TYMIR Ch 25

Before the crack of dawn, the dim sky hung low, hazy and almost within reach. Yoonyi’s eyelids slowly closed and opened, again and again, in the dusky room.

His heart was heavy, causing him to toss and turn all night, and now his head was throbbing. As a child, Hyowon had been so timid he couldn’t even meet Madam’s eyes. But yesterday, he was like a completely different person. Having stood up to her like that, the mere thought of the repercussions to come made Yoonyi tremble.

What on earth had changed him? His chest ached with a persistent, suffocating feeling.

“…Haaa.”

No matter how he racked his memory, the feeling of being tangled in layers upon layers of vines only intensified. Figuring he would be swallowed by his thoughts if he lay there any longer, Yoonyi carefully left the room before Hyowon woke up.

“Did the young master really stand up to the madam?”

“…Noona.”

A voice trailed over Yoonyi’s head as he sat hunched on the wooden porch. Where his gaze landed, Suni was standing with a stiff expression, showing no sign of sleepiness.

“What were you thinking about to be so startled?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just….”

“I was so shocked when I heard it in the servants’ quarters yesterday. Nothing like this has ever happened before, has it?”

Suni tilted her head, her face still full of disbelief. It was understandable. He had always been obedient, like a shadow in the house. Unsure of how to respond, Yoonyi simply nodded.

“You must have been very surprised too, Yoonyi. Don’t tell me that’s why you couldn’t sleep?”

His pale face had turned ashen overnight. Seeing this, Suni stopped prying and tactfully changed the subject.

“N-no. I just woke up early.”

“Really? You should still get some more sleep. You must be tired.”

“Noona, are you going to get breakfast now?”

But Yoonyi knew he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep anyway.

Just then, he noticed the small dining table in her hands. Feeling that it would be better to move his body, Yoonyi asked, his eyes shining.

“Yes, I was just about to go. Want to come with me?”

As her chubby finger pointed toward the side gate, Yoonyi quickly got to his feet. The mansion, settled in the dawn, was incredibly quiet, save for the sparse sound of a broom sweeping the yard.

“It’s hard enough following the young master around, why do you have to worry about his meals too? By the way, Yoonyi, how long are you planning to live your life only looking after the young master?”

Suni, who had been walking slowly, glanced at him and began to nag with a sigh. How long, Yoonyi smiled awkwardly as if he’d heard a very foreign phrase and replied.

“I have to take care of him for my entire life. There’s no such thing as ‘how long’.”

“You really are stubborn.”

At his stubbornness, Suni shook her head from side to side. Even at this early hour, a savory, appetizing smell wafted from the kitchen.

“Mom, I’m here.”

“Alright. Oh? Goodness, Yoonyi is here too.”

Yeonggil’s mother, who had turned around, greeted Yoonyi standing beside Suni first.

“Hello.”

“Why are you up and here already?”

“I just… somehow ended up here.”

“I bet you followed her because you were worried about the young master.”

Another woman cut in abruptly. It seemed everyone now knew, as it wasn’t the first or second time he had followed Suni to the kitchen when he couldn’t sleep. At this, Yoonyi awkwardly twisted his lips into a smile.

“Oh my, Yoonyi, you’re of age now. You should be thinking about getting married soon. You can’t just live your life looking after the young master forever.”

Yeonggil’s mother added playfully, looking at Yoonyi standing blankly in the corner.

“…Pardon?”

“Why are you so surprised? It’s not like I’m wrong.”

Simultaneously, Yoonyi’s dark pupils wavered as if caught in a storm. Suni slowly nodded. From here and there, voices chimed in with “That’s right, that’s right,” as if in agreement.

“N-no. The young master hasn’t married yet.”

Yoonyi quickly waved his hands in denial. But his thoroughly flustered expression had already melted away.

“Oh my! So naive. Where is it written that a servant can’t marry first? Should I introduce you to a nice young lady?”

The woman who was placing rice bowls on the table came right up to his face and asked.

“Looking at you up close, you’re a bit small in stature, but your face is incredibly pretty!”

“Come to think of it, he looks just like he did when he was a child.”

Suni also joined in, scrutinizing Yoonyi as if examining him. Under the barrage of intense gazes, Yoonyi’s fair skin turned beet red, looking as if it would burst.

“Auntie, but our Yoonyi is very nimble with his hands! Honestly, the young master can be a bit picky, right? He’s never once been scolded, you know?”

At Suni’s words, the murmurs of “Really?” grew louder here and there.

“Aish, as long as a man is good at his work, that’s all that matters.”

Yeonggil’s mother muttered with a sorrowful look, beating her chest. At this rate, it felt like they would marry him off before the young master. So, Yoonyi spoke in a slightly firm voice.

“N-no. I’m fine.”

“Yoonyi, how old are you this year?”

However, in the kitchen filled with a mixture of various noises, starting with the sound of a knife hitting a cutting board, his weak voice was quickly buried and went unheard.

“I’m, t-twenty-four.”

“That’s quite late.”

“Late! My brother Manseok married me around that age.”

Suni snapped, raising her voice at another woman’s comment.

“Oh really? Manseok married you? Anyway, it’ll be harder if you wait any longer. I should set you up with someone before you miss your chance.”

The woman, who had been busily cooking, took a step back from the furious Suni and retorted. No matter how many times he shook his head and said he was fine, the topic seemed to have been completely fixed on his marriage. It wasn’t even weather to be sweating, yet his forehead was already clammy, and he kept letting out hot breaths. The moment he took a deep breath, a familiar scent faintly lingered at the tip of his nose amidst the savory smells of the kitchen.

Pleased, Yoonyi quickly stepped over the threshold.

“…That’s strange, I was sure I smelled the young master.”

But there was no sign of anyone outside. Had he been thinking so much about the young master that he was now experiencing a phantom smell?

🎐⋆｡🍥

“Young master, have you awakened?”

In place of Suni, Yoonyi stood outside the door holding the breakfast tray. It was not yet the Hour of the Dragon; usually, he would have been up, washed, and sitting properly, and permission to enter would have been granted. But for some reason, it was dead quiet inside.

“I’m coming in.”

When Yoonyi peeked and opened the door, Hyowon was sitting upright, already dressed in a grass-green Dopo robe despite the early hour.

“You’re already dressed?”

It was my job to help him get ready, so Yoonyi approached him with a surprised look, wondering if he was late. Even so, Hyowon didn’t even glance his way, seemingly lost in thought.

“Young master?”

Yoonyi tilted his head, a little puzzled. As he got closer to observe him, he saw that Hyowon’s expression was dark, as if he were deeply troubled by something.

“Ah, Yoonyi.”

Only after a long moment did Hyowon’s head turn slightly. He softly curved the corners of his lips, acknowledging him. But strangely, he couldn’t shake off his somber expression.

“What are you thinking about so intently?”

“It’s nothing, I suppose I’m just not fully awake yet.”

Yoonyi carefully set down the table, his gentle eyes filled with deep suspicion. At this, Hyowon shook his head and replied.

“While you’re all dressed up like that?”

The answer he received only sparked more curiosity. To be dressed in clothes that wouldn’t be strange to go out in at a moment’s notice, yet claim to not be fully awake.

“By the way, young master. Did you happen to stop by the kitchen?”

“Me, you ask?”

His neatly shaped eyebrows twitched noticeably. It was only for a moment; Hyowon quickly composed himself and replied.

“How could that be? I just finished getting dressed and was sitting here.”

Did I smell it wrong? Yoonyi kept muttering.

“Please eat first, young master. There was a delicious smell coming from the kitchen this morning.”

“Where is Suni, and why are you bringing it?”

Yoonyi quickly lifted the cloth that was neatly covering the tray. Underneath, colorful side dishes were laid out appetizingly. But Hyowon didn’t even glance at them; instead, he stared intently at Yoonyi and asked.

“Well, I woke up a little early and followed her to the kitchen…”

“Don’t go next time.”

As Yoonyi continued with an awkward smile, Hyowon cut him off and replied firmly.

“To the kitchen?”

At the strangely peculiar command, Yoonyi blinked his round eyes endlessly, as if he had misheard.

“Yes, Yoonyi. You are my servant, how can you leave the inner quarters like that?”

“Pardon?”

“That’s enough, let’s eat together.”

Hyowon, who had been speaking in a feigned stern tone, hastily changed the subject.

“…Me too?”

Yoonyi paused for a moment and pointed a finger at his own chest. It made sense, as they hadn’t eaten together since they were children.

“What are you so surprised about?”

Hyowon smiled nonchalantly, placed a spare rice bowl in front of Yoonyi, and even opened the lid himself.

“Why would you want to dine with me? I’m fine, so please, young master, you eat first.”

“Doing this brings back old memories, isn’t it nice? Hurry up.”

Unlike Yoonyi, who looked deeply troubled, Hyowon’s smile remained bright. He nonchalantly scooped a large spoonful of rice and held it out to Yoonyi.

“Really, young master. When you’re like this, you haven’t changed a bit from when you were a child.”

When he acted this way, there was truly no way to stop him. Yoonyi sighed, picked up his chopsticks, and placed a piece of meat on top of the rice.

“What do you mean, I haven’t changed? Hurry and eat before it gets cold.”

At his repeated urging, Yoonyi reluctantly put a spoonful of rice into his mouth. Unlike leftover rice, the freshly cooked, steaming rice melted in his mouth as soon as it entered, tasting sweet.

“Let’s have breakfast together every day. Eating like this, it feels like we’ve become a family, it’s nice.”

His full lips curved into a pleasant smile. Hyowon, who was watching this quietly, added nonchalantly. Family, what a preposterous thing to say. Yoonyi, who was about to refuse flatly, saying it couldn’t be, found himself speechless upon meeting the bright face and kept his mouth shut.

🎐⋆｡🍥

When they went outside, the sky, peeking out from under the eaves, was clear and brilliant blue. The spring breeze from the mountains felt exceptionally warm. Hyowon, who had already slipped his feet into his leather shoes, stood still and watched Yoonyi, who was still on the wooden porch, and bit his lip gently.

“Young master…?”

He had felt a strange atmosphere ever since before breakfast, and now, under a gaze warmer than the gently shining morning sun, Yoonyi slowly met his eyes.

“It’s nothing, let’s get going. We’ll be late.”

The intense gaze was hastily withdrawn. Hyowon strode ahead. Grabbing the bundle of books, Yoonyi quickly followed.

“Have a good day, young master!”

Suni, who was working in the kitchen, quickly added a farewell to the fluttering hem of his robe.

As they passed the side gate and walked along the long wall of the main building, the servants who recognized Hyowon first bowed their heads repeatedly. Even so, he didn’t give them so much as a glance. But when his steps would stop from time to time…

“Young master?”

His gaze would naturally rest on Yoonyi. As if he had something to say. Could he be secretly harboring a worry that was difficult to speak of? Yoonyi’s face, in turn, mirrored a confused expression mixed with questions.

“Don’t look at me with that face.”

“Pardon?”

The moment their eyes met, Hyowon left a short remark and then, as if fleeing again, quickened his pace. The bewildering response quickly dissolved into the air. By the time they passed the main gate and were walking beneath the wall, his long legs came to a halt once more. As if by promise, his jet-black eyes captured Yoonyi again.

Why on earth has he been staring holes through my face since this morning? It felt as suffocating as if someone had placed a millstone on his flat chest. In the brief moment their gazes met, Yoonyi let out a fragmented sigh.

“Young master, did something happen?”

As they were about to enter the marketplace, Yoonyi could no longer bear it and cautiously moved to his side to speak.

“…H-happen? Nothing.”

At that, his usually calm voice trembled slightly, and his ink-black eyes tilted endlessly toward the ground. The way he avoided even looking straight ahead was more than suspicious, but it wasn’t as if he could press him for answers.

“I asked because it seemed you had something to say to me since this morning.”

It was as if a hazy fog had descended before his eyes. A continuous stream of sighs escaped his small lips. Then, suddenly, a piece of beautifully colored silk hanging in front of a cloth store swayed gracefully in the blowing wind. Under the sparkling sunlight, the fluttering silk looked as enchanting as a fairy’s wing to Yoonyi. The sight was so lovely that Yoonyi stopped in his tracks and stared at it intently.

“Yoonyi, do you want to get married too?”

A fair face with jet-black pupils. His clear eyes sparkled as if they held stars, even in broad daylight. Hyowon, who had been pursing his lips, asked nonchalantly.

“…Me?”

Yoonyi, as if asking what he’d just heard, belatedly tore his gaze away and stared blankly at Hyowon standing before him. Hyowon simply nodded instead of answering.

“I haven’t really thought about it.”

It was such an out-of-the-blue question that Yoonyi replied in a voice that was barely a whisper.

“If you say you haven’t thought about it, that must mean you’re not completely against the idea.”

As if displeased with the answer, a shadow briefly fell over Hyowon’s face. He left only a question hanging in the air and hurried his steps again.

“Pardon? Huh? Young master, wait for me.”

He was truly strange and incomprehensible today. And his pace was so fast that Yoonyi practically ran to follow, staring at the back of his head with an intensity that could have drilled a hole in it. Usually, he would have looked back long ago, but the heartless Hyowon didn’t spare him a single glance. His cold back made Yoonyi feel unreasonably sad, and his heart throbbed with a tightening ache.

“Young master, you’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

Barely making it through the crowded marketplace and into a quiet alley, Yoonyi quickly stepped in front of Hyowon, blocking his path.

“Hiding? What could I be hiding? Let’s just go inside.”

As Yoonyi persisted tenaciously, Hyowon quickly grabbed his slender, flower-stem-like wrist and knocked on Master Choi’s gate.

“Y-young master?”

He seemed flustered, with a hint of anxiety. Since he’d become an adult, Yoonyi had only seen his composed side, so this was a rather unfamiliar sight. And so, Yoonyi just blinked his eyes blankly.

“You’re not comin’ in?”

As he still hesitated in front of the threshold, Master Choi’s servant, Makgae, asked with his nostrils flaring.

“Ah, n-no, hyungnim. I’m coming in.”