Dong Soo and Yoon Bok walk away from the gate, while Dong Soo is still in awe over Yoon Bok’s painting.
“Hyung, once more you see the painting, you can make a hole in it,” Yoon Bok protests.
“Once more, just once more. I don’t think I can see her for a long time.”
“Where do you go?”
“Gyeongju. As beacon guard.”
Yoon Bok is exasperated to hear Dong Soo is sent to far, faraway border from Hanyang. Dong Soo tells him that it’s because he missed a lot of practices.
Flashback
Dong Soo, Yeo Woon and Cho Rip is in practice exam. The three show quite good skills and even defeat other trainee guards. But the commander come and announce the result, they have the lowest score because they missed many practices and must go to beacon post on the border. Dong Soo expresses his disbelief but it still can’t change the decision. He must go to the border.
Yoon Bok pats his back and tells him to do his best. Dong Soo wraps his hand around Yoon Bok’s neck, saying that his best friend sure knows the best. But it makes Yoon Bok uncomfortable and lets go of his hand. Dong Soo is confused by Yoon Bok’s behaviour but he doesn’t ask him. Instead Dong Soo makes a request to Yoon Bok.
“Yoon Bok-ah, while I’m away, do you want to help me? Please draw me Jin Yi’s painting so I won’t feel lonely.”
“Aigoo, is your head only filled with Jin Yi? You have to pay me quite a fortune.”
“How much?”
“Not with money, but with something else.” Yoon Bok is suddenly blushing.
Dong Soo readily agrees with the condition. He feels more at ease now. He thinks tonight he will have sweet dreams, thanks to Jin Yi and Yoon Bok.
While Jin Yi is playing gayageum in the middle of night. She can’t sleep tonight and her best friend in this gisaeng house is gayageum who can always accompany her whenever she feels sad or happy. Tonight she plays sad melodies to her heart content, although she isn’t very sure why she feels sad.
Morning comes and Dong Soo readies himself for long trip today. They can’t bring horses so Dong Soo, Yeo Woon and Cho Rip have to walk from the capital to their destination. It’s very long trip, through the markets, rivers, hills and mountains. When they finally come to the beacon post, Dong Soo is exhausted.
He has to do laundry chores and he grumpily does the job. After the laundry chores, Dong Soo rests and lets his imagination running wild. He imagines Jin Yi dancing in front of him. She’s very beautiful with a paper fan in one hand and her movements set his heart to flutter. He imagines himself to be her only audience and he even wants to dance with her, if only he isn’t bad at dancing.
Then he imagines her flirting with Kim Jung Han and he suddenly feels really jealous. He shakes his head and remins himself that it’s just his imagination. Yeo Woon and Cho Rip who pass by just think Dong Soo as a useless fool and leave him with his daydream.
Meanwhile as per Dong Soo’s request, Yoon Bok goes to gisaeng house to draw the gisaeng. Sometimes he succesfully draws Jin Yi in secret, sometimes not. His lover, Jeong Hyang is suspicious because he likes to hang out at gisaeng house these days. She tells him that she doesn’t like he goes to gisaeng house often because their relationship would be known to others. Yoon Bok smiles, he said it’s for her anyway.
Jin Yi is busy entertaining the guests. She doesn’t have time to think about Dong Soo and tries to not remember him. She doesn’t even think about anything else but her own art. Whoever sees Jin Yi and her art is lucky, because Jin Yi is really picky when it comes to her customer.
While Dong Soo has a hard time at the beacon post. Dong Soo and his friends must wake up at early hours, doing menial jobs, cleaning and cooking while still learning to pass for higher exam. He also receives paintings from Yoon Bok, once a month. The first painting depicts a gisaeng rides horse with the servants.
The second painting depicts a man holding a woman’s hand. Both of them look happy but shy. The man is wearing scholar hat, making Dong Soo furious.
“What is this?!! What did Yoon Bok paint!! Did he make me jealous?”
Dong Soo is angry and rips the painting. Then Dong Soo begs the beacon chief to allow him to leave for few days. The beacon chief allows him, but first Dong Soo must fight off criminal gangs. Dong Soo pouts and wants to say no to the chief. But the chief won’t change his mind. So Dong Soo finally prepares to leave. Yeo Woon asks him if he really has to go. It’s dangerous to fight off the gangs alone.
“Hey, Dong Soo, do you really have to go? What if you can’t defeat them all?” Yeo Woon tells him.
“Well, I have to find way.”
“But it’s really dangerous. Why you have to go?”
“I know. You don’t need to worry, I can handle them.”
“Is it because her? Pull yourself together! Do you really want to go to that extent?”
“I tell you no need to worry! If you never fall in love, don’t say anything about it!!” Dong Soo is upset.
Yeo Woon can’t say anything although he still uneasy. Dong Soo then bids goodbye to the his friends and chief. Yeo Woon tells him to take care.
On the other side, Jin Yi faces new guest as they hold a banquet on the city. Jin Yi has to perform her famous sword dance.
Just few hours after he walks, Dong Soo meets with the gang. They’re 12 people with quick and agile movements. Each of them holds a sword. Dong Soo releases his sword. He reads their movements and reacts quickly. The battle is imbalance and Dong Soo is quickly outnumbered. One of them slashes Dong Soo’s arm and injures his face. He’s cornered and no one helps him!
Yeo Woon feels uneasy because Dong Soo. He decides to follow Dong Soo.
***
To be continued...
Writer: kanz
Picture credit: as tagged, to owner
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