I'm The Boss's Secretary?!

The Queen? Haneul had heard everything about the Queen, by everything she was addressing the malicious rumors around the Queen which was a lot that one could turn the stories they have heard to a book. Most people around her seemed to have turned stiff, some had pale face and Haneul was not naive to not know the reason was the Queen's arrival.

From afar, she could see the Rick red silk gown and the golden frame all around the clothes. Her hair was tied high and there was a man beside her who diligently offered his hand to help the Queen walk steadily through the uneven path. 

"Haneul!" Her mother whispered-scream, reminding her of the basic etiquette to bow. 

Haneul saw how instead of the normal bowing of bending the upper body with hand crossed in front of the waist, everyone descended on the ground, no matter what title they had. The submission the Queen wanted was clear by the way she demanded her people to greet her.

No one wanted in danger thus they quickly bowed, Haneul who was in a small daze, wondering how the Queen was begun the greeting late. With her head against the ground, Haneul wondered how the Queen look like as from afar she didn't caught a good glimpse.

"I am happy to see that everyone of this town is together," said the Queen, her voice was slightly gruff, showing the age in her, "It is difficult for people to gather in a single place but I feel wonderful seeing that now everyone is here for the hunting game."

Haneul couldn't look up as her neck and head was bent, but she could see the shoes which she believed belong to the Queen halted in front of her. Seeing the shoes, Haneul felt her heart thudding loudly. She wondered if the Queen was angry because of her belated greeting? But then the shoes move to her relieve, stopping to one person and another.

"You all can stand up," said the Queen after a while, "I am sorry for ruining all your beautiful clothes just to greet me," the Queen faked the sympathetic voice which Haneul could sense. 

One brave man bowed, "It is our upmost honor to be able to greet you, dearest Queen."

"I am glad if you think so, this past few weeks I have been extremely bored being stuck in my room and thought to see some entertainment," the way she spoke entertainment made some other people went uncomfortable, and Haneul can't help but to feel the same. "Hunting game seems to be very delightful moment to watch but a simple hunting game wouldn't be fun. Do anyone have any suggestion?"

Haneul followed the Queen's gaze and her line of sight, catching her looking at the men and when she turned her head more to the right, she met eyes with Min Hyuk again who smiled. The brief meeting elated Haneul and her cheeks turn pink. But their greeting didn't stay long as soon after, the Viscount's daughter spoke to Min Hyuk after noticing how they were looking at each other. 

Seeing them together had Haneul in a bitterness, and she could feel a small prick of pain like needle piercing her heart, causing her to think that this might be jealousy. 

"No one has any suggestion?" The Queen's voice sounded again, and this time she was upset by her tone, having people to be scared as they feared the Queen would become offended with their lack of response. "I suppose you all enjoy the true quality of hunting game, is it?"

The same brave man from earlier bowed, and now taking a better look, this was the same father of the girl who had been beside Min Hyuk, the Viscount, "We apologize, my Queen for our lack of creativity to come with entertainment that could please you. If you would like, we could-"

"Oh that's okay," the Queen said, "I have an idea. Why don't we have some of you run to the forest and get chase while others ride with the horses and hunt them? It would be a perfect cat and mouse game," the Queen clapped her hand as if it was a bright idea, while most people's face had drained to white color. 

Haneul thought the Queen was lying or making a joke to lighten the mood, which was her poor choice in humor, but the way the Queen smiled, Haneul could feel that underneath her beautiful face which had aged in a fine wrinkles the smile was chilling instead of warm.

"M-My Queen," the Viscount gasped like all others. 

The Queen stared at him with her smile lowering, and she rose her perfectly drawn thin arch brows. For a couple of minute the air turn stagnant as the Queen didn't say anything before she pulled her hand to her mouth and begin to let out roars of laughter, "Oh dear! Do everyone truly believe I would be capable and heartless enough to do such a thing? It is a joke, my men, I was thinking that with this everyone can be relaxed, but it seems I was wrong," Haneul noted the way the Queen's smile died down again.

"No, my Queen. It is our poor taste in humor that couldn't match up with yours," the Viscount bowed his head. It was clear how he was a people pleaser, wanting to be on the good side of the Queen.

"But I don't lie when I said a simple hunting game would be boring. I have a great idea!" The Queen clapped her hand, "I want to see group of people hunting together. Men and Women in a group of two and they must be close in age."

"You have the most wonderful idea, my Queen," the Viscount bowed, "I will make sure everyone follow the rules you declared," and the Queen nodded.

Haneul continue to look at the Queen, and when the Queen's eyes moved to her direction, she felt her heart skipped a beat. The people scattered to find people to be in a group of, just like the Queen had declared. Even though it's rare for women to come and hunt, this was the Queen's order and no one unless people who has died before and not fear death would dare to defy her demands.

Mrs. Sol pulled Haneul's hand, bringing her toward Mr. Han. Haneul could already tell where this was leading to. She didn't want to spend the rest of the day with Mr. Han. The man was gentle and polite, he seemed reasonable, but Mr. Han wasn't the person Haneul wanted to be with. She was about to stop her mother, being truthful with what she wanted in the moment of haste when rush of people came in between her and her mother.

Mrs. Sol was surprised, unknowingly releasing her daughter's hand with the sudden rush of peasants coming toward them. "Move!" Mrs. Sol demanded but no one lend an ear to her words as they were occupied with their own self. Annoyed, Mrs. Sol push through the people, only getting caught more in the swarm of the peasant that angered her to no end.

Haneul, on the other hand, felt the pull that beckoned her to move behind. When she turned her head to see who had pulled her away from her mother, the knot in her forehead disappeared, "Min Hyuk," she called her name, happiness and also surprise came on her face. "I thought you were..." with the girl, thought Haneul, swallowing the rest of the words as it sounded insinuative.

"I was the one who had invited you here, it would be my loss if we can't experience this recreation together," Min Hyuk hold her hand and using his other hand that was idle, he placed it to his mouth to let out a loud whistle, calling a large brown stallion to run toward their side.

Seeing the stallion, Haneul immediately know who it was as she has seen Min Hyuk riding the horse numerous times, "Kang So," she called the horse's name for the hose to bend his neck as if knowing Haneul had called for him. Reaching out her hand, she could not help her smile that widened, "Good boy," she whispered as she brushes the horse's mane.

"What about me?" came Min Hyuk's question, "I thought you will thank me instead of my horse as I was the one who saved you when you are in trouble. You are taking my credits, Kang So," Min Hyuk elbowed the horse's nose slightly having the horse to stare at him as if he was angry. 

"Thank you? Do you mean about the hunting game-"

"Not the hunting game," Min Hyuk interrupted, not wanting Haneul to take it wrongly. "I meant earlier when your mother pulled you hand. I know you didn't like being with the man from earlier...or maybe you do?"

"No!" Haneul quickly denied, all too quickly even. Blood rushed to her cheeks as her heart continue to drum with the closeness they shared. Happiness blew on her body, leaving sparks as she was delighted to know it wasn't only her who had been stealing glance from him but also him.

As if that happiness wasn't enough, she saw how Min Hyuk's smile slowly turn wider and softer. His eyes that were black dipped back to a lighter color that held the red hints as a proof of being a vampire. "I'm glad," he said, only realizing his words after but didn't take it back. 

"The hunting game will begin in minutes! Everyone please be ready on your positions," announced the Royal guardsman who worked under the Queen.

"Let's go?" Min Hyuk asked, offering his hand and Haneul kept her eyes on his large hand, slowly placing her fingertips above his palm.

"My Queen, the game will begin soon," said a man who stopped behind the seat the Queen was sitting at.

The Queen used the lid of the cup to mix the tea that reflected her eyes and it flickered with a malicious intent, "Commence the plan. If there is a victim, you all know what to do."

"Yes, my Queen!"