A Rainy Day Shave
Watching Madam at work, it felt even more outlandish than anything in Hanyang. It had been over a week since we'd last seen a blue sky. The relentless downpour from thick rain clouds felt like iron bars caging us in. Amid those raindrops, the faint sound of a blade being whetted echoed softly.
Shing, shing, shing. Eori sat on the wooden floor, honing the knife with practiced ease. Each time the gleaming silver blade grazed the cowhide, it let out a sharp rasp.
"……."
Eori paused, inspecting the blade closely—checking for uneven spots, bends, or dull edges. Her cool, focused gaze on the knife was almost sexy. I swallowed dryly, using my arm as her pillow while she lay beside me.
"Heehee. My lord, it's ready."
She flashed her usual bright smile and brought the mirror-shiny blade to my throat.
"Whoa, no, hold on. Eori."
The chill of the edge made my body stiffen. I hurriedly stopped her as she moved to start.
"Eori. Foam. Foam. Foam."
"Oh, I forgot."
She set the blade aside right away, and I could finally breathe.
"It's my first time doing this to a person, so I slipped up."
"Y-yeah. No rush—take it slow."
"Heeheehee. But you seem more nervous than me, my lord."
Still in the heart of the rainy season, her smile made me think the clouds had already parted. Though the sight of her grinning with a razor-sharp knife in hand was a tad unnerving.
"Uh, Geum-ok!"
I called out to Geum-ok, who'd gone to the kitchen to check the boiling water. As I started to sit up, her reply came.
"Coming right out! Just a moment, please!"
"No, no! It's fine—I'll get it!"
"No, sir! On my way!"
Before I could step down from the floor, Geum-ok emerged from the kitchen. Steam rose gently from the bowl she carried in both hands.
"Here—hot water and a clean cloth, Madam."
Geum-ok placed the steaming bowl and draped cloth on the floor.
"Thanks, Geum-ok. Now go rest."
For a second, with that knife in Eori's hand, it felt like she was telling Geum-ok to rest in peace at the graveside. Seeing Eori set the blade down eased my mind as I picked up a small dish. I scooped warm water from the bowl into it, pinched some yellowish powder, and dissolved it in.
I whisked it gently with a bamboo frother, just enough to avoid splashing. The soap powder turned sticky as foam built up. I kept going until it was thick and creamy.
"Madam, what are you doing?"
Geum-ok climbed onto the floor, frowning in confusion. I dampened a cloth with warm water and replied.
"Oh, just shaving my beard."
My age: sixteen. A bit late to start shaving, but stroking my chin and upper lip now revealed coarser stubble than before. Folks around me smiled approvingly, saying I was starting to look like a man. But for someone used to a clean-shaven modern life, it felt grimy.
Then I recalled Eori tanning hides—smoothly shaving dense fur with a sharp blade. Perfect timing with the rainy season leaving us idle, the ondol heated to dry out the room's dampness, and water already boiling. Ideal for a shave.
Eori nodded readily to my request. The Hwacheok had a custom of closely cropping body hair for better hunting success—probably to minimize scent. Good enough? Yeah, that should do. I set the small dish aside once the foam was right.
I soaked a clean cloth in warm water and carefully laid it over my face. Then I reclined, using Eori's thigh as a pillow.
"Watching you, Madam, it seems even more bizarre than Hanyang."
Geum-ok's voice drifted in as the steam towel softened my skin. With just my nose uncovered, I could meet her eyes and chat.
"Hard to find someone as handsome as me in Hanyang, right?"
Geum-ok's face soured instantly. She couldn't outright disagree with her master, so she forced a grin and nodded.
"Ehehe. W-well, yeah, I suppose."
"If not, just say no."
"No, sir."
She just said no! Not exactly proper for a servant, but I wasn't offended—amused, even.
"Eori, what do you think?"
I glanced up at her, hiding my smirk with the towel. But her face was out of sight. My view was half-blocked by the eaves—and an overwhelmingly voluptuous mountain range.
Damn. For real. I sure know how to pick 'em.
"Heehee. My lord is truly handsome."
"Yeah. You're beautiful too."
"Heeheehee."
Her smile was hidden too, just like mine. No real regret there. The pattering rain, Eori's soft thigh, her gentle giggles drifting in. I didn't even envy the newly crowned king. Being king probably meant nonstop work anyway—no real envy.
I let the cloth cool a bit longer before removing it. As I moved to apply the foam, Eori's hand on my shoulder stopped me.
"My lord, let me do it. How should I go about it?"
No reason not to—it was just slathering on foam—so I lay back down.
"That foam there? Use the frother to cover my chin, upper lip, and cheeks."
"Yes, right away."
Eori took the small dish as instructed, caressing my skin with the frother to spread the foam. It had cooled a touch, feeling slightly chilly. Once done, she picked up the knife after the frother.
"Excuse me... here goes......!"
She murmured cautiously, bringing the blade to my skin. I swallowed involuntarily as the sharp edge touched my neck. Regretting asking her for a second, but unlike my nerves, the blade gently stroked my skin, shaving the whiskers.
Scrape, scrape. The soft sound mingled with the rain. Her warm breath followed, sweetly tickling my freshly shaved skin.
"Hm? My lord, why are you smiling?"
"Nah, just feels like a good dream."
"Heeheehee. Don't move......!"
She resumed after a brief smile. Her smooth, delicate strokes left no sting on my skin.
Hm. But... feeling so relaxed, with the blade at my throat, my eyes kept drooping.
"My lord, is it uncomfortable?"
Her unintended ASMR only weighed my eyelids heavier.
"Heeheehee. Are you sleepy, my lord?"
I had no idea how she knew, but she giggled.
"Yeah......"
Oh, right—something popped into my head, chasing sleep away.
"Eori."
"Yes, my lord?"
"You know this shaving thing."
"Yes, go on."
"Can't you handle it from now on? At least while I'm home."
"Heehee, I'd love to."
"But, uh, could we skip the topknot? Maybe?"
"……."
"Eori?"
"......My lord?"
Her voice after the silence was gentle yet somehow chilling.
"Why would you say such a thing?"
"N-no, it's just."
"Who decided to tie your topknot? Which woman?"
"Wait, Eori. It's not like that."
She'd misunderstood—thinking I wanted her for shaves but another woman for topknots. The blade at my throat felt ice-cold. Staying calm, I hurriedly explained.
"Long hair in a topknot isn't hygienic. Fine if managed daily at home, but imagine me as a military officer on campaign. Can't maintain it like now."
"……."
No reply. Her silence urged me on, so I continued.
"Plus, at the military academy, they'll make us cut our hair. Then you couldn't tie it, and it'd bum you out. That's why I'm saying this—not 'cause some other woman."
"......Really?"
"Yeah, really. Why would I let anyone but you touch me?"
"True enough."
Whew—no brothel talk. Good.
Scrape, scrape. Her doubts cleared, Eori resumed shaving.
"In that case."
She dipped the foamy blade in warm water, rinsed it, flicked off the droplets, and continued while asking.
"Shaving is my job, then?"
"Y-yeah. If you don't want to, I can do it."
"No. My lord's beard is mine. Forever mine."
Shaving, right? Yeah? Has to be.
"Phew!"
A sigh came from my feet. I'd forgotten Geum-ok was there.
"If I'd known you'd go like this, I'd have played with Eun-ok instead."
"Geum-ok."
Eori lifted the knife from my chin and offered it to her—handle first.
"Want to try?"
"Huh?"
Forever yours?
"Me?"
Geum-ok's eyes widened in surprise, like mine. She subtly lifted her lips—wanting to?—but pointed to her chest and asked again.
"You're talking to me?"
"You look like you want to. Do you?"
"Uh, well......"
Geum-ok glanced between us, trailing off. After seconds of thought, she answered.
"No. Isn't tidying Madam's beard the principal wife's duty? How could I covet that?"
"Really?"
Eori didn't press, putting the knife away and resuming my shave.
"Phewww......!"
Geum-ok sighed differently now—relieved, like she'd guessed right.
"Yeah, exactly. Geum-ok."
Eori kept trimming without looking up.
"I'll handle my lord's beard, so you prep and clean up after? What do you think?"
"Yes, yes! Gladly!"
Geum-ok beamed, thrilled with shave prep and cleanup.
Their exchange felt loaded with meaning I didn't grasp, but drowsiness returned, burying it deep in my mind.