Dinner
By the time dawn broke, Cheongwol was on her way to Lanzhou with the Jino Merchant Caravan.
"Once we get over that hill, the city gate should come into view."
At Mo Wonpyeong’s words, indicating that the escort run would soon be over, Seomun Hwi gave a slow nod.
"I understand. We’ve arrived sooner than I expected."
"That’s how mountain roads are. At night they feel endlessly long, but in daylight they always seem too short."
Mo Wonpyeong smiled faintly as he looked at Cheongwol, who had not said a word since the night before.
At first, he had thought she and Seomun Hwi must have argued, but from the way they kept sneaking glances at each other all the way down the mountain trail, that didn’t seem to be the case.
"Well then, what do you plan to do? I’d like to share a meal with you both, but I have to head straight to my client."
It had not really been in the plan, but Mo Wonpyeong was quick-witted enough to give Cheongwol an excuse to stay with Seomun Hwi.
If this awkward atmosphere continued, the two of them were likely to part ways and head to Mt. Kongdong separately.
They’re not children, so what on earth are they doing? ...No, on second thought, by age alone, I suppose they still are children.
At his question, Cheongwol hurriedly waved her hands.
"I’m already grateful you brought me this far. Once I reach Lanzhou, I’ll go on my own from there."
"Really? Don’t say that—why not go together with the young clan leader? As I said yesterday, he’s headed to Mt. Kongdong as well."
"Ah... well..."
Cheongwol hesitated and looked to Seomun Hwi, and Seomun Hwi, as if he had been waiting for exactly that, promptly nodded.
"If our route is the same, we might as well travel together. If that’s all right with you."
At his agreement, Cheongwol could not quite hide the smile tugging at her lips as she nodded again and again.
"Mm. Thank you."
As their expressions brightened, Mo Wonpyeong let out a snort of amusement and called out to the men in front.
"Pick up the pace! We’re having lunch in Lanzhou, aren’t we!"
---
After passing through the massive city gate and entering the walls, rows upon rows of red-tiled houses spread endlessly before Cheongwol’s eyes.
So many people were moving through the streets that dust rose in little clouds beneath their feet, and the cries of merchants trying to halt those passing footsteps rang out all around, blending into one another.
"Then this is where we part ways."
Mo Wonpyeong bowed his head slightly toward Seomun Hwi and drew a pouch from inside his robes. The material looked expensive at a glance.
"It may not mean much to the young clan leader, but please accept it."
"There’s no need. All I’ve done is travel comfortably with you; what right have I to receive anything? Please put it away."
Seomun Hwi tried to refuse, but Mo Wonpyeong smiled warmly and pressed the pouch into his hand anyway.
"Do you not understand that even traveling comfortably was thanks to the young clan leader coming with us? And besides..."
Mo Wonpyeong glanced at Cheongwol.
Cheongwol was so absorbed in the sights she had never seen before that she kept looking all around her without pause.
"I put a little something in for that child as well. Since we met by chance, I thought it would be a shame to send you off empty-handed."
Only then did Seomun Hwi stop refusing and tuck the pouch into his robes.
If it had contained only his share, he might have declined it, but since Cheongwol’s portion was in there too, he could not casually turn it away.
"As I mentioned before we set out, it seems I’ll have to remain in Lanzhou for a while because of merchant affairs. If there are any other caravans heading to Anhui, I’ll make inquiries for you."
"Your words are more than enough. Thank you."
Once more they bowed slightly to each other, and Mo Wonpyeong led the Jino Merchant Caravan into the crowd first.
"They’re gone? I didn’t even get to say goodbye..."
Cheongwol, who had somehow drifted to his side, wore a disappointed look as she watched the Jino Merchant Caravan recede into the distance.
"If fate allows it, perhaps you’ll meet again."
Seomun Hwi said that, then looked down at Cheongwol.
"We can head to Mt. Kongdong right this instant if you want, but I think it would be better to rest at an inn for a day."
"An inn?"
"Yes. Even with brisk lightness techniques, it’ll take at least half a day from Lanzhou to Mt. Kongdong."
At his words, Cheongwol nodded, then asked again,
"All right. But how do you find an inn?"
Seomun Hwi paused, considering how best to answer.
Wasn’t it enough to simply go into the place that smelled of food? Most of those would be inns—what else was there to ask?
Was she raised somewhere without even an inn? That can’t be right, not even in the outer regions.
Seomun Hwi found himself wondering once again where Cheongwol had come from as he turned away.
"...Follow me."
Even so, fearing she might lose him in the dense crowd, he kept stopping every so often to check whether she was still following properly.
---
By lunchtime, the inn was crowded with people, but thanks to the servant who had noticed Seomun Hwi’s clothing from the street, the two of them were able to secure seats with ease.
"This way, please!"
Led up to the second floor, Seomun Hwi was guided to a seat by the window, and he wore an expression that said he had expected nothing less.
There was a simple reason why a place one might call a prime seat was still empty at such a busy hour when people were constantly coming and going.
"Not a bad spot."
Before the servant had even managed to speak, Seomun Hwi set down a silver ingot, and the servant could not suppress his grin as he bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you! Thank you! I’ll do my utmost to serve you well!"
Cheongwol stared at him in surprise, not understanding why he was acting like that all of a sudden, but Seomun Hwi, clearly accustomed to it, began ordering their meal.
"One serving each of the boar and the beef noodles. Bring whatever the cook is best at for the rest."
"Understood! Ah, and would you like wine...?"
Seomun Hwi looked at Cheongwol, then slowly shook his head.
"It’s still daylight, so drinking doesn’t seem proper. Just bring some cold tea if you have any."
"Yes! I’ll bring it as quickly as possible!"
"There’s no need to rush."
As the servant darted back down to the first floor, Cheongwol tilted her head.
"Are all the people in the Central Plains this kind? They’re so nice..."
"People are kind in proportion to what they’re given."
Seomun Hwi said that, then looked at her.
"Cheongwol. You said your name was Cheongwol."
"Huh? Yes. That’s right."
Suddenly hearing him say her name, Cheongwol nodded, feeling a little shy.
"As I said before, my name is Seomun Hwi. Seomun is my surname, Hwi is my given name. From now on, I’ll call you by your name, so it’s fine if you call me by mine as well."
"Oh... all right. So..."
Cheongwol hesitated for a moment, then soon smiled faintly and called his name.
"Hwi?"
It was only his name, and yet Cheongwol felt a faint, ticklish sensation inside her chest.
Because she had lived for so long only with her grandfather, this was the first time she had ever addressed someone by name.
"Yes. From now on, call me that."
"All right."
He did not know what she was thinking, but seeing how plainly her feelings showed on her face, Seomun Hwi could not help but smile as well.
As the two of them formally exchanged names once more, the servant returned quickly with the food, just as he had promised.
"I’ll bring the rest of the dishes up shortly. For now, please take these before they get cold."
After the servant went back down, Seomun Hwi lifted a piece of pork with his chopsticks and placed it in Cheongwol’s bowl.
From the moment the servant had stepped onto the stairs, he had noticed that Cheongwol could not take her eyes off the food.
"Eat while it’s still warm."
---
Outside the window, a cool breeze blew pleasantly, and inside her mouth rich, oily dishes kept disappearing one after another.
"This is the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten."
Cheongwol kept marveling as she moved food nonstop from the plates before her into her bowl.
Given that she had never really eaten proper meals during the years she spent with her grandfather, it was an understandable reaction.
"It seems the food suits your taste. Eat as much as you like."
Seomun Hwi let out a faint laugh as he looked at the growing stack of empty plates, wondering where all that food could possibly fit in such a small body.
Then, pouring tea into her empty cup, he resumed the question he had not quite finished asking the night before.
"Did you learn martial arts from your grandfather?"
"Mm-hm. He started teaching me when I was really, really little."
After rinsing the oil from her mouth with the tea Seomun Hwi had poured, Cheongwol began talking about her childhood spent with her grandfather.
Of course, she left out everything having to do with revenge against the Im family.
"...That’s how it was. It’s not very interesting, is it?"
Cheongwol finished with an awkward smile, but Seomun Hwi shook his head.
"It was a rather interesting story. Especially the part about climbing a cliff several times a day—that’s almost impossible to believe."
"Even now, I still don’t know how I used to climb it. If I went back to that time, I probably couldn’t do it again."
With every word she spoke, her grandfather’s face kept rising before her eyes, and before she knew it, longing had settled over her expression.
"It would have been nice if your grandfather could have come and eaten with us too."
As Cheongwol grew gloomy, Seomun Hwi quietly offered his consolation.
"Doing well for yourself would be the greatest repayment you could ever give your grandfather."
"...Do you think so?"
It was a clumsy comfort, but for some reason Cheongwol felt much better, and a distant, wistful smile touched her lips.
"Then I’ll have to keep eating well and living well from now on. So Grandfather won’t worry."
At that, Seomun Hwi smiled and pointed with his chopsticks at the empty plates stacked beside Cheongwol.
"I don’t think you need to worry about that."
---