We were destined to fail.

02 | The Growing Spark of Doubt

지안.

Did you come to protect me or did you come to watch over me to prevent me from doing something stupid?

Of course, no one would answer that question by saying they're here to spy on you, but I just wanted to warn you in advance that it won't be easy, because I have a feeling it won't be easy. You can't trust anyone.

김태형.

It's natural that you don't trust me, but if we have to continue to be together, wouldn't it be better for us to trust each other?

지안.

I don't trust anyone. Still, will you come? You're the second person to reach out to me.

김태형.

Would you mind if I asked who was the first?

지안.

I am a good person, but I have committed a great sin.

김태형.

I won't ask any more questions. It's probably something bad, which is why you look so unhappy.

Why do I feel this way about him when I first meet him? I felt like he would see me for who I am. He was the first person to reach out to me since Miss Gian.

설.

Sister Ji-an..?

지안.

Seol-ah.

김태형.

Do you know him?

지안.

He is a precious person. He has been my younger brother for seven years.

A precious person. Could I, who took someone precious's life, truly call her precious? I wished her memories would never return. Then I'd feel less guilty.

설.

I don't know exactly what's going on, but I believe it's a legend.

김태형.

I am Taehyung, the bodyguard of Miss Ji-an.

설.

Sister Ji-an... what the heck is this...

지안.

Go out for a moment. I want to talk to you privately.

김태형.

Okay, just call me if you need me.

As Taehyung left, Seol looked at Ji-an with a look of genuine incomprehension, and Ji-an felt a brief pang of guilt as she looked at Seol before opening her mouth.

지안.

Seol-ah, I'm actually a princess who disappeared from this country seven years ago. Recently, my memory has gradually returned and I can remember.

설.

Then I'm not your younger sibling...

지안.

Whether we are related by blood or not, you are precious to me, so I plan to keep you by my side.

지안.

But make me a promise. Abama knows you're my maid, so you'll call me "Miss" outside. Understood?

Ultimately, their relationship changed. Despite the lack of evidence, everyone had no choice but to trust her. Or perhaps they wanted to trust her too much. For seven years, everyone had missed her, and the search had been so exhausting.

김태형.

I was a bit rude earlier.

설.

No, that's not true. I just found out today that my sister is a young lady, so I think that's perfectly understandable.

김태형.

Oh, is that so?

As I was resting under a large cherry blossom tree, watching the petals flutter beautifully in the wind, a man who was said to be my bodyguard approached me and suddenly apologized.

김태형.

By any chance, how old are you?

설.

I'm twenty-two this year.

김태형.

I'm twenty-four. To be honest, I've often felt lonely since I came to the palace.

설.

Maybe your family...

김태형.

Oh... Don't misunderstand. It's just that we live far away so we don't see each other often.

설.

I have no memory of anything from seven years ago. I don't even know who I am, what happened from the moment I was born until seven years ago. That makes my life even more miserable.

김태형.

Wasn't it 7 years ago when Princess Gian disappeared?

설.

That's right. That's when I first met the young lady.

김태형.

Oh, I see. Since we know each other's pain, I think it would be nice to have conversations like this often, looking at flowers in the palace.

설.

Okay. But what should I call it?

설.

I'll call him my older brother. Of course, it's a secret between the two of us. It's great and reassuring to have an older brother for the first time.

A secret arose between me and someone I'd just met. The situation was more awkward than I'd expected, but thanks to Taehyung's older brother, I'd gotten used to the situation and seemed to have adapted quite well.

왕.

Who is that kid?

ㅡ

I heard she was Princess Jian's maid.

왕.

Bring that child to me.

Perhaps he saw Seol sitting and talking with Taehyung. He watched them for a moment, then ordered Seol to be brought in.

설.

I heard you called me.

왕.

I heard that you and Ji-an are close friends.

설.

We've known each other for about 7 years.

왕.

I heard you were kidnapped. Were you in that situation?

설.

That was the first time I met the young lady. I was also caught there. My memories from birth to seven years ago were completely erased, as if a page had been ripped from the book. I don't even know what happened at the time.

왕.

Just go now.

For some reason, when I first saw Seol smiling at the bodyguard Taehyung, I was reminded of Princess Ji-an, who had beamed brightly at me in the past. He didn't want to doubt his daughter, whom he hadn't seen in seven years, but the answers he heard from Seol were enough to gradually fan the flames of his suspicion.

지안.

Seol-ah, where did you go?

설.

His Majesty called me in for a moment...

지안.

What did you say? Tell me everything, Seol-ah.

설.

Are you just close friends with your sister? Are you okay? You don't look well.

지안.

I'm a little tired, maybe because I'm in an unfamiliar environment. Okay, let's go now, Seol-ah.

I didn't want to see Seol's innocent and worried expression any longer. The guilt was overwhelming, almost making me vomit. I felt her glance at me every now and then before she closed the door, but I ignored her.

지안.

I want to be happy, Miss. I will continue to use you for my own happiness.