Empress Ki Heirs: Episode 10

Empress Ki HEIRS

Episode 10

Joo Won is the CEO of the LOEL Group and is the main sponsor of a hiking event where Ta Hwan, Seung Nyang and Nam Hoon attended. Ta Hwan recalls what his older brother told him about their new competitor. Joo Won is also suspicious about Ta Hwan attending the event. When someone catches their attention, Oh Soo arrives and is welcomed by Joo Won cheerfully.

“You know him?” Ta Hwan asks looking confused.

“Yes. Joo Won is my friend since college and my golf buddy.” Oh Soo answers him.

“Ta Hwan!” A woman exclaims. He glances at his back to see who it is and surprisingly it’s Oh Young who is with Young Do carrying their luggage. She sees Seung Nyang who tries to avoid her stare.

Oh Soo thanks Joo Won for inviting them and turns to stare at Seung Nyang.

“Well, I think everyone will definitely enjoy this event.” Joo Won exclaims.

Seung Nyang excuses herself. Ta Hwan wants to go with her but Oh Young stops him and asks him to tour her around the place.

Seung Nyang goes outside and enjoys the scenic view of the site when she hears a broken twig. She turns around but didn’t see anything. Then, she continues walking when she hears the rustles of dry leaves being stepped on. She begins to become nervous and suspicious.

“Ya, I didn’t know that there are a lot of bunnies here. It would be nice to see one.”

Ta Hwan is nervously hiding behind a large gingko tree.

Flashback. When Oh Young is having a great time talking with Joo Won, he excuses himself and secretly follows Seung Nyang.

He peeks behind the tree but didn’t see her anymore. He wonders where she is and comes out from hiding. When a strong hand grabs his neck...

“Ya Nyang-ie, let me go.” He chokes from her tight grip.

“Nyang-ie?! How did you know my nickname?”

“Your father told me. Could you please...let go...of my...neck? You’re choking me.”  He hardly speaks.

She eventually let him go and tells him that he acts like a stalker.

“Aigoo, how could a slim woman have strong hands to grab a man’s neck.” He says teasingly while caressing his neck. “Wait, are you jealous of Oh Young?”

“Me?! Jealous?! Are you kidding?! Why will I be jealous?!” She says while blushing.

She holds her breath as he leans closer to her and whispers, “Look at you. You’re blushing.” Then, he laughs.

“I’m...I’m not blushing. It’s just that the weather is so hot.” She says defensively. “And don’t blame me what happened to you. You’re the one who started it. And I need to protect myself from a hungry, male hyena like you.” She leaves him.

“Haist! This woman so hot tempered.” He pauses and thinks for a while. “Ya Nyang-ie, what did you just call me?! Me?! Hungry, male hyena?!” He runs after her.

Back at the inn resort, Seung Nyang sees Tal Tal talking to her younger brother. She approaches him happily. Ta Hwan is surprised seeing him and wonders why he is here.

“Luckily, I quickly finished an easy task. But it’s very weird because my mother doesn’t ask me those kinds of favors.” He says while looking suspiciously at Ta Hwan.

Ta Hwan ignores his stares and changes the topic. When the emcee tells them about tomorrow’s activity and tonight’s mini presentation.

After dinner, the mini presentation begins. The emcee asks for volunteers who want to perform. When no one raises their hands, the emcee calls for Joo Won who confidently goes up to the stage. He sings the song “That Man” and tells the audience that he is dedicating that song to his long time female friend while looking intensely at Seung Nyang. Next, Tal Tal volunteers and shows his magnetic dance moves while singing. 

After their performance, Oh Young teases Oh Soo to sing but he doesn’t want to. But due to her constant pleading, he decides to sing “My Song” with his guitar dedicating it to a very special woman. Ta Hwan feels jealous because Seung Nyang is so happy on their performances and keeps cheering for them. Then, he nervously goes to the stage and sings “To the Butterfly” dedicating it to someone who moves his heart. Seung Nyang is fascinated with his song while Oh Young looks happy that he is singing again. 

On the next day, the emcee informs the hikers about the mountain trail and they will move by partners assigned to them. Nam Hoon’s partner is Young Do, Joo Won’s partner is Oh Young, Seung Nyang’s partner is Oh Soo, and Ta Hwan’s partner is Tal Tal.

On their way to the forest, Ta Hwan looks disappointed because his partner is not Seung Nyang. Tal Tal frankly asks Ta Hwan about his feelings towards Seung Nyang which he honestly answers that he loves her and there’s nothing that can explain what he feels towards her. He also returns the question to him. Tal Tal thinks for a while and says that he likes her but he knows that Seung Nyang only sees him as his bestfriend and he is satisfied with that as long as he sees her happy. He asks Ta Hwan to make a promise not to hurt her which he happily did. While on the other side of the forest, Joo Won asks Oh Young if something bothers her which she denies. Rather than making her head hurt of too much thinking about Ta Hwan and Seung Nyang, she interviews Joo Won and even jokes with him. They seem to enjoy each other’s company. 

Unlike Seung Nyang and Oh Soo who are not talking and ignoring each other for hours. Oh Soo, who can’t control himself anymore, asks her about what happened to them in Bali. Seung Nyang responds to him that everything is already in the past. Not satisfied with her answer, he grabs her arms and looks at her teary eyes.

“You’re lying again. I can see it in your eyes.” He exclaims. “What do you want?”

“Let me go.” She tries to release herself from his tight grip but fails. She looks at him fiercely. “Can’t you forget the past? I thought you have already moved on.”

He let her go. “Ha! You’re still playing that innocent side. Five years ago, my father bribed you to leave me and you accepted the money for your selfish dreams...and now who’s your next target, Ta Hwan! Are you that greedy?!”

She slaps him and tears start to pour out continuously from her eyes. “You don’t know everything!”

He can see in her eyes the pain and wants to comfort her but she suddenly runs off to the deep part of the forest.

Ta Hwan sees her crying and runs after her but loses her tracks. He is worried about Seung Nyang’s whereabouts then, he luckily finds her sitting along the riverbank. She is surprised to see him and hides her swollen eyes. 

“I don’t know the reason why you are crying but if it will uplift your burdened heart then, cry with all your might. Then after crying, you will feel satisfied and even stronger to face everyone.” Ta Hwan turns around from her and says, “Just imagine I am not here, I can’t see anything, I can’t hear anything... so just lean on me.”

She buries her face on his back and begins to cry hardly. He sadly looks at the sky.

The sky is almost getting darker and almost everyone is back at the inn resort. Oh Young asks Oh Soo if he saw Ta Hwan but he just ignores her and stares blankly at his glass of vodka. Tal Tal approaches and asks him seriously about Seung Nyang. He lazily tells him that he didn’t see or know her. Tal Tal grabs him by the collar and tells him to come to his senses and that woman he wants to forget had already made a lot of sacrifices for him. Oh Soo is shaken on what he said.

Back at the forest, Seung Nyang and Ta Hwan is having a hard time to search their way back to the inn resort when she accidentally steps into something slippery and sprains her right ankle. Then heavy rains start to pour. Ta Hwan immediately piggybacks Seung Nyang and luckily, they find an abandoned cottage where they lit the fireplace to serve as their light and to give warmth to their cold, trembling bodies. He immediately takes off his wet jacket and shirt revealing his magnificent body and treats her by wrapping his wet shirt around her sprained ankle. 

She is still hurting from the pain but secretly stares at his tight muscles and 6 pack abs. He finishes and asks her if it still hurt but catches her looking at him so he shyly covers his body while she pretends to look away. She thanks him for comforting and staying with her even though sometimes she argues with him when suddenly she feels his head leaning on her right shoulder. He is already fast asleep while she sweetly smiles and closes her eyes.

A group of robins are happily chirping and flying from one tree to the other. Ta Hwan wakes up from the ray of the sunlight that is penetrating through the cottage windows. He is surprised to see a lovely, sleeping Seung Nyang beside him. 

“Is this a dream? If it is then, I don’t want to wake up anymore from this wonderful dream.” He stares at her lovingly and remembers her arguments with Oh Soo yesterday. “I may not know you that well but I’m willing to take the risk. Because no one moves my heart...other than you, Nyang-ie.”

Then, he hears someone knocking from the door which wakes her up. He opens the door and sees a group of rescuers. They arrive safely in the inn resort. Oh Young, who didn’t sleep well that night, tightly hugs Ta Hwan and is sobbing hardly. Seung Nyang stares at them when Nam Hoon goes to her and also hugs her tightly. He tells her that he is so worried about her and their father will kill him if something bad happened to her. She just pats his back and is happy to see all of them. She tells Tal Tal that she sprained her ankle and Ta Hwan helped her.

Oh Young notices that Ta Hwan looks pale. He jokingly tells her that he need something to eat so he won’t look sickly anymore then, he glances at Seung Nyang. As he walks towards her, his sight begins to blur and the ceiling seems to be moving and everything turns black. 

At the hospital, the Kim’s family doctor is telling Chae Young Rang, Ta Hwan’s mother, about his current state. It is due to over fatigue and fever. Outside the room, she asks Secretary Kim about what happened and he tells her everything that happened. She became curious about Seung Nyang and sends for an investigator. She also wants to meet her personally. 

Driver Cha runs into his house and shouts Seung Nyang’s name. Upon seeing his daughter, he immediately hugs her tightly and tells her how worried he is when he heard the news. She tells him not to worry and that she is already okay. She asks his father about Ta Hwan’s development and he replies that he is quite okay and will be discharged from the hospital after a couple of days. She feels relieved upon hearing such good news when suddenly, her phone rings.

Young Rang meets Seung Nyang in a coffee shop and asks if her foot is already okay and she shyly says “Yes”. She frankly asks her to do a favor as being his son’s assistant to help her arrange his son’s impending marriage. Seung Nyang looks hurt upon hearing it.

Ta Hwan is walking along the hospital corridors when he meets Oh Soo. He tells him to get well because his stepsister is so worried about him. Ta Hwan just stares at him blankly and says, “I don’t know what happened between you and Seung Nyang before. I treasure you as my friend but I hope you’ll stop hurting her from now on. I want to protect her.”

Oh Soo faces him. “Don’t tell me you are already...”

“Yes, I love her. I love Seung Nyang more than my life.” Ta Hwan bravely exclaims.

Oh Soo smirks at his friend and says, “What will you do if I tell you...that I still love her.”

They look at each other fiercely.

***

To be continued

Writer: Janice

Pictures credit: as tagged, to owner