YCHW Ch 10

After the two men stood to watch the shadow play, more spectators crowded in, narrowing the space between them. A large man stood next to him, pressing his body tightly against him, and just as Yoonso was slightly shrinking his shoulders, Hwi pulled him towards himself.

Suddenly finding himself practically in Hwi’s arms, Yoonso took a sharp breath and glanced up at him. Hwi, unconcerned, simply stared ahead with that same indifferent and cold expression.

He was a strange man. If asked what was strange about him, no answer came to mind, but it was so nonetheless. Yoonso hesitated for a moment before belatedly shifting his gaze to the white cloth where the shadows were moving.

Several puppets on horseback were fighting, clashing their swords. The movements of mounting and falling from the horses were very natural, and though they were just shadows, the sense of urgency was quite palpable, making his palms sweat on their own.

The children cheered at the top of their lungs for the good man fighting against the villain. Yoonso could not bring himself to cheer out loud like them, but inside, he earnestly prayed, please let the good man win. When the good man, after a hard-fought battle, finally defeated everyone, applause erupted.

At the ending where the good man overcame adversity and hardship to meet his beloved, a sweet sigh of relief escaped him. When the shadow play concluded, Yoonso sent a generous round of applause with a bright, smiling face.

The audience threw coins onto the stage. If he had enough travel money, he too would have paid without hesitation. As he turned his head, thinking it was a shame, his eyes met Hwi’s.

He was as quiet as someone who had been watching Yoonso from the very beginning, and his fixed gaze was steady. It seemed their eyes kept meeting like this over and over, and Yoonso awkwardly scratched his forehead.

“You must have found it dull, sir?”

“You seemed to enjoy it more than the children.”

“That is not……. It was because it was interesting.”

“I see.”

Hwi turned abruptly and started walking. Perhaps he was tired because he wanted to go and rest quickly but his path kept being blocked because of him, so this time, he did not get distracted and only followed Hwi’s back.

When they reached the end of the street, a magnificent pavilion adorned with more red lanterns than any other establishment caught his eye. There were taverns in the capital as well, but they were more modest than this. While he was marveling on his own, Hwi entered the tavern without hesitation.

A servant who came out to greet customers guided Hwi to the second floor. Unlike the first floor where people in ordinary attire were gathered, most of those who had taken seats on the second floor were dressed in high quality, expensive-looking clothes.

The interior decorations were also elegant and tasteful, so he thought the meal would be quite expensive. It was his first time in such a glamorous space, so Yoonso’s eyes rolled around, taking everything in as he followed Hwi and sat across from him.

“What would you like to eat.”

“Please have what you would like to eat, my lord. I do not know well.”

Come to think of it, they had naturally ended up sharing a table. He himself had often shared meals with servants, but his parents and older brother would not even drink a glass of water with them, so he knew it was not a natural thing to do. Looking around, there was no one sitting with a servant.

Hwi seemed to not care at all as he ordered food from the servant. Was it because he was not of noble birth? But it could not be just a matter of status. The self-praise of being a gentleman might actually be correct…….

Yoonso turned his head beyond the open railing of the pavilion and let out a sound of admiration as the scenery of the night market came into view at a glance. Below the red lanterns painted with plum blossoms, rows of shops and crowds of people moving like clouds could be seen in miniature. The lively and friendly scenery was more captivating than any landscape painting.

It was a scene he would never have seen if he had entered the palace as planned. His heart fluttered as if he were riding a frolicking horse. Yoonso gently closed his eyes and took a leisurely breath.

Thanks to the braziers placed here and there, it was not cold, but the night breeze that wafted in was chilly. However, as the refreshing and clean air reached him along with the boisterous noise, even the noise sounded like a musician’s performance.

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

A voice, now quite familiar, cut through his savoring of the air. Yoonso opened his eyes and met Hwi’s, a faint smile on his face.

“How could that be possible. It is just that this is my first time coming out this far.”

“…….”

“You must have traveled to many places, my lord, have you not? You seem familiar with them.”

“I do not have that much experience either. I only go far when the work is important. Originally, it is the superior’s job to stay put and the subordinates’ job to go out.”

“Still, when you were a subordinate, you must have traveled to various places, my lord.”

“I have never been a subordinate, though?”

Hwi’s one corner of his mouth lifted in a relaxed manner. The impression that had seemed endlessly cold was tinged with a strange color. Perhaps it was because of the red lantern hanging over the railing, but it looked like a seductive red. Yoonso’s gaze swept over Hwi’s lips, which drew a soft line, before he suddenly asked.

“……Then your father must hold a high position in the merchant guild.”

“My father is the guild master.”

If the guild master of a merchant guild was his father, then Hwi would be his successor, so he was a person in a formidable position. He had guessed he was not a mere merchant, but it was also unexpected.

What would this person do if he knew that I am the runaway Yeongchunhwa?

A thought suddenly entered his mind, but as a servant brought plates of food, he deliberately scattered his attention. It was good to be cautious, but letting pessimistic worries lead to one another would be of no help whatsoever.

Yoonso confirmed that Hwi picked up his chopsticks first and then looked over the table filled with a feast. He did not know why he had ordered so much for just the two of them. Is he a bigger eater than he looks? Thinking so, he picked up a dumpling from which steam was rising warmly.

The skin was so thin that the filling was clearly visible, and his mouth was already watering. After blowing on it to cool it down a little, he put it straight into his mouth and chewed, and the flavorful meat juices burst out, moistening the inside of his mouth.

It was his first proper meal, and the taste was also excellent, so a sound of admiration escaped him on its own, and the hand holding the chopsticks trembled up and down. Yoonso forgot all about his composure and greedily filled his stomach, until.

“You will get indigestion.”

Only after Hwi clicked his tongue lowly and filled his teacup with tea did he chew what was in his mouth thoroughly, bow his head, and drink the tea.

Once his stomach was somewhat full, he was able to regain his composure. The man before him had very proper chopstick etiquette; he did not hesitate over the plate or pick through the food, and he made no sound while chewing what was in his mouth. He truly had the demeanor of a nobleman’s son, so he stood out even in a crowded place like this. Yoonso, without realizing it, quietly followed Hwi’s movements.

It was then. The atmosphere of the tavern became unsettled, and when he turned his head, he saw servants busily going back and forth on a stage set up on one side, preparing a chair and a zither. In the black center of the seven-stringed zither, white mother-of-pearl was embedded.

“It seems they are going to play. It is a Hwigeum.”

Once he realized that the name of the Hwigeum and Hwi’s name contained the same consonant, a playful thought suddenly arose. Yoonso smiled innocently and asked.

“By any chance, do you also use the same character, my lord?”

The Hwi [徽] in Hwigeum had the meaning of ‘beautiful’. A character with this meaning was not often used for men, but it suited Hwi well, so if it were his name character, it would be instantly understandable.

Knowing that he was joking, Hwi narrowed his eyes as if he found it absurd and looked at Yoonso.

“Why, do I look beautiful to you, I suppose?”

A soft laugh followed, and Yoonso clamped his mouth shut. It was true that he had thought so a few times, so when he was hit right on the mark, he was rather flustered.

“You, you are the type to look for tofu in a soybean field. Not at all! That was not what I meant.”

As he furtively avoided Hwi’s gaze, which had changed to one of amusement, a musician dressed in beautifully colored clothes came up onto the stage just in time. The gazes of everyone in the tavern turned towards the musician. Seeing their expectant eyes, he anticipated her skill, and Yoonso also focused along with them.

The musician greeted with a light gesture and sat before the zither. The fingers that had strummed the strings a few times soon moved gracefully, letting out an elegant melody.

Each time she moved her hands, the long sleeves hanging down swayed gently. The notes, which did not disappear immediately but left a lingering resonance, mixed with the following notes, creating a clear and faint atmosphere.

Below the pavilion, the noise of the crowd echoed, and the red lanterns swayed gently in the soft breeze. The clean but cold air tried to enter sharply, but it melted in the warmth of the braziers and tickled his cheeks lukewarmly.

The melody, which was at first as light as the wind passing through leaves, deepened as if it were digging deep into a steep valley. Each time the musician plucked a string, it seemed to touch his heartstrings. It felt as if a fire was starting in his chest. No, in fact, it might be that a very chilly spray of water was rising.

The performance, which he wished would not end, closed its doors, leaving behind a deep resonance. People’s applause poured out, and Yoonso, unable to even clap, was lost in the afterglow.

“Why are you crying?”

Only after hearing Hwi’s low question did Yoonso realize that tears were wetting his cheeks. When he lowered his eyes, tears fell in large drops.