Capítulo 61: Chapter 57: Banhang (Rebellion)
I could see my sweet and innocent baby sister looking at me with her curious eyes after all of these years and it was completely undoing me on the spot. I already knew that she was up to something when she volunteered to put up a food stall for the servants, but now I knew that I should have never come here at all. I was even starting to pity the man who was responsible for all of this chaos between us; Seon-Ho must behaving a hard time trying to figure out exactly who she was compared to the awkward and extremely naive teenager that I introduced her to. But I had my reasons for that and there was no way for me to expect things to turn out the way they did. I had already lost my parents at a young age and I put my heart and soul into caring for my disabled sister when I could have easily sold her off like the rest of the lowborn that we were forced to become after being orphaned. She was my entire world in our poor as destitute lives where people like us weren't given a chance anywhere, and I had been on edge from the moment that she was ripped away from me. I was risking my life every single day in the hopes that she could regain her memories, and not just the ones that she had lost recently. I was her older brother and it was my duty to keep her safe, but only I knew how resourceful she truly was, and it was to the point that I had made her look different to everyone else so they wouldn't know- including the only other person that I had let into out world, and that had proven to be a mistake.
"Excuse me? I...wait! Please! Do not walk away!" I was completely covered in filth this time as the river was too crowded today for me to take a bath and I stank from a mile away. My sister, on the other hand, was dressed in a simple yet elegant and expensive dress and was perfumed from every single angle that she could be. I felt dirty in front of her, and ashamed of myself that I was the one who hadn't worked hard enough to change our fortunes to be the one responsible for her new rich lifestyle. Even though I knew that I did everything that I could do put the smile on her face that she had now as she tried to get a look at my face. But there was no point in conversing with her when she couldn't remember me at all. "I am sorry...I didn't mean to disturb you..." "I have been waiting for you to come back here for a long time now."
I had been thrown into poverty, thrown into being a carer at the age of 6, thrown into an unlikely friendship with someone from the polar opposite of my world, thrown into a war that I was not prepared for and now I had bene thrown into a very dangerous situation amongst some members of the royal family and risking my life every single day to keep Yeonnie alive. So I could not be more grateful for the fact that her memory loss had not altered her personality at all. She was still the kindest, empathetic, sweetest and pure girl I knew, like untouched snow. Despite the huge difference between us now, she still put her hand in mine just like she used to every time I would leave our home to buy us food or go to work. Just that alone was enough to reduce me to tears, even to the point where it was obvious that a grown man like me was crying on the street and she didn't say anything at all. And it really didn't help at all that she looked more and more like my mother with the little makeup that she was wearing now and her intricate hairstyle that she could never wear before.
"I have made up some food for you and your friends in the kitchens. Please come with me to collect it, I cannot do it on my own and it is the servant's day off today." "Did you...cook it personally?" "I have been learning how to cook since my first day here." She replied with one of her simple smiles that was beginning to melt the stone in my heart. Because of her epilepsy, I had never let her near any fires in case it triggered her, so I had to learn how to cook at such a young age. The fact that she was now cooking by herself and for me it seemed...well it was all beginning to overwhelm me a little. I was so extremely proud of her for overcoming her epilepsy and I couldn't be more over the moon about it. But she started pulling me away right into the lion's den and into the kitchen where she had trays of good food that I had never even smelled before lined up...just for me. Smoked rich beef, noodles, some mackerel and other fish that I had never tasted before. It was enough to make all of our jaws drop once the other men caught up with me and they immediately ran to the food like a pack of wild animals. I almost had to throw myself at my sister to protect her from these wild men that I had picked up in the war, but she in turn seemed to be amused by them. And once we all had grabbed our trays of food, she led all 4 of us men to her huge quarters which seemed to be bigger than our entire home without a hint of fear or shame. "Please, enjoy the food whilst you can. The master of the household is out today." "And what about Seon-the young master?" "He is busy with some trouble he is dealing with." "So he is home?" "Yes, but as you can see, he is dealing with some issues of the food stall for his servants." "Shouldn't...you be there with him? To sort it all out?" "Why should I be there when I am not the one causing all these issues?"
That was another side to my sister that nobody else knew about, with probably the exception of Seon-Ho now. Despite her purity and empathy, she also had the rare ability to expose anyone who tried to harm us with only a few words and bring them to their ruin. She wasn't a mean or unfair woman; she was just fair in it's truest sense and didn't hold back at all. She could smell a rat with dishonest intentions from a mile away and right now I needed her skills to carry out this seemly impossible mission that I had been burdened with so I could bring her home with me. I wasn't anywhere near as smart and witty as she was; and despite my father's swordsmanship being passed down to me, I was only a simple blacksmith and I was not equipped to deal with the schemes and tricks that the royal family members carried out on a daily basis and other men of nobility, just like the scum of the earth who did this to my family. "Please eat everything, otherwise I will not let you leave. How is the food?" "It is really delicious. Thank you so much for doing this for us." "You're welcome, I am trying to give something back to all to the Nam's servants after all of their years of service." I couldn't help but to wince at that statement, but I guess that in her eyes, that was exactly what I was. "But why?" "Because it is important to the young master that I do this." "Are you...is he making you ...do things? For him?" I honestly regretted loosing my temper at him when we were reunited in the war, but using my sister like this was my biggest fear and the fact that it came from him was almost pushing me to smother him in his bed with his pillow at this point. That man could set me on fire and I wouldn't bat an eyelid, not after everything that we had been through. But any involvement with my sister that was deemed inappropriate by society's standards would push me too far. No matter what our reputation or family was like now currently; a woman's reputation was her lifeline in this cruel life of ours. Even using her to do his dirty work like he was doing to me was really testing the limits of my patience in my already frail and fragile life. And I had every intention in the world to make him pay for it, or so I thought until I heard him make his way into these huge quarters. At first, I was rather confused about how Yeon easily let him in like that without asking for permission at all. But when I saw him make his way around easily without making eye-contact with me, it dawn on me that he might have actually gave his own quarters away to my sister. But why? Why would he do that? He never did anything for anyone unless it benefitted him....and how was he so calm about me meeting my sister so openly in his father's absence?
"How long are you going to stay here for? There is a whole scene playing out in front in case you haven't noticed." "I have noticed, but what do you want me to do about it? Even if I do, you will just allow her to stay, no matter what right?" "Yeon." "She is your problem, brother. You sort it out for once." "You know that I cannot do that without your help." "Since the concubine wants to be in charge, why don't you let her try and sort it out? I am still on punishment, am I not? How can I flaunt that authority if she doesn't get the chance to?" "Understood. And Yeon, do not take too long. Wrap this up quickly and carry out your punishment." "Yes, brother." Nam Seon-Ho, the cold man who lorded himself in front of me to relay his father's messages was now transformed into...something rather tamed and quiet around my baby sister, which was totally unusual for his usually brash personality. He kept his beady little eyes fixed on her the entire time with various looks of anticipation, resolution and even approval. I had no idea what they were talking about, but it sounded like he was waiting for her approval or orders about something going on in his own household before he just stormed off.
"Why are you all looking at me with your mouths open? Please finish off your food whilst I bring you dessert." Dessert? I hadn't ha done of those in well...ever. I could never afford to buy anything sweet for us and here she was, baking it at home like a kitchen maid? She wasn't even acting like a woman of nobility who had servants to do everything for them.
"Are you all thinking what I am thinking?" "What? That you never told us that your sister was a damned good cook? Even better than some of those private chefs in the city?" "Or how she seems to have the young master and this entire household wrapped around her fingers? Even the maids seemed to be looking to take simple orders from her earlier on when we were in the kitchen." "Forget matchmaking in these higher up classes, anyone would be lucky enough to marry that young girl, bless her hands." "Shut up! She isn't getting married to anyone! I mean...because of her epilepsy, I cannot let her..." "Your sister hasn't had a single fit since she woke up here, so you do not need to worry about that. And she has everything that she can possibly want in this life and more under this roof of mine, so you can stop taking peeks at her to draw you in. Finish your food and leave before the guards report you to my father, and even then I will not be able to save you."
Capítulo 62: Chapter 58: Daesgeul (Reply)
"And just what the hell is your problem? Why do you sound so angry that my baby sister cooked for me? Or invited me here?" "You know you could jeopardise her stay here, Hwi! So stop being so reckless and just..." "Her stay here? In your home? And exactly how long are you planning to house her here when she has a brother to bring her home where she belongs? And what are you having her do for you? She isn't a goddamned slave you know and neither am I!" We were both nose to nose in each other's faces in this point, two people who were the best of friends in the entire village were now reduced to enemies and I swear that I would have done him some serious damage if mu sister didn't come back out with a tray of some things that I had never seen before. "Brother? What are you doing here? Has she resolved the conflict yet?" "Obviously not if I have come back here to find you." "Very well, I am coming to help you sort out this mess. Just let them eat in peace and I will follow them out." "Just what on earth were you thinking of, inviting gown men back to your quarters alone! Have you lost your mind?" "And why can't I? The whole point of today was to give the Nam servants a treat for all of their hard work. Unless you do not wish for me to meet them? And why is that I wonder? Is there a reason why I shouldn't meet them in particular?" And just like that, she lifted the atmosphere in this room with only a few words and managed to shut Seon-Ho up for once. The look on his face was completely priceless as he stormed out again whilst my sister continued to serve us without even blinking. And that was just one of her many talents. "Hwi, we will meet you later on. Thank you for the food...." "Yeon. My name is Yeon." "No, it is ok, I am finished as well. Thank you for serving us the food...Mistress." I could see the disappointment in her face and the tears welling up in her eyes, and it was only then that I realised exactly what she was doing and why. My poor sister; now that I looked at her more closely, she looked like she hadn't been able to get any sleep lately and she was a little irritated by it. But as soon as she opened her mouth to protest my leaving, I could only motion to her that Seon-Ho was clearly waiting outside for her, despite being told to leave about 3 times. She did at least walk me outside and I chose to savour these moments when I had her by my side again. The sense of relief that she gave me was simply indescribable, and it looked like she didn't detest me at all. In fact, she was very clearly treating me better than anyone else in this home and she really didn't want me to leave at all. She put her hand into mine again just like she used to when she was little and she squeezed them just when I had to leave. We looked at each other for a while before that asshole turned up right behind her and practically dragged her back inside the home in a way that I would have never touched her and he knew it. No, something was definitely on between them and it was my duty to find out what that was, even if she couldn't remember me yet.
"...Mistress! Thank goodness that you are finally here!" "What on earth is going on? I was only absent for a few minutes and these servants cannot run a simple food stall without me? Why hasn't any of the porridge been distributed yet? Why can't these servants carry out simple instructions!" "Mistress, the rice...it is so mouldy and spoiled that it cannot be consumed!" I peeked through the main gate and there was a whole group of servants crowding around Yeon with a murderous vibe throughout. The food stalls that my sister set up had been turned over and destroyed and there wasn't a single bowl of soup insight. And Seon-ho was just standing there like an idiot and waiting for my sister of all people to give instructions on how to deal with this mess. "Young Master, are you not going to investigate this matter? Find out whilst I deal with the servants once again..." "No Yeon...do not worry about it. Just leave it to me and I will handle it all." "Then why did you keep disturbing me and asking me to come and assist you." "Because...the situation looked bad and I cannot trust you on your own with those servants." So earlier he was acting as if he was her bodyguard and now he was actually apologising to her? Just what the hell was going on here? Weren't we all supposed to keep distancing ourselves from each other? Or was I the only person who was taking Nam-Jeon's threat seriously? How had my baby sister and best friend become so close that they always found ways to be close to each other? Seo Yeon, what the hell are you really up to?
"Hwi!" "What is it?" "The prince is calling for us, you had better come along now before we all get into trouble." "Ok, I am coming." I had no choice but to leave now, but I would be back to carry out my own investigation of what was really going on with my best friend, my sister...and my old lover who had started to hover around the Nam manor at nighttime.
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I could have almost strangled Seon-Ho for interrupting my time with my brother so much, but I knew that he had his reasons, so I decided to let it go. But the pain of him walking away from me was something that was still quite raw to me and I wasn't going to take it out on Seon-Ho, who all of a sudden started to accommodate me a lot more for the first time. But the guilt in his voice and his eyes were so palpable and I was really having a hard time not looking my head over this as I needed to rid this household of this stupid mistake that Seon-Ho had made. Why keep a girl if he wasn't going to be responsible for her? As soon as I rid us of that woman I was going to do everything that I could to get my memories back and...and then what? Do I run away with my brother and risk our lives? Do I stay behind and keep helping a man who knew what he wanted but didn't know how to get it? Who do I choose and how do I get away with it? "Yeon? Are you ok? Why do you look so pale?" I didn't realise if he was still watching me until he took me by the hand and dragged me out of sight. Usually, I would blush to no end whenever he touched me like this. But now I knew that my brother was always watching us, I really couldn't help but to feel a little uncomfortable with this. I still couldn't really remember if he was my brother, what sort of brother he was, but I had a feeling that he was the over-protective kind and the last thing I needed was him to investigate all of Seon-Ho's...favours that he had been showering upon me and taking it the wrong way. Good god in heaven, what was going on in my life? I had to choose between two men just as I was already getting deeply attached to the man who was most likely responsible for the biggest betrayal both myself and my brother had suffered and Hwi was taking the brunt of it all whilst I was locked up in a noble home and acting like a damned madame with all of these schemes between us.
"Brother..." "What is wrong with you? You haven't been the same since you met those guys. Has something happened? Has anyone said anything to you? Did they hurt you or threaten you?" "No! Of course not...that servant would never hurt me...he is my friend..." "Then what am I to you?" I could not look at him, I could not bare touching him or even speaking to him so soon after what had just happened. I wasn't so sure now, but I could sense that he was either too guilty to take any responsibility for what had happened between the three of us yet or he was scared. A man who was this guilty, surely he couldn't be fully responsible...no, there must have been someone behind him to do what he did. Yes, that made the most sense, there just had to be.
"Brother....I just want this girl gone....so we can go back to how we used to be." And now here I was, taking him by the hand and getting closer to him than I had ever allowed myself to be just to keep his mind off of that man for now and his friends. "But I cannot do it all on my own , especially if it messes up your plans..." "Of course. I am...really sorry that I have been taking advantage of you like this without giving you anything in return. But I promise you, the minute that we can leave this place, I will give you the life that you truly want." He had never sounded this sincere before and it was only messing me up even more and just lead to me confusion. I knew that being gentle as he was now wasn't really who he was, but it was starting to sound like it was what he wanted to be. Or was I simply deceiving myself to believe in such a thing about him? This man schemed as he breathed, he was very ambitious and there was no stopping him once he had started something. Could I really trust him to be as tender as he was coming across now? Or did he have any ulterior motives for being so nice to me, even more so after today.
"I am so sorry about her, I just didn't think she wold come up with so many excuses to stay with me and..." there was only one way to find out if he was genuine or not; I was going to have to put him through a test and just accept whatever result would come of it. Then I would make my mind up on what decision to take after this.
"Brother...I am scared. I am really scared that someone wants to hurt me." May my brother forgive me for putting my arms around his best friend and almost...seducing him like this. It felt wrong and I was disgusted with myself, I really was. But this was the only way I was going to get any answers for my missing memories, and both men needed my help. And I couldn't have felt worse when he hugged me in return for probably the first time in his life with such force that he almost cut off my blood circulation. "I promise you that I will never let anyone hurt you Yeon, I promised him long ago and now I am making you the same promise that I would always protect his sister, no matter what happened between us...."
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It was raining pretty hard outside but I was still waiting for Yeon to arrive, just like she promised me that she would. In fact, if she came to me right now, we both could elope with each other right there and then and I would even take down the Nam family myself in order to stop them hunting down the Seo siblings. We would elope and I would become friendly with her brother, even more so than the young master ever could have. I would get Hwi's blessing to marry Yeon have work hard to the bone to give her the life that she wanted, any life at all. As long as she agreed to let me be a part of it; to be my companion for life and maybe even beyond that.
I had been waiting for along time now and all of my decorations that I had set up were getting ruined as each second went past. I was getting cold and completely drenched as more time wen by, but she still didn't arrive. It was only when I saw her brother and his friends making their way towards me and talking about some meeting that had taken place between all three of them in their home, did realise that Seon-Ho was going to come up with every excuse under the sun to tie himself to her. He still hadn't realised his own obsession with the beautiful and pure Seo Yeon, or maybe he was in denial of it after everything that had transpired between them. But either way; he had lost any chance of loving her when he betrayed her brother and caused her to loose her own memories. He lost his chance to posses her as I wished to from the moment that she had started to rely on me, even though he was the one who placed us next to each other, as if we were destined to be from the start. Nam Seon-Ho, I will make you regret your obsession with the once person that you should have stayed clear of from the beginning.
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