“…… a brush?”
Im Ha-yeon picked up a luxurious brush with just one glance.
“It’s nothing special. Let’s just hurry up and clean up.”
Kang Yoon-ho spoke casually, not showing his embarrassment.
“What do you mean it’s nothing special? It’s clearly a masterfully crafted premium brush.”
People often think that being a master means they only need to reach a certain level of light body movement or hidden body techniques, but that’s hilarious.
What should one steal? How can one tell which item is genuine? Which ones are premium?
Im Ha-yeon, having learned the culture of the upper class as a courtesan and educated as a master, had an aesthetic sense higher than anyone else.
This premium brush was in her hands.
It was a masterpiece made by mixing only the finest quality animal hair. Even she could easily guess it was a Gyeom-ho Pil.
“It’s a high-quality brush, but it’s nothing special. Hand it over.”
Kang Yoon-ho tried to take the brush from Im Ha-yeon’s hand, but it was impossible to snatch it away from a woman who had mastered martial arts.
“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to? Haa. Is this really the time for us to be spending money on things like this?”
His flustered demeanor was telling. It was clear he had wanted to buy such a luxurious brush a few days ago.
He must have eventually given in to the temptation and bought it.
With a small sigh, Im Ha-yeon said to Kang Yoon-ho,
‘Someone promised me 국밥 (rice soup) and brought it over.’
She recalled the events from a few days ago.
How much she had asked the people from the hometown association about what kind of food Joseon people liked. She hadn’t mentioned anyone in particular, but she wondered what food he would like if he ate it.
When the innkeeper’s wife placed a bowl of jeongguji (pumpkin) on a spoon with a glum expression, she realized this was a person she wanted to marry for life.
They even shared pig soup together, and now she couldn’t believe he would buy a premium brush.
Feeling like her sincere efforts were being disregarded, Im Ha-yeon looked at Kang Yoon-ho with a slightly resentful expression.
“Do you know how many delivery people’s wages this could cover? I manage the ledger, but what kind of money do you think you have to buy such a premium brush?”
She knew he was a person who usually didn’t spend money on himself. He might think she was harsh, but even though her heart ached, she had to reproach him.
We’re going through tough times.
Im Ha-yeon steeled herself and spoke.
“Well… it’s a gift.”
What kind of nonsense is that? She would rather he said it was an emergency fund he had secretly stashed away.
What if he has a separate wallet? She should have caught that earlier.
For the sake of him and her future. Im Ha-yeon opened her mouth once more.
“A gift? Who would give you such an incredibly expensive premium brush? Ah…”
The youngest daughter of the Zhuge family.
The only woman who could give such a gift floated through Im Ha-yeon’s mind.
“Haha…”
Kang Yoon-ho awkwardly smiled, confirming Im Ha-yeon’s train of thought.
In an instant, Im Ha-yeon almost bit her inner lip.
“Did you receive this from that woman?”
“…I received it from Miss Zhuge.”
Kang Yoon-ho averted his gaze, looking troubled.
She had to return the brush.
No more prying.
That was the path to not getting hurt anymore. But isn’t it human nature to want to touch something that itches, to poke at wounds?
“Huh. To give you such a premium brush… you must have gotten along well?”
A sharp, knife-like undertone came from Im Ha-yeon.
It wasn’t Kang Yoon-ho who felt the sting, but her.
“There was that impersonation incident. I felt I didn’t properly apologize, so I received it.”
A woman wouldn’t give such a premium brush just as a means of apology.
Im Ha-yeon barely held back the words rising to her throat.
“Really?”
“I only planned on keeping it. I didn’t intend to use it.”
Kang Yoon-ho scratched his head, unable to look apologetic.
Im Ha-yeon knew.
Kang Yoon-ho was meeting the youngest daughter of the Zhuge family to protect her. She understood that his feelings toward her were genuine.
Kang Yoon-ho would not waver. But. But…
‘What if that woman Zhuge Hyang wavers?’
Suddenly, the premium brush felt incredibly heavy, as if it were too much for her to bear.
“Why? It’s a nice brush. Use it well.”
Ultimately, to distance herself as much as possible from her anxiety, Im Ha-yeon handed the brush to Kang Yoon-ho and kicked the door open.
*
In the mansion of Man Geum-jeon.
“Hu-huh-hu.”
A silver-haired, wall-eyed beauty was humming a tune while painting.
Her clothes were easy to move in but had smudges of ink on the sleeves and her face, yet she didn’t care, instead smiling broadly.
“Miss Zhuge Hyang, you met Master Kang and still aren’t dancing with your fan like last time? Just drawing normally?”
One maid, who had been watering the flowers in the room where Zhuge Hyang was, spoke to another maid waiting nearby.
“You didn’t see her for a few days since you weren’t in charge of the lady.”
“Why? What happened?”
“On the day she met Master Kang, she was fanning herself as if taking flight.”
“Really? Just how happy could she be to act like that?”
The chattering of the maids echoed through the ajar door, reaching Zhuge Hyang’s ears.
“Hu-huh. I don’t mind.”
Zhuge Hyang didn’t care at all.
Because something truly delightful had happened. So delightful that she felt like flying like a bird.
What happened was that
“Master Kang accepted my gift!”
Zhuge Hyang began to recall the day she met Kang Yoon-ho.
—–
“It feels like a novel with a happy ending.”
Zhuge Hyang arrived at a luxury restaurant first and muttered softly so that no one else could hear.
Because soon she would meet Master Kang. He would come in and sit with a smiling face.
Zhuge Hyang, who had avoided socializing with others, was eagerly looking forward to meeting someone who would listen to her story, empathize with her, treat her warmly, and fully understand her feelings.
Anyone seeing Zhuge Hyang would probably be shocked with their mouth agape.
“I’ll ensure that no one interferes, so please take your time to look at what you want.”
Zhuge Hyang shyly lowered her head as she watched Kang Yoon-ho blocking any notice of her from the waitstaff.
‘It’s such a reassuring feeling, different from being guarded by the family’s martial artists.’
Zhuge Hyang’s heart raced secretly as she began to look at the brushes.
The brushes she liked.
The interest he showed in things she liked.
Finally, she was in a situation where nothing would interrupt her while choosing her items.
‘In the end, I messed up again!’
Why, despite promising herself not to, did she keep making a rush of feelings in front of Master Kang? It felt like her claim that lacking conversation skills would cause her to struggle was a lie.
Zhuge Hyang scolded herself, but there was nothing she could do.
Because she wanted to impress Kang Yoon-ho. Because he strangely felt like a person and not a stranger. Because she wanted to win his favor by telling him things she didn’t know.
Lacking conversational skills. For someone like her, it’s an area she couldn’t control, especially when facing someone she was interested in.
“How could you be shy when I’m telling you something you don’t know? I don’t really know about brushes, so I’d like to hear about other things, too, from Miss Zhuge.”
Like an arrow, Kang Yoon-ho’s kind words pierced Zhuge Hyang’s heart deeply.
‘I want to gift something to Master Kang!’
A premium brush that was worthy of even the youngest daughter of the Zhuge family.
In order to express the goodwill overflowing in her heart, Zhuge Hyang ended up presenting the brush to Kang Yoon-ho.
“I’m grateful, but you really don’t need to give me such an expensive brush.”
Kang Yoon-ho’s polite refusal.
If it were the usual Zhuge Hyang, she would have immediately felt disappointed and given up. But she wanted to give it to someone. No, she wanted to give it to only Master Kang.
“About the impersonation incident…”
The feeling in her heart gave Zhuge Hyang the courage to speak.
“The impersonation incident…? Ah. Since I’ve decided to take part of the profits from the Tea Bookstore branch, there’s no need to apologize anymore.”
“That was done by my grandfather!”
She hadn’t properly apologized. Though she repeated apologies every time they met, it felt lacking. It was Zhuge Hyang’s excuse, not truly an excuse.
“I understand Miss Zhuge’s feelings well. But still, I’ll just accept the sentiment.”
“……”
It was too expensive to accept. Even though Kang Yoon-ho continued to refuse, Zhuge Hyang closed her eyes tight and extended the brush.
“Miss?”
“……”
Though Kang Yoon-ho wouldn’t take it, Zhuge Hyang’s hand trembled but wouldn’t go down.
“Well… I’ll use it well.”
Finally, Kang Yoon-ho reluctantly accepted Zhuge Hyang’s gift.
“Huh. Yeaah!”
Master Kang received her gift. Zhuge Hyang smiled brightly in joy, her eyes sparkling.
Kang Yoon-ho froze at her surprisingly pretty smile, but she didn’t catch on.
‘I gifted something to Master Kang. It may be inadequate, but still… I feel like I expressed a bit more.’
What was it that she expressed? It was a bit embarrassing to say it, but she proudly stood before the counter holding the brush.
She took money out of her pocket. It was her significant step to pay and solemnly hand over what she bought to Master Kang, even if it was just a matter of buying from a store.
Of course, her dream shattered as soon as she approached the counter.
“Sir, you’re a bit short on cash.”
“Well, then… how about selling my wallet?”
—-
“I’ll use it well.”
She had forgotten to take the guard’s money when slipping away. If not for Master Kang’s dramatic bargaining, she wouldn’t have been able to buy it.
Zhuge Hyang recalled the awkward conclusion from a few days ago.
“Ugh, Master Kang. Master. Kang. Master. Kang.”
He must be using it now. Sitting nobly at his desk with an intelligent expression, writing documents while surprised by the feel of the brush she gifted him.
Even though it could be written with pressure yet flowingly, he would suddenly be surprised at how well it writes.
And then, and then. Zhuge Hyang suddenly closed her eyes tightly in embarrassment like a baby bird opening her mouth.
“I… I wish you’d think of me a bit, too. Ah!”
Zhuge Hyang banged her head down on the desk in embarrassment.
Her head hurt, but her thoughts didn’t change.
She wanted him to think of her when using the brush this time. She hoped he wouldn’t be late to contact her.
Despite her eager wish, both the giver and the receiver had to think of her in unforeseen moments.
*
This is troublesome.
I couldn’t flat-out refuse to take it. After all, it was a present from the best martial arts family in Hubei Province. It was like a rich heir’s gift in modern times.
Clearly, even though the brush was expensive, it might have felt like just an ordinary festival gift set worth five bucks to her.
Naturally, I understood that items considered premium can be seen differently by the giver, receiver, and observer, that’s why I put it in my drawer.
Especially, I had no intention of showing off in front of Im Ha-yeon, who had been through so much without even receiving a salary.
I never expected it would cause a stir.
“Ha-yeon.”
She didn’t seem as angry as I thought. Thankfully, the moment I woke up that morning, she was in the office handling paperwork.
I nervously approached her, who had a strangely sharp atmosphere.
“……”
“Ha-yeon.”
“……”
This hurts more.
I sighed quietly and stood up, muttering so she could hear.
“I have no choice but to go out on my own…”
“W-Who are you meeting…? No! I mean! Where are you going?!”
Now she reacts. Im Ha-yeon popped up, looking surprised to look at me.
“There’s a Joseon banquet at the first inn opening for the night. I’m going to check if everything is going well.”
“I already sent everyone beforehand. You don’t need to go, they’ll handle it.”
“Thanks for the hard work. Let’s go together then.”
“…Was that the reason you were going out?”
As I smiled casually, Im Ha-yeon turned her head and asked while sneaking a glance at me.
“No other reason. And guests will be arriving tomorrow or the day after.”
“Guests? What guests?”
“Ha-yeon, you’ll be shocked…”
“Master! A guest has arrived from the Man Geum Battlefield!”
Suddenly, the door to the office swung open, and a maid hurried in.
“The guest is from the Man Geum Battlefield?”
Why does she speak with such an ominous sharp tone?
“Someone else… What’s going on over at the Man Geum battlefield? Bring them in.”
“Greetings, Master Kang.”
A well-dressed person from the Man Geum Battlefield entered the office and bowed to me.
“What brings you here? I thought the second verification was still some time away.”
“I’m not here for exams today.”
“If not, then?”
Every time they visited, it felt like they brought trouble. So when they came from the Man Geum battlefield, I always got anxious.
Please don’t tell me they’re going to pull some 1.5 verification nonsense on me this time!
With a somewhat tense face, I gazed at the man from the Man Geum battlefield.
What in the world does he have to say?
Fortunately, the man broke into a smile, delivering the long-anticipated news.
“The construction of the Tea Bookstore branch is nearing completion. Let’s set a date and inspect it together with Miss Zhuge.”
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