리틀팍스

"Where are you going, young lady?" A voice said behind her as Asther ran. Asther stopped and looked around. There was a young lady-no, is it an old lady? It was hard to know her age because of her big sunglasses and a scarf was hiding half of her face. Asther squinted to look at her. "Who are you?" she asked. Asther often went by this house, but she always thought this place was deserted. 

"Oh, me?" the woman laughed merrily as her rocking chair moved back and forth on the porch. "Well, call me whatever you want. I am the lady of many names. People just call me the name they want. Some call me Mrs. Dolian, some call me Ms. Wineson, some call me Ms. Sweetpity, and some call me Gran Josephine." At Gran Josephine, the woman's eyes twinkled with joy under her thick glasses. Asther's mouth dropped. "You-you..." she stammered. "You are grandma Josephine?" 

The woman didn't gave a moment for Asther to say something more. "Yes, I'm gran Josephine all right. And I suppose you're Asther Ellan Mercury, right?" Asther shook her head. The woman smiled. "Then what's your name?" she asked in a friendly voice. Asther straightened her back as she said, "I," she paused, "am Asther Ellan Jones Mercury." 

The woman looked at her in interest. "So your the Mercury's daughter. Oh...I knew your mother very well..." she said as she closed her eyes and began to rock her chair. "You-you knew my mother?" Asther said in a hopeful voice. "What was she like?" "Oh-I knew Irin very much. She was a sweet girl who always came to my history class without missing any classes. She was very bright, and also caring. Many boys in the town liked her...Oh," self proclaimed gran Josephine stood up.

"Your now-your-mother is coming. Won't you come in for a second?" she said as she opened her door. As gran Josephine had said, Asther's mother was running down the sidewalk, looking at this house and that house, and it seemed clear that she was searching for Asther. Asther hurried inside gran's house as gran closed the door. "Now nobody will bother us," she said as she sat on a chair near the fireplace. "You are very like your mother, she often ran here when her parents were fighting. She'd sit beside me and tell all the things..." 

"What did she look like? Did she love dad from when she was young? Where did she go to school?" Asther's questions flew out as gran closed her eyes and rocked on her chair. Gran Josephine opened her eyes and stared at Asther with wistful eyes, not daring Asther to speak another word. "First," gran Josephine said, "Why did you ran away from your parents like Princess Manmoyong?" "Princess Man-what?" Asther asked in confusion. 

"Princess Manmoyang," grandma began, "was a princess of Silla, one of the powerful nations back then. Before I start, let me tell you about four powerful lands long ago in Korea. They were Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, and Gaya. Before Princess Manmoyong was an adult and old enough to marry, Silla took over Gaya and Gaya became Silla's lands. Her parents expected her to marry royal blood so her son can be the next king. But despite her parent's will, Princess Manmoyong fell in love with Gaya's prince, Prince Kim Seo Hyun. Her parents, of course was furious at Princess Manmoyong for falling in love with Gaya's prince."
Asther shook her head. "I don't understand. Why is it a bad thing to fall in love with Gaya's prince? Prince Kim Seo Hyun is a prine, so their son will be the next king. So I don't see why it's bad."
Grandma Josephine smiled, "Well, I'll answer you after you tell me your story,"