enmjaeha:

He observed her for a bit as she hushed about his shop like a fish out of water, with his arms crossed and a shoulder leaning against the door frame. Her reactions were entertaining but also firmed his guess that she wasn’t very familiar with any of the utensils or powders—she was not a doctor nor an expert of the field. And yet, she’d still tried to help the old man. How selfless. Jaeha pursed his lips at that thought, undecided yet whether to applaud her for it or scoff.

Dreading that she might wail about her dear patient again, he beckoned her with a finger to follow him. He led her to a room further into the house, where Ji-Mong, his mentor and friend, was taking care of the poison victim. He was cleaning him because his face had gotten dirty from having collapsed to the ground. “I will keep him here until he wakes up.” The room was lovely decorated in hues of white and jade, rimmed with dark wood all around. It was cool as well. “I want to know what happened before he collapsed, perhaps he can remember.”

That’s when he finally took a closer look at the woman. He studied her worried expression, the sweet, smooth lines of her face. Her hair was shiny and probably soft; well cared for. Unlike most around this area. The people here were simply too poor to afford such luxuries. Jaeha narrowed his eyes when his eyes wandered towards her mouth. He asked Ji-Mong to wet another clean cloth and pulled Miss Worrywart closer, dabbing at her chin, invading her personal space.

“Tell me,” a wry, lop-sided smirk returned to his lips. “What kind of a woman runs around town, dirty like this, with no regard for her own self?” He shakes his head in mock indignation. “What’s your name?” And what was her business anyway?

Dutifully, she followed after him as her eyes scanned the room. It wasn’t as spacious or grand as her brothers but it was certainly quaint - there was a homeliness that one couldn’t find in a large vast room. She recognized some of the products in the shelves and smiled proudly, it was as if she was harboring a hidden secret. The idea that a woman knew as much as a man about medicine was almost preposterous but Sunmi was set on becoming the first. And she was glad to have snuck out, it was as if the heavens struck her with luck and allowed her to peer into the lives of the less fortunate. It wasn’t like she was going to see them again, right?

She felt a stare clinging onto her figure and she was quick to (ungracefully) return the favor by gazing at him. He had very nice bone structure. She wondered if he garnered any other benefits with his face - probably. Before she knew it, he had intruded in onto her space and he was dabbing at her chin. Didn’t he have any sense of decency? She was quick to frown, swatting the cloth away from her in annoyance. “What was that for? How rude,” she muttered with her eyebrows furrowed further reminded that despite his pleasant visage, his personality was like that of sour milk. 

“Dirty? Do I look that dirty?” Her eyes widened. Usually most women would have taken more offense but she thought it quite successful since her facade had been well put together. It was good that he suspected her of being part of the rest of the village crowd. “Nothing you need to worry about,” she said with a false smile. It wasn’t like she was going to tell him who she was and why she was poking her nose around. “I was looking for ...” she paused.  “Kim Shiwoo.” Yes the best excuse she could come up was using her brother’s name. Though it was a stupid name to produce especially considering his rank and the likelihood of finding him in a hovel was ... idiotic. But if he thought her stupid, the better, the less he’d pry. 

how to save a life ;; & sunmi

enmjaeha:

“That’s right, I’m that great,” he snapped back and drew his upper lip over his teeth, eyes scanning her entire figure. It took Jaeha a bit and then some to notice that his outburst had actually worked; she was more reserved now but still passionate about the whole ordeal in a passive way. As a result, he immediately felt a silver of guilt and cursed. Damn it. His anger went as quickly away as it had appeared.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath—a pattern of habit that helped him to calm down. Again. Then he gave a curt nod and heaved the man up into his arms and stood up.

“You’re right, he does,” he murmured, though not without a sour edge to his voice. Although he looked lean and far from overly muscled, he was strong nonetheless. Years in the village had allowed him to become like this. The work there was tedious and straining, sparing neither women nor children. It was a place of togetherness and equality thus everybody worked willingly, as difficult as it was to believe. He missed home.

“I will bring him to my shop. Whether you’re going to be a part of that plan is up to you.”

When it came to saving a life, Sunmi wouldn’t be as so inconsiderate to talk back, especially since she was far away from being a professional. So she just looked at the poor man before averting her attention back to the 'doctor’. Propping herself up from her squatting position, she was back up on her feet, and decided to follow after him. She was curious - a shop, she never got to venture out of her home to mingle unless she snuck. And today was surely of those days where she could learn more. 

“Well I’d like to see what you can do,” she crossed her arms as if ready to defend any attacks he’d send her way. As they approached the structure, she easily got distracted by the items piled and stocked around.  Her eyes naturally dilated as she began to saunter about, poking her nose here and there. Her finger tapped on the jars. She know he probably didn’t like the fact that she was being so touchy, but nothing could restrain Sunmi ... not now at least. It wasn’t until she heard his voice reprimand her did she turn her attention away from the substance she was about to open. Well oops, her bad. 

Grumbling to herself, she followed after him keenly watching to see what his plan was next. He was the expert after all - so great and almighty, tcht. 

how to save a life ;; & sunmi

enmjaeha:

“Hah?” Her audacity caused him to look up into her face and earned her a judgemental glare. He didn’t recognize her nor her voice. There was barely any time to consider her refined features either. For at this point, he didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh off the situation or cry in frustration. Probably the latter. His fingers brushed over his lips then. “I see. You won’t leave? Of course. I understand.” How was he supposed to guide her? What were the best words to explain her that he needed her to move away as quickly as possible? To get her to listen?

Ah.

And just like that, there was a snap of something angry as he decided that no words would be able to give him that sort of power. Consequently, Jaeha shrugged—and forcefully pushed her aside like a sack of rice. The timbre of his voice became sharp and biting. “Are you stupid? When a doctor tells you to move, move! Or do you want to risk this man’s life for the sake of your childish stubbornness?!”

He raised a fist and held up a small flask. “Did you know that he isn’t actually unconscious?” He pressed a palm against the ahjussi’s forehead. “His body temperature is too warm. And if you look closely, you can see that he is slightly shaking.” He shook his head in an incredulous manner, opened the mysterious flask and poured its content into the man’s mouth.

“Symptoms of poison. I just gave him an antidote. I could tell as much the moment I heard of his condition.” He peered at the woman again, a wry smile playing about his lips. “Did you know?”

She had usually always gotten her way or at least treated thus so. She’d have easily lashed out until she remembered that she wasn’t in the palace. This wasn’t a place where she could demand for what she thought she ought to deserve. The man - ‘doctor’ - thorn in her side had stung her with his bluntness. Though a scowl was written on her face, she kept silent as she refused to let her sensitivity get the best of her. 

The girl had been put in her place but unlike the numerous times before, it wasn’t done by her parents or other strict authoritative figures she had consistently dismissed. It was by a stranger who had made her feel significantly less and more incapable than she usually was. Though he spoke with conviction of his knowledge, it went in one ear and other. Her lips were pressed tightly together as she simply watched. 

“Like you’re all that great,” she muttered under her breath, glaring as her expression only reflected in her sour mood. She proceeded to ignore his existence as she kept careful watch of his temperature, the palm of her hand resting on his forehead. She quietly brought his wrist to her index and middle finger as she counted the frequency of his heart beat. The rhythm of his heart was certainly adjusting. “He need’s shade from the sun,” she murmured under her breath - considering the possibilities for the poor man. 

how to save a life ;; & sunmi

enmjaeha:

@enmsunmi​

As soon as the commotion started to creep into the quiet and peaceful space of his shop, Jaeha froze and slowly but surely turned to watch as worried civilians stormed toward him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes within the fraction of a second; bracing himself.

“Help!”

“Sir! We need your help!”

When they finally stood in front of him, exhaustion was written all over their faces. That, and panic. In fact, it turned out that someone had suddenly fainted in broad daylight. The person in question was still alive, though would likely die if nothing was done about his odd state. Jaeha listened intently, yet did not reply to their prattling right away. Instead, he’d began to grasp at different things that lay prepared in various boxes that were sold in his shop. Once he was done, he notified Ji-Mong to take over and left.

The further he progressed along the street however, the more people stopped dead in their tracks and blocked his path. He fought his way past them until eventually, he found the source of their attention.

And… His brows furrowed and his expression turned grim.

“Who are you?”

There was a curious albeit confused lens to his gaze as he crouched down next to a woman who fumbled about the unconscious person. It was a man of at least 50 years and judging by his clothes, he was no commoner either. None of it was what had invoked his curiosity though; it was the man’s position. His body was neatly pushed onto his side and his arms and legs had been properly placed to prevent any further damages too. Hence, this was no coincidence. Someone who was aware of first aid measures had done it.

“Please move aside. I will take it from here.”

It was habit now to sneak out of the court whenever possible. Sunmi knew full well that she would get reprimanded at some point so the consequence no longer seemed as daunting as it used to. She been minding her own business, walking through town anonymously as well as enjoying her life as a commoner blending into the seas of common folk. Sometimes she believed that her life was meant to be something else. She was born into privileged but she wished for freedom - freedom from etiquette and protocol and to exist as fairly as men. But her approach and outlook on life was far too progressive for the tastes of her traditionalist family. And with those ideals set in mind, she could never get pass a day without arguing with her mother or father about her desires in life to fulfill happiness in other forms rather than just being a dutiful wife. 

All was well as she strolled through the area - nobody gave her a second look or judged her for her status, she was just another human. But to her surprise - shock really, a frail old man who looked like he had suffered in the heat of the sun could no longer handle his exhaustion and collapsed over. People were quick to avoid him. But a pang of sorrow struck in her heart - Sunmi needed to help him, she wanted to of course. Healing had always been a beautiful art form in itself and the ability to do so was a gift she believed she could share. It wasn’t meant to be a luxury for the wealthy only. Quickly she brought herself onto her knees, concentrating on positioning him correctly - just like the way her brother had done on numerous occasions. She hadn’t even noticed a crowd surrounding her as she had zoned out into thought. She knew there was something else that was suppose to happen but nothing clicked into her mind. Just as an idea began to form - she was rudely interrupted by an unknown stranger.  With all guts and little regret she held her chin up just to meet the eyes of the person. He was handsome with no doubt but in the heat of the moment, she was too annoyed at his tactless comment to appreciate his appearance. “Who are you?”

“If you think you can help the man, do so. But I will not leave until his condition improves.” She stated stubbornly. Her gaze remained unfaltering in defiance. Men. 

how to save a life ;; & sunmi

enmyeonghwan:

If Yeonghwan was someone who smiled, he would be beaming down on Sunmi at that moment, but being the person that he was, just a hint of a smile was visible on the corners of his mouth. “I managed to sneak up on you without even trying, you really should pay more attention to your surroundings if you’re going to disobey orders… since I can’t imagine you got asked to throw these out here in the garden,” he suggested nonchalantly, the closest thing he would come to joking around. 

“Trust me, I know all about ‘not good enough’,” he sympathized, placing his hands behind his back in a relaxed state. He looked down at her upon her request, raising an eyebrow in return. “I don’t think I want to unless I want to give people even more reasons to disrespect me than they already do, both in my face or behind my back. But I am here for moral support. How much more do you have to do?” 

She acknowledged that Yeonghwan was right but even so, she let out a raspberry. “The weather was good today and nobody was suppose to find me...” she mumbled sheepishly. Most of the time the girl believed that she could get away with what she attempted to do but more than often, she detrimentally failed. 

“I think you’re pretty good for a Prince, you’re not ... snobby,” she quipped. She replied in such a way that seemed impulsive but she spoke with honesty and genuine opinion. A small sigh of disappointment escaped her lips but she knew that this was her responsibility to bare and nobody else’s. “I’ve emptied five but I have thirty more to go...” She paused for a moment, only the sound of the kettle dripping out echoed in the space. But then the lively girl spoke up again, “how about entertaining me with court news though. The palace always seems so boring, the outside world is far more interesting. I think you’d like it!” She hadn’t meant to be so blunt but the lack of restraint in her thoughts matched the words that fell from her lips. 

punishments suck ~ yeonghwan

Freestyle Dance Ver.

enmxjeonghyo:

enmsunmi

Apparently, there was a situation. 

Jeonghyo was long past the days of enduring long, monotonous, night watches, yet it seemed on most evenings he was kept awake for long hours anyways. He too enjoyed gazing to the heavenly, white glow of the moon and the light of the ever expansive night sky, but he didn’t love it this much. Again, right as he was going to retire to his quarters, a young soldier rushed toward him and, in a confused panic, rambled on about a mysterious woman who may or may not have crept past the palace walls to deliver chaos and death to them all. 

There was, however, one discrepancy that discredited the soldier’s fear of a rain of Hell-fire. The mention of a liquor bottle was enough to convince Jeonghyo that this anonymous miscreant was no real threat to the palace.

When he came to the gates on the south-east he began to hear to tell-tale sign of raucous, silly laughter, and once he emerged from the dark he came upon a scene that made his shoulders droop with relief. The guards, all relatively young men from decent families, sat in a half circle passing a shared bottle around, their faces flushed and smiles drunk. With them was a woman, her heart made of gold but her mind too sharp and too inspired for her to be a complacent ward of nobility. For this, he loved her despite any trouble she caused.

He tapped his fingers on the hilt of his sword to get their attention, and one by one the guards looked up at him like frightened shrews. “You must be the dangerous intruder I’ve heard about.” He accused, looking to Sunmi with his eyebrows raised. After a beat he glares at the guards, the wisest of them scrambling up from their spots back to their posts, while the rest stared back slack-jawed, like he had sprouted two heads. “I hope you’re at least celebrating.” Jeonghyo added knowingly, the corners of his mouth pulling into a genuine smile that he simply couldn’t hold back. 

It should’ve been like any other night in which Sunmi had successfully escaped her chambers unnoticed. But she had been caught rather quickly and successfully much to her chagrin and disappointment. But rather than letting word get out to the ears of her parents - she had mischievous schemes up her sleeves. 

There was one goal: get the fools drunk enough that they’d forget everything that happened during that evening. At that point, they’d most likely stay quiet unless they were willing to get reprimanded. Plus, the men tended to be more lenient and good natured when they were drinking to their hearts content. All should have played out smoothly until a certain someone just had to interrupt her fun. 

She swiveled her head in his direction, raising a brow at his statement before a smile played up at her lips, one hand up as she spoke, “yes, so threatening to the safety of the palace, you’ve caught me sir.” Sunmi had instantly recognized the man - after all, he had been one to help her enter and exit the premise from time to time without letting others know. She had attempted to keep her business to herself but he was the type that seemed to need to know anything and everything. “Celebrating my successes,” she remarked cheerily before leaving the guards to their merriment and approaching Jeonghyo. “You’ll keep this evening a secret right?” she pleaded - knowing full well that she’d do her best to annoy him if otherwise. 

minus ten escape artistry

enmshiwoo:

There was something quite enjoyable about watching Sunmi has she listened to him. It wasn’t often that he saw her, never as often as when they were kids. His work kept him busy and their parents called for most of her attention, that’s how it had been for over a decade and he couldn’t help but think that they had both missed out because of it. He was always left only knowing the bare minimum about Sunmi and having to try and guess the rest when they did finally see each other again.

That’s probably why he found it so shocking how quiet and focused she had become the second he had started taking her through the recipe. It was a different side to her that he had only ever seen hints of and he wondered if anyone else was aware of it or if, yet again, he was simply out of the loop when it came to his sister. Her sudden statement instantly pulled a laugh from him, mostly for its sheer simplicity. “I would hope so, noona.” It was only a few moments later that his hands finally rested from fiddling with the ingredients to give her a small but no less genuine smile. “You’re the best sister I have.”

A part of her felt guilty for simply barging in on her brother’s life without much consideration toward him as a being. She had sought him out today just to find answers to another problem and nothing more. But seeing how he worked and how he treated her, she felt shameful for being such a burdensome sister. Perhaps she put all of this too deeply in thought but spending moments with Shinwoo like this reminded her of their childhood. Be it less noisy and troublesome but still ... memorably sweet. 

“I should be!” She said though she swallowed the worlds while keeping an unwavering smile on her face. His words felt hollow in her ears. It was kind of him to say such a thing but her own actions and consequences made her well aware of her worth. She didn’t feel like the best at anything. And that was why she so desperately clung onto the hope of being good and helping people. If she couldn’t help herself shine above others, she’d do it for others. “You’re too kind Shinwoo ah, your noona isn’t very impressive.” She sighed, glumly as her energy fell just a beat. “Just ask mother and father.” Despite the bold energy she often embodied, Sunmi too had her sensitive points and one of those things certainly pointed at her capabilities which in turn lowered her self esteem. 

brother dearest ~ shinwoo

enmyeonghwan:

It was surprisingly quiet in the royal garden as Yeonghwan set foot in it. There was no one in sight, which wasn’t in the slightest a bad thing–it left more room for the prince to drift off into his own thoughts. It was a nice day, perfect for a stroll, so he had decided to risk the chance of running into less pleasant people around the palace, and take advantage of the refreshing weather. 

As he walked, the crouched silhouette of a woman became visible from behind a flower bush. He recognized her when her face turned his way slightly, just barely able to make out her side-profile. Having expected it to be a handmaiden, he had been ready to ask the woman just why she thought it was okay to dump tea in the royal garden, but seeing as it was Sunmi, he didn’t question this anymore. It seemed oddly normal for the rebellious young lady. 

“What did you do this time to deserve kettle duty? I can’t imagine you volunteering do to a tedious chore like this,” he asked, his tone lightly teasing. 

When focused, Sunmi had an amazing ability to erase out all details surrounding her. “Oh my, why all of a sudden!” She murmured startled as she her bum came into contact with the ground beneath her. She frowned at the pain, looking upwards to see who dared intrude. But her annoyance vanished when she realized it was Yeonghwan. She felt more comfortable knowing that at least it was he who was here and not another one of her mother’s nosy servants sent to spy on her, just to check up on her ‘progress.’ 

“Prince Yeonghwan!” She did her best to greet him with proper respect, be it a little messily but still done to the best of her disheveled abilities. “Who says I got in trouble?” she played it off coolly as she did her best to wipe off the dirt from her skirt, the kettles abandoned on the ground. She paused for a few moments before sighing and giving in to the truth. Sunmi should have expected that people could deduce her chores as consequence of something she did incorrectly. “Failed at a dance routine if that’s what you wanted to know. I mean ... it was just a wack, it wasn’t that bad. I tried my best, but its not good enough apparently,” she murmured under her breath reliving her mothers scolding. Her mood was quick to change as she attempted to shift the subject. “Are you here to join me?” she asked raising a brow, motioning the line of kettles that had yet to be emptied. “It’ll be fun.” A grin playing up on her features in hopes that he’d be persuaded. 

punishments suck ~ yeonghwan

sunmi @ kmf red carpet ✨

enmseola:

( open starter ! )

it’s the same as any other night, halls silent ( servants, nobles staying for whatever means, and royalty alike all tucked deep within their own quarters ) as bare feet softly moved along the aging wood, a shiver running down her arms as the nights’ cool air hit her without remorse, but she wouldn’t stop. she couldn’t— not when bracing the cold was one of the few ways she could be given a challenge.

her hands have gone cold, skin pale under the faint glow of the moon, and she’s sure she’d scare any poor soul who happened along her path. but she still doesn’t stop, not until she’s far from her own quarters, standing before one of the palace’s gardens, its vibrancy still the same, as if it was the sun and not the moon bathing it with its radiance.

she’s far from tired, same as always— she prays the solitude will be enough this night.

The silhouette of her form would have her locked up in the house for a month. The woman had shed her former glory, donning an ambiguous shroud as a way to hide her identity - a thing that was in dire need of protection. She had just returned from her nightly expedition and successfully made it back into the inner walls of the palace. One check point established. All she had to do was go back to bed and pretend nothing happened. The sound of her heart thumped loudly against her chest. 

She weighed her options by checking her surroundings. By the amount of guards placed in each area, she could deduce which quarters were under stricter surveillance that evening. And it seemed like they were all positioned to the right wing. That left her the quickest option which popped into mind : the garden - it was a shortcut. Pridefully she smiled, ready to confidently return home. All should have gone well until she found herself mouthing “oh my god” loudly as she realized that she wasn’t alone. “You frightened me, what are you doing here your highness?” she bowed her head quickly, her cheeks flaring knowing full well how embarrassing her ensemble looked. 

˙ ˖✶ twinkling lights. ❜

If you can’t convince them, confuse them.

Harry S. Truman (via whengarfielddiets)

sunmi 🌸

enmshiwoo:

He paused at the questions, fingers fiddling with the ends of his sleeves for a moment. She had a reason for wanting to know, she had to and she wasn’t telling him but Shiwoo couldn’t really blame her. She shouldn’t be asking him to teach her how to make a remedy and he shouldn’t be showing how to do it. He could only imagine the frown their father would give him if he could see him right now nodding his head and moving to the proper tools to teach Sunmi. “It’s not the most difficult concoction, you should be able to pick it up pretty quickly.” Maybe it would be the same frown and glare Shiwoo would get if his father ever found out about him treating servants below his station instead of a random princess complaining of a small cough.

 The table was cleared only to be filled with a new set of objects deemed necessary. His voice was soft and clear as he went through step by step, brief memories of his late tutor playing through his mind. Shiwoo had always admired the man, he was the closest thing the young boy really had to a true parental figure. He always seemed to know the difference between when a punishment was needed for Shiwoo daydreaming (something he did more often than he would admit) and when a slower explanation was all that was necessary. It was strange taking on a such a similar role to him now. “If the flem doesn’t decrease over two days you need to add more bayberry, it probably too thick for the concoction to make much of a difference without a higher dosage.”

At the mention of quickly, she clapped her hands quickly - seal like even as her expression was painted with glee. Though she needed to know the remedy urgently, when the opportunity called for learning - she was excited. She did her best to keep herself from touching every ingredient thoughtlessly. These were delicate things and were easily damaged from careless touches. Though her fingers itched to mimic the motions of her brother’s work. While he did it with ease and carefulness, she always looked like she was trying to jam ingredients together as if they were clothes being stuffed together in a pile rather than a harmonious composition of a proper ensemble. 

She was grateful for his patience to teach her. And honestly, these were one of the few things that Sunmi did her best to be quiet and pay attention to instructions as closely as possible. After all, these tasks were the important ones at hand. She nodded her head quickly as she listened to the details he instructed. “You know Shiwoo, you’re the best brother I have.” The statement itself could ensue for some laughs - after all, he was the only brother she had. 

brother dearest ~ shinwoo

punishments suck ~ yeonghwan

@enmyeonghwan

It was almost routine that Sunmi would be stuck doing some sort of tedious chore due to her obstructive behavior. Her latest feat to date consisted of wacking several of her dance instructors in the face (she wasn’t trying) but it resulted in severe scowls from both her instructors as well as her mother’s stern disapproval. The woman wanted a perfect puppet of a daughter who could twirl around gracefully and display a radiance of womanly charm. But she was lacking in those sorts of things. She did have the nerve to complain to her mother that she was simply incapable but it only resulted in a harsher scolding where she wasn’t trying hard enough. But she did try - these things just didn’t suit Sunmi. At this point in her life, she looked forward to her punishments - it meant she had time to think for herself. She didn’t self reflect on her actions anymore - she knew who she was and no amount of discipline would force her into becoming a mundane wallflower. 

Today’s punishment was lighter than the usual. Perhaps it was because her mother was growing tired of forcing Sunmi to change. Though usually when it was lighter, it meant that there would be impending doom for her in the future. Those dooms usually meant some sort of marriage arrangement. But Sunmi was confident that it would break just like every other one. She had a natural knack of scaring off potential husbands with her antics. She sighed, biting her lip as she stood hovering over one of the elaborate royal gardens. Without much of a thought, she dumped the contents of the tea kette upside down, watching as the liquid splattered onto an empty patch of dirt. She was suppose to also clean them but what fun was pouring tea in the kitchen when the sun was bright and the air was fresh? 

After she poured, she’d squat down (her mother would certainly kick her behind for such an inappropriate gesture) and move forward to the next kettle. She was lost in the routine of the task that her awareness was little to zero. 

enmshiwoo:

His smile only increased as she praised and gushed at him, instantly knowing that she wanted something but finding it far too much fun to not give her straight away. It was quite an enjoyable sight watching her try to be more presentable and win his favour even if she should have known Shiwoo would help regardless.

 Shiwoo’s expression changed swiftly at the question. It wasn’t what he’d been expecting, yes, Sunmi had asked him about medicine every now and then but it was never much, always came across as he trying to show some interest in his work but now she was asking for an actual cure. “Well, it depends on the patient.” If there even was a patient. He couldn’t help but question what would every prompt her to come to him with something so serious. It could just be hypothetical, her curiosity peaked for a reason that was beyond him but it was so specific and Shiwoo couldn’t help but feel somewhat worried by it.

 “If they’re coughing up just blood…there’s little that can be done with just a remedy.  But if its blood and flem there’s a higher chance of them recovering.” He moved over to his shelves with little haste, barely having to read the labels as he reached for ingredient after ingredient. It didn’t take long for the table to be covered with a small number of herbs, flowers and oils. Shiwoo moving so Sunmi could get a better view as he started to point to certain cures. “Atractylodes, that should stop any bleeding, if it’s coming from his digestive system which is very likely. A milk thistle could work too, especially if he’s coughing. Cinnamon and bayberry together should be able to clear out any build up of mucus or flem in his throat and stomach. That’s all I can really offer without actually seeing a patient and being able to examine them.”

“Don’t be so stingy,” she grumbled knowing his expression quite well that he was pleased that she came to him for help. She leaned forward the moment he began to speak again, his features focusing in on his thoughts. She knew he was very well versed and expansively learned about all things medicinal. He had to know - there wasn’t anyone else in the whole kingdom she knew she could ask if he didn’t know. Well there probably were but she wouldn’t be able to access them as easily as her own beloved brother. 

Her pupils narrowed as she focused on each and every syllable with utter concentration. She was usually never this still and patient. But when it came to curing someone from their infliction, she’d do anything to help them. She wanted to be successful as much as her own brother was. “Hmm...” she murmured before nodding her head. Her eyes widened as he expertly displayed the ingredients before her - a true professional at work. If she was any other royal, she would have been silenced into awe. Not to say she wasn’t anymore, she still was. But she knew well of Shiwoo’s capabilities. Yet time and time again, she was always struck in amazement at the sheer genius within him. He was the best. 

“Is this mixed together in certain percentages or is there a different approach to the concoction...?” She tilted her head in curiosity as she brought up her index finger to her chin, her mind whirling to process the many ways that this was meant to be used. “I’d like to know the details because I want to try making a remedy. Maybe you can teach me? I’ve never done it...” The last part was a lie but it wouldn’t kill him to know that. She was too scared to let him know what she was really doing after all, he’d probably worry after her as much as their parents did. 

brother dearest ~ shinwoo

enmshiwoo:

The day had been quiet, as they normally were when Shiwoo wasn’t dealing with anyone seriously injured or ill, a few talks with advisors who in their old age were worried about the slightest coughs and sneezes but nothing else. He’d enjoyed the relative dullness and had sat down to record the past few days of work, paying only half an ear to the servants outside his quarters who had seemed to deem it one of the safest places to gossip. The younger doctor never seemed to tattle on anyone if he did hear anything at least. The peace was interrupted all to suddenly for Shiwoo’s liking though as the door slammed. His jump in response to the sound causing ink to flick on his clothes and hand.

He didn’t really need to hear Sunmi’s voice to guess it would be her, very few people barged into his quarters and even less made as much noise as she did whilst doing it. It wasn’t something he could particularly fault her for though, he had always assumed he was one of the few people who wasn’t reprimanding her for every little thing. Like running into his room with no warning and making him ruin his notes. She was his sister and he couldn’t help but just see the ‘etiquette mistakes’ as part of her charm.

With a small sigh, he moved to stand, grabbing a small rag on his way to greet her to get most of the black stain off of his fingers. “It’s nice to see you too, noona.” He couldn’t help the way his lips minutely tugged into a smile at the sight of her. Dress askew and wrinkled with flyaway hairs, probably from rushing to him if her entrance was anything to go by. He could already hear their mother complaining about how unladylike she looked in his head. “What kind of question?”

“You’re awake!” She smiled brightly. He was a kind boy (he’d always be a child to her) as always, polite as ever. She eyed the various things that were collected on his shelves. She had poked around for a good while but never told him. She did it when he usually left to attend to patients or other duties their parents called upon him. She noticed that he was starring at her attire, a mess really but she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t meant to be stifled indoors sipping tea and gossiping about which lady at court grew a butt pimple. Sheepishly, the girl did her best to smooth down the hair on her head which only led to the strands on top of her head to fuzz further. 

“But it’s wonderful to see you Shinwoo.” He could probably tell she needed something from him. She only really gushed when she was in attempts of persuading or begging for something. Though she knew she didn’t have to try so hard to get Shiwoo to tell her what she wanted. Their parents were a different story. “I was curious - since you’re the expert here. What kinda of ingredients do you make for a man who’s coughing and wheezing and also internally bleeding. How do you make it stop?” She furrowed her eyebrows. And as per usual, she grabbed him by the ends of his sleeves, as if tugging would magically conjure the answer to her question. “What do you do? Please tell me, I really - really want to know.” 

brother dearest ~ shinwoo