In the distant echoes of a future unknown, Diana's voice echoed with an air of resignation. "It's the future. A very, very distant future. That's... Where I have to go." Her words hung heavy in the stillness, a prelude to an unforeseen journey.
With a sudden lurch, the world tilted and darkness enveloped her senses as her eyelids surrendered to the weight of exhaustion. A voice pierced through the void, calling out her name with urgency. "Lady Diana!"
Lord Kooju's voice, though muffled, reached her ears, accompanied by the reassuring grip of a hand holding her steady. Lost in the abyss of unconsciousness, Diana could discern nothing but fleeting impressions of familiarity—the silhouette of the master's house looming in the haze.
And then, a glimmer of consciousness flickered to life as another voice pierced through the fog of her mind. "Officer Young."
"Don't get up yet," Young's voice admonished gently, a beacon of clarity cutting through the haze of confusion. "You still have to lie down a little longer. You must feel very dizzy."
Diana struggled to piece together the fragments of her fractured reality, her thoughts shrouded in a veil of uncertainty. "What's... What's going on..."
"You have a bad cold," Young's voice offered, a lifeline amidst the tumultuous sea of uncertainty.
Under the gentle touch of Officer Young's hand, a damp cloth pressed cool against her forehead, Diana felt the icy tendrils of clarity creeping back into her consciousness. As the chill seeped through her skin, it seemed to coax her thoughts out from the fog of confusion.
Memories, fragmented and disjointed, began to knit themselves together. Lord Kooju's presence, a comforting anchor in the storm of uncertainty, mingled with the faint recollection of encountering Officer Young just the day before. A tumult of emotions surged within her—apologies, gratitude, even a flicker of joy amidst the chaos.
"... To Vice Minister Kooju. Did you tell him everything?" Young's voice cut through the haze, drawing her attention back to the present moment.
Diana's lips parted, a soft admission slipping past them. "...I'm sorry."
But Young's response was understanding, devoid of reproach. "No. It's just, until you open your eyes... I tried my best to understand your situation."
Her heart heavy with the weight of unresolved matters, Diana dared to voice her concerns. "...My situation. Then you... Don't you want to talk to Bonhak anymore? It's been bothering me..."
A bitter expression crossed Officer Young's features as he shook his head in resignation. "Lady Diana... This is not such an easy problem. If we could have talked into this... We haven't dragged this long either."
Acceptance settled upon her like a heavy shroud, veiling the desire to interfere further. "Yes, I understand what you mean."
Gratitude tinged Young's tone as he spoke again. "... Thank you, Lady Diana."
But she couldn't accept his gratitude without acknowledging the burden she had imposed. "Don't. I've been bothering you all the time. I'm sorry, really. I wish I could talk to Young Lord Taesoo..."
In the depths of his gaze, she glimpsed a flicker of empathy. "...Lady Diana. Taesoo... I'm sure he regrets a lot, too."
Diana's laughter, tinged with a hint of ruefulness, echoed softly in the room. "...Haha. I'm regretting too... Likewise." Despite the weight of the situation, a faint smile graced her lips, a testament to the calm that had settled within her.
In the hushed stillness, fragments of the previous night's events flickered across her mind like shadows dancing in the twilight.
"...What. What... What did you just say...?" Lord Kooju's voice, laden with disbelief and perhaps a hint of desperation, pierced through the silence, a stark reminder of the unresolved tensions lingering in the air.
As Officer Young gently withdrew the now-warmed fabric from her forehead, Diana felt the tendrils of reality tightening their grip once more. With a tender touch, he smoothed her disheveled hair, his words carrying a promise of imminent change. "I'll let you know the right time and place soon."
The implications hung heavy in the air, laden with the weight of her impending return to Seoul—the city she had left behind, fraught with memories both bitter and sweet.
"Don't mind the business here from now on. It's Chosun's business anyway," Young's words, though spoken with reassurance, held a bittersweet undertone, a subtle reminder of the distance that had grown between them.
"...Okay," Diana's response was soft, tinged with a hint of resignation. She understood his motives, his desire to shield her from further turmoil, yet couldn't shake the pang of sadness at the growing chasm between them.
With a heavy heart, she willed her eyes to close, seeking solace in the refuge of darkness as the weight of uncertainty bore down upon her weary soul.
Two days slipped away like grains of sand through an hourglass, each moment tinged with the weight of impending departure. Lord Young's instructions had been clear: leave no trace of her presence, vanish like a whisper carried away by the wind. And so, like a fleeting breeze that had stirred the stillness, Diana sensed that her time here was drawing to a close.
"...Oh, it's." Her voice trailed off into a whisper as her gaze swept across the familiar surroundings of the Royal Tailors. Amidst the array of fabrics and threads, something caught her eye—a delicate creation nestled among the remnants of her past endeavors.
With trembling fingers, she reached out, touching the fabric as if it were a relic from a bygone era. It was a small gift, crafted with care from the threads she had once hidden away, a silent tribute to a memory she couldn't bear to forget.
"Will you be able to go to your master...?" The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken longing and uncertainty.
But before she could dwell further on the implications of her words, Soyong's voice shattered the fragile moment. "Diana! Are you not done yet? I think someone's coming!"
Startled, Diana forced herself to focus, tearing her gaze away from the poignant reminder of the past. "Oh, okay! I'm done. ...Let's set this aside for now." With a heavy heart, she set aside the token of her affection, burying it beneath layers of fabric and memories, as the inevitable approach of departure loomed ever closer.
In the hushed corridors of the palace, Soyong's voice sliced through the silence like a beacon, beckoning Diana to follow. "Here. Come this way-"
Eager to comply, Diana stepped forward, her footsteps faltering as a familiar figure materialized before her mind's eye. "Young Lord Taesoo...?" Her voice, tinged with uncertainty, hung in the air, awaiting acknowledgment.
Soyong's response was a subtle nod, an unspoken permission for them to converse in the privacy of the moment. With a heavy heart, Taesoo turned to face her, his expression a mirror of her own inner turmoil.
"...I don't know what to say. ...I'm sorry." Diana's words, though laden with remorse, seemed inadequate in the face of their shared history.
Taesoo's response was a whispered echo of her sentiments. "I'm... I'm sorry too." Yet, despite the mutual understanding that passed between them, an awkward silence settled over the space, pregnant with unspoken truths.
"...Actually." Taesoo's voice, tinged with urgency, cut through the tension like a knife. With measured steps, he closed the distance between them, his gaze searching hers for reassurance.
"This is a very bad time. I can't have you here a little longer until things get better..." His words were heavy with implication, laden with the weight of the uncertain future that loomed before them.
"But then I can't send you right away either..." The admission hung in the air, a testament to the tangled web of circumstances that bound them together.
Diana watched as a tear escaped the confines of Taesoo's composure, tracing a silent path down his cheek. "I think you should go to Master Danro's house first." His voice, though tinged with sorrow, held a steely resolve, a testament to his determination to ensure her safety.
As the name reverberated in her mind, Diana felt a surge of apprehension mingled with relief. Master Danro, the son of Madam Lee and a staunch supporter of Lord Sung—she would find refuge within the walls of his home, sheltered from the storm that raged beyond.
With a heavy heart and a newfound sense of purpose, Diana steeled herself for the journey ahead, drawing strength from the memories of her past encounters with Sung and the unspoken promises they had shared.
In the quiet confines of Sung's chambers, his voice cut through the tension like a knife, a rare moment of levity amidst the weight of impending farewell. "I'll give them to you on the day you return. Until then, you shouldn't follow anyone even if they buy you something delicious."
Diana's response was a mixture of disbelief and frustration, her voice tinged with incredulity. "How... How can you joke at times like this...?!"
Sung's expression softened, a flicker of remorse dancing in his eyes. "What do you mean joke? I feel sorry for not being able to hide you in my arms instead of this gold lace."
A retort hung on the tip of Diana's tongue, but she bit it back, her heart heavy with unspoken words. "You're all talk..."
But Sung's response was unwavering, his gaze steady as he made a solemn promise. "You won't get hurt. I won't let you get hurt anywhere. Whether it's your body or your mind."
The memory of his touch lingered like a ghost upon her skin, a bittersweet reminder of the fleeting moments they had shared. As the reality of their impending separation loomed ever closer, Diana felt a surge of conflicting emotions wash over her—a whirlwind of fear, uncertainty, and reluctant acceptance.
"Now... I'll listen to you well, so don't worry," Diana murmured, her voice a whisper against the backdrop of their shared turmoil.
Young Lord Taesoo's laughter, hollow and devoid of mirth, echoed in the stillness, a stark contrast to the gravity of the moment. "I don't know if you've ever listened to me well."
Diana's response was tinged with a hint of resignation, her words weighted with unspoken regret. "Of course... There will be, maybe for once some other day..."
In the silent exchange of glances that followed, an unspoken understanding passed between them, bridging the gap of uncertainty that lingered in the air. Despite the awkwardness that hung between them like a shroud, there was solace to be found in the shared acknowledgment of their tangled emotions.
In the expansive front yard, where the chill of the evening air hung heavy, Madam Lee stood waiting, a beacon of warmth amidst the cold.
"Madam, why are you here when it's cold...?!" Diana's words tumbled out in a rush, her concern mirrored in the furrow of her brow.
But Madam Lee's response was gentle, her touch a soothing balm against the sting of the frost. "Your face is frozen..."
As the warmth of Madam Lee's embrace enveloped her, Diana felt a swell of gratitude rising within her, a torrent of emotions threatening to spill over.
"...Madam." Her voice, barely a whisper, carried the weight of unspoken farewells, a testament to the depth of her gratitude.
With a silent understanding that transcended words, Madam Lee held her close, offering solace in the embrace of shared sorrow.
"Thank you so much... For everything... Everything you've taught me... I won't waste in vain. So please take care of yourself..." Diana's voice wavered with emotion, the weight of impending departure pressing heavy upon her heart.
In the hushed aftermath of their exchange, Mi-yeon's voice cut through the silence like a beacon of reassurance. "...Be happy, Diana. Never let go of the happiness in your hands. Do you understand what I mean?"
Diana's response was resolute, her voice tinged with determination. "...Yes, I'll never let it go."
With a fond smile, Mi-yeon echoed her sentiments. "Yeah, I know you're a clever girl."
As Diana basked in the warmth of their parting embrace, Soyong's voice broke through the reverie, drawing her back to the present moment.
"Are you feeling better now?" Soyong's gaze, filled with concern, searched her face for signs of reassurance.
But Diana's heart clenched at the sight of his anxious expression, a painful reminder of the uncertainty that lay ahead. "Why... Why are you looking at me like that...?"
Soyong's response was laden with unspoken questions, his gaze piercing through the facade of her composure. "...You don't know how many questions I have, do you?"
The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, a silent plea for understanding in the face of their impending separation.
"...I know. I'm sorry because I know so well. You helped me live in the palace without any hesitation when I suddenly appeared in Royal Tailors." With a heavy heart, Diana offered her apology, a bittersweet acknowledgment of the debt she owed to those who had welcomed her with open arms.
In the dwindling light of the front yard, Soyong's voice cut through the somber atmosphere like a blade, carrying with it the weight of unspoken fears. "Then... Please answer just one question."
Diana's heart clenched at the solemnity in his tone, bracing herself for the inevitable query. "...What is it?"
The hesitation in Soyong's voice betrayed the depth of his uncertainty as he posed the question that lingered on the edge of his lips. "If you... If you go like this... You won't come back? I'll never see you again?"
Diana's response was a whispered reassurance, tinged with a mixture of truth and falsehood. "...No. We will see each other again." Though the words rang hollow in her ears, she clung to them like a lifeline, a fragile promise in the face of an uncertain future.
As their fingers intertwined, a silent pact forged in the fading light, Diana offered a plea born of desperation. "So don't forget me."
Soyong's response was a mirror image of her own, his voice a gentle echo in the stillness. "...That's what I want to say... Don't forget me."
With a solemn nod, Diana offered her solemn vow. "I'll never forget you."
But beneath the facade of their parting words, a current of unspoken longing pulsed between them, a silent plea for a reprieve from the inevitable separation that loomed on the horizon.
As Soyong's cheeks were pinched and stretched in a playful gesture, his protests mingled with the sounds of the gathering dusk. "Argh, it hurts! So we just have to wait here?"
Diana's response was tinged with a hint of melancholy as she pondered his words. "Yes. That's what Young Lord Taesoo said."
But Soyong's intuition cut through the facade of her composure, his words striking a chord deep within her heart. "You must miss him."
Her breath caught in her throat at the mention of the one she had left behind, a fleeting image of a beautiful smile flashing before her mind's eye. "...Huh...?"
Soyong's words hung heavy in the air, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken longing that lingered between them. "You won't be able to see him for a long time. Is it okay for you to stay here with me alone? Even if it weren't Young Lord Taesoo... I think there's someone you want to have by your side."
In the depths of her heart, Diana's thoughts turned to the one she had left behind, a silent prayer whispered into the gathering dusk. "Someone I want to have by my side..." But before she could dwell further on her conflicted emotions, a distant crash shattered the fragile moment, plunging them into a sudden commotion that echoed through the night.
Soyong's voice, tinged with urgency, sliced through the evening air like a knife, his words punctuated by the distant crash that echoed through the courtyard. "...Did you just hear that...?"
Diana's heart raced at the sudden commotion, a knot of anxiety tightening in the pit of her stomach. "What on earth is going on here...?!"
But before she could make sense of the chaos unfolding around them, Soyong's grip tightened around her wrist, pulling her back from the edge of reflexive action. "Hey, where are you going?! Did you forget to hide here no matter what?"
Her pulse quickened with a surge of adrenaline as she glanced towards the open courtyard, where Madam Lee stood amid the tumult, oblivious to the danger that lurked just beyond her reach.
"But Madam Lee is out there..." Diana's voice wavered with uncertainty, torn between the instinct to flee and the desire to protect those she held dear.
Determination flickered in her eyes as she seized upon a plan, her voice firm with resolve. "Let's hide in the room! Yes... If I'm caught, all their efforts will go up in smoke... I need to get my act together. Soyong, let's go in there...!"
With hurried steps, they retreated behind the safety of the folding screen, their breaths coming in shallow gasps as the tension in the air grew palpable.
The sharp voices drew closer, sending shivers down Diana's spine as she clung to Soyong's trembling form, her heart pounding with fear.
"...Please," she whispered, a silent plea for sanctuary amidst the chaos that threatened to engulf them.
But their refuge was short-lived, as the voices outside grew louder, drawing ever nearer.
"They're behind the folding screen." The words, spoken with icy certainty, sent a chill down Diana's spine as she squeezed her eyes shut, her hands clammy with sweat.
As the folding screen crashed to the ground, accompanied by Soyong's piercing scream, darkness descended, swallowing them whole. And in that fleeting moment, Diana knew that this would be her last memory—a final, haunting echo of the life she had left behind.