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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Returning Home (3)
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"What on earth happened? Where have you been all this time?"
Sima Hyeon asked, his face puffy and swollen after bursting into tears.
"I'll explain slowly. It's a long story."
Sima Geon let out a faint smile as he set up a table with drinks alongside Sima Ho. He beckoned to Sima Jin, who was fidgeting with her eyes darting around.
"Ho still looks just like he did as a kid. Our little sister does too."
Sima Jin blushed and lowered her head. Seeing this, Sima Hyeon grinned brightly and said,
"You've grown a lot, haven't you?"
"Yeah. You were only four when I left home."
"That young?"
Sima Hyeon asked in surprise, then nodded with a gloomy expression.
"Right. It was twelve years ago when you went missing. I was just ten."
"I was eight."
Sima Ho stuck in his tongue and chimed in.
"Do you remember me, Ho?"
At Sima Geon's question, Sima Ho thumped his chest with an incredulous look.
"Of course. You used to take us to the Guardian Spirit every day to play."
"That's right."
Sima Geon smiled happily.
"I wonder how the Guardian Spirit is doing. Hope it didn't get struck by lightning or something."
Sima Ho snickered and raised his glass. Sima Hyeon frowned.
"Don't jinx it."
"Don't worry. It's growing even better than before."
At Sima Geon's words, Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho asked in unison,
"You went back home?"
"Yeah. I met the villagers too. Heard about you from Uncle Jang. That's how I found you so easily."
"I see. That explains it."
"What about... Mother?"
Sima Hyeon asked cautiously.
"I heard."
In that instant, the room's atmosphere grew heavy.
"She waited so long. Everyone else said you were dead, but she never believed it. She was convinced you'd come back someday."
"Yeah."
"If only I'd come a little sooner..."
Sima Hyeon fought back the tears welling up.
"Tell me about it. I hurried as fast as I could, but I was still too late."
Sima Geon's sad smile only deepened the somber mood in the room.
"By the way, isn't that guy Jang Seong here in Soheung too?"
"Yeah. He works with me. At the escort agency."
Sima Hyeon wiped his tears and nodded.
"Escort agency?"
Sima Geon's face hardened at the word. Knowing full well why, Sima Hyeon gave an awkward smile.
"You must not have heard back home. I work as a porter at Juhae Escort Agency. He started as a porter too, but complained it was too hard traveling long distances. Now he's learning under the chief steward. Gets lots of praise for being quick with numbers."
"Him? Hard to picture."
Sima Geon widened his eyes.
In his faint memories, Jang Seong was a chubby kid who was clumsy in speech and action, far from anything scholarly or numerical.
"Me too. Still can't believe it."
"But was it okay? Mother must have opposed the escort agency work fiercely."
"She did. Way more than I expected."
Sima Hyeon let out a sigh, recalling those days.
"Obviously. Our eldest went missing on escort duty. You were wrong to take it up in the first place."
Sima Ho sipped his drink and scolded.
"Says the guy who just dives into back alleys."
"Back alleys? Hmph! I still earn more money."
"By fleecing the weak? We don't need that kind of cash."
"Who said fleecing? How many times do I have to tell you we don't do that!"
"Ask anyone on the street about the Tongsim Society..."
"Enough."
As the argument between Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho heated up, Sima Geon stepped in to stop them.
"I'm not trying to play big brother now, but let's not hurt each other with words. Especially today, of all days—Mother's death anniversary."
"Ah! Sorry, brother."
Sima Hyeon apologized with a regretful look.
"It's fine. Not like it's the first time. I'm not the type to get hurt over this, big brother."
Cheol Woo burst into laughter at Sima Ho's words.
"I like your spirit. We had guys like you under us. Right, boss?"
"Shut up and drink."
Sima Geon cut him off quickly, not wanting to delve into the past in front of his siblings.
"I've been wondering—why do you call big brother 'boss,' Brother Cheol Woo?"
Sima Ho asked as he poured a drink.
Cheol Woo downed his glass in one go, glanced at Sima Geon, and replied,
"I picked a fight with the boss as a kid and got wrecked. Owe him my life a few times too."
"Really?"
Not just Sima Ho, but Sima Hyeon and Sima Jin stared back and forth between them in disbelief.
Cheol Woo's massive build was giant-like, his rugged face intimidating enough to make enemies kneel without a fight. It was hard to accept that he lost to their seemingly frail eldest brother.
"Lies. He just doesn't like 'brother.'"
Sima Geon shot Cheol Woo a look, then turned to Sima Jin, who kept stealing glances at him.
"What? Something to say?"
"N-No."
Sima Jin shook her head vigorously.
"Do you remember me, little sister?"
"No. Not really..."
Sima Jin trailed off and bowed her head.
"I see. You were too young."
Sima Geon gently stroked her hair, feeling a twinge of disappointment despite understanding.
"But I do remember one thing. Faintly."
"What?"
Anticipation lit up Sima Geon's eyes.
"Someone gave me a piggyback ride as a kid. Walking through sunset fields on their shoulders. My brothers said it was you."
"That's right. Piggybacks were your favorite. You remembered."
Sima Geon beamed. He looked overjoyed that Sima Jin remembered him. Embarrassed by his reaction, she stood abruptly.
"Oh my, I have so much to prepare..."
Sima Jin swayed before finishing. Sima Geon caught her in alarm.
"You okay?"
"Fine. Just dizzy for a second. It'll pass."
Sima Jin smiled as if it were nothing. But Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho's faces soured as they watched.
Sima Geon, knowing their family left home because of Sima Jin's illness, had a tense expression.
"Still, take it easy."
Sima Geon patted her back with forced cheer.
"Got it."
Sima Jin left with a bright smile. Sima Geon turned to Sima Hyeon, his own smile gone.
"Looks like we have a lot to talk about."
After the tear-streaked memorial rite ended and everyone slept, the two brothers shared drinks alone late into the night.
"Here, have a glass."
Sima Geon studied Sima Hyeon's face closely as he took it.
Aged beyond his years, skin rough, forehead lined with deep wrinkles.
Seeing the toll of a harsh life on his brother pained Sima Geon.
"You've really been through it."
"What hardship? With you gone, stepping up as the eldest was natural. Honestly, can't compare to you, who struggled since Dad died young. I only started porter work at seventeen—three years after you."
"Good on you."
Sima Geon admired how Sima Hyeon spoke proudly despite his tough role as family head, and raised his glass.
The brothers exchanged drinks in silence for a long while.
As the bottle emptied, Sima Geon set his glass down quietly.
"What's her illness?"
Sima Hyeon froze mid-sip.
"You knew?"
"Uncle Jang said you left home because of her sickness. Even without that, one look at her face tells it all. Pale and sickly. Frail too."
"Would be weird if you didn't notice."
Sima Hyeon drained his glass roughly, face flushed with anger, and continued.
"Not sure exactly. We saw every reputable doctor nearby, but they just speculated—no clear diagnosis. The most convincing one is here, though. Opened in Soheung three years ago. Different approach from others. His meds seem to help somewhat."
"What'd he say?"
Sima Geon swallowed hard.
"Too much yin energy in her body. Explains the cold limbs and pallor. Prescribed yang tonics. She's managing thanks to them. Couldn't walk properly past ten otherwise."
"Can it be cured?"
"He doesn't know for sure. Said he could ease it more, but..."
Sima Hyeon trailed off abruptly.
"There's a way, but why not?"
"Too expensive. Even now, it's no small sum. I couldn't afford it alone. Without Ho's earnings, impossible. I yelled about not needing dirty money, but I have no right—I needed his cash too."
As self-loathing tears fell from Sima Hyeon, Sima Geon placed a hand on his shoulder.
"No. You absolutely do. No brother watches his sibling go astray."
"Excuses. I couldn't stop him in the end. Needed the money he brought in. I really..."
Sima Geon gripped his tormented brother's hand.
"I'm here now. No more worries. Put down that burden—you've carried enough. I'll take it from here."
"Brother..."
Sima Hyeon broke down sobbing. Sima Geon hugged him tight.
"Don't worry about her illness either. I'll fix it, no matter what."
His quiet vow was more to himself than Sima Hyeon.
After tucking the exhausted, weeping Sima Hyeon into bed, Sima Geon stepped into the courtyard. A peach tree from home stood there, laden with ripe fruit.
As he gazed at it absently, the door creaked open. Cheol Woo yawned and emerged.
"Boss."
"Can't sleep?"
"Wasn't asleep to begin with."
"Heard everything?"
"Didn't try to, but it carries."
Cheol Woo plucked a peach, rubbed it on his clothes, and bit in deep. Juice dribbled down his chin.
"Man, these peaches are killer."
"From home."
Sima Geon picked one too. Cheol Woo smacked his lips beside him.
"Should've grabbed some ourselves."
"What? Oh, Golden Fox Bandit Lair?"
"Yeah. They had a nice hoard. You told us to leave it."
As Cheol Woo reached slyly for another peach, Sima Geon shook his head.
"That goes to the folks who earned it. Families of the fallen porters and merchants too. Honestly, didn't even want to touch their filthy money."
Cheol Woo eyed the tree again.
"Usually you'd want compensation, right? Rip 'em off big after what they did."
"Yeah. But I didn't."
Sima Geon chuckled wryly.
"Whatever you say, boss. Anyway, big trouble. Little miss's treatment costs a fortune."
"How much of our take is left? Should be plenty."
"Not really, when you think about it. For your feats, billions wouldn't cover it. Should grab what we can. Heavenly Demon Cult, Golden Fox— you're too soft on that stuff."
"Call it magnanimity."
"Sure!"
Cheol Woo scoffed incredulously, glanced at Sima Jin's room, and asked,
"But don't worry. Remember that thing from the Demon Buddha Temple? Even pricey treatment's covered. So, boss, what's your take on the little miss's condition? You just checked her."
"Not sure. I'm no doctor."
"No guesses?"
"Doesn't seem simple, like the doc said. Her inner energy's completely imbalanced. Way too much yin."
"Then pump in some yang qi, right? Too much yin means not enough yang. Piece of cake with your internal power."
Cheol Woo said it like curing her was trivial.
"Not that straightforward. Tried infusing some yang qi like you said—no effect. Like there's no path for it to enter."
"What does that mean?"
Cheol Woo furrowed his brow.
"Dunno. Just is."
"If you can't fix it, guess it's down to that doctor."
"For now. Pricey, though."
"Money's no object. Saving her is."
"Lost Mother—can't lose a sibling too. If that doc fails, I'll scour the world for one who can."
Sima Geon declared firmly. His clenched fist drew blood, mirroring his resolve.