YCHW Ch 20

Thanks to heading southeast, the air brushing against his cheeks softened day by day. After recovering from his illness and getting up, Yoonso felt even lighter. He rode his horse eagerly, like a fish in water, but after a scolding from Hwi, he decided to restrain himself.

Not long after, a floral scent wafted from somewhere, and soon a garden filled with fully bloomed plum trees appeared. Yoonso let out a gasp at the splendid sight not far away.

“It’s truly spring. It’s beautiful. Which season do you like best, mister?”

“I dislike them all.”

“What? Why?”

“Does there need to be a reason?”

To not just dislike one season but all of them—how could such an answer even come up? Perhaps it was just a careless response out of annoyance. This man did have a subtly mischievous side…

“What’s that? That insolent look.”

“Hm, I like all four seasons. In spring, the flowers bloom beautifully; in summer, the greenery is lush; in autumn, the sky is high and the foliage turns vibrant; and in winter, the pure white snow falls heavily.”

“I disliked them for those reasons, but seeing you enjoy them, it seems you found life pleasurable.”

It was hard to tell if his indifferent, sour tone was sincere or in jest. Even if he didn’t find life particularly enjoyable, he didn’t seem to find it burdensome either, so his response made Yoonso wonder if there was some deeper meaning he couldn’t grasp.

“Yes, living is a joyful thing.”

“What’s so joyful about it?”

“Well… as long as you’re alive, aren’t there endless things you can do?”

Hwi turned his head to look at Yoonso. His pitch-black eyes seemed to regard him as something unfamiliar, and the inscrutable gaze made Yoonso’s neck tingle.

“What do you want to do?”

“My dream is to write a travelogue. I want to wander far and wide, recording the beauty of landscapes, the twists and turns of human affairs, the rich and the poor, the beautiful and the ugly… all of it.”

It was the first time Yoonso had shared his dream with anyone other than Yeondeok. As he spoke, he got carried away, enthusiastically describing the grand blueprint he had envisioned in his naive days. By the time he finished, his cheeks were flushed, and realizing this, he felt a bit embarrassed and gave an awkward laugh.

To Hwi, who had traveled the world and knew its ways, it must have sounded simplistic, yet he showed no sign of mockery. He only tossed out a single question.

“That dream must be hard to achieve in your situation.”

“…Yes. But isn’t the intention what matters? Once I reach my aunt’s house, I’ll work diligently and strive hard.”

Rather than settling in one place, he thought it would be good to travel around, finding work while writing his travelogue. He knew it was an absurdly optimistic plan given his current circumstances, but so what? Pleasant daydreams were everyone’s right.

“Did you ever want to do something else, mister? Before you fully took on the merchant business?”

He asked the question clearly, but Hwi’s silence made Yoonso feel awkward. Grumbling inwardly that Hwi didn’t eat heartily yet teased him for talking eagerly, he heard a murmuring voice.

“Now that I think about it, I was similar to you.”

“To me?”

“I thought I’d live traveling freely.”

It was somewhat surprising that Hwi had dreamed of such a life. Did his saying he thought he’d live that way mean he couldn’t now, or simply that he chose not to? As the eldest grandson, it must have been hard for him to do everything as he wished.

In truth, Hwi being a merchant still didn’t quite feel real. Neither leading a merchant caravan nor living freely as a traveler seemed to fit him perfectly. Perhaps it would be more fitting to say he suited a life in service to the nation. It was hard to imagine him working under someone, so he’d have to be a high-ranking official.

But even then, he’d still be under the emperor… Yes, being the head of a merchant group was probably better.

“What did you want to do while traveling?”

“Well, I don’t remember.”

“There may be constraints, but it’s not like you can’t move freely.”

“True.”

“Then travel a lot while you’re still young. You might find a season you like.”

The man suited winter. The crisp, nose-tingling freshness of winter, the white snow piling on resilient pine needles, the pleasant harmony of warm sunlight meeting cold air.

Yoonso hoped one day Hwi would come to cherish those aspects of winter. Would he think of Yoonso’s words when that day came?

Once they safely reached Yehang, they would part ways. As long as Hwi remained in this country, meeting again would be unlikely.

Where there are meetings, there are farewells, but somehow the thought felt strange. Yoonso’s clear eyes, fixed on Hwi’s back as he rode ahead leisurely, wavered as if clouded.

At that moment, a breeze blew, and a vibrant floral scent tickled his nose. While they were talking, they had arrived at the flower garden.

“Shall we rest for a bit?”

Yoonso followed Hwi, dismounted, and walked among the flower trees. The fully bloomed red and white plum blossoms mingled, scattering a beautiful fragrance and delighting the eyes, as if they had stepped into a paradise.

“It’s truly beautiful.”

Yoonso, marveling at the spectacle around him, caught sight of Hwi standing among the trees and hid his surprise. He had vaguely thought Hwi suited winter, but seeing him now, he harmonized with the blooming flowers.

When a branch of red plum blossoms brushed the hem of Hwi’s robe, a single flower looked like a natural ornament, softening his sharp, ascetic demeanor. It was like a drop of vivid red paint falling onto a refined ink painting…

“Are you going to stare a hole through me?”

As Hwi took a step toward Yoonso and the flower branch brushed past his head, Yoonso, who had been staring entranced, snapped back to reality. Realizing he had been gazing at Hwi, his face grew hot, and he furrowed his brow.

“Speaking of which, you’re the one always staring at me, mister.”

“Am I?”

Hwi took a bold step forward, closing the distance between them. Yoonso, like a startled animal, shrank back, eyes wide.

“I was staring to bore a hole, so why hasn’t it worked yet?”

Hwi tilted his head, feigning genuine curiosity. As his face came close, Yoonso tried to step back, but Hwi grabbed his arm and wouldn’t let go.

“Why, why are you doing this…?”

His voice retreated into his throat. It was surprising enough that Hwi was aware of his own staring, but to be so unfazed by it made Yoonso bristle. All he could do was tilt his head back to put even a little distance between them.

As the gap widened, Hwi, who had been calmly observing Yoonso’s reaction, twitched an eyebrow. Realizing the man was clearly teasing him, Yoonso clamped his mouth shut. Hwi’s gaze then dropped downward.

Following Hwi’s movement, Yoonso’s eyes also lowered, landing on Hwi’s lips.

As he stared blankly, a tendon in Hwi’s jaw tightened and relaxed. The grip on Yoonso’s arm loosened, and just as quickly as Hwi had approached, he stepped back.

Hwi released Yoonso’s arm and turned, striding away. Yoonso, blinking dumbly in a daze, furrowed his brow tightly. He had no idea what Hwi was playing at.

Intending to confront him, Yoonso hurried after Hwi but slowed when he heard clear laughter and saw women in colorful, elegant clothes.

Among the plum trees stood a large pagoda tree, and women were playing on a swing tied to its thick branches. Their joyful appearance softened Yoonso’s expression, which had been tense from the earlier moment.

“Hey! What are you just staring at?”

A woman by the swing turned, smiling, and called out to Hwi and Yoonso. Yoonso gave an awkward smile and shook his head. But the three women, who had been playing among themselves, suddenly approached and surrounded the two men.

“Are you two out for fun?”

“Or just passing through?”

“Hmm, this one doesn’t seem ordinary, and this one looks quite young.”

The three women whispered among themselves, their voices like rolling jade beads, pleasant to hear. As Yoonso watched curiously, one of them abruptly asked him.

“Want to try the swing?”

“What? No, thank you.”

“Why not? There’s an interesting story about that swing.”

“A story?”

The mention of a story piqued his interest, but when the woman grabbed his wrist, Yoonso couldn’t help but panic. His attention quickly shifted elsewhere.

Hwi, standing slightly ahead, turned to Yoonso and reached out. At that moment, Yoonso leaned toward the woman.

“Your scent is lovely. What fragrance do you use?”

Curious about what could overpower the plum blossom scent filling the hill, he asked. A brief silence followed, then laughter burst out among the women. Puzzled, Yoonso glanced at Hwi, whose displeased expression left him even more confused.

“You’re quite skilled at charming women.”