Severing Ties

There was one more person in the room, a stranger I had never seen before.

He was the type of person who would stand out no matter where you placed him.

Could he be the Young Guild Leader?

He was wearing silk clothes that looked even better than the ones Father was wearing, a gold chain around his neck, and golden rings on every finger.

Just how much did he love gold? Even his hair was golden.

If so, was he a member of the Imperial family?

Is that why everyone is walking on eggshells around him?

But it was strange.

If he were a member of the Imperial family, he wouldn't need to run something like a merchant guild.

That means he isn't an Imperial, and that hair color wasn't natural, but dyed later.

At least as far as I knew, that wasn't a color one could imitate carelessly.

Yet, none of the adults in the room pointed it out.

Why?

I tried to look at his eyes to see if he was truly an Imperial.

Because golden Dragon Eyes were the symbol of the Imperial family.

However, he was wearing black Aeche, so I couldn't check.

An object that covers the eyes, of all things.

I was taught that it was rude not to show your eyes when dealing with people.

Looking down, he had several jade pendants hanging from his waist.

If he wanted to show his status, one would be enough; why on earth would he carry so many?

Did he have some kind of disease where he had to show off his money?

His sitting posture, his somewhat mocking expression—there wasn't a single thing about him that followed etiquette.

Was he someone who hadn't learned such things from his parents?

It felt strange to see such a person sitting as comfortably as if it were his own room.

The man looked at me and smiled softly.

Seeing that, I got goosebumps and hid behind Father without realizing it.

It was the moment I placed my hand on Father's shoulder to peek over it.

Father flinched slightly.

It was only for a split second, but I definitely felt it.

Knowing that, my mind went blank.

What should I do?

Should I take my hand off?

No, if I take it off, he might feel sad. No, he might dislike it if I keep holding on.

Conflicting thoughts tangled up and made my head a mess, but I decided not to let go.

Because if I let go, I felt like I would truly be alone.

"Young Miss."

The stranger said in a soft voice.

He called me more cautiously than when a servant would, which actually felt bizarre.

"It's our first time meeting like this."

It wasn't a strange thing to say, but perhaps because it came from a strange person, it felt strange.

Does this person know me?

I don't know him; I've never seen him before.

Why is he smiling like that?

It was as if he had been waiting only for this moment.

That smile was scary, so I hid deeper behind Father.

That was when it happened.

"...Greet him, Hwari."

Father said so.

I really didn't want to.

Having to bow to that strange, ill-mannered person.

However, Father placed his hand over mine and spoke again.

"Greet him, Hwari."

Only then did I think I understood why I had been called.

Because a guest had arrived.

Because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I had to show courtesy in front of a guest.

Maybe that's why he called me.

If it was an important guest, I thought that was entirely possible.

Since I kept hiding in the room, he was telling me not to do that. That since a guest had arrived, I should greet him.

It must be that.

It had to be that.

I tightened my sleeve with my left hand so my right arm wouldn't be exposed, walked out slowly from behind Father, and bowed my head.

"I, I am Jeok Hwari..."

It was a small voice, but I still bowed properly.

Because I didn't want to be called ill-mannered by someone like that.

The scary person was still smiling.

"Yes, I know."

My spine turned cold at those words.

He said he knew.

My name?

How? Why? What for?

I was so creeped out I didn't even want to think about it, so I stepped back toward Father.

"Father... may I go now...?"

Father didn't answer and just stared at me quietly.

That silence was strangely unfamiliar.

Mother was keeping her lips tightly pressed together.

Oppa was clenching his fists, and my Eonnis were clinging to each other, shedding tears.

Why?

Why is everyone acting like this?

Did I do something wrong?

"Father?"

I sought Father again out of anxiety, but this time too, no answer returned.

The stranger was still smiling brightly.

I hated that smile so much.

It felt as if the conversation had ended with only me left out.

"Father, I..."

Just as I was about to speak again, Father slowly opened his mouth.

As if he had finished a long deliberation.

"...Hwari. The reason I called you is to introduce you to this person."

Introduction.

If it's an introduction.

"Ah..."

Only then could I understand.

So that was it.

Because he is Father's guest.

Because he is a high-ranking, important person.

That's why he called me to introduce me.

Thinking that, my heart eased a little.

"Then may I go now?"

Instead of an answer, Father squeezed his eyes shut.

I couldn't understand why he was making that expression.

I felt like I had said something wrong for no reason, so I quickly added.

"I, if my greeting wasn't proper, I'll do it again. I'm sorry. I was a little nervous..."

"Hwari."

Father said.

"Yes?"

"...From now on, follow this person."

Follow?

Him?

Why?

I couldn't properly understand his words.

I understood the meaning, but I didn't understand why it was directed at me.

"Yes?"

So, I repeated the same word like an idiot.

I looked at the scary person.

He was still smiling.

"Where to?"

No one answered.

"Why?"

Mother bowed her head.

"When can I come back?"

Still, there was no answer.

I couldn't bear that silence, so I tried to smile.

Hey, there must have been some mistake.

He must have left out something important when he spoke.

There must be more he needed to say but forgot.

He must mean for me to follow him for just a little while.

Perhaps I was going to see a knowledgeable doctor, or maybe he was telling me to stay somewhere else for a while until the house was back to normal.

That was entirely possible.

Those were things that could happen.

So.

Please.

Anyone is fine, please add something to what you said.

"Do I just need to go for a few days?"

My voice started to tremble slightly.

"I'm going to see another house, right?"

Father was still keeping his eyes closed.

"Father?"

At this point, even I could notice that something was going wrong.

"I, I'll stay quietly in my room. I won't even go outside. I'll hide my arm well so it can't be seen. So, Father..."

"Hwari."

I called Father, but the answer came from Mother.

Please.

Please tell me it's not true, Mother.

Tell me I misunderstood, that I'm mistaken.

As if trying to say that, Mother moved her lips a few times.

However, in the end, no words came out.

My eldest Eonni, who was shedding tears, spoke to Father as if she couldn't bear it.

"Father, still, this is..."

Eonni said that and tried to approach me.

As if to hug me.

Right, Eonni? There was some mistake, right?

I was just preparing to be hugged by Eonni.

Mother grabbed Eonni's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wrist.

It wasn't strong, but I could clearly understand the meaning.

Why?

Why are you stopping her?

Am I not allowed to be hugged?

Because I'm dangerous? Or did I commit some wrong? What on earth is the reason?

"I don't want to."

Those words came out without me realizing it.

All eyes in the room gathered on me.

"I, I don't want to. I won't go. I don't want to go. Mother, Father. Eonni, Oppa. I don't want to go."

Not knowing who to rely on, I called everyone as if begging anyone to please respond.

Then, the stranger withdrew his smile a little for the first time.

He was still looking at me, but the black glass beads covered his eyes beyond, so I couldn't tell with what kind of eyes he was looking at me.

Now, I even felt an indescribable fear from him.

"Hwari."

Father said in a low voice.

"It won't be a bad thing for you either."

"How is that not a bad thing?!"

I was surprised even after saying it, realizing I could speak this loudly.

But it wasn't enough to make me stop.

"Why do I have to follow that person?! I don't even know who he is, I want to stay here. I, I haven't done anything wrong!"

"It is for the sake of the family, child."

One of the grandfathers said so.

I looked at him without knowing what expression he was making, but he avoided my gaze when our eyes met.

Even so, Grandfather didn't stop speaking.

"The Jujak family is currently facing great difficulties, child. You saw it too, did..."

"I don't know."

Even knowing that interrupting an elder was rude, I cut him off and shook my head.

"I don't know, no one told me. What is difficult, and what on earth does that have to do with me following that person!"

"...He will take good care of you."

Grandmother chimed in to support Grandfather.

"Since the Young Guild Leader of the Cheongun Merchant Guild said he would take you himself and take the utmost care of you, perhaps it might be a good thing for you."

"So, how is that a good thing!"

I couldn't bear this situation at all, so I screamed.

I know I shouldn't, I know I shouldn't act rudely.

"You're sending me away! You're telling me to leave the house! You're... you're abandoning me!"

My voice was choked with tears, but I had no time to worry about that.

Ignoring everything I had learned until now, I clung to Father.

Not caring that my right arm was exposed, I hugged Father tightly with both arms.

"F, Father. I, if I did something wrong, I'll fix it."

"Hwari."

"Just tell me what I did wrong. Then I'll fix it. If it's because of my arm, I'll make sure it's not seen. I won't go outside. I'll eat just a little. I can use any room. So, so..."

My words tangled.

My breathing became increasingly rapid.

"So, please don't send me away..."

Father didn't remove my hands.

But he didn't hold them either.

That was even more terrible.

"Mother... M, Mom..."

I let go of Father and clung to Mother.

Mother was also shedding tears.

"T, tell Dad, tell him you don't want to send me away, okay? Dad listens to you well, please. I don't want to go."

Mother turned her head and looked elsewhere.

"Oppa..."

Oppa too.

"Eonni...?"

Eonnis too.

No one answered my call.

Not a single person told me it wasn't true.

There are so many family members in the room, but no one held onto me.

...Only then did I think I knew what kind of conversation Father and that person had shared.

It was a story that had already ended before I came in.

I just came to be notified that it had happened.

Where I was going to be sent, into whose hands I was going to be handed over.

To hear that.

My legs gave out.

Still, I didn't fall.

Because if no one caught me even then, I felt like I would truly go crazy.

I barely held on.

I looked at the person I had to follow from now on.

That person was no longer smiling at all.

Instead, he had a troubled face.

I don't know why he was making that face.

I'm the one who wants to cry, who wants to throw a tantrum.

I didn't even want to call that person "that person" anymore.

Why are you making an expression like you're about to cry?

You, you shouldn't be doing that.

But why?

I caught my ragged breath and barely asked.

"I..."

My voice was strange.

It was my voice, but it didn't sound like my voice.

"...Am I being sold?"

"Hwari!"

Mother called my name belatedly.

But that was all.

No one said it wasn't true.

Just from that, I felt like I knew what had happened.

I was sold.

For the sake of the family.

"...Ah."

Ahaha.

It's strange.

Tears should be coming out, but tears wouldn't come.

It felt like something precious inside my chest had been ripped out.

Just a moment ago, I had so much to say, but now, even if I tried to speak, I couldn't think of what to say.

Still, I squeezed out words somehow.

"How much was it?"

Father tried to cut me off as if it were too painful to listen to anymore.

"Hwari."

"I, I asked how much."

"It's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not like that."

"Then what is it?"

No one answered that simple question.

Since there was no way an answer would come, I gave up asking.

Because no matter what I asked, the answer I wanted wouldn't return anyway.

I looked around the room.

Father, Mother, Oppa, Eonnis, Grandmother and Grandfathers, and relatives.

They were all familiar faces.

They were affectionate faces I had seen all my life until now.

Those faces felt so unfamiliar that it made me want to retch.

My exposed right arm felt hot and itchy as if it were burning.

I pressed down on my right arm strongly, as if to crush it.

Is it because of this arm?

Because I became something scary, are they trying to sell me off?

No.

Perhaps, even if it wasn't because of the arm, they might have been able to sell me whenever they needed to.

Maybe I was just a convenient existence that they could call a daughter, but swap for gold if needed.

"I understand."

I didn't know it would come out so easily, but after giving up, I was able to say it surprisingly clearly.

"Hwari."

Only then did Father look at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me, but I didn't look at him.

Because there were no more expectations.

Even if I clung to him, he would eventually try to sell me.

"...My luggage."

My throat was blocked, so I caught my breath and continued speaking.

"Please give me time to pack my things. It won't take long."

As I said, it wouldn't take long.

Because my original room had burned down.

Because most of the things I cherished had become ashes.

Still.

Still, I felt like I had to take at least one thing.

Something that could prove I once lived in the Jujak family.

Anything would do.

Even though I stood up staggering, no one helped me, and no one stopped me.

That was the most sorrowful thing.

Because I realized they really intended to sell me.

"You may take your time preparing."

The stranger said so.

That pathetic consideration couldn't have been more detestable.

Without answering or looking at him, I staggered out of the detached quarters.

The sunlight outside is so dazzling.

Even now, when I look around, memories of running and playing come to mind vividly.

Thinking that it was no longer my home, I felt like I was going to vomit.

Just a moment ago, I was happy that Mother had come to call me.

I believed that everything would be okay now.

...It seems my belief was just a lump of ashes clumped together.

Since it crumbled without a sound.