Like the First Snow

The palace was always crowded with countless faces: eunuchs in their emerald-colored robes with black headpieces and maids with braids tied on top of their heads in strictly one hairstyle. There were also various court officials whose attire colors and embroideries differed based on rank.

Those faces could change every day, and Wonbeom didn’t care because the personalities behind them didn’t matter. All of them were someone’s spies. How he slept, what he ate, every book he read, every sideways glance – all were reported to someone.

The morning greeted Soyong with a horrible headache and regrets. Her memories of last night were blurry but she remembered just enough to understand that she made a terrible mistake agreeing to the drinks. She thought she could manage it: leading the King to drink more than her and end the night early. But to her disappointment, the King refused to fall for her tricks.

Wonbeom’s hideout from the heavy rain reminded him of Kim Soyong. Their first meeting could be described as an accidental encounter from a typical romance novel with long stares and a surprising connection formed between the two.

Now Wonbeom was stuck under the same roof however the woman who stood by his side only appeared as Soyong but in fact was someone else entirely. Wonbeom used to be a powerless puppet King, now he reigns in full strength yet he can’t bring Soyong back. Some things even the Kings cannot do. That led him to make a wish at one starry night when the skies looked like falling:

“I wish Soyong could find her way home”

Soyong dreamed of warm summer nights. The paper lanterns were hung around the gazebo with a great view of the mountains against the starry night sky. She sat on the cushion with her gayageum on her lap playing her father’s favorite melody. Her dad as always proudly praised her skills and her orabeoni Kim Byeong-in smiled nodding in agreement. The next melody Soyong has chosen to play is for him, something very difficult so she can impress him even more.