Can I See You Again

Hong Jin-Yi and his Love

Youra stared at the spot, just after Jun had gone out. Very knowledgeable about the biggest decision he dared to take. Although there had been no news of the Crown Prince for months, she had convinced herself to stand on the throne awaiting the return of her husband. Youra looked at her belly that was starting to enlarge. Soon, Ara will be giving birth soon. Maybe after that, Princess Shin will soon follow along with her.

Recollecting the times still in hiding. The little old hut became the first witness of their love. There was a raging feeling that made Youra want to go back to the hut, wishing her husband was there. However, it was a pity .. an envoy sent Youra said the hut had been charred in flames.

***

Tonight, it's not the same as usual. Ara sat stroking her own stomach which started to enlarge. He scribbled the paper to count the days. Slowly he looked at the front of the gate, but until that second Prince Yul had not yet returned home. Strange, usually her husband always comes home even before dusk say hello.

Ara walked over to the main door. "My dear, is my husband really not home yet?" ask Ara. "Until this second, Prince Yul has not been seen, Madam." The servants helped Ara back into the room. His face shriveled because he felt a contraction.

"Where is he? I ... I feel like I'm about to give birth soon. There's something weird." Ara leaned her body on the end of the bed. Cold sweat fell from the corner of his forehead.

The servants looked at each other, before finally rushing to call the best healer to check on Ara's state.

***

On the same night, Youra got a delivery of a box containing the piece of cloth the last time the Crown Prince wore it.

"Dayang Nari, this is my husband's outfit. I know very well, because I sewed it. Hurry up and find out who sent this box!" Youra's orders were impatient.

Dayang Nari immediately rushed to leave Youra's room to give orders to the messenger's officer.

***

"Who's the one who delivered the mailbox to Queen Lee?!" the cry of Dayang Nari echoed in the resting place of the servants. They shudder in fear because Dayang Nari looks creepy. After his critical period, Dayang Nari looked different. Something made him look worse than usual. There was something he seemed to keep tight.

Dayang Nari ran towards the main door of the palace, when there were rumbles of footsteps. At that time, not a single official had returned home from the palace. They were all still busy conducting closed meetings without Youra until the evening before. However, all the eyes were riled up when they heard the rush of steps leading to the palace.

"What will be war?!" asked one of the ministers.

"The enemy could have taken advantage of the state of the country without this king to take a chance" added another. Prime Minister Han who looked relaxed and calm, crossed his hands behind his back. He stepped closer to the entire head of the minister. "There can be no war. Although this country was led by an uninspired queen, but she was very good at negotiating." Prime Minister Han tried to appease the other ministers.

"Hey Prime Minister Han! Who do you think could know that there would be no war? Ha?! Your ever-relaxing and holy-spirited attitude is what makes everyone stupid! What if the rebels really came to besiege the palace?! Are you going to be in charge?!" The Chief Minister of War shouted loudly amidst the other ministers. As usual, continue to corner Prime Minister Han.

Everyone immediately turned to the two people who had always been at odds for so many years. The two of them always managed to change the atmosphere of the room to be more gloomy and cold.

Prime Minister Han gave his best smile in response. He walked over, then patted the shoulders of the Chief Minister of War. "As Chief Minister of War, I think you're really very clever."

Kree!

The sound of the doors of the meeting hall of ministers was opened wide by an officer. They immediately flocked out of the room to check what was happening.

The voice sounded very close to the main door of the palace. There were also the voices of the people who were busy. It seems like there's a lot out there. The Empress Mother who was in a state of turmoil, looked even more miserable than before. "He's coming! He's coming!"

The servants could only stare at the pity of the master who had started to go insane.

***

Youra came out of her room carrying her stomach slowly. With her official outfit as queen, Youra looked very graceful despite being frightened.

"Give your respects to Her Majesty Queen Lee!"

Immediately the ministers lined up neatly, opening two paths in the middle for Youra who was about to get close to the main door of the palace. They bowed for quite a while, until Youra finally shouted. "What's going on?!" youa asked in panic.

An officer ran at Youra from the middle of the palace gate. "Your Majesty, someone with a very crowded group came to want to meet you."

"But .. they said, they were the ones who had sent the box with the piece of cloth they had just sent." The officer's explanation made Youra finally decide to let the officer open the main gate of the palace.

"What's he doing?!"

"Your Majesty, you mustn't open the gates at such a worrying time as this!"

"Your Majesty, please don't do that, Your Majesty!" Simultaneously they voiced out for Youra to undo her intentions.

Youra brought that anxiety into her grasp, as the oppressors opened the luxurious and large gate together.

Everyone who was there, including Youra and the servants were aghast until their eyes glared sharply. It shows a middle-aged man they know very well, descending from a palanquin facing Youra before bowing his body.

"State Secretary?!" They gasped, because they never expected the secretary who seemed to have been in the academy all this time, coming at night with all his soldiers.

"Is he the traitor that's been among us all this time?!" The overlapping sound was tempestuous. Youra still continued to stare at the secretary, while stroking her stomach with worry.

"Your Majesty, let the servant's daughter face you." The first words of the Secretary of State managed to steal the attention of many people.

"Daughter? He brought his daughter too to attack the palace?" the ministers were surprised.

Back then, the officers and the palace soldiers were already preparing with their arrows and swords, in case of a sudden attack. However, all of the swords were pulled back as a famous woman - the most beautiful and virtuous in the country - descended from her opium.

"Hong Jin-Yi?" lirih Youra was wide-eyed as that graceful step walked towards her. At the time, no one could blink. The people were amazed at the popular girl.

Jin-Yi bends her body. "Your Majesty, let me speak to you .. like a friend" he asked.

Youra looked at the ministers and everyone who could witness the epic moment. Then he anchors his eyes back to Jin-Yi. "Alright," replied Youa.

Jin-Yi re-stands her body. He took a breath before he started talking. Youra confusion. He turned to the Secretary of State who was down in tears.

"I fell in love at a very young age. Ten years, up to this moment I still love the same person." Jin-Yi pauses for a moment, swallowing her wheeze before continuing. "I've never hated anyone in my entire life, until I finally met the miserable Han Ji-Eun" Hong Jin-Yi continued.

"I hate that woman so much because she's so greedy and cheating." Jin-Yi steps closer to Youra. "Then I met you. Until I was determined to hate you deeper than my hatred for Consort Han. However, I don't understand why I can't hate you, even though I really want to."

"You, have captured the love that I have long nurtured well. You ... took my love in a bad way. For years, you kept ignoring the man I loved so much. Do you understand, what kind of desire I have to hate you?" The sniffling Hong Jin-Yi delved more into the curiosity of the ministers. He was very claustrophobic when he spoke like that. "I'm not the greedy, selfish Han Ji-Eun. I ... I just want my love to live happily, even if not with me." Hong Jin-Yi began to show his deepest pitiful look.

"Now .. I've managed to hate you. I hate you so much, Your Majesty." Sobbing badly Hong Jin-Yi made a confession before many people.

"May I ask you one thing?" hong Jin-Yi asked with high hopes. Youra still did not understand what was really going on. Hong Jin-Yi clasped Youra's hand in a heartache. "After this ... after this please send me away from this land." Youra looked into those beautiful eyes with tears of divorce. "What do you mean?"

"I want to go far away from here, to heal the wounds in my heart. Please help, I'm ..."

Youra hugged Hong Jin-Yi tightly. They cried together until many servants shed tears.

Hong Jin-Yi releases Youra's embrace, then wipes the queen's tears with her beautiful hands. "I'm .. I leave my love, to you." Jin-Yi clasps Youra's hand with both hands. Youra looked at the girl's eyes in astonishment. Hong Jin-Yi pulled over from where he stood.

Hong Jin-Yi's words were followed by the movement of the Secretary of State soldiers who had a stretcher into the palace. All the ministers, officials, even the people were wide open not expecting to see who came down from there.

"Give your respect, to ... His Majesty King Baek Hyeon! Submit your faces!"

Hong Jin-Yi walked backwards, letting Youra stare at the arrival of a man who descended without the cover from a distance. At that moment, everyone lowered their faces. I was amazed because it was the first time.

"Your Majesty ..."