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She went out of her way to find him the next day.  His apology had revolved around her heart and mind all evening.  And deep into the night.  He had even surfaced in one of her dreams again.  But this time he’d been different.  Apologizing sincerely.  Only in her dream, he’d knelt before her while the gracious words slipped from his lips.

What was wrong with her?

More and more of late, she found herself thinking about Soo Ho.  His gorgeous face kept popping up in her consciousness too.  She couldn’t even close her eyes without seeing him.  He both aggravated and fascinated her.

She couldn’t afford to allow him to grow too close to her.  But she had discovered that when he was gone, she missed him.  It was really quite provoking!

Still, she had to face him today.  To let him know that he had successfully smoothed things between them last night.

She left for the school a bit early in the hope that she would find him seated outside the walls of the hwarang compound.  He didn’t disappoint her. 

He was leaning back against one of those walls.  His face was tilted towards the sky.  But his eyes were closed.  As she approached him, a twig snapped under her foot, and he opened those beautiful eyes to her.  Slowly, a sweet smile spread across his face.  Oddly warming her heart.

“Jung Sook!” he gasped.  He scrambled to his feet.

She frowned.  “You don’t have to get up.”

But he was already bowing to her.  “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again.”

She could hear the sorrow in his voice.

“And that upset you?” she asked incredulously. 

No man had ever sought out her company.  Not for anything good anyway.  Or innocuous.  Or for the simple pleasure of friendship.

“Of course!”  He straightened as he furrowed his brow.  “I miss your presence when you’re far from me.”

Abruptly frozen, she stared at him.  Struck dumb by his sweet words.  She didn’t even blink. 

Which completely discomfited him.  “Surely, you know how wonderful you are!”

Such blatant praise sat awkwardly on his tongue – or, at least, upon her ears – so she rebuked him, “Soo Ho, stop it with your nonsense!  Or I shall leave you.”

He frowned.  “What nonsense?” he asked, confused.

“We both know that I am hardly wonderful,” she grumbled under her breath.

But he heard her.  And his frown deepened.  “That is just not true.  You are wonderful,” he breathed earnestly.  “Completely wonderful.  You are kind.  And absolutely brilliant.  I think you must be the most intelligent woman I know.  Running your own school!  And calling out all my bad character traits,” he kidded her, chuckling with a wry twist of his lips.

His words had completely disarmed her.  She now blinked several times.  No man had ever complimented her.  Not once.  She wasn’t sure how to receive such a bounty.  But she could feel his sincerity, so she didn’t question him again.

His face lighting up like that of a small child – he seemed to have a talent for appearing innocent – he begged her, “Please.  Come sit down with me.  Do you have a few minutes to chat?”

She found it impossible to refuse such a childlike offer.  So she bobbed her head up and down.  And softly approached him.  Together, they slid down the wall until they were sitting next to each other.

“So,” the back of his head swiped along the wall as he turned to face her, “what are you going to teach your girls today?”

“Today we’re reading poetry,” she smiled reflexively.

“Do you ever teach them swordplay?” he asked abruptly, causing her to burst into surprised laughter.

“Swordplay?  In a school for girls?  For the elite?”

For that was what her school had turned into.  Originally, it had targeted the poorer girls in the area.  But often, their parents would not allow them to waste their time attending a school given to intellectual pursuits.  Their families often needed them to work.  In the rice fields.  In the pottery sheds.  In the clothing mills.

But the few poverty-stricken girls who had attended her school had done so well that the tale had ascended to the higher echelons of society.  And Jung Sook had found many noble mothers knocking on her door.  Especially when they learned that one of the area’s most respected ladies had taught her everything she knew.

He shrugged.  “Sure.  Why not?”

She began to giggle.  Picturing all her prim students with their skirts hiked up as they trotted around outside, fencing with each other.

“That would be a sure way to get my school closed down overnight!” she gasped.

But he just frowned at her.  “Why, if I had a daughter, I would want her to learn how to use a sword!” he exclaimed, surprising her immensely.

“You would?” she asked, shocked.  “Does your sister know how to fence?”

“Soo Yeon?”  Now he was the one who burst out laughing.  “Soo Yeon would never deign to dirty her ivory fingers with a sword.  She is far too delicate.”

“You see?  Just so.  I’m the only woman I know who would enjoy learning to fence.”

“Would you?” he quirked one dark eyebrow.  He looked her up and down.  “Yes, I can see that about you.  But you’re wrong.  I can think of at least two other girls who would also relish it!”

She gazed at him quizzically.  “Who?”

“The princess.”

“King Jin Heung’s sister?”  She bobbed her head.  “Yes, I’ve heard she’s fierce.”

“That doesn’t even begin to describe her.”  He laughed.  If he’d thought Jung Sook was frigid, the princess was downright icy.  She probably owned her own ice cap.

“Who’s the other one?”

“Hmm.  I was thinking of Ah Ro.  The good doctor.”

Her eyebrows climbed her forehead.  “The storyteller?”  She giggled suddenly.  “Yes, I can quite see that about her.  Perhaps she and I could learn together.”

“Would you really like to learn?” he asked suddenly.  “I could teach you.”

“Could you really?”  She glanced at him doubtfully.  “You promise not to run me through with a sword?”

“Me?” he asked, astounded.  “I think it’s far more likely that you would put an end to me.”

A beautiful, little trill of laughter suddenly erupted from her mouth, and he stared in awe at the beauty that suddenly cloaked her countenance in joy.

“You’re probably right,” she agreed good-naturedly.  “So…when shall we begin?”

“This evening?  When you’re done with school?”

“You can be free then?”

He bobbed his head.  “Remember, the king has given me permission to escort you whenever you need it.”

“Hmm. I wonder why he’s bothered to involve himself in my affairs.”

“You are a precious subject of his kingdom.  And he also knows how precious you are to me.”

Startled, she glanced up into his gorgeous, obsidian eyes again.  And felt her heart stop as she encountered an unfamiliar expression in them.  Just what exactly was that?