes, people who tend to shift the blame to others are the real culprit. Do you not agree?" smirked the hwarangdo.

Shun's hands were morbidly itching to punch the hwarangdo in the face, but he flushed the tiger down and calmed himself, lips trembling in a composed fury.

Dae Wong had analyzed their arguments, tearing up every single point and its possibility. Two angles of motives uncovered in his mind: first, the main objective of the culprit was to make a commotion inside the hwarang, for its credibility and security screening to be questioned, second, it could be a personal vendetta; the suspect wanted to make sure that a person would not make it become one of the palace hwarangs. Among the two, it was the second one that rang the loudest deafening sound.

I am pretty certain that Shun was the actual target. Jin Ri, it was you. Dae Wong thought.

In the middle of the intense argument, the young minister interrupted, "That is enough! We shall hear no more words from any of you. All first batch participants may go back to the training ground in the palace. We will just inform you the result at the end of the day."

The applicants whispered with their colleagues, after hearing the announcement. Dae Wong commanded the Purple Ivies hwarangdo to replace the Red Dragon hwarangdo manning the mud pit station. He then called the leader from each province to do an intensive body search for each of the applicants. The young boys took their robes off and pants, showing all pockets to the inspecting leaders. Some nangdos were ordered to take the first batch applicants back into the palace.

Sae Joo approached Dae Wong, "I wish to talk to you in private, Minister Dae Wong."

"You were just a minute away. I was about to approach you also," replied the minister.

"After this... in the gazebo near my mother's pavilion."

"Yes, Your Highness." bowed Dae Wong. Sae Joo then walked his way towards the applicants and gave them a heads up, "The screening process continues. Rest assured that no one will experience the same type of accident."

All stations were checked carefully for the second time around. The applicants dressed themselves back, and no one among them was seen with suspicious things with them. Sae Joo and the rest went back to the dais. When everything was ready for the second batch applicants, the nangods ready to blow the horns after the signal, a palace court lady approached Jin Ri, whispered into her. The young lady stood from her seat and bowed before the Prince. "My father wants me back to the palace." her stiff face asked permission.

"Is that so? Alright... but err, how about Lord Jung Min?"

"I intend to stay, Your Highness," cut in Jung Min."

Sae Joo did not respond and just watched his cousin leaving the camp, a small palanquin waiting. The Crown Prince gave the signal, and the screening process resumed as if nothing had happened.

~~•~~

The first batch applicants were taken into the Hwarang Training Ground, where they first assembled earlier. Swarming in clusters, some of them talked with their friends, others observed the training and fighting stunts of the nangdos. Shun, on the other hand, sat idly on the side, thinking about the accident. For nearly an hour, his thread of patience ran out, as he felt like he was a prisoner. Intimidating, robust guards on the perimeter and the gate guards keeping their eyes on them.

He approached the guards by the main gate and asked permission to leave for a while because he needed to empty his bladder. "Sir, may I go out? I need to pee."

"Sure. Be sure to go back in a few minutes," the guard reminded.

"Yes, sir," Shun bowed. Shortly, the guard opened the gate, letting him find a comfort room. Striding down the grand palace courtyard, he noticed a familiar lady from afar, going to a small red pavilion. With a strange gut feeling, he followed the lady, and when he was at an ample distance, he recognized her. "Is that Lady Jin Ri? The arrogant lass, the Prime Minister's daughter."

Moments later, he saw ladies in a white robe, with blue headbands, carrying trays, walking from the pavilion. "Hmm, are those nurses?" His feet were attracted by the strange aura of that structure. Following his instinct, he continued walking up to the front; two guards blocked him and asked what his business was, "What are you doing here, kid? You do not look like a palace servant."

"Yes, I am not. Actually, I am a hwarang applicant... Err, I am actually looking for the palace infirmary. A friend of mine's stomach hurts. Our hwarangdo told me to get some herbs."

One of the guards' eyebrows scrunched in doubt, "Who is that hwarangdo?"

Shun frowned, "I forgot his name. But err, he wears a red bandana and red leather vest."

"Ah. It must be Bo Hyung-rang. You could ask some nurses inside on which room to go. As far as I know, the herbs for minor pains are located on the second to the last room on the right hallway."

"My gratitude, Sir. Can I enter now?" smiled Shun.

The guards cleared his way, and the boy climbed up the small staircase to the pavilion lobby. Heading right to the hallway, he had a glimpse of Jin Ri's long red satin skirt before she entered the last room. "What is she doing there?" Two red group nangdos standing erect in front of the last room.

A nurse came out from one of the rooms, and Shun asked her the chamber for the stomach pain herbs. Confirming what the guard had mentioned, the nurse pointed the room beside the last. He paced down the hallway, calmly, trying to act as natural as possible. His heart knocked hard on his rib cage, yet he still managed to stroll like red velvet, swaying in a fragrant summer wind.

Inevitably, the guards noticed him, following him with their doubtful eyes. He just smiled, bowed his head, and entered the herbs room. Different shelves and compartments like the royal library. Dimly-lit with yellow light from the candles and lamps on the corners. Mixture of scents, but primarily mint odor oscillated around the four corners of the room. Playing devilishly with luck, he immediately went to the wall on his right: his main objective—to eavesdrop on possible conversations.

For the first few minutes, he could not hear anything. His ear reddened as he pressed his face more on the hardwood. After some time of patiently waiting, he heard a cry, a deep, bass voice from the underground.

"Please, My Lady. Do not do this to us!"

"This is what we have had talked about! Your job is done. Now, I want you to quit this screening application!"

Shun's mouth dropped and hanged into the hot air. "What are they talking about?" He kept on listening until he heard a loud thump on the floor. Then, the boy on the other room pleaded for the lady's grace.

"Please Lady Jin Ri. I really want to be a palace hwarang!"

"No! I have already paid you enough gold. Is that not enough for your sick mother? What do you want, huh? A lifetime supply of medicine for your dying parent? Hell no! I am not like the Prince who gives those privileges to low-life scums... Again, your job is done. This entire drama ends now!"

"My Lady.. please!"

"Hush now! One more word from you, and I will slit your throat. After this day, I should never ever see your face again."

"Another thing, never tell a soul about this plan of us. You have done well. Shun will never be a palace hwarang because their team did not make it to the time limit. Thanks to you!" a shred of laughter pierce through Shun's ear despite the wooden wall between them.

Shun was nailed to his place. His face lost some of its colors. He could not believe that he fell on Jin Ri's trap. His good heart had placed him into risk. The first thing that crossed his mind was his father. With him not becoming a palace hwarang, his father's safety and condition would be in great peril once again.

When he was about to step outside the room, outside, he heard the stomping of the leather boots down the floor. He waited for a few more minutes before we went out. Looking carefully both on left and right. As swift as an eye-twitch, he immediately entered the other room, where Mak Dong was confined. Well-lit, average-sized room.

Shun saw the plump boy, sitting at his bed, head bowed down, hands covering his entire face, crying. His leg was wrapped in a bandage. The young boy wanted to punch his teammate in his face for ruining their team's performance intentionally. However, his superego blew a whisper which put a stake in his heart. He felt sorry for Mak Dong for being a tool of the vicious noble lady.

"So, it was you," mumbled Shun.

Mak Dong raised his head slowly; he was shocked to see his teammate in front of him. "How did you..."

"Why did you do this?"

"Forgive me. I had no choice. I had to do it for my mother." stern, deep voice.

"I want to understand you completely. I wish to know everything between you and Lady Jin Ri. Why is she completely against me being a hwarang?"

Mak Dong avoided Shun's eyes and started narrating the whole story behind Jin Ri's plan. "My mother was actually a former palace servant, formerly one of Lady Jin Ri's lady-in-waiting when she was about seven. She retired from the service when she gave birth to my brother. Two years after my brother was born, she became weak. At first, we thought that it was just fatigue... But no, it was something even more serious. The doctor said that she will be lucky if she would live for ten years. I cannot bear seeing my mother scream in pain in the middle of the night, pleading to the Heavens to ease her pain. If I could just transfer all her pain to me, I have done that already. It is a death sentence without facing death."

Unknowingly, Shun's tear fell from his eyes, feeling almost the same sentiments. "I am truly sad to hear your story. But why did it have to be this way?"

"I honestly have no idea why she wants to stop you from joining the hwarang. She just approached me all of a sudden when my application paper was sealed. She asked me if I would be willing to do anything for my mother... then, the rest is history. Have you done anything wrong with Lady Jin Ri?"

Shun was smacked in the face. He paused for a while as he had a sudden thought about what he did to Jin Ri. It was the trial after all. She was threatened with what I did in that trial. But why did she go this far? She was not convicted as the one who planned Prince Sae Joo's kidnap after all. This is too stupid and shallow.

As Shun was staring blankly, seemingly lost in another universe, Mak Dong repeatedly called his name, calling his attention. "Shun... Shun?"

"Oh... what was that?"

"You looked nervous. I know it. You have done something wrong to her. You do not know Lady Jin Ri. She is a type of person who holds a grudge to anyone who does her wrong—whether big or small. She will do everything to get even. That is how tall her pride is. I really want to apologize to all our teammates, especially to you."

"I will just accept your apology if you do the right thing. I know that you did that for your mother, but because of what you did, intentionally ruining the team, staging a play, impaling yourself with that glass, our lives might be affected. What if one of our teammates desperately wants to become a hwarang? Your action could ruin someone's aspiration."

"I would apologize to you a thousand times, but I have no regrets. I will accept Lady Jin Ri's condition. I will withdraw from the application, start a new life with my family... Now come to think of it, why do you want to become a hwarang? The palace is a surreal yet dangerous place. Brothers kill their sisters or even their parents just for a lavish life."

Shun's mouth glued into a red thin line. His father was the sole reason why he wanted to become a hwarang. The driver of his carriage—the motivation of every action that he had been doing.

"See? You cannot even respond to a simple question. Think about your life decisions, Shun. A noble lady wants you out. Let that sink in. You cannot stand against nobles. We are just destined to be their toys. Learn to accept your fate. Now, if by any chance, you still able to make it, then I am congratulating you in advance." Mak Dong carefully stretched his legs and lied back to bed.

"Please leave," requested the plump boy.

No words came out from Shun's lips. A stare full of regret and disappointment was all that he left as he walked away.

Striding down the palace courtyard, back to the training ground, an addition to Shun's driving force had birthed. "No, Mak Dong. You are delusional. I am not destined to become anybody's toy. Now I am more eager to be a palace hwarang, and that Jin Ri... I will prove her wrong." 

__________

NOTES:

-Rang (-랑) - a suffix attached to a hwarang's name.