TYMIR Ch 14

“…By the way, I heard the physician visited the inner quarters again?”

One of the women, who was washing a mountain of dishes, finally managed to move her lips after frantically glancing around.

Time passed so quickly. It felt like only yesterday that the water was icy cold, making them rush to finish the dishes, but now that the water wasn’t so frigid, the chatter came first and the piled-up dishes were an afterthought.

“Why? Is the madam ill?”

“Goodness. Not the madam, he came for the young master.”

Another woman, frustrated by the first one’s cluelessness, cut in sharply.

“Come to think of it, is the young master still unable to speak properly?”

“Heavens, you’ll be punished if you’re overheard saying such things!”

Another woman, who was opening the cauldron lid, shrugged and shook her head.

“No, I just mean, you know. Huh?”

“He is a bit slow. Master Hyowon was babbling before he even turned one, but they say Master Seunghun barely started at the age of three.”

“It’s not just a bit, it seems far too late.”

As if on cue, another woman chimed in. The kitchen, which had been filled only with the buseureok buseureok sound of scrubbing brass bowls, was suddenly filled with murmuring voices that rose to the ceiling.

“So, you know that girl, Suni, who serves in the main detached quarters where the master stays? She said that His Lordship sighs every time he sees Master Seunghun.”

“I would too, if it were me. After ten years, he finally had a son with a much younger second wife, and then this…”

The woman’s face darkened as if it were her own problem, the corners of her eyes drooping.

While their conversation unfolded in secret, Yoonyi had been standing motionlessly in a corner of the kitchen like a wooden totem pole. At times like this, having sharp ears was truly awkward. It meant that even stories he didn’t want to hear would find their way to him.

Just then, as the conversation paused, Yoonyi took the opportunity to make his presence known.

“…Excuse me, I’m here to get the refreshments for the young master.”

“Oh, oh, Yoonyi, you’re here.”

The women who had been chattering away fell silent, as if nothing had happened. The once-noisy kitchen was again filled only with the quiet sound of scrubbing brass bowls.

“Should I prepare tea and hangwa for the elder young master today as well?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Thanks to his frequent visits to pick up refreshment trays, the women now naturally reached for the hangwa as soon as Yoonyi entered.

“Master Hyowon loved hangwa so much even when he was little. I wonder how he grew up to resemble His Lordship so exactly. Have you ever seen even the old man get surprised?”

“That’s right, that’s right! To think that tiny little master has already grown so tall and handsome.”

The chatter, which had briefly stopped, started up again. Hyowon was now fifteen. Over the course of dozens of seasons, the boy who barely reached their waists had grown to look quite like a young man. In any case, praise was better to hear than criticism. Yoonyi quietly waited for the small dining table to be filled.

“Sigh, what good is it? His Lordship still won’t even look his way.”

But the pleasantries didn’t last long. At the single comment from the woman boiling water in the cauldron, Yoonyi’s eyes trembled violently. At times like this, his heart felt like it was plummeting. He had still never seen Lord Kim offer a single warm word to Hyowon. Feeling extremely uncomfortable in this place, Yoonyi stared down at his own feet.

“I don’t think that’s true. Maybe it’s because Master Seunghun is not doing so well. I heard there are rumors that the way His Lordship looks at Master Hyowon has changed recently.”

“Where do you wenches think you are, flapping your mouths so carelessly?”

At that moment, along with a sharp tone, Yeonim kicked open the wooden door as if to break it and strode in. She made no effort to hide her furious demeanor. Fearing they’d be caught in the crossfire of her fierce, wrathful expression, the others fell silent and lowered their heads.

“What are you doing? Drag them out immediately!”

As Yeonim roared, several strong men stormed in like the wind and roughly seized the arms of the women who had been gossiping moments before.

“Oh, Y-Yeonim. I misspoke. P-Please, spare me just this once, please?”

“There are things you can and cannot misspeak about. How dare you, ungrateful wretches, speak ill of the young master?”

The woman begged, rubbing her hands together like a fly. Tears streamed down her plump cheeks. Nevertheless, Yeonim’s anger did not subside.

“Drag them out now.”

“P-Please forgive me just this once!”

The woman’s wails pierced his ears. The air in the kitchen froze, as if all sound had vanished. Yoonyi could only stare at his feet, clenching his trembling hands.

“…Consider yourself lucky today.”

Through his wavering vision, the hem of a black skirt came into view. When he cautiously raised his head, Yeonim was standing right in front of him. After glaring at him with a fierce intensity, she left a warning that there wouldn’t be a next time and abruptly left the kitchen.

“Good heavens, what kind of disaster is this.”

“How can anyone live in this frightening place…”

“Who would have thought the master’s household, which was so peaceful, would become like this.”

Once Yeonim swept through the kitchen and left, sighs erupted from all around. A chill lingered in the air, making it hard to believe that spring was in full bloom.

“Yoonyi, are you alright?”

“…Yes.”

The woman who had been staring at Yoonyi’s unusually pale face asked as she handed him the small table.

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He had no idea how he’d managed to get out of the kitchen, fear rising from the soles of his feet. His thin legs swayed like reeds. The sunlight was so gentle, yet he was chilled to the bone.

“…Y-Yoonyi?”

Seeing Yoonyi’s unusual complexion as he rushed through the side gate of the small detached quarters, Hyowon, who had been reading a book on the main wooden porch, quickly rose to his feet.

“Young Master…”

“Why are you so deathly pale?”

Hyowon, whose eyes were now almost level with his, looked into Yoonyi’s dark eyes with affection as he asked.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. It seems you’re the one who needs to drink the tea.”

He couldn’t bring himself to trouble Hyowon’s mind with such trivial matters. Yoonyi mumbled a vague reply. At that, Hyowon’s eyes instantly narrowed. Hyowon gently pulled Yoonyi by the wrist, led him to the wooden floor to sit, and quietly pushed the teacup from the small table towards him.

“Oh, no, Young Master, how could I drink yours. I’m fine.”

“It’s alright, just drink it.”

When Yoonyi shook his head to decline, Hyowon placed the teacup directly into his palm. As the warmth seeped into his hand, his heart seemed to calm down a little. So, Yoonyi managed to take a sip of the tea he was given.

“Did you see Yeonim throwing another one of her fits?”

Hyowon finally asked casually. Yoonyi couldn’t bring himself to say yes or no. As Yoonyi’s lips silently pressed together,

“Yeonim has been by my younger brother’s side since he was born, so it must be even more upsetting for her to hear such rumors. But I don’t understand why people have so much to say about a small child.”

Hyowon let out a deep sigh and stared blankly into the distance. The baby fat that once plumped his cheeks had faded, revealing a slender, sharp jawline.

“Are you alright, Young Master?”

“Me? Am I not always the same, now as then? It’s just…”

Hyowon’s voice, which had been continuing with a slightly bitter smile, suddenly faded into the air. From beneath his long eyelashes that curved up like the eaves of a roof, his clear eyes suddenly turned towards Yoonyi.

“Yoonyi, you must always be careful. I don’t think Mother is the same as before, likely because of my younger brother’s situation.”

“Yes, I will do so.”

Hyowon ended up swallowing his words. Just seeing Yeonim’s attitude was more than enough to guess Madam Han’s inner turmoil. Seeing that worried look, the corners of Yoonyi’s lips gently formed an arc.

“Yoonyi is all grown up now, why do you fuss over him so much?”

“Fuss over him? Who said I was fussing? And where did you pop out from?”

Makgae, who had been watching the scene from a distance, suddenly stuck his head over the wall. At that, Hyowon cleared his throat with a dry cough, heum heum, and immediately scolded him.

“Where else? I was sweeping down here.”

Makgae then shuffled around the wall and quickly showed them the broom he was holding.

“Hyungnim, I’ll help too.”

At that, Yoonyi, who had been sitting on his bottom, shot to his feet. His pale complexion hadn’t returned yet, and a sigh escaped through Hyowon’s teeth. When his gaze met Yoonyi’s, Hyowon quickly averted his eyes back to his book.

“Really? Then take that and sweep the yard.”

Makgae glanced at Hyowon, then pointed to another broom leaning against a pillar.

“Yes, hyungnim.”

Yoonyi gently swept the yard, careful not to kick up dust. On that warm spring day, Hyowon, sitting on the main porch, pretended to read his book while gazing intently at Yoonyi. His fair skin was tinged with a faint red hue wherever the spring sun touched it.

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“It was so comfortable when I was the young master’s personal servant…”

A half-hearted whine escaped Makgae’s wide-open lips. Whenever Hyowon read a book, he used to lean against a pillar and nap, but this? Sweeping the yard, fetching water, even going out to the fields. He didn’t have a moment to sit his bottom down.

As if mocking Makgae’s predicament, a burst of laughter was heard from over the wall. Makgae’s gaze instinctively twisted. For whatever reason, that Yoonyi fellow was grinning at Hyowon even while sweeping the yard.

“It’s all because of that detestable brat.”

The anger he had barely suppressed surged up again. Makgae glared fiercely at Yoonyi with blazing eyes.

“Ah, whatever.”

Then he suddenly threw down the A-frame carrier on his back and plopped down at the base of the wall. Scold me if you want. As he was resting with his legs spread wide,

“Makgae, the madam wishes to see you.”

A familiar voice came from behind him. His expression immediately crumpled.

“Again?”

“What do you mean, ‘again,’ you brat!”

When Makgae asked back with his brow deeply furrowed, Chilbok’s snake-like, slanted eyes shot up as he threatened to raise a hand at any moment.

“Aish, I get it, old man. I’m going, I’m going!”

Makgae reluctantly heaved his heavy body to his feet.

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“So, is everything alright in the small detached quarters?”

Madam Han, sitting ramrod straight on a thick mattress, asked the moment Makgae crossed the threshold.

“…Yes, nothing special.”

Makgae was getting sick of the same question every time he was summoned like this, but the important thing was… no matter how he wracked his brain, he had nothing to report. Master Hyowon was always so meticulous, the only place he ever went was Master Choi’s house. And that Yoonyi brat, though a bit detestable, never slacked off. A bland answer finally escaped the lips of Makgae, who had been hesitating for a long while.

“I told you to report even the smallest things.”

When the displeased Madam Han turned her head and sighed, a frustrated Yeonim abruptly raised her voice.

“There has to be something for me to report!”

It was truly frustrating enough to kill him when they pressed him like this. He had only agreed to it lightly, thinking he’d just get Yoonyi kicked out, but he never imagined it would drag on for several years. At that, Madam Han’s jet-black eyes grew cold.

“I-I’m sorry, Madam.”

A chill ran down Makgae’s spine at her menacing aura, like that of a giant snake opening its maw to attack, and he lowered his head.

“No, one cannot fabricate things that did not happen. That will be all. You may leave.”

“…Yes.”

After staring at the top of Makgae’s head for a long time, Madam Han finally looked away. Just as Makgae was slowly getting up, for some reason, he suddenly plopped his bottom back down on the floor.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Yeonim, clearly displeased by his posture, immediately showed her annoyance.

“…Um, Madam, it’s not that this one wants anything.”

Makgae began to pick at his grimy fingernails, beating around the bush. At his shameless and absurd behavior, Madam Han let out a hollow laugh.

“Well, well, the nerve of him.”

Yeonim’s eyes bulged as if she were about to faint on the spot. Madam Han waved her elegant hand as if to stop her. Then, she took a small silk pouch from a drawer and tossed it onto the floor.

“Oh, Madam. Thank you. Next time, this one will surely bring good news. Please believe me.”

With a ddaenggeurang sound, the pouch rolled to a stop right in front of his nose. Makgae quickly snatched it up, tucked it into his clothes, and got to his feet.

“If you bring news that pleases me, I will give you something far more valuable than mere coins.”

“…If you say more valuable.”

Madam Han whispered softly, just loud enough for the greedy back turning away to hear. Makgae gulped and turned around. His dark eyes glinted with avarice.

“Madam, why would you give something so valuable to a wretched fool like him?”

“What else can I do? He is the only one we have in the small detached quarters.”

As soon as Makgae left, Yeonim hastily closed the distance and approached. With a face as dark as storm clouds, Madam Han just kept exhaling hot breaths.

“Madam, Master Seunghun has woken up.”

“Bring him in at once.”

When the maid’s voice was heard from outside the door, Madam Han’s face brightened up as if nothing had happened.

“Mother.”

A small child came running and buried himself in the folds of Madam Han’s skirt.

“Yes, yes. Seunghun. You’re awake now.”

“M-Mother, where is hyungnim?”

Madam Han, finding her young son so very lovely, patted his back and held his hand. Seunghun, who had been blinking quietly, looked around and mumbled with his small lips.

“…Why are you looking for that wretched, I mean, your hyungnim?”

Madam Han’s tone, which had sharpened for a moment, became gentle again as soon as she faced her innocent child’s face.

“I want to p-play with hyungnim, too.”

Seunghun answered innocently, his round eyes crinkling into a smile. The child’s clueless answer only deepened Madam Han’s worries.

“Instead of that, how about you study with your mother?”

“N-No!”

Madam Han, who had been sighing heavily, managed to fix her expression and looked at her child. Seunghun’s face suddenly crumpled and he shouted. He must have hated studying that much, as his eyes were already welling up with tears.

“Young Master, I will play with you. Please stop crying.”

“R-Really? Will you play horsey with me?”

Unable to watch any longer, Yeonim stepped in, and Seunghun’s lips curved into a bright smile as he looked delighted.

“Get on.”

Without a word, Yeonim bent over, got on all fours on the floor, and offered her back. Seunghun giggled, kareureu, and quickly climbed on top. Madam Han, who had been staring blankly at the bizarre sight with empty eyes, let out a deep sigh.

“How could this be.”

“M-Madam.”

Madam Han’s body swayed for a moment, and the maid beside her quickly supported her.

“Do not make a fuss. Just make sure no sound leaks outside.”

“Yes, yes, Madam.”

Madam Han fiercely shook off the approaching hands and sat back down on the mattress. At her command, the windows, through which the warm spring sun had been pouring, were all shut tight.

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“Yoonyi, we need to hurry a little.”