Yeong Chunhwa

Chapter 10

Even after the two of them had positioned themselves to watch the shadow play, more spectators crowded in, narrowing the space between them. When a large man stood beside them, pressing close, Yun-seo slightly hunched his shoulders, and in that moment, Hwi pulled Yun-seo toward himself.

Suddenly finding himself practically embraced by Hwi, Yun-seo breathed sharply and glanced up at him. Hwi simply stared ahead with his usual indifferent, cold expression.

What a strange man. If asked what was strange about him, Yun-seo couldn’t quite answer, but he felt it nonetheless. After hesitating awkwardly, Yun-seo finally shifted his gaze to the white cloth where shadows were moving.

Several puppet figures on horseback were fighting, clashing swords. The movements of riding and falling from horses looked very natural, and though they were merely shadows, the tension was palpable enough to make one’s palms sweat.

Children cheered for the hero fighting against the villain at the top of their lungs. Though Yun-seo couldn’t bring himself to cheer out loud like them, he fervently wished inside: please let the hero win. When the hero finally defeated everyone after a fierce struggle, applause erupted.

When the hero overcame adversity and hardship to meet his beloved at the end, a sweet sigh of relief escaped Yun-seo. As the shadow play concluded, Yun-seo sent generous applause with a bright smile.

The audience threw coins toward the stage. If he had enough travel money, he would have paid without hesitation. Thinking regretfully, he turned his head and immediately met Hwi’s gaze.

He was as calm as if he had been watching Yun-seo from the beginning, his unwavering gaze steady. Feeling awkward about repeatedly making eye contact this way, Yun-seo scratched his forehead uncomfortably.

“Was it boring for you?”

“You enjoyed it even more than the children.”

“That’s not… It was just entertaining.”

“I see.”

Hwi turned abruptly and started walking. Thinking that perhaps Hwi wanted to rest quickly but was delayed because of him, Yun-seo made sure not to get distracted and followed closely behind.

When they reached the edge of the street, a magnificent pavilion with more red lanterns than any other establishment caught his eye. There were taverns in Jeju too, but nothing this grand. While he was admiring it, Hwi entered the tavern without hesitation.

A servant who came to greet guests guided Hwi to the second floor. Unlike the first floor where people in ordinary attire gathered, most of those seated on the second floor wore what appeared to be expensive, high-quality clothing.

The interior decorations were also elegant and dignified, suggesting the meal would be quite costly. Having never been in such a splendid space before, Yun-seo looked around curiously while following Hwi and taking a seat across from him.

“What would you like to eat?”

“Please order whatever you’d like, sir. I don’t know much about these things.”

He realized they had naturally ended up sharing a table. Though he often shared meals with servants, he knew that his parents and older brother would never even share a cup of water with others, so this wasn’t normal practice. Looking around, he saw no other masters sitting with servants.

Hwi ordered food from the servant, seemingly unconcerned. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t from the aristocracy? But it couldn’t be just a matter of social status. Maybe his self-proclamation of being a gentleman was actually true…

Yun-seo turned his head toward the open railing of the pavilion and gasped in admiration at the night market scene spread before him. Under red lanterns painted with plum blossoms, the rows of shops and crowds of people moving like clouds looked small from above. The lively, warm scenery was more captivating than any landscape painting.

If he had entered the palace as planned, he would never have seen such a sight. His heart fluttered as if he were riding a galloping horse. Yun-seo gently closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Thanks to the braziers placed around, it wasn’t cold, but the night breeze coming in was cool. Yet the fresh, clean air together with the bustling noise made even the commotion sound like a musician’s performance.

“You look as if you’re seeing all of this for the first time.”

The now somewhat familiar voice interjected as he was savoring the air. Yun-seo opened his eyes to face Hwi and gave a faint smile.

“How could that be? It’s just my first time traveling this far, that’s all.”

“…”

“You must have traveled a lot, sir? You seem accustomed to it.”

“I don’t have much experience either. I only travel far when there’s important business. Typically, superiors maintain their positions while subordinates go out and handle matters.”

“But when you were a subordinate, you must have traveled to many places.”

“I’ve never been a subordinate, though?”

Hwi loosely pulled up one corner of his mouth. His seemingly cold impression was tinged with a strange color. Perhaps it was the red lanterns above the railing, but it looked like an alluring crimson. Yun-seo scanned Hwi’s lips forming a gentle curve, then suddenly asked:

“…Then I suppose your father holds an important position in the merchant group.”

“My father is the head merchant.”

If his father was the head of a merchant group, then Hwi was likely his successor, meaning he held a significant position. Yun-seo had guessed he wasn’t an ordinary merchant, but this was unexpected.

What would this person do if he knew I was the escaped Yeong Chunhwa?

Suddenly filled with worry, his thoughts were scattered when the servant arrived carrying plates of food. Being careful was good, but dwelling on pessimistic concerns would do no good.

Yun-seo waited until Hwi picked up his chopsticks first, then looked over the table filled with delicacies. He wondered why Hwi had ordered so much food for just the two of them. Perhaps he was a bigger eater than he appeared. With that thought, Yun-seo picked up a steaming dumpling.

The skin was so thin the filling was clearly visible, already making his mouth water. After blowing on it to cool it a bit, he put it in his mouth and chewed, releasing flavorful juices that moistened his mouth.

As this was his first proper meal in a while, and the taste was excellent, he couldn’t help but let out sounds of delight while his chopsticks moved energetically. Yun-seo was devouring his food with little regard for manners when—

“You’ll get indigestion.”

Only after Hwi clicked his tongue softly and poured tea into Yun-seo’s cup did he slow down, chewing thoroughly and bowing his head slightly before drinking the tea.

Once his hunger was somewhat satisfied, he could afford to be more composed. The man before him handled his chopsticks skillfully, never hesitating or poking around the dishes, and made no sound while chewing. His bearing was truly that of a young nobleman, making him stand out even in this crowded space. Yun-seo found himself quietly observing Hwi’s movements.

Just then, the tavern’s atmosphere grew restless. Turning his head, Yun-seo saw servants bustling about a stage at one end, preparing chairs and a gayageum. The black soundboard of the seven-stringed instrument was inlaid with white mother-of-pearl.

“It looks like there will be a performance. A hwigeum.”

Noticing that both the name of the instrument and Hwi’s name contained the same character, Yun-seo suddenly felt playful. With an innocent smile, he asked:

“Do you perhaps use the same character in your name, sir?”

The “hwi” in hwigeum meant “beautiful.” This meaning wasn’t commonly used for men’s names, but it would suit Hwi well, and would be instantly believable as his name.

Recognizing the jest, Hwi narrowed his eyes at Yun-seo as if dumbfounded.

“Why, do I appear beautiful to your eyes?”

Hearing his chuckle, Yun-seo kept his mouth shut. Since he had actually thought that a few times, being hit right on target made him rather flustered.

“Y-you’re reading too much into this! That’s not what I meant at all!”

As Hwi’s gaze shifted to one of amusement, an entertainer dressed in colorful attire climbed onto the stage. Everyone in the tavern turned their attention to her. Seeing the expectant looks, Yun-seo also focused his attention.

The entertainer greeted with a light gesture and sat before the gayageum. Her fingers, after plucking the strings a few times to test them, began to move gracefully, releasing an elegant melody.

Each time she moved her hands, her long sleeves swayed delicately. The notes lingered before fading, blending with the next notes to create a clear, wistful atmosphere.

Below the pavilion, the noise of the crowd echoed, and the red lanterns swayed gently in the breeze. The clean but cold air, initially sharp, mellowed with the warmth from the braziers and tickled his cheeks with a lukewarm touch.

The melody, initially light like wind passing through leaves, deepened like it was diving into a steep valley. Each time the entertainer plucked a string, it seemed to touch the very core of his heart. It felt like a flame rising in his chest. No, perhaps it was more like a very cool spray of water.

The performance he wished would never end closed with a profound lingering note. Applause poured from the audience, but Yun-seo remained immersed in the afterglow, unable to even clap.

“Why are you crying?”

Only when Hwi’s quiet question reached him did Yun-seo realize tears were wetting his cheeks. As he lowered his eyes, tears fell in a rush.

Notes: 

Hwigeum – A musical instrument similar to a gayageum with seven strings and mother-of-pearl inlay