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Mudeok spent hours searching for the blue jade egg that the crown prince had thrown into the lake. She was more than glad to find it in good condition. The only problem was her clothes. Majority of her pants and a bit of her shirt got all dirty. She had to wash up and change into clean clothes.
“I finally feel clean,” she said to herself as she walked down the hallway to Jang Uk’s room. Mudeok was so excited to show Uk the blue jade egg. She was also excited to find out what the two jades could do.
He had been teasing her about it for days, saying he’d show her it when he gets it back.
He didn’t get it back the way he wanted to, but at least it was back to its original owner.
Mudeok didn't know what she would’ve done if she never got the jade back. She desperately needed it back. It wasn’t because it was beautiful. It wasn’t because it was expensive.
It was because Jang Uk gave it to her. It was because it was the only thing that proved their special relationship.
They weren’t just a young master and his maid, nor were they just a master and her pupil.
They were much more than that. Words weren’t enough to even explain how special their relationship was.
“Young master!” She barged into his room, expecting him to be in his room. Probably lying down and taking a well deserved rest. He had 10 duels, back to back. He needed the rest.
Her smile slowly faded away after her eyes caught a glimpse of the empty room. ‘Where could he have gone?’ she thought.
Mudeok left his room, basically dragging her feet out. She was so excited to show him the blue jade.
“Young Master Park, have you seen Young Master Jang anywhere?” She ran up to her pupil’s best friend, and asked him if he knew where her young master was.
“No. I haven’t seen him since the duel. Is he not in his room?”
“No. I also thought he’d be there but he’s not,” she answered.
“He’s probably in the back garden. He often goes there when he has a lot on his mind,” Danggu suggested, pointing his finger to where he might be.
“Thank you so much!” Mudeok started running once she was aware of the location, not giving Danggu time to bid goodbye
Mudeok walked around the whole garden, in search of Jang Uk. But he still was nowhere in sight. A soft laugh from the far back of the garden caught her attention, her legs walking towards that direction.
‘I’m pretty sure that was a female laugh,’ She pondered, still going to the source of sound.
And to her surprise, Jang Uk was there with the same lady she saw in his room a few days ago. The same lady Maidservant Kim was talking about. The supposed person Jang Uk was in love with.
Her grip on the blue jade tightened at the sight of them together.
He was so close to her, swatting away the flies that came near her face.
‘He must be so in love to be doing that with such a big smile on his face,’ Mudeok thought as she rolled her eyes.
Mudeok decided to get closer to eavesdrop from behind a tree.
“I’m really glad I got to see you before leaving,” Heo Yunok said with a bright smile on her face, completely oblivious that Jang Uk already had someone else in his heart.
“Me too,” He replied with a smile on his face.
‘I guess I wasn’t the only person he flashes a smile that wide too,’ . The cruel assassin began to grow jealous and she started sulking.
Who knew a shadow assassin would sulk over her pupil having an interaction with another female?
As the two of them bid goodbye, Yunok made her way back into Songrim as Jang Uk stayed still in his spot.
Mudeok came out of her hiding spot and walked towards Jang Uk.
“ Mudeok-ah ,” He called out to her so sweetly with that same smile he was flashing to another woman just a few minutes ago.
“What are you doing here?” She asked with a straight face, trying so hard to hide the fact that she’s annoyed.
“I was just getting some fresh air alone. Why? Did you want to accompany me?” His dimples appeared and Mudeok’s knees almost went weak. His dimples . His dimples were going to be the death of her.
“Are you sure you were alone? I saw Lady Heo walk from the same direction where you currently are,” She asked, thinking she was hiding her feelings so perfectly.
“Ah.. I was with Lady Heo. She said she wanted to see me before she left. Apparently she came to visit me yesterday. I wasn’t in the room then but she did say that she saw you,”
‘If I tell him that I saw her, he’ll connect the dots and find out why I stopped him from going into his room that day,’
Knowing she couldn’t get out of this, she replied.
“Yea I did. It was after the match you had that day,”
“I see. Then why did I miss her? I didn’t go anywhere after the match,” he pondered while Mudeok stood there, wishing that he wouldn’t remember.
His facial expression changed and he had that smug look on his face. Mudeok knew she was going to get teased by him.
“I remember now. You stopped me by the wrist, telling me not to go. Was it because you didn’t want me to meet her that day?” he asked, a teasing smile on his face as he inched closer to her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” She tried feigning ignorance. She couldn’t admit to it or else he’d find out about her feelings.
“I’m sure you do,”
Mudeok finally turned to face him and didn’t expect him to be that close to her. Her hands went up to his chest and pushed him away.
“Why are you so close?”
“Can’t I be that close? Didn’t you say only I can come this close?” he inquired, still using a teasing tone.
“No you can’t. You only get that close to woman,”
Jang Uk had a puzzled look on his face. “Are you not a woman?”
“I am. But I am not a woman to you. I’m your master so be respectful to my personal space,”
“Who said you’re not a woman to me? You’re probably the first person I’ve considered a woman,”
‘He knows how to use that smart mouth of his,’
“ How do I know you’re not lying?”
“Do you really want me to prove that I think of you as a woman? Was my naive and sincere love confession not enough?”
“Try proving it if you can,” she said, not knowing what she was getting herself into.
“You better not say otherwise,”
“Just what will you do that’ll make me believe you? Fine. Do it!” she huffed out.
‘I bet he’ll just hug me like he did a few days ago, or he’ll say some cheesy love line,’
Jang Uk took one step and then another. Until he was in front of her.
Hands on her shoulder, he dipped his head down and pulled her into a kiss.
Mudeok’s eyes closed as she savored the taste of his lips on hers.
This was not what she was expecting, but it’s much better than what she had in mind.
He gently pulled away and stayed close. “I think this is enough to prove to you that I think of you as a woman,”
His mouth moved to her ear and whispered, “My woman ,”
He fully pulled his body away from her and started walking back, “Anyways, I need to go rest. Those 10 duels were tiring,”
Mudeok needed time to take in what he said.
“ My woman,”
Sure there were moments she felt butterflies because of him, but this, this was more than just butterflies.
Mudeok couldn’t keep her feelings to herself anymore. She needed to let them out. She needed him.
The sole reason she rejected his naive and sincere confession was because of fear and doubts. What would others think?
A young master and his maid.
A man of noble birth and a woman of lowly birth.
A mage and a shadow assassin.
They could not be together.
Not only that, she even thought about what would happen if she ran wild?
The first time it almost happened, Uk just hugged her, not caring if he’d die for doing so.
Mudeok wouldn’t be able to live if she took his energy and killed him. She wouldn’t be able to forgive herself for doing that to the person she loves.
She ran after him and stopped him.
“Why? What happened?” he asked, seeing that she’s out of breath.
“Don’t you want to know if I think of you as a man?”
He thought for a second and asked back, “Am I a man to you?”
Mudeok took a step closer, arms making their way around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. His hands almost immediately made their way to hold onto her waist.
He pulled her closer while she tugged at the back of his hair. He made a contented sound as he mouthed a warm and happy sound into her mouth. Mudeok let her tongue trace along his lips, causing him to proudly open up for her.
They pulled each other closer, bodies clashing against each other.
Just by kissing each other for a few seconds, Mudeok loved planting kisses to his open mouth, letting him nibble on her bottom lip in a way he has always wanted to.
In a way he had always dreamed of.
Running out of breath, they pulled away, hands still all over each other.
“Did this answer your question?” she whispered against his lips.
Jang Uk swallowed as he thought about the special moment he just shared with his woman.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
She pulled him closer, lips at his ear, “ My man ,”
“I think it did more than just answer my question,” he said, a small smile on his face.
“Now this is a perfect answer to my naive and sincere confession,”
He pulled her into a hug and let out a scream “She's finally my woman!”
“Stop screaming! We’re just outside of Songrim. What’ll happen if someone hears you?” she warned him.
“Then you’ll just have to kiss me again,”