Page 19 of Gumiho Kiss
Chin Sun patted her cousin’s hand.“I’ll be fine.The nurse gave me some medicine that should help, and she’s going to return tomorrow to check on me.In the meantime, she said I shouldn’t overwork myself.”
“Youarevery pale.”Sang Mi’s gaze was skeptical.“Was it truly just a headache?”
“It’s also the time of my monthly cycle, so it made everything worse.”Chin Sun had thought up the lie while the nurse was here.Although all the sullied clothes had been taken care of, there was still the possibility that Chin Sun might bleed through her dressings.Her monthly cycle was an easy excuse.
“Ah.”Sang Mi nodded in understanding.
“But since I need to be careful, that means you’ll have to take on more of the responsibilities for the household.Can you do that?”
The younger girl cringed before she lifted her mouth into a smile.“Of course, Unni.What would you like me to do?”
Chin Sun drummed her fingers against her blanket.Sang Mi hated anything even close to physical labor.Her idea of exertion was a stroll through town or a dance.Chin Sun was tempted to tell her something strenuous, like scrubbing the floors, but Sang Mi was just too pitiful.
Plus she didn’t want to hear Sang Mi complain about how the work ruined the orange bongsunghwa dye on her fingernails.
“The first thing you can do is go get your new book so we can read it together.”
“Really?”Sang Mi’s eyes lit up, then she stiffened.“But I thought you were angry with me.”
Chin Sun frowned.“Should I be?You never did tell me what happened yesterday.”
“Oh, that ...”Sang Mi blushed and looked away.“You know Yong Ha down at the market?”
“The hat maker’s son?What about him?”
The younger girl started playing with her skirt.“Well ...about a month ago, he asked if Father had received any requests for my hand.”
“What?”Chin Sun kept her voice from rising to a shout at the last instant, then grimaced apologetically.Yong Ha was a nice young man and, as far as she could tell, very respected among the merchants and commoners.Still, Uncle would never approve of such a match.“And how did you respond?”
Sang Mi looked up, searching Chin Sun’s gaze as though hunting for any trace of criticism.Finding none, she mumbled, “I told him I hadn’t yet, but now that negotiations for your marriage were underway, I expected Father would start looking for a husband for me soon.”She dropped her head again.“And that I hoped he would reach out.”
“Sang Mi-yah!”This time, Chin Sun couldn’t restrain herself.“However did you grow up to be so brazen?”
When her cousin crumpled like hanji paper, Chin Sun placed her fingers on Sang Mi’s cheek, drawing the girl’s eyes to hers.A soft smile spread over Chin Sun’s face.“If only we all were courageous enough to share our hearts like you do.”
Sang Mi’s eyes crinkled.“You really think so?That it was courage and not just me being stupid?”
Chin Sun nodded, then playfully tapped her nose.“Perhaps a bit of both.”
Sang Mi giggled, the sound as warm and refreshing as spring sunshine.
But all was not well—it couldn’t be when something had made this sweet, pure, sometimes foolish, girl cry.Chin Sun hated to ruin the moment, especially after the awful night she’d had, but she had to know.“That doesn’t explain why you were upset yesterday.”
Sang Mi’s shoulders fell.“Ah, yeh.Yong Ha sent me a letter.”She twisted her hands together, voice breaking.“He and his father were robbed.They’ve ...lost everything.”
“Robbed?Do they know who did it?”
“Yeh, but the police are refusing to investigate him because he’s the chief’s nephew.It all sounds so hopeless, and now Yong Ha doesn’t feel like he can approach Father.He said—” Sang Mi sniffled, then rose to her feet.“I better go get that book.”She bowed and darted out.
Chin Sun’s muscles were tense, rage boiling in her stomach.This was exactly why Gwishin was needed.Sokju’s government was so crippled by nepotism and bribery that true justice felt like an impossible dream.But even as a vigilante, she was only a dewdrop in a scorching desert.If the common people were going to thrive, it was going to take a rainstorm.
She took a deep breath, reminding herself she couldn’t even help one thirsty soul while stuck in this state.She had to get her bead back first.
Who had that second figure been?Chin Sun’s head was pounding, but she forced herself to think back.A silhouette slowly came into focus.Black hanbok much like her own.Tall.A sword in his right hand.Wisps of hair framing a handsome, stubbled face?—
Chin Sun gasped as everything clicked into place.The sword fight, the chase through the woods, shifting into fox form.
And her rescuer.
