-25-
East Wind
Today, Juhwan was giving Jeonggwan more tasks than usual. Normally, household chores like sweeping the yard were done by Maksamyi, but for some reason today, Juhwan pushed Jeonggwan to go sweep the yard of the men’s quarters. It seemed suspicious, but a servant couldn’t disobey his master’s orders, so Jeonggwan reluctantly swept the yard while grumbling.
Swish swish-. Swish swish-.
Sweeping the front yard of the men’s quarters provided a good view of the main hall where guests stayed, so Jeonggwan alternated between two sweeps and one glance at the guest, both employing a small trick and observing what the guest was doing. The guest was Taekun, who was scheduled to visit today. Whenever Taekun visited the Kyung household and encountered Jeonggwan, it was always on his way back after finishing his business, so seeing him working like this was a first and kept catching Jeonggwan’s attention.
Since Taekun always wore a gentle smile whenever they met, Jeonggwan had assumed he was always smiling and kind, but it seemed different when he was working. His stern face looked sharp, making him seem unfamiliar. But somehow that sharpness resembled someone, and today Jeonggwan couldn’t take his eyes off him. The sweeping motion of Jeonggwan’s hands eventually stopped. Especially since the jade-colored robe Taekun was wearing today reminded him even more of that certain someone.
“…”
Their eyes met directly, and although normally Jeonggwan would have greeted him first with a welcoming face, he couldn’t act impulsively because Taekun kept overlapping with someone in his mind. Jeonggwan simply bowed his head deeply in greeting, then turned his back and continued sweeping. He planned to finish quickly, return to Juhwan, exaggerate his hardship, and get some rice cakes to comfort his confused mind.
“Your face looks glum. Do you dislike sweeping?”
“Young Master Taekun…!”
But Jeonggwan’s hands stopped again due to Taekun, who had quietly approached from behind. Startled, Jeonggwan quickly turned around and looked up, and even this natural act of looking up reminded him of that someone. That minister-like tall person.
“Is that why you kept stealing glances at me?”
“No, it’s just… this is my first time seeing you working.”
“It’s also my first time seeing you work.”
“Only sweeping is new… I do so many other tasks…”
Jeonggwan pouted and grumbled at Taekun’s teasing words, with a look that said “What would a nobleman know?” Taekun, finding such innocent Jeonggwan adorable, laughed heartily enough to echo through the yard of the men’s quarters, then asked again with his hands behind his back. So, do you dislike sweeping?
“…Even if I dislike it, I have to do it.”
“Jeonggwan.”
“Yes.”
“Would you come to me?”
“…What?”
“If you come to me, I won’t make you sweep or do other chores.”
What does that mean? Jeonggwan’s hands gripping the broom tightened. Is he asking me to become his servant? Quite flustered by Taekun’s joke, Jeonggwan just rolled his eyes. He was property tied to this house. Even if he wanted to go or someone wanted to take him, he was property that couldn’t freely leave or be taken.
“…Even if I wanted to go, I couldn’t. I am Young Master Juhwan’s servant.”
“…Yes.”
“Are you perhaps interested in my work efficiency, young master?”
“…Yes. I am interested.”
Am I really that good at work? He didn’t think he had particularly excelled at work in front of Taekun, but it wasn’t unpleasant to be told so. As Taekun looked down at Jeonggwan, who was awkwardly scratching his head, he spoke again with a serious face.
“…If your master ever asks if you would follow me, say you would. I will truly cherish you.”
The sound of frogs croaking could be heard from afar. Jeonggwan listened to that sound while massaging Juhwan’s shoulders, but today he had little strength, earning another scolding from Juhwan. He said Jeonggwan was making a fuss just because he was asked to sweep once, and that he didn’t properly do any work except attending to him. Feeling wronged by those words, Jeonggwan retorted, “I was told I work well!” but Juhwan just snorted, asking, “Who said that?”
“Young Master Taekun said so! He said he’s interested in me!”
“…What? Jeong Taekun?”
“Yes! He told me he would cherish me if I came to him!”
“…He told you to come to him?”
Yes! Jeonggwan answered confidently. Then, worried that his young master might feel hurt, he immediately looked for a reaction and mumbled that he still only belonged to his young master. But Juhwan’s expression had already hardened, and Jeonggwan thought, “Oh no, I’m going to get scolded,” and massaged Juhwan’s shoulders more vigorously.
However, Juhwan’s face hadn’t hardened because of Jeonggwan’s presumption. So, I’m really going there. Juhwan closed his eyes tightly and sighed. On the day Jeonggwan went to deliver the last letter to the Park family, Juhwan’s father, who had returned early from court, had given him a hint…
‘Stop sending those letters now. Your marriage arrangement is almost decided.’
‘My marriage? To whom? Then, before the marriage ban is issued, quickly…!’
‘Juhwan. It’s time to help your father.’
He had expected it, but to actually enter the palace… Thinking that his glamorous life was now over, Juhwan felt complicated emotions. As expected, Jeong Taekun, who moved between the palace and the outside, would know about this, and had already thought of taking Jeonggwan, who would be left alone when Juhwan went to the palace. And without knowing this, Juhwan had even made Jeonggwan sweep today to show him to Taekun more often and to let them talk more.
In truth, perhaps Juhwan had already known intuitively. That might be why he had targeted the most quiet and unproblematic second son of the Park family and thrown out flirtations. He had been in denial, thinking it couldn’t be true, but now there was no way out. He had even considered running away with Jeonggwan, but he wasn’t confident they could live well after escaping. And he didn’t have the confidence to shame his family’s face after he had run away.
“Jeonggwan.”
“Yes.”
“Put out the light and leave. I’m tired.”
“Yes…”
Jeonggwan, thinking Juhwan was upset by his words and was ordering him out, cautiously blew out the candle with a “whoo-” and carefully left the room.
“What? Again?”
“Yes. Go out quietly.”
“Damn… why is he here again.”
And as soon as he left the room, he encountered Sukhee, who was standing in front of the gate of the men’s quarters with a face telling him to go quickly. That young master really is a coward. He doesn’t have the courage to directly face our young master, but he always secretly comes at this time to try to extract information from me. Jeonggwan was about to pass by Sukhee, thinking that this time he should definitely get a jade ring, when:
“Ah. And Sukhee, what’s wrong with your eyes! That man doesn’t look 7 feet tall!”
Yesterday’s man was also minister-like, tall, and big, but he didn’t look over 7 feet tall like the eldest young master. So Jeonggwan warned Sukhee with a rather fierce face not to exaggerate, then left.
“Both yesterday and today, he looked over 7 feet tall to me…”
At Jeonggwan’s reaction, like that of a baby lynx, Sukhee felt awkward but recalled the man she had seen yesterday and today. A coolly handsome young master who appeared to be over 7 feet tall. That’s right… Sukhee, who had received two brass rings, tilted her head in confusion.
Creeak-.
One side of the main gate opened slightly, and the moonlight was illuminating the door again today. And again today, under the large tree next to the pond that was immediately visible upon opening the door, a minister-like man was standing with his back turned and his hands behind his back, just like yesterday. But today, instead of a brightly colored robe, he was wearing a calm and luxurious blue robe with faint silver embroidery. The atmosphere was quite different from yesterday.
Moreover, as he approached the man, Jeonggwan felt a sense of déjà vu. He was taller than yesterday’s man, and the aura he emitted was different. And a certain scent kept tickling Jeonggwan’s nose.
“…Huh?”
It was the sweet yet fresh fragrance that he had smelled before. Jeonggwan’s heart began to beat rapidly, thump thump, and the man standing with his hands behind his back turned slowly toward Jeonggwan right on cue.
“…Eldest Young Master?”
“…”
“Why… why are you here…”
The man was the eldest son of the Park family, that young master. The truly over 7-foot-tall young master with the beautiful and fair face that Jeonggwan had been recalling for several days.
“…You,”
“…”
“No, your master… I came to check if he sent another letter to my brother.”
The man felt different from when they first met. His cold face was still the same, but was it because he was standing under the tree in front of Jeonggwan’s house that he saw every day, or because a pleasant cool breeze was wrapping around the two of them? That sharp feeling from their first meeting was gone.
“Such a thing absolutely did not happen! After you kindly sent me back in one piece last time, I begged our young master earnestly and made him stop…!”
Of course, he hadn’t earnestly begged, and the young master had stopped on his own, but thinking that the man would only believe him if he spoke dramatically, Jeonggwan spoke while making exaggerated hand gestures. The man looking down at such a Jeonggwan seemed amused by his efforts and showed a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Is that true?”
“Yes! It’s absolutely true!”
“…I see.”
“…Yes.”
And Jeonggwan, looking up at such a man, observed him thoroughly, thinking how lucky he was to see this face once more. After all, he didn’t know when he would see the eldest young master of the Park family again.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
