The Inn (Manyeodang)

"We did it, Aashi!" Ga-ram chanted happily, downing yet another cup of wine. They had gathered at the Inn to celebrate Hwan's coronation and the good fortune of sighting him in his Monarch's robes. They all knew this might have been the last time they set eyes on who they had come to regard as their friend. It was bittersweet.

Naturally, sighting him once had not sufficed for Jay Yi, who had spent the better part of the day trying to get closer to the Procession on its return journey to the Palace, but the swelling crowds had made it impossible to travel the roads.

Even though the crowd had dispersed as fast as it had gathered, Jay Yi played catch-up all day, trying to beat the rush.

Feeling more disagreeable than ever, Jay Yi had stomped back to the Inn, where Myung Jin and Ga-ram had already emptied a tumbler of wine waiting for her.

"Did you get to see His Majesty, Aashi?" Ga-ram asked.

"I did not even get close to it, let alone see His Majesty!" Disgruntled, Jay Yi flopped across Ga-ram and reached for a cup, "It was terrible. I guess I will have to..."

Suddenly she felt a shivery prickle along the nape of her neck as if someone had run a cluster of delicate gardenia petals across her skin. Even though she could not see them, she could feel the intense eyes on her. The radiating heat warmed her over. Hwan?

Stunned by the sensation, she stood up, scanning the tables around her. All she could see were men, mostly dressed in non-descriptive hanboks and hats, bent over their food bowls or chatting loudly with their friends. None of the noblemen donned in fancy hanboks was close to the royal figure her eyes desperately sought.

"What is wrong, Master Min?" Myung Jin asked.

"I don't know...I felt-felt like someone I know is nearby,"

"Who?" Ga-ram asked as she poured her a drink.

Jay Yi shook her head, more to shake off the cow webs that were mushing her brain than to dismiss Ga-ram's concern, slumping down on her seat. How could he be here? He was possibly surrounded by his entire court right at this moment. She was going crazy.

"Joseon finally is seeing the peace it has deserved for so long," Myung Jin reflected, leaning back with a satisfied smile. Raising his cup of wine high, he declared, "May our new King continue to fund Scientific discoveries."

A new voice chimed in. "I also hope our new King finds a Queen soon and frees the poor bachelors like us from this never-ending torture of bachelorhood."

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Jay Yi groaned.

"Were you looking for me, Master Min?" the man asked.

Myung Jin jumped up and enveloped the voice's owner in the typical Myung Jin-style hug. "Where have you been? I thought you would be here watching our new King's Procession with us!"

"Ugh! I had better things to do than stand around fawning over yet another incompetent Joseon figurehead," the man said, settling himself comfortably at the empty spot next to Jay Yi.

Jay Yi banged her cup in consternation. "Watch what you are saying, Mun Jeon, sir." Her emphasis on the formality sounded more like an insult.

"Ah! Master Min, I do not know why you always get offended at the slightest hint of criticism of our revered Monarch! It's not like he will forgo your taxes for such unwavering loyalty," Mun Jeon chuckled.

"It's insidious and disrespectful," Jay Yi snapped irritably.

"What Master Min means is," Myung Jin soothed, "it can get you into trouble."

"Hah! I know. Kings and their inflated egos!" Mun Jeon continued unperturbed. "Should I be worried? It's not like I am ever likely to even see him, let alone have the opportunity to give him a piece of my mind. His brand of naive self-righteousness causes monetary loss." Mun Jeon said dismissively.

"Is that all you worry about? Money?" Jay Yi asked belligerently.

"I do care about it a lot, but you know that is not the only thing I care about," Mun Jeon said softly.

Jay Yi turned her face away, dumping the wine down her throat, annoyance writ on her every action.

"Here, have a drink friend!" Myung Jin filled a cup for the new arrival.

"So, your great friend Scholar Park still has not shown up? I was hoping today he would make an appearance." Mun Jeon was more than a little sarcastic.

Jay Yi greatly liked Mun Jeon and regarded him highly; however, she was growing weary of his constant criticisms of their King and his continuous jabs at Scholar Park, whom he considered undeserving of their loyalty and - Jay Yi suspected - a rival.

She knew his interest in her had taken an uncomfortable turn. He had broached the subject of her marriage more than once, dropping not-so-subtle hints about presenting himself as a candidate. To his credit, he had not been surprised that Jay Yi was living alone and not with relatives after her engagement broke. Even though Mun Jeon had lived quite an unconventional life, his ready acceptance of the unorthodox in general and Min Jay Yi, in particular, had been refreshing and liberating. However, he was still a product of Joseon's rigid mores; in his eyes, women needed to be secured with a family name. Whether it was out of concern for her unmarried status in the authoritarian Joseon society, an obligation stemming from a misplaced duty to her late brother or a romantic interest, Jay Yi did not know, nor was she inclined to find out.

She wondered how he would react if he knew the King and the famed Scholar Park were one and the same. Jay Yi chuckled to herself.

When you become the King, please change the law so people can meet each other before marriage.

Her own advice to Hwan now sounded way less attractive than she would have thought. Unconsciously, she scanned the area again. Try as she might, she could not shake off the idea that someone was watching her.

She caught Myung Jin watching her interaction with Mun Jeon with great interest, humming as he dove into the food before him. Unbeknownst to them, a silent figure seated with a bunch of men at the table beside them was intently paying attention to every word spoken, his eyes seeking out Jay Yi furtively, anxiously.