TYMIR Ch 11

As a warm, gentle breeze began to blow, the white snow that had piled up in the yard melted away without a trace. From every narrow crevice between the stones, new life weakly sprouted, and on every branch, green leaves hung lushly. The biting cold had retreated, and a perfect spring had arrived.

“……It’s a completely different world.”

Suni, who was staring blankly over the wall, muttered lifelessly. The drooping corners of her mouth plainly revealed her gloom. Her vacant eyes took in the main men’s quarters, from which boisterous sounds were echoing.

“Sister, don’t be like that. Go on over, even now. I’ll watch over things here.”

Yoonyi, who was sitting on the wooden porch twisting straw, spoke to her suggestively.

“No, it’s alright. Makgae and Manseok oppa aren’t here either. How can I leave my post as well.”

At that, Suni finally tore her gaze away and shook her head.

“By the way, is the young master still asleep?”

Suni’s eyes flickered toward the closed door of the small cottage. Still, not even the sound of even breathing could be heard from inside.

“Yes, he seemed very tired after returning early from his teacher’s house.”

“He must be. Yes, it’s probably better for him to sleep on a day like this.”

Suni’s voice was occasionally followed by a sigh. Lord Kim, who usually emphasized thrift and frugality, had chosen an auspicious day right after the spring equinox to throw a grand feast. All for the sake of the unborn baby.

Thanks to that, the Kim household, which had been bustling since the crack of dawn, was so crowded with guests that the threshold was about to wear out.

However, no one paid any attention to the small, isolated cottage, making it so quiet it was almost eerie. The sound of the wind passing through the wooden porch sounded unusually loud.

“Oh, instead of this, do you want to go to the mountain with me to gather some herbs?”

“……The mountain?”

Suddenly, Suni’s chubby fingertips pointed somewhere toward the back mountain. The incident of being hunted in the mountains by Lord Lee, and then encountering a wild boar the size of a house in the mountains last winter while searching for the young master, had made him feel inexplicably afraid. Yoonyi, who barely managed to swallow dryly, asked back in a trembling voice.

“What’s wrong?”

“W-will there be any beasts?”

Sensing a somewhat unusual reaction, Suni asked back slyly. At this, Yoonyi, after hesitating for a moment, asked evasively.

“Beasts? Are you scared of something like that?”

As if it were very unexpected, Suni’s eyes widened refreshingly. Yoonyi scratched the back of his head and slowly nodded.

“Beasts, my foot. It’s so low and gentle. I’ve gone up and down so many times and haven’t even seen a single squirrel.”

“Really? But if the young master wakes up……”

His jet-black eyes suddenly tilted toward the cottage. Just then, as the sunlight shone warmly, a hint of worry flickered across his clear eyes.

“Once he falls asleep, you could carry him away and he wouldn’t even know.”

“Then shall we go and come back quickly?”

Suni moved in close and waved her hand. Listening to the joyous sounds coming from the feast was making him quite restless anyway. Maybe this would actually make him feel a bit better. The corners of Yoonyi’s mouth drew a slight curve.

“Yes, let’s also prepare the herbs and get some food from the feast later to set up a grand table for him.”

“Yes, sister.”

Imagining how happy the young master would be, a smile spread across his face. Yoonyi quickly grabbed two hoes and a basket.

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“It’s not so rough and quite nice, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I should have come sooner.”

Contrary to the tension he had been holding, the mountain located behind the house was not rugged. Apart from the occasional tall trees, everything was low and gentle, exuding a very tranquil atmosphere. As they climbed the narrow path at the entrance, fresh blue leaves that had drunk in the spring sparkled vibrantly. When he took a deep breath, fresh air filled his lungs deeply.

“Aish, forget it. The young master looks for you so much when you’re not around.”

Suni narrowed her eyes and shot him a playful look. At that, Yoonyi, feeling awkward, put on a stiff smile and held out the hoe.

“I’m telling you, there’s not a hair of a beast to be seen, is there?”

Suni seemed to think for a moment, then quickly narrowed her brow and smiled mischievously. Yoonyi slowly looked around. Occasionally, the sound of a small animal rustling through the bushes and the sound of a mountain bird flapping its wings vigorously reached his ears.

“……You’re right.”

“On a mountain like this, even if there were any, it would be a few rabbits at most.”

Suni, who was looking pitifully at his strangely stiff form, patted his back as if to reassure him. The lingering unease in a corner of his heart was probably because the roar of the tiger he had heard when being chased by Lord Lee was still clearly etched in his ears. But there was no way a tiger would appear on a low hill that was almost like a mound. Yoonyi slowly calmed his breathing.

“Look, it looks like this. You just have to dig this up.”

Suni, who had been furtively glancing at his pale face, spotted a freshly sprouted mountain herb and began to hoe skillfully.

“Yes, sister. But do you usually come alone?”

“Of course. If I ask Manseok oppa to come with me, he always ignores me. And as for Makgae, you know he doesn’t listen to anyone, right?”

With a few strong strokes of the hoe, the mountain herb quickly revealed its roots. At Yoonyi’s question, who was staring blankly at it, Suni smacked her lips and replied. Her face looked strangely lonely.

“From now on, come with me.”

“Shall we? Anyway, don’t go too far. Let’s just dig around here and go back soon.”

Suni smiled brightly and gestured vaguely with her hand at the surrounding area.

“Okay, sister.”

Yoonyi quickly scanned the ground thoroughly. Then he dug up one that looked exactly like the herb he had just seen and put it in the basket. By the time the empty basket was filled with green mountain herbs.

“Sister, is this enough?”

Yoonyi turned his back abruptly and asked. But, it was a truly strange thing. It felt like he hadn’t strayed far from that spot at all. But Suni was nowhere to be seen. Before he could even feel bewildered, a heavy anxiety overcame him.

Crack.

At the gruesome sound of a tree branch breaking helplessly under something heavy, Yoonyi’s gaze was drawn as if possessed. Far away, between the tall pine trees, the menacing eyes of a beast were clearly visible. Those bright yellow eyes blazed like the sun. He was sure he hadn’t heard any sound until just a moment ago, but there, like a lie, a huge tiger stood majestically.

“……T-tiger.”

All strength drained from his body, and he ended up collapsing. He repeatedly tried to get up by pushing off with his ankles to escape, but like a newborn animal, he couldn’t get any purchase and just kept slipping on the leaves. Yoonyi flailed his slender arms at the ground pitifully.

“G-go away!”

When his hand, which had been scrabbling at the ground, grabbed a tree branch, Yoonyi waved it around frantically. Nevertheless, the tiger approached, narrowing the distance very slowly as if it didn’t care. One step, another step. As it got closer, he couldn’t even make a sound due to its overwhelming presence. It didn’t seem to be approaching that fast, but the tiger was soon within arm’s reach. It felt as if its sharp fangs would bite his neck and swallow him whole in one gulp. He was so afraid his whole body trembled like an aspen tree.

Was it his fate to die by a tiger attack after trying so hard to escape? Yoonyi closed his eyes tightly in resignation. The hot breath of the beast poured onto his exposed skin.

A moment felt like a hundred years. The tiger, which had been burying its nose in his neck for a long time, strangely pulled back. At this, Yoonyi opened his eyes to a slit and cautiously assessed the situation.

“I knew I would meet you again.”

A very clear and distinct voice fiercely tore through his ears. Who on earth could be speaking in this mountain? Yoonyi, with a half-dazed face, looked around in all directions. But there was not even a shadow, let alone a person, to be found anywhere.

“You fool, where are you looking now?”

The voice came again. Yoonyi very slowly turned his gaze toward the sound. The huge tiger was looking down at him quietly with worried eyes. A sigh escaped intermittently through its long, parted teeth.

“……Pardon?”

What on earth was it talking about. Why was a tiger he had never seen before sighing at him? In the first place, could a beast even speak? There was no way to know. His neat eyebrows were halfway up his round forehead and showed no sign of coming down.

“……Do you not recognize me because I have changed my form?”

The tiger tilted its large head. For a moment, a brilliant light burst forth, so bright he couldn’t open his eyes. Feeling as if his pupils would melt, Yoonyi covered them with the back of his hand. When the light seeping through the gaps had subsided, he very slowly lowered the back of his hand.

“Am-am I dreaming right now?”

The tiger was gone, and in its place stood the tall, handsome man who had saved him from the wild boar last winter. Yoonyi’s lower jaw trembled as he muttered to himself.

“You had a clueless face back then too. Don’t tell me you don’t know how to become a fox?”

The tiger, no, the man, stared intently at Yoonyi, as if to pierce through his small body. His mind was a jumble of confusion about what on earth was happening, and he couldn’t think at all.

“M-Mr. Tiger, wh-what are you saying?”

Unable to stay silent any longer, Yoonyi forgot his fear and mustered the courage to ask.

“Oh, you pitiful thing. It seems you don’t even know what you are.”

“Wh-what does that mean…”

Was he wandering alone in a dream? His pale, drained face was colored with confusion.

“From the looks of it, you’re still living with that little master. How about you leave him and come with me?”

The man suddenly held out a large hand with prominent knuckles. It was a warm hand that looked as if it could embrace everything just by looking at it. As if bewitched, Yoonyi’s hand rose into the air. It was the moment he was about to take the man’s hand.

“Ah, no. The young master is waiting for me.”

Suddenly, a gentle face flickered before his eyes like a phantom. Only then did Yoonyi hastily withdraw his hand.

“If a being that is not human continues to mix with them, trouble will surely arise. This is why the young and small ones…”

At that, the man sighed with a lament. A hint of worry settled on his handsome face.

“Mark my words. You are different from humans, so if anything ever happens, be sure to come find me.”

A brilliant light fiercely rushed in. The handsome man once again transformed into a huge tiger. The tiger turned its back without any lingering attachment and was about to disappear like mist into the dense forest.

“Wh-where should I go!”

It felt like he couldn’t let him go just like this. Feeling a sense of urgency, Yoonyi shouted.

“Just go up any nearby mountain and say you have come to find the Mountain Lord.”

At that, the tiger’s steps finally stopped. He glanced back, left those words, and then vanished into the thick green foliage.

“…Mountain Lord.”

Yoonyi repeated his words like an echo. His dazed, unfocused eyes still stared into the empty air as if following the tiger’s retreating form. But his vision kept blurring.

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“Y-Young Master!”

Hyowon, who had just woken up, was rubbing his eyelids with a drowsy face. A piercing voice fiercely tore through his ears. So frightened was she, Suni ran in with a face that had turned blue.

“Y-Yoonyi. He’s disappeared!”

“What are you talking about!”

The sleepy haze that had settled on his acorn-like round face vanished as if washed away. Hyowon, who had gotten up from his seat, had a face twisted in distress.

“H-he was definitely right next to me picking herbs, but when I looked to tell him let’s go…”

As Hyowon came close and shook her shoulders frantically, Suni’s back heaved as she sobbed loudly.

“Where was it?”

His startled steps reached the stone steps in a single bound.

“Young Master.”

Manseok, who had returned from weeding the fields all day, bowed his head upon seeing Hyowon. But for some reason, both of their faces were not just white, but deathly pale.

“Manseok, let’s go find, Y-Yoonyi together.”

In the large household, Manseok was one of the few trustworthy people. Hyowon ran down to the yard in his socks and grabbed and shook the hem of Manseok’s jeogori. On his clear eyes, transparent dew had already gathered and was shimmering like waves.

“Where was it?”

“…The, the back mountain!”

Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Manseok immediately looked at Suni with cold eyes. As soon as the words left Suni’s frozen lips, Manseok hoisted Hyowon onto his back and ran off.

“Brother, let’s go together!”

Suni clutched her skirt and quickly followed.

“What is all that about?”

Makgae, who was just passing the wall of the main men’s quarters, stared blankly at the whole scene and then quietly followed behind.

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The sun was gradually beginning to set, and as they entered the foot of the mountain, an early darkness had already descended like twilight.

“Where was it!”

As Manseok slightly bent his back, Hyowon quickly jumped down. Then, he rubbed his thoroughly wet eyes fiercely with the back of his hand and demanded of Suni.

“A-around here. He was definitely here with me picking herbs.”

Yoonyi was certainly not one to disappear like that without a word. Had he lost his way? Or had he collapsed from illness? His mind was in such a turmoil he couldn’t stay still. Before he knew it, Hyowon’s legs were frantically pushing through the bushes.

“Young Master, it is dangerous to go on a mountain path carelessly.”

“Still, how can I just stay still.”

A thick hand gripped his small shoulder. But Yoonyi’s face kept flickering before his eyes, and he couldn’t wait patiently. His once sharp voice was now tinged with moisture.

“Y-Young Master, over there!”

Suddenly, Suni pointed somewhere. The fingertips were calloused and cracked. Where her gaze landed, a hoe and a basket were scattered about. Hyowon ran towards it like a madman. Just then, through the dense trees, a faint glimpse of a white jeogori hem could be seen.

“Yoonyi!”

When the setting sun finally revealed the figure completely, Hyowon went down the slope without hesitation. Jet-black hair, skin as white as a pear blossom. Below that, eyebrows as black as if drawn, and finely featured facial features. It was Yoonyi. It was indeed the Yoonyi he had been searching for so desperately. He seemed not to have regained consciousness yet, lying peacefully as if asleep.

“Oh my! Why is he collapsed over there?”

“Yoonyi, pull yourself together.”

A hand, drenched in sweat, repeatedly touched the smooth face. The soft skin slid as if slipping. The long eyelashes between the beautifully closed eyelids seemed to tremble for a moment, then instantly curled up.

“Young Master…?”

“Are you coming to your senses?”

On his still-hazy pupils, a small, tearful face, as if frightened, was fully reflected.

“Yoonyi.”

Clear dew flowed endlessly down Hyowon’s cheeks from his eyes. Startled by this, Yoonyi shot up.

“Young Master, why are you crying?”

“It’s alright. As long as you’re okay.”

The child’s half-hoarse voice was tinged with an unfading sadness. At that pitiful sight, Yoonyi couldn’t hold back and embraced him fully.

“Yoonyi! I was so worried. The young master was too.”

“Sister.”

A voice that seemed to pierce his ears came from behind him belatedly. Suni, whose complexion was usually dark, was also pale and clearly startled.

“Where did you go without a word while picking herbs!”

“I’m sorry, my vision suddenly blurred…”

Despite the repeated questioning, he couldn’t speak honestly, as if someone was blocking his throat. So he just made a vague excuse.

“Did you really, f-faint?”

Hyowon, who had been in his arms all this time, lifted his head and asked in a worried tone.

“I’m fine now, Young Master. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Seeing the child’s incredibly fragile state, Yoonyi quickly patted his back and apologized. Then he also gave a small bow to Suni and Manseok.

“Sister, Manseok hyungnim. I’m sorry for causing such a commotion.”

“It’s fine! If the young master says it’s okay, who’s to say otherwise.”

Suni retorted in a sulky tone and turned her back. But she must have been wiping her eyes with the back of her hand repeatedly, as her eyes were already red and swollen.

“Thank you, sister.”

An indescribable emotion surged within him, feeling the heartfelt concern of the young master, his sister, and his hyungnim who had all come up here to find him. So Yoonyi just whispered quietly.

“It’s alright now, let’s go down.”