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Ban Ryu slept fitfully through the night.  And awoke the next morning quite hungry.  He opened his eyes to the faint light of day and glanced at the chair next to his bed.  Lady Bit Na was sound asleep.  Sitting up in her chair. 

The corners of his lips twitched upward as his eyes slid over her kind countenance.  He wondered vaguely where Soo Yeon was.  He lifted his head and glanced towards his feet.  But he couldn’t see the corner of the room where her bed was.  He sighed and lowered his head.

A moment later, he heard soft footfalls approaching him from the outer room.  Then Soo Yeon’s lovely face appeared in the doorway.  She stepped through it, carrying a steaming bowl. 

“Ban Ryu!” she whispered in delight.  “Are you hungry?”

He nodded.  “Yes.”

She glanced at the chair before approaching him.

“Here,” he spoke.  He shifted slightly.  Then he winced as he moved his body over a foot.  Once he’d settled himself, he began to sit up.  Slowly. 

He patted the edge of the bed.  “Come.  Sit by me.”

She did as she was bid, seating herself gingerly on the edge of the bed.  “I’m not hurting you, am I?” she murmured quietly.  So as not to disturb her sleeping mother.

“No,” he grunted.  And leaned against the wall. 

“Your thigh still hurts, doesn’t it?”

“It’s nothing.  Can I have some porridge?” he asked as he peered down into the bowl.

She smiled and held up a bite for him to enjoy.  “You may have the whole bowl.  And there’s more where this came from.  If your appetite is picking up.”

He nodded as he chewed.  “It is.  I’m very hungry.”

“Of course, you are!  You went three whole days without eating!  A healthy young man like you.  You must be starving!”

She fed him the whole bowl most cheerfully.  The doctor returned while she was giving Ban Ryu the last bite.

“You’re eating?” the surgeon asked jovially.  “This is most excellent news!”

“This is his second bowl.  And his fever broke last night.”

The doctor beamed.  And crossed the room to judge for himself.  After thoroughly examining his patient, he declared, “You are officially on the mend.  Let’s see how your wound is faring today.”

So it was that Ban Ryu was in the midst of another wound cleaning when Lady Bit Na awoke.  Her daughter escorted her from the room with a stiff admonition to get some sleep.  In a real bed.

–– 

But when she returned to his outer room, the doctor met Soo Yeon there with some unexpected news.  “It’s time.”

“Time?  For what?”

“To stitch his wound closed.”

She felt her stomach revolt and clamped down on it viciously.  “Stitch his wound closed?” she echoed faintly.

He nodded.  “I wanted to ensure that all the infection was cleaned out before we sealed the wound.  But you have done a marvelous job packing it and cleaning it.  It has begun to heal.  And his fever has broken.  So I think it’s time to stitch him up.”

She swallowed.  “All right.  Show me what must be done.”

“I want you to sit on his leg.”

“Pardon me?”

“On his knee.  So he can’t move.  I’ll have your father lean across his abdomen, and then I will begin to sew the wound shut.”

“All – all right.”  Bile was rising into her mouth, but she choked it back down.  She would not fail her dear Ban Ryu!

The doctor eyed her closely.  “Are you sure you want to help me with this?  I could get a servant to sit on his leg.”

“No!  I shall,” she drew herself up to her full height, “sit on his leg and…and…and hold his hand.”  She turned and marched into Ban Ryu’s room.

A few minutes later, the injured gentleman found her bottom firmly planted on his thigh as she reached for his hand.  At the last instant, she grabbed both of his hands and squeezed them tightly.  Ban Ryu smiled at her nervously.  But neither of them was prepared for the pain which he was about to endure.

He kept his eyes firmly fixed on hers the whole time.  His sweet Soo Yeon carried him through that horrendous ordeal with the compassionate light shining out of her eyes.  She drew forth from him a strength that he hadn’t known he possessed.  He remained vigilantly courageous for her sake.  Her presence kept him from falling apart.  He had to be brave for his fearless Soo Yeon.  What other girl of his acquaintance would have sat on his leg and held his hands while the good doctor sewed him back together?

Soo Yeon really was one of a kind.

He grinned lopsidedly at her.  Right before he flinched in pain as the needle bit into a particularly tender spot of flesh.  Briefly, he closed his eyes.  But the gentle pressure on his hands forced his eyes open again.  And he gazed into the beautiful eyes of the only girl whom he had ever loved.  He was thankful that she was here.  Lending him a rare courage.

––

The young man continued to mend over the next few days.  And to sleep.  Much.  His appetite was increasing too so that by the fifth day under Soo Yeon’s care, Ban Ryu was eating three meals a day.  Though, they were still fairly light.  Per the doctor’s orders.

“I just want some steak,” Ban Ryu moaned on the sixth day.

Soo Yeon pouted.  “You know very well that the doctor said no beef.  Nothing heavy for several more days.  You’re healing nicely.  He doesn’t want you to overdo it.”

Ban Ryu groaned.  “But I’m so hungry!”

“That’s so excellent!” she beamed, truly relieved that her beau seemed to be mending perfectly.

She sighed cheerfully.

He eyed her irritably.  His thigh was still throbbing, and he was having a difficult time disguising his misery.  “What are you so happy about?”

“How can you ask me that?” she gasped.  Then she leaned towards him as a smile graced her lips.  “You’re alive, Ban Ryu!  You’re alive!  And you’re getting better each day,” she ended on a sob.

And he eyed her with terrified concern now.  The whites of his eyes showing in his alarm.  “You’re not going to cry, are you?”

“No, no, no,” she responded as a tear escaped to slide down her cheek.  “Oh, Ban Ryu!  I was so worried about you when you first arrived.  I was…so scared that I was going to lose you.  But…you’re doing so well now.  You’re even becoming grouchy.  I’m so happy to see you feeling good enough to feel bad!”

He furrowed his brow as he gazed at her in consternation.  “You’re happy that I’m miserable?” he asked, stupefied.

“Before, your fever was so high that you couldn’t even communicate.  We couldn’t keep you awake either.  You are truly on the mend!” She leaned over and brushed a kiss across his cheek.

He blinked rapidly as a tiny shiver of pleasure traveled through him at that affectionate touch.  But he was carefully eyeing the maid sitting in the corner.  Thankfully, she was staring out the window and didn’t seem to notice Soo Yeon kissing him.

But a moment later, a deep voice boomed behind his beloved.

“Soo Yeon!  I need to speak with you.” 

It was Lord Kim Seub.

Ban Ryu’s eyes fluttered shut in disappointment.  And fear.  Had the man witnessed his daughter’s kiss?

“Appa?  Aren’t you going to greet Ban Ryu?” she confronted her father bravely.

The man nodded his head and approached the bed.

“Park Ban Ryu,” he uttered formally before bowing towards the young man.

The lad tried to lean forward to bow to the gentleman.

“Stop!” Lord Kim Seub uttered in alarm as he watched the boy struggling.  “You can forgo the niceties until you’ve recovered fully.  I don’t want you reinjuring yourself trying to bow to me.”

“But, sir, I am most grateful to you.  For taking me in during this…time.”

“Say nothing of it,” the older man uttered graciously.  “It’s the least that I owe you for saving my son’s life.  It seems that I…misjudged you, son.”

Son?

Soo Yeon’s eyes mirrored Ban Ryu’s as they grew as large as tea saucers.

Lord Kim Seub cleared his throat.  “Thank you for saving Soo Ho.  I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

“Do you really think so, my lord?”

Her father straightened to his full height and stared down at the young man.  “What are you getting at?” he asked sharply.

“Would you reconsider my earlier request then, my lord?” Ban Ryu asked boldly.

Lord Kim Seub closed his eyes.  And pinched the bridge of his nose.  “I will.  I will take it into consideration again.”

Ban Ryu simply stared up at him.  Soo Yeon grinned from ear to ear.

Then the older gentleman turned towards his daughter.  “Soo Yeon, come with me.  We need to talk.”

Uh-oh.  That didn’t sound good. 

She glanced frantically at Ban Ryu.  “But I can’t leave him, Appa!  The doctor is not here.”

“But Eunie is.  She can send for you if Ban Ryu needs anything.  You’re fine right now, aren’t you?” he questioned the young man.  Who simply nodded at him.

Then the nobleman addressed his servant.  “Eunie.  Keep a close eye on the patient while Soo Yeon is with me.”

“Aye, sir,” the girl answered.

Father and daughter retired to the front sitting room.

“Appa?”

He turned his ire on his daughter.  “What did you say to Lee Beom Sook?”

She instantly turned ashen.  “Um.  I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”

“Nor am I.  All I know is that his interest in you has suddenly cooled.  After he spoke with you the other night.”  He studied her innocent face closely for a moment.  “But,” he continued, “I believe that a few words from you would light that fire again.”

“Appa,” she whispered.  “You know that I love Ban Ryu.”

“And you know that he is not a proper husband for you, Soo Yeon.”

Fear was creeping up her spine again.  The fear of losing Ban Ryu.  That pressure had finally lifted.  She’d been able to breathe again.  Once she could see that he was truly recovering from his wound.  But now she was feeling suffocated once more.

Panic filled her voice as she appealed to her father.  “But he could be, Appa!  If you would but honor his request.”

“You want me to adopt that young man.”

She bobbed her head.  “More than anything!”

He eyed her speculatively.  “Even more than you want to marry him?” he asked watchfully.

“What?” she asked.

“I would agree to foster the boy.”

Her eyes lit up.  “You would?” she asked excitedly.

“If you will agree to marry Lee Beom Sook.”

Her face instantly fell.  “Appa!” she gasped as tears sprang to her eyes.

Now she had to choose between Ban Ryu’s future welfare and her chance to be his wife.

“How could you make me promise such a thing when you know how much I love Ban Ryu?” she asked brokenly as she stared up at him out of sorrowful eyes.

“I will give you some time to think about it.”  He turned from her.  “But not too much time.  Lee Beom Sook is likely to get snapped up by some other girl soon enough if you reject him.”

Her father strode from the room.  Leaving her to weep alone.