YCHW Ch 11

“It’s just… I liked it too much.”

Yoonso quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve and forced a clumsy smile. To think he’d cry listening to the tanju—wouldn’t that make him seem terribly frail? But he couldn’t help it. These tears had welled up unbidden, stirred by a flood of emotions.

Joy, unease, hope, fear, excitement, nostalgia… all of it was woven into the melody, overwhelming Hwi. It must have been because the performer’s skill was exceptionally fine.

“For a man, it seems a beauty’s tanju has stirred your heart.”

Yoonso sniffled, his nose red, and glanced up. But as he mulled over the words, the teasing remark seemed meant to ease the awkwardness, so he merely shrugged his shoulders.

“Is there any man who dislikes a beauty?”

Hwi gazed at Yoonso steadily, then, just before bringing the teacup to his lips, replied with a fleeting comment.

“That’s true.”

The man’s response was so unexpected that Yoonso looked at Hwi again. Truthfully, judging by appearances alone, Hwi seemed like the coldest of the cold-blooded, so Yoonso had assumed he’d have no interest in women. Then again, being indifferent to women was another matter entirely.

As Yoonso made this guess, Hwi spoke again.

“If you like beauties so much, you could just look in a mirror.”

“What?”

Not understanding at first, Yoonso asked again, and Hwi casually tilted his chin, as if to say, I’m talking about you.

Yoonso, flustered, widened his eyes and only moved his lips soundlessly. He wasn’t unaware of his own appearance, having heard compliments since childhood, but hearing it from Hwi’s mouth felt strangely different.

“If you’re done eating, let’s go.”

At a loss for words and standing there dumbly, Hwi rose from his seat without hesitation. Yoonso hurriedly followed after him.

The two headed to an inn not far from the tavern. The inn provided them with the entire top floor, which had a layout with two bedrooms. For Yoonso, it was comfortable and pleasant, but he couldn’t help but marvel at how much money someone must have to rent such a place for just one night.

In one corner of the room, Hwi’s belongings, which had been sent ahead, were neatly placed. They were so sparse that they didn’t look like the luggage of someone traveling far. Hwi took a pouch from the pile, tucked it into his robe, and turned to Yoonso.

“I’m going to send a letter, so rest first.”

“Yes.”

Before leaving, Hwi tapped the wall near the bath prepared close to the entrance.

Once Hwi left, Yoonso aimlessly paced the room before stepping past the curtain at the bath’s entrance and entering.

The wooden bathtub, large enough for one person, was already filled with warm water. It seemed the water had been brought up at just the right time, and it must have taken considerable effort to carry it to the top floor.

The tapping on the wall must have meant to wash up. Having spent the whole day covered in dust, Yoonso couldn’t help but smile at the thought of finally cleaning himself.

Unable to bring himself to soak in the tub, Yoonso scooped out the water and carefully washed his body before changing his clothes.

Drying his wet hair with a Yeong cloth, he sat on the edge of the bed. As he looked around the quiet room, he reached out and opened the window, revealing a starry night sky framed like a painting.

The moonlight was serene, and it was a truly clear night. Sleeping in a place other than his own home was a first for him, and it made him realize once again that he had safely escaped.

He hoped he could reach Araksa without incident.

Yoonso clasped his hands tightly, praying for a long while, before closing his heavy eyes.

When Yoonso woke in the morning, his entire body ached, and the inner sides of his thighs throbbed from the aftermath of riding a horse for the first time in his life.

Despite this, he had to ride again for hours, which was agonizing. But the pain was bearable, and since delaying the journey wasn’t an option, he couldn’t afford to complain even a little. Fortunately, as he had boldly claimed, he quickly got the hang of riding and could keep pace with Hwi’s horse.

He had thought that traveling by horse would make the journey swift and smooth, but it wasn’t quite so. They had to stop periodically to feed the horses and let them rest, considering the long journey ahead. However, when the horses got a break, it meant Yoonso could rest too, so he found himself welcoming these pauses.

Compared to the biting cold of midwinter or the oppressive heat of midsummer weighing on one’s shoulders, the journey was relatively easy. The chill hadn’t fully subsided, but flower buds could be seen forming here and there.

As they went a bit further, they came across cornelian cherry trees with bright yellow petals blooming in clusters and magnolias with large, white, lush leaves. It wasn’t yet the season for such full blooms, so Yoonso wondered what was going on. Then he noticed that the breeze blowing in had grown noticeably warmer.

While he was puzzling over this, Hwi stopped at the top of a hill. Yoonso quickly urged his horse to catch up and stand beside him, then couldn’t help but gasp at the scenery below.

A shimmering blue lake, reflecting the sunlight, stretched out widely. Surrounding it were willows with gently drooping branches and fully bloomed flowering trees, blending with the lake to create a breathtaking view.

“This is… Yongyu Lake, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

True to its reputation as a lake favored by the Dragon God, its beauty was striking. The rippling glimmers on the water were almost dazzling. Yoonso had heard that Yongji had a milder climate than other places, and now, seeing it for himself, it felt simply mystical and wondrous.

“It’d be good to let the horses drink here.”

Yoonso descended the hill with Hwi. As they approached the lake, a flower garden enclosed by a fence and tangerine trees came into view. Yoonso dismounted and closely examined the garden through the fence.

“Are these Yeongchun flowers?”

“Yes. First time seeing them?”

“In person, yes.”

Yeongchun flowers were not easy to come by. They were extremely difficult to cultivate in ordinary soil, practically exclusive to Yongji, and since drinking tea made from Yeongchun flowers had the effect of calming Yongrin, they were managed by the state and offered solely to the imperial palace.

Yoonso had only ever imagined them based on written descriptions, but their appearance was simpler than he’d pictured. The small, white petals bloomed like fluffy rabbit tails, quite charming.

So these are the flowers the Dragon God stole… no, took from Hwado.

“They don’t seem like such remarkable flowers at first glance.”

“What, did you expect them to be flashier?”

“No, it’s not that… I just think if I saw them on the roadside, I’d mistake them for wildflowers and pass by.”

“Often, it’s those kinds of things that hold greater power.”

A fragrance carried by the breeze drifted through the fence, brushing the tip of Yoonso’s nose. It was strangely similar to the scent his body had given off when it first awakened, making him feel odd. Wondering if it might be his own scent, he instinctively checked his guardian spirit.

“What does Yeongchun tea taste like?”

“They say it has a good fragrance. Not much different in taste from other flower teas.”

“Oh…”

“Do you want to try it? I could pluck one for you.”

“You’re saying dangerous things!”

Yoonso, startled, stepped back from the fence. He caught a subtle glint of amusement in Hwi’s otherwise indifferent eyes. What a sly man. Shaking his head, Yoonso approached his horse, which was drinking water.

From the hill, the lake had looked blue, but up close, it was transparent. As Yoonso dipped his hand into the cool water and pulled it out, he heard lively noises nearby.

Three young men, shirtless, jumped into the lake. Splashing water at each other and swimming through the ripples, they looked utterly carefree. Yoonso stared, mouth agape, until a hand reached out from beside him and tapped his chin, making him close his mouth. Biting his tongue in the process, Yoonso grimaced and turned to Hwi.

“That’s reckless.”

“…What do you mean?”

Glaring at Hwi briefly, Yoonso looked down at the clear water. Since the water wasn’t too cold, those men must have jumped in without hesitation. After a moment’s pause, Yoonso asked.

“Could we rest here a bit longer?”

“What do you want to do?”

Hwi’s tone was surprisingly gentle, signaling permission. Yoonso took off his shoes, rolled up his pants to his knees, and stepped into the lake. As the cool water lapped against his skin, a smile spread across his face.

Lifting his foot, he splashed water, creating small ripples as the droplets fell. After playfully kicking the water a few times, he felt a growing urge to swim like those men. He’d only ever been in water while bathing, but…

“What are you doing?”

As Yoonso began to untie his robe, Hwi furrowed his brow and grabbed his arm.

“I’m going to get in the water.”

“Without clothes?”

“They’ll get wet if I keep them on.”

“You can dry them.”

“That’ll take too long.”

Shaking his arm to signal for Hwi to let go, Yoonso noticed Hwi looking at him with a hint of disapproval before tilting his chin.

“Keep one layer on.”

What a meddler, Yoonso thought. When Hwi released his arm, Yoonso began removing his clothes one by one, leaving only the thin, white undergarment. He’d briefly considered ignoring Hwi and stripping completely, but once he was down to just the undergarment, he felt too embarrassed to go further.

Standing in just his undergarment in front of Hwi, who was fully dressed in his robe, Yoonso felt as exposed as if he were naked. Even though they were both men, there was no reason to feel shy… It seemed the refined upbringing of a noble household still lingered in him. Squaring his shoulders deliberately, Yoonso plunged into the water.