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“Don’t you think that when I marry you, your students will figure out that you’re the one getting all my kisses now?” he murmured against her lips a moment later.

She froze.  And drew away from him.  “That’s going to pose more than one problem, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, in addition to my students turning against me…what will your parents say?”

“I’m willing to fight for you,” he declared staunchly.

“I don’t want you in a war with your father over me,” she spoke in earnest.

He sighed.  “All joking aside, it’s a pity you aren’t an heiress.  I know Appa would look more favorably upon our alliance if you were.”  He paused a moment as her heart picked up speed.  “Are you sure that you haven’t any noble blood?  Somewhere in your family tree?”

She shook her head.  “I don’t.  Just my uncle’s elevation by the old king.  But it didn’t affect us.”

Her heart was sinking.  How could she tell him the truth now?  He seemed totally clueless.  And like he genuinely loved her anyway.  Despite her lack of fortune.  She had misjudged him.  And done him a great wrong in the process.

She was embarrassed.  And ashamed.  Yet a part of her wanted to see how much he truly loved her.  Was he really willing to fight for her?  No one – not even her own mother – had ever fought for her.

But if she held back the truth now, would they ever recover?

She opened her mouth to spill her secret, but she was interrupted by the back door opening, and a little head peeking out.  “Unnie Jung Sook, the girls are arriving.”

Her eyes growing wide, the young teacher pulled herself out of her beau’s strong arms and tugged him over to the side of the building.  Away from the windows.  And prying eyes.  She glanced up at him.  

“I need to talk to you later.  I’ll see you tonight?  Seven o’clock.  At my house.  For dinner?”

He bobbed his head as a delighted smile lit up his sweet face.  “Until then, my beauty.”

“Soo Ho…”

“What?”

“You don’t need to call me pretty.  It’s okay.  I would rather you were honest with me.” 

Ironic, Jung Sook.  Ironic.

He tugged her gently up against him again and bent to plant a kiss on the tip of her nose.  “You are a beauty.  And you can’t stop me from saying it.  You stunned me this morning when your eyes flashed at me.”

She frowned as she gazed up at him.  “It’s not nice to tease a girl.”

“You know I love to tease my girl,” he unleashed all the power of his dazzling grin upon her before his face sobered.  And his eyes grew serious.  “But I’m not teasing you.  Not about your beauty.  It is undeniable.  You’re gorgeous.”

Those solemn eyes caressed hers.  His mouth found hers again, and her stomach flipped upside down.  

After a few delicious moments, she murmured, “I am beginning to understand your appeal….”

“What are you talking about?” he queried.  Completely lost.

“Why all my students fought over you.”

“All of them?  I thought it was just two.”

“Well, yes.  Two.  Just two that were at each other’s throats over you.  But I’m pretty sure that you devastated several more.”

He sighed.  Then his eyes lovingly stroked her face as he asked softly, “Would you fight for me?”

And her stomach did another somersault.

Before she could answer, a voice called out, “Unnie Jung Sook,” in a harsh whisper.

The young teacher tore herself from his arms, shot him a slightly panicked glance, and slipped around the corner of the building to confront an agitated ten-year-old.  

“The girls are fighting again.  Ae Cha just scratched Ah Jin.”

Jung Sook’s eyes grew wide.  “Oh, no!” she gasped and flew inside.

Soo Ho overheard and rolled his eyes.  And was fervently happy that he’d been born a boy.

—

He whistled all the way to his father’s house.  But once he stood in front of the door, his nerves started to fray.  What would he do if his father refused to agree to his marriage to Jung Sook?  Was he really willing to break from him?

His stomach taking a tumble at such a thought, Soo Ho opened the door and stepped inside the house.  His father was sitting in the front room.  He glanced up in surprise at his pride and joy.  

“Soo Ho!” Delight flowed across his father’s face.

“Hello, Appa.”  The boy bowed respectfully.

The man’s brow wrinkled suddenly.  “Shouldn’t you be at the training field?”

Soo Ho cleared his throat.  “I have a few minutes before our first session.  There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

That older brow furrowed more deeply.  “What is it, son?”  

Lord Kim Seub had rarely heard his son’s tone this serious.  He set down the scroll which he’d been perusing and gazed up curiously at Soo Ho.

His son cleared his throat again.  “I know that I have always been a bit of a loose screw, Appa.  But I’ve reformed recently because I…I met someone…different.  She isn’t at all like the sort of girls I used to dally with.”  

His face began to shine as a smile overtook it with its beautiful grace.  “She’s sweet and kind and absolutely brilliant.  Hardworking and brave.  But the thing is…she’s a widow.  And she’s not of noble birth.”

His father stood up.  “Soo Ho.  What were you thinking to get involved with such a woman?”  Then he straightened.  “I assume since you’re telling me about her that she means more to you than a simple mistress.”

“She’s not my mistress, Appa!” Soo Ho cried out, seemingly affronted.  “I’m not sleeping with her.  I would not dishonor her that way.”  He stiffened as his voice hardened.

“But,” the older man’s eyes grew round, “you cannot marry such as she!”

“Why not?  I am one of the king’s hwarang.”  He spoke with pride as he squared his shoulders.

“Exactly.  And as such, you are of impeccable birth.  Notable pedigree.  You can’t throw all that away on a merchant’s daughter!”

“But, Appa—”

“It would be like Soo Yeon asking me to marry her off to that traitor’s son!”

Soo Ho froze.  “What traitor?” he breathed, horrified.  

For Soo Yeon was standing behind their father now.  And her eyes had grown wide with fear.

“You know.  Minister Park.  His adopted son.  Ho Gong’s son.”

“Ban Ryu?” Soo Ho asked from a mouth that had instantly run dry.

“He’s the one,” his appa nodded.  “A young man who has lost both wealth and status.  Stripped from his family by the crown for his father’s suspected activities with Minister Park.”  He shook his head.  “My father was right.  He always said that family was from bad seed.  He’s been proven correct.  Treason is no joke, son.”

“Of course, it isn’t!  Don’t you know that I know that!” Soo Ho cried out passionately.  “I’m the one who discovered that scoundrel had been poisoning the queen!”  His voice was shaking with sorrow now.  “But Ban Ryu had nothing to do with that.  He is loyal to the king.  Shouldn’t he get to choose his own path?  One different from his father’s?”

“It doesn’t work that way, son,” came his father’s sad voice.  “I wish it did.  But it doesn’t.  He’s tied to the man.  Whether or not he wants to be.”

“Appa!  Do you hear yourself?  You’re one of the most powerful men in our country.  You could change things.  If not for the whole system.  Then, at least, for this one man.  You just said that you wished the system were different.  So make a choice to improve it.”

The older man straightened his shoulders as he stared at his fiery son.  “What are you getting at?” he asked finally. 

“Take him on.  Ban Ryu.”

“Take him on?” his father whispered in astonishment.  “Are you telling me to adopt him as my own?”

“Why not?  He’s been cut loose.  His father is utterly disgraced.  And Minister Park was executed for his crimes.  But Ban Ryu is a good man, Appa.”

“What are you talking about?” the man demanded, gaping at his son.

Soo Ho drew himself firmly up to his full height and looked his father squarely in the eye.  “Ban Ryu is my best friend, Appa.  He is a good man,” he insisted again.

The older man blinked in astonishment as he stared up at his tall son.  “I cannot believe that you would ask me to risk my reputation to help the son of a proven traitor.  To risk our standing and comfort!  To put your sister’s future – and yours too – at jeopardy to help a traitor!”

“Ban Ryu is not a traitor, Appa!” Soo Ho’s eyes were flashing fire as his voice snapped.  “He is a man faithful to our king.  He’s already put his life on the line more than once for him.”

“That is something,” his father capitulated.  Then he sighed.  “But I cannot help the boy.  These are perilous times.  I cannot be suspected of associating with Minister Park in any way.”

“Appa, you wouldn’t be!  You’re the one who insisted that I watch over the queen, and I’m the one who discovered she was being poisoned and told the king! No one would believe you capable of treachery against the crown!”

“You’re wrong.  There are some who would say that I found an easy way to destroy my enemy so that I could take his place.”

Soo Ho’s eyes widened at such a ridiculous accusation.

“It’s not true, of course.  But that doesn’t mean that I couldn’t be accused.”

“By spiteful and petty men!  But Jin Heung would see right through them!  He is my friend.  And he knows I am his.”

“Perhaps.  But I don’t have the same standing with him.”

“Appa,” Soo Ho’s voice softened.  “He knows that you sought to protect his mother.  Do you think that means so little to him?”

The tired man sighed and rubbed his eyes.  “I am thankful that Soo Yeon is such a sweet and demure child.  If I had two children such as you challenging me at every turn,” he shook his head, “I might just give up and d—”

“Appa!” Soo Yeon cried out from behind him.  “Do not say such horrid things.  Soo Ho and I both honor you!  We adore you, Appa!  We know you have been the best of fathers!”  

She glanced appealingly up at him as he stood to face her.  “Can’t you see the boy is in love with this girl?  Won’t you please countenance his marriage to her?”

She was immensely grateful – and surprised – that her brother had fought so zealously for her beloved.  Now it was her turn to contend for his.

Lord Kim Seub glanced from his daughter to his son and back again.  “You two have decided to ally against me, I see.  Soo Yeon,” he sighed, “you are very young still.  As you mature, and I pick a suitable husband for you, you will begin to understand that our status requires a certain amount of sacrifice.  We don’t often get to marry where we would choose.  Your mother and I were…supremely fortunate to discover that our hearts lay in the same direction as our parents’ aspirations.”  He sighed deeply.  “But I have few friends for which the same was true.”

“But, Appa!  Isn’t that the point?” she retorted.  “You and Eomma have been happy!  And you’ve made us happy.  And loyal to the crown.  Isn’t that the whole point of our existence?  Wouldn’t you like to see your grandchildren raised under the same circumstances and with the same values?  Surrounded by a like love?”

“Oh, my pet,” he smiled down at her affectionately, “you have such a naive view of the world.  If we don’t consolidate the power we have, then we will lose it.  And what good will we be to the king then?”

Her face crumpled, and she turned and ran for her room.  A loud sob exploding in her wake.

“What on earth has gotten into that child?” her appa queried in quizzical concern as he stared, clueless, after her.

“Appa,” Soo Ho brought his father’s attention back to himself, “under what circumstances would you agree to my marriage to Jung Sook?”

“Jung Sook?”  His elder’s eyes narrowed.  “Gwan Jung Sook?  The wealthy trader’s widow?”  His eyes now flew wide.

Soo Ho frowned.  “Yes, but I don’t think she’s wealthy.”

“Oh, aye!  She’s wealthy, all right.  Extremely wealthy.”  Lord Kim Seub rubbed his hands together.  “Now this little piece of news changes things.”

Soo Ho’s face fell.  “You mean, of course, that if she were to enrich our family, then I could marry her.”

“But, of course, son!  Power and wealth are a deadly combination.  You bring power.  If she brings wealth, then I would be a fool not to agree.  Unless, of course, she opposes the king.”

“She does not, but…” his son’s voice trailed off.

Jung Sook had told him that she had no silver.  Had she lied to him?

And if so, why?

Did she still not trust his motives?