“Let’s get this started, shall we?”
The moon hangs high in the sky. The gathering of the Hao Clan must have begun by now. Im Ha-yeon couldn’t hide her trembling eyes as she gazed at the moonlight reflecting through the living room window.
“Sister Ha-yeon, everything Master Kang mentioned is done so far!”
Miss Zhuge entered with a completely exhausted expression and collapsed into a chair.
“Thank you for your hard work. Would you like some tea?”
Im Ha-yeon avoided showing her anxious expression by brushing the flour on her hands and replied.
“Sister Ha-yeon, what were you doing?”
Miss Zhuge asked, barely turning her head to glance at Im Ha-yeon’s unfamiliar appearance.
“I was making kimchi dumplings.”
Im Ha-yeon looked away shyly as if confessing something embarrassing, staring at the wooden board.
“Dumplings?”
“If I can return safely, I want to eat them with him.”
On the wooden board Im Ha-yeon was looking at, quite a few appetizing kimchi dumplings were neatly arranged.
“Do, does Master Kang like dumplings?”
“More than liking dumplings…”
Im Ha-yeon quietly shook her head, staring at the kimchi dumplings as if she was lost in memory.
“…?”
“The first food he bought for me was kimchi dumplings.”
The man who saved her from a near-death experience. When she, a runaway courtesan, was unable to eat anything, he was the one who worried about her and bought her kimchi dumplings.
Im Ha-yeon was crafting memories with Kang Yoon-ho right now.
“Ah…”
“Isn’t it funny? Kimchi dumplings are a dish that originated in the Central Plains but were made in Joseon, just like that person.”
The food he had given her. Dumplings that resembled him.
As she formed another dumpling, Im Ha-yeon sank back into her memories.
Why kimchi dumplings? Dumplings are from the Central Plains, while kimchi is from Joseon. What does it mean?
Though she couldn’t voice it to him, it was the first time she’d ever received kindness from a man, so she pondered the significance of even just one dumpling he had given her.
He probably only worried about her, the daughter of a sworn brother.
Somehow, she found herself slowly opening her heart to him like a cat learning to trust.
“I might have opened my heart too much and got the wrong idea.”
She assigned too much meaning to trivial things and cried over little things. She held onto her trembling heart at his appearance, tried to act proud, and felt insecure, suffering silently.
All the time spent with him had completely changed her.
Having never cooked in her life, she was now forming memories in hopes of his safe return, wishing to share a meal with him like he hoped for her safety with the kimchi dumplings.
“…Technically, the dumpling recipe comes from our ancestors.”
Im Ha-yeon looked up from her memories at the slightly sulky voice that didn’t quite match Miss Zhuge’s usual persona.
Perhaps Miss Zhuge was a bit dissatisfied about Im Ha-yeon sharing her own memories with Master Kang. Unbeknownst to her, Zhuge’s lips had slightly pouted.
“Is it unfair to say it like that?”
Im Ha-yeon smiled kindly and spoke to soothe her pouting friend, but Zhuge had something to say too.
“Well, I’m a bit disappointed too.”
Miss Zhuge stood up, bowed her head, and opened her mouth.
“Miss Zhuge?”
“Master Kang has been focused only on you lately, and it seems like you two are getting along well while I’m still in the same place. It feels weirdly like I’m being overlooked. It’s nice that he praises my painting, though I wait for him to spend time with you. But I feel selfish for saying this when you’re facing a crisis. Ugh! I don’t even know!”
Even Miss Zhuge wasn’t without worries regarding romantic entanglements. She thought of holding back for Ha-yeon’s sake but couldn’t help her growing insecurity about the two getting closer.
She was simply so considerate that she struggled to express her inner feelings and was quietly suffering inside.
Miss Zhuge’s closely-guarded heart was now wide open at Im Ha-yeon’s nostalgic talk.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you felt that way.”
Im Ha-yeon, always feeling guilty about Zhuge’s sacrifices, immediately bowed her head to apologize.
“It’s not easy to say these things. I also don’t want to disappoint Master Kang.”
“They want love. They don’t want to be hated. For Miss Zhuge, people relationships are hard, but romance is even harder.”
“……”
She came to the mansion to get along with Master Kang. Im Ha-yeon was momentarily left speechless by Zhuge’s murmuring.
“I’m sorry, Ha-yeon.”
In the empty spot left from the awkward admission of her heavy heart, guilt filled the void. Miss Zhuge bowed her head to Im Ha-yeon.
“No, it just means that Miss Zhuge is comfortable enough to treat me like that.”
“Ha-yeon…”
Miss Zhuge muttered with a moved expression at the understanding on Im Ha-yeon’s face.
How could she convey her feelings? Im Ha-yeon finally spoke up after much deliberation.
“Okay. Once this is all over, I won’t say a word if you want to monopolize my attention for a while.”
“R-Really?”
A blush spread across Miss Zhuge’s face.
Seeing her so joyful, Im Ha-yeon couldn’t help but smile and nodded.
“I promise. Come over here, and let’s make dumplings together. Let’s make them and get praised together.”
It was she who suggested the alliance. If she took the lead, then she could pull her junior along.
Im Ha-yeon smeared flour onto Zhuge’s hands directly as she spoke.
“Hehe. Yes! Ha-yeon!”
“In Joseon, they say if you shape the dumplings nicely, you will have beautiful children, so it seems that making perfect dumplings is a part of the bride’s test.”
If he can come back safely today, everything will resolve smoothly.
It would be a future with him, not as a runaway courtesan. It would be a future where she could dream of being with him.
“Master Kang will be alright, right?”
Miss Zhuge asked anxiously, looking at Im Ha-yeon.
“Once we finish making our dumplings, we’ll fold origami cranes.”
Im Ha-yeon nodded with a smile, hiding her restless heart.
“Shall we also pray to Buddha?”
“Anything is fine.”
Dumplings, origami cranes, prayers. Anything would do.
If he safely returned today, she felt she could pray to anyone. Together with Miss Zhuge, Im Ha-yeon prayed for Kang Yoon-ho’s safe return.
“You’re late.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance, the host of the gathering, spoke to one who was not welcomed.
“I had a lot to prepare. By the way, you seem to have gotten prettier since I last saw you, Master of Arcane Fragrance.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance gazed at me over the bamboo foot, as if preparing to bite down, then greeted me with a nonchalant smile.
“Take a seat.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance pointed to the only empty seat among five using her pipe.
It was the farthest spot across from me. The arrangement was clearly intentional.
“Is that my spot? I want to socialize with the new faces.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance glanced slightly at the Simun Master sitting in front of me and spoke.
“I’ve gained a bit of a belly lately. Once I sit down, it’s hard to get up.”
The Simun Master wasn’t any less carefree. He patted his belly meaningfully.
“Tsk tsk. It’s acceptable for you, Simun Master, but why is our new face so resistant? Shouldn’t I be moving for my senior?”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance approached quickly, ready to toss the bamboo foot that was covering me.
Can’t we just exchange some pleasantries and leave? I mean, they won’t even give me any new year gift, but they want to play the role of family elders here.
This is troublesome.
Six martial artists followed the Master of Arcane Fragrance as she entered the room. Although it was said that only two could be taken in with the Master, they all brought in someone.
‘Are the warriors of the Do-mun Clan surrounding the Gilu?’
I exchanged glances with the Master of Arcane Fragrance, who subtly knocked her pipe against the ashtray twice.
Right. This is likely a setup for a civil war if things go awry.
As long as I can hold on until sunrise, I’ll have a fighting chance. However, it seems the Do-mun Master isn’t about to sit back and wait either.
“Do-mun Master, I’ll escort you to your seat.”
Luckily, reinforcements appeared to buy some time. One of the martial artists from Gilu blocked Do-mun Master’s path and pointed with his palm to the seat.
“Huh?”
“If you sit down, the banquet will be served right away… cough!”
The hand that had clearly pointed to the empty spot just a moment ago dropped to the floor.
“Do-mun Master!”
“Who dares to obstruct the path of the Clan Master? Master of Arcane Fragrance, I see you’ve been busy beautifying yourself lately.”
Is this man crazy?
The Do-mun Master coldly asked as he wiped the dagger that had just severed the arm of the martial artist.
“What the hell is this?”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance couldn’t hide his fury and questioned the Do-mun Master.
“Huh? I was just teaching him in place of busy Master of Arcane Fragrance. Don’t scowl, you’ll get wrinkles. Hey! Anyone who dares to hinder the path of the Clan Master should know to lose an arm or leg!”
The Do-mun Master shrugged and mocked those around him.
“I’ll keep that in mind!”
Although the Do-mun martial artists answered loudly, they couldn’t warm up the rapidly cooling atmosphere. There was an air of murderous intent filling the room.
Is it going to turn into a civil war?
While everyone was tensed, the Do-mun Master walked lightly, stepping forward with a bamboo foot.
“I’d like to see the new face of the Hao Clan. I’m really looking forward to this.”
The hands of the martial artists were already rested on their swords. If things go south, it would undoubtedly turn into a bloodbath.
The Do-mun Master rubbed his palms together, excitement radiating from his face, as he lifted the bamboo foot.
The Do-mun Master was about to reveal the person inside, having ordered them to draw their sword on cue.
“……Black hair?”
If it isn’t Im Ha-yeon.
As the bamboo foot lifted, I could see the cunning, wolfish face of the Do-mun Master even more closely.
A thin face and a thick facial skin. The predatory glaze in his eyes, filled with desires, was shaking upon meeting the unexpected sight.
All the Do-mun people have turned pale.
It was hard to find changes in the expression of the Do-mun Master himself, but identifying the changes among the Do-mun warriors was easy.
“You came to congratulate the new Master of the Two Gates, and your congratulatory method is rather rough.”
There’s no need to bow down to a rude person. I said this with a deliberately relaxed voice, confronting the Do-mun Master.
“I place high value on manners, you see. I can’t forgive those who lack respect.”
The Do-mun Master’s hand lightly raised, and the Do-mun warriors drew their swords.
“Noted!”
What a ruckus.
The Do-mun martial artist shouted robustly, but it did nothing to thaw the ice in the air.
The room was filled with an expectation of bloodshed.
Is this happening to provoke a civil war?
The Do-mun Master strode closer, seemingly indifferent to the tense atmosphere, carrying the severed arm before me.
“I made you a welcome gift. Now, do you feel like greeting me?”
What a crazy bastard.
Whether he turned my head right or left with a tool, this guy is clearly out of his mind.
