As True as a Dream

In her haste, she bumped into a box of fish guts.

 

Naturally, the guts spilled all over her clothes and stained them.

 

The fishmonger told her to wear it for now and gave her the necklace she wears now.

 

Her bag was at Yi Ho at the time, and even if she went to Yi Ho in that state, she had no place to change.

 

So she gratefully accepted the fishmonger’s favor and changed her clothes, not knowing that the owner’s daughter was only a 12-year-old girl.

 

Of course, both the skirt and the jerkin were too long.

 

And no matter how kind she was, she wouldn’t give new clothes to someone from the street.

 

The navy blue skirt with its many marks barely reached her shins, and the collar hung awkwardly between her cuff and elbow.

 

Her Oxford shoes and her hair in a bun were the epitome of incongruity.

 

Even the cuffs didn’t fit, so she couldn’t stand with her armpits glued together.

 

If she did, it would either come off or tear.

 “Do you want me to put you down?” 

Hae-Joo remembered the events that had preceded renting the donkey cart and craned her neck to look down the hill at the small village.

 “Yes, thank you.” 

As Hae-Joo bowed and paid for the cart, Yi Ho got out first, dusting off his clothes and grabbing his bag.

 

Hae-Joo got out after him and grabbed the bag he was holding.

 “Please give me your bag. I’ll carry yours.”

Hae-Joo spoke first on purpose.

 

This time, she said it deliberately, because yesterday, when she got off the train, this morning, when she left the inn, and all the way through the search for the donkey cart, Yi Ho had carried their bags.

 

His gesture was so natural, so inconspicuous, that she didn’t even think about it.

 “You think I can’t carry a bag? It’s not that kind of illness.” “It isn’t.” 

Regardless of what she said, Yi Ho shoved the two bags together in one hand and took her hand in the other.

 

Then they began a leisurely walk toward the entrance of the village.

 

Hane-Joo looked up at him, then down at the hand holding hers.

 

She could feel that the distance between them had grown since yesterday… no, since the last few days.

 

Holding hands, squeezing shoulders, hugging waists, bringing faces close together….

 

If these were all touches that were acceptable because he and she were publicly engaged, it was a contradiction in terms.

 

Because their engagement was fake.

 

Sure, she has a black heart, but this guy?

 

Maybe it’s hubris, but he didn’t seem to mind acting out intimate acts between them.

 

Even…

 

Hae-Joo remembered how he had held her hand as she left the parlor after applying the medicine on the day she found a body in Sungin Village.

 

The touch had been so erotic that a slight fever had spread to her auricles.

 

‘Why did he do it?’

 

She hadn’t said much afterwards, not even when she’d cuddled up to him in the name of opportunity.

 

She hadn’t known him long, but she had never seen a woman besides Saito Mao around Yi Ho.

 

Song Yue is a restaurant, but it’s also a place where the top echelons of the clan are invited to feast from time to time.

 

If they put their minds to it, they can taste the finest delicacies in the world.

 

However, to hear the entertainers tell it, they’ve only seen the masked man from a distance once or twice, but they’ve never entertained him.

 

Oh, the more she thinks about it, isn’t this the real land?

 

Hae-Joo’s eyes widened as she connected her thoughts.

 

She had seen a lot during her year in Gyeongseong.

 

In particular, she’d seen a lot of men like Jang Gae-jang.

 

Bastards who had a stronghold at home, but cringed at the sight of a woman.

 

But Yi Ho was different.

 

***

 

As they entered the small village, people came out of their thatched huts and quickly surrounded her and Yi Ho.

 “Hey! Who are you? What are you doing here? Have you come back from Gyeongseong in disgrace?” “Eh? What’s humiliating? Look at the guy next to her! He made it!” “Really? Who are you… holding hands in broad daylight? You bitch, your marriage is over, it’s over!” 

She laughed at the villagers who greeted her as if she had just met them yesterday, no matter when she returned.

 

Meanwhile, Yi Ho, who was standing next to her, took the cue from Hae-Joo’s slight wave of her clasped hands and blinking eyes to bow to the villagers as they had discussed earlier, and smiled gently.

 “Greetings. I am Ban Yi Ho, Hae-Joo’s betrothed.” “My God, is this a man or a goddess, how do you look so smooth? Oh, look at me. I have a big mouth. Ho ho ho!”

The middle-aged woman who had been admiring his face smiled shyly.

 “Thanks for the compliment.” 

When he thanked her with a smile instead of pointing out her mistake, the middle-aged woman laughed even happier.

 “You skank, how did you get a fiancé all of a sudden, and one who is so handsome, is there some kind of weakness in you?” 

Another person pushed Hae-Joo away and the people around her laughed heartily.

 

Yi Ho let go of Hae-Joo’s hand and put his arm around her slender shoulders.

 “You’re welcome, there’s nothing weak about her. Everyone here knows her good qualities and once you get to know her, it’s impossible not to like her.” 

Hae-Joo, whose shoulder rested on his, looked up at him with big eyes.

 

Looking into those eyes, Yi Ho lifted his hand from around her shoulder, smoothed her disheveled hair from under her ears, and hugged her shoulder again.

 “Wow, wow, wow, look at those eyes. You look like a lovebird. I wish it were Hae-Joo! If he’s so sweet, it’s worth all the trouble!” 

The woman who had spoken laughed and clapped her hands, and Hae-Joo, whose ears were reddened by his behavior, called out,

“Auntie!” “What trouble is trouble?”

After Hae-Joo’s tears, Yi Ho added.

“Yes, Hae-Joo, don’t worry, I’ll never make you suffer.” “But… Hae-joo, is your fiancé a gentleman? What does he do that makes you so sure he won’t cause you any trouble?”

A rather stiff-looking woman asked, looking at him searchingly.

 

He could see her concern for Hae-Joo and her wariness of him in her eyes.

 “I run a pretty decent restaurant in Gyeongseong, and my engagement to Hae-Joo was arranged by my family.” 

He calmly pointed out that the engagement wasn’t just a frivolous decision made by two young people who saw eye to eye; it was a marriage contract between her family and his family.

 

This reassured the villagers who were worried about Hae-Joo.

 

He couldn’t help but smile as he watched them accept his words without question.

 

They were, as Hae-Joo had said, very simple people.

 “Let’s stop talking on the way Hae-Joo, first unpack your luggage and rest, but where shall we tie up your groom…?” 

The oldest woman asked as she stepped forward to disperse the people.

 

***

 

She couldn’t help it; they weren’t married yet and living in the same house was a bit of a hassle.

 

Yi Ho looked at He-Joo.

 

She insisted that he shouldn’t worry about the donkey cart, that she would take care of it.

 

In truth, Yi Ho didn’t care.

 

The last time he’d followed Hae-Joo here, he’d been homeless in the wilderness above the village.

 

Meanwhile, Hae-Joo spoke to the old woman in a nonchalant tone.

 “There’s no house in town that can afford to give him a room, so he’ll have to stay with me.” “But…” 

The old woman frowned, and some of the middle-aged women who were still there joined in with a few nervous laughs.

 “Grandma, she’s getting married soon anyway, so what’s the big deal? Are young people the same as they used to be?” “Yes, and who cares about her, let her be, she’s right, there’s a house here with an empty room.” 

Hae-Joo smiled at her aunts’ support and motioned for him to follow.

 

As they walked side by side, they couldn’t help but notice the curious eyes watching them from behind.

 

Yi Ho could feel the tension in Hae-Joo’s shoulders under his hand and his heart sank.

 

He brought his hand around her shoulder and wrapped it around her neck and down to her other shoulder in one quick motion.

 

She jumped as he embraced her from behind, lifting her face to look at him.

 

Leaning down at an angle, he smiled and asked in a low voice.

 “Is that a pig?” “What?”

Hae-Joo asked, stunned.

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