If Silk Flowers Bloom by the Water’s Edge Chapter 105

The mansion of Nanjubeol, well known for its elegance, showed the clear marks of having been maintained over generations with great care and time. Sitting by the dormitory window and looking out for an hour or two was enough to find the answer. It was a household that selected even a single stone laid on the ground without a flaw, and picked days to look around and replace broken roof tiles with new ones. Even the leaves of the nut pine tree playing with the wind were imbued with dignity. A spy for Maengmusa, who rolled in from goodness knows where, was never a fitting subject to belong here from the start.

Yirok set the expiration date of his heart to the day Chaehwa got married. The most treasured person in the prestigious Nanjubeol family, where no ordinary Jeongmusa could even present a business card, was that young lady. They would surely select only a guy with outstanding looks and an excellent personality to pair up with the young lady.

Thinking of Chaehwa, who would put on rouged spots on her cheeks and forehead and do up her hair for marriage, the book gradually drifted away from his eyes. He only realized late that he had been biting his lip enough to wound it.

What kind of unseemly greed was he harboring? He wasn’t so shameless as to ask for the spot beside her just because they had locked lips a few times. Furthermore, it shouldn’t be him standing beside Chaehwa. How would Sarira, whose eyes were sharp and ears even sharper, use him to her advantage? The place Chaehwa would go, holding his hand and running away for love, was a trap den. Rather than seeing his young lady cry while shuddering in betrayal, it was far better to watch her march down the wedding aisle.

However, knowing and doing were two different things, so Yirok became a clumsy cell phone addict. It was an attitude 180 degrees different from when he first received the cell phone and left it neglected. Holding the cell phone that didn’t even vibrate, his footsteps walking back and forth anxiously inside the room were even sorrowful.

Perhaps exercising self-restraint because she had a fiancé, Chaehwa had been refraining from calls or texts lately. Yirok’s hand, having completely set down the book, couldn’t wait and pressed the call button.

—Yirok?

The surroundings of Chaehwa, whose pronunciation was unclear as if she were eating something, became quiet. Seeing the name displayed on the phone, she must have rushed out while eating a snack. Wanting to see her if possible, he faithfully attended meals as well, but Chaehwa wouldn’t show up. It meant there was no time to see her except during class. As that was deeply disappointing, strength entered Yirok’s voice.

“What are you doing.”

—Yeonrye said she was feeling peckish even after dinner… so I made her something. What are you doing, Yirok?

“Reading.”

—Mmm… I see.

Whenever he acted crooked on his end, Chaehwa used to respond like candy melting in her mouth. But ever since Shinwoo threw a fit with the box cutter, she seemed to avoid being alone with him as well.

His statement that the title of gigolo wasn’t bad wasn’t an empty word. The kitchen staff and the haenang treated him no differently than usual, but the look in their eyes was subtle. Sitting side-by-side on class days drew glances immediately.

He understood that the rumor of him being a gigolo went beyond him and dragged dirt over Chaehwa as well. Therefore, he didn’t talk to Chaehwa when others were watching. He was even in the middle of thinking whether he should change his seat in class.

“Does my calling make you uncomfortable?”

However, during free time after class ended, he wished to be entirely just the two of them. He hoped the anxiety of the remaining days shrinking was not his alone. It wasn’t as if he was wishing for Chaehwa’s love, was it? Even if it was as a gigolo, it would be fine as long as she offered her lips and sent sweet glances his way. Even if only for a time. Even if only for a time.

—Because right now, my attention toward you, Yirok, could invite bad things. Soon… there will be a spot where we can avoid the eyes of the family members. Let’s talk a lot there. I’m sorry.

“If you’re sorry, come see me right now.”

—What?

“See. You’re not even that sorry. Kim Chaehwa, you’re just… uncomfortable with me. With me carrying the name of gigolo.”

He had not the slightest intention of blaming or interrogating Chaehwa. The moon rising behind the faintly settled fog embedded itself in his pupils. He grew tired of everything trying to take away his paltry joy. Were it not for Sarira, he would be fine living as Chaehwa’s hidden shadow for the rest of his life. After all, it was a settled fate that he lacked the capability to be a match for the young lady.

Look at how even that grand Shinwoo fell flat from a single mistake. That was why he reached a compromise with his endlessly growing greed, but Chaehwa refused to cooperate. She tried to set him aside with vague words like someday, or soon. Was meeting up just to kiss really something to pull back from like that? He was about to turn off the cell phone with a cold sneer attached. If he ignored her for a few days, Chaehwa would reach out her hand as she always did.

—Hey… I miss you. Sometimes. Even though I know we’re in the same house.

Even though it was a voice whose tail end trailed off as if shy, it was heard clearly in his ears. Against such a kind and lovely young lady, he had lost his temper again. That his background and roots were different showed through the moment a conflict arose.

—It’s not that I miss you like crazy. I just miss you. So don’t feel hurt. Words like that aren’t even a flaw for a grand person like me, you know? But for you, Yirok… it seems it’d be very harsh. I’m acting after thinking in my own way, so don’t feel hurt. Keep sitting in the same seat in class too. If it’s not uncomfortable for you.

Since Yirok was silent, she must have thought the call was disconnected. Chaehwa, who vanished after blurting out only words that overworked his heart, was residing inside his head. Wishing for things to be good only for a time was rather Yirok himself. He was worried that things might just be good for a lifetime.

Looking around the room he had cleaned neatly in the morning, Yirok fiddled with his turned-off cell phone. Just as he was thinking of going out for a walk to soothe his mind, his gaze stopped above the drawer. A golden bundle he hadn’t seen before was neatly placed there.

Muttering Chaehwa’s words about missing him like a monologue as he walked over, Yirok untied the bundle. As if proving it was his item, a single navy-blue letter paper was tucked inside. The handwriting was monotonous and ordinary, but the contents were extremely wicked.

This is a restorative medicine prepared wishing for your speedy recovery, Yirok. It would be great if you could recover your health enough to write a reply as soon as possible. I also included the young lady’s snacks, so make sure you deliver them, Yirok.

I’ll visit again on a nice day. I hope you open your eyes quickly.

It seemed Juhee had visited while he was collapsed after coming out of the hwanchō world. Grandma Yomyeong had passed along a similar story. Because he was focusing his mind on the number of times he kissed Chaehwa, he had let it go in one ear and out the other, but to think she would bring the bundle back to his room like this.

Exuding a sickening perfume scent, Yirok opened Juhee’s gift that she must have left while visiting Nanjubeol. Round pills, as if herbal medicine were balled up, were individually wrapped. Without even smelling the medicine, Yirok wrapped it back up in the bundle. He intended to go outside and throw it away at the trash dump as soon as day broke.

However, what bothered his mind was the part referred to as ‘the young lady’s snacks.’ Having seen nothing other than the black pills, Yirok’s hands opened the drawers and the wardrobe. As the time spent failing to discover anything that could be called the young lady’s snacks lengthened, Yirok’s gaze dried up.

What would be the next thing prepared by Sarira, who heard and saw what happened in the hwanchō? Deep in thought, Yirok, buttoning his shirt buttons, hurriedly turned his steps around.

His heart, which had been complaining of overwork, began to beat with a different feeling. His back as he ran without closing the room door soon became a dot and disappeared outside the dormitory.

🌹₊ ⊹

“You’re really slick.”

“Does it suit Young Master Woohyun’s taste?”

“It’s tastier than at my house.”

Approaching everyone with a friendly attitude unlike young people these days, Woohyun was the new prospective son-in-law of Nanjubeol. The kitchen staff, who had been inwardly cheering for Shinwoo, didn’t find him welcome at first, but in less than a week, they fell head over heels for Woohyun’s affectionate charm. The fact that he was an adult over twenty-one combined with having received a good education caused him to emerge as a mature groom candidate. Seeing his friendly attitude as he tore kimchi with his hands and put it into his mouth, there was no kitchen staff who didn’t fall for him.

Since he was good-looking and had a genial personality, they felt he was a perfect match for the demure young lady. It was a different flavor from the quiet and serious Shinwoo, so satisfaction filled the faces of the kitchen staff with smiles.

“At home, they told me not to even think about returning and to become a ghost of Nanjubeol. I wonder if I should just live doing kitchen work altogether.”

“My goodness, if you marry the young lady, you’ll live with us for a lifetime.”

“Well, that’s only if Chaehwa gives permission. The young lady is a bit cold, isn’t she?”

“The young lady likes… items from the outside. If you give her such an item on her birthday….”

It was right when they were about to gift a good tip to Young Master Woohyun, who fortunately didn’t lack feelings for the young lady at all. Clatter—with the kitchen door opening as noisily as could be, rough breathing entered first. Did not Yirok, the main culprit who raised the young lady’s standards for looks, stride right in after? The kitchen staff who were seasoning fresh kimchi naturally came to read Woohyun’s expressions. Woohyun, who had been smiling amiably, stopped wiping his mouth with a tissue and made eye contact with the one entering.

“Uh… uh… Haenang Yirok. What brings you here at a late hour? Shall I give you some snacks?”

“No. I….”

Woohyun, who had been naturally talking with the kitchen staff as if he had been here a time or two, stopped his movements for a moment. Even without anyone telling him, Woohyun noticed that the man of the rumors was right in front of his eyes. After all, wasn’t his appearance extraordinary from the start? Leaving the tissue he wiped his mouth with on the table side, Woohyun wore a kindly smile.

“Hello.”