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Chapter 21
Whether I was shocked out of my mind or not, the brothers’ conversation carried on smoothly.
“Geum often comes to visit my residence, so whenever she does, she can spend time with Bongbong.”
“Would that really be alright, hyungnim?”
Well, would you look at that.
‘What are these two even doing?’
Why was there not a single person in this palace who respected a child’s opinion?
“Bongbong said she was lonely because she had no friends, so this works out perfectly.”
I hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to remember that.
Back when he had caught me with my face smeared in ink west of Chwiseondang, I’d only used it as an excuse, but…
‘Getting close to a strict seven-year-old is absolutely not happening.’
No matter what, I wanted to avoid this situation.
So I exercised my right to refuse with my entire body.
Which meant hiding behind the Crown Prince.
“Haha. It seems Bongbong is shy now that she suddenly has two new elder brothers.”
No, I wasn’t shy. I just hated this.
Then—
“Bongbong.”
Prince Yeoning addressed me.
“Ye, Yeoning-gunja. Did you call for me?”
Trying my best to speak clearly, I folded my hands politely.
Looking at me, Prince Yeoning said,
“I think I startled you too much earlier. I merely wished to teach you the importance of etiquette, so there is no need to remain so tense. From now on, think of me as your adoptive elder brother and treat me comfortably.”
…I didn’t believe him even one bit.
It felt exactly like a boss telling a new employee, ‘Relax! Be comfortable around me!’
Did my shoulders rise in excitement because the princes were talking about becoming my older brothers?
Absolutely not. Not even remotely.
I wanted nothing more than to survive while maintaining the position of “an inconspicuous child.”
‘Though attracting the king’s attention has already made that difficult.’
Still, this was another matter entirely.
If people started gossiping about receiving the princes’ favor and I became the target of jealousy, my life would become a complete nightmare.
“Your Highness. May I say something?”
So I gathered my courage.
This palace was a thoroughly hierarchical society.
Naturally, they were the heavens while I was some insignificant being buried deep beneath the earth—
‘But I have my own convictions too.’
I wanted them to realize the fact they had completely forgotten.
“What is it? Go on and speak, Bongbong.”
Looking at the Crown Prince, I opened my mouth calmly.
“I already have an elder brother, Your Highness.”
“Oh? Is that so? You have an older brother back at home?”
“Yes…”
The moment I answered, Prince Yeoning interjected.
“Even if you already have one, what harm is there in gaining an adoptive elder brother as well? Besides, it would be a great honor for someone of royal blood like me to act as your brother.”
It was unbearably arrogant, but I tried to understand him.
As a prince who had been born into power and lived his whole life above others, that kind of thinking must have been natural.
But I was stubborn too.
“Well…”
I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I really had to bring up something so serious.
But I didn’t want to sit back and end up entangled with Prince Yeoning against my will.
“My older brother is dead.”
I spoke the truth plainly.
“Even if he’s gone now… to me, I only have one elder brother.”
Contrary to my intentions, the moment I said those words, emotion suddenly surged up inside me.
‘I’m not talking about my past life. I’m talking about Hwang Bongbong. So why do I feel like this?’
Startled by the unexpected wave of emotion, I quickly lowered my head.
“……”
Silence fell over the surroundings.
The Crown Prince, Prince Yeoning, even the palace attendants who had followed the Crown Prince—
Everyone froze as though winter itself had swept past them.
“…Bongbong.”
The Crown Prince’s voice reached me.
I barely managed to compose myself before lifting my head.
His kind eyes were shaking violently.
Prince Yeoning, too, stood frozen, blinking at me.
The Crown Prince spoke.
“Bongbong. I had no idea such a thing had happened. I spoke carelessly and disturbed your heart. I am sorry, Bongbong.”
“No, Your Highness. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
The atmosphere had become unbearably heavy because of me.
‘This is my cue to leave.’
I felt a little guilty for ruining the mood and running away, but…
“Then I shall return to Chwiseondang now.”
After bowing politely, I left Jeoseungjeon.
‘Whew. I finally escaped.’
At last, I had freed myself from the brothers’ trap.
It seemed that ridiculous proposal about becoming their little sister had fallen through too.
‘But… what kind of person was the real Hwang Bongbong’s older brother?’
Come to think of it, I didn’t even know his name.
In truth, I had never really felt the need to learn about my own background.
‘A noble-born orphan, older brother deceased.’
Based on what Head Court Lady Han had said, I’d simply assumed I was a helpless child with nowhere to go.
‘There was an age gap between them, but her brother must’ve still been young too…’
I pushed away the thoughts that suddenly surfaced.
‘What’s the point of thinking about someone whose face and name I don’t even know? Besides, he’s dead.’
Still, it was a strange coincidence.
Both Hwang Bongbong and I, in my previous life, had lost an older brother.
Memories from my past life, which now felt like something from ages ago, quietly resurfaced.
Whenever I had especially difficult days, I used to visit my brother’s columbarium niche.
The traces of his life packed into that tiny square space, and the memories we had shared.
Whenever I stared at them quietly, it felt as though my brother was comforting me, calming my heart.
‘His memorial day should be coming up soon.’
My brother had passed away in March, just as spring began to bloom.
In this world that used the lunar calendar, I couldn’t even know the exact date anymore, but…
‘Still… I wish I had a place where I could remember him.’
There would surely be difficult days ahead.
If only I had a sanctuary I could visit whenever that happened—a place where I could receive comfort.
I came to the northern forest of Jeoseungjeon, where I had first encountered Geumdeok.
Back then, I’d been too busy digging the ground and wrestling with Geumdeok to look around, but now that I saw it properly, it was a remarkably beautiful place.
“This should do.”
Beneath a massive pine tree standing in the middle of the forest, in a spot warmed by gentle sunlight.
After clearing away dry leaves and fallen branches, I stacked stones together to make a small cairn.
Then I laid down a tiny bouquet of wildflowers I had gathered.
Finally, I took out three pieces of candy I had kept hidden in my pocket.
A humble memorial offering I had prepared myself.
“…Oppa.”
It had been a long time.
Since I had thought about someone precious from my previous life rather than Hwang Bongbong.
My only family, and my pride.
An Olympic gold medalist, a national taekwondo athlete, and a man universally acknowledged as a “little-sister fool”…
Had it already been seven years since my brother’s brilliant life faded away?
Since I had traveled back hundreds of years, I couldn’t even figure out how to calculate the date anymore.
“Oppa. Something really strange happened to me, you know?”
As I traced the surface of the stone mound, I quietly spoke to him.
“You were right. I should’ve focused on sports like you said. Instead, I ran around studying history and somehow ended up dropped into the Joseon era. Maybe this is punishment for not listening to you.”
The breeze rustled softly.
A yellow butterfly drifted from somewhere, fluttering above the stone mound.
…Had my brother come?
To comfort this ungrateful little sister who had nearly forgotten even his memorial day?
“But… I think I finally have to accept it. No matter how much I deny it, this is the reality I’m living in.”
This tiny grave was both a place to honor my brother and a space where I could say goodbye to the me from my previous life.
Chwiseondang’s little court maid, Hwang Bongbong.
That was who I was now.
This was the real reality I had to live in.
“Still, Oppa… I’ll come visit sometimes. Whenever things get hard, whenever I miss you too much…”
Drip.
A tear fell onto the green moss.
“So, Oppa. Watch over me from heaven, okay?”
I lifted my head and looked up at the endlessly high sky.
Within the sunlight that shimmered like rippling water, I slowly closed my eyes.
My brother’s dazzling life.
And the days when that brilliance dimmed and faded beneath an unexpected illness…
Quietly, I listened.
To the sound of my brother’s voice lingering in my memories.
‘You have to live happily. Okay?’
‘Promise me.’
“…I promise.”
I had a duty—a responsibility—to keep the promise I made with my brother.
Wiping away my tears, I rose to my feet.
“Your Highness. About the matter regarding Bongbong that you mentioned before.”
At Court Attendant Moon’s words, the Crown Prince brightened.
“Yes. Did you look into it?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Court Attendant Moon spoke calmly.
“As you suspected, she is indeed an orphan. Originally, she lived alone with an older brother ten years her senior.”
“Bongbong said that brother had also died.”
“Yes. He had been missing for quite some time, so everyone assumed as much.”
“Missing?”
The Crown Prince repeated.
“If he merely disappeared, why assume he was dead?”
“Well… do you remember the large disturbance caused by those martial artist gangs a few months ago? The one where even civilians died after getting caught in the fighting?”
“How could I not? Father was enraged and had those ruffians executed.”
“Bongbong’s brother disappeared at precisely that time.”
“Ah…”
“It was said that her brother associated with martial artists, so the assumption was not entirely unreasonable.”
“I see.”
The Crown Prince nodded heavily.
After Court Attendant Moon departed, the Crown Prince remained alone, lost in thought.
A memory from several days earlier surfaced in his mind.
‘It’s not Your Highness’s fault.’
‘It’s the adults who are at fault.’
The unexpected comfort Bongbong had offered him when he lamented his circumstances.
‘And yet that child herself must have endured difficult times with such a tiny body…’
His heart grew heavy.
How could he ever repay such a debt?
That night, the lights in the Crown Prince’s residence remained lit until very late.
It began from that day onward.
The long and arduous waiting of Hwang Bongbong.
