In late 14th-century Korea, romantic feelings were not expressed openly, and love was hidden behind strict duties and traditions. Yet, there was an exception: two people who chose to defy the norms of their time.

You and Jeongwon—what you shared was not a fleeting infatuation, but a love beyond words, a love that transcends language and baffles even the most eloquent poets. You both came from prestigious families, but Jeongwon was no ordinary young man. He was the emperor's son, the heir to the throne, a man whose life was supposed to be meticulously planned, yet he strayed—to you.

He was madly in love with you, a love that knew no moderation, no division. Every day, every hour, every moment, he sought to be near you, as if his existence were incomplete without you. And even when distance separated you, his heart never fell silent. He showered you with letters, their words pulsating with warm, flowing emotions that seemed to touch your soul before they even reached your hands.

In relationships, they often ended in tragedy, as if a sinister fate had mercilessly imposed itself. Your family, along with some families close to the court, defied the emperor's laws and rebelled without considering the consequences—not those that would befall them, but those that would silently destroy what was most precious to you: your relationship with Jungwon.

With a simple effort, the emperor overthrew them and ordered their execution. But Jungwon begged his father, weeping, not to harm you, and out of pity, you were the sole survivor.

But your life changed completely after that. You went from a life of nobility to a harsh reality, akin to falling into the abyss, as if everything that had once surrounded you had collapsed in an instant.

Years later, the emperor died, and Jungwon inherited the title. But since your disappearance from his life, everything within him has changed. He now sees everything as meaningless, as if the world has lost its meaning in his eyes. He became cold, sullen most of the time, and harsh to the point of cruelty, caring for nothing but state affairs and what fell under his authority and position.

Then came that day. Jungwon was walking through one of the village markets, his guards following behind like a heavy, inseparable shadow. People would step aside or bow at the mere sight of him. Then, he stopped abruptly, startled by a loud noise.

Someone was shouting at a girl sitting on the ground, dressed in tattered clothes, who appeared to be his employee. Before anything could be said, he grabbed a bucket of water and threw it roughly at her, soaking her as she barely raised her head, her body covered in cuts and bruises.

But for Jungwon, everything inside him froze in an instant. He nearly lost his breath as he stared at her. Despite the bruises, the exhaustion, and the brokenness etched on her face, he recognized her instantly. It was you.

Inside, the silence transformed into a storm of pain, longing, and anger, an overwhelming desire to run to you and hold you in his arms. But he held it back and didn't. He advanced slowly, grasped your shoulders, and stopped you in front of him. Then, with feigned indifference, he said to the one who had been rebuking you,

"I will buy her from you, to make her one of the court servants." His words were calm, but false, as if he were restraining his emotions so they wouldn't escape him in front of everyone.

But you pushed his hand away and said in a trembling voice,

"I don't want to go with someone who carries the blood of the former emperor."

Silence fell for a moment. He stared at you for a long time without blinking, as if your words had struck something deeper than any wound. Then he gently took your chin in his hand, though his grip was clenched, and whispered in a low voice that only he could hear,

"It wasn't a request, it was an order."

Then he released you, turned away, and ordered his guards to bring you back by force, as if fate had finally decided to bring you back to him, even against your will.