Chapter 20
“You’re going to be surprised, Hong Dan-cho.”
The thought of startling her lifted his spirits slightly. He spread the jacket in midair, but then suddenly furrowed his brows.
Could it really be all of it?
Even holding both sleeve ends and stretching them out, it barely looked like half the size it should have been.
And why was the fabric so thin? He hadn’t noticed while she was wearing it, but there were several patches sewn in with similar-colored scraps.
So that was why she wore layer upon layer—he felt a twinge of guilt for having teased her before.
Huh.
Suddenly, a heavy gloom settled over him. The realization that this person, who once shot back words sharply with wide eyes, had been living so desperately in such a small frame struck him anew.
“How hard must you have worked for something that seemed so large?”
He spread the jacket, but it wouldn’t lie flat. He just gently smoothed it. His helplessness slipped out between his lips.
If only her build were more robust. If only she were a bit vain, fussing over her appearance.
“This is serious. You’re so small and worn-out.”
He feared that pushing it might tear it, yet cutting it away harshly felt cruel. And here she was, having grown so much in spirit despite this frailty.
⋆★⋆
As they neared the stream, the scent of water grew strong. Dan-cho stopped a few steps away.
“Huh?”
She quickly scanned the area around the water, then stepped forward briskly.
The laundry she had left in its usual place was gone. The wide rock she always sat on for washing was empty.
The sun had been unusually bright for winter, and some snow must have melted. It seemed the laundry had slipped into the stream.
Her heart tightened with frustration.
“What’s the meaning of this…?”
Even if she couldn’t save the socks, she had to at least rescue the face cloth. How precious it had been to her—she couldn’t lose it like this.
“Ah, you fool. Really, how careless can you be?”
She ran along the stream. The sun hanging on the mountainside was already reddening. Soon it would set, plunging the valley into darkness.
Her anxiety spiked.
“Please, be caught somewhere…”
The stream hurried along as if echoing her urgency.
⋆★⋆
The moon rose above the tall pine trees. Yeon-won stood at the edge of the porch, watching it.
The moon’s position meant it was nearly Ja-shi (11 PM–1 AM).
“Where on earth could she have gone?”
Something felt off. She always had someone inform her of her destination on long journeys. Leaving silently and not returning yet was unlike her.
He quickly scanned the house for clues. The cotton vest she usually wore was still there, as were her ankle wraps. Most importantly, the laundry bat she took when dark fell was left standing by the door.
A surge of worry overtook him. She had always wrapped herself tightly, claiming her body was her greatest asset. For her to leave properly dressed, alone, in the dark, heading into the mountains meant trouble.
“Did she go out because something was uncomfortable?”
He briefly considered it, remembering when she had brushed against him while cleaning the sword a few days ago. But he shook his head.
The only one bothered was him, not her.
Dan-cho had always appeared utterly indifferent. Her nonchalant demeanor had even irritated him before.
Unlike him, fretting over past incidents, she never changed. She still spoke, applied medicine, and met his gaze without hesitation.
It was nothing to her—insignificant. He was merely a guest here, one of the people she cared for.
So even if their hands touched or their shoulders brushed, it was no different than applying medicine or taking his temperature.
“People can be so ridiculous…”
And so he became colder, harsher.
Wait.
Could that be why?
He recalled seeing her leave with an empty bowl, looking hurt and dejected. He had pretended not to notice. At the time, he thought it was for her sake…
“Sometimes you overdo it.”
He remembered Mrs. Hyun saying this once, much like what his own mother had long ago.
“Sometimes you’re so cold that tears fall after you turn away. You don’t realize how stern you appear.”
Had he been too cold? Too petty in pushing her away?
He had brusquely dismissed her carefully prepared meal, the medicine she had helped him with. It was no wonder she had been hurt. She must have felt wounded without understanding why.
“Sigh. I’ve done a foolish thing.”
By focusing on his own discomfort, he hadn’t considered her feelings. She had done her part diligently, yet this was the response—cold and indifferent. How could he not feel drained and guilty?
“Still, at this hour… so reckless.”
He had boasted before of being untouchable, yet now he was frustrated that she had carried such trivial concerns and gone out alone.
He paced the porch, descended to the stepping stone, and walked the yard back and forth.
“Tch.”
He clicked his tongue and furrowed his brows, kicking off his shoes as he entered the house. His chin was tense as he gathered his coat and sword to leave the yard.
“You’re troublesome, Hong Dan-cho.”
Despite his words, his movements were precise and quick.
He spread the sleeves of his coat in the air, slipped his arms in, and cinched the waist tightly. Without hesitation, Yeon-won strode into the darkness.
⋆★⋆
The current suddenly grew strong. Dan-cho realized she had walked a long way and stopped.
The dim valley, lit only by moonlight piercing the forest, was silent except for the rushing water. White snow gave some visibility, but beyond a few steps, the trees concealed everything.
“Ha… ha…”
Her ragged breaths formed clouds in the cold air. Her eyes flickered anxiously.
She had to decide. Going further down was too dangerous.
“Fool. Idiot. Careless child.”
There was only one remaining trace—the cheek patch. The only thing connecting her to a happy childhood, her father and sibling, to those memories.
And now it was gone. All the threads holding her memories and time together seemed severed.
Suddenly, her feet felt cold. Her hands were stiff. Her body trembled, and her ears felt as if they might snap off.
The cold she had ignored while frantically searching now hit her all at once.
“Ugh…”
Tears suddenly spilled. Lately, everything felt unbearably heavy and painful.
Hot tears welled quickly. She pressed her hand to her eyes, trying to stifle her sobs.
Suddenly, a shoulder grabbed her, spinning her around.
“You!”
Half-turned, she faced Nari—angrily. His face showed unmistakable wrath.
“Why are you so reckless!”
Dan-cho blinked, stunned, scanning him to recall why he was here. His anger hadn’t diminished.
“Alone, so small, in this late hour, on a dangerous mountain you can barely see!”
“…”
“Do you know how long I’ve been searching for you? One si-jin at least, one si-jin! You’ve come so far!”
“…”
“Who do you think you are? An immortal, a warrior, or a tiger? How have you survived in a mountain where white tigers appear?”
“…”
“Did you hate staying at your place that much? Didn’t you consider that you might face masked men like last time? I knew you were bold, but I never imagined you could be so foolish. Even if you dislike staying with me, how could you spend so long on the mountain! You should have gone to Bun’s house at least!”
Dan-cho couldn’t understand why Nari was so angry. But listening, she felt frustrated and hurt too. She tried to explain, holding back tears.
“I didn’t realize the time had gotten so late. I know these paths so well I could find them blindfolded. Returning to my place is no problem…”
“Blindfolded? Where in this mountain can you go blindfolded!”
His harsh voice cut her off. She didn’t know how to explain.
“Your recklessness is outrageous. Haven’t you considered freezing to death? Haven’t you thought of running into wild beasts? And yet… you went out. Without the laundry bat! Without your cheek patch! Without your vest! Without even saying a word to me!”
His eyes were bloodshot, his voice trembling with rage.
“How… how can you act as if nothing matters?”
