GJJ 20

A Story Behind It

“Of course.”
Hwang-hee answered first.

“Understood.”
“Right.”
Byun Ha-yeon and Lee-un reluctantly followed.

Good.
Miyu cheered inwardly, then sank into thought. But no clever idea came. With no CCTV, how could they ever find the culprit who had secretly sliced off a cow’s tongue and fled?

“Don’t tell me someone just wanted ox tongue, cut it off and grilled it?”
Her absurd remark left the men speechless.

“Honestly…” Hwang-hee squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head.
“How could anyone even think that… cutting a live cow’s tongue to eat it?”
Byun Ha-yeon tilted his head back, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Tsk. Maybe a pig got jealous of the cow and bit it off.”
Lee-un clicked his tongue.

“I was joking!” Miyu laughed.

“This isn’t the time for jokes,” Hwang-hee said stiffly.

“Sorry. Nothing else came to mind.”
Miyu scratched her head, embarrassed.

“You two don’t know either?” Hwang-hee looked from Byun Ha-yeon to Lee-un with a desperate expression, then sighed.
“In any case, if you think of a solution, contact me at once.”

“Do I have to go all the way to the Left Police Bureau?”
Miyu wondered how she could “contact” anyone when she had no phone. She knew the bureau was in Hanyang but not where.

“No. Just tell the jinbu at Songpa ferry and I’ll come immediately.”

Jinbu? Miyu often ran into words she didn’t understand, but felt awkward asking every time. It would look suspicious.

“If we think of something, we’ll let you know right away,” she said.

“Now, taste this tofu. They call it Silk Tofu for its fine, silky texture. Only monks make tofu this good.”
Byun Ha-yeon reached for the tofu, and Hwang-hee’s chopsticks followed. Both savored the delicate bite, eyes half-closed.

Miyu emptied her cup in big gulps.
Maybe because the day’s tension was easing, the drink hit her all at once.
She staggered to her feet.

“Have you had a lot to drink?”
“Are you all right?” Byun Ha-yeon and Hwang-hee asked.

“What are you talking about! Just wait, I’ll be back. Tonight we drink till the end. Anyone who runs is cursed for three generations!”
Miyu left the room.

After the restroom, she stood alone in the nearly empty tavern yard.
A full moon shone above. She searched its face for the people she missed.

Dad, you’re doing well, right?
Her mother’s face slowly appeared in the moon.
Mom is the same as ever.

“Do you dislike tofu?”
Lee-un’s voice came from behind.

Miyu was surprised at his attention; he’d always been as cold as a cutting wind.
“It’s not that I dislike it.”

“You eat anything, but you never touch tofu.”
“There’s a story behind it. You didn’t eat any either, come to think of it.”

“I have a story too.”
Lee-un gave a faint smile, his beautiful face tinged with autumn loneliness.

“So why did you come out? Moon-gazing?”
“I’m heading out for the night.”
“Already?”
“Something urgent.”
He inclined his head and walked past her.
A sharp tea-like scent trailed him, unfamiliar yet oddly familiar.

Miyu lifted her gaze back to the moon, to her mother’s face there.
Her mother had loved tofu, eating almost nothing else once she became ill because it was soft enough to swallow.
Since her mother’s passing, neither Miyu nor her father had touched tofu.
Seeing it only brought tears.

As Lee-un left the tavern, a shadow slipped from the willows—Choegangja.

“Whoa!”
“What startles you so?”
“Seeing you in broad daylight is shocking enough. At night, suddenly? Of course I’m startled.”
“Heh.”
For once, Choegangja didn’t snap back, just gave a short laugh.

A sudden unease gripped Lee-un.
“You… saw?”
“Hehehe.”
The laugh deepened.

Narrowing his eyes and taking a pleased sniff of the night air, Choegangja finally spoke.
“Fresh dropwort for sale! Thick stems, crisp and green. Wild garlic and shepherd’s purse, too!”

Lee-un dropped his head.
After all his care, how had he been spotted?
He might look like a bandit chief, but Choegangja was sharp and meticulous—pure court eunuch.

“Did anyone else see me?”
“Please. You were shouting loud enough to shake the marketplace, hawking vegetables. Everyone saw you.”

“I mean someone from the palace, someone who knows who I really am.”
“Oh, that’s what you mean?”
“Did anyone?” Lee-un asked anxiously.

“Imagine dressing His Majesty in a dragon robe and having him sell vegetables—who’d believe he’s the king?”
“When did you learn to talk in circles?”
“Who would believe it? That the nation’s Grand Prince is selling greens in the market? It’s so absurd—like the Chief State Councillor chopping firewood—nobody would believe it.”

“Whew, thank goodness. …Wait, did you just call me a monk?”
Lee-un shot him a sharp look.

“…As long as I keep my mouth shut, no one will know,” Choegangja said with a thin smile.

“I wasn’t glaring at you.”
“You were.”
“No, really. Maybe it’s the wine—my eyes are glassy.”
“You’ve gotten bold, coming to the market so often.”
Choegangja strode ahead.

“Hey, that’s not it…”
Lee-un’s voice trailed after him.

Miyu entered the courtyard of the Songpa Merchants’ Guild house with her dog Milk.
A side-room door burst open.

“Unnie, seriously?”
It was Boksil, lips jutting like a duck.

“You’re still awake? Why the glare?”
“Do I look like I could sleep?”

“Why, what happened?”
The question sobered Miyu instantly.

“You really have to ask?”
Boksil planted her fists on her hips.
“Sa-seoh-sam-gyeong!” she enunciated.

“What about the Four Books and Three Classics?”
“Ugh! Unnie, you’re awful!”
Suddenly Boksil’s eyes spilled fat tears.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Miyu hurried to comfort her. Milk barked in alarm.

Through sobs, Boksil finally managed, “You knew I like Saseosamgyeong… but you didn’t tell me… and I even shared my jo-dubak snack…”

Realization struck, and Miyu almost laughed.
Boksil was upset that Miyu hadn’t told her Saseosamgyeong—the famously handsome man she adored—was working at the vegetable stall.

“I wanted to see him up close… talk to him even…”
Her childish tears were both exasperating and endearing.
Though they hadn’t known each other long, Miyu thought, So this is what having a little sister feels like.

“Sorry, I was so distracted I forgot.”
“I was out returning novels today. If I’d been at the book-rental shop, I would’ve run over even if I got scolded.”
Her wail grew louder.

“Sorry. I brought you a present to make up for it.”
Miyu pulled out a small porcelain case of rouge.

“For me, really?”
“Sure. Thanks for lending me that jo-dubak, and I’ll need to ask you lots of things later.”

“Oh my, the color’s so pretty. If I use it, it’ll hide my freckles, right?”
“Of course. And it’ll make you look even lovelier.”

Miyu found Boksil’s freckles cute, but Boksil pouted.
“I want to be pretty like you—oval face, smooth pale skin, the Joseon ideal. Anyway, what did you want to ask?”

“Who are the jinbu at Songpa ferry?” Miyu asked shyly.

“You really are from another world, huh?” Boksil looked her up and down.

“I know I seem clueless sometimes. You’re the only one I can ask without feeling embarrassed.”
“Sisters? You mean us?”
Boksil’s face lit with delight.

They were both a little lonely, and Miyu’s friendship with Saseosamgyeong made her feel closer to him through Boksil’s excitement.

“From now on, just ask me anything. I’ll teach you everything,” Boksil said proudly.

Miyu felt grateful.
“Jinbu are the people who manage the ferry.”

“That’s what I guessed, but you confirmed it. I’d have looked foolish asking someone else.”

“Boksil, want to sleep together tonight?”
Boksil jumped up and hugged Miyu’s arm.

The Next Morning

Songpa Market buzzed with stories of the police officer, the rich interpreter’s son, and the genius painter.
Equally talked about was Miyu herself, who had hired the nation’s beloved Saseosamgyeong as a stall clerk.

Since the market’s founding, nothing had stirred such excitement.

Down the main street came two women:
Miyu—fresh-faced from a careful wash, rouge glowing—and freckle-free Boksil.
Wide-brimmed straw hats shaded them from the sun.
People’s curious, admiring eyes followed them.
Even the little white puppy on its rope looked stylish.

At least in Songpa Market, Miyu was now nearly as famous as Saseosamgyeong.

Just then, a group came rushing toward her from the far end.
“Wh-what’s this?”
Startled, Miyu swallowed hard and stumbled back.