On the third day that Hongmo visited General Hugh's home, Henry was alert enough to have a conversation with Hongmo.  She had caught his eye the moment she walked into his home and he had tried to keep his attraction towards her hidden.  Her silky, fiery red hair had embedded itself into his memories.  

"How are you feeling today?"  Hongmo asked as she sat down next to Henry to take his pulse.  It was strong and even, with signs of healing. 

"Better."  He told her as he tried to look somewhere else other than Hongmo.  

"Good.  And your appetite?"  

"I'm eating well. My hunger is coming back each day."  

"Good."  Hongmo said.  "Can you take off your shirt for me to look at your qi core?"  

Henry was hesitant for a second, but with Hongmo's nonsense attitude, she pulled his blanket down and unbuttoned his shirt.  After opening it, she hovered her hand over this qi core and pushed her qi inside of him. Her qi cleansed his core and fixed the core where the poison contaminated it the most.  A small film of sweat dripped down her forehead, which made him want to wipe it off.  And with out thinking, his hand came up and swiped her forehead.  

Hongmo was concentrating too hard on her job to dodge his hand.  When his hand met her forehead, she froze and forgot for a second why she was there.  There eyes met and a blush flushed over Henry's face.  

A throat cleared itself at the door as Hongmo turned to see Asano standing there with Doctor Gu and Master Teacher Sano.  Hongmo's mood immediately went sour upon seeing Master Teacher Sano.  

"You're healing up well." Hongmo said to Henry as she turned back to him to finish her check up.  She fed him the last pill and made him drink a cup of water with a few drops of of the elixir she made.  "Since Doctor Gu is here, he will be overseeing the rest of your recovery."  

The news of Hongmo leaving and not coming back made him anxious.  Hongmo got up to leave, but when she reached the door, Asano had followed her.  He was annoyed at her for ignoring him.  For feeling like he did something wrong.  

"Hongmo."  Asano said as he pulled her out of the room and away from the eyes of others.  

"Lets walk, I have things to do." She told him.  As they made their way to her carriage, he couldn't say anything.  The words he wanted to say, stuck inside his throat and refused to come out.  

Her demeanor towards him did not change as she walked with purpose towards the gates.  She figured, she gave him enough time to try to explain himself, but he didn't even take his chance to do so.  So in turn she would continue on with her life.  

When they reached the gates, Hongmo turned to Asano, giving one more chance for him.  

"Good talking to you."  Hongmo told him.  "Goodbye."  

And for the same reason that he couldn't talk to her, he stood there and watched her leave.  What that reason was, he didn't know.  All he could do was sigh and go back to the General's house to check in on his friend.  

----------- 

After Hongmo healed Henry from his ailment, word spread like fire of Hongmo's abilities.  Several people have sought her out for poison to kill other people, but she turned them down immediately.  Her legend grew as they heard of her unwillingness to sell poison, even to the highest bidder.  She was now known as the angel, Godly Poison Expert who only cures poison and not make it.  After finding out that she wouldn't sell poison, her life became somewhat quiet again while she, Blake and Blair kept on with their studies.  

Asano would look forward to his lessons with the three people, but mostly he looked forward to seeing Hongmo.  Hongmo had went back to her life as if they never had sex.  A week had passed by and his birthday party was in two days.  He had tried to muster up the courage to invite her to his birthday party, but each time he would hesitate and in the hesitation, his courage would fail him.  Now that the party is in two days, he had to ask her.  

At the end of the lesson, Blake and Blair left the room to go finish their chores, while Hongmo finished her homework and clean up after them.  

"Hongmo."  Asano said softly as he watched her clean up the table.  "Can we talk for a second?"  

Hongmo had her back towards him when he spoke.  She was no longer as mad as she was before and could properly talk to him without being angry.  

"Sure."  Hongmo said as she turned around and sat down.  "What would you like to talk about?" 

"Why have you been cold towards me for the past week and a half?  Since the day you met my Master Teacher and healed Henry, you have been distant.  Well, more distant than usual."  He asked her.  

"I was mad at you because of what your Master Teacher did to me at our first meeting.  I came to the meeting with good intentions and yet, your Teacher breached that trust." She told him.  

"What did he do?  I thought everything went well."  He said.  

"At the moment, I blamed you because I thought you knew, but after a few days to calm my anger, I realized that you probably didn't know anything about it."  She admitted.  

"What did he do?!"  Asano shouted as his anger rose.  He too had convinced Hongmo to meet with his Teacher on his behalf and yet it was Hongmo who got hurt.  

"Why don't you ask your Teacher?  Maybe he'll admit to you what he did wrong."  Hongmo told him.  "Maybe then, he'll apologize for what he did to me.  Maybe then I'll align myself to your cause and ensure your way to the throne to be a smooth and successful one?" 

Asano's glare became colder as he listened to Hongmo.  He really didn't want her to think that the reason why he wanted to become close to her was just to ensure his smooth ascending to the throne.  He had grown use to her and her coldness.  

"I will speak to him and make sure he apologizes for his mistake."  He told her.  "Whether you support me or not with my plans to gain the throne, that is your decision that I will not interfere with.  But mostly I want apologize for any mistake I might have made and I want us to be friends... if that is okay with you, that is."