⁝ ahn estate.

@✿ ahn hyunki The sun had finally dipped below the horizon, with the starry night sky replacing the soft pink and orange hued skies, the winter evening had descended upon the bustling Ahn estate. Tonight, the setting of the sun only meant the beginning of a night filled with dance and merriment. In the gardens of the estate, lanterns were lit, casting a warm glow over the snow-covered grounds. Servants bustled about, preparing for the evening's festivities.

“My Lord… Hyunki” Haeryeong sighed for the nth time that evening as she found herself in an unusual panicked state while getting twins ready for the busy evening. “ my love, could you help me change Jieun’s into her little hanbok?” She queried, a little tired smile adorning her visage despite struggling with Jiyeon—who had been fussing around the whole evening.

“…Jiyeon’s being unusually fussy today and I’m not sure why.” Haeryeong pursed her lips into a thin line as she watched the little scrunch on her daughter’s face, already anticipating the next outburst before she actually started her a little crying fit. “Would you like to carry her instead? And I’ll change Jieun real quick…”she continued, offering her husband a sheepish grin whilst giving a quick sweep of her surrounding only to notice while Jihae’s clothes were placed nicely on their futon, their son was nowhere to be found. “dearest, have you seen Jihae around? his clothes are still here.”

@❃ ya aecha @❃ seo min @❃ seo jung @❃ seo jin @❃ seo eun @❃ nam boram @❃ na soo @❃ na garam @❃ kwon nabi @❃ kang seho @❃ jung hana @❃ im seoa @❃ hwangbo wolhye @❃ heo jinyoung @❃ han dongwook @❃ choi saemi [h] @❃ choi geon @❃ cho miyoung @❃ bang yongha @❃ bang sungha @❃ bang junha @❁ yoon haewon [h] @❁ kwon bora @❁ jeong hamin @❁ im seohyang @❁ im insoo [h] @❁ hwang miryeong @❁ hwang mijoo [h] @❁ hong yeoreum @❁ hong gureum [h] @❁ hong areum @❁ cheon suryeon @❁ cheon sunyi @❁ cheon sunmi @❁ cheon suho @❁ byun sangwook @❁ byun haeryeong [h] @❁ bae eunhyuk @❀ yoo hyunsik @❀ yoo hyunjung @❀ yang seoyul @❀ yang minkyung @❀ yang hakkun [h] @❀ won ara @❀ son jaeyeol @❀ seo hyunwoo @❀ seo eunjeong @❀ park heeryong @❀ ong kimbum @❀ moon minsu @❀ moon jinhee [h] @❀ moon hansol [h] @❀ kim seojun @❀ kim hyunjun [h] @❀ kim hyunji @❀ kim byungjun @❀ kang heejin @❀ jeon yunhee @❀ jeon gyunwoo @❀ han bin @❀ choi yoojin @❀ choi shin @❀ choi jinseok @✿ yoon junho [h] @✿ yoon hyein @✿ song jinye @✿ song jihoo @✿ seol taejoon @✿ seol riah @✿ seol minhwan @✿ seol juhwan @✿ ryu songmin @✿ ryu minho @✿ ryu juyeon @✿ ryu aera [h] @✿ park yeongho @✿ park yeonghan @✿ oh sejin @✿ oh juwon [h] @✿ oh jiyong @✿ oh bitna @✿ moon sejoon @✿ moon jaehoon @✿ moon hyeongwon @✿ kim yejoon @✿ kim eunha @✿ jin jaeyong @✿ jin jaeha @✿ jin haeun @✿ jang ilwoo @✿ jang ilseong @✿ jang eundal @✿ go youngjae @✿ go yeonhwa (née ryu) @✿ go miro @✿ go mina @✿ geum hangyeol @✿ geum eunbyeol @✿ choi sunyoung @✿ choi siwoo [h] @✿ chae seongyeom @✿ cha seonhye (née chae) [h] @✿ cha kiwoon @✿ cha kihyun @✿ cha jiwoong @✿ cha jiah @✿ baek yejun @✿ baek junwoo @✿ ahn suji @✿ ahn hyunki @✾ tsukino sayuri @✾ sun qingcang @✾ inazuma hanami @✾ feng weishan @✾ duan somsri ♡

〖 NOTE FOR ALL 〗
A non-mandatory event has started. Please refrain from posting any other replies in this room until the has concluded. Thank you!

As the year begins to wane, come celebrate the prosperous final harvest with the Ahn family. all are welcome and encouraged to join in on the festivities. There will be festivities, dancing and refreshments galore. All one needs to bring is themselves in their finest hanboks.

˚✿ ic date: november 15th, 1869. (from 7 pm until midnight.)
˚✿ ooc date: april 27th - may 4th.
˚✿ venue: the ahn estate in hanseong.
˚✿ invitation: https://i.imgur.com/M8DXemh.png

⊹ please note that this event is back-dated!

〖 all mini events are not mandatory but participation is highly encouraged! 〗

@✿ ahn hyunki “well, what did you think i was doing? growing flowers on it!” he laughed at his own jest, though he knew it would garner skepticism on the latter’s part. “it does not hurt for the greenery to have some flare.”

withdrawing from the foliage, with no gardening supplies in his hold, sangwook approached the marquess and his brother-in-law with his excitement. sometimes, people pondered if nearby pedestrians had their figures singed by mere proximity.

“you see, i’m quite the expert at dice, though i have been advised to not underestimate my enemies.”

beyond his eccentricities belies his competitive spirit. like a hibernating beast finally waking up from its slumber, his competitiveness rose as it lay dormant in favor of other pursuits. preoccupied with adjusting to his new life, his lifestyle left him with little time to dilly dally and indulge in such foolish games, especially ones that deplete his mun.

letting his foolhardy humor come to a cease, he grasped his hand briefly before letting go to follow him closely behind. as hyunki led him to the location for their first ‘match’, the vibrant clusters of forsythias caught his attention. at the very least, the nobis here could lounge in a more secluded area and surrounded by a blessed sight. relishing in the reprieve from the sun, he took a seat on the chaise, preparing the game of dice. “alright, before we start, i’d like to inform you of my predictions. the first one being that i will win the first three rounds.”

a teasing smile made its way on his lips, with the glint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

@❁ byun sangwook hyunki raised a brow. amusement was evident on his face at sangwook’s response, the corner of his lip curling up into a small simper. the man had always struck him as odd despite having known him for a very long time - but it was quite an irrelevant description. everyone who leaned towards extroversion was an oddity to him either way.

still, the other male’s excuse did warrant a small chuckle from him. “tending to a non-flowering bush? dabbling on topiaries now, are we?”

the marquess unclasped his fingers from behind his back, offering sangwook a helping hand. his head tilted ever so slightly at the other’s offer. a game of dice? now that’s -

“- interesting. it has been awhile since i have had a game.” hyunki glanced around, seemingly looking for a secluded and shaded spot for them to set up their station. “fatherhood, you see - ah!” his lips part as excitement took over his visage, his eyes twinkling with child-like vigor as if he was a boy given the sweetest yakgwa to munch on. but a game of dice, indeed, was a diversion from the mundanity that was his daily life.

not that he was calling his family life monotonous but. . .well, he was merely human.

“come,” he beckoned his brother-in-law close, motioning for him to follow. “there’s a pavilion at the back where the nobis usually congregate to rest.” hyunki led them both through the back halls, past the quarters and to a smaller garden just behind the pantry. he puffed his chest, proud of his achievement of having brought sangwook there.

“what do you think? who shall win the first game - you or i?”

@✿ ahn suji As their little family waited for the youngest Ahn to open her door, Haeryeong silently observed as the house servant scurried to finish last minute preparations for the weekend’s celebration, the little scene causing a wave of gratitude that washed over the young mother of three.

“suji!” Haeryeong chirped almost immediately as the door opened, the sight of the young lady bringing a huge grin to her visage. “aunt suji!” The young boy greets, and with the small little pitter-patter of his feet, he runs up to Suji, giving her leg a tight hug. “He has been running around the entire morning; i’m surprised he still has so much energy within that little body of his.” Haeryeong jest, with a little shake of her head, made her way into Suji’s abode.

As soon as the trio settled down, with Jieun sleeping soundly on Suji’s futon and Jihae in her lap, she turned her focus from her son to her sister-in-law. “Jihae was excited to show you the invitation for the twin’s baekil celebration. I was going to do it, but he needed the little adventure.”

As if on cue, Jihae launched from his mother’s lap, settling down onto his favourite aunt’s lap. “The invitation, darling.” Haeryeong motioned for her son to show the beaten up piece of parchment paper held tightly in his tiny fist. “Here!” Taking hold of Suji’s hand, he places the flimsy paper into her palm, the corners somewhat tattered and torn. “For Jieun, Jiyeon!”

@✿ ahn hyunki < 21st may 1869 >
feigning the actions of the gardener, sangwook was confident he looked the part and the other gardeners were from a distance. despite his need for socialization at times, large scale parties such as the baekil and galas were never to his liking. it may not seemed like it, but his boisterous self served as a mask for his slight propensity towards introversion. walking into the crowd does not necessarily stress him out, but having the same conversations lead to the same conclusions became monotonous for the former marquess.

‘when are you finding a maiden to wed with? it must be fatiguing for you to be on the search for a bachelorette.’

or, ‘young man, you are far too old to not have an heir by now. when i was at the age of debut, i had three kids with my wife by then! haeryeong cannot be the only one heralding the byun bloodline.’

the derisive tone under the fake politeness upheld was white noise to him.

but someone else’s presence offered him a respite. hyunki, his proclaimed brother in law, came to the rescue from his ongoing boredom.

“lord ahn! i am delighted to have your presence by this..” a slight pause in his words fit with his posturing towards the bush. “…garden i’m tending to.”

he cleared his throat, figuring the façade may not work on the observant, yet dense lord.

“what i’m saying was bollocks. can we just get away from this and play a game of dice instead?”

@❁ byun sangwook 〚 21st May, 1869 〛

hyunki was at his wit's end. granting these were her wife's friends, they were still too. . .lively for his liking. it was like having five (5) sujis over at his estate and it was considerably too much for his personality. the marquess could already feel his knees weaken and his smile becoming wry. he needed to get away before his face would become visibly sour and the tiredness brought about his lack of energy. with a quick kiss to haeryeong's cheek and the twins', hyunki bid the girls goodbye.

stepping out into the lawn already gave him much reprieve, his lungs were able to breathe freely again and the tingling sensation on his nape was slowly dissipating. ah, peace and calm. just as he liked it.

ahn hyunki basked in the sunlight, smiling gratefully. briefly, he took a walk around the estate, taking advantage of the party to enjoy the solace. his only companion were the occasional chirping of the swallows and the sound of the breeze brushing against the trees. he liked these quiet moments; he was thankful that haeryeong understood his occasional need to be alone.

taking a turn around the back of the kitchen and to the garden annex, he found a familiar figure crouching by a bush. it did not take for him to realize who it was and upon towering over the man, he said, "lord byun, is the party not to your liking?"

@❁ byun haeryeong spring had finally come to the estates, coloring the gardens in a bright floral yellow as the forsythia had bloomed along the branches. the young lady of the ahn household was not without responsibilities during this time, it was a duty that their father instilled in her to peruse through the ledgers and make decisions accordingly. as luck would have it, the young lady was more than adept at calculations so the task had only taken the morning. placing the ink brush on the table, she stretches her arms before wiping off her ink stained hands.

the pleasant sunlight shone on her face through the window, and laughter could be heard around the estate. things had become much brighter after the war, and seeing the happy expressions on the faces of her nieces and nephew only soothed any semblance of a worry on her countenance. speaking of her nieces, she was quickly reminded that both their baekil celebrations were around the corner by the hustle and bustle of workers preparing to decorate the stage in the courtyard.

it was not long before then that she picked up on the tiny knocks on her door, a wide smile lifting up the corners of her lips as she moves to open her door. "jihae!" she exclaims, picking the eldest boy up into her arms, "haeryeong unnie and jieun-ah!" she says, stepping aside to allow her in.

"what brings you here?" suji inquires, gesturing a worker to bring a warm pot of tea and snacks for jihae. "are preparations for the baekil going well?"

@✿ ahn suji [ a week before the baekil celebration ]

ever since the birth of ahn jiyeon and ahn jieun, the household had been stuck in a flurry of task, despite the bustling joy and challenges of the newborn, there was too much to do and too little time to accomplish any of them. Despite this had been be haeryeong’s second time a being a mother, it was still no easy feat for her even with the help of her husband, her sister in laws, the house servants and wet nurses.

the first few months has gone by in a blind of an eye and the seasons had soon shifted from the chill of winter to the vibrant hues of spring, the little flowers that bloomed along with the season had adorned their estate, once a blank canvas, into now a picturesque scene. and before haeryeong could fathom how much time has passed, the preparation for the twins’ hundredth day celebration was underway.

Yet, amidst the preparations, remained a list of unfinished task, instructions to be given and invitations to be sent. speaking in which of, “umma!” she hears her first born call out as he ran into her room, waving a thick paper in his tiny little hands which she assumed to be their invitation. “ It’s..” the younger boy pants after having to run a distance, “yeonnie, eunnie!” He mentions with much eagerness, showing the invitation to his mother.

with a small laughter, haeryeong tenderly combed her fingers through her son’s hair, giving him a gentle pat on his back, “should we show this to aunt suji and seek her opinion?” haeryeong suggested as she stood up, alongside jihae not before bending down to pick the youngest of the three, jieun, up, and as soon as they reached the front doors of suji’s annex, jihae gave a soft but excited knock to the doors.

@✿ ahn hyunki Watching her first born run into the room with much excitement, haeryeong couldn’t contain the soft giggle that escaped her lips. There was always something about the way his two small feet pitter pattered against their hanok floor, a radiant excited smile and eyes that sparkled that brought warmth to her heart. jihae might have not spent his first three years with his father, but haeryeong knew for the very first time when their eyes first met, there was silent bond that formed almost immediately between them, one shared with nothing but the purest love between a father and son. And haeryeong, who watched from the side lines, cherished every single of these little moments, this small reunions, the way jihae showed unwavering love to his father knowing that their bond, their connection would only grow stronger with each passing day.

it was such simple moments like these where haeryeong would reflect on her own family, her own father, that proved to be a stark contrast. when jihae was first birthed into the family, haeryeong had never imagine being able to give him a proper family, her mind clouded with uncertainty for the future and she wasn’t exactly sure if she could give jihae the future she envisioned for him. Haeryeong certainly never knew that one day, she too, would have own family filled with laughter, warmth and unconditional love. In their little abode, haeryeong finally found solace and belonging, their family built by unwavering love and resilience. A family she knew she could call hers.

the soft thud of jihae’s scroll dropping onto their padded floor brought haeryeong out of her reverie as she shook her head in resignation. “appa! umma!” jihae greets, giving a quick bow in their direction before diving into the perfect comfort in his father’s embrace. “you have ink all over your hands and fingers, jihae-yah!” haeryeong chided, however noticing the ink smudges on hyunki’s cheeks from jihae’s grabbing, haeryeong couldn’t help but to belt out a laughter. “my love, your face.” she continues with her giggles as she reaches out to cup her husband’s cheek, wiping his cheeks with her thumb.

“ummama.” seeing her actions, jihae too, reaches out to her cheeks too, stamping his ink smudged hand on her cheeks. “ahn jihae!” haeryeong laughs with a shake of her head. “we’ve miss you very much, my lord“ she continues, this time, quickly pressing a chaste kiss on her beloved’s lips.

@❁ byun haeryeong hyunki had never felt so young and in love, not until he would be in the presence of his beloved. haeryeong's little gestures and smiles would always bring him peace and now that she was openly his, coming home to her would now be his greatest treasure - not his guilty pleasure.

the young lord laughed at her teasing as she led him through a weave of rooms in his - their - estate. he did not miss the way she so excitedly touched him everywhere - his cheeks, nose, fingers. in fact, he welcomed them as easily as he would breathe. after all, there was no inch of him that was not hers. he was haeryeong's and haeryeong's alone.

"oh, gods. he takes up after my sisters, then," he responded, sitting himself down gently besides her. he, however, stared at her with disbelief at her accusation. despite knowing that it was merely a joke, he cannot help but be quite offended. "you must know i did nothing of the sort as a child. it was only when i met. . . well, you, that i deemed climbing walls a necessary."

as if on cue, their son barreled through the doors, a little scroll in hand and a brush in another. when hyunki's gaze met his, he felt like he had been looking through a mirror. his and haeryeong's first-born looked nothing less like him. perhaps, this was why it had been easy to not doubt this child's parentage.

not that he ever doubted haeryeong's fidelity.

"what did i tell you about manners, ahn jihae?" he teased, sitting straight, meeting his son's smile with a small version of his but with a gaze as stern as his own father's. "did you miss me that much that you skipped greeting your mother and father?"

@✿ ahn gaeun [] trigger warning: mentions of miscarriage, mention of death and the deceased

kim yejoon had never experienced a loss of a child.

he has, however, experienced the loss of his best friend – his father. it was in the winter of 1866 when the duke passed and yejoon was given extremely large shoes to fill almost immediately. looking back at this time was difficult for him, because he didn’t remember much of it due to the trauma that fogged his memory for the most part. from what he did remember, it was anything but uplifting. many of his days were spent paralyzed in his father’s room following the removal of his body, perched atop a stool and staring at the bed where he had peacefully passed in the night. he remained there steadily, going days and days without sleep, food or water. it was extremely difficult for him to understand how the world continued to spin, how it could have been fair for him to have to return to duties, to overtake his father’s duties, when he failed to understand that he would not be returning.

only when eunha attempted to console him did yejoon break, crumbling to the floor and in her embrace as the family cleaners covered his father’s belongings and furniture with sheets. in fact, he was inconsolable despite his siblings’ attempts of being there for him. the warm and comforting room over those next few days had become his very own solitary confinement. it took a long time to completely grieve his father’s death, sometimes still believing that he would never completely get over it. it took many years to reconnect with the people who held a place within his inner circle and heart, even now still attempting to remain connected to most.

the event had changed him, and he wasn’t sure if it was for the better.

he could see his twenty-five year old self within gaeun at this moment, who trembled in attempt to reach out to him and hopelessly inconsolable. admittedly, there was still a part of him that had so many questions in return – it had been weeks since returning from the frontlines, why hadn’t she come and found him in this time frame? but he’s quiet, silent even, with a look of concern etched upon his features.

“hey, hey – gaeun, it’s okay.” the words are hushed and spoken as he draws her fragile figure into his embrace, one that is almost intentionally suffocating. his right hand caresses the back of her head with his chin perched upon the crown of her head. he shuts his eyes and imagines how he would have reacted to the pregnancy in the first place – ultimately surprised, because he didn’t think he was able to even have children. would he have been angry? shocked? upset? he’d never given much thought to having a child, not now anyway. “shhh, it’s okay. listen to me,” his shoulders lean back as his large palms caress her face. he leans down and kisses both of her cheeks, almost in attempt to cleanse them of the salty tears. “you have not failed anybody. you didn’t know, you couldn’t have done anything different, okay? what happened is not your fault. it isn’t anyone’s fault. I don’t know much about the science behind it, but it happens more often than not.”

his eyebrows furrow in unwavering concern for her physical and mental well-being, and he tucks her hair behind her ear. “I hope that you understand where my frustration came from, i only wanted to be there with you, to take care of you. that’s my job now, as your partner and as someone that –” loves you, he would have said, but his lips pressed into a thin line as he presses his forehead to hers. “I’m just supposed to be the one to be with you through it all. thick and thin, right? but it’s okay. and when we get married, maybe a little while after, we can try again.. if you want. but right now, is there anything that I can do for you? is there anything that you need? when is the last time that you had some food, or water? a bath, maybe?"

@✿ ahn gaeun the waters of the sea that led yejoon to this room were choppy and dangerous, yet misleading to a eye. seemingly calm and dependable, what lie beneath were urges for the water to roughly crash upon nearby rocks. it would cut deep if anyone fell within, thrashing around the object until it was helpless - all a mirror of how he was feeling.

they'd all said the end was coming, each time a footman or friend comforted him for the loss of his father, the heartbreak of his first love, the attack on him. he'd gotten wasted by all of his potential, words shooting to kill when he was mad. and yet, they'd gotten so close. the night that they spent together and the couple of weeks following suit were good, genuine and happy. they were good. yejoon hadn't expected the war to change the dynamic that him and gaeun had finally adapted to, where he was truthfully falling for her. and yet, he was wrong. it wasn't the news that changed everything, but her keeping it from him. he had a hundred thrown out speeches he wanted to say to her, and somehow in this moment, he's still searching for the right thing to say.

aside from blinking, the male remains within his tall posture and as still as a marble sculpture. there was no attempt of interruption on his end, just observation. he could see the way that her hands trembled, how she mentioned the papers and it's "lies", and admitted the incident that would change their lives forever. finally, he breaks and furrows his eyebrows, taking a step forward. "gaeun, look at me." the pads of his fingers press just beneath her chin, guiding her head upward. "i'm going to need you to be extremely honest with me." a stern voice that actually was begging for her to help him hold onto her, to want him to stay in this relationship. "how long did you - when did you find out that you were pregnant? when did all of this happen?"

a mixture of hot and cold, his own flesh was cool with desperation and insides hot with anger, confusion and hurt. living for the hope of it all, he looks over her expression repetitively as if in search for an unspoken answer. "why didn't you come to me?" he finally whispers, painfully. "are you okay? are you in pain? why didn't you write to me? you should have come to me, i could have been here for you and helped you."

as if scolding a child, he retracts his hand to adjust the bandage upon the side of his neck and up to sift through his hair. his eyes fall upon the papers once more and slowly, he circles to it. running the tips of his fingers over it, yejoon's jaw locks and he looks at himself in the nearby mirror. he'd hated his reflection for years and years, and something about this evening - it hadn't been so bad, now. what an irony, when everything seemed to be falling apart, a single broken part of him inwardly healed. his eyes close and he breathes deeply, searching for a mere whistle of the wind - a search for the comfort of his father in this moment and a plea for him to guide him. he was alive in his head, because if yejoon didn't know any better, he'd bet he would be speaking to him now. his father is still felt by him all around, because although he knows better, he's still around.

silence. there was no whistle of the wind, and no sign to bring him the slightest bit of comfort.

"there is no relationship if you cannot come to me with news like this, especially when i am partially at fault and certainly involved. i should have been the first person - aside from medical aid - that you went to. i should have been able to be here for you, to take care of you."

@✿ ahn gaeun eunha was utterly taken aback by the contents of the papers. while the revelation of her name appearing for the second time was surprising, it paled in comparison to the shock of discovering yejoon and his fiancée spotted together. yet, the bombshell that gaeun was with child, a fact unbeknownst to yejoon, sent her mind reeling. the urgency of the situation propelled her to swiftly approach yejoon's bedroom door, papers clutched tightly in her hand.

without waiting for him to utter a word, she confronted him as he opened the door. "you have to read this, orabeoni. now."
a look of confusion overtook the crevices of yejoon’s previously relaxed visage, extending a hand to take the papers in eunha’s hands. his eyes scan the front page for the latest gossip (which, he personally thought was completely futile) and a look of amusement followed suit. “… affections enough to climb over the walls of the kim estate even past the mandated curfew… might I suggest that he be a tad more careful to stay beneath the radar of the ever so gossip-hungry members of society? is this all?” upon glancing back up at his sister, her expression remained unreadable. “…or not… what is this about, eunha? I don’t see anything el…”

and there it was, written in black ink for all of hanseong to read:

“nonetheless, a silver lining emerges, as it appears a consequence of this night may have come to fruition. insights from the household staff allege the lady has not experienced her monthly courses since, implying a singular outcome.”

the implication causes a deep shade of red to tickle his collarbones and climb up the length of his neck, covering his ears and cheeks in a deep crimson. “eunha.. you don’t believe this, do you? tell me you don’t believe this – it can’t be true, she would have told me. i didn’t think that i could…” his brows are furrowed in concern as he scans the paragraph repetitively, an unforgiving grip on the parchment leaving his knuckles a faint white shade. then, he wonders if gaeun would have actually told him, if she would have been honest with him. surely, if she loved him how she’s mentioned in the past, then she would have… but even the people you think that you know could act differently than you would expect.

“i must go.” the papers are slammed on his nearby desk as he rushes to pull on his shoes, and although his guard was arguing the decision due to meetings, his head quickly shakes. “call off all of my meetings.” he’s angry, jaw clenched and each movement is met with subdued aggression. “thank you, eunha. i will see you later.” he presses a kiss to her cheek before hurrying out of his estate and into the snow packed field. he could hear his mother calling after him, but he mounts his horse before she could interfere his travels. the travels go by quickly, each gallop of his horse matching the quickening rate of his own heart. the anger was almost unbearable, lingering within alongside the sadness that she wouldn’t have told him right away, that he had to find out through the god-damn society papers.

“i am here to see lady gaeun, please.”

the gates open and he enters, dismounting his horse before handling the reigns over to one of the handlers. yejoon finds his way to the door, where he is allowed in although he knew that the whispers of the ladies were about him. “follow me, lord. i will lead you to her quarters.” the male nodded and followed the other male through the estate, hands clasped behind his back. soon enough, he was standing in her quarters and behind her, out of sight and unannounced.

“a word with the lady, please. alone.”

@✿ ahn hyunki “oh! my lord.” Haeryeong releases a soft chuckle as she was being swept into his loving arms, welcoming hyunki back was like welcoming home itself, despite the five years of courtship prior; which one would have consider it quite long in this day and era, with just a simple hug or a brush of hand, hyunki never failed to make feel like a young maiden all over again, falling for him just as she had fallen for him that very first time.

“trust me, when i say i do too, quiet… immensely so.” She teases him, just as their attendants snicker at them. Getting onto her tippy toes, haeryeong boldly leaned to press a brief kiss on his lips that she missed dearly, “ and i trust the journey was fine, my love?” she whispers softly, closing her eyes as she brushed her nose against his with affection.

clasping her other hand around his rather cold ones, haeryeong started to guide him back into their humble abode. “come on, my love, let’s go in first, your hands are freezing.” with a little wave of her hands, she calls one of their attendants, “please bring us some hot tea for lord ahn and prepare him a warm bath.”

“Jihae? He’s been a little menace since you’ve been gone, hyunki. I’m afraid he has inherited most of your playfulness.” haeryeong jests, taking his gat off him the moment they enter their own room. “You need not worry about us, my lord.” Reassuring him, she cups his cheeks gently with her smaller hands, eyes filled with nothing but pure affection as she looks up at him. “have i said how much i’ve missed you..? Because.. i do, so very mu—“ and just as she was about to complete her sentence, she hears the shrill scream of their little boy. “appa!!!!!!!” not a single minute later, with a push of the door, there stood, their first born, a bright blinding smile appearing on his face as he looked at his father.

@✿ byun haeryeong [h] bringing his little family to yeosu proved quite a feat.

for one, gaining duke byun's blessing had already been a very difficult hurdle to overcome. he already deemed their situation to be out of the ordinary — a big taboo. even moreso that hyunki had wanted to bring his daughter and his grandson home to his own seaside manor back in yeosu.

"it is preposterous!" he could still hear him say, the words ringing in the back of hyunki's head each time he could hear some of his portside tenants speak in hushed tones, their eyes trailed against his back. yet, even as the elder's gazes stared him down, he paid them no heed. what mattered to him was the fact that he could finally be at peace amidst haeryeong's company, in a safe space they could finally call as their 'home.'

even jihae liked the idea of living under the roof with both his parents.

they had already been staying in yeosu for quite a week now but he had not much time to help his future wife settle down due to the remaining work he has left in his office by the port. hence, the count has rushed home that afternoon and despite the chill brought by the winter breeze, had merely allowed his teeth to chatter as egged his stallion to gallop faster than he normall would.

the cold that coursed through his being seemingly melted away as he saw haeryeong's smile. his heart swelled and hyunki almost missed his footing as he alighted to the ground. with a big swoop, the young count pulled her close, burying his face into her neck and inhaled softly. "ah, you smell like home, my love," he spoke quite unabashedly. "i missed you — quite immensely so."

the snickers of a few of their attendants had hyunki pulling away with a faint redness to his cheeks. whether they were because of the chilly air or his embarrassment, the damage has already been done. still, he made no move to remove his hands away from the woman he had loved ever since he came to know about the idea of it, and decided that the most prudent thing to do was to only intertwine their cold fingers together to share some bodily warmth between them.

"how is jihae? i hope the both of you did not feel neglected as i had to focus on work instead of helping out around here."

@✿ ahn hyunki “finally.” Haeryeong mumbled to herself as she took a seat in their shared bedroom. Tiredness washing over her petite body as she stared at the cases of unopened and untouched wooden boxes left the corner of the room. That would have to wait another day.

It had been non-stop moving for the past month. With hyunki still working in the capital, Haeryeong had took it upon herself to start the moving to their little abode. But with her suspected current body condition and little jihae to take care of, it had taken the lady longer than she had expected.

Hearing the soft clicks of the hooves from hyunki’s horse, haeryeong got up immediately. The fatigue that was once present, soon replaced with a huge welcoming smile.

“My Lord!” Haeryeong chirps, a faint blush painting her cheeks as she blames the cold weather. “Hyunki.” With her arms wide open, she leans in for a big hug. There was always something about being in Hyunki’s arms that made her feel safe and at home.

@✿ kim yejoon @✿ ahn gaeun he was known for being good at a lot of things. skilled in the gayageum, even up par with the most beautiful and elegant gisaengs from hanseong and even outside of the capital. however, all of those praises are superficial because there's quite a small number of people he knows the best of what won really is.

as he stepped at the familiar lands of the ahn estate, won looked up at the sky and the trees that hovered over the beautiful area. it was as if all the memories of his fond childhood days were waving at him.

it hadn't been long since he'd been under distress due to the plague taking his twin victim but now that yejoon's recuperating well and was getting back to his duties soon, kim won decided to pay a visit to someone he knew that is driving themselves to an early grave for worrying.

greeted by the familiar servants who seemed to recognize him quite well, he proceeded into the estate followed by one of the servants eventually becoming lost in the thoughts of how when he was young, he would be giggling and running around the same courtyard; and in that very courtyard he had fond memories of is the stage of quite an unexpectedly interesting scene.

perched up the tall ladder at the corner of the courtyard was ahn gaeun, looking up at it as if trying to get the courage to proceed to what seems like a heist to escape the estate.

"you may go on ahead and take some tea," he distracted the servant and smiled at her, "i'll wait for lady ahn here in the courtyard." won lightly nudged the lady servant, and as soon as she was out of his line of sight. he marched towards the younger lady without making a sound.

he mischievously grinned at how he was expecting the lady to react. and with no hesitation, positioning himself from beneath the ladder that she was climbing, he speaks.

"how romantic of you to climb the walls of your high estate just to see the young duke, kim yejoon, lady ahn."

@✿ nam ryung suji had found herself prying her eyes open when sunlight poured through the window and shone onto her face. not realizing she had dozed off at some point, suji tries to remember when exactly sleep had come to her. the last thing she saw was a hint of violet peeking through the night sky, so it must have been some time before dawn. forcing herself up from the window side, the first thing she did was check on ryung – breathing a sigh of relief knowing that he was sound asleep. she's silent as she takes a glance at her surroundings, a new dilemma stemming in the wake of last night. there were still hints of blood in the room and a man in the chambers of an unwed woman, she couldn't bring a maid in here no matter what. she had to figure something out quick, so she put on another jeogori to conceal the bloodied sleeves of her original one and stepped outside her premises.

yet what she initially thought would be a short exchange to the kitchen had become a point of bewilderment among her maids. suji exited with a tray in her hand and a worried maid on her tail. "my lady, you never ask to have your breakfast in your chambers! oh- please let me carry the tray, yangban women should not be doing th-"

"it's fine, i'm quite unwell so simply tell father i want breakfast in my room." she says curtly, stopping in her tracks and glancing at the woman. "...i'm sorry, i didn't mean to make it come off like that. i simply wish to be alone in my chambers right now, i'll call for you when i'm ready." hoping the other woman had understood her message, she offered a slight smile and made her way back into the chambers.

upon entering suji sets the tray down onto the table, and glances around. with furrowed brows at the realization that he was no longer sleeping on her bed she wondered if he had already left. there was a sinking feeling of sadness that had begun to weigh on her shoulders, she had wished to at least see him off. however the sadness had dissipated soon enough the moment she heard scuffled rustling in the direction of the plants in her room.

she wouldn't say she was relieved necessarily – well she /was/ – however suji was bewildered more than anything at the sight in that general direction. "my lord," she says carefully, walking towards him. "it's me, suji. are you...okay? you lost quite the amount of blood last night, how are you feeling?"

@✿ nam ryung "i know you, don't i?" at those words, suji froze. it was as if she could feel her heartbeat drum against her ears, yet simultaneously it felt as if her blood had ran cold. does ryung remember her? was this what shock felt like? questions swirled in her head, but what brought her back to reality was ryung's swift but gentle embrace. and those tears that had threatened to spill from her eyes came rushing down uncontrollably. she had so much to tell him but she knew the moment she would speak, she would only break down in sobs.

he was losing blood so who's to say this was his conscious mind speaking? who's to say that come daybreak he would remember her again? she wished he would but ahn suji knew the gods above weren't so benevolent. as ryung became unconscious in her arms, suji held onto every word he spoke - the softness in his tone as he called her his dandelion. dandelion...how long had it been since she heard that word last, suji wondered to herself.

"you..." she slowly pulls herself away and shakily wipes her tears. "i still have to bandage your arm you silly man." she grumbles through sniffles - trying to remain lighthearted despite everything. wordlessly, she brought the supplies closer to them; cleaning and dressing the wound on ryung's arm to the best of her ability. she'd have a lot to explain for when the maids saw the now bloodstained sleeve of her jeogori. however, that was something she would worry about tomorrow. "this should do for now, i'll tell him to visit a physician when he wakes up." she mumbles to herself, covering ryung with a blanket.

"...rest well, i love you." she whispers, turning her gaze towards the window. it would be yet another sleepless night for her.

@✿ byun haeryeong @✿ ahn hyunki a laugh follows suit as suji watches the happy family, feeling a sense of ease upon the realization that come what may she knew that the spark of love between the couple and their child would be everlasting. no matter how secretive the two were before, suji had a feeling her brother held the lady of the byun clan in high regard. seeing them now, confirmed everything she had come to suspect over the years as she shot a rather smug 'i told you so' look to her older brother. perhaps this was the blessing of being the ever observant youngest child, suji thought and proudly straightened her shoulders.

"as the weather is quite chilly today, i've had the maids prepare refreshments inside the annex overlooking our courtyard. let's make haste before the tea turns cold." suji says, making steps into the annex, waiting for the couple and child to enter first.

"if you leave jihae with us, i'm sure he'll miss his mama very much." a sly grin curls upon her lips as she looks to haeryeong, "you should stay the night as well lady byun!"

@✿ ahn suji @✿ ahn hyunki Seeing suji visibly relaxed made haeryeong feel a whole lot better, the nervousness of meeting her future family long gone at the back of her head as she laughs at suji’s comments. Haeryeong was glad despite the little rift in the past caused by hyunki and her relationship, something she thought that might never been able to salvage was now settled and it was as if there wasn’t there to begin with.

There was a little warmth of happiness settled in her heart as she watched her future sister-in-law, her son and her fiancé together, and haeryeong couldn’t help to think that this was /that/ happy family she had always envisioned having and hyunki was about to make her dream come true. Haeryeong knew from the start, despite being a coward at some point, that there was no doubt when she first fell head over heels for hyunki eight years ago, she knew she wanted to spend her life with him.

With the warmth of his hand that held hers gently, she looked down at her fiancé with a smile, eyes crinkled into little half moons before turning her focus onto her son. “look at you, you look like a messy little rat, ahn jihae!” She chides in a gentle voice, leaning to boop her nose against her son’s. “The journey was alright, my love. Jihae was so excited, he couldn’t wait to see you and suji that he barely took a nap.” she says with a little shake of her head as she followed the ahns into the manor. “I’m starting to think i should leave him with both of you.”

@✿ nam ryung the trek to the medicine cabinet was a short one – it had been relocated near her chambers when suji was a child – a remnant of times when she required more medical attention. however, there was no time to breath a sigh of relief nor any purchase to make any sound – an injured man was losing blood by the second and by the sound of it had caught the attention of her family’s guards. if ryung didnt succumb to his wounds, suji was sure he’d succumb to the wrath of her father for having trespassed into her room. in her head she was already drafting an alibi for him if things went completely south – for the sake of the both of them she hopes things dont come to that.

despite the dimness of the room – she's able to find a roll of gauze, crushed yarrow leaves and witch hazel. carefully cradling the items in her arms after confirming that all the other items she would need are in her room. clean water, washcloths and a mortar and pestle for the leaves – it was a quick fix for an abrupt situation, suji reminds herself to urge the lord to visit the physician once daylight breaks.

in any case, her stealth seemed to have been for naught as she opens the doors to a guard staring inquisitively at the space. suji curses herself, she must have made noise when she was searching for the items – she had to get her way out of this, quick!

“my lady, what are you doing in the medicine cabinet in the middle of the night?”

taking in a deep breath, she makes eye contact with the young man – a tight lipped smile on her lips. “well if you must know, one of my maids accidentally burnt her hand w while ironing my hanbok. upon hearing her yelp in pain, i couldn't just leave her be so i…i um…went to get her items to heal the burn.”

“how noble of you my lady, but yarrow roo-” the guard starts off, immediately cut off by suji walking past him in a hurry.

“thats great, thanks, dont worry about us. i’ll be off to heal a…burn!” she says, footsteps quickening until they reach the sliding panels of her chamber. she steps inside soundlessly, almost tiptoeing in and sliding the doors close.

ahn suji did not know what scene she’d expect when she returned – yet it certainly was not the sight of ryung clutching the back of his head in pain. the dolls of her childhood, the ones he had given her all those years ago, were in her peripheral - causing a nagging thought to creep into her head. nevertheless, ryung was still in pain, she had to do something. anything, and quick.

she had lost him once, and she was going to make sure she’d never lose him again. putting all the items to the side, she rushes over - tenderly grabbing his shoulders while making sure to avoid his injury.

“dandelion.” his feeble voice amongst the silence almost made suji freeze in realization, allowing her eyes to sting fresh with tears. tears which she blinked back, refusing to show such a foolish side of hers. swallowing the painful lump in she cups the mans face, trying to bring him back to the present.

“my lord? my l- no ryung! are you okay? what happened?” she asks, brows furrowed into a conflicted expression trying to search the earl’s eyes for some semblance of an answer.

@✿ byun haeryeong @✿ ahn suji watching his sister and his soon-to-be bride interact with such warmth had hyunki smiling even wider — a rare feat if he were to be honest. he was, after all, a man of a few words and expressions; he knew that his sister might thought so as well.

the eldest of the ahn children allowed jihae to jump off his arms to take suji's hand and he laughed softly, watching his son giggle at their interaction. if only the byun patriarch was as welcoming as his family, perhaps it would not be so heavy to think about holding a wedding with both his and haeryeong's clan present. perhaps, this unspoken rivalry has gone far enough.

he had absentmindedly taken his beloved's hand as he rose and only realized doing so upon hearing jihae's excited jumps of joy, the boy's shoes collecting dirt on his socks. with a laugh, hyunki scooped him up into his arms once more and led the byun entourage into their manor. "perhaps it is time for us to sit down for some refreshments?" turning to haeryeong with a slight furrow on his brows, he queried, "was the trip alright, my love? i hope you had not met any troubles along your way."

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@✿ byun haeryeong @✿ ahn hyunki [sh] The lady shakes her head, a relaxed smile ever present on her lips. The sight of the happy couple and child could only warm her heart, it was also the first time she had seen her elder brother this excited and happy. Not that Suji had any worries prior to this meeting, but she was sure all and any future concerns had dissipated the moment she laid eyes on this happy family. "There's no need to address me as Lady Ahn...Haeryeong eonni, simply Suji will suffice. We will soon be family so there's no need to dwell on formalities in private!" She chuckles quietly, her eyes meeting Haeryeong's with her usual mischievous glint, "Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if you start yelling 'Suji-ya!' with all the trouble I cause in this manner."

Her gaze shifts to Jihae, who had situated comfortably in her older brother's arms. Her heart had melted instantaneously when the child spoke in his little voice, and Suji could only look on in adoration as she reached her hand out for him. "Nice to meet you Jihae, I'm Suji. You're a smart one aren't you!" She says, lips brimming with mirth as her gaze flickers between Hyunki and Jihae. Seeing the two of them side to side she could easily see the resemblance.

"You look just like my orabeoni, your father! So that makes me your auntie okay?" She says lightheartedly, "Auntie loves playing music, want me to play you some songs one day?"

@✿ ahn suji @✿ ahn hyunki [sh] Despite haeryeong not being a someone foreign to the ahn siblings, there was an this unspoken worry that bubbled within her, the fear of not being accepted. Surely love triumphed all, but there was always a slightest chance of dislike towards her and jihae that might be present. However, seeing suji beside hyunki the moment she had stepped out of her palanquin had brought some sort of comfort to her, the anxiety that was within her dissipating almost in an instant. “lady ahn.” Haeryeong greets with a little nod of her head, her tense shoulders slowly relaxing as she breaks into a small smile looking at the pair of father and son beside her.

“it’s been a while, suji, i’ve never been more than glad to see you. i apologise on behalf of jihae, he’s been crazy excited to meet hyunki.” Turning to a pair, she gives a little shake of her head at the two excited boys, a warm blush settling on the apple of her cheeks as hyunki brings her hand up for a kiss. “jihae-ah, you should greet lady ahn first. We practiced this, remember?” she chides in a soft tone. the brave doe eyed boy then turning to his aunt as he gives a little bow. “lady ahn.” he says shyly before continuing. “my name is jihae, i’m…” he raises his first finger, “… one..” then his second finger, “…two..” and lastly his third finger. “.. thwee.. years old.”

@✿ nam ryung "has father gone to sleep?" suji asks, sitting beside her vanity - having changed to a comfortable white sokjeoksam and chima for the night. she stares at her reflection, removing any traces of rouge left on her lips as her handmaiden removes the accessories from her hair.

"the lord is still in the ministry, it seems he's returned after supper as there happened to be an emergency he has to handle." the maid whispers, removing the binyeo from her hair and brushing away the braids with a perfumed wooden comb. suji sighs, reaching her hand to take the comb from the maid, offering her a small smile. "very well, head to rest juhyun, i will see you tomorrow morning."

as the maid wordlessly leaves her chambers, suji remains seated by the vanity, brushing through the ends of her hair as she becomes lost in thought. a lot had happened since the end of the social season, and the viscountess hadn't taken the time to fully sit down and process everything. instead she had continued her days as usual, often forcing out her cheery disposition when necessary. people had definitely noticed, yet were too hesitant to ask and for good reason. suji could not fault them for that matter. she could only reflect back on it as she fixed the flyaway strands of her hair. she gets ready for bed, despite the fact that sleep constantly evades her very being and nightmares have been regular when sleep does come. and just as she's about to move from her vanity to her bedside, the clattering of sounds from outside her chambers alarms her.

there had been news of bandits causing trouble but surely that wouldn't be the case here would it? the ahn estate was well guarded - the amount of times suji had snuck out during this social season alone was grounds for the count to increase the amount of guards around the estate. her nerves were tense, tense enough that she had grabbed the nearest vase on a table as a possible weapon.

the grip on the vase tightens, ready to swing as the sounds come closer to her room eventually leading to a crescendo with the entrance of...ryung? eyes wide, suji wonders if she's truly hallucinating this time, and if all those sleepless nights had finally caught up to her. "ry- lord ryung?" she whispers, ready to pile a plethora of questions onto the man that had just trespassed in her room, though stopping in her tracks once she sees the patch of fabric against his sleeve that was darker than the rest of his clothes. "heavens above, you're injured!" she says in a panic, setting the vase down and rushing towards him to inspect the injury.

"please, sit by my bed and take off your jeogori. i'll be right back with some medical supplies to treat your wound." she says in a rush, gesturing over to the quilted surface – not caring in hindsight how the first half of her sentence sounded. she couldn't simply leave his wounds to fester, and suji peeked out from her chambers to sneak into the estate's medicine cabinet for some gauze and medicinal herbs that could temporarily prevent the bleeding.

@✿ byun haeryeong @✿ ahn suji to say that he was anxious was definitely an understatement for there were all sorts of things that hyunki had been feeling ever since he had awakened in the wee hours of the morning. though he knew that his family had easily accepted his admission of having fathered a byun child and even worse, had asked for haeryeong's hand in marriage without any prior consultation with any of his family members, still, it had to be quite nerve-wracking for the man to finally introduce his son and his soon-to-be wife to the people of his household. however, all negative emotions were soon forgotten after hearing the heavy thud of a palanquin in front of their estate, and the pitter-pattering of tiny footsteps had replaced the frown on his face with a huge smile. the viscount almost immediately rushed towards the gates, not minding how his clothes had been dragging dust in his wake as he hurried.

"jihae!" hyunki's excitement was palpable. he swooped his son into his arms and gave him a squeeze. it was only after a few heartbeats that he managed to compose himself to nod at his fiance, giving her a sheepish smile. "my love. welcome to the estate." he echoed, taking her hand and giving it a brief kiss.

@✿ byun haeryeong @✿ ahn hyunki the day was rather calm but filled with anticipation - if suji sitting by the courtyard, lazily tending to the strings of her haegeum as she waited with bated breath for what was to come. said musical instrument is aptly pushed to the side the moment her keen ears catch wind of the gates opening for a palanquin to enter. she looks up, eyes flickering between everyone in the vicinity and then landing on her older brother's. there's a light in her gaze that can only be translated into anticipation for what was to come in these next moments. "they're here!" she exclaims, rising from the blush ottoman she had leaned against.

the young lady picks up the hem of her chima to ease her movements until she reaches where the palanquin is to be dropped off, standing in place and bowing in greeting. "welcome to our manor lady ahn, and little jihae." she says, offering a warm smile to both.