Page 9 of Gumiho Kiss
Lady Lee’s brow furrowed.“Young Master Kang told you to ...”Her mouth formed a small O, then she turned to the servants.“Leave us.”
Once the two of them were alone, she swung back, pinning Hyun Soo with her stormy gaze again.“Regardless of what Young Master Kang said, while you are here, you follow what I tell you.Agreed?”
“Yeh.”He dipped his head, hoping she wouldn’t see through the bald-faced lie.He’d already upset her once today.It would make this assignment much more difficult if she continued to oppose him.
He peeked back up.Some of the fire had faded from Lady Lee’s eyes, but suspicion remained.“Tell me, why did Young Master Kang ask you to frighten my servants?”
“Not frighten,” he corrected, “investigate.I’ve been charged with protecting you at all costs.When Gwishin was sighted at the magistrate’s office, one of the guards shot him in the arm.Your servant was acting suspicious.I needed to eliminate him as a suspect.”
“Pyung Ho isnota suspect.How dare you,” she rebutted, sparks flying once again.
Hyun Soo shook his head in silent frustration.“Everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.”
“Then why didn’t you do the same to Samchon?”
Hyun Soo’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.“You want me to investigate your own uncle?”He almost asked if she had no filial piety, but he restrained himself at the last second.
Lady Lee huffed as though his question were ridiculous.“Of course I don’t, but you said you considered everyone a suspect.If I’m going to trust you to protect me, I need to know your word means something.”
Hyun Soo winced.“I apologize for my word choice, but I assumed you knew I wasn’t including your family.”
“My servantsarefamily.You do not touch them.”She spoke slowly, calmly, but beneath her response lurked an unmistakable threat.
What in the world?He wasn’t the enemy here.Why did she seem so determined to turn him into one?
“Now, I’m about to leave for the market,” Lady Lee continued, “but if you can keep your opinions—and hands—to yourself, you may accompany me.”
Before he could answer, she strode off like a tidal wave returning to sea, unconcerned with the destruction it left behind.
So radically different from the way Dol Sam had described her that Hyun Soo could scarcely believe his friend had been speaking of the same woman.
When Dol Sam had written to request a favor, Hyun Soo had spared no time in traveling to the city of Sokju, not knowing what to expect.After Dol Sam’s first wife had passed, he hadn’t seemed interested in remarrying.It was only after a round of drinks that Dol Sam had opened up about his earnest affection for his future bride.
“Lady Lee is a moonbeam, bringing light and happiness to the darkest of nights, with eyes like twin dewdrops on a blade of grass.Her voice is more stirring than the gentle notes of the gayageum when—” Dol Sam broke off at Hyun Soo’s raised eyebrow, then crossed his arms.“What?”
“You always were the poetic one,” Hyun Soo replied with a grin.“If she’s that mesmerizing, aren’t you worried I’ll fall in love with her, too?”
Dol Sam playfully shoved his arm.“If you do, I would not blame you.Just keep your feelings to yourself.”
Hyun Soo scowled at his mistress’s retreating form.How disappointed his friend would be if he found out whom he was truly betrothed to.
Chapter4
The Liar
The streets of Sokju teemed with people as merchants proudly displayed their wares to passersby.One could buy almost anything at the market stalls, from hats to sweet potatoes to wine.Some of the wealthier establishments had separate buildings to purchase goods and services at, such as the bookstore and clothing shops.Most of the pedestrians were commoners in white cotton robes, but a few nobles eyed the expensive fabrics and jewelry.Their bright silk hanbok made them stand out like butterflies in a cloud-filled sky.
Chin Sun perused the various hairpins and fans with a practiced ease, but she was painfully aware of the presence shadowing her steps.Ah In normally accompanied her to the market, but she’d dismissed her young servant since Mr.Park could help carry anything she purchased.
She already regretted that decision.
Chin Sun cast a sharp glance behind her.Mr.Park’s attention was on a pair of commoners chatting together, and there was a good amount of space between them.Hmm, perhaps she should find out just how skilled he was.
A trio of gisaengs, female entertainers owned by the state, stood just in front of her, giggling as they ogled Mr.Park.Their brightly colored hats and clothing reminded Chin Sun of beautiful wildflowers, but she knew they were just as much slaves as those forced to live with yangban nobles.They could be bought or sold on a whim, nothing more than property in the eyes of the highborn.The Lees’ own servants were treated well, but they, too, were bound to the household, unable to leave without the Lees’ permission.Such was the Joseon way, though it was a flawed system Chin Sun despised.
She stepped forward, placing the gisaengs between herself and Mr.Park, then veered to the right.She dashed into the yard of a nearby inn that seemed to always be bursting with customers, no matter what time of day it was.Guests huddled together in small groups, some on the ground but others on raised platforms, enjoying trays of steaming food and soju.Female servants darted here and there like anxious rabbits, trying to keep even the most irritable guests satisfied.Noise flooded Chin Sun’s hypersensitive ears: commoners complaining about taxes, drunkards laughing at the innkeeper’s threats to throw them out, meat sizzling in the kitchen.
She smiled.She couldn’t have picked a better place to lose someone.
