🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 14
“Boss! Did you bring anything back?”
“Bring what? Am I some fisherman hauling up nets?”
Hae-gon answered irritably to Byeok-hee, who greeted him cheerfully. It wasn’t the face he’d secretly been hoping to see.
‘…Even if it’s a fake marriage, her husband came home and she doesn’t even bother to look out once.’
Hae-gon had to fight the urge for his lips to jut out sulkily.
“What’s this? Candy? Kids can’t even get full from these. They just get addicted and keep asking for more.”
“It’s not for the kids.”
Byeok-hee was rummaging through what Hae-gon carried when she happened to pick up the sweets he bought for Yeon.
“If it’s not for the kids?”
At his answer, Byeok-hee’s eyes instantly blazed.
“It’s mine. I’ve been craving sweets lately.”
“Liar!”
Byeok-hee shrieked, but Hae-gon ignored her and walked toward the courtyard.
Usually, whenever Hae-gon returned from the market, the children would rush toward him, excited for the snacks or toys he brought.
But today, strangely, they were clustered together, barely sparing him a glance.
“The boss is back and you’re not saying hello?”
The kids wouldn’t budge. They hovered around Yeon, stuck to him like glue.
‘These little—’
One kid even had his nose practically pressed against Yeon. Irritated for no clear reason, Hae-gon growled as soon as he arrived.
“Boss! You’re back!”
Hae-gon, who was normally very gentle with the children, didn’t feel like being kind today.
The kids finally looked at him—but clearly, what interested them wasn’t Hae-gon, but the bundle in his hand.
“Eat.”
Out of spite, Hae-gon handed the sweets—meant for Yeon—to the children.
Yeon, who supposedly liked sweets, didn’t even look disappointed. He just stared silently with his lips tightly closed.
Byeok-hee, who had rolled her eyes earlier, softened a little seeing Hae-gon give the candy away.
“You said it wasn’t for the kids.”
“I just said that. Who else would eat something that sweet?”
Yeon’s eyes wavered a little at that, but suddenly Hae-gon felt an inexplicable urge to tease him.
On the way back, he’d been so eager to see Yeon again—and now he was acting childish. He couldn’t understand his own heart at all.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes…”
Yeon answered in a tiny voice like an ant crawling. Just earlier, while surrounded by the kids, his face had been so bright—yet the moment Hae-gon spoke to him, he looked ready to cry.
“You shouldn’t spend money on things like this. What’s one piece of candy going to do?”
Hae-gon had been thinking of giving Yeon at least one piece, but the sweets vanished instantly into a swarm of children. All he held now was an empty wrapper.
Byeok-hee immediately scolded him again.
“I bought it with money I won at gambling. Not from the communal funds, so don’t worry.”
“Gambling winnings are still money! You’re terrified of the Golden Guards but you gamble…!”
At the word gambling, Yeon’s eyes widened. When Hae-gon met his gaze, Yeon quickly lowered his head again.
Hae-gon’s heart tightened. For someone who wouldn’t even look at him, Yeon had him completely worked up.
“What are you doing here?”
Hae-gon subtly scooted to sit beside Yeon.
Immediately, the children rushed in, proudly lifting their sleeves and pant legs toward him.
“Boss! Mistress embroidered this for me!”
“Mine’s an acorn!”
“I’m a boar!”
“I’m meat!”
Seeing them brag in turns, Hae-gon couldn’t help laughing.
“So that’s why you ignored me earlier.”
“I—I never ignored you!”
Yeon’s face turned red as he looked up in protest. Seeing those round eyes finally look at him properly, Hae-gon felt a strange pang—but naturally, he took Yeon’s hand and helped him up.
Byeok-hee glared sharply, but Hae-gon couldn’t care less. He had something more important to do: giving Yeon the hairpin he’d bought.
Seeing Yeon’s long black hair flowing down made him want even more to adorn it with the pink peach-blossom hairpin.
“I have something important to say. Come with me.”
Hae-gon deliberately put on a serious face while leading Yeon away. That only made the others tense up as well.
As soon as the two disappeared, the kids began whispering.
“Boss took Mistress away again…!”
“Is he gonna do that again?”
“No way!”
The whispers irritated Byeok-hee to no end.
“That? What’s that?”
“The boss gets hit by Mistress—!”
“Hey! Don’t say it!”
* **
Hae-gon led Yeon to a secluded corner.
Byeok-hee secretly followed, arms crossed as she watched.
‘What are they plotting?’
The kids had said all sorts of nonsense—that the boss got beaten by Mistress, or that he liked being beaten—so Byeok-hee hurried after them.
Hae-gon was sharp, so she even held her breath in short bursts so he wouldn’t hear her.
Then it happened.
Hae-gon suddenly loosened his clothing as if it felt tight.
Yeon gasped and stumbled back.
Watching from afar, Byeok-hee felt a lump of fire burn inside her chest.
She almost burst out—but the next moment, the scene completely shattered her expectations.
From inside Hae-gon’s inner garment, he pulled out a small, silk-wrapped bundle. When he opened the beautifully embroidered silk handkerchief, a hairpin blooming with peach blossoms emerged.
Even in the dim moonlight, it sparkled brightly enough for Byeok-hee to see.
“I bought this for my wife. Picked the prettiest one in the whole market. I hope you’ll like it.”
“M-Me? But I’m a man…!”
Hae-gon didn’t even listen. He simply placed the hairpin in Yeon’s hair.
Clumsily.
He didn’t even know how to do it properly. Byeok-hee’s eyes welled up—not sure if she was jealous of the hairpin, or of Yeon who looked beautiful even with it stuck in awkwardly.
“T-This is too precious…”
“We’re married, after all. It’s proper to give a wedding gift.”
“B-But I didn’t prepare anything…”
“Coming all the way to this mountain as my bride is already a gift.”
Ridiculous.
Byeok-hee collapsed behind a boulder, heart aching.
Hae-gon and Yeon chatted affectionately for quite a while. Byeok-hee buried her face in her knees, unwilling to hear any more.
Time passed.
At some point, while she’d been nodding off, Hae-gon approached and looked down at her with an exasperated expression.
“So it was you sneaking around like a stray cat.”
He reached out his hand to help her up.
But unlike the gentle care he gave Yeon, Hae-gon’s hand toward her was rough and indifferent.
Annoyed, Byeok-hee slapped the dirt off her clothes and stood up by herself.
“So? What happened in town?”
Awkwardly withdrawing his hand, Hae-gon scratched the back of his head.
“Either your father lied to me…”
Though Hae-gon had been the mountain stronghold’s leader for years, to Byeok-hee, the real boss had always been her father, the old commander.
“You know my dad. He may be foul-mouthed, but he doesn’t lie.”
“Then that merchant was a swindler.”
“They say he’s the best in the Golden Kingdom.”
“Best, my ass. He claimed my mother’s heirloom was something used in the royal palace of Huangnak Kingdom.”
Byeok-hee’s expression hardened.
“…What did you say?”
“What else? He spouted nonsense to cheat me.”
“Maybe it’s true? Maybe you’re actually a hidden prince of Huangnak.”
Byeok-hee teased him, eyes gleaming.
“Don’t joke with your elder. I got mad and didn’t even pay him properly.”
At the word elder, her eyes sharpened again.
“Well, at least you saved money. So, where’s my gift?”
“Of course I have it.”
Her eyes sparkled expectantly.
Hae-gon rummaged in the bundle and held out a large bottle of liquor.
“I brought something you’d like. Here.”
“…You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Such rude words in front of something precious. Don’t want it? Fine.”
“Who said I don’t?!”
Byeok-hee snatched the bottle furiously.
Hae-gon knew exactly why she was angry, but he deliberately ignored it.
If he gave her even the slightest room, she would torment Yeon endlessly.
That delicate woman wouldn’t survive here if others got too close.
And then—
Just as she stomped away like she’d never look back, Byeok-hee suddenly stopped. After a brief hesitation, she turned her head slightly.
“…If you want grilled boar and a drink, hurry up and follow.”
Hae-gon chuckled softly.
“Gladly.”
