The moment Song Jae finished stitching the wound, Hwang stepped forward. His sharp eyes scanned his prince's injury, ensuring that the stitching was done properly.
Seeing that she had indeed completed the treatment, he turned his attention to Chul Kwan, awaiting his decision.
Should they let her go? Or kill her? A tense silence filled the air.
Then, Chul Kwan leaned back against the wall, his gaze dark and unreadable.
"You can go," he finally said. Relief washed over Song Jae.
"But before that…" His voice took on a dangerous edge. "You must tell us your real name and which family you belong to. And if you dare to lie—" he smirked, "—my guards will simply follow you home to confirm whether you're telling the truth."
Song Jae narrowed her eyes. "What do you need my name for?" she asked cautiously.
Chul Kwan's smirk deepened. "In case you decide to talk." His voice was low, threatening. "If I hear a single whisper about what happened here today, from anyone, anywhere… I will find you. And I will kill you."
His words sent a chill down her spine.
Song Jae assumed he was warning her about the assassin attack. It never even crossed her mind that his true concern was the kiss.
After all, it wasn't really a kiss. More of a peck—completely accidental.
But to Chul Kwan, it was far more than that.
If word got out that he had kissed a girl—and worse, a girl who wasn't even a woman yet—his reputation would be ruined.
Where the hell would he put his face?!
People might even think he had some strange obsession with little girls. The very thought made his blood boil.
Meanwhile, Song Jae let out a tired sigh. "Fine," she said. "I promise not to say anything."
Then, with a firm voice, she added, "My surname is Song, and my name is Jae. Song Jae, daughter of the Right Prime Minister."
She crossed her arms. "Now, can I go? My brother is probably worried sick, and I'm sure he's looking for me."
Chul Kwan's gaze flickered with amusement.
"Yeah, you can go now." Then, almost as if testing how her name felt, he repeated it under his breath.
Song Jae. There was something oddly sweet about the way it rolled off his tongue.
He knew the meaning of the name 'Jae'—respect.
Her mother must have suffered greatly during pregnancy to give her that name, hoping her child would one day be respected by all.
An ironic smile touched his lips.
"See you again soon, Song Jae."
Who wants to meet you again?! Song Jae huffed inwardly as she walked out of the alley.
The moment she stepped into the open streets, her mind refocused on her original goal. Find my brother.
She immediately began scanning her surroundings, searching for any sign of him.
Behind her, Chul Kwan leaned against the wall, watching her retreating figure.
Surprisingly, the pain from his injury had subsided quite a bit. He pushed off the wall. Time to leave.
"Hwang," he said as he adjusted his robe, "are the secret guards in position?"
"Yes, my lord. They're ready," Hwang confirmed. Chul Kwan nodded. "Good. I don't want what happened today to repeat itself."
Just as he was about to step out of the alley, a blur of movement caught his attention.
A figure was running towards them—fast.
Before he could react, the person crashed straight into him. A small "Oof!" escaped her lips as she stumbled back, falling to the ground.
The scent of cheap perfume immediately invaded his senses. Chul Kwan's face darkened. Who the hell is this?!
The girl, dazed from the impact, blinked up at him. The moment her eyes focused, she froze.
Standing before her was a handsome young man, no older than sixteen or seventeen, dressed in fine robes, his sharp features illuminated by the dim moonlight.
For a moment, she forgot everything—her current situation, the people chasing her, even the ground she had just hit.
Hwang, on the other hand, stiffened at the unexpected intrusion. What the hell?!
This alley was usually deserted. It was the only reason they had chosen it as a hiding place. So how had this girl ended up here?
Meanwhile, Chul Kwan was growing increasingly annoyed.
First, his entire night had been ruined by an assassin. Then, he had to deal with a flat-chested troublemaker.
And now, some random girl had appeared out of nowhere, smelling like a cheap marketplace stall, bumping into him like some fool.
His patience was gone. With an irritated sigh, he reached forward and shoved her aside.
"Miss, we're in a hurry. Move." Tae Hae, still sitting on the ground, gasped.
Did he just—? She looked up at him in disbelief.This boy… just pushed her.
Did he not know how to treat a lady?! The audacity!
Anger flared in her chest as she quickly got to her feet.
"Excuse me?!" she snapped. "Don't you think you should apologize first?!"
Chul Kwan barely spared her a glance.
She scowled. "How can you just push a girl like that?! Don't you know unmarried boys and girls shouldn't be getting so close to each other?"
Hwang, who had been silently observing, finally stepped in.
He cleared his throat and said, "Miss, what my lord did was merely self-defense."
Tae Hae turned to him, eyes burning with fury.
She knew he was right. If someone saw her this close to a young man, especially a noble, it could ruin her reputation.
But still—! "That doesn't mean he had to shove me so hard!" she grumbled.
Hwang sighed. This girl… Meanwhile, Chul Kwan was already done with the conversation.
His clothes reeked of blood. Now they were also tainted with the cheap perfume from this girl.
Could this night get any worse?
"There's no need to waste words on a fool seeking death," Chul Kwan muttered darkly. His patience had already worn thin. "If she keeps being unreasonable… just kill her."
Hwang gave a curt nod, his hand subtly resting on the hilt of his sword.
They had already lingered too long in this alley. The longer they stayed, the higher the risk of their pursuers catching up. It was time to leave.
Hearing that they might actually kill her if she continued to speak, Tae Hae quickly shut her mouth. This scholar was handsome but has a vicious heart.
She had completely forgotten about the people chasing her—until now.
Meanwhile, Song Jae had no idea that by stepping in to save Chul Kwan, she had unknowingly derailed the novel's original plot.
The one who was meant to save him was the female lead—not her.
Because of this, Chul Kwan now saw Tae Hae as a nuisance rather than a significant person in his life.
And with his injuries already treated, her presence no longer mattered.
She had ruined the female lead's chance to make a meaningful impact on the second male lead's fate.
Song Jae had unknowingly changed the course of the story.
When Song Jae finally arrived at the spot where she and her brother were supposed to meet, she immediately spotted her maid, Song Sook, anxiously waiting.
The moment Song Jae stepped closer, Song Sook turned, her eyes widening in relief.
"Miss! Where have you been?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with worry. "The Young Master and I were so worried about you."
Tears welled up in Song Sook's eyes.
Seeing her distress, Song Jae cursed Chul Kwan's entire lineage—eighteen generations included.
"Why are you crying?" she sighed. "Don't worry, nothing happened to me. I just got lost trying to find this place because of the crowd."
She glanced around. "Where's my brother?"
"The Young Master went looking for you, miss."
Song Jae groaned. "Great. Now we have to find him too. Let's go together—I'm exhausted."
The two of them began scanning the bustling market for Song Ji.
Then, Song Sook's eyes lit up. "Miss! I think I see the Young Master!" "Where?"
"There!" Song Sook pointed.
Song Jae followed her gaze and spotted her brother in the distance.
A wave of relief washed over her. "Oppa! Oppa!" she called out, waving her hand.
At the familiar voice, Song Ji froze. For a moment, he thought he was imagining things. His heart pounded as he turned toward the source.
And there she was—Song Jae, safe and unharmed, walking toward him with their maid at her side.
His expression darkened.
"Where have you been?!" he demanded the moment she reached him. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? I thought you were kidnapped!"
Song Jae sighed, rubbing her temples.
"It wasn't my fault," she grumbled. "We got separated by the crowd, and I was pushed to the other side. I got lost trying to find the lantern store."
She reached out and tugged his sleeve. "Come on, let's go. I'm tired. Father will be worried by now."
Her voice softened as she added, "The time he gave us to stay out has already passed, hasn't it? He's probably sent the guards to look for us."
Song Ji exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah… Let's go home."
Once they reached the carriage, Song Jae and Song Ji climbed in, and the journey back to the Prime Minister's Manor began.
As the bustling market faded into the distance, Song Jae let out a long breath.
She had never been more relieved to leave a place.
More than anything, she was eager to get away from Chul Kwan.
There was something about him—a dangerous aura that made her uneasy.
And from what she remembered of the novel, when that man got angry… You would wish you had never met him.
That was exactly why she hadn't mentioned Chul Kwan to her brother. What if he really did send someone to spy on me?
She couldn't risk it. She didn't want Song Ji and Chul Kwan crossing paths—ever.
By the time their carriage pulled into the Prime Minister's Manor, the sun had almost completely set.
As they stepped out, Song Jae and Song Ji were met with the sight of their father and the rest of the family waiting outside.
But Song Jae knew the truth.
The only people truly worried about them were her father and her eldest brother, Song Geon who was born by madam Jin. The rest?
They were merely putting on an act—playing the part of a loving, caring family. Song Jae didn't hesitate.
She ran straight to her father, throwing her arms around him. Prime Minister Song stiffened in shock. For a brief moment, he stood frozen.
Song Jae had never hugged him before.She was normally distant, arrogant, and independent.
They weren't particularly close, as a father and daughter should be.
He was always buried in court affairs, and Song Jae… was too proud to seek his affection. And yet, here she was.
Holding onto him as if she had missed him.
Slowly, his arms lifted—and he hugged her back.