YCHW Ch 27

“Aaargh!”

A sound like wooden furniture shattering echoed across the dirt ground. Yoonso, his spine stiffening, stood frozen, staring at Hwi.

“Bad habits need to be corrected.”

In contrast to his ruthless act of harming the man, Hwi’s voice was utterly dry. He glanced at the man writhing in pain, soaked in his own urine, then turned away.

Hwi grabbed Yoonso’s arm and started walking.

As they slipped through the crowd surrounding them, Yoonso, who had been led like a puppet by Hwi’s hand, came to his senses. When they reached a quieter street, Yoonso stopped in his tracks.

“Sir, you didn’t have to go that far. What if that man makes an issue out of this…!”

Given how arrogantly the man had been raised, his upbringing was likely flawed, and it was obvious how his parents would react. If his family was truly of high rank, this wouldn’t be a small matter. If Hwi had to take responsibility because of Yoonso, how could he bear the guilt?

“I’ll make sure you’re not dragged into this, so don’t worry.”

“Who’s worried about me right now? What if that man harbors ill intentions toward you…?”

“Harbor them. Can he even touch a hair on my head?”

Hwi’s attitude, treating the man as less than a fly, seemed almost bored. Seeing Hwi remain calm after mercilessly breaking a nobleman’s hand, Yoonso was struck by an odd feeling.

Relief that Hwi would likely be unscathed even if the man held a grudge, mixed with unease that Hwi’s response might have been excessive.

But if Hwi hadn’t acted, who knows how that scoundrel would have behaved? Yoonso’s quick tongue might not have been enough to defuse the situation.

Let it go. Dwelling on what should or shouldn’t have been done for something already settled was pointless. The important fact was that Hwi had saved him from a dire situation.

Yoonso hesitated before speaking.

“Thank…”

“Running around so recklessly, and now you’re attracting not just women but men too?”

Yoonso, about to express his gratitude, stiffened at Hwi’s cold tone. His words sounded as if Yoonso had deliberately lured the man, sparking indignation.

Running around recklessly? Aside from the day he went to observe the situation, this was the first time Yoonso had wandered out alone. And what was that about women? Knowing full well what had happened, Hwi’s choice of words was impossible to brush off.

“Why are you saying that to me? You saw everything *earlier. That man started it…!”

“Exactly. That’s why I broke his hand, isn’t it?”

Hwi’s voice carried a surprisingly gentle tone, but Yoonso froze. Then, Hwi softly brushed off Yoonso’s arm—the spot the scoundrel had gripped tightly.

“Remember this.”

Hwi’s hand moved to Yoonso’s cheek. He rubbed Yoonso’s flushed cheek, heated from running, firmly with his thumb, as if wiping away a stain. The touch was somewhat rough, but Yoonso couldn’t say a word.

“If someone else touches you, I’ll just cut their hand off.”

Was it his imagination, or did that sound like a warning not to let anyone else touch him? Despite Hwi’s seemingly calm expression, a cold glint flashed across his face, leaving Yoonso pale and trembling faintly at the lips.

What had angered this man so much? The sight of Hwi looking at him this way felt both sad and frightening, and Yoonso lightly grasped the hem of Hwi’s sleeve.

“Sir…”

His trembling voice came out like a plea. The hand rubbing Yoonso’s cheek paused, and as Hwi blinked a couple of times, the icy demeanor gradually softened. Soon, he curled one corner of his mouth into a smile.

“Why are you back to calling me ‘sir’? You were so quick to call me hyung-nim.”

The sudden shift in mood was disorienting, but catching Hwi’s teasing intent, Yoonso composed himself.

“I was in a hurry. I thought if I called you my brother, that guy would back off quickly.”

“Why not keep calling me that?”

“How could I call you hyung-nim, sir?”

Deliberately replying in a curt tone, Yoonso saw Hwi stare at him intently. The playful glint in his eyes was obvious, and Yoonso widened his own in response.

“Should I really call you that then?”

He didn’t truly intend to call Hwi hyung-nim, but it wasn’t impossible either. When someone tried to tease him, the best response was to face it boldly.

Curious about how Hwi would reply, Yoonso’s eyes sparkled. Suddenly, Hwi, who had been looking down at him with a crooked gaze, flicked Yoonso’s forehead.

“Ow!”

It didn’t hurt, but Yoonso rubbed his forehead dramatically. Hwi leaned down, bringing his eyes close to Yoonso’s.

“That won’t do.”

“…”

“I’m a man who respects propriety.”

What did propriety have to do with a servant calling someone hyung-nim? Yoonso muttered under his breath, watching Hwi’s back as he walked away.

“After all that running, you must be hungry.”

Hwi stopped and gestured for Yoonso to hurry up. Realizing he was indeed hungry, Yoonso quickly followed.

Tailing Hwi closely, Yoonso studied his expression, relieved to see it looked as usual. Various thoughts about the earlier incident swirled in his mind, but since it was over, he decided to let it go.

Yet, despite resolving to move on, his heart felt like a tangled ball of thread rolling around, impossible to unravel, keeping his eyes fixed on Hwi.

They arrived at an elegant mansion with a spacious interior and many rooms. From the outside, it hadn’t seemed so large, and since Yoonso had never seen a tavern converted from a house, he looked around curiously.

Entering the assigned room, he saw a garden through the open window. Around a pond where silk carps swam gracefully, drooping gold lace flowers and white popcorn-like shrubs blended to create a refined, serene scene.

“You sure know a lot of nice places, sir.”

Expressing genuine admiration, Yoonso saw Hwi let out a soft laugh and pick up a teacup. As Hwi sipped the warm tea, Yoonso noticed a deeper fatigue in his face than before. He recalled that Hwi had been constantly working without rest since arriving here.

“Is there so much work? It seems you can’t rest at all.”

“I’m almost done.”

“That’s good to hear, but… do you always handle this much work? I mean, if you’re this busy even while traveling, your duties must be quite heavy.”

Hwi drank his tea without a word, as if it was no big deal to him. Perhaps the reason Hwi couldn’t sleep was the weight of his responsibilities.

“Don’t you have anyone to share the burden with?”

“Even if it’s shared, someone has to take responsibility and make decisions. That’s my role.”

“Do you like the work you’re doing now, sir?”

Hwi paused, teacup halfway to his lips, and let out a wry chuckle, as if he’d heard something absurd.

“Do people call something they enjoy ‘work’?”

“Some do.”

Just as some become painters because they love painting or musicians because they love playing instruments, one could become a merchant because they enjoy handling and selling goods. Yoonso wasn’t naive enough to think everyone could do what they dreamed, but there were people who loved their work, and Hwi didn’t seem to be one of them.

‘Come to think of it, I was like you.’

‘Like me?’

‘I thought I’d live traveling freely.’

Reflecting on their past conversation, Yoonso realized Hwi might not have wanted this position. If so, what drove him? A sense of duty to carry on the family legacy? Money? Honor?

“Have you ever considered… another path?”

Hwi’s gaze drifted to the window, as if recalling a memory. A faint floral scent wafted in, tickling Yoonso’s nose. Unable to sit still, he fidgeted with his fingertips.

“No.”

Hwi’s reply sounded like he was speaking to himself. A strange sense of disappointment welled up, swirling in Yoonso’s chest.

‘It’s all just a predestined shackle.’

Hwi’s bitter words, muttered while they sheltered from sudden rain in a slum, and his somber expression remained vivid. Yoonso clenched his fist and spoke.

“Is it because it’s hard to abandon your duty? But if you wanted, couldn’t you live a life just for yourself?”

When their eyes met again, Yoonso realized he had overstepped. Yet he didn’t want to take back his words.

A man who thought he’d live traveling freely couldn’t let go of work even on the road. Sweet sleep showed no sign of coming to him, and… one day, he’d likely marry someone predetermined.

How could the heir of a great merchant easily abandon his duties? Yoonso wasn’t ignorant of that. He knew it all too well, but…