TYMIR Ch 29

After the Lord had aged considerably, everyone knew that the Madam’s power was soaring day by day. Was it only within the family? There were even some who whispered that the master of the Kim household in Peach Blossom Valley had changed long ago.

A few years ago, after being falsely accused of injuring the youngest master, dragged out to the courtyard, and beaten by being rolled in a straw mat, Hyowon had strictly forbidden Yoonyi from entering the inner quarters. To be precise, it was as if he had drawn an unspoken line between them and the people of this household. Thus, although he was a body servant, aside from the occasional trip to the kitchen, there was no other place Yoonyi frequented.

However, even to Yoonyi, ominous rumors would sometimes reach him, tales of someone misspeaking and being severely punished in the inner quarters.

“……If the Madam said she would do it, she would certainly follow through and then some.”

Since it was a matter of marriage, and not some other issue, even the Lord had no grounds to stop it. After all, he was always the one who brought up marriage first. Their intentions aligning for the first time in a while meant things would progress quickly. Wasn’t this the very thing he had dreamed of since the day he first began to serve Hyowon? To diligently assist the Young Master so that he could meet a kind and wise young lady and live a happy life. But the timing was not right.

It was truly confusing. It felt like walking through layers upon layers of fog. What should he do in a situation like this? The Young Master who had shown him his heart. The Madam who was trying to drive that same Young Master out by finding him just any match. The dark clouds that hung heavily over his face showed no sign of clearing.

“Marriage.”

The word had come up from time to time, but it felt truly unsettling, and a corner of his heart felt queasy as if from indigestion.

Yoonyi slowly reached out and touched his own lips. A lingering warmth that had not yet faded remained on their moist surface. The tender moments he had spent with Hyowon just a short while ago felt like a dream. It was wrong, after all. How could he, a man, and not even a human, fully receive that heart?

Feeling that staying still would only lead to more distracting thoughts, Yoonyi shook his head vigorously and sprang to his feet. He then skillfully grabbed the brass basin and cloth from the corner and meticulously wiped Hyowon’s spotless, shiny floor with a damp rag.

He suddenly lifted his head and gazed quietly at his surroundings. The once-small durumagi and jeogori had grown so much that they now enveloped his body, looking at a glance like a light, fluttering single-layered blanket.

Yoonyi forced his gaze away and carefully placed the books lying on the floor on top of a stack. Then, he busily wiped away the moisture droplets on the floor with a dry cloth.

🎐⋆｡🍥

“I wonder where he is that he isn’t back yet.”

After a bout of physical work, his head felt much clearer. Yoonyi gazed quietly out the wide-open window. The breeze blowing from the back mountain instantly wicked away the beads of sweat.

A red glow shimmered along the mountain ridge. He had never been this late before; it kept weighing on his mind. Just then, he heard the sound of someone stepping onto the main hall’s wooden porch. His round ears twitched this way and that, and Yoonyi turned his gaze in the direction of the sound.

“Oh my? Yoonyi, where is the Young Master?”

Finally, the door opened and Suni, who was carrying the evening meal tray, saw Yoonyi alone in the living quarters and tilted her head, looking quite puzzled.

“……He hasn’t returned yet.”

“That’s strange. He’s not one to be so late. You don’t know where he went?”

“……No.”

He had run out as if fleeing, so there was no way he would know. How could he, a body servant, have run off without even assisting his master? Yoonyi’s shoulders slumped inward slightly.

“Did something happen with the Young Master?”

Noticing his strangely downcast appearance, Suni put down the small dining table and cautiously approached to ask.

“No, nui. Nothing happened.”

His straight-lined shoulders trembled faintly like the wings of a dragonfly. Yoonyi forced the corners of his mouth up awkwardly and shook his head.

“Really? Then I’ll just leave the meal here. Put it outside when you’re done. If he doesn’t come, you just eat it, Yoonyi.”

Yoonyi’s fists, resting on his thighs, tightened, and blue veins faintly appeared on the back of his smooth hands. Suni, who was staring at them, deliberately looked away and changed the subject.

“Thank you, nui.”

“Don’t mention it. I have to put Mansu to bed, so I’ll head to the servants’ quarters first.”

Suni smiled brightly and was about to quickly step over the threshold.

“Is Mansu still fussy about sleeping?”

“Aigoo, don’t even mention it. Manseok orabeoni is so stoic, I have no idea who this child takes after. He doesn’t sleep and you wouldn’t believe how much he talks.”

Suni, who was turning away, quickly pouted her plump lips. Contrary to her expression, her tone overflowed with affection.

“Doesn’t his liveliness take right after you, nui?”

Yoonyi, who seemed to be searching his thoughts, added with a faint smile.

“Oh, you! Yoonyi, you adore children so much, why haven’t you gotten married yet? What will you do if you really die a bachelor ghost?”

Suni, who had been giggling innocently like a young girl, moved her lips, her face now slightly shadowed.

“You’re right.”

Whenever the topic of marriage came up, Yoonyi would needlessly avert his gaze and change the subject. He tried to slip away smoothly this time too, like a snake slithering over a wall.

“Oh my? I’m not joking, you know?”

“I know, but it just feels difficult for some reason.”

“What’s so difficult! Just go for it like I did! Honestly, did Manseok orabeoni ever even give me a glance? You know that even if my orabeoni doesn’t know much else, he’s steadfast and has his pride, right?”

Even though the peak of summer was still far off, Suni didn’t stop fanning herself with her hand. It seemed his hesitation was quite frustrating for her.

“Do you still like Manseok hyungnim that much?”

As if the mere thought made her happy, a deep smile had already formed on Suni’s lips. The sight of a woman thinking of her beloved was more beautiful than any other. Yoonyi, who was watching her blankly, asked carefully.

“What a silly question. I went through so much trouble chasing away all those girls who followed my orabeoni around.”

“But unlike other women, you won your love, nui. I think that’s truly amazing. To be honest, I still don’t really know what it means to be in love. Or if it’s a feeling I’m even allowed to have.”

Suni held out her hands, calloused from hard work, and clenched them into fists. There was no one in Peach Blossom Valley who didn’t know of Suni’s long-unrequited love for Manseok. Moreover, Manseok’s harsh and cold treatment of Suni was also famous. How had she not given up on her feelings after being rejected so many times? Yoonyi muttered as he stared blankly out the open window. His tone was somehow lonely, like an autumn night.

“I’ve watched you for nearly ten years, Yoonyi. For a man, aren’t you just too timid? What’s wrong with you that you’d say something like that? What are you lacking?”

As if she had been waiting for him to finish, Suni began to question him on every point.

“……N-nui?”

It was a completely unexpected reaction, and Yoonyi froze, unable to close his slightly parted lips.

“You need to have some confidence. If you just stand by like that, you won’t be able to hold on to someone you truly love when they appear. Even though I was criticized for being a woman who pursued a man so tenaciously, I’ve never once regretted it.”

“Thank you, nui. I think I’ve been able to sort out my thoughts a little thanks to you.”

Suni gripped Yoonyi’s shoulders firmly and spoke, putting strength into each syllable. Her face, which was always smiling innocently, was more serious than ever. At this, Yoonyi gave a slight nod.

“Now you look like you have some spirit. I feel like I can trust you with the small living quarters.”

At that, Suni’s lips curved into a grin, and her expression quickly became playful again.

“Sleep well.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow.”

Yoonyi’s gaze, which had been fixed on her retreating back, shifted downwards, and he stared blankly at the meal tray neatly covered with a cloth.

“……Even if you love someone, you cannot hold on to them.”

Suddenly, Suni’s last words endlessly echoed in his ears.

Come to think of it, what could the Young Master be eating while he was out? Worry quickly set in, and a sigh escaped through his teeth. He didn’t think he could eat alone. So, he carefully laid out the bedding in the corner and stepped outside.

With everyone gone, the living quarters, devoid of any human presence, were filled only with silence. Without the Young Master, even the chirping of the insects sounded louder.

Yoonyi settled himself forlornly under the eaves and looked up at the sky. Darkness had already fallen deeply, and the jet-black night sky was profusely filled with countless stars.

🎐⋆｡🍥

“Your Lordship, Young Master Hyowon has come to see you.”

Around the time the clouds thickly veiled the moon, someone knocked on the gate of Master Choi’s residence. Master Choi raised his pale, faded eyebrows, looking deeply puzzled.

“Hyowon? At this hour?”

Master Choi’s sharp eyes narrowed further.

“Yes. What should I do?”

“What do you mean, what should you do? Show him in at once.”

Chilseong sprinted towards the main gate.

“How strange. For you to come without Yoonyi, Hyowon. Why have you come alone?”

Master Choi, who was sitting on the wooden veranda reading a book, glanced down.

“……Master.”

Hesitation lingered on his lips for a long time. Hyowon simply lowered his gaze awkwardly.

“Why, did you come to share a drink with this old man?”

“Why must you call yourself old with every word, making your student feel embarrassed?”

It was a great relief that he didn’t press further and changed the subject. Hyowon let out a faint smile like a crescent moon and added.

“I say it to embarrass you. Okgeum, go and prepare a table with some drinks.”

As Hyowon stepped up into the men’s quarters with a good-natured laugh, Master Choi glanced at Okgeum, who was standing stiffly like a totem pole.

“……Well, actually, Your Lordship. What should I do? My apologies, but the wine we had brewed ran out yesterday.”

“What? You mean there’s no wine?”

Master Choi’s low voice, unusually, rang out thunderously through the old house.

“It is my fault for visiting so abruptly late at night. Why do you blame Okgeum?”

At this, Hyowon gently stepped in front of Okgeum. He was such a strapping man that the petite Okgeum was completely hidden from view.

“You, who knows better. ……What to do. Still, I can’t just send you away. Follow me.”

One of Master Choi’s eyebrows shot up. At his much softer tone, Okgeum secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Master Choi seemed to subtly check Hyowon’s complexion as he stood below, then he rose, put on his durumagi, and went outside. As he, a man who rarely went out late at night, started walking towards the main gate, Okgeum’s eyes widened.

“Soedol! Soedol! His Lordship is leaving.”

When Okgeum raised her voice, the door to the small servants’ quarters attached to the gate rattled open with a loud clatter.

Soedol, his face thick with sleep, rubbed his drowsy eyes and took the lantern Okgeum handed him. He then shone it at Master Choi’s feet and asked carefully.

“Master, are you perhaps heading to that place after a long while?”

“Yes, you rascal.”

Crunch, crunch. Due to the pitch-black night, there was no sign of anyone around. The only light was the faint glow of the moon.

After passing through the alley of Master Choi’s house and entering the marketplace, Hyowon asked again.

“Master, are we going somewhere far?”

“No. We’re just going up ahead, so there’s no need to worry.”

His steps came to a halt in the middle of the marketplace. The darkness had not yet lifted, but this place alone was as bright as day.

From beyond a wall significantly higher than the others, the clear, gentle sound of a gayageum cutting through the early summer night could be heard. In between the soft melodies, the occasional sound of women’s laughter, like rolling jade beads, melted in.

“M-Master, this place is.”

Hyowon slowly lifted his head, following the light. The sign was clearly engraved with the name Moran-gak. His usually composed voice trembled slightly.

“Why would you come to a place like this……”

“Stay still.”

Just as the toe of his Taesahye shoe began to turn as if to go back immediately, Master Choi’s firm voice pierced his ear. He gestured to Soedol with his eyes. Thump, thump. As he knocked loudly on the firmly shut gate, Hyowon’s brow furrowed slightly.

“My lord, why has it been so long since your last visit?”

The scent of face powder tickled the tip of his nose. The owner of a voice that could melt a man’s heart ran out in a single stride and stood beside Master Choi with practiced ease.

“Do I have the energy to come?”

“What a jest you make. But, isn’t that gentleman not the one who always accompanies you?”

The gisaeng, who had been acting coy at Master Choi’s words, suddenly burst into laughter and turned her gaze to Hyowon.

“I intend to just have a quiet drink and leave today. Is there a table available?”

“Of course, please come inside.”

Master Choi cut her off curtly without further explanation. She quickly gestured inside.

“You should come inside as well, my lord.”

As Hyowon still lingered outside, another gisaeng with fair white skin who had followed her out approached him slyly and linked her arm with his.

“I, this sort of thing is……”

“You are truly very shy.”

When Hyowon narrowed his eyes and pulled his arm away, she showed no sign of embarrassment and pressed her body stickily against his again.

Here and there were more than one or two men, flushed red from drink. They shamelessly embraced the women, teasing them freely. Hyowon forced himself to hide his discomfort, keeping his eyes fixed on his feet the entire time they walked.

🎐⋆｡🍥

Following the colorful silk skirts that embroidered the floor, they came to a labyrinthine, winding corridor. Their hurried steps soon led them to the innermost part of the building.

“Please come this way. My lord, are you truly certain you have no need for women?”

“The student who came with me is a complete novice, so it’s fine.”

The woman slid open the paper door and looked at Master Choi with glistening eyes as she asked. Master Choi responded with a hearty laugh.

“But my, how handsomely manly you are. I never knew there was such a fine figure in Peach Blossom Valley.”

The gisaeng clung to him affectionately, her gaze flirtatious. In the brief moment their eyes met, a deep lust flickered in her jet-black pupils.

“You didn’t know because I never frequented places like this.”

“Please visit us often. If it is you, my lord, there will be a line of those who would not refuse to serve you.”

“Ahem, what are you saying……”

She moved in close to his ear and whispered. At that, Hyowon’s face flushed fiery red as if it would burst into flames. He let a flicker of displeasure show and averted his gaze.

“Well then, please call us again if you need anything.”

As the gisaeng, wearing a radiant smile, closed the door and left, the surroundings were enveloped in silence.

“I didn’t know that you also visited places like this, Master.”

Behind him was a dazzling folding screen with peonies. Hyowon, whose gaze had been darting here and there, slowly took a seat at the liquor table.

“I tend to stop by when friends visit. Are you by any chance disappointed in me?”

“Not at all. In fact, it is rarer not to visit.”

It was not a major fault for a nobleman to embrace a gisaeng. Hadn’t his own father, Lord Kim, lived with a much younger wife and occasionally come home smelling of a strange fragrance? Hyowon picked up the liquor pitcher and began to fill Master Choi’s empty cup.

“Speaking of which. I’ve been curious for a while, why do you refuse women so?”

Finding Hyowon’s rather firm answer very strange, Master Choi, who had been staring at him, narrowed his brow sharply and asked.

“……Pardon?”

Clink. The clear sound of ceramics clashing rang through the quiet room.

The tremor that started in his chest traveled to his fingertips, and Hyowon froze on the spot. Was it that obvious? To be precise, it wasn’t that he avoided women, but that he already had someone in his heart. A quiet turmoil stirred in Hyowon’s eyes.

“I knew you wouldn’t tell me. From some point on, didn’t you startle at even the slightest touch of Okgeum’s fingertips?”

“Truly, Master, you cannot be fooled.”

As Master Choi briskly emptied his cup, Hyowon followed suit and continued speaking. He was grateful for his master’s constant, careful attention, but at the same time, his vision suddenly went dark as he wondered how to convey this. Hyowon dropped his gaze and began to fill the cups again.

“Yes, so speak your mind freely. What on earth is the reason. Could it be, is there a problem with your body?”

Master Choi, who had been watching him with a concerned expression, asked very cautiously. Worry mixed with the wrinkles on his face, casting a dark shadow. It was not right to worry his master either, so Hyowon finished his cup and slowly began to speak.

“No, it is not that. It is simply because there is someone I have held in my heart for a long time.”

“……You, Hyowon?”

A moment of silence fell. Master Choi’s graying eyebrows shot up to his forehead, and his jaw dropped open, seemingly unable to close for a long time.

“Yes.”

“Is social status the problem?”

There was no hesitation in Hyowon’s reply. The mere thought of this person made him happy, and the corners of his mouth tilted up slightly. Master Choi, watching him quietly, asked again.

“Social status……”