"Who is that, Sook?" Song Jae wondered aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.
Before she could call out, the boy turned around, and their eyes met. The moment stretched endlessly. A wave of ice surged through her veins, draining all color from her face. Her breath hitched as an eerie sense of déjà vu gripped her.
"Miss! What's wrong with you?" Sook asked, her voice laced with concern.
But Song Jae was lost in her own world, oblivious to Sook's words.
Just then, Song Min approached, her steps quick with urgency. She had been following the carriage driver, searching for a suitable place to park, when she heading back to where her eldest miss was she noticed the unsettling change in her mistress's expression.
"Miss, are you alright?" Song Min's voice cut through the haze.
Still, Song Jae didn't respond. Her hands trembled slightly as Sook and Song Min exchanged worried glances. Without hesitation, they guided her inside the shop.
"Bring water, quickly!" Song Sook called out to a little salesgirl.
The young attendant froze, taken aback by the ghostly pallor of Song Jae's face. Her hands fumbled as she struggled to process the sudden urgency.
Song Sook sighed in frustration and reached out, giving the girl a reassuring pat on the arm. "Hurry, miss. She needs water."
Startled into action, the salesgirl scurried off. Within moments, she returned with a porcelain cup. Song Sook carefully tipped a few drops into Song Jae's mouth before sprinkling some onto her face.
A sharp gasp escaped Song Jae's lips as she snapped back to reality.
She blinked rapidly, her surroundings coming back into focus. The concerned faces of Song Sook and Song Min hovered over her. Embarrassment prickled at her skin as she realized she had overreacted.
After all, there were countless people in this world with similar faces.
"I'm fine, Song Sook," she murmured, pushing away her lingering unease. But curiosity gnawed at her. "Who was that boy I saw outside earlier?"
Song Sook didn't hesitate. "That was Childe Kim—Kim Jin, heir to the Grand Tutor's Mansion."
Song Jae's breath caught in her throat. Kim Jin.
Song Jae stiffened, memories slamming into her with the force of a tidal wave.
Her previous life. Her fiancé. The man who had betrayed her was also Kim Jin.
Her fiancé from her previous life, was he also transmigrated into this life like her. No it can't be.
The man who had once promised her forever yet he betrayed and killed her.
Miss he was the same man who, on the day of the festival, had recklessly struck you down with his carriage Song Sook said angrily.
Song Jae nails dug into her palm. No. This was not him.
This was a different time, a different world. And yet, she couldn't stop the rage and sorrow that twisted inside her like a knife.
"Song Sook, lower your voice," Song Min reminded her.
"I'm sorry, Miss." Song Sook quickly apologized."I was just upset by what he did."
Song Jae nodded in agreement. "No worries, but try not to react like this outside again."
Taking a deep breath, Song Jae forced herself to calm down.
This Kim Jin may have shared the same name and face as her past life's fiancé, but he was not the same man.
As long as he didn't get in her way, she would avoid him.
Shaking off her thoughts, she turned her attention to the racks of silk garments.
She had made a decision—she would wear only white and blue from now on.
White symbolized purity, a blank slate, like a dove taking flight. And blue—loyalty, wisdom, confidence, stability, intelligence.
She would no longer be the naive girl who trusted blindly. She would be discerning. Calculated. Wise.
Her father had given her a limited budget, mentioning that a tailor would soon arrive to take her measurements. However, she still needed to refresh her wardrobe immediately.
The original host of this body—her past self—had an appalling sense of style. The garments in her wardrobe resembled those worn by women in brothels, inappropriate for a twelve-year-old girl.
Wearing such revealing attire when her body had yet to develop was humiliating.
With Sook's help, she selected ten elegant silk dresses, paired them with modest yet refined jewelry, and paid for the purchases.
She was done shopping for the day.
As they stepped out of the store, she instinctively scanned the street for him.
But he was gone.
Without another thought, she climbed into the carriage and headed home.
The moment she arrived, she instructed Song Min and Song Sook to carry the new clothes to her room.
As she turned toward the inner courtyard, a young servant girl approached.
"Where is the Second Madam?" Song Jae asked.
The girl hesitated before bowing. "She's in the flower pavilion, Miss, along with the young ladies."
Of course.
The Second Madam would undoubtedly be watching her, waiting for her to make a mistake—ready to twist her every move into a scandal.
She would not give them the satisfaction.
With steady steps, she walked toward the pavilion, her mind already preparing for the encounter.
From a distance, she spotted them—Madam Jin, her stepsisters Song Nabi and Song Nari, and two daughters of concubine Kong.
As soon as they saw her, Song Nabi, ever the perfect younger sister, rose with a warm smile.
"Sister, we've been waiting for you! Father mentioned you will be going out."
Song Jae returned the smile but kept her expression unreadable. "Yes, I had something important to attend to."
"I see the designer has already arrived?" she added, shifting her gaze to the neatly arranged fabrics and measuring tools on the table.
Song Nabi beamed. "Yes! Come, Sister, let's find the perfect dress for you."
This time, she would choose her own path, and she will make second madam Jin pay if she tried to do anything to her.
"No need to worry," Song Jae said coolly, her gaze unwavering. "I plan to revamp my entire wardrobe, so I need to review the designs first."
With that, she strode toward the clothing designer, her movements deliberate yet graceful.
"May I see the style handbook?"
The designer bowed and handed over the book with careful hands. Song Jae took it, running her fingers along the intricate golden embossing on the cover before flipping it open.
Page after page, she examined each design with a keen eye, her mind filtering through the patterns and cuts.
She was not the original host gone were the days of frivolous, gaudy dresses. She sought elegance now—refinement that spoke not just of nobility but of wisdom and control.
After a long moment, she marked twenty designs that suited her taste, each one reflecting an air of elegance and quiet strength.
Satisfied, she returned the book to the designer.
Now came the choice of materials.
"I want all the colors to be white and blue," she said firmly, her voice carrying across the room.
The designer nodded. "Is there anything else you require, Miss?"
"That will be all for now."
A soft chuckle broke the air.
"Sister, your taste in clothes has changed so much," Song Nabi teased, stepping forward with an amused glint in her eyes.
"Remember when I tried to give you advice on suitable styles, and you wouldn't listen? I told you before that you would look great in white and blue."
Song Jae turned to face her sister, lips curving into a faint smile.
"I want to be like a dove," she said, her voice soft but firm. "Pure, white as an angel… and free as the ocean."
Song Nari's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"Wow," she murmured. "You've changed so much. Even my mother and I can hardly recognize you anymore."
Song Nabi, ever the mischievous one, smirked. "But why a dove? Are you saying you weren't pure before?"
There was a playful challenge in her voice, but Song Jae remained unshaken.
She met Nabi's gaze with quiet confidence.
"When I say as pure as a dove," she replied, "I mean that I aspire to be someone treasured by the gods themselves."
Her voice carried an undeniable certainty.
"Just as people adore doves and treasure them as if they were sent by the heavens."
With that, she turned and left, her silk sleeves billowing gently behind her.
Time slipped through her fingers like grains of sand.
Before she knew it, two weeks had passed, bringing with them the long-awaited flower gathering. But this year, the event was overshadowed by something even greater—Empress Dowager Yesun's birthday celebration.
A rare and prestigious occasion and it was almost the time of the new year banquet.
Every noble family had been summoned to the palace, their presence required by law. Ministers, officials, their wives, and their daughters—all would be in attendance.
The estate bustled with excitement that morning.
The younger girls were especially eager, their whispers filled with anticipation. To them, stepping into the palace was like stepping into another world.
After finishing their morning studies, the household began its preparations.
Song Nabi chose a regal purple gown, adorned with delicate pearls that shimmered under the daylight. The color complemented her complexion perfectly, highlighting her natural grace.
Meanwhile, Song Nari opted for a striking red dress, bold and vibrant, much like her personality.
Then, at last, Song Jae stepped forward.
Silence fell over the room. Every eye turned to her. She was breathtaking.
Dressed in flowing white silk embroidered with soft blue patterns, she looked like a celestial maiden—untouchable, ethereal. The fabric caught the light, framing her in an almost otherworldly glow.
She was no longer the naive and hot temper girl they once knew. She was something else entirely.