Heart-Pounding Brawl at Cheong-un-ru
It's a heart-pounding situation no matter who sees it, right? "Cheong-wol! You bitch! How dare a wench like you ignore me! Where are you? Get out here and kneel in apology!"
A commotion erupted from the side gate we'd passed on our way into Cheong-un-ru. We all stopped drinking and turned to look. The gisaengs with us whipped their heads around too, and even Cheong-wol and Cheong-yeon, who had been walking away, glanced back.
"Hey, you!" Cheong-hyang, the gisaeng sitting beside me, called out to the guard standing at the only entrance to Cheong-un-ru. "Hey! Find out what's causing this ruckus!"
"Y-yes!" The guard nodded hurriedly, flustered, and hurried off. Cheong-hyang watched him go, then flashed us a bright smile to reassure us.
"Hee hee hee. Don't mind it. Some guy's making a scene to see Cheong-wol—happens once a day around here."
For something that routine, the other gisaengs looked pretty rattled. Still, whatever. It wasn't our business or mine. The shop's drama was the shop's problem; ours was just knocking back drinks before heading out. Actually, maybe it was time to go? We'd been treated royally enough. We'd even seen Cheong-un-gak's star gisaeng, Cheong-wol. Plus, I had no intention of doing anything to betray Eori. Just finish this glass, then suggest to the hyungs that we call it a night.
Crash!
...Or so I'd thought. Five seconds ago.
The side gate the guard had headed toward burst open like an explosion. Someone kicked the rebounding door wide and stormed in—a bald head shaved like a monk's, skin black as midnight, a hulking build rivaling my father-in-law or Jeong Hyeon-beom, and teeth and eyes gleaming unnaturally white in the dim light.
"A black guy?"
Why the hell was a black man in Joseon?
The intruder was, no doubt about it, a black man. What the...? Some over-the-top PC stunt with a black Hong Gil-dong? Or a slave brought through trade?
"Wh-what?"
"What is that? A goblin?"
"Doesn't look human."
He is human!
The gisaengs and hyungs muttered in shock at the sudden appearance of this black stranger.
"...Heh heh."
The black man scanned the room, then grinned at us and waved. Seemed like he wasn't a bad guy at heart.
"Young masters! Over here! Me! This seat!"
But he was giving off major "good kid gone wrong" vibes, which was the problem.
"Cheong-wol! Cheong-wol! There you are, you bitch!"
The one yelling wasn't some whip-cracking white plantation owner—it was an ordinary scholar. He glared at Cheong-wol, who stood at the Cheong-un-ru entrance.
"Cheong-wol! You bitch! What gives you the right? What makes a wench like you toy with me like this!"
Clear case of a guy smitten by Cheong-wol and shot down.
"Hey, you!"
After ranting at her, he glanced over his shoulder and bellowed.
"Drag that insolent Cheong-wol bitch over here right now!"
"Yes!"
"Got it!"
"Right away!"
The black man wasn't alone. Three more in shabby hanbok shuffled out and advanced on Cheong-wol. This was anything but normal.
"M-my lord...!"
Cheong-hyang wore the most genuine expression I'd seen on her yet—face drained pale, eyes trembling as she pleaded with me for help. Me, who'd racked up merits since childhood and topped the mugwa.
I couldn't just sit there. I stood up.
"Hey! Lady Cheong-wol! Get over here and take cover!"
"We'll protect you!"
I'd stood, but I hadn't yelled for her to come. That was Jeong Hyeon-beom and So Ji-hu.
"Ha ha! Si-jin, my man! Let's go!"
The bear of a man lumbered to his feet and charged over. Thwack!
"Wh-whoa?! Hyung?!"
He grabbed my nape like a kitten and dragged me toward Cheong-wol.
"Hyung! Let go! I can walk myself!"
"Ha ha ha! Lady Cheong-wol! I'm coming!"
"Ugh, seriously! It's not me going—it's us going!"
I yelled at him hogging all the glory. Then I shouted at Cheong-wol and Cheong-yeon heading back to Cheong-un-ru.
"Hurry inside and take cover!"
"Th-thank you...!"
As they retreated, one guard tried blocking the black men.
"Hey now! You lot! Do you know where you are, causing this uproar? Get out!"
"Shut it!" Thud! "Urk!"
But one punch from a black man sent him clutching his face to the floor.
"Hey, Si-jin!"
Jeong Hyeon-beom finally released me at the bridge-like entrance to Cheong-un-ru. He eyed the approaching black men with excited glee, loosening up and divvying up the foes.
"The two on the left are mine! The two on the right are yours!"
"Think about my size! You take three, I take one!"
"Fine. But the biggest one's yours!"
"Ugh, come on!"
What the hell—drinking one minute, brawling the next! I grumbled even as my heart pounded with thrill. The booze had numbed my reason. Not a bad feeling, though. Teaming up with a buddy to rescue a beauty. Heart-pounding, right?
"Kuh ha ha ha! Come on, you bastards!"
"You're the one calling them—why're you charging?!"
Jeong Hyeon-beom couldn't contain himself and rushed the black men. Trying to look cool for Cheong-wol, maybe?
Crack!
Nope, my mistake. He thundered forward on those bear legs, spun clockwise in front of one black man, and whipped a high kick into his face at full spin speed.
"Hup! Ha! Hoo!"
Snap! Pow! Thwack!
Every time he spun with a kiai, impossible meaty impacts echoed.
"Huuu...!"
Finally planting both feet, most of the black men lay sprawled.
"Hyung?! What about that one?!"
One left.
"Ha ha! Can't let me have all the glory! That one's yours, as promised!"
"Just take him! I don't care!"
"How can you say that? Hey! He's your opponent!"
"Ugh, hyung!"
He even beckoned the biggest brute toward me.
"Uh, huh? Huh?"
The last black man seemed baffled by Jeong Hyeon-beom too. He blinked wide-eyed between us, then finally lumbered my way.
No! Finish what you start! What the hell!
I griped but locked eyes on him without blinking.
"Raaargh!"
Lowering like a bull to ram me with his shoulder, he charged. I went limp, bracing for impact.
Thud!
Even braced, it hurt. But in that split-second airborne, I clamped my legs around his waist.
Boom!
"Urk!"
He crashed back-first, the shock rattling my guts. Coughing through pain, I snaked one arm around his nape, lifted his chin, and locked in a guillotine choke.
"Guhk, kuh, grrk...!"
Trapped, he bucked wildly. Raw power that'd break free any second. I poured everything into cinching it tight.
"Wh-whoa! Si-jin! Sorry! I'll help!"
"Kyaa! My lord!"
"You okay?!"
To the onlookers, I looked pinned and losing. Fair enough—rammed flying, now trapped under him.
"I'm f-fine...! No h-help n-needed...!"
I signaled through my trembling, straining voice.
"Nngh."
Seconds later, he went limp—out cold.
"Ugh, heavy. Move, damn it."
I shoved the corpse-like bulk off and laid him flat. Checked his breathing, then stood with a flourish.
"Phew! Thought I was done for. I'm good. Totally fine. Not hurt."
Truth? Hurt a bit. My back throbbed like a bruise from the fall. But I played it cool, straightening my clothes.
"Ha ha ha! Si-jin, you really know how to scare folks!"
Jeong Hyeon-beom laughed heartily at my win, slapping my back repeatedly.
Smack! Smack!
"Ow! Ah! Hyung! That hurts!"
"You sons of—!"
The black men's impact had made me forget the ringleader.
"Do you know who I am to treat me so rudely? Kneel and beg forgiveness!"
Seeing his thugs neatly dispatched should've scared him, but nope. Reeking of booze, he strode forward. Looked like some highborn brat. Things might get messy. I asked Jeong Hyeon-beom.
"Hyung. What now?"
"Ha ha! See? One wasn't enough for you!"
"Wasn't asking if I could hit him."
I wanted to, though.
"Wait a sec. Hyung'll handle it."
Hyung? So Ji-hu, maybe?
"What's all this commotion?"
So Ji-hu, who'd hidden in Cheong-un-ru the whole time, crossed the bridge. His eyes glinted coldly, unlike his usual demeanor.
"You bastards! Think I'll let you off? When I say the word, you'll—"
"And what exactly will you do?"
So Ji-hu cut off the scholar's roar. Hands behind back, he strolled up casually.
"Behead us? Have us rolled out on mats? Order us hanged? What'll it be?"
"H-how dare you! Do you know who I—"
"Who are you? Which house's brat are you, to raise hell like this in a gisaeng house?"
"I-I...!"
"Choose your words carefully. You don't even know who we are."
"I-I! I'm! I'm...!"
Thought he was the shining star? The scholar stammered, backing away. Voices called from around the gisaeng house, searching for him and his black men. Cornered, he kicked viciously at the sprawled thugs.
"You bastards! Get up!"
The ones Jeong Hyeon-beom downed groaned, clutching themselves as they rose. Mine stirred too.
"F-fine, we'll retreat for today! Cheong-wol! See you soon!"
Spouting third-rate villain lines, he fled the way he came. His black men staggered after.
"Hey, you."
So Ji-hu lightly swung at Jeong Hyeon-beom.
"Can't just beat people that easily."
"They charged first."
"You charged first, idiot."
"But I did good, right?"
"Ha! Damn right you did."
Now I got it. Why they stuck together. Jeong Hyeon-beom causes trouble, So Ji-hu cleans up. Like now.
"And you, Si-jin."
After scolding Jeong Hyeon-beom, So Ji-hu turned to me, frowning but smirking faintly.
"What am I supposed to do with you too?"
"No, it was Jeong Hyeon-beom hyung who...!"
"You stood up first out of all of us, you fool."
A bit unfair getting chewed out by So Ji-hu, but kinda nice too. Felt like we'd bonded.
"You smiling right now?"
"No, hyung."
I turned away to hide my grin, pretending to check Cheong-un-ru. The gisaengs clustered, staring at us—some blushing, some pale, some frowning. One gaze lingered on me especially. Cheong-yeon, the girl Cheong-wol had introduced. Her eyes sparkled like stars in the sky.
I ignored the prickling stare and went to the guard who'd eaten a punch.
With that, the gisaeng house incident seemed wrapped up for now.