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Chapter : 27
Watching the couple from behind, Namgung Hyeju’s lips twisted with bitterness that went beyond mere envy.
“Those earrings are truly top-grade red rubies. One of them alone could be worth a gold ingot. And to give something like that to a woman who’s as clueless as a block of wood…!”
She had mocked the absence of red jewels so much, yet now she felt utterly diminished.
In her own jewelry box, she didn’t even have a ruby of comparable size, let alone something that could rival this.
“And now my plan to use a red jewel for negotiation has completely fallen apart… what am I going to do?”
Stomping her foot in frustration, her eyes caught a familiar face approaching from the other side.
“Huh?”
Namgung Hyeju’s eyes widened sharply.
Being the first to recognize the person, she screamed in surprise and froze in place. Yeonhwa raised an eyebrow.
On an already chaotic day of engagement ceremonies, having this many guests showing up specifically for the betrothed was unexpected.
Excluding Yu Geonmyeong, who had a clear and necessary reason to come, the other two were more like uninvited guests than visitors.
Still, among the Three Elders, Yang Eui-jun of Jaeryeong was someone Yeonhwa felt most at ease with.
“Brother.”
When Yeonhwa called, Yang Eui-jun approached with a radiant smile lighting up his entire face.
“J-Jaeryeong-nim! Hello! I tried visiting Jaeryeong Hall recently to pay my respects, but I heard you were busy, so I just left! I was so upset! There are several favors I wanted to ask of you on behalf of the Namgung family!”
Just before reaching Yeonhwa, Namgung Hyeju cut in, listing her own lines, but Yang Eui-jun ignored her and stood directly in front of Yeonhwa.
Hyeju, thinking the charming and refined Jaeryeong would never treat a beautiful woman like her coldly, turned to grab him—but…
Whack!
Yang Eui-jun struck the back of her hand hard with the fan he had drawn.
“Aaah!”
Hyeju screamed, clutching her hand as she stumbled back.
“Don’t you know it’s rude to touch someone carelessly at your age?”
Even including the fact that he had slowed his step, Yang Eui-jun did not look at Hyeju again.
Sheathed at his waist, Yang Eui-jun smiled approvingly as he saw Yu Geonmyeong presenting a box of earrings to Yeonhwa.
“You two get along well.”
He said it with a touch of surprise. Seeing Yeonhwa, who had clearly grown since the last time he saw her, standing in formal attire next to another man felt strangely unfamiliar.
But that was beside the point. There was still work to be done.
“Here.”
Yang Eui-jun presented a box he had brought, placing it next to Yu Geonmyeong’s.
“It’s my sister’s engagement ceremony, so only the best will do.”
Comparing the boxes by size alone, opening the lids made the difference even more evident.
Even the finest ruby was impressive, but it could not rival the legendary value of the blood-red gem.
And the size difference… the comparison spoke for itself: a tiny pair of earrings the size of a thumbnail versus a hair ornament the size of an egg.
“This is…”
Yu Geonmyeong had been anxious when Yang Eui-jun extended the box, and upon opening it, his worries were confirmed.
Yang Eui-jun was holding the very item Yu Geonmyeong had originally aimed for!
“Yu Gongja, I appreciate your concern for Yeonhwa, but today is an important day. Wouldn’t it be better to display something that would surprise everyone?”
Being advised to set aside his modest earrings in favor of the superior ones, Yu Geonmyeong’s face darkened.
“Yeonhwa, here.”
Yang Eui-jun moved the box he had brought closer to her.
He looked confident, as though he had never imagined not being chosen.
Yeonhwa quietly studied the two boxes in front of her.
When she didn’t immediately choose, Yang Eui-jun chuckled.
“Having a hard time deciding?”
“Yes.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. Just follow your heart.”
Yeonhwa nodded at his words.
As she reached out her hand, Yu Geonmyeong closed his eyes tightly.
It was upsetting that the item he had prepared might not be chosen, but more than that!
He did not want to appear weak or pitiful in front of her.
Yet, something was strange.
Moments later, the box he had held was gone.
Blinking in surprise, he saw Yeonhwa holding the small box, removing the earrings.
“…Why?”
Yu Geonmyeong asked.
He believed she wouldn’t simply set him aside out of greed for expensive jewelry.
He had expected her to politely ask for understanding, reasoning that since the item came from Jaeryeong—an important figure and symbolic presence at the event—it was better to display something more valuable for propriety’s sake.
Most importantly, Jaeryeong was the one among the Three Elders who treated her with the most genuine goodwill.
Since his support had been significant even for Yeonhwa’s engagement, the potential discomfort of refusing him seemed too heavy a burden.
Yu Geonmyeong had been prepared to understand, yet the situation unfolded completely differently.
“Why? You promised to use what I gave you.”
“But…”
“It’s fine. My concern was how to refuse without upsetting Brother Eui-jun. But didn’t he tell you to follow your heart?”
At her questioning look, Yang Eui-jun gripped the box with the blood-red hair ornament.
“That’s right. Exactly.”
Even in Yang Eui-jun’s eyes, a flicker of surprise appeared.
He continued, “But Yeonhwa, while etiquette toward your fiancé is important, being overly rigid can be a burden. If you choose my earrings over Yu Gongja’s item just because they are clearly better, do you think it would truly put his heart at ease?”
It would be pity, not respect, he said, shaking his head.
Then Yang Eui-jun displayed the smile Yeonhwa had loved since childhood.
The smile reminiscent of Sunyu.
When Yang Eui-jun stayed at the Martial League, if Yeonhwa had a nightmare, she would often, without realizing, walk to Jaeryeong Hall to find him.
After several incidents, Tak Mu-seong would stand guard outside her room to make sure she didn’t hurt her bare feet, and eventually the habit disappeared.
When she woke up briefly and saw Yang Eui-jun, she would stare at him intently and grip his hand tightly.
As if asking, “Did you come to see me? Don’t go anywhere now,” with urgency and longing.
Yang Eui-jun had sometimes missed that pure habit, though affection faded over time and gave way to new priorities.
“Think about it. Isn’t that true?”
He tilted his head, waiting for an answer.
His gaze, direct and unwavering, was beautiful.
It mirrored a habit of Yeonhwa’s—or rather, she had learned it from him.
Meeting his gaze, Yeonhwa responded,
“Brother, while your blood-red gem may be objectively better, it isn’t necessarily the most valuable.”
She brushed her hair behind her ear, exposing her earlobe, and inserted the earring post.
Click!
Only Yu Geonmyeong flinched at the sharp prick of the post piercing the flesh.
Startled, he rushed over, pulling out a clean cloth, anesthetic, and disinfectant ointment, panicking.
“I—I was going to help you! How can you do it like this? What if it bleeds or hurts?”
Yeonhwa barely knew how to respond, since it barely hurt at all.
Yu Geonmyeong took the other earring, applied anesthetic and disinfected the lobe as he had learned.
“Ah! Ahh!”
Yeonhwa’s eyes widened at his loud reactions.
Click!
He inserted the earring into her left earlobe and smiled playfully.
“Did it hurt at all while you were distracted?”
“…No, I think not.”
Only after finishing the right side and applying the final touch did Yeonhwa look at Yu Geonmyeong in wonder.
Despite hating excessive protection and interference from her elder brother, she found herself strangely unbothered by his actions here.
Why does it not feel irritating?
Is it because it’s him?
Or is there something inherently different about how he acts?
