I could see what was going on between my firstborn son and the women he liked from miles away, even without him coming to me to request that I ask for Bo-Geom's hand in marriage. They were honestly a good match and they got on amicably ever since childhood when my son's crush first started in front of everybody. As happy as I was about the choice he made, I could not deny that I was worried about the age difference since I did want grandchildren as soon as possible. I had always wanted a large family around me, and I really thought that I was guaranteed that when I married my wife. But with Yeon's memory declining all over again, it looked like that wasn't a priority anymore. I had just put my wife to bed with a heavy heart as I could tell that her memories were starting to fade more and more everyday. And it scared me. After everything that we have all been through; we had survived all of the schemes of the palace by the skin of our teeth, our courtships had all been entangled and interrupted time and time again, and almost lost my reason for living too many times to count. And I wasn't going to go through that again, i couldn't. I had almost lost my own life too many times when Yeon wasn't a part of it, and I crossed almost every single boundary to marry her in the way that I did so I wouldn't loose her ever again. In the back of my mind, I had to admit that I was always very fearful that this day would come again after so many years, but now that I was being faced with this problem now, I could really only see one way out of it. But the method I had come up with was cruel, it was ruthless and it was unforgiving. We had all of our families here; our children, our loved ones who had been with us through thick and thin and that wasn't all. Myself, my wife and her brother had all created a legacy here in the one place that I had always truly felt at home. The village was almost developed as we had imagined, but I guess now that our children could takeover the rest since they knew of our plans anyways. I could trust Hyuk, Chul and Geom to look after this place without any worries. My second son Hwan however, was a completely different story. I couldn't trust him even with the simplest of tasks and I knew that every act of insolence and disobedience was done on purpose. But why? What was wrong with that boy? Was he my karma for all of my past mistakes? I treated all of my children exactly the opposite way of my own so-called father raised me and I got nothing but excellence in return. But what about Hwan? What would he do? What would become of him if something happened to his parents? His only form of support? I already had a job waiting for him in the general inspector's office, though Hyuk didn't need to rely on me at all. Even before I knew of it, my firstborn was already writing his submissions to become a scholar and had been secretly doing everything he could to get in with them on his own merit. I really was stunned when he told me on night, so much so that I actually had to hold my tears in front of him until my wife found me and held me all night long. Hyuk had such a closed off personalty and even I could barely read him properly, but he always did whatever I told him to. He had always been a top student in all of his subjects, he was above average in his weaponry classes and he had a mind dedicated to justice. I couldn't have asked for a more accomplished son even if I wanted to. He was a very good big brother to all of his siblings, excluding Hana and I know that he would take care of everyone.
As for my twin daughters, I knew that Hana would eventually stop bulling them one day and take care of them as she should. As for their distant cousin, I knew that he was a lost cause to me a long time ago, and only Hyuk could get through to both of his brothers. I shouldn't burden my son too much by leaving him to look after all of the siblings at once, and who knows, maybe what I was about to do would reshape the relationship between all of my daughters. My old daughter was my most precious, my favourite child and the one who loved me the most. I couldn't hope to leave her sight when I was home in case she dramatically burst into tears and would run into my arms for dear life. She was intelligent, talented in all subjects and was especially gifted in art. She was the most popular little miss around and was well loved by everyone, but I was the only person that she loved the most, so much so that she actually resented me for having more daughters after she got married off to my eldest nephew Chul. But the twins girls were way too young to be left on their own, and I could only have faith in my daughter to carry out my wishes…
"What are you thinking about, husband?" "I'm just thinking about the twins." "Which ones?" "The last pair that don't give me any trouble at all, unlike my older children." "Are you referring to my daughters who love you every bit as Hana does, but you will not treat them the same way, no matter how much I beg you?" "I love all of mychikdlren equally wife, but Hana is different and you know it." "I know she is your dearest child, but that does't mean you shouldn't give the twins the same amount of love that you have given to both Hana and Ari." "I do love them. When don't spend time with him? Or take them for rides on my horse?" "You still haven't got over your heartbreak of marrying off Hana and you know it. You still brood about her in her old bedroom in our home in the city. And here." "Do you remember? From the moment that she could walk, Hana would always come to me after she had woken up and placed her little head onto my chest and just wait for me with her little thumb in her mouth." "I remember the tantrums she threw after you managed to sneak out of our home for work since I was the one who was left to deal with it all." "She dedicated all of her artworks to me, she would always have a new dessert waiting for me when I woke up…" "She would practically lunch herself at you overtime you came home, even in the year she got married…" "She is a married woman now, and Hyuk has a job in the palace so we barely see him as it is. Now you should focus on our younger children." "What do I do about Hwan, wife?" "You should know, since he takes after you the most." "I have no idea what he is going through since he barely talks to me." "Then I will tell you about this issue. We still have a few hours to go before the banquet, so I want you to tackle this issue before everyone gets together."
"Sister? Yeonnie? Where are you all?" "Come brother, you are actually just right on time." "What is going on? Usually you would be the first one out there bossing everyone around sister. Why are you both locked up in your homes?" "We need to talk about Hwan, all of us together." "What can I say about my nephew? He won't talk to anyone of us and always lashes out at us when we do." "He lashes out at you? Only the men? And not the women, right?" "Well…" "Although this is an issue for myself and my husband to handle, brother, I still need to make you aware of what is going on since he does still help everyone in this village on our behalf." Talk to me sister, what exactly is going on?" "Have a bowl of congee and sit with us, brother."
"What do you think his issue is, wife?" "Have any of you noticed that Hwan started acting differently? His temper would flare up a lot more, he started chasing women incessantly, he was broken off all of his foremanships and he just stays as closely as he can to his brother and sisters? And it all started when he turned about 12 years old?" "What…" "Husband, isn't that the same age that your temper was at it's peak? And when you were dealing with a lot of emotional issues yourself?"
I could only looked at her with shock, sorrow and frustration myself. I couldn't believe that my wife had my son's problem figured out even before I could catch on to what internal battle he was facing. "What? What is it? Why do you both look like that?" "It's us Hwi, and our relationship that is issue?" "What are you talking about? You're my brother-in-law, best friend…" "…and?" A heavy and long silence fell upon all of us as I could only feel a new hole in my heart that was being eaten up by guilt and regret. My boy, my poor son, who knew how confused and angry he really was and had been for years now. No wonder he doesn't show up around the men more, hiding behind his brother was probably the only thing he could do in this situation. Now that I thought about it, he could barely look me in the eyes from the first time that he completely brought shame to us when he managed to rack up a huge gambling debt at the brothel that his aunt ran in the city. Then he started pulling these senseless pranks on his seniors to be in his new job as if he wanted everyone to treat him in the same manner that I was: with resentment and ridicule. And how he was trying to chase and defile every single noble woman in his sight without even trying to cover his tracks. Hwan's antics alone almost drove my entire family out into my father-in-law's village for good. But now I could see that we had come here for another reason entirely, as if it was fate to end everything here.
"So what do you plan to do? I know that you can't have thrown such a heavy blow at us without having a plan, sister." "One of you needs o come forward and help my son with his daunting thoughts and confused behaviour. And not just for himself, but everyone around him as well. There are only so many noble women he can chase around in one city and it is damaging our reputations that I worked so hard to build up for the both of you. And it is only a matter of time before he starts playing around here, and the very last thing we want is for him to start offending the villagers hat we worked so hard for, for years." "Are you being serious?" "My son is on a self-destructive path because he has nobody around him that he can relate to. And I do not need to remind you both of the damage that you have both done when you were both going through the same thing. And you both know that Hwan is more reckless than the two of you put together. This is the only way to save him, otherwise my baby boy will not live a long life in a society that will not accept him and will kill him otherwise. And we Seo's have been through to many trials and tribulations to give up so quickly. I am aware that my boy has issues and has alway been a troubled child ever since he was born. But he is still my son that you, husband, put me through hell and back just to conceive him. He is still my baby boy, and I will not see him struggle anymore! Now I have to go to this party and help everyone instead of hiding away."
"I really cannot believe this. I…" "Hwi, go watch over your nieces for a while please. I need to figure out what to say to my son." "You need to stop beating yourself up about Hwan, it isn't your fault that you just find out. Even I completely missed out on the signs…" "That is because you are not like me. I am the only man you have known, but it isn't like that for me and you know it. I cannot believe that I almost turned into my own damned father because I couldn't read my own child well." "Nobody can really read Hyuk either." "That's just who he is, but he had never gone against me either. But Hwan…" "..is turning out to be more like your adopted son each and every day that passes when he still has no answers about who he is?" "I need to figure this out. I need to save my son from himself before it is too late.