If Silk Flowers Bloom by the Water’s Edge Chapter 14

They say the world outside, which had been in mid-August when he first entered the estate, had already grown cool. Perhaps not in sync with that, but heavy snow was also forecast for the estate. Those who occasionally went outside to buy things the estate lacked always added a comment about the weather. It was hotter outside than here; the wind at the estate was a biting wind, but the wind outside was ticklish….

The news from the outside world, now entering early autumn, was making the Nanjubeol family excited. After living seeing only the paper-white estate, going out to a world where leaves were falling and cosmos flowers were blooming was enough to make one’s nostrils flare.

The fact that a year was passing was very welcome news. Wouldn’t it be welcome for Yirok, who wanted to age quickly and become an old man who could just let things be, even when the wind blew?

“I’m doomed. And it’s all because of some bad guy who won’t even go to eat.”

But these days, when each day felt like a year, he felt certain he could grow old sooner than the natural flow of time. Yirok, once again skipping breakfast today, had grabbed a slice of bread and come to visit the guest room. By the book, he should have met the Landowner and begun his haenang training, but the atmosphere had been reversed after the revelation of Chaehwa’s ostracism incident.

Rumors were circulating that all the existing haenang had been punished. Indeed, none of them were able to attend the morning class. While even the jeongmusa training was postponed, the haenang were tasked with a major cleaning of the mansion. That too was a form of punishment from the Landowner, so every haenang he encountered had a long face.

As soon as the true master of the house returned, it seemed discipline was immediately restored. Even the gait of the family members in charge of the kitchen and laundry had become much more cautious. Only Yirok, who hadn’t known that not talking to someone and ignoring them was a mortal sin, was left in a difficult position.

“I’ll probably die of hunger soon. I’ll probably turn into a scarecrow and collapse in a snowfield.”

However, the reason he was in the most difficult position of all was, no more and no less, the Young Miss Chaehwa of Nanjubeol. Being watched by her 24 hours a day was the punishment Yirok was receiving.

“You might be able to survive on a piece of bread, but I’ll… die. I’ll really die. I’ll seriously die. If I die, you won’t have an easy….”

“Your mouth…”

What good did it do to turn his gaze away with the heart of an ascetic? The mouth of the young miss, who would float even if she fell in water, had no rest period. Even if he tried to turn his attention to a book, the ridiculously cheerful Young Miss Chaehwa constantly hovered before his eyes.

He wished he could just leave the side of the young miss who quacked like a duck. But unfortunately, the ‘spirit link’ was binding their arms together, so the ordeal was endless. The punishment the Landowner had given them was a spirit-infused beaded bracelet called a spirit link, which bound their arms like handcuffs. Apparently, the spirit link would not be released until the command given by its master was fulfilled.

Not even two hours after his arm was bound, Yirok understood why the young miss had thrown such a fit upon hearing the words ‘spirit link.’ Spending 24 hours with the person one was bound to by a spirit link was the worst punishment. Even at bedtime, they had to share Chaehwa’s bedroom with the watcher, Yeon-rye, placed between them.

There was only one way to undo the spirit link: they had to resolve the command given by the Landowner of Nanjubeol. But given that the command was true reconciliation, a resolution was already off the table.

“What? Are you telling me to shut my mouth again? Huh? Why do you stop talking mid-sentence?”

Another drawback of the spirit link was that it shortened in length the further one strayed from the master’s command. The two of them achieved the splendid feat of halving the spirit link’s length in just one day.

When it had just been put on, they didn’t know the power of the spirit link and spoke carelessly. Had it taken only three hours for the possible distance to shrink from five meters to one? After that, he learned not to open his mouth even if a fire raged in his chest.

“Yirok, at this rate, you’re going to be stuck right to me, huh? Right? You’re actually hoping for that, aren’t you? Hm?”

Chaehwa was not unaware that Yirok’s mouth had closed because he was conscious of the spirit link. In any case, she was just as troubled by the spirit link as he was. Nevertheless, unlike Yirok, Chaehwa, who only thought of her immediate pleasure, was relentlessly teasing him.

“Oh dear, you must be so mad. I’ve gotten used to you after seeing you for a while. Though I suppose my beauty isn’t something you can get used to. Still, you’re lucky. You have the greatest beauty of Nanjubeol stuck right next to you, don’t you?”

“Hah….”

The study was closed, Yirok’s sanctuary of a guest room was occupied by Chaehwa; in reality, there was nowhere to run. Closing the math textbook he was looking at, Yirok rubbed the corners of his eyes. His headaches had increased thanks to Chaehwa, who stuck to him like gum and chattered away. The only expression of complaint allowed him was a sigh. And besides, Chaehwa didn’t help for even a single second in calming the chaos in his head.

“Let’s go eat! Food! Food! Beef! Stew!”

When he removed her from his sight, she targeted his ears. Chaehwa, hopping and skipping around the room, shouted that her stomach was getting empty. She put her mouth to his unmoving ear and showed off her loud voice to her heart’s content.

“I need to have my snacks on time, too, but because you eat like a little bird, I can’t eat either. Are you French or something? Eating only bread for all three meals?”

Yirok, his nerves frayed by the noise campaign, pushed Chaehwa’s head with his math book. The distance was so close he could feel the body heat of Chaehwa bracing herself not to be pushed, and see the color of her eyes.

“Starving me to death will not be good for your well-being either.”

At her threatening words, Yirok finally ended up saying something harsh. He had broken his vow not to open his mouth again in just a few minutes.

“Just how many meals a day must you eat to be satisfied, you little pig… Young Miss?”

Using Yirok’s shoulder as a support, Chaehwa stretched her body out and confidently held up three fingers.

“Three meals. And snacks in between, for sure.”

At her response, which was completely immune to sarcasm, the back of Yirok’s neck throbbed. His opponent was a formidable one, a crazy young miss. Deciding not to even bother talking, he shook his head and was about to open his math book again. At that moment, a white hand suddenly appeared and slammed Yirok’s math book shut. Yirok turned his gaze from the book, which had died without a single page being turned, and glared at Chaehwa.

“I’m really hungry.”

“……”

“For real.”

As if to help its master, Chaehwa’s stomach growled at that moment. Caught off guard by the sound without any warning, Yirok bit his lip. It felt like the strength would leave his stomach and he would burst out laughing.

“If you don’t want to eat with me, let’s at least go get a meal table for me.”

Would the Nanjubeol family, who put such care into their side dishes, really let the young miss starve? While Yirok made do with a slice of bread stolen from the kitchen, Chaehwa ate three full meals served on a table. Since Yirok didn’t go to the dining hall, a 12-dish spread was brought to her bedchamber. Or, Chaehwa’s meal table would be brought to the guest room where Yirok often stayed. So, there was a contradiction in Chaehwa’s words about starving to death.

“I’m not going. If you really want to eat, ask for a snack table to be brought here….”

Yirok, his energy to deal with her drained, bowed his head in the middle of speaking. The fact that the chatty young miss was within arm’s reach played a part. No matter how hard he tried to ignore her, he was losing ten times out of ten to the young miss who tried just as hard to make her presence known.

He was repeatedly drawn into Chaehwa’s sophistry that defied common sense. And he would make an unexpected mistake. He’d watch her unconventional behavior, eavesdrop on her bizarre thoughts, and though not in a good sense, laughter would burst out. Unable to cry out for her to stop, he was easily exhausted.

“Kim Yirok.”

A hand entered his view in front of his bowed head and caused trouble. A smooth palm, with no calloused spots, rested on his forehead. It seemed she thought the quiet, bowed Yirok was sick.

“Kim Yirok.”

Yirok, scrunching his face, straightened his back as if by reflex. However, he couldn’t utter a single word to Chaehwa, whom he faced upon lifting his head. Don’t touch me so carelessly. Originally, he had intended to say what he needed to, even if the spirit link’s distance shortened. He would have done so right away if it hadn’t been for Chaehwa’s cold face.

The difference was huge. When Chaehwa was expressionless, Yirok’s complaints got stuck in his throat. There was a weight to Chaehwa’s blank expression as she touched his forehead. It was the moment her brown eyes turned as black as wild grapes.

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Ah… what?”

“The bathroom.”

He would have been less surprised even if he were struck by lightning in broad daylight. Aside from feeling drained, for the first time in his life, Yirok’s tongue was tied. Without another word, Chaehwa ran out of the guest room and put on her shoes. Yirok, now bound by a common destiny, was thrown onto the bare floor without even a moment to put on his sneakers.

“It’s urgent, urgent, urgent!”

Yirok tried to stop her several times, but Chaehwa cleverly used the shortened spirit link. Trying desperately not to fall, he ended up following her all the way to the outdoor latrine. They hadn’t even run a few meters, but both of them were out of breath.

Chaehwa, not thinking about the consequences, flung open the door to the guest latrine without hesitation. When the permitted distance between them was five meters, there was at least a defense for privacy. But one meter was a very dangerous distance. Finally growing worried, Chaehwa blamed an innocent person.

“Sit far away!”

“Is that even possib…”

Thud. The thin spirit link was caught in the crack of the closed door. At the raw sound of the toilet lid being opened, a chill ran down Yirok’s spine. He walked far away as if in denial of reality. But it seemed he had reached the maximum distance, as Chaehwa screamed that her arm was being pulled off.

“Stop walking! My arm hurts!”

Yirok, who stopped the very instant Chaehwa screamed, had no choice but to squat down. Fearing he might hear some rough sounds, he had no option but to cover his ears with both hands. It was the best for Chaehwa’s sake, and for his own. He would undo this spirit link even if he had to sell his soul to the underworld. The moment Yirok was uncharacteristically burning with determination, a word of request came from beyond the door.

“You have to cover your ears.”

Right, I already did, he muttered, pressing his hands more firmly against his ears. But upon hearing the next words, Yirok’s breath hitched without him realizing it.

“No, no, I can’t trust you. I should sing a song….”

As soon as she finished speaking, the song Chaehwa sang was <Island House Baby>. The song, which began with ‘Mama in the island shade…’ had a strong sense of self in its rhythm, pitch, and lyrics, all three. The sad and lyrical song was screeching like a crow’s yawn. Even when she sang, she sang just like herself. With no one watching, a smile appeared on Yirok’s lips.

At the point when the still-unstoppable song of the island house baby had repeated the part about gathering oysters three times, Yirok, hit by the winter wind, felt his hands grow cold and unconsciously searched for his pockets. Just as he was about to warm his hands in his pockets, which were like a warm, empty house, Yirok’s eyes grew wider and wider.

It’s gone.

“The baby is left alone… watching the house….”

The red envelope containing Sarira’s letter had disappeared.