If Silk Flowers Bloom by the Water’s Edge Chapter 26

At the hour when the sun weeps and the moon rises, Haenangs with serious expressions, holding lanterns, went up to the rooftop and unlocked the gate. This was possible because Shinwoo, who was trusted by the Nanjubeol family, had the bundle of keys to the dorms. With the ‘pig hunt’ not far off, boys like Chaho or Shinwoo were sometimes allowed to go outside, but for the female Haenangs, who were precious in the world of warriors, many were born in Chukjangji and died in Chukjangji.

Therefore, the purpose of today’s gathering was for those in similar situations to get together and cheer each other on ahead of the ‘pig hunt’ day. Occasionally, one would hear disparaging remarks that a Haenang is merely the master’s hands and feet, an attendant to Chaehwa who directs the rituals. But don’t the hands and feet have to work in harmony to help the head? Moreover, with an outsider who didn’t know the rules of Chukjangji now in the mix, it was a time when chemistry with one another was more important than ever.

“Shinwoo. Sit here.”

“We saved a spot for you.”

In the spring, Old Lady Yomyung had placed wildflower pots in every corner to make the rooftop look pleasant. But now, in the winter, the place was desolate with only empty pots lined up, and laying down a mat and lighting candles created a dreary atmosphere.

“Alright, everyone, a round of applause!”

Yeonseo, who was arranging the juice glasses, tried to liven up the mood by leading the applause. Yirok, who arrived last, stood there with a blank expression, looking at the charmingly decorated space. It’s not easy for a freeloader who only brought himself to the table to be welcomed so warmly. Although it was Shinwoo who had prepared everything, carrying the refreshments from the kitchen to the rooftop, he clapped generously.

“What are you doing? My hands hurt.”

Chaho, who had no shyness whatsoever, shouted loudly. Yirok, who had been standing apart as if observing a troop of monkeys, slowly took a step. The way he did it, as if his noble self was deigning to make an appearance, greatly displeased Shinwoo. It felt like his smiling face was about to twitch.

“Here….”

“Hmph.”

“I told you to sit.”

Ignoring the deliberately empty seat, Yirok found a spot at the very end of the line of male Haenangs and sat down. It was next to Chaho. Yeonseo, who had a personal crush on Yirok, had a strange change in her complexion.

The timid Miyoung poured some omija juice and carefully placed it in front of Yirok. In any case, everyone who was expected to come to the social gathering had arrived.

“Alright. Let’s drink this and then light the scented candles. Old Lady Yomyung said it was okay, but this place gets spooky if we stay past midnight, you know.”

Chaho, who spoke as he held his cup heartily, chugged the omija juice as if to set an example. Shinwoo, reading the room, held the sour omija juice in his mouth. It was an imitation of the adults drinking cheongju before a ritual. Although everything they did felt a bit awkward because they were underage, mimicking adults was the best way to create a mood.

They emptied their glasses filled with omija juice as if they were drinking alcohol. It was a party with a slightly forced interpretation of drinking the full moon floating in the blood-red omija. In any case, the attending Haenangs were happily emptying their juice glasses, forgetting the party’s clumsy setup. That is, except for one troublesome person. Shinwoo spoke to the uninvited guest who was just sitting and staring at his cup.

“Don’t want to drink it?”

Shinwoo found it difficult to control his emotions, as if alcohol had accidentally been mixed into the omija juice. If he hadn’t seen the incident during the day, he would have been kinder to this complete outsider.

But his were the eyes that had seen the presumptuous scene of Yirok playing with the young miss on his back. Yirok, who hadn’t taken a single sip of the juice, didn’t know the meaning of the word sincerity. He just occupied the space with an unreadable expression, one couldn’t tell if he was smiling or serious.

“If you don’t want to drink it, don’t. But if you’re suspicious because we touched the sleep-inducing grass… I’m sorry. The young miss seemed to want to play a prank on you, so we were just helping and it went too far….”

“That’s right. I wanted to formally apologize for that too. I’m really sorry. We won’t ever make things hard for you again. Starting tomorrow, we’re Haenangs who will go out on assignments together, aren’t we?”

Among the three female Haenangs, if Yeonseo was the most outgoing and Miyoung was the most timid, then Haeju was the harmonious one in between. Since the leader-like Yeonseo was showing favor to Yirok, Haeju didn’t say anything, but. The gazes of the three held the same passion.

Yirok, who received such a passionate bouquet of apologies, was terribly stoic. Chaho, unable to watch any longer, was about to jump in, beating his frustrated chest. Yirok, setting down his juice glass, asked the female Haenangs a question for the first time.

“Where is the other one.”

“Huh?”

“There’s one more. A girl. I saw her this morning.”

Whoever he met, Yirok made it clear he had no intention of getting close, putting them on the spot. Or perhaps he enjoyed making people fall into traps he’d dug with his handsome face. For someone raised in the noble Baekyeong Family, he had a very gloomy side to his personality. This time too, everyone’s faces hardened at Yirok’s words, as he cut straight to the point.

“You mean Jangsi. Jangsi doesn’t really like hanging out with people.”

“That’s right. She’s just… a little eccentric.”

“It’s better not to bother with her.”

The level of his question made it obvious that Yirok was an outsider. Jangsi was a taboo subject even within Nanjubeol. Wasn’t it a grace of the family just to have accepted that homeless child as a trainee Haenang? After all, she was a child abandoned even by her own family because of her unique constitution. But there was no need to tell an outsider, who might not even remain as an official Haenang, about an individual’s unfortunate circumstances.

“But why her? You usually don’t show interest in other people.”

Chaho, who had been watching from the sidelines as if it were none of his business, asked with a cool smile. Whenever Jangsi was mentioned, Chaho wore an expression that showed he couldn’t resist stirring things up. The fact that Chaho’s weakness was Jangsi was a known fact even to the kitchen staff.

And the fact that the good-natured-looking Chaho was actually a ticking bomb. Shinwoo welcomed the situation that was about to fall apart, but he intervened neutrally.

“Stop talking about someone who isn’t here. Yirok, you too, stop….”

“That’s it.”

Yirok, quick on the uptake, cut him off, saying, “That’s it.” Shinwoo delivered the answer a beat later.

“…What do you mean, that’s it?”

“I came because it was a gathering of Haenangs. But like you said, she’s not here…. So I asked.”

“Sorry if you misunderstood. Yirok, I’ll explain that to you later, bit by bit.”

Shinwoo responded by scraping together every ounce of soul and kindness he had, but Yirok shook his head dismissively. Then, getting up, Yirok had a lighter in his hand. It was the one Shinwoo had prepared to light the party candles.

Yirok lit the lighter, but instead of leaving right away, he bent over and lit the party candles that had been prepared in advance. After arbitrarily lighting the candle that was supposed to be the grand finale of the social gathering, Yirok took a step back.

“By the way.”

“Yeah?”

“You guys really seem to enjoy ostracizing people… makes me wonder what happened to Jeongmusa.”

“Ostracize? No, it’s a misunderstanding. We’re not ostracizing her, she’s the weird one. You don’t even know.”

“Right, just as you say, I don’t know, so it’s embarrassing for me to be here. Alright, sleep well. I won’t drink the juice, but I’ll light the candle for you before I go.”

Yirok, tossing the lighter back as if discarding it, strode towards the rooftop exit. After his dry condemnation ended, everyone, including Yeonseo, couldn’t close their mouths. Whether it was because of his comment about what happened to Jeongmusa, because the party was ruined, or both, was left to each person’s judgment.

Only Shinwoo, who had anticipated Yirok’s unpredictable behavior from the moment his attendance was decided, stood up. He chased after Yirok, who had already used his long legs to slip out the rooftop door.

The faint moonlight coming through a small circular window illuminated the stairs. The uninvited guest who had ruined the party was leisurely descending the steps. Shinwoo closed the rooftop door and walked quickly, then adjusted his speed once he realized he had closed the distance somewhat.

Even though he knew someone was following him, Yirok’s pace didn’t change. Shinwoo let out a dry laugh and leaned against the railing at an opportune spot. It was a position where he could look down on Yirok, as if by heaven’s will.

“Kim Yirok.”

He had intended to ignore him and walk past, but now that his name had been called, he wasn’t the type to just ignore it. After all, figuring out people’s tempers was a hobby for both of them. Shinwoo openly scoffed at Yirok, who was making such a fuss in his relationships.

“You know what. I think you’re fucked now.”

“……”

“This was your last chance to get along as a Haenang, though. You kicked it away nicely, didn’t you?”

As if the taunt meant nothing, Yirok looked at him with those same vacant eyes. Shinwoo never thought the day would come when he would confess his unfiltered feelings to his first-ever roommate. He let his arm, which was leaning on the railing, hang down further, relaxing his tension.

“Be nice to me. Whether I cover for you in the future or not. I’ll decide after seeing how you act.”

“Stop clinging to me like a child. Get to the point.”

“Yirok. The point? There is no point. It’s just fun watching your standing get narrower.”

As if uninterested in the barrage of insults, Yirok started to continue down the stairs. To think he thought Yirok would be satisfied after being teased this much. Seeing Yirok treat it like a passing breeze, a question arose.

“Yirok. By the way, is that statement… still valid?”

With a weary face, Yirok stopped in his tracks and kindly looked up at him. Standing in a place where moonlight and night intersected, his eyes were as black as a Yogwi’s. Despite the signal that it was time to back off, Shinwoo smiled brightly.

“That you like men. I’d like you to stick to that one.”

An emotion surfaced in Yirok’s nearly expressionless eyes. Yirok, who seemed like he would forge his own path like a horn of steel, showed both of his palms. From Yirok’s exaggerated shrug, Shinwoo could read the rejection.

“So it was a lie….”

He could understand everything- not getting along with the other Haenangs, being defiant, acting suspiciously, acting foolishly. As long as he didn’t transgress upon the wish Shinwoo had cherished his whole life.

The uninvited outsider had used his wits to become friends with the young miss. At an unprecedented speed, in an unprecedented way.

That was what drove him crazy.