A Slur at the Accessory Shop
Hwacheok girls were said to have nimble fingers... The face-washing ceremony. It was a kind of initiation rite. After new officials treated their seniors to food and drink in a welcoming feast, the rookies endured all sorts of hazing under the pretext of breaking their spirit. Getting ink scribbled on your face was child's play; beatings were standard, and some were doused in filth, forced to drink piss-laced booze, or made to guzzle liquor until they dropped dead. Now that I'd entered the military academy, it was time to go through this face-washing crap and other bullshit hazing. That must've been the secret mission the Crown Prince mentioned.
"Kuhuhu."
"Master? What's gotten into you?"
"Ah, sorry. It's nothing."
King Sejong himself. King Sejong needed me! He gave me a direct order! Secretly! Through the Crown Prince! Top secret! Kuoooooh! Patriotism surging!
"Kuhuhuhu."
"Aigoo. Master must be really worn out. Best to leave him be in times like these."
Eori and Takji, who'd come along with me, stared at me like I'd lost my mind. I understood them completely. After all, I was the guy handpicked for a secret mission by King Sejong!
"Ah, but is this the place?"
No matter how hyped I was, I hadn't forgotten where we were headed. With the king's blessing—King Sejong's, no less—for my marriage to Eori, all that was left was to head home and tie the knot. And for the wedding, we'd need proper gifts, of course. A spear and a netsuke weren't gonna cut it, so here we were at the accessory shop with Eori and Takji in tow.
"Yes, Master. As you can see, they sell lots of hairpins and rings here."
"Mm. They got a nice selection of pretty ones."
The accessory shop selling women's jewelry stood out from the entrance. Sparkling silver rings and hairpins were casually displayed on the street, guarded by just one old man.
"Huh?"
The old man, who'd been spacing out on a wooden chair, looked up at us. His gaze lingered especially on tall, dark-skinned Eori before he drawled out a greeting in a bored tone.
"Pick whatever catches your eye."
His attitude rubbed me the wrong way, but I ignored it and turned to Eori.
"Eori, anything you like?"
"Uh, um, well..."
Looking a bit flustered, Eori chewed her thumbnail as she eyed the accessories. Her focused expression was so cute it brought a smile to my face.
"Th-this one, please!"
After barely ten seconds of deliberation, Eori pointed to an accessory. Not a flashy silver one, but a neat wooden hairpin engraved with simple patterns.
"Oh, yeah? Alright. Hey, old man, we'll take this one."
I knew she'd picked it with my wallet in mind, but I pretended not to notice.
"Sure thing. Here's your change. One nyang even."
"Here you go."
"Heh, thanks much. Come again."
The old man finally stood, swapping the wooden hairpin for the nyang. I took the unpinned accessory and handed it straight to Eori.
"Nice pick—looks pretty."
"Heehee. Yes, thank you, Master."
"Now let's pick something even prettier."
"Pardon?"
"There's gotta be more stuff inside, right?"
Seizing Eori's surprised moment, I moved to head into the shop. The old man rushed over in a panic to block me.
"Whoa, whoa! Sir! Sir! You can't just go in there!"
"Huh? Why not?"
"It's, uh, y'see, folks ain't supposed to go back there...!"
The old man hemmed and hawed, averting his eyes. His gaze flicked toward Eori—Eori with her distinctly dark Hwacheok skin.
"A Hwacheok girl goin' in to touch stuff... it just ain't right."
"What's wrong with touching?"
"Ah, well, y'see, Hwacheok girls got nimble fingers..."
"Pardon?"
"L-lady! I meant lady! Slip of the tongue! Heh heh. S-sorry 'bout that."
"'Girl'? 'Hwacheok girl'? I heard that right, didn't I? You said Hwacheok girl?"
"S-s-sir!"
I debated decking him first, but Eori hurried over to hold me back.
"M-Master! I'm fine! Why make a fuss like this?"
"This guy's calling you that crap."
"I'm truly fine! And this hairpin is luxury enough for me!"
I could make a wooden hairpin like that myself. She'd picked it because she liked it and to show we were customers. But getting treated like thieves instead...!
"What's going on here?"
Just then, two burly men and a hat-wearing fellow like me emerged from the back of the shop. The hat guy, who seemed high up in the place, shot us a sharp look.
"You know what happens if you cause trouble here, hmm?"
The hat guy trailed off mid-sentence, his face twisting. Then he bowed low in greeting.
"Aigoo! Greetings! You're Chaekho Boy Kim Si-jin, aren't you, sir?"
"You know me?"
"Of course! I paid my respects last time! Don't you remember me?"
"Uh, well..."
"Haha! There were so many people then! No worries, don't sweat it! So, what brings you to chew out one of our lowly staff?"
He must've been one of the folks who'd come to greet me before. Thinking this might smooth things over, I spilled what had happened.
"Hmmm..."
The man scowled and glared at the old man, who knelt in confusion and apologized.
"Forgive me, sir! I had no idea you were that person—such rudeness on my part!"
"So it's okay to say that to everyone else?"
"N-no, sir! I swear I'll never do it again!"
"Yeah? You won't, right?"
"Yes, yes! I won't! If I do, may my hands rot off!"
"Then why tell me that?"
"Huh?"
"Why say that to me, huh?"
I stepped aside from the bewildered old man. Realizing his proper target at last, the old man crawled over on his knees to apologize.
"Forgive me, miss! Just this once!"
"Y-yes, uh, well..."
Eori furrowed her brow, looking troubled by his desperate plea. She glanced at my nodding approval, then squatted down to his level. Facing him, she whispered softly with a smile.
"..."
We were a bit apart, the street noisy, and her voice so quiet I couldn't make out the words. But the old man's reaction told me plenty.
"Y-yes! Yesyesyes! Sorry! So sorry, miss! Sorry!"
"Heeheehee. No need. Just don't let it happen again."
"Yes, yes! I'll stake my life on it! P-please!"
"Heeheeheehee. Why say such things? Now, up you get."
"Hiiik?!"
As Eori reached to help him up, the old man freaked out and toppled backward. She watched him with a smile, then stood.
Unable to hold back my curiosity, I asked,
"Eori, what'd you say to him?"
"Want to hear it?"
"...No."
"Heehee. As wise as ever, Master."
I knew it already. Eori was a sweet pushover around me, but she could turn scarier than a tiger with anyone else.
"Intestines...! Offal...! Hide...!"
Takji must've caught a bit of what she said. His face drained pale as he muttered butcher-shop threats.
What the hell did she say? I was curious but didn't want to know. Shoving that truth aside, I turned to the shop staff.
The one who'd recognized me beamed and asked,
"Care to see the goods? After this unpleasantness, we'll give you a special discount!"
"No reason not to, then. Alright, Eori, Takji—let's go."
"Heehee. Yes, Master."
"M-M-Master... wait for me...!"
As always, sunny-smiled Eori and the more terrified-than-usual Takji followed me in.
The inner shop, reached through that bumpy ordeal, was decked out in accessories everywhere.
"Whoaaa...!"
Eori's eyes went wide at the sparkling trinkets. Her gaping mouth showed she was a girl after all—loving shiny things.
"Captain."
The hat guy sidled up beside me, plastered on a smile.
"Looking for anything specific? What's your budget? Just say the word."
"Can you do rings?"
"Rings? Ah, you mean matching ones? Of course. What's the lady's personal color?"
"Personal color?"
"Like how clothes suit different people. Colors match skin tones—we call it personal color."
Personal color analysis in Joseon?!
"No worries if you don't know. I'll handle it. Matching for your fiancée, right? This way."
Personal colors in Joseon era—threw me for a loop. The hat guy led me and starry-eyed Eori to a corner.
"Here we have gold and silver. They look similar at a glance, but miss—what do you think? All the same to your eyes?"
"How could they all be the same?"
They're all different? The display had gold and silver chunks embedded in pieces. To me, it was just gold or silver.
"Allow me. Sir, your hand?"
"Uh, sure."
"Comparing directly like this..."
He picked up gold bits with tongs, holding them to my hand, swapping with others.
Finally,
"You're a cool winter type, sir. Pure silver suits you best."
Actual personal color?!
"And the miss here is a warm summer. Pure gold would suit her better than silver."
"Heehee. Summer like Master."
"Uh, yeah... sure."
Personal colors in Joseon threw me, but we got matching rings for Eori and me. Sized perfectly for the left ring finger, naturally.