A while ago there was a request from one of the readers for an alternate ending. Personally speaking, while the ending of the drama wasn't perfect, it did leave me satisfied enough.
Just for the record though, (in agreement with Dramabeans), the show officially ended for me at the scene where Lee Sun Joon went to meet Yoon Hee alone in the library.
Much as I tried, I couldn't rewrite the ending since that finale had been a result of 19 episodes worth of permutations. So what my limited creativity and I had to settle for in the end was just a short rewrite of the Epilogue (everything else that happened after "Wang Seobang" and the smiles at the library.) It's obviously nowhere as good as the original, but I did have fun with it.
Please do read it with a pinch of salt, and be kind! =S
Title: Reality Check - The Epilogue
Genre: General
Characters: Kim Yoon Hee, Lee Sun Joon, Moon Jae Shin, Gu Yong Ha
Words: 1836
Summary: The epilogue of Sungkyunkwan Scandal, retold as a day in the married life of Kim Yoon Hee.
A day before Daemul’s wedding, Yeorim had issued her a warning that marriage would dull a relationship. His grand solution was in typical “Gu Yong Ha” fashion, and there had been a twinkle in his eye as he put his arm around her shoulder and suggested, “Why don’t you stay unmarried instead and keep the “never-to-be groom” on his toes? With me around, I’ll be sure he does!”
For that, he’d earned a hard jab in the ribs from Gul-oh, and a startled exclamation of “Yeorim Sahyung!” from Garang.
Gul-oh rolled his eyes. “Don’t bother about this madman and his crazy words. Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?” He looked at no one in particular, but everyone knew the statement had been made for Garang’s sake.
Daemul, on the other hand, had merely laughed it off. She loved her fiancé so much, and deep inside, she knew she’d never have to worry.
She was right.
o.o0o.o
Married life was everything Kim Yoon Hee could ask for and more. Her in-laws adored her, and her husband positively doted on her every single day. Her daily rituals with him stayed mostly the same, but rather than becoming mundane, each repeated action of love simply reinforced how much the husband treasured his wife.
The entire household had been surprised when the Young Lord had insisted on sharing his room with his missus. Married sons of noble families were traditionally not allowed to sleep in the same chamber as their wives except during her fertile period. The Old Patriarch had been hesitant to allow it initially but his son had demanded, argued and ploughed his way through. And so the father relented, not to anyone’s surprise. The Young Master could be persistent when he wanted to.
Yoon Hee couldn’t be happier with that decision. Her nights were always spent in warm arms, and her days always started with a light peck on her forehead. Moreover, every morning when she arose, a bucket of heated water, without fail, would be waiting for her—courtesy of the husband who’d wake up half-an-hour earlier to ensure water had been boiled and mixed to the right degree of warmth. She had refused to accept it at first, and had insisted that such chores were reserved for a wife. But her other half had snubbed at that.
“Sungkyunkwan was reserved for males too.” he retorted.
Yoon Hee was silenced.
She rose an hour earlier the following morning instead, only to find the warm water already prepared by the door, and her Yeobo with his eyes closed biting back a smile. Yoon Hee gave up…and learnt to get used to it.
In time, even the servants got used to it. They were all in unanimous agreement; their young master had become a changed man as a result of his wife.
o.o0o.o
Today, however, something was wrong.
When Yoon Hee awoke, she sensed something amiss. It took a moment for the sleep to melt away and for her surroundings to sink in; the room was empty. The pail of warm water was there, as always, but the other side of the bed was crinkled and cold. He husband hadn’t woken her up, and hadn’t pecked her on her forehead. Her husband wasn’t even around.
Perplexed at this sudden break in morning routine, Yoon Hee quickly pushed herself out of bed and hastily got dressed. She stepped out of the chamber still in the midst of smoothing her hair-bun and stopped a passing servant.
“Have you seen your Young Master?”
The servant girl bowed reverently and replied, “Good morning, My Lady. The Young Master has left for Court.”
Yoon Hee looked up at the sky and frowned. The sky had only started to turn blue. “So early? Was there a royal messenger?”
The maid shook her head, and hesitated before volunteering, “But he did seem to be in a terrible mood when he left. He even refused to take the gama* and insisted on walking on his own.”
Yoon Hee’s forehead creased with concern, but she thanked the girl nonetheless and sent her on her way.
This was most strange indeed.
Shaking her mind off the speculations for her husband’s weird behavior, Yoon Hee proceeded to the quarters of her parents-in-law to pay her respects alone. The only other time this had happened before was when the King had summoned her husband into the palace in the wee hours of the morning for an urgent discussion that lasted late into the evening. Fortunately, if the elders thought anything of her lone presence, they didn’t voice it openly.
She wouldn’t have known what to say in any case.
Question marks always drove her crazy, but there was nothing she could do except to continue with her day and wait patiently for his return.
In line with routine, Yoon Hee was in the study when her husband came home at midday, and he knew where to find her. She looked up from her pile of books as the recently appointed Minister of War pushed the door open and stepped in. He tugged at the knot under his chin to loosen it, and placed his gat at the corner of the wooden table as he bent down to kiss his wife’s cheek in greeting.
“What happened to you this morning?”
“Which policy are you reviewing now?” He pretended not to have heard her.
Yoon Hee was torn between answering his question and demanding to have hers answered. In view of his current mood, which hadn’t seemed to improve since morning, Yoon Hee picked the former.
“The tax increments on the nobility to fund the King’s capital. I don’t relish having to break this news to the Norons. There’s going to be a lot of objection.”
o.o0o.o
Upon discovery of Yoon Hee’s true gender, King Jeongjo had ordered her to continue serving from the sidelines instead. The Confucian teachings had been too deeply ingrained in the Royal Court for the ministers to accept a female amongst their ranks. But His Majesty wasn’t willing to allow her talent to go to waste either. The three guys in the Jalgeum Quartet had each been already assigned official positions best suited to their individual abilities and backgrounds.
Gu Yong Ha was now actively involved in foreign trade and commerce on behalf of the Royal Court. Although he wasn’t of Yang-ban status, his clout and jurisdiction had grown to exceed that of many other noble households'. Lee Sun Joon and Moon Jae Shin had remained loyal to their political factions, but given the prior friendship of the two, King Jeongjo’s dream of political harmony was now closer to fruition than ever.
As for Yoon Hee, she had been given a direct command to aid all three of them. Though she wasn’t allowed to show her face at the Court sessions, her voice was nevertheless clearly expressed through the rest of the Jalgeum Quartet. While her male counterparts were in the palace debating petitions and policies, she would be hard at work in her study perusing the content of their prior discussions. Her opinions counted for much since she was one of the very few talented citizens in Joseon who had received the education of the rich, and experienced the life of the poor.
o.o0o.o
Now she was being solicited for her viewpoint on the King’s latest proposals. Husband and wife evaluated document after document. And each time Yoon Hee tried to worm in her original question, her partner, intently absorbed by affairs of the state, promptly dodged it.
Evening fell, and without administrative topics to occupy their conversation, dinner passed without a single word exchanged between the couple—the clink of chopsticks and porcelain punctuating the jarring silence. Yoon Hee didn’t even bother trying this time. She waited until they were both confined in the privacy of their room and preparing for bed before she demanded her answers.
“Husband, what’s wrong?”
“Huh?” It was feigned ignorance, and she knew it.
“Your expression and actions have been weird all throughout the day,” the wife pressed on.
“It’s nothing.”
“No. If you go to bed like that, your mood will be the same tomorrow, and the day after, and after that. I know you. Tell me what it is.” A thought suddenly dawned upon her, and her face was etched with concern. “Are you ill?”
“Aish. It’s nothing. Stop asking.” He lay on the bed, pulled the blanket over his shoulder and turned to face the other side.
But Yoon Hee would not be ignored. “If it’s nothing, you wouldn’t have been in such a foul mood for the whole day! You practically ignored me throughout!”
When the outburst failed to elicit a response, she reached her hand over and tickled his side. That got her husband scrambling to sit up immediately. “Alright, alright. I’ll tell you.”
To Yoon Hee’s amazement, instead of launching into a detailed explanation, her husband started to blush furiously.
He mumbled half-heartedly and Yoon Hee had to strain her ears to make out what he was saying. “I had a nightmare last night.”
“What?” The wife choked back a laugh. “You’re meaning to tell me that you were in such a foul mood the whole day, and you refused me any proper conversation because of a… nightmare? What was it about anyway?”
“Stop laughing.”
“I’m not.” She clammed her lips up, but her shoulders were still shaking. “What did you dream of?”
“Something close to my heart. So stop laughing.”
Yoon Hee sensed a hint of anxiety in his voice and sobered up instantly. “I’m sorry. Was it about your br…”
Her question was cut off with an answer.
“It was about you.”
“Me?”
Sigh. “Yes, you. I dreamt of our past. During the days when you had just enrolled into Sungkyunkwan. Do you remember?”
Yoon Hee smiled at that fond memory. “Of course I do. What’s so nightmarish about that?”
“For some weird reason, in my dream, I couldn’t recognize you as the girl I had rescued from the thugs only days before. I know dreams hardly make sense, but throughout your entire term there, I was just satisfied with watching you from the shadows. And you wound up marrying Lee Sun Joon in the end.”
“Lee Sun Joon? Our room-mate Garang? In your dream, I ended up with Garang?” Yoon Hee inched closer and hugged her beloved from behind, resting her cheek on his back. “Oh, Gul-oh Sahyung.” She reverted back to his nickname from their old school days. “You seriously have a wild imagination.”
Unfortunately, Yoon Hee’s words of reassurance did nothing to soothe him. The dream had seemed so real, and had hit a little too close for comfort. Yoon Hee decided to switch the topic around to a little secret of her own instead.
“I know there’s something that would definitely change your mood.”
“What?” Jae Shin asked without turning around.
She craned her neck so her lips could reach his ear. “You’re about to become a father soon.”
Footnote:
*A Gama was an elaborately decorated litter used to carry royalty and government officials in Korea.
o.o0o.o
Author’s note:
And so Sungkyunkwan Scandal was all part of Jae Shin’s nightmare. The end.
* But waiiiiiiiiiitttt!!! Don’t shoot!!*Let me start by saying this. I am a Sun Joon-shipper through and through, and while I absolutely adored Jae Shin and all his swoon-worthy antics, I was fine with him not getting the girl. *Krb promptly ducks for cover*
Why?
Because firstly, he seemed fine with it as well. I always understood his love for Yoon Hee to be the “I’m-happy-as-long-as-you-are” sort, rather than of the “I-love-you-so-much-you-have-to-be-mine” variety (ahem, Ha *cough* In *cough* Soo).
Secondly, the drama spent 19 hours laying the foundations, mixing the cement, and building up the Sun Joon-Yoon Hee romance. There was no way Yoon Hee was going to end up with Jae Shin at the end of the 11th or rather, 20th hour. Heck, we all knew Sun Joon was going to be the chosen one the moment he got egged in episode 1 (or when they announced that Micky Yoochun would be playing the role). Either way.
Thirdly, no Yoon Hee for Jae Shin equals one less competitor for me. Hooray to that, yes?
And finally, and perhaps most importantly, I agree with everything Miss Tofu very aptly wrote in her Blogger’s Note #9 @ A Little Bit Scandalous. Rugged chivalry trumps stoic-moral-rightist in K-dramaland any day, but in the end, reality still kicks them all in the butt. (On another note altogether, can you imagine if your other half refuses to bathe for days in a row, masked hero or not?)
–Yeah, I know, point 3 and point 4 contradict each other, but what’s a “realistic” fangirl to do? Ha!-
That being said, I DID toy with the idea of Yoon Hee being with Jae Shin, and I got a request to write a piece with Jae Shin as the other half of the OTP. But I could never come up with an appropriate and believable premise for the two of them to ride away towards the sunset happily ever after. Then I remembered Christopher Nolan’s 'Inception', and the 'self-strangling, TV-whacking, remote-control-throwing' finale of the American TV series LOST. Basically, there are only 2 scenarios where ANYTHING can happen—(1) in a dream, and (2) when everyone dies and is stuck between heaven and hell.
But like I said before, I’m a Sun Joon shipper, and I’m a crack addict of SKKS. No way was I going to kill anybody. So there you go, Reality Check- The Epilogue.
I have to say though, it was a fun piece to write, and I do hope at least some of you had fun reading it.
p/s. How glad am I that I wasn’t the scriptwriter for SKKS? Haha! I’m 100% positive that if the drama had used this version for an epilogue instead of their fashion designer/blue messenger/red book one, the number of SKKS fans would have dwindled down to a grand total of about 1... No, let's make that 0.
Lady Krb, you are an amazing writer. Loved how you had laid out the story and the ending was epic. Didn't expect his foul mood was due to a nightmare! Will you be continuing with the other storyline, our OTP?
ReplyDeleteAvid fan from London
Oh Krb, this is wonderful - hilarious and well-written, as always! (And thank goodness you gave our beloved J4 with jobs that were more befitting of them than, say, glorified fashion designer? XD ...Not that being a fashion designer isn't meaningful or important, of course, just... okay, I'm gonna stop before I dig myself into a bigger hole. You know what I mean lol!) =P
ReplyDeleteCan I just say how much I ADORED the twist at the end? (As an aside: INCEPTION FTW. XD) Because the thing is, there's nothing to suggest that they WOULDN'T be happy together - actually, scratch that - there's more than enough material from the drama to indicate that Yoon Hee would have been blissfully happy with Jae Shin and vice versa if our OTP wasn't in the picture.
"I’m 100% positive that if the drama had used this version for an epilogue instead of their fashion designer/blue messenger/red book one, the number of SKKS fans would have dwindled down to a grand total of about 1... No, let's make that 0."
Are you sure you are 100% positive about that, Krb? ^_~ Because I'd definitely choose yours ('WTF?!' moment and all) over the official scriptwriter's, any day! =D Then again, I'm a sucker for surprises, and you most certainly surprised me there!
*bookmarks 'Reality Check' as my favourite Krb piece thus far*
Can't wait for more!
Wow, you really had me going there! I actually had to scroll back up and re-read to check if I missed any mention of Lee Sun Joon earlier, because I'd been totally working under the assumption that Yoon Hee was married to *him!* How clever of you to keep Jae Shin's identity hidden until the very end! ::squee::
ReplyDeleteAs for your viewpoint on Jae Shin: "always understood his love for Yoon Hee to be the “I’m-happy-as-long-as-you-are” sort, rather than of the “I-love-you-so-much-you-have-to-be-mine” variety," I have to say that, although I agree that yes, the drama didn't leave much room for any other ship, my fangirl heart will always belong to Jae Shin because of his particular brand of self-sacrifice. So it's nice to see an alternate universe where he *does* get the girl, in the end, because heavens know he deserves a happy ending of his own.
(And the bit about married noblemen not sleeping with their wives-! "his son had demanded, argued and ploughed his way through" - sooo much glee at the thought of Jae Shin grinding his teeth together and stubbornly breaking all protocol, that rebel <3 )
Thanks so much for writing this, it made me so happy to catch a glimpse of how cute this pairing would've turned out, as well. ^^
wow! that was epic how you revealed Yhee's hubby's identity til the end ( ithought it was LSJ), i had an inkling when yoon hee asked if he dreamt about his "-br" then the big reveal!
ReplyDeletei'm a jae shin shipper all the way so i was really glad that he got the girl! :)
i always knew she'd still be blissfully happy with jae shin (i know i would be! if i existed in kdramaland - heheh)
thank you for sharing! hope you come up with more lovely and interesting skks fics!
wow, just like takenoko, I've to re-read just to make sure there is no mistake...u r good,lady KRB!! Though I don't think the ending in the drama is bad, I really wish there could do a better job ending it..I m a SJ-YH shipper but this pc of writing is good!!! Please continue your fanfic - more of the SJ-YH or GYH pls...Many many thks Gamsa-haimeda!! Emma
ReplyDeletei admit, you got me there lady krb. it was a nice touch, turning the whole scene upside down making jae shin-yoon hee OTP rather than the real one in the drama. i had to scroll up to check if you mention who yoon hee married and i so surprised on how you kept him anonymous. job well done. ^_^
ReplyDeleteReally? Thanks so much everyone! This is a very pleasant surprise indeed! I was actually expecting to get stoned for churning out this epilogue, esp by the LSJ shippers. (Hence the longer than usual author's note at the end.) =X
ReplyDelete@ Anon from London
Well, I don't really have anything on LSJ and KYH at the moment. Would you happen to have any particular situation in mind that you'd like to read about? If you do, just drop me an email at lady.krb@gmail.com . =P
@ Tofu
You know, you really have the gift of putting a smile on other's faces (or at the very least, on mine.) All your comments and encouragements never fail to perk up my day. haha!
And yeah! I totally understand what you mean. Being a fashion designer IS meaningful and important, but this is THE Gu Yong Ha we're talking about. He needs more than just meaningful and important. hahaha.
Ah yes! So THAT's what it's called-- "the WTF moment". Well, if this had been the actual epilogue for the drama, I would have gone "WTF" for sure, and I think so would the rest of the population in SKKS fandom.
Thanks, Tofu, as always.
@takenoko
I'm glad the twist worked for you. When I was drafting the husband's role, I wrote it with Jae Shin's character in mind. Then I tried to ensure that while it stayed true to his character, it wouldn't alert the reader that he wasn't Sun Joon either. =P
@ quoteaddict
haha! thanks. =) Man, you were sharp. The initial draft had the whole word "brother", but I felt that would have given it away prematurely. Personally, I think the husband's statement of "Aish! It's nothing. Stop asking." could have been a hint as well, since that's something that's more likely to be said by JS than SJ.
@ Emma
Thanks! We have stuff in common! I'm a SJ-YH shipper, and I felt the way you did about the finale too. ;)
@ Anon 11.30
Haha. Thanks. But honestly, did you feel kinda cheated that the whole story was just a dream? =S
*sends over a jar full of chocolate cookies to Krb*
ReplyDeleteDid I ever tell you I love you? This is my favourite piece ever - so cutesy and all crack hehe :-D I like the way you kept Jae Shin's identity to the end, although I did guess it was him. For me, I don't see Sun Joon going against tradition and propriety, and the Noron part I don't see him agreeing to it. And of course there is the bit about the brother.
I would take this alternate ending any day over the actual one. This version has me grinning from ear to ear instead of yelling at my laptop in frustration :-)
Amazing. Even before the big reveal, I was wow this is the epilogue I wanted. I mean how much more fitting is it for Yeorim to deal with Commerce and Trade rather than a fashion designer?
ReplyDeleteBut when I realised it was actually Yoonhee and Jaeshin I squealed. Just abit lol.
@ Min
ReplyDelete*munches on the cookies happily* haha.
I am SOOOOO glad that you liked it. I'm sure you know who the reader I was referring to in my author's notes is. (mumbles "honestly I was wondering what your reaction would be.") ;D
I can see somebody knows Jaeshin's character reallyyyyyy well...oh,DUH! haha. But come to think of it, wouldn't it be really sad for the original OTP if Sun Joon had to sleep in a separate room from Yoon Hee? I do wish that had he been in the same position, he would have fought for that right too. =)
@ Rens
Thank you! I do think Yeorim would do an absolutely incredible job as a Minister of foreign trade and commerce. He'll have such a wit in bargaining, and he has all the networks required to pull it off better than any of the other Yangbans.
And I was hoping to stay true to the ideals that the main story had dished out. Because Yeorim, even without an aristocratic status, should have been able to succeed just as well, if not even better, than those with. =)
And for the part of Yoon Hee and Jaeshin, well, just doing my share for all the Jaeshin-shippers out there. =P
That was original and very imaginative! I would totally believe if Jaeshin ended up with YH, he would treat her as his beloved and she would be happy with him. I love this alternate version of YH's life. Great read for us! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBeing Jaeshin-shipper, I enjoyed this very much! I thought it was beautiful, the way you built up the reader's anticipation right to the end when the husband's identity was revealed. Nice! More please! :)
ReplyDelete@ Krb
ReplyDeleteYes, I am very familiar with the reader you were referring to ;)
Well, Jaeshin did spent a better part of the show going against his father so it isn't hard to see him bulldozing his way to get what he wants haha.
I hope that Sun Joon would have fought for his way as well :)
well, I am happy because I am Jae shin biased LOL
ReplyDeleteLooks like you made not only the alternative ending, but the whole SKKS became "alternative reality" from the point JS saw Yoon Hee in the room :) Great idea!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@ Jersey Girl
ReplyDeleteI know! I mean... how can a girl not fall for a guy who covers her eyes while beating the crap out of her attackers? A lifetime of all of Jaeshin's "protector" antics sounds like a very happy marriage to me. LOL.
@jaded
I'm glad you enjoyed it. =)
@ NY
Haha. Thanks! I really couldn't figure out any other way for Jaeshin to get the THE girl. Much as I want him to be happy, I don't want Lee Sun Joon to get his heart broken either.
And really, I think the show would have gone in a totally different direction if JS had recognized YH on the first night of Sungkyunkwan.
What a twist! You are a brilliant writer. Keep up with the good work!
ReplyDeleteDear Lady Krb!! You've exceedingly outdone yourself! God has lifted my mood and made my day through this gleefully surprising and absolutely lovely fic of sugary sugary future goodness of the lovely couple Jae Shin/ Yoon Heee!!! God blessed me with what i was reviewing in takenoko, saying that i would love a future fic like this!! YEE HAA! I love Jae Shin " ploughing his way through" all the traditional fastids! and his simply love sweetness in preparing the hot water for yoon hee before she wakes- in typical Jae Shin style!! <3 <3 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WRITE MORE OF THEM!!!!PLSSSS!!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I read this piece only today. But Lady Krb, you're really a skilful writer and I caught on that it was JS only at the end, though I was wondering how SJ became a War Minister. I read your piece twice and enjoyed myself thoroughly both times. I can imagine JS deciding to share the bedchamber with his wife, whereas SJ maybe too straitlaced to do that. JS, though gruff and boorish, may be the one to smash through the traditions to be with his loved one every night. I'm looking forward for more posts from you, Lady Krb,as they keep us connected to our beloved SKK gang. Thanks once again.
ReplyDeleteSleepless in Pittsburgh
Omg, I'm still rolling over the twist that occurred at the end. That was amazing! I'm in total awe at how well you wrote this entire fic to the end! Major props to the writer, seriously. <3
ReplyDeleteDear Readers,
ReplyDeleteI'm utterly honored and elated that this piece is still being read 3 months after being published.
Even more, thank you that you are still taking the time to comment and encourage me even after the SKKS craze has begun to settle.
@ Emiri
Thank you. Not so much a brilliant writer. Rather one who couldn't wait to share her crazy story with the rest. =)
@ Anon
I'm glad this story made your day. =) I thought that this piece would be a fitting finale for my ideal SKKS, as well as for my SKKS fanfics. Truth to be told, the craze has settled for me. However, should I wish to revisit those happy times, I'd definitely post any new fanfics here.
@Khin Nwe Aye
Thank you for all your thoughtful and encouraging comments throughout. It was fortunate to be able to communicate with you via our similar interest in SKKS.
@Saoirse
Thank you very much for the compliments. I'm glad the twist worked for you. =)