Yoon Shik has decided to support his family by working in the restaurant which he found in the market. That place was quite busy and he thought he could earn well by working there.
He saw many rich people are coming to eat and drink. There were many seats available, not only that there was another floor on the top where many upperclassmen can be seen chatting with one another while eating and drinking. The restaurant was decorated outside with lanterns and inside with different colours of cloth hanging around the supports.
Yoon Shik happily walked inside and then asked a brother who was the worker there about the owner. "He's there," replied the man pointing towards the left where people were paying the money. Yoon thanked him and went there.
"You've to give 40 cents," said Baek Chun So with a smile. The man in the blue silk robes paid him the money and walked away from there with his fellow friends.
"Jinwo, give orders at tables 3,7,8, and 9. They have ordered 3 bowls of dumplings," shouted Bark Chun to the worker there. He was counting the money when Yoon Shik interrupted him.
"Ahjussi, can you give me work here?", asked Yoon with a ray of hope in his eyes.
Baek Chun put the record book on the table and looked at the boy. He looked at him from head to toe and after some time asked, "Why do you want to work here?"
"Because this place has many customers. I will earn good," replied Yoon instantly. Baek Chun smiled hearing the answer. He walked towards the boy and put his hand on the kid's shoulder. "Kid, why are there so many customers?"
"Because quality is great here. Not only that the rate of food is also adequate although can't be afforded by everyone," reasoned Yoon Shik.
Baek Chun got impressed by the kid's reasoning. "You can work here from today onwards. I'll pay you every day based on hours you'll work here," stated Bark Chun. Yoon Shik looked at Baek Chun with happiness and thanked him.
"Okay, then take the rice, soup, and kimchi at the first floor on table 15", said Baek and gestured to him to go to the kitchen on the right side of the counter. Yoon Shik nodded and went towards the kitchen. The other customers came there to pay for the meals and Bark Chun again got busy.
Yoon Shik walked towards table 15 and heard the conversation among three people there.
"Hey, the exam was tough this year. Do you think we can qualify this?", asked a person. He has worn light brown silk robes with a long black hat on his head. Two long beaded threads were hanging on his hat on either side, hanging till the chest. Yoon Shik looked at them and all the customers on the first floor were wearing the same attire, just the colour of robes was different.
"Hmm. But I studied hard for Classical Chinese and literature. I think I'll make it", said the other person sitting around table 15.
Yoon Shik put the tray there and served the meals to them. He then curiously asked, "Sir, what exam are you talking about?" The elite men gazed at him.
"You look new here. May I know your name?", asked one of the men.
Yoon Shik straightened himself and bowing lightly he said, "I'm Kim Yoon Shik. I have joined as a worker here today."
"Well, boy, we're talking about the civil services exam, Gwageo(in Korean). Only three classes can give that exam except for Cheonmin class", answered the man.
"Can I give that exam too? Can I become a scholar by giving this exam?", asked Yoon curiously. The glow in his telling that he was determined to be a Scholar. Hearing this the two scholars laughed.
Chuckled by Yoon Shik's question the man in brown robes said, "you can't kid. You seem like a low class." Yoon Shik looked at the man in utter disbelief. He felt bad hearing this again.
Among them, the man in light blue robes said, "Well yes, if you belong to those three classes."
Yoon Shik looked at the man and asked, "What are these three classes?"
"Yangban, Chungin, and Sangmin. Only these three classes can give this exam," replied the man. Yoon Shik smiled hearing this because according to his grandma Yooki, they're Samgmins.
"But kid, only the first two classes can qualify for this exam. Sangmins can't qualify such a high-level exam," said the man in maroon colored robes. Yoon Shik's face turned serious when Baek Chun shouted his name.
"Thank you Sir for telling me this." Saying this Yoon Shik ran downstairs as Baek Chun again called his name.
"What were you doing above? Take the orders quickly. It's rush hour," saying this Baek Chun went to the counter. Till the evening Yoon Shik worked and then left for home.
He was walking through the market streets. Many people started coming in the evening time.
"This much money. I can buy the bracelet with this", mumbled Yoon and put the coins inside his pocket, and walked towards the shop where Hani saw that bracelet. He reached there in 15 minutes. Standing near that cart he grabbed that bracelet and asked, "Ahjussi, how much is this?"
"15 cents", said the seller looking at the bracelet.
"Ahjussi, give it for 12 cents", said Yoon, bargaining with the seller.
"Okay, here, give me coins and take this,'' replied the seller. Yoon gave him the coins and walked happily from there. After buying some sweets, he rushed to his home.
"Halmeoni, umma, Hani- where are you?" shouted Yoon happily and entered the house. The broad smile disappeared from his face when he saw the bodies of her mother and granny lying in a pool of blood. He dropped the sweets and ran to them. The neighbors were surrounding the body and whispering.
"Umma, Halmeoni….what...What happened," stuttered Yoon with tears in his eyes, looking at them.
"Yoon, they took your sister with them," answered a man among the crowd and came forward.
"Who?" asked Yoon.
"The landlord," said the other man. Yoon was in tears holding her mother's hand and said in a low voice, "help me."
Everyone turned their heads when the man who came forward earlier muttered, "Go, find your sister. I'll see them". The man showed him the way to the Landlord's house.
Yoon rushed out of his house to the said house. It was 15 minutes away from his home. He reached there and found two guards standing at the entrance of the door.
"Please, let me in. My sister is inside," said Yoon to the guard with pleading eyes. The guards looked at Yoon Shik and told him not to trouble them. But Yoon Shik wasn't ready to go from there so he started shouting "landlord, landlord…"
"What's the commotion outside?" shouted the landlord from inside.
One of the guards ran inside. "Pardon master, A boy is declaring that his sister is here."
"Bring him inside," commanded the landlord.
The guard held the boy's arm when he jerked his hand and said, "You killed my family, and where's my sister?"
"I didn't kill them. That old woman took money from me and now she is unable to pay the debt so I've taken your sister as it was signed by that woman on the paper," replied the landlord.
"What? I'll pay your debt please release my sister," pleaded Yoon.
"Hahaha. Kid, go home. She has been thrown to Kisaeng's house so that when she will get mature she can work here," said the landlord with an evil smile and directed the guard to throw him out. The guard grabbed Yoon's arm and threw him out of the house.
Yoon couldn't believe what just the landlord said so he ran from there and asked the people about Kiaseng's house. After reaching there, he saw many women and men in the house. He tried to get in when a man stopped him and declared, "Kid, where are you going? This place isn't for you. Go away."
"My sister is inside. Please let me in," pronounced Yoon Shik.
"Kid, I cannot. Go home if you do not want to get punished," said the man trying to scare Yoon Shik.
"What are you doing here Yoon Shik?" asked the man who met him in the restaurant. He saw the bloodstains on his cloth and got concerned.
"Sir...m..my sister ...is inside....please save her. Please bring her here," Yoon spoke with tears in his eyes.
"Yoon Shik, calm down. Tell me what happened?" asked the man. His friends also listened to Yoon. Yoon told them everything.
"Don't worry," responded the man and looked at his friends. Within 15 minutes they found his sister and brought her outside from the Kisaeng House.
"Orabani," Hani called Yoon. With teary eyes she ran to Yoon. Yoon grabbed her hand tightly and said, "Are you okay?"
He checked her out.
"Orabani," Hani said while crying.
Yoon turned to the man and said, "I'm in a rush. Thank you, sir. I will never forget this." Saying this Yoon ran away from there with his sister.
The man looked at his friends, and they also went after the boy.