Chapter 14

“Miss, wake up.”

Half asleep, Hisa heard herself being called Miss and smiled faintly. She liked the way it sounded. A soft grin spread across her face.

“You’re smiling? You’d better wake up while I’m asking nicely, for your own good.”

Wait, was Miss an insult? It sounded like one. That felt strange. Hisa slowly opened her sleepy eyes. She had been dozing on and off in the tree for two days straight, so she was exhausted. A man came into blurry view. The moment she realized it was Hong Yeom-rang, she snapped awake.

It sounded nice in a dream, but hearing Miss from his mouth felt off.

“Looks like you had a good dream?”

That handsome man smiled as if he hadn’t just threatened her awake and asked casually. Hisa, still out of it, smiled back and nodded.

“Yeah.”

She remembered he told her not to speak politely, so she answered casually.

Seeing her obedient, bright response, Hong Yeom-rang silently rummaged through a bundle.

“…Did that bastard really think I was sending someone off to get married.”

The servant he had paid double before coming had packed ridiculous clothes. This was the third bundle Hong Yeom-rang had gone through. Starting with a yellow overcoat, there were colors only idle dandies in the capital would wear. Light peach, deep azalea… even the blue came in several shades. Pale, deep navy, darker still, and finally a bright red overcoat. Hong Yeom-rang clenched his teeth.

He almost tore them all apart, then grabbed the yellow overcoat instead.

“Put this on.”

“I get to wear new clothes again?”

“Yes, Miss. Change.”

The pants wouldn’t fit anyway, so he handed her one of his inner jackets too. It seemed better than just the overcoat. After handing them over, he didn’t even turn around. The rustling sound of her changing made his nerves spike. Ignoring it, Hong Yeom-rang put on a dark blue overcoat, the most tolerable color. He strapped his sword at his waist and turned around.

Hisa had already changed and was smiling brightly.

“This is new! It’s pretty. Thank you, Yeom-rang.”

“…Thanking your servant, Miss?”

Wearing the bright yellow overcoat that dragged along the ground, Hisa looked far too happy. She must have put on his inner jacket underneath, because unlike before, nothing was exposed. With that clear face, she wore a color he hated and loved it.

Well, better for it to end up in rags out there than shredded here.

He tore off one of the ties from the pile of colorful overcoats. Then he tied his wrist to Hisa’s. So she couldn’t slip back into the forest again. Watching him bind their wrists, Hisa flexed her sore fingers.

“You did this for me?”

“I told you, if you bring your hands to your mouth again, I’d tie you up.”

“I thought you meant like this.”

She held both wrists forward like a prisoner. Hong Yeom-rang let out a hollow laugh.

“Looks like you’ve seen a few things.”

He tugged the strip tied to their wrists. Hisa followed obediently. Two or three steps apart, just enough distance that he could pull her back instantly if she tried anything.

“Lead the way.”

Near one side of the cave, water dripped down the wall into a small pool.

There must have been a stream nearby because the water was clean. Hong Yeom-rang used it to wash every day. His hair was still damp. Honestly, he wasn’t used to the shorter length either. But he had cut it himself in a fit of temper, so there was nothing to be done.

“…Breakfast… aren’t you eating breakfast?”

As she followed him out, Hisa glanced at his damp hair and tested the waters.

“Oh, so now you need three meals a day?”

“I need strength to move too…”

What kind of nonsense was that.

She had only ever sneaked a few strands while people slept, yet now that she had been caught, she was boldly asking for regular meals. As her voice trailed off and she shrank back, Hong Yeom-rang frowned.

“If you’re going to be bold, then be bold properly. Say it. Hey you insolent servant, bring your head over here at once.”

If she said that, he’d probably slam his head straight into her face. Still, he hadn’t said no. Hisa’s face lit up. Her eyes sparkled with expectation. Maybe it was because it was morning, but her face looked clearer than it had inside the cave.

“Don’t breathe into my ear.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t chew either.”

“Mhm.”

His head moved closer and closer. His freshly washed skin looked damp. As he looked straight into her eyes and gave instructions one by one, she somehow forgot what he had just said. Hisa just nodded.

Hong Yeom-rang let out a light sigh and lowered his gaze.

Hisa was looking at his eyelashes when she suddenly realized his ear was right in front of her. She slipped his damp hair into her mouth. She only remembered not to breathe, so she held it in as much as she could. The moment the hair melted in her mouth, she hit her limit and pulled away quickly. But her teeth caught, and with a small tearing sound, some of his hair was yanked out.

“Ah…”

“Haa, haa, haa, haa.”

Hong Yeom-rang couldn’t say a word to Hisa. Before he could even tell her not to tear at him after treating her nicely, she was already chewing and swallowing the rest, panting like an ox after holding her breath too long.

“…Just… just breathe, Miss. That’s better.”

He lightly pushed her forehead with a finger.

“Okay!”

If she hadn’t answered, he would have scolded her. Hong Yeom-rang touched the hair near his ear, then turned his head away from her and let out a short laugh. The sound of her gasping after holding her breath still echoed faintly in his ears.

“Should we go this way?”

“Why ask me? Go wherever you want, Miss.”

Then the path would appear on its own.

At his words, Hisa stepped forward. The dense forest that had been nothing but thick undergrowth opened into a path. His guess was right. The forest didn’t block Hisa.

Maybe she was bothered by the tie connecting them, because she glanced back at him several times.

Each time, he simply tilted his chin arrogantly.

At first, she checked on him a few times, but eventually, she stopped looking back. She just walked wherever her feet took her. She stopped to look at wildflowers blooming in patches of sunlight, and watched a squirrel climb a tree with an acorn in its mouth.

He told her to find a path, but she was just looking at everything in the forest.

At some point, Hong Yeom-rang clearly realized she had stopped paying attention to him. She wasn’t aware of the tie or him walking behind her. Her usual habits had taken over. Without meaning to, he learned exactly how Hisa moved through the forest.

Even so, he didn’t rush her.

If he left her like this, she would eventually go to the sacred tree she knew well.

At that point, he could just untie her and return home. People always headed toward familiar places without realizing it. He just had to wait.

Thud.

Hisa stepped barefoot onto a mossy rock and slipped.

Her long overcoat kept getting caught under her feet. The hem of the yellow overcoat was already stained green and torn on branches and rocks. Now he understood why she always looked like a beggar.

Even though she twisted her ankle, Hisa didn’t stop moving.

She walked as if she needed to see everything in this forest with her own eyes.

“Miss.”

He should leave her alone. He knew he should let her guide him to somewhere familiar. But Hong Yeom-rang still called out to her.

“Hm?”

Hisa had been standing on one foot, looking at an orchid growing out of the rock. She turned back. Only then did she notice Hong Yeom-rang again, as if she had forgotten him entirely. A bright smile spread across her face.

As if to say, Oh, you were there?

At that moment, completely ignored, Hong Yeom-rang yanked the strip connecting them. Only two or three steps apart. She had left him behind and gotten distracted. It was absurd.

Hisa was pulled toward him without resistance.

The clothes were far too big for her. Hong Yeom-rang knelt on one knee in front of her, his face hard.

Then he grabbed the torn hem of her overcoat and pulled.

Rip.

The fabric tore near her ankle. He ripped it cleanly so it wouldn’t drag anymore. Her thin, battered bare feet were revealed. One ankle was already swollen. Hong Yeom-rang pressed it with his hand.

“Ah!”

“If it hurts, why do you keep walking?”