It didn't take me long to notice how subdued Bo-Geom had gotten since our departure from our village under the guidance of my good uncle Seon-Ho; who had practically made a home for her and myself before we had even passed our home school studies with flying colours. But that was just the type of man that he was; always 5 steps ahead of everyone else including his own family. We had a level of luxury that most noble families lived with, which was a far cry from the under-developed simple village life that I had led so far. I was aware that both of my parents had been awarded their noble statuses that they hardly put to use as it was discontinued by their own families. Hard and honest work was the only thing that they knew and for all of this meaningless luxury that was being thrown in my face to tempt me, that was the one prominent trait that I was willing to take from them. Come to think of it, I had never really heard my uncle Seon-Ho complain about anything that he lacked or missed form his previous luxury life in the kingdom. I was also aware that he was only 1/4 noble, but even I was surprised with his lack of wanting or need for anything other than his wife's company, her advice, her tender care and her smile alone could light up an entire room. It was no mystery why my aunt Yeon and Bo-Geom's mother was so entirely beloved and honestly, even their food was worth a lot more than these so-called to notch servants that my uncle had found with me. My aunt was a phenomenal cook whereas nobody could out-do my aunt Hwa-Wol's desserts and as for my own mother…well, she was certainly a good wife and nobody could say otherwise. She looked to my father as her saviour and that was all that she could pretty much think about to be honest. But as far as being a mother went; she was a typical busy mother with a lot on her hands to deal with as she was considered the entire village's mother. Growing up, it was always myself and my father that Geom ran to for guidance, for companionship and for overall tending to. I had to admit that I found it hard at first to balance my village duties, my studies and having my little brother around me all of the time, but now that he wasn't constantly throwing himself at me to play with him or take him somewhere or another, I had to admit that I was missing the kid. I still couldn't get his hysterical cries out of my head on the very day that I left; Geom was a mellow boy and wasn't one to throw tantrums at all, but on that day…I shuddered just thinking about it.
"What are you so lost in thought about, orabeoni?" "I never thought that I was going to admit this, but…" "But you are starting to miss your personal little shadow like crazy? The one who insists on sleeping in the same bed as you, who only eats when you eat and who follows you around even when you are doing your work in the village." "And what about you? Who are you thinking about in the middle of your own studies, eonni?" "Can I ask you something? Has Hyuk mentioned me at all? Even once since we moved out?" I tried my love best to hide the look on my face when she asked me that, but she was born with the eyes of a hawk like her father and immediately sensed that something was going on, and she wasn't going to let up anytime soon. How I wished my brother was here even more to distract her so that I could make my escape out of the door, but she had already caught me by the arm and kept dragging me into my office where I surely knew a thorough interrogation was waiting for me. "Eonni…" "Do not even think about lying to me Seo Chul, unless you want me to write a letter to your patents, describing what you have actually been getting up to here away from their dying eyes!" "Oh really? I wonder what it is exactly that I have been up to? Please tell?" "Do you really think I do not know how you have been sneaking into brothels every single night? I wonder what your mother would say if she heard such a thing about her precious son…" "Hey! It isn't what you think it is!" "So then what is going on exactly? Because there is a new pretty boy that has turned up in these establishments that have become the talk of the entire kingdom…" "How the hell…look, how do you know that I am not doing a mission for my uncle instead?" "You are right, who knows? But what is important is that your mother doesn't know, and if she tells your father…" "Eonni! You will not dare!" "You can just think of this as payback for all of the times that you yourself launched yourself at me as soon a you begin to walk! You have no idea how much trouble you got me into, orabeoni, and I have no qualms in getting payback from you…" "You petty little…" "Talk! Now! Why is the kid I helped raise suddenly ignoring me!" "I…I cannot tell you! I cannot divulge his secrets to you!" "Then at least tell me if I have wrong him in such way!" "What do you think?" "Chul!"
"Look…you haven't done anything to him, but this is something that you should discuss with him yourself, that is all I am going to say to you right now…what? Why are you still looking at me like that? Have you ever known me to lie to you?" "Very well, there is only one way that I am going to listen to you…" "Good god girl, just leave me alone." "You have to take me into the brothel with you so that I know that you are not lying to me." "Eonni!" "You heard me! I dress like a man all day anyways, so what is the problem?" "Just because you dress like a man it does not make you one! Women are not allowed to enter such establishments…" "Orabeoni, I think you are forgetting who my mother is and exactly how she met my father. I just want to be inside of such a place once in my lifetime to understand what she went through since her childhood, just like our aunt Yeon has, and your mother for that matter." "Eonni…god, I know I cannot persuade you once you have made your mind up. But listen…" "And how do you know if I have or have not received orders from uncle Seon-Ho to watch over your process?" She had me there and she knew it; I could never defy my uncle's orders even on pain of death, and I really did not need the headache of a lecture form my parents who I had already distanced myself enough from them in purse of my studies and the potential that my uncle saw in me. I was going to make everything up to them from the moment that I returned to my grandfather's village with enough honour to make them all proud of me. And my little brother Geom, I shall surely have something ready to set him up here with when it would be his turn to venture out in the kingdom on his own with little Hyuk at his side and maybe even Hana…
"Well? When are we leaving?' "Tonight after supper, and make sure you wear a hat to hide you face, for you look far too much like your mother and I am honestly surprised that you haven't been caught out yet. Chief Park's son will also met us there, and you know how green he is, so keep your mouth shut as much as you can." "What a way to talk to your big sister like that, maybe I should wash your mouth with soap just like I used to…" "Hey! Cut it out! I am not afraid to defend myself from you, you know! Eonni! Don't…!"
**********************
After a disastrous supper in which myself and Bo-Geom ended up fighting over the portions of our aunt Yeon's food as usual, we made our way into the dark of the night into the place where our parents met, had their conflicts and made up their plans of revenge and justice. Ihwaru brothel was the birthplace of my parent's and uncle's enemy; an unofficial concubine of The Third Prince who had wrecked havoc on all of our lives in some way or another. Every single time that I made my way here, I could still hear my uncle's ranting and ravings about that damned Prince whenever he got drunk, which was quite a lot since he left behind his own life in the kingdom. My father was also his right-hand man for a while, so he would also join my uncle when he relieved his life here facing the man who wanted to wipe out illegitimate people like my uncle and many other people that I knew that had more talent that most noble folk who solely relied on the their family name to get by in life without making any accomplishments at all. I also remember the chaos he brought to our village and how miserable my mother's condition got without my father to support her. In the end; it was myself that she relied on for the support that I was too young to give to her. God knows I may not be close to my mother like I am with my 2 aunt's, but I wasn't going to let anyone disrespect her and put her through misery either, for she did not deserve that at all.
"Orabeoni? What are you thinking about now? And why are we really here? Can you tell me now?" "I have been coming here to look for a specific person on my uncle's orders as he is a very important person to him." "Who? Who is it?" "It is his one and only nephew…" "Nephew? What do you mean, our uncle has a nephew? Why didn't he mention anything about it? And why didn't he bring him to the village to be raised with us all." "Eonnie, do you remember the talk that we got about our enemies in the kingdom? About The Mistress Han in particular?" "Yes, she was a friend of my mother who grew up in this very brothel alongside her, although she was never a kisaeng like my mother was forced to be…" "The Mistress Han kidnapped this Dae Jung person and brought him to The Third Prince. He was surely turned him against our uncle and maybe the entire village. And if he is being sponsored by a Prince with very high connections and a much large range of education and training compared to even us, then we are in seriously big trouble. Take care eonni, as this man is as highly manipulative as our uncle is and could be potentially dangerous. If you see anyone that you suspect that even looks like a fraction of my uncle, you let me know immediately." "If he is anything like our uncle, he miss have a high tolerance for alcohol…he must pass out quite regularly and come to see a physician for treatment…I will ask around as best as I can…" "Even if you do find him, you must promise me not to engage with him at all, not even as a patient. Imagine the worst in our uncle being used for evil intentions fuelled by only half truths, that is how dangerous this man is I promise you." "Very well, I promise you that I shall not engage with him at all, and if I do see him, then I will come to find you right away." "Be vigilant girl, for we must catch him before he decides when to get revenge on us all."
I tried my best to keep in mind what Chul had warned me about, but I suppose that my curiosity had gotten the better of me as I missed my mother so and being in the place where she grew up and fell in love put me in a solemn mood for once. My mother was too good for this place from her looks alone, never mind the education that she received from my uncle Seon-Ho and quite generously at that. He had no reason to do so, other than to keep an eye on his wife I suppose, but it was that very kindness that helped earn my mother her freedom away from this desperate place of lust, boredom, greed and desire to climb the social rank by getting in with the girls here who surely know the secrets of their enemies. My mother; my sweet and intelligent mother; she truly did not deserve the life that she had led here, no matter how much debt her family had racked up. My mother was no older than Seo Hana was right for goodness sake when she was jus dropped off in this filthy, disgusting, and abhorrent place. It was no wonder that women were not allowed in such establishment, since it was taking all of my strength to resist burning this place to the ground…
"..Hwa-Wol? Is that you? Have you returned to this brothel? And where is your husband? How have you been?" "Erm…"