Morning Lessons in Warm Sunlight
Warm morning sunlight seeped through the gaps in the sliding paper door. A faint scent of wood and earth. Han Yujin lifted her heavy eyelids.
"Mm…."
She couldn't help but wriggle against the cozy blanket's touch.
— Chirp chirp! Tweet!
The morning in this antique hanok house, filled with birdsong. After the hellish schedule of the past few weeks—gender swap, kidnapping, chase, logistics center—this peace felt almost miraculous.
'This is too good.'
Yesterday, the matriarch of Gyubanggok had offered. Stay here as long as you like and rest your body.
— In return, when we unseal the kwe, lend us a bit of your power.
It was a deal with no downside. No, it was actually a steal.
'Secure safe house. Plus food and bed.'
And the matriarch, HandLostButBrainFixedALittle. Her nickname was a bit intimidating, but learning survival know-how from that legendary veteran? Jackpot.
"… Total honey pot, right?"
Han Yujin grinned slyly as she stretched. She wanted to lounge here sucking the sweet life for a few months, just gallery-surfing. World ending? Cthulhu reviving? Who cares.
— Snort, puff.
Her gaze landed on the black cat snoring on her belly.
'Hard to believe this cutie could end the world.'
Then.
Slide—
The door opened.
"You're awake, little miss."
Three women in elegant hanbok entered, carrying washbasins, silk garments, and various makeup tools.
'… Little miss?'
The term felt oddly off-putting, but...
"Yeah, I am. But what's all that?"
"Matriarch's orders. Now that you're part of Gyubanggok, you need to be dressed appropriately."
The women approached with beaming smiles. Han Yujin instinctively yanked the blanket to cover herself. Something felt ominous.
"Dressed? Nah, I'm good with comfy sweats…."
"Oh my, no. A member of Gyubanggok can't go around in rags."
"A woman's power comes from a neat appearance."
"The matriarch said, 'Having a woman's body but not using it is like discarding a weapon.'"
No, that lady. She'd sensed it yesterday—her ideology was kinda radically progressive!
— "Horror stories are tilted playing fields."
— "We must break free from male-centered horror narratives."
But if that's her vibe, shouldn't she skip the primping? Makeup's labor!
While Han Yujin hesitated, the women swarmed her in an instant.
"Arms up."
"W-wait! I can dress myself… Mmph!"
Resistance was futile. Though their primping hid it, these women were all veteran survivors. The strength hidden under their skirts and jackets was beyond imagination.
In a flash, her pajamas were off, replaced by an underblouse and petticoat. Swish, swish. Silk whispered against her skin.
"Ugh… This is too tight!"
"Chest band has to be snug for the fit. Bear it."
The fabric squeezing her chest choked her breath. Was this the corset she'd heard about...?
"Corset's too... Ngh!"
"Oh, looks so pretty."
"See how the lines pop."
The biggest reality check since her body changed hit hard.
"Now, time to braid your hair."
"Makeup too. Your skin's like white jade—just a touch of life and you'll glow."
Seated before the mirror, Han Yujin closed her eyes in resignation. No refusing. She remembered the spicy sting of that pipe to her crown yesterday. That matriarch grandma was a pro at bone-cracking with a smile.
Each dab of powder felt like her soul leaking out.
'Survival strategy. Camouflage technique.'
Chanting internally, she endured for 30 minutes.
"All done, little miss."
The women stepped back. Han Yujin cautiously opened her eyes.
"……."
A strange girl sat in the mirror. Silver hair neatly braided with a red hair tie. In soft red silk skirt and white jacket, she looked like a noble lady leaped from a painting. Red rouge on her lips contrasted her pale skin, exuding subtle allure.
"Whoa… Insane."
Hard to say it herself, but. Beautiful. Very much so.
"This is… me?"
Makeup was straight-up cheating.
As Han Yujin stared blankly, giggling came from outside.
"Little miss! Ready? Coming in!"
The door burst open. 'Santokki', Iaram.
She gaped at Han Yujin, nearly dropping her smartphone before catching it. She muttered.
"……Holy crap."
Iaram's eyes shook wildly. She gulped, then like mesmerized, whipped out her camera.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
"Hey. What the hell?"
Han Yujin asked, half-bemused.
"C'mon, we're friends, right? What's a few pics."
"When did we agree to that?"
"Good is good. Good is good."
Iaram grinned hehe.
"Whoa… Epic. Nuts. Totally nuts. How's a person this pretty? Doll? Nah, prettier than a doll! Hey, turn once? Lift the skirt a bit?"
"Piss off, perv!"
Han Yujin hurled a pillow, but Iaram dodged nimbly, snapping away.
"Aww, don't be like that. You're Gyubanggok's pride."
"...Who?"
"Matriarch okayed me as your guide today."
Iaram sidled close, linking arms and nuzzling. Exactly the moment Han Yujin waited for.
Snatch.
"Huh?"
She swiftly nabbed the phone, deleted all her pics.
"Aaaah my pics! Why, why! Just for my collection. Promise I won't post anywhere!"
Yeah, right. Who'd buy that. Total perv chick.
After checking cloud too, Han Yujin returned the phone. Iaram looked up with teary eyes.
"N-no... I just... you're too pretty, I lost it."
'...Overdid it?'
Still, since entering the village, this one had stuck by her, taken care. Only peer she knew.
Han Yujin sighed deeply.
"You can look all you want."
"R-really?"
Iaram's eyes sparkled, wrapping her arm. Sudden contact raised goosebumps everywhere! She tried shaking it off, but seeing Iaram's teary smile...
'...Whatever.'
Not like it costs anything. Han Yujin sighed again, letting it happen. Iaram's lips curled up smugly.
"Let's go, go! Nice weather—time to sightsee. Gyubanggok's views are killer."
Half-dragged out, Han Yujin heard the women's fond laughs behind.
"You two get along so well."
…Where? Han Yujin felt wronged.
Gyubanggok was bigger than expected. Clustered tile-roof houses around a massive sacred tree, backed by sheer cliffs and waterfalls. A hidden paradise right in central Seoul Jongno.
'Or that abandoned bathhouse was just the entrance.'
Either way, mystical spot.
"Herb garden here. Improved seeds from horrors—super effective. That's the training ground."
Iaram chattered excitedly.
"That flowering tree blooms year-round. Great scent—go sniff."
"No."
"C'mon—. Just once. Pretty please! It's amazing."
What good's flower smell? But guilt over her eager guiding nagged Han Yujin. She relented, sniffed, turned—and.
"Perfect. Heh heh heh heh."
Iaram murmured fondly at her screen. Her fingers twitched suspiciously. Han Yujin's eyes narrowed.
That looked shady. Classic gallery-posting motion.
Sure enough.
The gallery was on fire. Han Yujin stared at Iaram in disbelief. She flinched.
"No! Never posted pics!"
Iaram brazened out.
"Gimme the phone."
"And no sharing Gyubanggok pics anywhere. Guardian spirit—no, matriarch beats the crap outta you. And looking's fine!"
Iaram rolled her eyes, hiding the phone behind her back. Then.
"Iaram."
A chilling voice. Iaram's shoulders stiffened. Turning, there stood Matriarch Ser Eunhwa in black hanbok. Her right hand, the wooden prosthetic, twitched.
"M-Matriarch!"
Iaram hastily hid the smartphone behind her.
"I told you to guide properly, not chase your whims."
"N-no! I was just showing Gyubanggok's beauty… Gah!"
Ser Eunhwa closed in, yanking Iaram's ear.
"Ow ow ow! Matriarch! Hurts! Ear's ripping!"
"Quiet. Go stand guard. Delete all pics."
Ser Eunhwa released her with a flick. Iaram fled pouting—but not without a wink at Han Yujin.
"Tch. Childish."
Ser Eunhwa clicked her tongue, turning. Her deep eyes fixed on Han Yujin.
"Follow me. Something to check."
Ser Eunhwa led to a secluded annex deep in Gyubanggok. Opening the door brought chilling air and heavy pressure.
The room walls were lined with massive apothecary cabinets. Hundreds, thousands of tiny drawers. Each plastered with red talismans, leaking eerie sounds.
— Scratch… scratch…
— Hee hee…
— Let me out… let me out…
"What… is all this?"
Han Yujin swallowed dryly.
"Horror stories Gyubanggok has sealed for centuries."
Ser Eunhwa answered flatly.
"We capture the world's malignants, trap them in kwe, seal here. That's Gyubanggok's mission and duty."
She lit her pipe, eyeing Han Yujin.
"I said yesterday. Red threads in your eyes. You're a vessel for an outer god fragment."
"Yes…."
"Vessels must be sturdy. No matter how toxic or strong the contents, it holds without breaking. If weak…."
Ser Eunhwa pointed a drawer with her pipe.
"…Devoured by contents, turned monster like those trapped."
"……."
"Must check your mental strength. Then I can teach you gently, or…."
Her trailing words hung, but Han Yujin got it.
"You're gonna dispose of me."
— Thwack!
Sudden pipe strike—tears welled in Han Yujin's eyes. Hurt. Hurt like death might be mercy.
"Child. You're Gyubanggok now. As its mother, how could I harm my child? No more such talk."
"S-sorry…."
"Much to teach you. But don't rush. I'll guide step by step."
Mothers hit kids too? She bit it back. Another whack for sure!
'F-family hurts, huh.'
Her common sense warping in real time.
Then.
Creeak—
Ser Eunhwa approached a drawer.
"This one was tough to seal. Anomalies that corrupt the mind to extremes sleep here."
Ah, lesson on horrors! Han Yujin perked up.
"Let's go in together."
"…Huh?"
Blink—and black ink flooded her vision.