The morning of the birthday was quite bustling at the Dokgo household.
It was an event that had been prepared for quite some time, mainly because today marked the coming-of-age ceremony for Dokgorin, beloved by everyone in the household.
As I arrived at the household, I could feel the cheerful atmosphere around me and greeted the warriors from the Murim Association who were stationed at the front gate.
“Hello.”
“Good morning to you too.”
These warriors belonged to the Baekho Squad, one of the four groups under the Murim Association, composed entirely of top-notch fighters.
Previously, when we went to Chang’an, Dokgoseok had requested support from Jeongalgyun, leading to the arrival of troops from the Murim Association, who had been staying with us for over a year now.
“Today is Miss Dokgorin’s birthday, right? Is there any chance we’ll get a crumb of celebration too?”
“Yes. After the coming-of-age ceremony, the family will celebrate by sharing delicious food. I’m sure there will be some treats for the warriors too.”
“Haha, looking forward to it.”
“It’s only right, considering you’ve been standing guard at the front gate.”
I said this and slightly bowed my head before hastily making my way to greet Dokgorin, who was still in the annex.
*
“Miss, are you all ready?”
As I asked this from outside the door, Dokgorin’s voice soon came from within.
“I still have a little left, but you can come in.”
After receiving her permission, I opened the door and saw Dokgorin sitting in front of a mirror, being adorned by the household maids.
“Wow.”
The moment I saw her face, I couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.
She looked stunning, her intentional decoration made her all the more beautiful.
With a porcelain-like face, plump red lips, and eyebrows that looked like they were brushed on by a master artist, along with a smooth forehead.
As depicted in the original work, “Cheondokmaenyeo,” Dokgorin’s beauty in her adulthood was well-deserving of the claim of being the most beautiful in the Murim.
As I stood silently at the door, not saying a word, Dokgorin, feeling perhaps a bit impatient, asked first.
“Chilbok, what do you think?”
“Uh?”
“How do I look right now?”
Dokgorin was looking at me over the mirror as she asked.
“Um… you look beautiful.”
“Is that all you have to say?”
“You’re extremely, extremely beautiful.”
I wanted to express something more flowery, but for some reason, my brain wasn’t functioning properly, leaving me with only simple vocabulary.
However, perhaps noticing that I was acting slightly out of character, Dokgorin showed a satisfied expression even with my response.
“Hehe, I thought Chilbok wasn’t interested in girls, but seems that’s not the case?”
“If the lady by my side is there, other girls would just look like squids.”
As I said this, the maids, busy doing Dokgorin’s makeup, started babbling.
“That’s not true?!”
I hurriedly denied that accusation, but it seemed too late.
“Chilbok, your face is super red.”
“Ugh!”
Realizing my face’s condition only after Dokgorin pointed it out, I hurriedly closed the door behind me and stepped outside.
From behind the closed door, I could hear the maids giggling.
They were probably making fun of me in real-time.
I let out a small sigh and resigned myself to waiting outside until Dokgorin finished getting ready.
“Hmm?”
At that moment, I spotted Dokgoseok and Kyungah walking in the corridor between the main and annex buildings.
And perhaps they noticed me too, as they waved their hands.
Dokgoseok turned back toward me, his head tilted, and asked.
“Chilbok, are you feeling unwell? Your face is red.”
“Oh, I think I’m just a bit hot, so I came outside to cool off.”
After brushing off the question, I noticed Dokgoseok was dressed much more splendidly than usual and asked him the reason.
He smiled shyly and replied.
“Isn’t it the day of my only younger sister’s coming-of-age ceremony? As her brother, I can’t show up looking shabby.”
“Haha, you have moments of shyness too, huh?”
As I teased him, Dokgoseok ruffled my hair, claiming I had grown and learned to tease.
Feeling like a fluffy mess now, I turned my attention to Kyungah and asked.
“When are you heading back home?”
“Oh, after Lin’s coming-of-age ceremony ends today, I’ll say my goodbyes and leave. It’d be quite rude to leave without saying anything since we’ve known each other for so long.”
“Isn’t the nobleman giving you a generous retirement gift?”
“If he doesn’t, I’ll just take the house documents and bolt, so it’s fine.”
“Haha, you’ve got quite the sense of humor, Kyungah.”
“It’s not a joke!”
“…….”
Suddenly halting mid-sentence, the two seemed to be having a playful battle of wits.
I thought their relationship looked more like actual siblings than sibling-like friends, and I told them I’d see them at the ceremony.
Dokgoseok nodded and said, “See you then,” as he fanned himself and walked away.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at his unchanging carefree demeanor.
*
The coming-of-age ceremony in China is called “Guanli,” part of the four traditional ceremonies collectively referred to as “Guanhon-Sangje.”
During this ceremony, males bind their hair and wear a cap, while females twist their hair into a bun or wear hairpieces.
Under the strong influence of Confucianism, the ceremony is often held grandly, showing respect for ancestors while showcasing the family’s prestige.
Our revered Dokgo household took this formality very seriously, so to everyone’s surprise, Dokgorin’s birthday turned into a bit of a village festival.
“Wow, Lin looks incredibly beautiful.”
“With that much beauty, she could get married now.”
“Sniff, she’s grown up so well.”
Only the people from the Dokgo household could witness the coming-of-age ceremony.
Most of the servants had watched Dokgorin grow up, so seeing her as an adult filled their hearts with emotion.
Dressed in red attire in front of the ancestral shrine, Dokgorin, surrounded by her family, looked like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens.
“She’s definitely stunningly beautiful.”
To think someone like her is my girlfriend, honestly, I still find it hard to believe.
Just to double-check, I pinched my cheek lightly, and feeling pain assured me this was no dream.
As the coming-of-age ceremony proceeded, I watched Dokgorin perform the rituals one by one according to tradition, and after seeing her secure her hair with a hairpin, I excused myself from the shrine for a moment.
Perhaps because the ceremony took quite a while, the sky had already turned dark, but due to the red lanterns hung under the eaves, the area around the household was still brightly lit.
I gazed up at the full moon and fell into thought.
“Has it really been two years already?”
When I first possessed Chilbok’s body, I didn’t know what was what, but now I had grown quite accustomed to life here.
Having even gained a beautiful girlfriend named Dokgorin, I could say I was in a state of utter happiness.
“But is it alright like this?”
A stable job, a beautiful girlfriend, a peaceful life.
Though I had everything anyone could wish for, on the flip side, an unease lingered.
Having lived a life far removed from happiness, now everything seemed to resolve smoothly in this story-like world, it felt almost terrifying.
Life has its ups and downs, and if the peak of happiness is as high as this, I couldn’t even imagine how far I’d fall when misfortune comes.
Wrapped up in my thoughts, I was feeling completely lost in reflection.
“Chilbok! What are you doing all alone here?”
“Oh, Kyungah.”
I turned at the familiar voice coming from behind me.
“How did you know I was here?”
“I saw you leaving the shrine alone earlier. When you didn’t return for quite some time, I wondered what was going on, so I came out.”
As she approached me, she suddenly wore a worried expression.
“Chilbok, do you have something on your mind? Should I help you sort it out?”
“Uh? How did you know that?”
“Well, it’s written all over your face. ‘I have worries’.”
I hadn’t expected Kyungah would see right through me, so I awkwardly scratched the back of my head.
“Um, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, ask away.”
I stared at Kyungah’s confident face as she pounded her chest and finally gathered my courage to speak.
“Do you ever feel scared of misfortune in the future?”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve been feeling so happy lately that sometimes it scares me. I wonder if all this happiness will suddenly disappear like a bubble.”
“So you’re saying you’re really happy now, but you’re scared of what the future holds?”
“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.”
Kyungah, upon hearing my question, put her finger to her chin in a thoughtful gesture.
Then she looked straight at me and declared.
“First of all, I understand just how fortunate you are right now.”
“Really?”
Caught off guard by her suddenly harsh words, I struggled to keep my composure as she continued.
“No one in this world knows their future. Would it make sense to let that fear prevent you from truly enjoying the happiness you have now?”
“……”
“Some people find happiness in managing to eat one day at a time. They’re grateful for the fact they can fill their bellies today rather than worrying about what’s to come. When you think about it, you should realize just how meaningless your worries are.”
As she said this, she grabbed both my shoulders and with determined eyes told me.
“So, enjoy your current happiness. When misfortune eventually comes, don’t regret not savoring your joy.”
“…Thank you, Kyungah. That really helps.”
I said that and bowed my head.
Feeling something vital through our short conversation.
“I’m glad it helped. I was worried I was meddling for no reason.”
“No, it helped a lot. For sure.”
“Really?”
As I reiterated my point, Kyungah smiled shyly and scratched her head.
As our conversation settled into a moment of silence, Kyungah looked up at the full moon and spoke.
“Well, since I said my goodbyes to Chilbok, I should be heading back now.”
“Oh? Are you leaving already? You should eat something since the coming-of-age ceremony is over.”
“I’m leaving anyway. Why linger when it’s time to go? Plus, I already had enough delicious food beside Seoki.”
As she spoke, Kyungah nervously smiled, got up from her seat, and patted my head.
“Then, Chilbok, I’ll be going now. You should listen to the lady, eat well, and grow up to be a good adult. If you ever come near where I live, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“…Thank you.”
I nodded, holding back the tears that threatened to spill.
“Then, I’ll be…”
Squeak!
“Huh?”
Kyungah suddenly stopped speaking, her eyes widened in shock.
Just like I didn’t understand what was happening, neither did I.
Her body began to lean forward, and only then did I realize something was wrong with Kyungah.
Thud!
“Kyungah!”
Rushing to my feet, I checked on Kyungah, who had suddenly collapsed on the ground.
However, as I touched her body, I felt something sticky; curious, I shone the moonlight on it and saw a vivid red hue.
“…Blood?”
With unease, I checked her back, and though the darkness obscured the view, I could make out a short arrow lodged in her back.
The sticky stuff I touched moments ago was indeed her blood oozing from the wound.
“An arrow? Why? This is the Dokgo household!”
Faced with this unexpected situation, my mind hardly registered anything.
But knowing I had to perform first aid, I hastily reached for the arrow, and just then—
Wham!
A powerful shock to my back sent my body tumbling forward helplessly.
