Page 29 of Gumiho Kiss (Realm of Eternal Blossoms #1)

The Confession

H yun Soo had been waiting outside Lady Lee’s quarters for almost an hour now, and to say he was anxious was an understatement.

None of the servants had seen her this morning, but they’d given him judgmental looks when he’d asked after her whereabouts.

What good was a bodyguard who couldn’t keep track of the mistress he’d sworn to protect?

His palms were slick with sweat, a host of possible reasons for her absence trickling through his mind. What if she’d been more injured last night than he’d thought? What if she’d been captured or?—

A swish of floral orange skirts announced Lady Lee’s arrival, and when she noticed him in the hallway, she gave him a shaky grin. “Mr. Park!”

Hyun Soo bounded over and clasped her hands between his. “Lady Lee, are you all right?”

His mistress didn’t speak at first, a soft blush coming over her cheeks. “Yeh, of . . . of course. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was going out, but I had an urgent matter to attend to.”

Hyun Soo’s brow wrinkled. Why wasn’t she meeting his eye?

“What sort of matter was so urgent that you wouldn’t bring your bodyguard along?”

The rosy color in her cheeks deepened, and he followed her line of sight down to their joined hands.

He pulled away with a gasp. “I’m sorry, Lady Lee. I didn’t realize?—”

“Please don’t apologize,” she whispered.

“What?” Hyun Soo looked up in confusion, but his mistress was already sashaying into her quarters.

“Wait here,” she called, so he planted himself outside the door. A few minutes later, she returned with folded parchment in hand.

“I’d like you to escort me somewhere today. . . . And don’t ask Pyung Ho or Ah In to come with us. Please.”

Her voice hitched at the end, halting the refusal on his tongue.

Had he upset her by not spending as much time with her lately?

He hadn’t meant to. But he couldn’t exactly explain that he didn’t trust himself to be alone with her anymore.

Not after the clearing. And certainly not after his debacle last night.

A delicious shiver went down his spine at the memory. The more he’d turned it over in his mind, the more confident he’d grown. Gwishin could only be Lady Lee. Their demeanors, fighting styles, even the feel of them in his arms—all identical.

And the way she’d leaned into his touch . . .

Hyun Soo cleared his throat, trying to shift his thoughts to safer subjects. He’d tell Lady Lee he couldn’t escort her, and that was that.

Except, where did she go?

* * *

Chin Sun resisted the urge to glance over her shoulder and check if Hyun Soo was following.

She’d given Pyung Ho the letters for Uncle and Young Master Kang, then loudly made her way out of the courtyard to ensure her bodyguard found her.

Now her insides were trembling like the tail of a salmusa snake as she made her way down the road.

At this rate, she might accidentally blurt out her confession before they’d even reached a secluded area.

Soft footfalls behind her made her pulse quicken with anticipation.

He’d caught up with her. Good. Or maybe terrible.

She wouldn’t know if she was making the biggest mistake of her life until she heard his response.

Chin Sun wasn’t used to situations where she didn’t have any sense of control.

It was . . . disorienting, but also a little exhilarating at the same time.

Focus, Chin Sun. She made a right turn onto a path out of the city, her heart in her throat. If he hadn’t yet realized she was leading him to the clearing, there could be no doubt of it now. Would he turn back, or continue on with her to find out why she was taking him there?

She lifted her chin, defying the anxiety charging through her. If this didn’t go the way she hoped, she was still going to maintain her dignity. She’d just reached the tree line when Hyun Soo said, “Lady Lee, stop.”

She flinched but called back, “Just a bit farther,” and carried on. She didn’t wait for him to reply, terrified of what he might say. All she had to do was get to the clearing. That was all.

When the woods opened up to the familiar space, the weight on her chest eased. Until she turned to Hyun Soo.

He averted his gaze guiltily, then drew his mouth into a thin, straight line. “We shouldn’t be here.”

Chin Sun bit her lip. This wasn’t going the way she’d planned. “I need to tell you something.” She swallowed. “Mr. Park . . .” she trailed off, eyes drifting to his shoes. Why was this so hard!

She tried again, blood rushing through her ears. She needed to stop trying to get this perfect and just do it. “In the time we’ve spent together, you’ve become more than a bodyguard to me. You’re someone I deeply respect and consider a friend.”

“As are you,” he said quietly, setting her heart ablaze. “What?—”

“But that’s not all,” she added. She squeezed her eyes shut, unsure if she could get this next part out. “I see you as a man, too.”

There. She’d said it. She waited for the ground to open up and swallow her, but her feet remained steady despite her frayed nerves. Had he heard her? Why wasn’t he saying anything?

Did she dare look up?

When the silence became unbearable, Chin Sun peeked at her mute companion. His body was shifted slightly away from her, eyebrows pressed together like she’d just given him the worst news imaginable.

“Mr. Park?”

His eyes zoomed to hers, so full of anguish she nearly looked away. But he hadn’t given her a response. He owed her that much.

“Lady Lee, I . . . Dol Sam—” He broke off, one hand clenched into a fist. He turned around as if he couldn’t bear to look at her.

Chin Sun wilted like a mungunghwa flower, but she fought against the tears threatening to drench her cheeks. How could she have been so foolish!

She took a deep breath. “I understand. I don’t want to come between you and Young Master Kang. But you should know”—her voice dropped to a mumble—“I’ve decided to break off my engagement.”

“What did you just say?” Hyun Soo spun back so fast Chin Sun barely registered the movement before he was an arm’s length away, devastating her with the intensity of his gaze. There was something dangerous about it, and desperate.

Yet she couldn’t look away.

“I’m not going to marry Kang Dol Sam,” she said, more confidently this time. “I want to be with you. Do you—do you want that, too?”

Hyun Soo cocked his head to the side, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “That’s a very bold question, my lady.”

Chin Sun frowned even as her stomach fluttered with hope. What did that mean?

She waited, but when he didn’t say more, she put her hands on her hips and gave him the most withering look she could manage. “Well? Are you going to give me an answer or not? I’m not in the mood for teasing, not about . . . this.” Her face flamed up, ruining the angry front she was going for.

“Oh, but isn’t it only fair after everything you’ve put me through”—he seized her chin between his index finger and thumb—“Gwishin?”

She jerked away, whipping out a hidden dagger before he could blink. “You knew about that?”

Hyun Soo glanced at her weapon and laughed, a deep, rich sound that made her want to let down her defenses.

But he knew .

“There’s no need to be afraid,” he said softly, stepping closer. “I’m not going to betray your secret.”

She wanted to believe him, but fear urged her to run, to hide, to strike him down before he could harm her. She shook her head to dislodge the thoughts, but she couldn’t bring herself to lower the blade. “How can I trust your word?”

He covered her hand with his own, then guided the dagger to his heart.

“Because if you carved this out, you’d find your name written upon it.

Take it if you don’t believe me, but that is the truth.

A truth I’ve tried to deny for so long, not only for fear of hurting my friend, but also because I didn’t think you could possibly feel the same. ”

He released her hand but didn’t move away, waiting for her to answer. Or to strike a killing blow. Knowing her secret identity made him a terrible threat. If he told the authorities, she’d be forced to flee for her life.

Yet he hadn’t. Instead he’d quite literally placed his life in her hands, knowing full well how easily she could end it.

What room was left for doubt when he had such faith in her? Chin Sun tossed the knife aside, lips twisting into a smirk. “There’s no need to be so dramatic.”

Hyun Soo laughed again, then his expression shifted, all traces of humor stripped away to reveal something that sparked a fire in her veins. He bent forward slowly, as if waiting to see if she’d retreat again.

When she didn’t, his gaze dropped to her lips, his intentions quite clear.

Chin Sun raised an eyebrow at his hesitation. “Don’t tell me you’re not brave enough to follow through. Again.”

Hyun Soo’s mouth crashed into hers like swords on a battlefield, stealing her breath and overwhelming her senses. Surprised by his fervor but not about to be outdone, she responded to his kiss hungrily. Two could play at this game.

He smiled against her mouth and deepened the kiss, hands sliding around her back and crushing her against him. Chin Sun gripped his shoulders, pleasure radiating through her as their lips fought for dominance.

She felt her fox bead rise in his chest and happily accepted it into her mouth, a shot of power bursting through her at its safe return.

Yet there was a new energy humming within it unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

It tasted of sunshine and sweat, betrayal and desire, hardship and joy.

Was this what it felt like to consume human lifeforce?

The taste was almost as intoxicating as Hyun Soo’s kisses. But not quite. Chin Sun would have to figure out all the effects of the additional lifeforce later. That could wait until after they were done kissing.

But Hyun Soo stilled in her arms. He pulled back. “Lady Lee, what—” Something flashed in his eyes, and he stepped out of her embrace.

“Mr. Park? What’s wrong?”

He pressed his fingers to his mouth, forehead wrinkled. “I . . . What did you just do?”

Guilt rapped at the door of her heart, but she refused it entrance. “What are you talking about?”

“You . . . you did something to me. I—” His eyes rolled back into his head, and he slumped forward.

Chin Sun caught him as he fell, holding him up easily with her gumiho strength restored. “Mr. Park?” She patted his cheek, panic building in her chest. “Park Hyun Soo!”

It couldn’t be. There was still time.

She forced her bead back up into her mouth and spat it into her hand. It was cool to the touch, as small as a robin’s egg. But its glowing blue light was so blinding she almost couldn’t look at it. Full of human lifeforce.

“No . . .”

The grim reaper said Hyun Soo had eighteen days, and it had only been eleven. Hyun Soo had to be all right. He had to?—

“Finally decided to take back your bead, I see,” came a deep voice.

Chin Sun whirled around, tensing at the sight of the grim reaper himself, smirking on the other side of the clearing. His black robes fluttered in the breeze, the only indicator that this specter was still flesh and blood.

“Nauri, what’s—what’s wrong with him? He should still have some time left.”

The grim reaper vanished, then reappeared directly in front of her, crossing the clearing in a span of seconds. He squinted at Hyun Soo, then shook his head. “I’m no expert on fox beads. Perhaps I miscalculated how long he had.”

His words were nonchalant, but then his face darkened, cold eyes locking on to hers. “But you better hope he just passed out from the energy transfer.” He grabbed Hyun Soo’s wrist. “His pulse is very weak.”

“Can you help me? Please,” she pleaded. She knew she sounded pathetic, but maintaining her dignity no longer mattered. All she cared about was saving Hyun Soo.

The grim reaper clucked his tongue, as if offended that she would even ask. “That’s not my job.”

He was gone a second later, but his voice carried on the wind. “I’ll be watching to make sure you keep him breathing though.”

Chin Sun screamed, half of her terrified and the other half enraged. What a heartless creature!

She returned her attention to Hyun Soo, touching his temple with the back of her hand. Burning up with fever.

Was there any way to return the lifeforce she’d collected? She glanced at her bead, but it gave no answer besides a derisive shimmer.

She swallowed it once more. If she couldn’t give back what she’d stolen, she’d use her speed to get help.

“I’ll be back soon,” she promised, then dove into the wood, unable to avoid an ominous sense of déjà vu. She’d made that same promise to Aunt, and it had been the last thing she’d ever said to her.