Chaotic Nights — Chapter 54. Bamboo

Translator: Atlas

Weekly Chapter 1/6

She picked up a paintbrush.

The person who occupied her mind all the time was Jihak, whom Eunha served. She thought perhaps he was the person who saved her from the courtesan house.

She was to report to her.

I am well. Thanks to you. Now let’s forget the sad days.

When she opened the door to fetch water to drink, she found Shihoon standing before her sandals. She lowered her gaze to her worn straw sandals, then slowly raised her gaze to his cold face. His clenched fists trembled.

“Young master.”

“How dare you…”

“Young master.”

“Is it really true that you became my father’s concubine?”

He entered the room with his shoes on, slammed the door shut, grabbed Yongi’s shoulders and pressed her to the floor.

“Quick answer me!”

***

Her heart pounded as she paced back and forth.

When dawn broke, it was no longer snowing. The two birds sitting at the window flew away when she opened the window. The wind was blowing from the forest.

The forest was quiet. The sky soon turned red.

She heard another window open.

It was Gari’s room.

When Eunha stuck her head out, her heart beat faster.

It was strange. Why was her heart beating so fast?

She hated that feeling that caused her face to turn red.

Eunha moved away from the window, and changed her clothes.

But the heat in her face did not diminish.

“I called out to you. Didn’t you hear me?”

Gari, who found Eunha near the well, held out a hand cloth. She dried her wet face, then turned her head to where Gari was looking.

In that place was Yuljae.

“You may go. I’ll have breakfast soon.”

“Thank you.”

After she caught her breath, she approached Yuljae. A drop flowed down her forehead. His face looked tired, probably because he stayed up all night. As for his appearance, he was as neat as ever.

“My lord couldn’t sleep all night. So from the way you talk to your actions, they can annoy him. She’s prepared.”

“But he drank too much alcohol, so why couldn’t he sleep?”

“He hasn’t slept well since he was poisoned.”

Eunha hesitated. She couldn’t believe it because she hadn’t seen him sleep several times.

“I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”

After she bowed to Yuljae, Eunha shook her skirt that had splashed water on it.

***

Standing before Jihak’s room, she opened the door. Jihak turned his head toward her. Eunha approached him, who was sitting near the window.

“I heard you called for me.”

She knelt down as she looked at him. As Yuljae had said, his expression was not good, perhaps because he had been awake all night.

Silently, he handed her a book.

“Read it.”

“Breakfast…”

“I don’t need it.”

His vacant eyes turned to her as if intoxicated. She avoided his gaze as their eyes met. Her heart began to beat madly.

Then, she lowered her head to turn the first page. It was a song in the native language, not the western language. When she raised her head in bewilderment, he picked up the coat hanging on the wall and draped it over her shoulders.

Then he lay down beside her.

Jihak, who clutched her skirt, fluttered his eyelids as though they might shut any moment.

“Read it. I want to hear your voice.”

Though she did not understand his request, Eunha recited the first chapter.

“Every stem yields under the weight of snow. Only the bamboo remains resilient amidst the harsh storms of the winter season.”

Her soft voice echoed in the cold. Her fingers touched his wrist which gripped the book. He frowned as he rolled up his short sleeves. Perhaps he had been burned in last night’s fire. Eunha, who found it hard to breathe due to her racing heartbeat, lowered her gaze to the wrist that had grabbed her.

“Among the items that burned yesterday was a poem I wrote. Foolishly, I wanted to keep it to myself…. So I pushed my Lord.”

“I see.”

“Aren’t you angry? I hurt you.”

She stroked his red wrist.

“I am afraid. My heart is pounding so hard. I’m even afraid I might die. I think I have a deadly disease. I hope I get better.”

She looked like she was going to cry. But he had closed his eyes and buried his face in her skirt.