Chapter 22: Gwangyang Escort Agency – Part 5
Shopkeeper Jo, seeing Dan had “moved past” erotica, recommended a few books.
Standing before the packed shelves, Dan picked up the ones Jo suggested.
A quick look told him they were exactly what he needed.
“Shopkeeper Jo, I’ll buy this book.”
“That’ll be twenty taels of silver.”
“What? How is it more expensive than the erotic books?”
“You don’t know—professional books are pricey. And the author just passed away. Few copies exist, so the price is high.”
Twenty taels could buy about five good erotic books.
For a moment, Dan thought about giving up and buying a fresh erotic title instead.
After a long struggle, he handed over the twenty taels with trembling hands.
“I’ll be going now. Goodbye.”
“Escort Dan, I’ll find more things you might like. Come again.”
Determined not to lose a regular, Jo saw him out.
Dan hurried away, watching the evening glow.
“Sun’s about to set. I need to move fast.”
Rattle, rattle.
Sitting in the donkey cart, he tried reading by sunset light.
But the text made no sense.
What is this? The terms are too hard.
He had studied medicine, roughly, for ten years.
Even so, the words squirmed like black worms—he couldn’t make them out.
Just then he found something useful: how to calculate dates based on the menstrual cycle.
“Whew, good. Let’s see…”
His hopeful face shriveled like a wilted onion.
“Should I count from the day I returned from the formation? Or from the time I was trapped?”
Confused, he let out a long, weak sigh.
At that moment, a carriage rattled up behind him.
He tightened the donkey’s reins and barely avoided a crash.
“Watch where you’re going! That could’ve been a big accident… Huh? That’s a Gwangyang Agency carriage.”
It was the carriage of the Agency’s mistress—the Daebu-in, Lady Geum, Yu-gang’s mother.
Instead of passing by, the carriage stopped at the roadside.
Dan replayed what he’d just yelled—thankfully, nothing too rude.
As expected, the person who stepped down was Lady Geum.
“Dan, is that you? Are you heading to the agency?”
“Yes. Hello, Ma’am. I’m coming back from the market.”
“Good timing. I have something to discuss. Get in my carriage.”
“Ah… yes.”
Inside the carriage, facing Lady Geum, Dan sat stiffly, uneasy—like sitting on pins and needles.
He’d played freely with Yu-gang since childhood, but Lady Geum had always disliked Dan.
How did he know?
Only Yu-gang doesn’t notice. She gives me those knife-like eyes every time we’re together—who wouldn’t notice?
Dan had endured her needle-sharp gaze since he was young.
This meeting did not feel pleasant.
Lady Geum spoke first.
“I heard you caused trouble again.”
“Yes… but my pay has already been cut for three months. I’ll be careful from now on.”
“You’re Yu-gang’s long-time friend. You should be helping him, not making things harder… Forget it. You probably won’t change, but please be careful.”
“Yes…”
As Dan answered weakly, she narrowed her eyes, pulled out a few letters, and handed them to him.
“Take these.”
“What are they?”
“Your marriage proposals.”
“Marriage… proposals?”
“I’m not fit to be your mother, but as Yu-gang’s old friend, I brought them for you. You grew up with a widowed father; no one is arranging your match. Your father is getting on—shouldn’t you marry and support him?”
“I… don’t plan to marry.”
“You’re already over twenty. All your peers are married. Why are you and Yu-gang the only ones going backward?”
Dan guessed this was really about pushing Yu-gang to marry. He opened his mouth to make excuses—
but Lady Geum’s sharp gaze cut into him.
“To be honest, Yu-gang isn’t marrying because of you.”
“Sorry?”
“You’re prettier than most women. With you around, how would any woman catch his eye?”
Her scolding look made Dan’s shoulders shrink.
Just then the carriage jolted over a rock.
Dan’s book—rolled up in his hand—fell and rolled on the floor.
While the carriage paused, Lady Geum picked it up, eyeing him suspiciously.
“This looks like a women’s medical book. Why do you have this?”
“Ahem. Well… I’m a man; I shouldn’t make… mistakes.”
“Do you have a lover?”
“Ah, um… yes.”
Lady Geum’s frustration flared.
Even that girlish Dan had a woman—so why wouldn’t her son look at any?
“Dan, please—help our Yu-gang.”
“H-how?”
“If you marry first, I could force things forward for him. Because of my humble birth, Yu-gang’s status isn’t great. With a strong in-law family, things would improve.”
In short: marry for Yu-gang’s sake—even if you don’t want to.
Dan sighed softly at the unreasonable request—
when the carriage door suddenly swung open.
“Mother. That’s enough.”
“Y—Yu-gang? How are you here? How much did you hear?”
“What does it matter? If you keep pressuring Dan like this, I won’t marry at all.”
“Son, I’m only doing this for you—”
“Mother, I have urgent work. Let’s talk later. Dan, get up.”
“Huh?”
“Come on.”
Dan had been looking for a chance to escape anyway.
He quickly jumped out of the carriage.
Chirr… chirr…
Night had fallen. Only the soft chirping of insects broke the silence.
Walking a dark path by moon and starlight, both of them sighed at the same time.
“Pfft. Look—goosebumps. I thought a ghost timed its fart to my sigh.”
“Don’t joke now. Dan… I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be. I understand your mother’s position. But how did you appear at the perfect time? I was about to be grilled like dried squid under her stare.”
“I guessed you’d be leaving Master Hwang’s soon and came to meet you. I saw Mother’s carriage by the road and went to pay respects… then I overheard… by accident.”
Dan forced his smile down and glared playfully.
“Hey. She worries about you—don’t act like this again.”
“Then act properly so she won’t worry.”
“What did I do?”
“When short on money, you always drift off the straight path. Who knows what you’ll pull next? You’re like a kid left alone by the water.”
“Hehe. If you’re that worried, cancel the three-month pay cut.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Hmph. Cold-hearted.”
Dan pouted like a chick and shot him a mock glare.
Yu-gang’s dry eyes rested on Dan.
“Well… who told you to rob your best friend’s wallet? You deserve the scolding.”
“Who is she?”
“Who?”
“The person who’s your first love.”
“W-what are you talking about?”
“I heard it all—you said you have a lover. If we’re best friends, you can tell me.”
The world around Dan felt bleached white. His heart thumped wildly.
“So it’s true… Your first love—congrats. What’s she like? Pretty? I guess I’m the only one left now.”
Yu-gang forced a smile at Dan, who was opening and closing his mouth like a fish.
He didn’t want Dan to see his collapsing face.
“No, it’s not like that.”
“It’s not?”
No… that’s not it. My first love is… you, Yu-gang.
Was it when he was about fifteen?
The snot-nosed boy Yu-gang suddenly looked like a man.
Now they were twenty—five years of one-sided love.
It could never work anyway.
Dan slapped Yu-gang’s back with a loud smack.
The crisp sound cut the awkward tension.
“There’s no such person. Your mother pressed me so hard I lied to get out of it.”
“Haha. Really? That’s a relief.”
“Look at you—so happy?”
“Of course. I have no plans to marry anytime soon. Maybe never. Dan, don’t marry either. I’ll take care of you forever.”
“Idiot. It’s always guys like you who betray first. Remember? You said you wanted kids hanging off you like gourds.”
“Back then… yeah. You know I love kids.”
Trailing off, Yu-gang walked ahead, embarrassed to contradict himself.
Dan watched his back and gave a faint, hollow laugh.
That’s why I can’t confess. I can’t have children… no, I don’t want to. And I definitely don’t want to marry.
Marriage is a “great human duty,” they say—
men and women marry to continue the family line.
If a child were born from my body… it would be merfolk.
He still shuddered remembering when his own grandfather almost turned him into “medicine.”
Because of that, he’d long ago buried his feelings for Yu-gang.
But life is strange.
Who knew I’d be worrying I might get pregnant? Whatever… I’ll leave it to fate.
Even if it never comes true, Dan prayed earnestly to the sky:
To that guy who only sowed his seed and ran—may he never live in peace.
