Changmin PoV

«Writing is an art. And art must be learned. Observe how the ...»

I kept watching the brush on that sheet, while the teacher explained every step.

I knew that writing was an art and I was waiting to know every little symbol, every hangul possible to compose words and know how to read them.

“You ... You could not get to where I came and Changmin ... I just do not want your body ..”

Yunho's words often came back to my mind, and every time I appeared or heard them in my ear, I ended up blushing inevitably, so much so that often Kyu thought that I was not very well.

«Now that you have seen how I have done, say this word with me and write here what I have written.»

The teacher was a very kind and patient man and had begun to teach me simple words, leaving me also the homework I did in the evening in my room.

Two moons had passed since Jaejoong's visit and I had also forgotten the feeling that he had transmitted to me, dedicating myself to the studies of those words and to writing. But that day I wanted to learn to write something else, something that I hoped the teacher did not misunderstand.

«Master ... can I interrupt you?» I asked quietly, the room impregnated with the scent of books that covered the huge shelves of the library of that house.

He looked at me, curiously, because it was rare for me to interrupt him.

«He already did it, Mr. Shim. But tell me as well.» He still had those curious eyes and for a moment he blushed, feeling his cheeks burning.

«You ... could you teach me how to write this word?»

I took the paper where I drew a heart and showed it to him, hoping he would understand without having to say those words.

«A heart? Oh yes! Wait, now I'll write it and fill it, mh?»

심장

I looked at the writing, smiling perhaps too much and carefully copied the two letters on the paper, looking at them. They were a little crooked, but the meaning was that.

«Thank you again! Could I go out now? Only five minutes are left, but ...»

«All right, Mr. Shim. You studied also so much today and five minutes would not hurt anyone. Go ahead, the lesson is over.»

I got up and thanked him with a smile and a bow, quickly leaving the library with the sheet and my material. It was strange that he had not asked questions and did not ask why I wanted to know how to write "I love you" in Hangul, but I saw it as a sign of luck.

Now I just had to leave it to Yunho, but the problem was how to do it? I went to the floors where there were our rooms and checked that no one was around.
The servants were on the lower floors, in the kitchens and in the dining room, since they did not miss much at meal time.

He had to be around and I knew he had no work to do, no another trip.
The corridor was free and I walked on tiptoe, arriving at his room, which opened and entered, closing the door behind me.

“Now I just have to find a place where no one finds it, but that he can find it.” I thought, talking to myself, and I began to think about where to lay that paper and get out quickly.
No one had to find him, not even the servant or Kyu himself.

I approached the bed, lifting one of the cushions that knew of its scent. In those days of "imprisonment" he had never let me miss anything and I also knew that he helped my family, Kyu himself affirmed it to me.

«Surely no one will find it here. »

The beds were made early this morning and the servants would not have arranged it until the next day. He opened the cushion cover and put the piece of paper inside, where he would lay his head and close it. I was so focused in my work that I did not realize that someone had entered, going to wrap his arms around my life.

«Did you want to make the bed your own way?» Asked that voice that I would have recognized a thousand. He had entered too quietly or perhaps I was too busy with that mission.

«I ... I was not ... I was just ...»

«Putting this sheet.»

He took the pillow I held with one hand and pulled out the piece of paper that I had folded and stuffed.
No, he did not have to read it now.

"Wait ... Not now ... I found him around, but ...» he did not give me time to speak, but he opened it in front of my eyes, reading the contents with his eyes attentive and his chin resting on my right shoulder.
I could have sworn I heard my ears go up in flames and my cheeks dyed with that embarrassed red.
I wanted to bury myself at that moment, but her laughter forced me to turn my face sideways to look at him. He seemed amused.

«It's funny..?» I asked softly, not understanding what was funny. Perhaps I had only deluded myself when he said he wanted to have my heart too.
But I really wanted to make him understand that ... In some way, with that time spent together, he had a bit of it, that love.

«No, no. But... heart. So I would be a heart or ...?»

«Heart ..? is there a heart?»

«Nae, heart. Why? What did you want to write?»

He had not left his grip and felt his chest on my shoulder, his arms still tight.

What was I supposed to tell him? He still felt his cheeks burning and his heart beating quickly, almost fearing that he could hear it too.

«Yes ... it was, this was what I wanted to write. But I thought it was not clear from what I wrote.»

«You have to practice and you'll have a perfect caligraphy, Minnie. Are you comfortable with the teacher?»

«Nae ... he's really a patient and kind man.»

«He always was ... even when he was teaching me.»

«Is your teacher?» I asked, amazed, looking at him again.

«Nae, the master that my father took for me. Surprised?»

«Mmmh .. yes .. no, that is ...»

He smiled again, holding that sheet and placing a kiss on my cheek, before dissolving his grip to go to his desk where he put the paper and took a new one, starting to write something.
I stood there, motionless, watching him absorbed in writing those signs that I still could not read.
Once finished, he rolled the paper and came back to me, handing it over with a smile on his lips that framed his relaxed face, which was adorned by those loose black hair, falling on the blue robe he wore home.

«What is it?» I asked, taking the sheet that was holding out to me and opening it, seeing what was written there.

사랑 해요

«And ... What's written?» I asked, looking at the characters and then his face, but he did not tell me, in fact.

«Try to find out, but do not let it read around, Minnie.»

He put his lips on mine in a sweet and short kiss, then move away and lay his eyes on mine.

«Now I should go. I have another trip tomorrow and I have to get ready.»

«Another?» I asked incredulously and looking at him again, holding the open sheet in his right hand.

«Nae, but it will be only three suns and two moons. Short, I'll be back soon.» He reassured me, feeling a concern in my eyes that I did not want to pass on to him.

I nodded, closing the paper I held close to me and looked down.

«All right, Yunho ...»

«Do you want me to bring you something?» He raised his hand to place it on my right cheek in a slow caress that made my eyes narrow.

«No ... just come back soon ...» I whispered softly, pressing against the big, warm palm that warmed my skin in turn.

«Are you sure? I will go to the silk kingdoms.» I knew little about that place, but in the village and even here I had heard and saw that in those kingdoms they made rare and unique silk, precious. I had got to wear it and have something of that place, but given the cost and having no desire to have anything else, I shook my head until a request came to mind.

«Yunho ... there, apart from silk, are there also those big flowers? Those who follow the sun when it moves?»
Siwon, my dear friend and associate of whom I did not have much news, loved those flowers and thought that, even if I had the chance to see him again, to bring him in person. Because I thought that, once Yunho returned, to go down to the village and visit my family and also the place where I worked before being captured and ending up here.

«Sure ... sunflowers.» He said their name and approached my forehead, placing his, as if it were impossible for me to stay away and the same myself. My heart was grateful for that closeness.

«Can you ... bring me only one? I wish I could give it to a person ... Not for me ...»

«A friend?»

«Nae ...»

He could see something in those eyes, like a small light of jealousy, but I thought it could not be. Maybe I was wrong.

«He's my old partner ... nothing more ...» I added without even knowing why, perhaps to reassure him, and in fact I seem calmer.

«Certainly okay. I'll bring it to you, Minnie. »

--------------------------

As Yunho had said and promised, I did not show the paper to anyone, but when the teacher was distracted or in the afternoon when he was not there, I tried to understand what was written.
I was a bit 'difficult, since some signs I had not yet studied, but the first ..

«Sara ... saran ...» I had studied those first signs, but the rest was unknown to me.
That evening, then, Yunho would leave and I wanted to be able to read those words, to know what he had written to me.
In the end I missed only the others and thought to rewrite only those and show them to Kyu.
I could not wait, I could not really.

Kyu could read and write, first learned in that house, but knew something by himself, studying as a child with an uncle who had a poor education which also made me laugh.

At that moment he was in the kitchens, arranging the last things for Yunho's trip and the two men who would accompany him. I did not even wear the robe of the night, but I went straight into that white pajamas with some lotus flowers studded on the fabric there. I saw him still intent on arranging six big bags and I approached him slowly, placing a hand on his shoulder and making him jump, which also made me laugh.

«YAAAH! Changmin, do you want me to take a shot? And why did not you put your robe? You will take cold and it is not custom. Mrs. and Mr. Yunho will get angry if they see you that way.» He began to speak, bringing a hand to his chest, at the height of his heart.
He still had the robe of the day, since he had to load the bags in the carriage and on Yunho's horse.

«Excuse me, but I wanted to see my friend's face. Maybe you were also eating something ...»

«I'm not like a certain gentleman.» But he laughed and looked at me, sensing that I had something to ask him.

«What can I do for you, my Lord?» He bowed a little bow and gave him a little pat on the shoulder to make him straighten, and then I took the paper with the marks I had written.

«I would like to know how these signs are read ...»

Kyu took the paper from my hands and frowned, then looking up at me.

«Some signs are missing ... I can not read the whole word in full without the other signs. Why? Did someone write it to you?»

«N-no ... I found it in a book and copied it. The teacher gave this homework for tomorrow ...»

«Then, he will tell you tomorrow, Minnie.»

«Kyu, please ...» I looked at him with the eyes of someone who had so much curiosity and took the paper going to add the missing signs to go back to him and make it reread.

This time he just gasped, but then he smiled and approached my ear, whispering those words.

«Means “I love you” in a formal way, Minnie. Would you like to give yourself to romantic reading?» He chuckled, moving away and giving the sheet back.

"Sarangheyo ... I love you ..."

My mind continued to appear those words and the sound of his pronunciation, making me blush, while now Kyu, along with two other men who would accompany Yunho, took the bags and went out to load things on the horses and in the carriage.

«Sarangheyo ... Sarangheyo ...» I continued to whisper, holding the paper in my hand, so as not to notice that the horses and the carriage set off, but it was that trampling of hooves and the voice of Yunho to bring me back to earth .
I did not have to stay there, I had to say it.
I had to say it too.

I ran out, opening the door that led to the outside and saw it not far away. I started running with my shoes at home, holding up the paper, waving it to show me, not to have to scream, but it did not seem to see me.

No...

«SARANGHEYO!» I started shouting, taking a good dose of courage and continuing to run.

«SARANGHEYO!» I waved the paper and saw him turn to me without stopping.
In the dim light of the torches I could see that smile and the gates that opened to let it out. I did not want to stop, I did not want to stop running with my heart beating hard and indescribable emotions invading me.

«SARANGHEYO! SARANGHEYO, YUNHO!» I finally stopped when he was almost out of the gates, but he could hear those words even from his voice, before disappearing behind the gate that closed behind him.

«SARANGHEYO, MINNIE!»

His words, pronouncing those words, made me smile even more, even though I was out of breath and my shoes were ruined for the ride.

«Sarangheyo ... I love you ...»

"but while Changmin and Yunho said those words, someone he had not liked, he had heard them."