Morning at the Kang residence was calm —At least, until Han Eun-bi realized someone was spying on her from behind the laundry fence.
She was hanging the freshly washed clothes while humming cheerfully, when she heard a faint snap of a twig."Hm? A rat?" she muttered, frowning.
She stepped closer and peeked through the fence — then nearly screamed.
"M-MASTER KANG?!"
Jun-yeol froze mid-crouch, straightened up instantly, and wore the face of a man caught committing national treason."I was… checking the direction of the wind."
Eun-bi crossed her arms. "The wind? From behind the laundry fence?"
He cleared his throat. "Monitoring airflow is essential for… optimal drying efficiency."
Eun-bi squinted. "Right. Of course. Next time, bring a notebook so you look like a real scientist."
"Han Eun-bi.""Yes?""Don't overthink things."
"But you look so obvious! If this were my century, I'd already call the police."
Jun-yeol exhaled slowly. "I was only making sure you weren't causing another disaster."
"Oh, I see…" she said with a teasing smile. "So now you're my personal bodyguard? What an honor, Master."
He didn't answer, just stared at her — a little too long.Before the air got even more awkward, a loud voice called from afar.
"Miss Han! Hurry to the hall! Lady Im has arrived!"
The entire household was suddenly busy.Servants rushed around, preparing tea and cleaning every corner.
Eun-bi stood outside the main hall, peeking through the doorway.Inside sat Lady Im Hwa-jin — graceful in her ivory hanbok, calm yet commanding in her composure.
Across from her sat Jun-yeol.Together, they looked like the perfect noble couple — composed, refined, untouchable.
Eun-bi watched for a moment, then sighed."Yup. Perfect. Two main leads in a historical drama. No space left for background characters like me."
Jo-an stood beside her, whispering, "Aren't you going in?""What for? I'm just a servant. If I step in, they'll think I'm ruining the noble aesthetic."
Still, her voice carried a faint bitterness she couldn't hide.
From inside the room, she heard Lady Im's gentle tone."Jun-yeol, your mother asked that we discuss our wedding date. I know you're busy, but family matters need certainty."
Jun-yeol's voice was calm, but there was a pause before he answered."Marriage… isn't something to be discussed like a business schedule, Lady Im."
"True," she said with a soft smile. "But emotions can't be postponed forever, can they?"
Eun-bi looked down, whispering, "Emotions, huh…"She bit her lip. "I don't even have emotions I'm allowed to admit."
Later that afternoon, she sat in the garden, playing with her wooden pen, staring at the sky.The scroll in front of her was blank.
"I can rewrite the world," she said softly, "but I can't rewrite who he's supposed to end up with."
Jun-yeol's voice startled her. "You're daydreaming again?"
She quickly covered her scroll. "T-Tuan—uh, Master! I was just… counting clouds!"
"From that angle?""Yes! Inspiration hits from unpredictable directions."
He looked at her for a long moment, then said quietly, "You seem… different today."
Eun-bi smiled faintly. "Maybe it's the sunlight. Or maybe it's because you just met Lady Im."
He hesitated, eyes softening. "You heard that?"
"A little," she admitted. "But don't worry. I'm not rewriting anything this time."
Jun-yeol chuckled quietly. "Good. Because some things shouldn't be changed — even by ink."
Eun-bi turned toward him, curiosity flickering in her eyes."But if this world is written, Master… what happens when someone shows up who wasn't in the story?"
Jun-yeol didn't answer.He just looked at her — the kind of look that said everything words couldn't.
And in that silence, the wind carried the faint scent of tea from the hall,along with something unspoken…but undeniably real.