Chapter 3- Market Walk

KANA allowed Sheen to dress him as a lady of the Han residence since no one knows that he is a man, they hide his sexuality back then when he was just a little child, Kana is sickly and thin.

His mother said that he needs to stay at home and pretend to be a woman so the ministers won't force his father to involve him in war.

They are a family of soldiers, General Han Li leads a 50, 000 armies loyal to the Emperor.

That amount of armies is divided into 5 battalions and also devided into troops to guard in every nook and boarders of the Jong Empire.

While Deputy General Han Yin, has 20, 000 strong willed soldiers under his leadership. 

Their empire settles in the middle of the continent.

Having the Yuan Empire on the North, The Silla Kingdom on the south, the Ottoman Empire on the Far east and the Ayuthaya Kingdom in the Far West, Jong Empire managed to maintain the good relationships in all the powerful countries that surrounded them to avoid war and conflict.

"There, all set..." Sheen out the last hair ornament on him. It's a phoenix hair clip with different stones on it. 

"Where did I get this pin?" Kana trailed his finger on the pin, feeling the sturdiness of the stones in it. 

"That was personally given by the Empress in their state visit when you were 16, young master." 

The Empress gifted this to him? 

"My brother said that even the Crown Prince know that I am a man, Am I close to them?" 

"Well, you were quite close young master.. The crown prince often go with you to the Sunflower Palace for a walk and you both usually disguised as commoners so you can stroll in the market together." Sheen playfully said, slightly showing giddiness. 

Kana's brow, rose up. 

That close huh. 

"Remove the pin, tie my hair in the normal style, find me some servants clothes.. Let's go to the market."

Kana wanted to see on what might be the look of an ancient market. 

Sheen followed as she was told, and later on, they walk to the market.. Hand in hand.

***

"My Liege, are still doing this stuff? You're the crown prince now.. It's not proper anymore for you to stroll around the markets." Khlui looked at the person he served, whos now busy wearing the clothes suited for the commoners.

"Khlui, I'm doing this not just to have fun, but also to know at the very least the concerns and needs of my people.. Like you said, I am the crown prince.. So I need to know that without them noticing that I am Jong Sunwoo. Get it?" The prince pointed his fingers on Khluis face.

"Perhaps that's your second reason, the first is to meet Han Kana." Khlui said it on a whisper.

"Shush! You wanna die Khlui? Shut up. Let's go."

Khlui is correct though, Crown Prince Sunwoo indeed wanted to see the young master of the Han family, he wanted to make sure if the person is doing well.

They passed through the secret passage under the palace directed into the forest, then walk a few minutes, they reach the houses of the town. 

"Jeez, I'm all sweaty!" Crown Prince Sunwoo uttered, gently wiping the beads of sweat with his sleeves. 

Khlui was just silent despite that Sunwoo keep on pestering him. 

"Your Highness, can we just talk without noise?" He plead, they will get find out if this will continue! 

Crown Prince Sunwoo is an energetic person, he is acting as his age when he is out of the palace. 

Inside the palace, there are a lot of protocols and rules to follow, every mistake and mischief has an equivalent punishment. 

In here, outside the marble walls of the palace, he always feel FREE. 

Crown Prince Sunwoo finally heard the busy chatting of the people in the market. 

They just look around, admiring the simple lives of their people. 

Crown Prince Sunwoo wondered if he will be given a life like this, will he be happy like them? He guess so. 

"Khlui!" A soft voice filled Sunwoo's ear. 

He look at it, and there he saw the person he longed and worried for quite a time now. 

Kana... 

Meanwhile Kana wanted to pinch Sheen for calling the person, he noticed the guy looking intensely at him but Kana don't know how to react. 

"He's the crown prince." Sheen whispered. 

He is? Why the previous owner of this body doesn't have any memory of him? Kana is wondering why is that but the man already strode towards them. 

"How are you? I heard from Yin about what happened to you. Are you feeling well? We should get an Imperial Physician to take a look." Jong Sangwoo place his hand on Kana's forehead, making the latter flinch. 

Realizing what he did, Crown Prince Sunwoo move back. 

"I'm doing well Your Highness, not need to bother." Kana smiled for a bit, without looking at the crown prince's face. 

Crown Prince Sunwoo got a bit annoyed, why Kana isn't looking at him? Does he look bad? 

Sheen and Khlui completely forget the two, while they are busy talking in the middle of the street. 

"You will attend the selection?" He softly ask. 

Kana sighs heavily, "I don't have a choice." 

Hearing the answer, Crown Prince Sunwoo's shoulders, fell. 

"Is this against your will?" Sunwoo felt something, so if there is a choice, Kana won't participate. 

"I'm fine with it, Your Highness." Kana look around and his eyes found something. 

"What is that?" he is referring to the small circles on a stick. 

It looks like fishballs and he miss it a lot. 

"That's candied hawthorn." The prince smiled. 

"Wait here," He said and rush on to buy for Kana. 

Kana went on sour mood, he thought its fishballs. He suddenly wanted to go home. 

"Here you go," The prince smiled at him. 

"Let's share it, I'm really not into sweets." Kana just get two pieces of the circle red candies. 

The crown prince get as well and handed it to Khlui and Sheen. 

They are now walking slowly towards a wodden bridge. They are a bit far from the market. 

"So, how are you?" Sunwoo tried to open a conversation, asking the same dumb question making Kana wanted to laugh his ass out. 

"I am well Your Highness." Kana said, the candies doesn't yet melt in his mouth so he is munching it as much as he could. 

"What did you do anyway on the roof that time?" He rubbed his nape. 

Kana chuckled a bit, the previous Kana is quite dumb, wanting to stargaze at the winter nights, but Kana always thought that it was a bit weird. He felt like something off happened that night and not just a simple accident. 

"I want to see the stars, Your Highness, that's it." Kana briefly answered. 

"Young master! We need to go back before Madame will found out, Pardon us Your Highness.. We just sneak out of Han Manor." Sheen said while bowing her head. 

"Go ahead, take care you two." Sunwoo said then  he reach Kana's hair, and rubbed his temple. 

Kana felt his cheeks burning so he turn around, half walking, half running.