Sae Joo felt a tight grip on his wrist from behind. He looked back, nonplussed to see a lady, covered with a red jang-ot veil. She craned her head towards the ramp, digging her trembling nails to the Prince's skin. "Agassi, I know this is a random favor, but could I come with you, please? I won't cause any inconvenience."

He darted his eyes towards the rushing men and back to the young woman. An inkling clarified his cloud of suspicions. He then realized that none of Silla's hwarangs wore pink colors. "I suppose you are trying to escape from those men."

The woman stumped her feet and pinched Sae Joo's wrist, exploding into a big, fat confirmation. "Yes!"

"Ouch!" Sae Joo flinched and jolted the woman's hand, his eyes scowling at her.

"Forgive me, uh," she heaved a long breath while her stiff fingers twitched frantically — "if I have been rough. Please, please? I'd give you anything you ask." She rubbed her palms vigorously and looked up to the masked pig like a lost puppy. "Please, please, please."

"Alright... just keep quiet!" he hissed.

"Yes! Thank you so much! Let's go now, please!"

Studying her appearance, Sae Joo thought of her as his female counterpart. A reflection of himself, but perhaps with a different story. He did not see her as a flag of threat, but as someone who has lost a certain fight, surrendered, and chose the next battle. Maybe it would not hurt to give the desperate woman a chance. Wherever she came from, a valid reason must have triggered her to run away—that none but him could understand.

He dove his hands into his pocket and gave the younger ship attendant five additional gold coins as he whispered in his ear and said, "You shall not let them in." He turned to the older creep and ordered. "Quick, show us our room."

"Right this way, marvelous ladies."

They followed him up the second level, where fluctuating, red lights dominated the active deck. Behind the dulcet sound of flutes and gentle strumming of kayagums from the puppet-like musicians playing on the stage were the rattling of the dice, the squeals and howls of the winning gamblers, and the growls of the losers, pummeling the tables in frustration. The intellectuals, on the other side, spent their night staring at the black and white stones of the Baduk board and planning their next attack. Regardless of the type of gamer they were, all of them had courtesans, either massaging their shoulders or snuggling in their arms and drinking their wines from time to time.

Sae Joo rolled his eyes as they walked past them and turned left to a hallway, for he could not comprehend the continuous activity of placing passionate musicians to play for ignorant rich people who could not even focus on listening to their crafts.

"Have you been on a ship before?" the woman asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Time passes by slowly when you have nothing to do—when you cannot do anything."

"Where is this going?" he arched a brow, confused about the lady's prose.

"I noticed that you were annoyed..."

Sae Joo chuckled. "I was, yes. I mean, whatever happened to art"—he sighed and shook his head. "I don't even know why those poor musicians are playing that piece. The mood and the surrounding just don't match. It is a form of torture. Do you realize that?"

"For a living, I assume. It's a shame being a slave of poverty. And yes, they just do not match. Nothing clicks when you have no choice. It's as if you are obligated to do something for the benefit of the many, but you simply don't like it. At some point, you must try and stop your whining, but then you realize, when everything becomes sufficiently unreasonable, you have to stand up and make things right. I just wish those musicians would do that."

He noticed her lively face drained in hue. His rants about the misplacement of the musicians fired back at him in a solid jab that broke his armor and stung his chest. Who could have thought that a simple irony of the soothing sound of music against the chaotic gambling arena would unexpectedly summarize his miserable story? The way the unknown lady made him realize that vital point in life sparked his interest—that he was not alone, that someone shared the same agony with him, that he made the right decision to leave.

"Here we are, ladies." the old creep interrupted. He opened the door and moved alongside. "If you need anything, I'll be on the main deck."

They entered the small room with double-deck beds and a small fireplace. As per Sae Joo's request, each bed had at least four pillows, a clean velvet sheet, and a thick, cozy comforter blanket.

"Up or down?" he asked.

"Down," she replied pensively.

"You got it." Sae Joo slipped his feet out of the slippers, climbed to his bed, and caved himself inside the comforter. A pillow inserted between his legs. He tried to ignite a new topic after noticing that she has been silent for a minute or two. "Hey, I forgot to ask your name. I'm Sae Joo."

Failure. No response, even a simple 'hmm' of affirmation—none. He chewed his teeth, wondering if he had said something that made her upset.

"Are you asleep already? What's your name?"

He heard a soft giggle from below. The woman blurted. "I knew it!"

Stunned with a vague, abrupt answer, his nose wrinkled. "Knew what?"

"You are not a girl."

Sae Joo's heart raced. He did not know why but he felt a little bit awkward and embarrassed, although he was aware that he brought it on to himself. With his masquerade blown, the idea that he was a male and that a woman shared a room with him suddenly seeped in and quaked his conservative mind.

"D-di-did I say I was?" he chortled, pinching his palms. Sweat curdled on his armpit and on his forehead. For every beat of dead air, the temperature in the room raised.

"It's alright. I am thankful that you saved me."

"So you don't mind sharing a room with a stranger—especially a... boy?"

"Not at all. I know you are a good person. If not, you wouldn't have paid that crew to help a stranger."

With the smooth sail of their conversation, his muscles loosened up. He could feel his toes wiggling freely. All settled, a big wall collapsed—then he moved forward by diving in and asking more personal questions, thinking that he could remove the tension and connect with her casually. "Would you mind if I ask you why those men were following you? Who are you?"

"Telling you who I am takes time. I'm Eun Soo, let's begin there." she stood from her bed and walked to the fireplace. Sae Joo pulled the comforter, rolled to the corner of his bed, and observed her. "So err, where are you from?"

She sat on the floor and gazed at the dancing fire. "Won't you remove that mask?"

The Prince jumped from his bed and sat beside Eun Soo. "Not until you tell me who you are."

"I told you, it's going to take time. After this trip, we are going on our separate ways," she defended.

"I am interested in you."

Eun Soo pressed her lips. "Why?"

"Your story... I can simply relate."

She scoffed. "No."

"Then, I can't remove my mask."

The annoyed woman harrumphed and groaned. "Suit yourself then!"

Another silence. The crackling of the wood as the hissing fire devoured its surface highlighted the serene ambiance. Sae Joo wanted to tell her his story, but like the scintillating flame, swaying and dancing to the unstable rhythm, he dictated himself to stay true to his purpose. Never to be swayed and keep the desire from burning. But then he thought, if he had to stay true to his path, he would need fuel to continue.

She was the wood that he needed to keep the spark. Specks of her motivation, her life, her story would probably help him to be more inspired and prevent himself from faltering along the way. Perhaps, if she could only open some chambers of her heart to him, he could find a better perspective, a better angle and a better approach on how to combat his baleful situation.

He broke the silence and asked her a random question. "Are you not hungry?" She casually shook her head and hugged her knees.

After looking at her hanbok, studying the beauty of its fabric from the first time they meet, only when she was a foot closer did he realize that there was a dragon embroidered on her jeogori. He crossed his thighs like an Indian and smiled. "That hanbok looks good. Where is it made?"

"I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"I find it unique and beautiful. I haven't seen anything like that in Silla."

Eun Soo looked at him and squinted. Having the advantage of hiding his true emotion, Sae Joo smirked behind the flat, resting-pouted pig. She gritted her teeth and scolded. "Quite hellbent, huh. If I were to be honest, I would say that this persistence of yours is making me feel uncomfortable. But since you saved my life and told me that you can relate to my story, I could give you a chance. You are the one who has been asking me these questions, it is you who should do the first effort. I can see that you are a smart person. Based on how I answered, I guess you already have a clue about a part of my identity."

She did not remove her gaze, waiting for a face reveal. As much as the Prince was interested in her, she, too, felt a cordial and light feeling for him. That the person hiding behind the animal could be one of her friends. But she shall not make him feel that her door was an easy portal to unlock.

Sae Joo leaned forward. Eun Soo felt a slow gush of blood to her cheeks and a slight hop from her heart. A feeling that was a stranger for her. Her body froze, only her eyes following every move of the Prince—starting from him unpinning the jade hair ornaments, then untying the lace behind his head. He lifted the mask and laid it over his head as his casket-black hair fell perfectly down his shoulder.

"I'm done with the first effort," smiled Sae Joo.

The hypnotized woman could not hear his silky voice, only the highest static frequencies of the last vowels of each syllable. Her iris locked in place. Sae Joo's finger snap unlatched them back to the heated reality.

"Are you alright?" peered Sae Joo.

Eun Soo flinched, her eyes blinking tons of times. She swallowed and primped her hair. "Y-ye-yes, I am. Why wouldn't I be, uh, alright?"

He leaned his elbow on his thigh and cupped his face, biting his lower lip. "This is how I look. Your move."

Her eyes goggled in a feigned shock reaction. "My move? What nonsense are you talking about?"

"You're not from Silla, are you?" He raised his brows and smirked. Finally, the fullest reaction that she could see.

"And so what if not?"

"Then you wouldn't get to see my angelic face."

Eun Soo tittered, covering her mouth to control the volume. "What makes you think that I am interested in seeing your face? This is unbelievable. You have a strange feature for a man, if that's you are after."

"I am well-aware that you are from Balhae."

A sulk embossed on the lady's visage, preparing the shot for her tit-for-tat. "I know that you are no ordinary person. A nobleman, I presume?"

"You are not far wrong... You, too, are no ordinary lady. That dragon says it all."

Although she has realized that the man in front of him shared the same dilemma and fear as hers, her guard must remain solid all the time. Showing a little skin would not necessarily mean flaunting one's body naked. Before the questions could get more intimate and personal, she veered the topic seamlessly, without looking defensive. "Where are you going, Sae Joo-ssi?"

"Hongdo Island. And you?"

"Anywhere but Balhae," parried Eun Soo. She stood and walked back to her bed. Sae Joo was taken aback, thinking he had offended the fragile woman. He followed her and sat on the floor beside her bed. "A real escape. It must have been too traumatic."

Eun Soo frowned and raised her palm wide. "Look, I have no intention of being rude towards you, but let's be clear about this conversation. If you are going to fish the smallest details of my personal story, might as well forget it. I open myself to you as a decent person. That doesn't mean that I am obligated to tell you every single thing that you wish to know about me—especially if it concerns my past."

Castigated by her blunt, concise words, Sae Joo's lips paralyzed. His fingers hardened; the bright energy on his face waned in embarrassment. The riled woman lay down and shut her eyes. "Do you still have anything to say? I want to sleep."

His robe rustled as she stood silently and climbed back to his bed. He took a hard exhale before saying, "Forgive me. Good night." Eun Soo opened her eyes and bit her knuckles. A bizarre strain of guilt tracked down her throat, churning her stomach. Her feet shivered and fidgeted as if a voice whispered in her both ears, telling her to apologize or at least make him feel that he was not as menacing as he thought. That she was still interested in being around him for the rest of their journey in the ship.

A complete definition of their complex yet charming encounter. 

__________

NOTES:

Baduk (바둑) - a Korean version of the Japanese board game, Go.