Even My Life Is Yours Chapter 63

In Jang Daeho’s fingertips, the bowstring was pulled taut in an instant. Jang Daeho’s lips twisted as he closed one eye. Simultaneously, the arrow left the bow and flew straight towards the pavilion.

Hongyo turned her head towards the pavilion. To be precise, her face turned deathly pale as she looked at Gamyoung, who was at the very front. They say that when you’re too surprised, you can’t even scream. Hongyo twisted her body as if she was about to run out at any moment.

But the arrow, flying faster than she could move, struck a pillar just below the pavilion with a loud thud. It was embedded so forcefully that the shaft, with the headband tied to it, shook violently. Jang Daeho lowered his bow and looked up at the people in the pavilion.

A smirk crept onto his face as he saw that even his own father, who wouldn’t bat an eye at most things, was speechless with his mouth agape, clearly not having expected this. He turned his gaze to the man next to his father. He couldn’t see clearly because of the Gamhwi who had rushed to protect him, but his hardened face was quite a sight.

Jang Daeho turned his head and looked at Hongyo. Her face was pale, looking only at the man in the pavilion as if he himself didn’t even matter. It looked more desperate than a subordinate worrying about her superior’s safety. Jang Daeho watched the scene with interest, then, seeing Jeonghwan approaching him with a grim face, he shouted.

“I forfeit.”

Then, he was instantly surrounded by soldiers, bound, and led out of the competition grounds. While everyone was bewildered by the sudden end of the match, Gamyoung hastily concluded the competition. Hongyo looked at Gamyoung, but there was nothing she could do even as Gamyoung turned his back, descended from the pavilion, and walked away.

Watching Gamyoung disappear, surrounded by his guards, Hongyo moved her feet as if she would run after him at any moment. But she couldn’t even ask if he was okay right now. It was just like that time when she could only watch helplessly from a distance as Kyungrak became the emperor. But unlike then, now….

Her heart twinged and then began to ache as if something was pressing down on it. Hongyo herself couldn’t understand why she was feeling this way.

But unlike outside the palace where there was no sense of distance, inside the palace, she couldn’t even ask a startled Gamyoung if he was okay. Far from it, she couldn’t even chase after and catch up to Gamyoung walking ahead like she used to. There was nothing she could do but stand still and watch him get farther and farther away. It was a moment when she felt utterly powerless, as if it showed just how different her and Gamyoung’s situations were now.

Yeoryeong, who had approached her at some point, spoke.

“Are you okay?”

But seeing Hongyo not responding, Yeoryeong brought his face close to Hongyo’s. Then his eyes widened in surprise.

“Why is your face so red? I think you have a fever.”

The back of Yeoryeong’s hand touched Hongyo’s cheek instead of her forehead, which was covered by the headband. Only then did Hongyo come to her senses and look at Yeoryeong, just moving her eyes. The tension left her body, which instantly felt heavy. Hongyo closed her eyes, not even thinking of pushing the hand away. The inside of her eyelids felt hot.

˖°⛩️⋆˙️

Whether it was because she had pushed herself too hard preparing for the competition, or because the tension had finally dissipated, Hongyo was sick for a full two days. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be a severe cold, and after taking medicine and getting plenty of rest, she was able to get back on her feet quickly. Her recovery was fast, luckily, considering how unwell she had been. Thus, on her third day back in class, Hongyo struggled to escape from Choi Hyangbang and his group, who were hyping her up the moment they saw her, calling her the champion.

“If you’re the champion of the competition, couldn’t you aim for the Central Army? When you leave Hwayeonggyeong, pull some strings for me too.”

“Who asks for a favor with empty hands? You should at least massage his shoulders like me.”

Words congratulating Hongyo on her victory continued, centered around Choi Hyangbang, who was whispering secretly as if he was quite serious. As Hongyo listened to the embarrassing compliments, she turned her head at the sudden mention of Jang Daeho’s name.

“But why did Jang Daeho forfeit the match then? You were the closest, so you must have heard something, right? Why did he do it?”

When one of the men in the group asked for the reason, the others next to him, also quite curious, looked at Hongyo and urged her for an answer. But there was no way Hongyo would know why Jang Daeho had suddenly forfeited. All she remembered was him saying, “This time, you lose,” so she couldn’t even guess the reason.

On the contrary, the man had realized her condition, so if he had continued the match, he would have surely won. One could dismiss him deliberately losing the swordsmanship match as one of the man’s bizarre actions to make things more “interesting,” but she couldn’t understand why he would forfeit a match he had all but won. Besides, what was more surprising than the forfeit was….

“What happened to Jang Daeho?”

She looked around, but Jang Daeho was nowhere to be seen. At her words, Choi Hyangbang clicked his tongue and answered.

“What do you think happened? He’s probably been dragged off to the State Tribunal by now.”

The news was more shocking than she had expected. As Hongyo stared with surprised eyes, Choi Hyangbang quickly added.

“Actually, we don’t know either. Still, he openly shot an arrow at the place where high-ranking officials were sitting, so do you think they’ll let it slide? Well, his father is Lord Pangam, so he’ll probably pull some strings, but he might even be kicked out of Hwayeonggyeong. Anyway, what on earth was he thinking? Of all people, Lord Gyeongjang was there too.”

Gamyoung’s name came up again. Hongyo barely managed to speak amidst the men, each discussing Jang Daeho’s punishment.

“Is Lord Gyeongjang alright?”

At that, Choi Hyangbang looked at Hongyo as if he had heard something strange.

“He wasn’t hit by the arrow, so he’s probably fine. Look here, my friend. You don’t worry about high-ranking people. More importantly, I wonder what will happen to Jang Daeho. Now, who wants to bet that Jang Daeho gets kicked out of Hwayeonggyeong?”

As always, people crowded around Choi Hyangbang, who had created a betting game, to place their money. Watching them, Hongyo bit her lip at the thought of Gamyoung that came to mind again. Even now, they were in the same Hwayeonggyeong, yet somehow she couldn’t hear news of him even more so than when she was outside. Just as her shoulders were slumping in disappointment, Yeoryeong, who had just finished another class, shouted loudly.

“Did everyone hear? There’s a welcoming party after class today!”

Yeoryeong, who always seemed to get news faster than anyone else, delivered the message and continued with a happy face.

“It’s being held at Myeongwolgwan, no less, so no one should miss it.”

At those words, even the faces of those who had been indifferent lit up.

“Especially the champion of the competition must attend, so Hongyo, you absolutely have to come. They say Lord Gyeongjang will be there too, so it wouldn’t be right for the champion to be absent, would it?”

Hongyo, who had just been thinking about Gamyoung, looked at Yeoryeong in surprise. But Yeoryeong, having delivered his message, was already lost in conversation with the others about the welcoming party, as if his job was done.

“If it’s Myeongwolgwan, it has to be the owner, Yehyang, right?”

“Nah. Yehyang may be the number one beauty, but she’s a bit too much for me. I prefer Heeok.”

“What, you think you can even meet them if you go?”

“Forget that, the food there is really delicious. Can we order everything?”

Amidst them, only Hongyo’s heart was pounding for a different reason.

‘Gamyoung is coming?’

Since coming here, she hadn’t even spoken to Gamyoung, let alone seen his face properly. Hongyo couldn’t hide the faint smile that appeared at the thought of meeting her old friend after a long time. However, Hongyo did not know that it wasn’t just because of the happiness of seeing him after a long time, but a slightly more fluttering and subtle emotion, and above all, what name she should give to that emotion.

˖°⛩️⋆˙️

“Now, let’s have a toast for us who have safely completed the competition!”

At that, the men sitting along both sides of the table raised their cups. Hongyo was also among them, but unlike the others who were happily eating and having fun, she was just looking around as if searching for something. Seeing this, Yeoryeong, who was sitting next to her, asked.

“What are you looking for?”

“Ah, I was wondering if Lord Gyeongjang had not arrived.”

No matter how much she looked, there wasn’t a trace of Gamyoung to be found. At that, Yeoryeong looked at Hongyo as if she were strange and replied.

“Usually, people don’t want to be in the same place as their superiors. You really are peculiar.”

Then he swirled his cup and said.

“Do you think high-ranking officials would be in the same place as us? They’re probably eating somewhere else separately.”

Then, looking at the men complaining about not being able to see Yehyang, he lowered his voice and whispered.

“With that woman named Yehyang, I bet.”

The moment she heard those words, Hongyo’s heart strangely sank, and soon a peculiar sense of displeasure washed over her. She had often seen Gamyoung with Sujin, but she had never seen him with another woman. Of course, thanks to his proper and handsome face, she had seen women occasionally flirt with him when she worked at the fabric store, but the thought of Gamyoung sitting side-by-side with a woman, tilting a wine cup, made her face scrunch up in a deep frown. Leaving everything else aside, no one would want to see their friend in such a state.

Feeling an unexplainable burn in her stomach, Hongyo boldly gulped down her drink, only to spit it right out. At that, Yeoryeong frowned and took a handkerchief out from his clothes.

“Why is this so bitter?”

“Is this your first time drinking? What’s wrong with you?”

As for alcohol, the only time she had tried it was when she drank a cup in front of Kyungrak thinking it was water, so this was indeed her first time. Hongyo took the handkerchief offered to her and wiped her mouth. By the way, even his handkerchief had flowers embroidered on it; the more she saw Yeoryeong, the more she noticed his meticulous side. When Hongyo tried to return the handkerchief she had used, Yeoryeong replied with a disgusted look.

“Looks like you’ll need it more than me today. Just wash it properly and give it back next time we meet. Don’t forget to dry it nice and fluffy in the sun.”

He really is fussy. But before she could even say the words, this time Choi Hyangbang was calling for Hongyo.

“By the way, we haven’t received a drink from our champion yet. Stand up and have a cool drink like a man!”

Choi Hyangbang, who seemed to like alcohol as much as betting, clapped his hands and egged her on, and soon the other men were chanting along. Seeing Hongyo frowning at the sight, Yeoryeong was about to make an excuse that Hongyo couldn’t drink well, but Hongyo was faster. Standing up, Hongyo downed the cup she was holding, and cheers erupted from those around her. Hongyo slammed the cup down with a thud and looked at her surroundings, which had started chattering freely again, before whispering to Yeoryeong, who was looking at her as if asking if she was okay.

“I’m going to get some air for a moment.”

And as Hongyo stepped outside, she froze in her tracks. In front of a particularly quiet room, two shadows cast on the screen drew very close and then moved apart. Following that, as a woman emerged from the room, her eyes met Gamyoung’s.