YCHW Ch 18

𓇢𓆸

Today, for some reason, there were no servants tending to the inner quarters. It seemed they were all busy preparing to welcome guests who were said to be arriving. There was no one guarding the main gate either, so Yoonso cautiously looked around and stood at the threshold.

Standing there, he noticed the side gate wide open. For Yoonso, who had not taken a single step outside the inner quarters since sprouting, the open gate felt as though it were beckoning him.

He had been told that since he had sprouted as a Yeong-chunhwa and was a very important person, he must protect himself well, but he could not grasp what that had to do with being unable to go outside.

His father had sternly warned him not to abandon his body and mind. His body and mind belonged to him, so how could he abandon them? That part was incomprehensible. For now, he simply wished to wander a little and return.

Yoonso fidgeted with his fingers, glanced around, and stealthily walked toward the side gate. His heart pounded, and he placed his fern-like hand on his chest, taking a deep breath.

No one stopped Yoonso until he finally slipped through the side gate. He smiled brightly and ran, putting distance between himself and the house.

The midsummer sun blazed fiercely. Having been confined to the house, he had not keenly felt the flow of seasons, but the noisy chirping of cicadas and the shadows cast by lush green leaves made him realize he was in the heart of summer. Yoonso giggled, hopping from one patch of shade to another, and decided to head to the stream since it was so hot.

On the way to the stream, he realized it was the first time he had gone out without Yeondeok. A flicker of fear arose, but it was overshadowed by the thrilling feeling of finally being an adult.

Arriving at the stream with vigorous strides, he saw children playing in the water. Yoonso crouched down, watching them with curious eyes, and dipped his hand into the cool water.

“Hey! Wanna join us?”

A lively boy called out to Yoonso. Hesitating briefly, Yoonso happily joined the group of children.

Playing in the water, he became soaked to the bone, looking like a drenched rat. On the way back, his clothes clung to him with every step, and the waterlogged fabric felt heavy and cumbersome, but his joy outweighed the discomfort. The thrill of interacting with peers his parents had not chosen for him was exhilarating.

Next time, I’ll bring Yeondeok to play.

Planning to play with Yeondeok made him even more excited. Humming a tune, Yoonso spotted a servant lingering near the mansion and raised his hand enthusiastically.

“Gwangseok!”

“Young master!”

The servant rushed toward Yoonso and lifted him up. Startled at first, Yoonso giggled as his view rose higher.

“I’m all wet.”

“Goodness, young master. Where on earth have you been?”

“To the stream. There were so many kids there. I played with…”

“How could you go out without saying a word? Do you know how many people are looking for you right now?”

“For me?”

“Yes! The master is very angry.”

Only then did Yoonso realize he had disobeyed his father’s orders, and he shrank his shoulders.

“Very? How angry?”

“Goodness, you’ll have to apologize profusely when you get back. Understood?”

Yoonso had rarely seen his father angry. Though somewhat strict, his father was generally lenient with him, so Yoonso was worried but not overly afraid.

However, as he entered the house, the icy atmosphere made him sense something was terribly wrong. Led by the servant’s hand to face his father’s cold glare, even the slight sense of injustice he felt subsided.

“Father, I’m sorry…”

“Where have you been to get so wet!”

“The stream, ah…!”

Before he could finish, his father’s palm struck his cheek, and his small body collapsed under the force, unable to comprehend what had happened. A burning pain flared up, tears welled in his eyes, and his father, red with rage, shouted.

“You’re bringing shame to this family!”

His father had struck his cheek. That fact hurt Yoonso more than the stinging pain. Was it because he was still young and immature? He could not understand why going out briefly warranted such harsh punishment.

After that, the servants, realizing it was no trivial matter, tightened their watch over him, but time has a way of dulling vigilance. At eleven years old, Yoonso forgot the pain and sadness and planned another outing.

“Yeondeok, they say the traveling troupe that came this time is amazing. They travel all over, so if we miss them this year, we might not see them again. So let’s go together. Okay?”

“Will the master allow it?”

“That’s why we have to sneak out.”

Yoonso’s eyes sparkled as he eagerly shared his plan with Yeondeok. Yeondeok hesitated, but being only three years older than Yoonso and having had his own movements restricted since Yoonso’s confinement, the proposal was too tempting to resist.

“No way…”

What happened afterward was something Yoonso could not forget, no matter how much he wanted to. He furrowed his brow tightly and waved his hand, but his gesture was stopped as his fingertips touched something cold.

“No, no…”

“Yoon-ah.”

Even in a crowded place, a clear voice flowed gently into his ears. A heated breath escaped his lips, and his entire body felt stiflingly unbearable. As he tried to toss and turn, something cool grabbed and pressed his hand.

“Yoon-ah. Come to your senses.”

The unfamiliar yet somehow familiar address prompted Yoonso to lift his heavy eyelids. Seeing a familiar face through his hazy vision, he let out a sigh of relief.

It was a dream. Yes, a dream.

Yoonso tried to rub his eyes, but Hwi’s hand, still holding his, came up with the motion, and he quickly let go. Breathing heavily, he looked around.

“Where is this…”

“It’s an inn. The physician came and said it’s *ungam.”

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Don’t worry about it. Here, take the medicine first.”

Hwi slid his hand under Yoonso’s back to help him sit up and brought a spoonful of medicine to his lips. Yoonso weakly raised his hand, but Hwi, with a soft “easy,” poured the medicine into Yoonso’s mouth. The bitter taste made his brow furrow.

Hwi continued to feed Yoonso the medicine like a bird feeding its young.

After emptying the bowl, a cough broke out. Hwi wiped Yoonso’s mouth with a clean Yeong-silk cloth and laid him back down. Blinking dazedly up at Hwi, Yoonso noticed him reach out to brush his eyes. A droplet of water clung to Hwi’s fingertip.

“Anywhere else hurt?”

“No. This is just… because of a dream.”

Hwi’s steady gaze seemed to ask what kind of dream it was. Yoonso gave a faint smile. With fever burning through him, waking to find Hwi by his side was a great comfort. If he had been alone on this journey, he would have faced countless sorrows.

“It’s hot…”

As Yoonso tried to push away the blanket covering him up to his neck, Hwi stopped his hand and placed his palm on Yoonso’s neck. The coolness of his hand gently eased the heat, as if sweet water were forming in its wake.

“Ah… it’s cool.”

Yoonso’s lips curled faintly as he closed his heavy eyelids. Hwi’s fingertips tapped lightly on Yoonso’s neck. It felt like a pat, yet somehow clumsy, sparking a soft chuckle in Yoonso’s vision. He soon let out a long, comfortable breath.

When he opened his eyes again, something damp was wiping his forehead. Marveling at how much lighter his body felt, he exhaled as the white Yeong-silk cloth moved away.

“How’s your body?”

“It’s better.”

Had Hwi been wiping his sweat and cooling him down? Yoonso wondered how he could ever repay such kindness. Without Hwi, tending to himself would not have been easy. Meeting this man by chance on the road was, upon reflection, a great stroke of luck.

As Hwi picked up the bowl of medicine, Yoonso quickly sat up. When the spoon approached his lips, he naturally opened his mouth.

“Ah, hot…!”

The medicine was too hot to drink, and he flinched back. Hwi raised an eyebrow as if to say, “This is hot?” and looked between Yoonso and the bowl. He blew on the medicine to cool it and offered the spoon again.

Yoonso drank as it was given, but the timing of the spoon’s movement was off, causing his mouth to get messy. He chuckled, wondering if Hwi had ever cared for someone sick before.

“Why are you laughing?”

Hwi set the bowl down and asked. Feeling a bit more energetic with something to laugh about, a mischievous glint appeared on Yoonso’s face.

“Even you, mister, have things you’re not good at.”

“You’re the only frail guy around me, so it’s bound to be my first time.”

Confirming that this was Hwi’s first time tending to someone sick made Yoonso’s chest tingle for some reason. Feeling as though a fluffy ball of yarn was rolling around inside, he shrugged his shoulders needlessly.