14 A Special Second Memory

Ae-Ra saw the path on which they were, isolated to the general public. Also, the road was clean. Even the trees were at regular distances and the type of trees was different from the normal route ones.

"You are the first one, whom I let hop on my back," Seo Jin said.

She gazed at him and said, "That is why General Lee shall not carry me. I am used to this. I can walk." Seo Jin found that Ae-Ra had the answer for everything.

"I cannot let you walk with injured feet. Also, it is romantic. Don't you think so?" Seo Jin suddenly asked and tilted his head. Ae-Ra curled her fingers and furrowed her brows.

"General Lee, it is not romantic for me. It is more embarrassing for me. However, if I do not listen to you, then you will complain. You did so much for me, that's why I allowed you to carry me," Ae-Ra opined.

Seo Jin looked forward. "That means you care for my efforts. Now, I need to keep doing things for you so that it will soon feel romantic to you. I will fill your life with colors of love," he asserted. "Ae-Ra, you are special to me, dear to me."

Ae-Ra was startled to hear that. This man had the good power of words and the way he made her feel special joyed her heart. How could a person care for her so much?

"General Lee, were you present in the other room that day?" Ae-Ra asked. "I only see you exiting the door. You also knew that I hit the head of Master Choi with the tray. You were also not present in the room," Ae-Ra was curious to know.

"I will not hide anything from you. Yes, I was present in the room adjacent to the one where you were supposed to serve them," Seo Jin replied.

"The Prince was also there. Master Choi had planned something against the Crown Prince. I told General Lee because he might warn the Crown Prince about the upcoming danger," stated Ae-Ra.

"Won't you ask what I was doing there?" Seo Jin asked her.

"No. What can someone do in a Kisaeng House?" Ae-Ra queried. Seo Jin halted upon hearing her words.

"Do you think I was enjoying my day with a Kisaeng?" Seo Jin waited for her answer.

"Shall I answer it here? What if someone hears us?" Ae-Ra raised the doubt.

"No one is here. Tell me," Seo Jin was desperate to know her opinion.

"To find out the evil plan of the Prince against the Crown Prince. General Lee's duty is to protect the Crown Prince, from every odd," Ae-Ra replied.

"Why did you say, 'What can someone do in a Kisaeng house?' Do you think that I also need women to fulfill my desires? Do you take me like other men?" Seo Jin wanted to know her opinion on this.

"Because usually, men come to the Kisaeng House to fulfill their sexual needs! That question was out of context. Who am I to judge General Lee? I have no opinions regarding you," Ae-Ra answered.

"Do you trust me? You said that you don't trust men. Now, I took you to an isolated route that is closed to the general public… not even a nobleman can use it. What if I do something to you?" Seo Jin queried her and tilted his head.

"General Lee will not do anything to me. If he had to do it, then he would have done it earlier instead of asking me," Ae-Ra answered.

"So, you do trust me," Seo Jin stated and again started to walk. He felt happy at this moment when he heard her.

"General Lee, I believe you are a good person. However, the trust will take time to build on," Ae-Ra clarified herself.

"It is enough for me. You will gradually start to trust me. Ae-Ra, you are an amazing woman. If I step back and take a look then it's difficult to find anyone like you. I am glad that you took the step to hit Choi Daewon because if you had not, then how would I meet a wonderful woman like you," Seo Jin smiled. "I am glad that you thought to run out of the house. You were the only diamond among all whom I was able to find. My heart is giddy with this feeling," he told some of the deep thoughts he had about Ae-Ra.

She was stunned to hear all that.

"General Lee shall put me down," Ae-Ra requested.

"Why? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. I want to say something to General Lee by facing him," Ae-Ra stated.

Seo Jin hummed and bent on his knees so that Ae-Ra land on the ground. Once she stood straight, Seo Jin turned to her and told her to speak.

"I am glad that I took that step else I would have never gotten freed from the house. General Lee gave me a new life. When I look around me, everything seems so lovely and I can feel the freedom and enjoy it, unlike the earlier times," Ae-Ra stated, keeping a smile on her lips.

"Why were you so desperate to run away? Did you never think that you might lose your life?" Seo Jin asked.

Ae-Ra shook her head. "I wanted to see & feel, the happiness and the freedom. For me, going outside the Kisaeng House is like entering Heaven. I had promised myself that even if all those things happen to me for a day, I would be happy and if I got caught then I would die in peace. For me, those punishments were nothing, General Lee." There were tears in her eyes but they were of satisfaction.

Seo Jin recalled the moment he fell on her. He recalled her eyes that did not recognize him instead those eyes were desperate to see something else. The moment Kang Dae dragged Seo Jin away, he saw the defeat in the eyes of Ae-Ra for not being able to run away from the Kisaeng House. That was when he decided to take the risk for her and free her from that hell. That was when he fell for her… the Love at First Sight.

Since it was the fall season, the trees shed their leaves. The red-yellow leaves were falling around them with the cool, gentle breeze. Ae-Ra saw the dry leaf fall over the head of Seo Jin. She stepped towards him and tiptoed. Extending her hand out she picked the leaf. "It was over General Lee's head," Ae-Ra said and showed him the leaf while smiling.

Seo Jin took the leaf from her and put it inside his pocket. It confused Ae-Ra.

"Why did General Lee put it inside?" Ae-Ra asked.

"You touched it and it became a special memory to me," Seo Jin affirmed.

Ae-Ra was astonished to hear that. "How can it be special? It is just a dry leaf," Ae-Ra opined.

"No. It is special because you touched it. This is the first time we talked so much and because of that fallen leaf, you took a step closer to me. My second special memory with you," Seo Jin answered and passed her a smile. They both stared at each other for a while, before Ae-Ra started to walk.