Whispers Over the Wall
Heeheehee. I wanted to hear my lord's voice.
"……"
I jolted awake from a sound sleep, my eyes snapping open. Still groggy, I stared blankly at the dim ceiling for a moment before remembering our promise. I slipped out of bed as quietly as possible, not even rustling the blankets. Creeping to the window, I carefully removed the insulating shutters without a sound and peered through the dark paper screen. Thank goodness. I hadn't missed it.
Relieved, I replaced the shutters and began preparing to leave. I threw on a thick winter coat and rummaged through its pockets. My fingers brushed against a piece of paper—today's diary entry, now turned into a letter for Eori. Sneaking out at night in Joseon was dangerous. Just in case, I grabbed my bow and arrows, slipped a thumb ring onto my left thumb, and finished gearing up.
From there, it was all tension. I stepped onto the porch, put on my shoes, and slipped out the gate without letting my guard down for a second.
"Haaaah, fuuuu……!"
The moment I passed through the gate, a wave of liberation hit me like my first leave from the army. Just one wall between me and inside—what a difference it made. I savored the free night air before setting off. My destination, of course, was Eori's house.
Midnight in Hwacheok Village felt both silent and noisy. Sharp winter winds rattled bare branches, and from far off came the familiar yet annoying cry of some animal.
Kyaaaoooo! Kyaaaoooo!
That damn roe deer bastard! One of these days, I'm gonna catch 'em and shoot the lot.
Griping inwardly, I kept walking. When I reached Eori's house, I called out in a voice just loud enough to carry.
"Eori? Eori?"
"……Heeheehee."
"Guh?!"
A chilling laugh erupted from the darkness, startling me half to death. I barely stifled a scream and called out to its source.
"Eori."
"Heehee. Did I scare you, my lord?"
Eori poked her head over the wall from where she'd been hiding, waiting for me. Even in the pitch-black new moon night, her pretty face stood out clearly.
"Sorry. I was late, huh?"
"Heehee. No, my lord. I just got here myself."
"Liar. Give me your hand."
"Pardon?"
"Hand. Now."
"Y-yes, my lord."
Eori stretched her arm over the wall. The hand I clasped was ice-cold.
"Sorry, Eori. You must've been freezing."
"N-no, my lord. Thinking of you kept me warm."
"I'm really sorry."
"I'm fine, my lord. But if you keep apologizing, I'll go back inside. Please stop."
"Got it. I won't. But doesn't your arm hurt?"
"Pardon? No, it doesn't."
"Then I'll keep holding it like this?"
"……Yes, my lord."
Eori's voice brimmed with obvious joy moments later. Rubbing her chilled hand as we braved the cold wind, I whispered,
"Eori. What'd you do today?"
"Just stayed home, my lord. Oh, I heard—you got another royal decree? Is it true?"
"Of course. But Eori, the king took our tiger skin."
"Heehee. Yes, I heard. His Majesty gave you a matchlock and sword in exchange."
"What? You heard everything? Then why ask?"
"Heeheehee. I wanted to hear your voice, my lord."
"……!"
God, she's too cute. Where's the tall, glamorous tanned beauty? She's just like the little girl from back then.
"My lord?"
"Oh, sorry. Was just thinking how pretty you are."
"Aaaang. My loooord."
"Okay, sorry. Wait—no more sorrys. You're not heading home, right?"
"Heehee. No, my lord. Oh, this hand's cold too."
Maybe her arm was getting sore from holding it up; Eori switched, pulling back her right hand and offering her left. I warmed it with both of mine and started sharing my thoughts from earlier.
"Eori. You heard that too, right? The king summoning me to Hanyang."
"Yes, my lord. I'm jealous. I want to go to Hanyang too……."
"I wanna go with you. Later. After the wedding, we can honeymoon there."
"Pardon? What's a honeymoon?"
"Uh, well. Newlyweds traveling around. Hold on, listen."
"Yes, my lord."
"See, when spring comes and the weather warms up, that's when I'll head to Hanyang. I'll meet the king and ask him to let us wed."
"!"
Eori's hand trembled in mine. After a few seconds, her shaky voice came.
"I-is that okay, my lord? For something like th-that……!"
"It's not 'something like that.' Marrying you is the most important thing to me."
"B-but, my lord."
"With the king's permission, your parents, my mom, even Kim Jin-sa can't object. Just wait a bit longer. Okay?"
"Y-yes……! My lord……! Sniff!"
"Huh? Eori? Are you crying?"
"N-no, I'm not……!"
"Yeah, doesn't look like it."
"Aaaang!"
The moment she denied it, she whined like a spoiled child—just as I'd hoped. I said what I'd been thinking.
"You're too pretty. How can even your crying face be cute?"
"No! My lord!"
"Shh! Shhh!"
"Y-yes. Sorry, my lord. Heeheehee……."
Laughter now mixed with her voice instead of tears. Pleased, I stroked her hand, then remembered why I'd come.
"Oh, right. Eori, I wrote you a letter. Here."
"Aang, I don't want it."
"Huh?"
"If I take it, you'll go home, won't you? I don't want it."
Ugh! So cute! Whoever marries Eori is one lucky guy!
Oh, wait—that's me!
Dreaming of the day we'd meet without a wall between us, I handed over the letter. Eori hesitated a few times before taking it, then passed her prepared reply over the wall.
"Heehee. My lord, I wrote how much I think of you."
"Thanks, Eori. I'll read it on the way home."
"Don't. It's dangerous."
"It's fine. I'm Chaekho—"
Clatter!
"!"
"!"
A noise from somewhere made Eori and me freeze in tension. I released her hand and glared toward the sound.
"Eori. Go inside."
"My lord?"
"Now!"
It'd been less than a month since I killed the tiger here—no way another had moved in already. Still, I nocked an arrow quietly. Creaaak……! The bow groaned as I drew it. Ready to fire at any moment, I crept forward carefully.
What is it? What the hell?
Mountain beast? Hope it's a leopard. I could bag it, report it, and throw in our story for good measure.
Even as happy thoughts raced, I stayed alert. When I reached the spot……
"What?"
Nothing. No beast, not even a stray dog. Disappointed, I scanned around and slowly eased the bowstring.
"My lord? Are you okay?"
Still wary, I circled back to Eori, checking for blind spots.
"Eori, I told you to go inside."
"How could I leave you alone, my lord? I'd be hurt."
"It's dangerous. What if it's a leopard or something?"
"If it's another leopard, you'll catch it, my lord. You got a matchlock today, after all."
Look at her, talking like it's someone else's problem. Annoyed, I flicked an arrow lightly at her head visible over the wall.
Thwack!
"Ow! My lord!"
"Quiet. You'll wake the adults."
"Eeeeng."
"Don't pout. It's cute."
"Heeheehee."
She grumbled at the sting but smiled at "cute." Maybe that's Eori's biggest charm.
"Go in already. It's cold."
"Heehee. Yes, my lord. You go home safely too."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow, Eori."
"Heeheehee. Until tomorrow, my lord."
"……Not going?"
"I'll go once I see you off, my lord."
"That's why you need to go first. I'm cold."
"Heehee. Alright."
Eori finally turned and headed inside. The moment her door shut, I spun around and muttered low.
"Hey. Come out."
No one emerged. Not from the shadowed wall under faint moonlight, nor the corner perfect for hiding, nor the alley where the noise came from.
"Ha, fuck. Not coming out?"
Amused, I nocked another arrow and drew, glaring.
"Hey. Come out now, and I'll let you off with one arrow."
I swept my gaze over the dark wall base, alley corner, the noisy alley, even the roofs. Slowly releasing the string.
"Guess it's really nothing."
Probably just the wind. I stowed the arrow and headed home, looking forward to Eori's letter.
Th-that crazy bastard. Are all Joseon guys that nuts? Muttering to himself like a loon. Almost got shot.
Should I just bail? Damn it. The sergeant said he'd skin me alive if I came back empty-handed.
Grrrrowl!
Ugh, starving. Cold and hungry. This is when a ger on the plains with a fire pit hits different. How'd I end up captured in Joseon……!