Man-wol strongly acclaimed, that if curiosity was a person, it'd be her in human form.

For every time Wang-so was around, he'd leave her curious with every little action of his.

There would be times, he'd leave her annoyed and irked, and Man-wol totally understood what made Hae-soo dislike him.

But today, as she slipped and fell, her head dizzy, the world around spinning, the floor slippery, Wang-so screamed.

And not a mere scream, he screamed as though his entire universe was getting shattered, as though, someone was tearing him apart and ripping his heart away from him.

And as he rushed towards her, engulfing her small bloodied palm into his big one, her head on his lap, and her bloodied face before her, he seemed terrified.

" Soo-ah! SOMEONE CALL THE DAMNED PHYSICIAN!"

" I'm fine." She croaked. " Just a small cut on the back of my head."

" Shut up! Stop talking! You're not fine!"

Man-wol got reminded of her parents, Hae-soo's. When Hyeri was on her deathbed.

The parallels so similar, yet so different.

She smiled weakly, Wang-so admired how she was able to smile in such a situation as well.

" You seem to be extremely worried for me Jeonha, I wonder why?"

Wang-so gritted his teeth, not responding to her.

" You still talk a lot. Even when you shouldn't." He finally said.

" I blame my curious self for that."

" Curiosity kills the cat, Lady Hae-soo."

" Oh I'm well aware Prince Wang-so. Perhaps, my path leads to self-destruction?"

" And it shouldn't. Now keep your mouth shut, or I will make you!"

" A prince being worried for a low-life. Tsk tsk, however does it suit your royal etiquettes?"

" I hardly care about them."

" Strange....especially for a prince...who wants to win over his father's heart...for the throne's sake." She was barely being able to speak, as her gaze started being hazy and blurry.

Wang-so seemed bewildered, but he chose not to say anything further as he sternly ordered Chae-Ryung, who stood at a distance, to go get the Royal Physician.

While Byeol who just arrived at the scenario, got along a thick cloth and pressed it firmly on the cut, Chae-Ryung rushed away frantically, nearing tears.

" Agassi, why must you do this? You have to visit your father next month, imagine if he comes to know what happened, he'll never let you out of sight then, the accident on your way back here already worries him a lot, you cannot be so clumsy!"

Hae-soo smiled, shaking her head slightly.

" Abeoji is well aware he can't say no to me. All I have to do is plead with my eyes, and his anger washes away."

" Agassi, that does not mean you don't take care of yourself!"

She sighed, but had no energy left to talk now, her eyes closed slowly and Byeol and Wang-so panicked.

" Hae-soo!"

" Agassi!"

" I'm not dead." She said as they sighed and started chiding her.

She sighed, her eyes closing yet again, and soon, darkness took over. 

 
•°•♤•°•

When Man-wol opened her eyes again, it felt as if she were in deep slumber for years and years altogether, and finally, after so long, her sleep came to an end.

Her body felt numb.

Almost as if she'd received a dose of anesthesia.

Wang-so, her cousin, and her brother-in-law sat by her side.

Wang-so, being the closest with his hand enveloped in hers.

Byeol, Chae-ryung and Lady Hae's maid stood at a distance.

As soon as they saw her awake, Byeol shouted for the Royal Physician.

Almost as if on cue, Princess Hwang Bo-Yun Hwa appeared at the chamber doorstep with the Royal Physician, and her maid.

" Lady Hae-soo injured herself yet again? I see." She remarked.

Man-wol let out a weak chuckle.
" And the Princess comes to visit me yet again? How sweet of her!" She remarked.

" Yun-Hwa. Don't." Wang-wook warned his sister sternly.

" I'm simply here to visit, Brother. And I got the Physician along. He's needed, isn't he?" She said, pressing a forced smile on her lips.

" How is she?" Wang-so demanded to know as he turned towards the Physician.

" The cut is deep Your Highness. I'll give a paste, and I would suggest Lady Hae-soo take good rest for this week."

" Week?" Man-wol exclaimed incredulously as she shot up straight, only to be pushed back down by her cousin and maids.

" Soo-ah!" Her cousin shot her a disapproving glare and she sighed.

" Eonnie..." she began but she shook her head.

" Not a word from you! Uncle would be very disappointed to know what all were you upto! He won't be happy to know that you aren't taking care of yourself at all."

" Who'll tell Abeoji in the first place?" She grumbled, eyeing her maids who immediately looked down.

" He only worries for your betterment Agassi."

" I am fine!"

" Clearly not!" Lady Hae and Wang-so echoed in sync.

" Who...is her Father anyway?" Wang-wook suddenly questioned and all eyes were on the cousins, quietly demanding an answer.

Byeol silently warned Chae-Ryung to keep her silence who only nodded and looked down.

Wang-so nodded his head, his questioning gaze turning towards Hae-soo.

" Your Father never visited you so far, why?"

" Exactly my question!"

" Well..." The two began in an accord and trailed off.

" Abeoji is a very busy man—"

" What does he do to be so busy? His daughter, only daughter, had two accidents so far, one of them so threatening that she lost her memory. He couldn't come once to visit or was he not told at all?"

This isn't the 21st century for him to be able to come visit me whenever he likes! Man-wol wanted to snap at him but she bit it back.

" My father...my Father works for the Ministry in the King's court." She lied through her teeth, avoiding fiddling, something that Hae-soo did when she lied.

She looked up at him, boring her eyes into his.

Hae-soo also avoided meeting someone's gaze when she lied.

Man-wol couldn't leave any room for suspicion.

" The situation in Baekje is too bad right now. Besides, I find it better going to visit him than him coming here."

Wang-so and Wang-wook exchanged glances, while Lady Hae cleared her throat.

" What's there to contemplate so much? A minister has barely any time that he could come here and Uncle is truly busy, besides as much as he wanted to visit the last time, Soo-ah herself refused saying he should be more worried about the kingdom affairs. Your Highness, you're too suspicious, won't you even believe me—"

" No no! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have doubted you. She's right Wang-so. Besides I'm sure Lady Hae-soo will visit her Father once she's better. We shouldn't meddle into their family affairs."

Wang-so switched glances between his half brother and Hae-soo and sighed.
" Very well. I apologise for meddling."

Man-wol exchanged glances with Lady Hae, as guilt gnawed at the cousins for lying.

But they had no choice.

They couldn't possibly reveal Hae-soo's Father's identity.

Because if they did, the news would spread quickly, and Hae-soo, would either be on people's radars, constantly on the run, or, dead.