The world was bustling with vitality as the morning began. The warm sunlight draped a new day over the mansion.
On such a clear day, anyone would stretch and rise energetically, ready to start their work. However…
“Heh, heh, heh. Another… another day begins without Master Kang.”
In the shadowy corner of the mansion, a silver-haired, blue-eyed woman rolled on the floor, a mix of frustration and laughter on her face.
“Where on earth has he gone?”
It’s been three days since Kang Yoon-ho and Im Ha-yeon disappeared.
One Master Kang would never just leave me behind!
Ah, but he must come back by tomorrow!
If he returns now, I will bow down and apologize to both of them.
It’s all over… It’s all my fault.
Was it called the five stages of grief? Without realizing it, she had moved from denial, anger, and bargaining to the stage of depression.
“Was I too presumptuous?”
Could you please just call me ‘gaga’ for now?
Zhuge Hyang recalled the words Master Kang had said three days ago.
“Master Kang asked me to call him ‘gaga’! How can I keep my composure after that?”
Isn’t that practically a confession? There’s just a bit of fluff before the main point, right?
Zhuge Hyang tried to excuse herself, but there was no one to listen to her excuses.
“Gaga.”
Zhuge Hyang shyly murmured that word again.
How could a person express the pounding of their heart, the surge of emotions?
Gaga.
She thought it would be impossible to utter that word before finally saying it.
Her whole body grew hot. It felt like there was only herself and Master Kang in the world.
Even Master Kang seemed momentarily dazed, surprised by her declaration. It was clear he felt her heart too.
Zhuge Hyang reminisced about the ambiance back then.
They say language defines things.
When she had called him gaga, there certainly was her gaga there.
I guess we might have become that close starting today?
If it weren’t for that meddler.
“Heh… I knew I couldn’t compete with Ha-yeon unni.”
She’s good at her job, sociable, respected, and trusted by Master Kang. She is the very woman Zhuge Hyang had dreamed of.
Although Zhuge Hyang recognized her defeat grudgingly, she accepted it quietly.
Had it been the usual Zhuge Hyang, she would have envied how such a remarkable unni could excel in everything. But if that unni loved her Master Kang, it was a different story.
She is her match. Her Master Kang. Her Ho Pil author.
Her gaga.
Zhuge Hyang mustered all the courage she could, like a hamster puffing up.
“Master Kang is m-my match! I-I think Ha-yeon unni shouldn’t interfere!”
Ultimately, that one phrase twisted everything out of shape.
“Where could he possibly have gone?”
Could it be that he got tired of me and vanished? No way, no way, could those two be eloping?
If that were truly the case…
“Ugh… No, I can’t think like that. If I do, my heart might shatter.”
Just imagining it sent ripples of pain through her heart. Zhuge Hyang placed a hand over her chest, barely managing to hold onto her breaking heart.
“I miss Master Kang so much!”
Zhuge Hyang collapsed onto the floor again.
Three days. A ravenous woman starved for news of her gaga, felt her eyelids gradually growing heavy.
“Miss Zhuge? So, you were here!”
In her fading consciousness, she saw the black-haired man she had been waiting for walk toward her.
“Ugh! Am I seeing things?!”
“Miss Zhuge? Get a grip! Miss Zhuge!”
“Wait? Is that really Master Kang? This can’t be a dream. I-I need to get up. Master Kang finally came back!”
“Heh, heh. Master Kaaaang!”
Zhuge Hyang attempted to sit up but could only muster a relieved smile.
Why can’t I get up? As the tension that had bound her for the past three days began to ease, a singular thought flickered in her mind.
Now that she thought about it, it had been three days without food or sleep due to worry.
She definitely needed some sleep.
“Ah, so Ha-yeon unni is a runaway courtesan who was kidnapped?”
Zhuge Hyang almost dashed into the rescue attempt herself.
I started sharing what had happened with the dazed Zhuge Hyang while offering her some light snacks.
“Yes. I accidentally found the daughter of a brotherhood and was protecting her.”
Before bringing Im Ha-yeon back to the mansion, Zhuge Hyang needed to know the truth.
I briefly explained the circumstances that had led to Im Ha-yeon’s unfortunate status as a missing courtesan.
“That, that can’t be! Because of me, Ha-yeon unni…”
She couldn’t seal her lips. Well, it was understandable. Her minor actions had triggered a major incident.
“Fortunately, the urgent situation has been resolved. We are currently being chased, but for now, she’s safe. I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you sooner amidst the chaos.”
I wasn’t just being forgetful. I genuinely didn’t have the presence of mind. I hastily made excuses while apologizing.
“Because of me, Ha-yeon unni is suffering… What should I…”
Zhuge Hyang was fidgeting and mumbling.
“It’s not your fault, Miss Zhuge. It’s because I made a hasty suggestion that caused this situation.”
I hadn’t had any idea that asking for ‘gaga’ would lead to Ha-yeon eloping, or the mess with the clan, or that Gi-mun Hyang-ju was Ha-yang’s master!
Don’t blame yourself. I tried to console her, and Zhuge Hyang’s nervous expression began to calm down as she nodded.
“W-well, it wasn’t a hasty suggestion.”
Zhuge Hyang turned her head slightly with her lips clenched, muttering with a hint of disappointment.
“Ha ha ha.”
“Ah, it’s nothing!”
How could it be nothing after all that?
I watched as Zhuge Hyang wrapped her own hands tightly in embarrassment, while looking away.
A contract relationship.
Had I come this far to fool Man Geum-jeon?
Zhuge Hyang isn’t just a love interest. She’s not even a match. We should take it easy and treat each other like friends.
Let’s relate like old friends, listen well, and empathize. Besides, we share a common interest in ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’.
She was someone awkward in conversation. She preferred staying at home, after all. We could be friends, going out and experiencing things she couldn’t on her own.
As I opened my heart and treated her easily, I didn’t notice the fondness for me growing inside her.
“How should I respond to Zhuge Hyang’s affections?”
Deciding not to ignore it any longer, I faced the immediate issue of Im Ha-yeon, wondering how to address the budding affection from Zhuge Hyang.
“Miss Zhuge…”
“What are you two doing?”
Just then, as I was about to say something to Zhuge Hyang, the door opened and Im Ha-yeon walked in.
“Ha-yeon unni?”
“Ha-yeon! How did you manage to shake off your pursuers?”
She said she would come separately to avoid being watched but arrived quicker than expected.
“Yes. The Gi-mun helped a lot. How have you been, Miss Zhuge?”
She had left looking miserable but returned with a refreshed face.
“Um, well… Ha-yeon unni, a-are you okay?”
“As you can see, I’m fine.”
“Ha-yeon unni, I’m really sorry. I’m so sorry!”
Zhuge Hyang rushed over to Ha-yeon, bowing her head over and over, as though she couldn’t even lift it.
“It’s alright. It’s not your fault, Miss Zhuge. It was my impulsiveness that led me to rashly leave.”
“But… I… I called Master Kang m-my… g-gaga…”
Zhuge Hyang glanced at me and subtly brought up that word that had sparked all these events.
“If you want, feel free to call me gaga as much as you want.”
“Excuse me?”
“Ha-yeon?”
Im Ha-yeon replied without any trace of hesitation about the word ‘gaga.’
“It’s fine. I won’t waver anymore.”
I looked at Im Ha-yeon in confusion; she stepped closer, firmly grasping my hand.
“Eh?!”
Zhuge Hyang’s eyes bugged out in shock.
“Since you promised me, why would I waver over a mere act of pretending to call you gaga?”
“Ha ha…”
That confession I had made in front of Gi-mun Hyang-ju had evidently given her enough confidence.
“So, you’ll be coming to my r-room later, right?”
Why was she speaking like it was announcing to the whole world? Did she bring her ear close with intent?
“Whaaaat?! Ha-Ha-yeon unni, what did you just say?!”
“Hmm, let’s see.”
Im Ha-yeon tried to smile casually.
“Miss Ha-yeon, stop with the inappropriate jokes!”
“What joke?”
Your neck is as red as a tomato.
“This is about discussing matters regarding the runaway courtesan. Don’t give Miss Zhuge any misunderstandings.”
“I heard sisters do this sort of thing…”
What did she hear from Gi-ru?
“Ugh…”
Troublesome.
I didn’t want to witness another situation like the one just a few days ago.
If that had been an answer to how I felt about Ha-yeon, I should let her know not to show it in front of Zhuge Hyang. But would that mean I’d be ignoring Zhuge Hyang’s feelings again?
I made up my mind; I would no longer ignore the feelings of both women.
No more putting things off.
What should I do? After pondering for a bit while glancing between the two women, the conclusion was straightforward.
“Will you both come out to the garden tonight?”
Let’s encounter the truth for the sake of our relationships.
——–
“Master Kang, welcome!”
“Why did you call me out to the garden?”
I rushed back to finish the work piled up from three days, and twilight fell quickly.
In the dimly lit courtyard of the mansion.
I fixed my clothes neatly and called the two women who were waiting for me in the mansion, standing before them.
“I have something very important to say to both of you.”
What happened a few days ago must not recur. First, I turned my back to the exit.
No stones are lying around here, right? The grass is a good spot.
Gazing once more at the puzzled faces of the two women, I took a small breath and braced myself for the confrontation.
“I’m sorry.”
Let’s start by kneeling.
“Master Kang?!”
“Why are you suddenly doing this?!”
Ignoring their surprised voices, I continued with my head bowed.
“Today, what has come to pass is entirely my fault. Despite sensing both your affections for me, I pretended not to notice and chose to prolong the situation.”
This situation isn’t Zhuge Hyang’s fault, nor Im Ha-yeon’s.
It was my fault for observing the tug-of-war between the two without intervening.
“W-why aren’t you getting up?”
I can’t get up just yet.
“Before I respond to both of your feelings, there’s something I need to confess.”
I peered at the two of them, unable to hide my pained expression, taking them in with an utterly serious gaze.
“What is it? Another joke with Gugu?”
“It’s not that.”
“Just promise me you won’t abandon me and go to Zhuge Hyang instead, and I’ll forgive everything else. Please just get up. Men shouldn’t kneel carelessly.”
“Eh! I, I did too. W-wait, I meant… the opposite of that!”
The two of them seemed like they were about to come forward, forcing me to rise.
“Today, what I want to confess is that while I was aware of both your feelings, I kept wanting to prolong the situation.”
Holding both of them back with my hands, I looked into their eyes once more.
“I don’t get what you mean?”
“Stop doing this and just say it standing up!”
I gazed thoughtfully at the two women who were looking at me with worry.
They truly are ridiculous beauties.
Im Ha-yeon, who should have been known as the number one courtesan in North Hu, and Zhuge Hyang, who matches her in beauty.
Any man would feel they had it all if they could marry either of these two.
And both of them have feelings for me.
What an extravagant circumstance. It’s an honor to be cherished by such incredible women; now I need to confess.
I want to accept both their affections. I aspire to date both at the same time. It’s not merely an admission of selfish gluttony.
There is a more essential confession I must make before accepting the affections of these two women.
I took a deep breath, preparing to speak the words I had been unable to say until now.
“I actually have a fiancée.”
