As True as a Dream Chapter 59

It was harsh, but true.

 

Hae-Joo almost died then, and her adoptive father immediately tried to get rid of the painting when he was told that his daughter’s life and the lives of others were at stake.

 

If he had known, it would never have happened.

 

But it happened because they didn’t.

 

Hae-Joo was dazed again.

 

She felt helpless.

 

She doesn’t know what to do.

 

‘No, what should she do?’

 

*Cough! Cough! Cough! *

 

Hae-Joo’s thoughts were suddenly brought back to reality.

 

When she saw Yi Ho coughing with his head down in front of her, she jumped up from the rock, grabbed his arm, and leaned down.

 

“Are you okay? What can I do…?”

 

Panicking, Hae-Joo raised her eyebrows when she saw that Yi Ho’s mouth and hands were clean.

 

“Are you kidding me?”

 

Hae-Joo’s eyes widened in disbelief.

 

But Yi Ho coughed dry once more and cleared his throat a few times.

 

After another moment of tension, Hae-Joo was relieved to see no trace of blood on his hand.

 

“I can’t live if I cough up blood every time I cough. I wanted to get your attention, but I wasn’t joking.”

 

“You call that a joke?”

 

Hae-Joo was so annoyed that she wanted to slap him.

 

Yi Ho, on the other hand, was relieved to see some color returning to her face.

 

To see her so exhausted and distraught really baffled him.

 

In truth, he was not particularly impressed as he listened to Uncle Jige’s words.

 

It would be ridiculous for a half-demon with hundreds of years of blood on his hands to react at all.

 

So even as he listened to the story, all he could think about was who this acquaintance was who had taken the Guishan Dao back.

 

It wasn’t the same person.

 

This woman might be greedy and cunning, but she was still a human being.

 

She is a human being who is devoted to those who give her sincerity and cares for them with all her heart.

 

Hae-Joo’s uncle went into the house first and sat on the rocks for a long time.

 

Yi Ho felt that he had to do something, as if the house would collapse at any moment.

 

Fortunately, his clumsy efforts worked, and she finally moved like a human being.

 

“Your uncle is waiting inside. He wants a drink.”

 

Hae-Joo pursed her lips to say something, then sighed.

 

Then she got up, brushed off her clothes, and started to walk.

 

“Shall I comfort him?”

 

Hae-Joo, who had taken a few steps forward, looked back at him with a confused face.

 

“You look so depressed, I thought I’d do something for you. There’s still a long way to go, and you like it when I’m nice to you.”

 

Hae-Joo looked at Yi Ho in disbelief.

 

‘Was this man offering to comfort her? Was he even capable of that?’

 

She blinked a few times.

 

He walked over to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her gently into a hug.

 

“You won’t live forever, and I’m tired of seeing you, so come on. You must find the Guishan Dao.”

 

Leaning against him, Hae-Joo’s eyes suddenly opened wide.

 

After he spoke, she remembered.

 

She grabbed his waist and pulled herself away to look up at him.

 

“Boss… Why would you want to find such an ominous painting…?”

 

“I told you, it’s my only hope to live. You’ll know the details when you find it.”

 

“Does that mean that anyone who gets involved with the painting will surely die?”

 

She asks, and the corner of his mouth curls into a slightly mischievous smile.

 

“I will live if I get involved with the painting.”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“Because I have a pretty good shaman on my side, if I do say so myself.”

 

“What?”

 

“Mister Hongo.”

 

She doesn’t know if he’s joking or serious.

 

‘Isn’t that person a talented master from Song Yue Pavilion?’

 

A shaman? That’s ridiculous.

 

It doesn’t fit at all.

 

If he’s a shaman, he’ll have his hair done, wear a colorful costume, and apply intense makeup that would make a ghost cry…

 

As Hae-Joo looked up at Yi Ho with a frown, she couldn’t help but giggle as a picture of Master Hongo dressed as a shaman popped into her head.

 

God, that’s creepy and terrifying.

 

“Why are you laughing?”

 

“No… I’m just wondering… if Mister Hongo is a shaman, does he do good? If he does… I can only imagine…”

 

“If you want to know, you can ask him.”

 

“You’re saying…!”

 

Hae-Joo was about to answer when his hand touched her eyes again and she swallowed her words.

 

“Hae-Joo, I just had an idea.”

 

A grin flashed under his eyes.

 

“How about we find Guishan Dao, I live, and we get rid of the painting forever?”

 

She raised an eyebrow at his spontaneous remark.

 

“If you feel guilty about the painting, let’s take revenge on behalf of the people of this entire village. Would that make you feel better?”

 

Hae-Joo looked up at Yi Ho, who looked down at her.

 

‘So, this man is going to appease me now? Why?’

 

He didn’t have to.

 

It was her promise, her duty to find Guishan Dao.

 

Regardless of the fact that she liked him, she would do what she had to do.

 

But then, out of the blue, Yi Ho’s unexpectedly thoughtful remark about her mood seemed to warm her cold, stinging heart.

 

“That’s a good idea.”

 

The corners of her lips turned up in a whisper.

 

Sitting alone on that rock, she felt like she had fallen into a hole with no way out, and she had no idea how to get out, but when she woke up, Yi Ho was by her side.

 

Whatever he was thinking when he said that, the important thing was that she found strength in him.

 

“Hae-Joo, are you still there?

 

Uncle Jige’s worried voice sounded over the fence.

 

“I’m coming!” Hae-Joo replied and then looked back at Yi Ho.

 

“Are you going to drink?”

 

“What?”

 

Before she could say anything, Yi Ho spoke up.

 

“If you’re going to drink, drink crookedly. People are animals who drown their sorrows in alcohol.”

 

“Do you think I can’t handle it?” Hae-Joo asked with a light laugh, feeling that his attention to her was unusually attentive.

 

“There’s nothing I can’t handle.”

 

It was a bit arrogant, but she believed him.

 

She had never met anyone in her life who stood so firmly in the center of their own being.

 

“Oh, well, I’ll just have to calm that down with a drink.”

 

“I’ll get you home safe.”

 

“Oh, I can’t do that, I won’t get drunk.”

 

Hae-Joo walked with him to Uncle Jige’s thatched yard.

 

Uncle Jige, who was pacing nervously in the yard, saw her and looked up and down at her.

 

He must have really worried her.

 

Hae-Joo smiled softly, then took Lee Ho’s hand, who was standing next to her, and turned to Uncle Jige.

 

‘Don’t worry, I have him.’

 

But the truth is, her heart is still heavy.

 

She doesn’t know if there will ever be a day when she can shake off this guilt.

 

But she can’t let herself sink into it and go backwards.

 

And with this man by her side.

 

For the sake of this man, the man who might die without the Guishan Dao, she had to go on.

 

Because she loves this man, Ban Yi Ho, very much.

 

And a small part of her wishes that if she could, she would do as he said and get rid of the Guishan Dao.

 

“Let’s do it!”

 

She shook her head in agreement with Uncle Jige, who had gone to the Great Hall first, and took Yi Ho’s hand and led him to the Great Hall.

 

***

 

Hae-Joo and Yi Ho walked along the darkened dirt path by the light of the moon high in the sky.

 

They left Uncle Jige’s thatched hut and returned home.

 

She and Uncle Jige sat facing each other and drank rice wine as if they could die today.

 

“Boss, am I going home? Are you sure this is the right way? This is not the road.”

 

Hae-Joo, who had been standing still staring at the dark dirt, suddenly spoke up.

 

“Not a road?”

 

“It’s a dance floor.”

 

She stared at the floor, mumbled something unintelligible, and then moved her legs again.

 

It was a mistake to empty the bowl at the end.

 

The floor seemed to rush toward her, and she had to stop and start again.

 

“Ugh, I’m so dizzy, why does it keep moving? It’s so bad.”

 

Hae-Joo wrinkled her nose and stood up again.

 

But she couldn’t stand it anymore, so she sighed and crouched down again.

 

The ground kept moving away and closer, making her dizzy.

 

“But are we going home, or are you just going to sit there?”

 

Her favorite voice sounded again, far and near.

 

Hae-Joo lifted her head and looked up at the night sky.

 

Her head turned, as if it wouldn’t be strange if it went backwards.

 

So she looked at the ground again.

 

It was still humming, making her dizzy.

 

Hae-Joo spread out her palm and pressed it firmly to the ground.

 

“Don’t move…”

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Hae-Joo’s eyelids slowly fluttered open at the sound of the voice beside her.

 

Yi Ho was crouched beside her, watching her, his head resting on his hands in his lap.