[CYM] 30 – Unsettling Popularity

As expected, after the feast, she could only catch glimpses of the young master from a distance. Her days were spent either walking around with a sickle mowing the grass or setting nets by the stream.

            It was endlessly boring and tedious. The impact of the year spent with the young master seemed to be quite significant. At one time it was painful, but looking back, it seemed it had its own joy.

            She missed the times when she chattered away to the taciturn young master. Even replacing those times spent with him with other activities did not bring joy, which was strange.

            “Today, we caught quite a lot.”

            “Indeed.”

            Yawning, she filled the sack with the thrashing fish. The Soru River used to have a lot of good quality fish, but these days, thanks to some cursed demon, not even a snout was visible, and one only came up empty-handed. However, today’s catch was not bad. She and Yunhu clapped their hands together in satisfaction.

            He had become more talkative and told her all sorts of stories. When talking with the young master, the conversation was so one-sided due to his silence it was embarrassing, but she had thought that talking with Yunhu would have a better back-and-forth. Ironically, it just proved to be annoying. His responses became increasingly cursory.

            “So I got a limping puppy from my grandmother’s house, and that dog, it turns out...”

            “Ah, we’ve arrived.”

            She felt sorry for Yunhu, but her patience had reached its limit. It was only upon reaching the market that she could divert her attention elsewhere.

            While selling the day’s catch at the market, she saw the young master walking alone at a distance, his noble attire gleaming from head to toe. Despite his dishevelled appearance, his striking features were hard to conceal, and now dressed so finely, she felt too intimidated to approach him. He had changed so much that he drew her gaze despite herself.

            He must be returning from his studies.

            “Beodeul, this is your share for today. You’ve worked hard.”

            They went their separate ways, each busy with their livelihoods, she selling the fish she caught all day and splitting the copper coins with Yunhu.

            Going out to fish again and returning to the market to sell, often she would spot the young master visiting the schoolhouse, but all those many friends seen on the feast day were nowhere in sight; he was always alone. Although he carried the gazes of many admiring women, the seat next to him remained empty.

            It seemed that everyone couldn’t stand the young master’s fiery temper and had fallen away. Seeing the young master wandering alone again stirred a sense of displeasure in her. She was also worried. After all, she had fed and looked after him for a year.

            Peeking into his well-being had become the most interesting part of her monotonous daily life. But by the fifteenth day, she couldn’t even catch a glimpse of him. Puzzled, she asked the children about the young master’s whereabouts. They had seen him yesterday and the day before. So, was she the only one who hadn’t seen him?

            Then one day, she heard news of the young master. From the mouths of the village children to the ears of Yunhu, who lived at the edge of Muritmaegol, the news reached her. He was said to be doing very well.

            “He’s always surrounded by friends.”

            “Wherever he goes, there are always noble children who follow him and make him laugh,” said both Nanhee and Ara, confirming the same testimony. It was very different from what she had seen before.

            He must have made new friends. Perhaps he had tempered his abrupt nature.

            It was slightly disheartening to think that the young master, who used to follow her around on the feast day, was now preoccupied with these friends. She was curious about who they might be.

            Her forays into the marketplace increased. After much searching, she finally saw the young master. But to her eyes, he was still alone, without a single attendant. It didn’t add up.

            “I just saw him crossing the stone bridge.”

            Ara came to tell her that she had seen the young master with his friends. Suspicious, she rushed to see for herself. Indeed, there were about a half-dozen young men around the young master, eagerly gathered.

            She doubted her eyes. Five young lads sticking to the young master, from their necks to their feet, clothed in black as ink. Their faces were just shapes with eyes, noses, and mouths, and their collars were mere forms, lifeless like shadows, hauntingly familiar.

            “Yunhu, do you see them?”

            “Of course, I do.”

            Yunhu, who had come with her on the spur of the moment, shrugged his shoulders, wondering what the matter with her was. He couldn’t see those monstrous figures.