[Chapter theme - First song from playlist tinyurl.com/hofsotsound ]
As spring made way for summer, Old Master Min-Jun sat at his desk, while the children were running around outside. He watched them through the set of open doors and relished the comfort of their ruckus. For so many years he had been at peace, left alone to live his old age unbothered, cutting ties with everyone so that his previous troubles would cut ties with him.
He turned to rummage through the correspondence, hoping the bulletins he received from the capital would scatter the dark omens clouding the future. He had read some unsettling news lately about their brothers and neighbours to the north. In the Kingdom of Goguryeo civil war and unrest spread like wildfire and experience had taught him that nothing good lurked on the horizon. Chaos had this pestering trait to catch on like a plague.
But he hoped. All he could do was hope and enjoy the peace he had now.
Organizing his correspondence, his attention was drawn to a sheer white folded letter, with a familiar wax seal. Glancing over the letter's contents, his face brightened up.
There was no time to waste as he got up and came to stand in the doorframe, with an ecstatic smile lighting up his face. "Han-Gyeol! Ha-Rin! Come quickly! We will be having a guest."
Ha-Rin and Han-Gyeol were close by and immediately left their chores. "Yes master, we are coming," they called, passing in haste by the children, who were sprinting from one side of the courtyard to the other, giggling and panting, as they chased each other in a game of tag.
Soo-Ah came to a halt all of a sudden, allowing Jung-In to catch up to her. "Did you hear that, Brother Jung-In? A guest. We never have guests," she said, observing the adults' commotion and noticing her grandfather's change of spirits.
"Who cares, they come to see Master anyway," answered Jung-In, not paying much attention to what was going on outside his small universe which now revolved around beating Soo-Ah at the game. With a devilish grin, he tapped her shoulder. "Tag, you're it!" he almost shouted and was ready to run.
Soo-Ah did not feel Jung-In's nudge. Her interest was already spent somewhere else. She didn't need to wait long for her curiosity to be satisfied.
"Han-Gyeol and Ha-Rin, we are to have a distinguished guest," Min-Jun explained on a solemn note. "The brightest student I ever tutored just wrote to me. He accepted my invitation, and he will be visiting us." The old man was almost jumping with joy, looking lovingly at the letter.
Old Min-Jun's attention focused back on his trusted servants, addressing them in a mindful tone, "Do make sure you prepare some rooms, and Han-Gyeol, you will need to keep an eye on the land-taxing without me for a couple of days. Also, food. Yes. And drinks. We need to plan well for the young master's arrival. Ha-Rin, do you have any questions, do you need anything specific for such a distinguished guest?"
Ha-Rin and Han-Gyeol looked at each other with stupefied eyes. But there could be no other option than to bow and submit. "I hope the Good Master will teach me what to do," Ha-Rin admitted with honesty, attracting Min-Jun's encouraging words.
Soo-Ah was already standing in the doorway, observing her grandfather's reactions, "Grandfather? Are you looking for a son? You plan on sending me away, aren't you?" Her heart rate picked up. On the verge of crying, all the bitter words she heard, about not belonging next to the Old Master, came to haunt her.
"Oh, sweet child, what is this now?" His caring eyes turned to Soo-Ah.
She fidgeted with her little foot and glided her gaze to the floor, her words trailing out softly. "I heard people say things."
Min-Jun approached her. "What are these things that trouble you so?"
"That you have no use for a granddaughter because girls are no good and are sent away to a husband's house." With a heavier heart and biting her lip, she added in a low voice, "I am not your blood."
Taking a seat on a chair, the old master motioned for the girl to come closer and took her on his lap. "You heard the story about how I found you many, many times before. You may not be my blood but you are my heart and together we are family." Holding his granddaughter in his arms, to keep those unsettling emotions in check, he added, "Let no one else tell you otherwise."
"You promise you'll always keep me with you, grandpa," she looked him straight in the eyes, willing to convey her only true wish.
Emotion lighted up his old face. He hugged the girl closer. "Oh sweet child, I do pray we'll stay together for many years. As for the young man who comes to stay with us now, I invited him specially to meet my sweetest, smartest girl. You will like him a lot, I am sure."
Bouncing her on his knees like their old games of Giddy-Up-Horsey, Min-Jun wanted to know, "What do you say we ask him to be your big brother as well? We have few friends so we need to make new ones we can trust. You could even call him Big Brother Ho, or Ho-Orabeoni. Which one sounds better to you?"
Jung-In, who had been listening to this entire conversation, felt an unexplainable tug at his heart. Why would Soo-Ah need another big brother? Big brothers were only trouble, and he was enough of a big brother for her. With an exasperated sigh, he jumped from the house deck and started towards the riverbank, slowly changing his pace from striding to running. He should have been grateful someone was coming to take Soo-Ah off his hands.
But the thought kept turning to bite him. No matter. He would make sure to enjoy his new free time and do whatever he wanted however he wanted, without Soo-Ah nagging and complaints. Yes, she could go fill another's ear with her nonsense and make silly faces for someone else. Her annoying, funny face and her delicious squealing made him laugh his heart out. Picking up a handful of small pebbles from the riverbank he threw them in the water one by one, every time with increasing force until he threw the whole bunch. Then, he begrudgingly kicked some far in the distance, leaving his big toe to throb in pain.
*
Only four days since the letter was received, Ha-Rin had already prepared fresh linens and feasts to feed an army for the guests to have an enjoyable stay. To fend off any of the lurking bad spirits, she went with her burning sage through their rooms and sang her chants with Jung-In in toe, shaking a shamanic rattle. When all was set right in the terrestrial and spiritual world all they had to do was gossip and be curious about who this young man was, and why the old master held him in such high esteem.
As Min-Jun had predicted, on the last day of Horse Month someone knocked at the front gate of the general's residence. Everyone gathered, anxious to meet them while he opened the gate.
Two men, a little worn out from their travels, waited beyond the gates, holding the bridles of their horses. Their attire was distinctive, and you could easily distinguish the young lord by the fine materials he was wearing, the Manggeon headband and the hair clip adorning his head. Quite different from his manservant companion who wore the common white baggy pants and shirt with a leather overcoat.
A little shy, Soo-Ah took coveted glimpses at them, while hiding behind her grandfather, clasping at his clothes.
"Greetings, My Wise Teacher, Min-Jun," reverently said the young man in a clear and confident voice, bowing his head in respect. When he righted himself he launched into a heartfelt hug, answering Min-Jun's open-arms invitation.
"Young Lord Ho, your presence warms me. I can hardly recognize you! Look how you've grown and changed. Are these muscles I feel ?" He asked, prodding the Young Master's arms.
"You don't look a day older since I last saw you, Wise Master with caramel eyes. But your nose got bigger, I think," despite his unsavoury remarks he remained with a playful smile on his lips.
Hearing the young man slight the rite of hospitality, made those around gasp and tense up. Min-Jun grabbed his firm straight shoulders and gave him an aggravated stare before bursting into an honest laughing fit. "And you remained as daring as ever, my wild boy with a sharp tongue." Then he pulled him in another tight hug, both patting each other's backs and laughing at their familiarity.
Everyone else relaxed with a sigh and could not help joining in their laughter.
"How long has it been now, Teacher Min-Jun? Five or six years?" The noble guest asked with excitement in his voice.
Soo-Ah was mesmerized, staring up at this tall stranger standing a couple of feet from her. Though years later she would not be able to remember his face, she would remember how he was the most beautiful person she had ever seen, with his black eyes and slick black hair, tied in a half updo but for a couple of stray hairs resting on his forehead band, his beautiful travel clothes, and his proud stance.
The young man turned his attention to her and looked mesmerized by her curious eyes. His enthused stare made Soo-Ah blush, lower her head and scurry behind her grandfather. "And who might this shy little lady be? Could she be the very reason I was left without the benefits of your teaching?" asked the handsome young man with a generous smile while searching for Soo-Ah's gaze.
Soo-Ah tried to look up. The sun shone down from behind the young master. His head was encircled in a halo of light while she came under the shadow of his stout stature. Trying to ease his granddaughter's shyness, Min-Jun patted her gently on the head. "My dear boy, please meet Kim Soo-Ah. This little girl is the light of my life, and the peace of my old age, as much as an active youngling can bring peace, that is".
Cordial in his approach towards the girl, the young man offered his sincere greetings. "I am most humbled to make your acquaintance, Young Lady of the house."
How she liked the ring of those words coming from his beautiful lips. She gracefully bowed, struggling to keep her mouth from sliding into a wide grin, "Please have me in your care, Big Brother." His scented aura, carrying notes of wild berries and sunbathed fields in summer, overpowered her senses for a moment. In the end, she allowed herself to meet the stranger's curious eyes again and mustered the courage to ask, sheepishly, "I ask permission from Big Brother to call him Ho-Orabeoni."
"What an interesting name the young lady has come up with. You would honor me," he replied, with a broad smile. Addressing Min-Jun, he remarked amused, "Polite and educated, I see. Not that I would expect anything less from my former tutor's granddaughter."
"Ha! The politeness and education are just a façade I am afraid, but you will understand what I am talking about soon enough," replied the old master, spreading merriment and urging his guests to follow him.
After the joyous reunion and a short tour of the modest residence and its people, the young master was left to rest and change after the long road.
Ahead of dinner, Soo-Ah's ego took a little bruising as well when Ha-Rin shook her head, making jokes about the girly pants suit she planned to wear. The woman ushered her back to the room to change. Remembering her days as a kisaeng, Ha-Rin told her that in the presence of nobles one should always look their best. One of the few hanboks Soo-Ah owned was taken out from the bottom pile of a cupboard shelf. It fitted her a little loose, but Ha-Rin made sure to tuck it in the right places and to pin her hair with a butterfly jewelled ornament. In the end, the woman smiled and became teary for having the wild girl finally resemble a young lady. Soo-Ah did not understand what the fuss was all about because, for her, this dress was cumbersome and only made her trip.
At the dinner table, the young master took the honoured seat next to Min-Jun. Their conversation became lively in between taking bites of food from the offerings towering at the centre of the table. Freshly made cabbage and chive stew with sausages on the side, bone beef soup and steaming fried pork belly. Soo-Ah's mouth watered just by looking at them.
"So, dear boy, I miss my beautiful Seorabeol. How is life in the capital?" Min-Jun finally asked breaking the choir of the silver cutlery banging on the plates.
"As fast-paced and as corrupted as you remember it, Wise Master. But the fair city grows more beautiful with every year. They even finished the nine stories high temple pagoda. Everyone will flock to pray because there was restlessness when I left. The king is drafting a plan for an alliance."
"Yes, yes, the news reached even these forgotten corners. I also heard that our northern Goguryeo brothers brawl to decide who is king and the reins of governance are let loose. Things are slowly turning chaotic."
"There are bands of peasant robbers, outcasts and defectors plaguing the areas near our border, not too far away I am afraid."
Min-Jun gritted his teeth and showed his closed fist with passion. "To grow our brotherhood would be a wise choice if only it could be done peacefully. With great sacrifice, we build something to be proud of, Young Master. Now we can call ourselves the same name. In unity we are strong and we become stronger," the old man gritted his teeth and showed his closed fist with passion. "I have an ill premonition about those
Those Tang imperialists are to blame, slowly shredding our control. And our king still puts up with them. We should throw them all out. Even our king."
"Master, I would caution you when speaking against the Tang Empire and the king. Some would consider this treason," the young man said, attracting Min-Jun's approval.
This entire time Soo-Ah had been observing Ho-Orabeoni attentively. He was eloquent, his words were elaborated, his manners sophisticated, clearly the signs of an educated man. It was no wonder her grandfather listened when he spoke and showed signs of appreciation. She wished her grandfather would look and listen to her with the same consideration. She wished Ho-Orabeoni would do the same.
"It is sad to call this treason when others, who will not be named, are still more interested in their coffers than in what it means to live as one people. Argh, but enough with these talks. Family is what matters first and foremost." Min-Jun looked with loving eyes at Soo-Ah and then at the rest of those sitting at his table. "Good families are the foundation of a good country. Too bad they come with a hassle. Or would you rather not debate such a dreaded subject."