YCHW Ch 25

“I can’t do that.”

Hwi’s calm declaration made Yoonso’s shoulders slump. His response implied it wasn’t merely a matter of will. Of course, it wouldn’t be that simple. How could such a thing be easy?

Fidgeting with his hands and picking at his fingertips, Yoonso noticed, far off, a person on a small boat crossing the river, using a long pole to collect the remnants of fallen sky lanterns from the water.

Some wishes grow tall like thriving trees, reaching the heavens, while others shatter like branches falling before they can bloom.

Yoonso looked up at the sky again, but the lantern he had released was nowhere to be seen. Only the twinkling stars held their place, softly illuminating the darkness.

Even if a lantern falls, the stars remain. Whenever the sun retires to its bed, there are always stars to wish upon.

The swelling sadness melted away like the moon reflected on the water. Gathering his emotions, Yoonso lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile. At that moment, Hwi pulled a box from his sleeve.

“I found something good at the market.”

If Hwi called it good, it must be valuable, so Yoonso looked at the box with curious eyes. But when Hwi handed it to him, he couldn’t help but be perplexed.

“Is this for me?”

Hwi nodded, and Yoonso, still bewildered, alternated between looking at him and the box before opening the lid. Upon seeing the contents, Yoonso’s eyes widened slightly.

“Your old one was too worn.”

Inside the box was a hairpin. At first glance, it appeared plain, but intricate vine patterns were delicately carved into its body, and above all, it was made of jade. Even if it was low-grade jade, it must have cost a considerable sum, so Yoonso pushed the box back.

“How can I accept something like this?”

“There’s no reason you can’t.”

“Even a cheap one would have been enough…”

“Do you think anything is expensive to me?”

Hwi’s retort didn’t sound smug or arrogant but rather matter-of-fact. Indeed, for the heir of a merchant group that owned such a grand inn, was there anything truly expensive?

Still, Yoonso hadn’t done anything for Hwi, so accepting it felt wrong, and he fidgeted with the box. Hwi tossed out a remark.

“Are you planning to serve me with those hands?”

There was a hint of irritation in his tone, and Yoonso flipped his hand over to look at the scratch on his index finger. It was from when he had woken up and tried to fix his hair, scraping it against his old hairpin.

The hairpin he was currently wearing was one meant for a servant, carved from wood, and since he had grabbed the most worn one, it was cracked and splintered in places. It was indeed something he needed, though far more luxurious than necessary.

What an observant man Hwi was. Realizing the gift stemmed from thoughtful kindness, the scratch on Yoonso’s fingertip suddenly throbbed.

“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”

Though the riverside breeze was quite cool, his cheeks flushed warmly.

Thinking of Hwi’s sincerity, Yoonso picked up the hairpin to try it on immediately. At that moment, Hwi snatched it from his hand, stepped close, and leaned toward him.

For a brief moment, Yoonso froze, thinking Hwi was about to embrace him.

But Hwi only removed the old hairpin from Yoonso’s hair. The sensation of the old hairpin being pulled out and the new one being tucked into his tied-up hair was vivid enough to send shivers down his spine. Hwi’s presence brought the cool scent of the breeze, tickling Yoonso’s nose.

After Hwi stepped back, Yoonso cautiously touched the new hairpin. Then, it suddenly hit him that today was his birthday. Had things gone as planned, he would have undergone his coming-of-age ceremony and worn a hairpin prepared for him.

“Oh…”

A sound, half gasp of awe, half sigh, burst from Yoonso’s lips. Hwi likely didn’t know, but by giving him this, it was as if he had performed Yoonso’s coming-of-age ceremony. And to Yoonso, it was also a birthday gift.

Not just any gift, but one given to him as a person, received as a person.

Every birthday, his father would approach and ask if he had bloomed.

Since Yoonso had sprouted on his birthday, his father seemed to think he might bloom on the same day. Thus, every year on his birthday, Yoonso was painfully reminded that he was Yeongchunhwa and that his father was waiting for the day he would bloom.

A day when even lavish feasts felt indigestible. A day when he received grand but unwanted gifts. A day when all celebrations were erased.

Suddenly, or perhaps quite naturally, a premonition settled on his shoulders. He might leave this country and meet countless people, or be dragged to the palace and live there forever, but he would never forget this night.

Hwi’s gaze, which had been on the hairpin securing Yoonso’s hair, lowered. As their eyes met, Yoonso smiled brightly, as radiant as jade glowing in the moonlight.

“I love it so much.”

Tears welled up in his softened eyes, sparkling transparently. Hwi stared at Yoonso as he had once before, and the boat carrying them glided peacefully along the quiet river at midnight.

𓇢𓆸

During the morning, Yoonso didn’t see Hwi at all. When he woke, Hwi had already left the guild hall. Perhaps they’d meet in the evening. Though he had no particular business, Yoonso found himself waiting for Hwi’s return.

It couldn’t be helped. As the saying goes, you may not notice a filled space, but an empty one stands out. Having traveled together for over half a month, the absence of one person felt starkly noticeable.

With nothing to do, idling felt burdensome, so Yoonso looked for something to occupy himself. Having offered to serve Hwi but done little, he thought he might at least clean the room they shared.

“Um, is there a broom or a rag?”

When he went downstairs and asked the man, he tilted his head. Explaining that he intended to clean the room, the man shook his head.

“Does that mean there isn’t one?”

“…”

“Or… are you saying I shouldn’t?”

The man nodded in affirmation, so Yoonso hesitated briefly before backing off. As an outsider to the merchant group, it was probably best not to insist on doing something he was told not to.

Still, he wondered if Hwi had told the man anything about him. The man’s demeanor was oddly polite, not quite the attitude one would take toward a mere servant.

With Hwi, it was likely he hadn’t bothered to explain, finding it too troublesome. Or perhaps the man was naturally courteous, or his inability to speak made his actions feel that way.

Even so, the man’s relatively friendly attitude gave Yoonso the courage to ask.

“May I ask you one thing?”

The man nodded with a gentle expression. Though Yoonso had spoken up readily, he paused before continuing.

“Is there anything the master particularly likes?”

Since Hwi had given him the hairpin, and helped him in many ways, Yoonso wanted to repay him, even if just a little. Though he couldn’t afford something expensive like Hwi, showing sincerity would be enough.

The man’s gaze shifted elsewhere, as if searching his thoughts. After a considerable pause, he gave a faint smile and shook his head.

“You don’t know?”

“…”

“Does that mean… there isn’t anything?”

The man didn’t gesture further, leaving Yoonso with an ambiguous answer. If he didn’t know, he could’ve just said so…

His eagerness to find something for Hwi waned, and Yoonso thanked him somewhat glumly. As he turned to leave, he caught the man’s gaze, which seemed to suggest he had something to say, so Yoonso stopped.

“Do you have something to tell me, or, I mean, something to convey?”

The man stared at Yoonso without responding, then lowered his eyes, as if cutting off the conversation. Feeling odd, Yoonso lingered briefly before heading upstairs.

While organizing his unpacked belongings, Yoonso passed the time. As the sun began to set toward the horizon, he grabbed his coin pouch and went out. Using alleys to reach the marketplace, he stood still for a moment, observing the crowd’s mood.

Today, too, was peaceful. Had his father truly managed to buy time successfully? Unable to guess and knowing that dwelling on it would only give him a headache, Yoonso sighed and entered the market.

Perhaps because the Festival of Rejuvenation was nearing, the crowd was still large. Walking behind people and browsing the shops, he couldn’t find anything suitable for Hwi.

“What would be good…”

Though he couldn’t afford something expensive, he wanted to find something to show his sincerity, and his brow furrowed in thought. While carefully considering, Yoonso stopped in front of a stall selling colorful pouches.

The pouches ranged from elaborately embroidered to plain ones without patterns. Naturally, the embroidered ones would be pricier, so his eyes went to a plain pouch. If he bought it and embroidered it himself, it would carry his sincerity and be quite nice.

But his embroidery skills weren’t anything to boast about. While he was decent at copying existing patterns, creating a new design…

As he was deep in thought, someone tapped his shoulder, pushing him aside. Turning his head, Yoonso locked eyes with a well-dressed man.