The sky’s edge, mixed with purple and safflower hues, darkened like ink-soaked rice paper. Darkness settled eerily at their feet.

Kwon Jwa Woo moved her steps without even swallowing the saliva pooled in her mouth.

She didn’t even breathe, worried that the other might notice.

In that brief moment, she approached behind the man who had been following her.

Then, at close range, she swung the rolled-up book hard at the back of the man’s head.

Whack!

It was a fairly powerful blow.

“Ugh.”

The man let out a short cry, bowing his head forward and clutching the back of his head.

This seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Kwon Jwa Woo then struck the bent-over opponent’s back with her elbow as hard as she could.

Thud!

Next, she kicked the shadow’s side.

Oof!

The man curled up on the ground with his head to the floor, unable to offer any real resistance.

Kwon Jwa Woo held the book to the man’s side like a sharpened knife.

“Who are you?”

She was fully prepared to strike mercilessly if he made any rash moves.

“Who are you to be following me?”

“Calm down.”

A familiar voice reached Kwon Jwa Woo’s tense ears.

The next moment, as the man turned his head…

“It’s me, it’s me.”

It was none other than Hong Woo Geon.

[This is the timeline separator]

He thought being out of sight would make her a little distant from his heart.

Yes, it’s only been five days.

What could happen from not seeing her for that long?

But that was a deception about his own feelings and an arrogant thought.

After the King who mentioned marriage left.

Hong Woo Geon thought of Kwon Jwa Woo constantly. No, he couldn’t help but think of her.

Her face was in the clouds in the sky, and in the green bamboo grove where new shoots were sprouting, he saw visions of her swinging a wooden sword.

His heart pounded as if he were suffering from a fever.

Wherever he turned his head, she was waiting for him.

Were Kwon Jwa Woo’s eyes always so big?

Why is her nose so charmingly sharp and cute?

Why are her lips so red that they capture one’s gaze?

He swung his wooden sword countless times trying to shake her from his mind.

On sleepless nights, he drew dozens of bamboo trees on numerous sheets of rice paper.

Yet he still missed her.

Though it had only been a day without seeing her, he couldn’t bear it, thinking of her like an orphaned child.

That’s why.

He walked aimlessly, wherever his feet took him.

When he suddenly came to his senses, he was in front of Kwon Jwa Woo’s house with its low wall.

I’ve gone mad, I’ve truly lost my mind.

He had heard countless stories of men losing their wits over women. Each time, he had sneered at those foolish men.

He didn’t know then. That he would become such a man.

He never imagined he would be so captivated by a woman that the distinction between heaven and earth would blur.

Hong Woo Geon turned away, sneering at himself for becoming a foolish man.

But then he heard the creaking sound of a gate opening.

When he turned his head, Kwon Jwa Woo, dressed as a woman, came into view.

He followed her from early morning as she went somewhere.

Even in the bustling crowd, he could find her with uncanny precision.

He finally felt at ease as he watched Kwon Jwa Woo reading books from morning to evening in the book-lending shop.

She probably didn’t know. That he was there beyond the bookshelves of the shop.

Hong Woo Geon’s gaze was there, watching the wind tousle the hair by Kwon Jwa Woo’s ears and her fingers turning the pages. She probably didn’t notice his eyes on the smile that spread across her face when she found an amusing passage.

So when evening fell and the sun set, he followed behind her like a shadow as she left the book-lending shop.

He matched his steps to Kwon Jwa Woo’s pace.

How long had they walked like that?

In an instant, she vanished from his sight without a trace.

Where could she have gone?

He was flustered.

Hong Woo Geon looked around for Kwon Jwa Woo like a lost child searching for its mother.

But then…

Suddenly, lightning struck the back of his head.

A dizzying yet hot sensation spread from the nape of his neck throughout his body.

Hong Woo Geon clutched the back of his head and bent his upper body forward.

Then a sharp elbow struck his back.

Finally, he barely dodged a kick aimed at his side, but the grazing heel still caused considerable pain.

He revealed his identity and stopped Kwon Jwa Woo’s attack.

“It’s me, it’s me.”

So please stop.

He feigned pain that wasn’t entirely an act.

A startled Kwon Jwa Woo examined Hong Woo Geon.

“What are you doing here?”

If he said he had been following her all day, those dark eyes looking at him would surely twist in anger.

Avoiding an answer, he groaned for quite some time.

Though the fault was his own, he narrowed his eyes and glared at Kwon Jwa Woo.

Then he asked.

“Where on earth did you learn such things?”

“Such things?”

To Kwon Jwa Woo’s question, Hong Woo Geon pointed in turn to the back of his head, his back, and his side.

Kwon Jwa Woo nodded her small head up and down.

“Ah, the whack, thud, and oof, you mean?”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Whack, thud, and oof?”

“It’s simple self-defense that this swordsman taught me.”

“Lee Gyo Young taught you such things?”

“I didn’t know I’d use it like this… Anyway, it was perfectly effective.”

“Whether it’s perfectly effective or a thousand points effective, you should have identified your target before using it. I could have had one foot in the grave.”

“Then why were you secretly following me? More importantly, what were you doing here?”

Kwon Jwa Woo made a perfectly reasonable rebuke and again asked a difficult question to answer.

After thinking for a moment, Hong Woo Geon answered evasively.

“I was passing by and happened to see you.”

“And then?”

“And then what? You and I are on the same side. I couldn’t let a comrade walk alone on a dark road.”

By now, the darkness like a splinter had surrounded the two, making Hong Woo Geon’s excuse seem plausible.

“So?”

“So I was going to escort you home.”

“Escort me? Why would you escort me?”

“What’s strange about a man escorting a woman to her home? This is how it’s normally done.”

“Since when did we become a woman and a man? I’m fine, so Hong Gahapuin, no… should I call you Inspector now?”

“Call me whatever you like.”

“Hey you.”

“Do you want to die?”

“You said to call you whatever I like.”

“I said call me whatever you like, not whatever you want.”

“I understand, Inspector Hong. Then I’ll go my own way, so please attend to your business, Inspector Hong.”

Kwon Jwa Woo drew a line and moved her feet.

Hong Woo Geon followed behind her at a distance.

When Kwon Jwa Woo took one step, Hong Woo Geon also took one step.

When she hopped two steps, he also hopped two steps.

After walking and hopping like this for a while, Kwon Jwa Woo stopped and turned to look at him.

“Why are you following me?”

“Don’t mind me.”

Waving his hand dismissively, she approached him.

Kwon Jwa Woo’s brow furrowed. With a rather fierce look in her eyes, she said:

“How can I not mind when you’re following me in a way that makes me mind?”

“I’m just going about my business, so don’t mind me.”

“What exactly is this business of yours?”

“Didn’t I tell you earlier? That I won’t let you walk alone in the darkness…”

“So you’re saying you’ll follow me all the way to my house.”

“It’s killing two birds with one stone.”

“Two birds with one stone?”

“I’m escorting you home on my way.”

“I’ll have to decline.”

“Don’t be like that, let’s go together. Hey, Inspector Kwon, I said let’s go together.”

“Please don’t follow me.”

An unexpected commotion arose in the quiet alley.

Hong Woo Geon’s persistence in following Kwon Jwa Woo, who clearly didn’t want it, disturbed the quiet evening in Hanyang.

The sound of dogs barking could be heard from all around.

[This is the timeline separator]

Smoke from evening meals rose from every house. The crackling sound of pine twigs burning in a fireplace could be heard from somewhere.

They left the narrow alley and headed towards the southern village.

Kwon Jwa Woo’s glares flew at him several times, but Hong Woo Geon pretended not to notice, staring off into the distance.

As they walked and stopped repeatedly like this, a modest wall came into view.

“We’ve arrived, so please leave now.”

Kwon Jwa Woo said in front of a gate showing clear signs of age.

Disappointment spread like fog across Hong Woo Geon’s face as he peered over the low wall into the inside.

“Already?”

His gaze, which had been directed inside the wall, returned to Kwon Jwa Woo.

“Since we’ve come this far… How about offering me a cup of tea?”

“I don’t drink tea in the evening.”

“Is that so? Since I’ve already come all this way, how about offering me dinner?”

“Without prior notice, we probably don’t have enough food.”

“How inhospitable.”

“Didn’t you follow me here despite my clear objections? Have you not considered that you might be the inconsiderate one, Inspector Hong?”

“When someone shows goodwill, one should know how to accept it.”

“Goodwill should be offered when it’s wanted. Offering it when it’s unwanted is just self-satisfaction and forceful.”

“You never lose an argument, do you?”

“…”

“Why are you silent now?”

“I’m letting you win this one.”

“Rather than that, just win, just win outright.”

“I’m afraid someone might see us like this. As you know, I’m still an unmarried maiden. It’s quite uncomfortable to be with a strange man at such a late hour.”

“If you were so uncomfortable, you shouldn’t have thought to go out alone as a woman at such a late hour.”

“I lost track of time while reading books…”

Wait. Why am I making excuses to this man?

Kwon Jwa Woo trailed off, staring blankly at Hong Woo Geon.

Her gaze was clearly saying it was time for him to leave.

Hong Woo Geon seemed to understand and raised both hands.

“I’m going, I’ll go.”

“Then take care on your way.”

Kwon Jwa Woo bowed slightly to Hong Woo Geon.

Then she turned to enter through the gate without looking back.

It was at that moment that Hong Woo Geon’s voice followed her.

“Before I go!”

“Yes?”

“Haven’t you forgotten something?”

“Forgotten something?”

A look of puzzlement bloomed on Kwon Jwa Woo’s face.

In contrast, a meaningful smile formed on Hong Woo Geon’s lips.