Body & Soul 🇰🇷 Part 1

Chapter 8: Kang Da-In

I tried all the time to get my family to pay more visits to the Nam's as much as they could when we weren't so busy travelling for my father's work. It took me forever to convince them to buy a permanent home near them...we were gone most of the year but as soon as we reached home I always ran to my room and laid out the outfits I wanted Seon-Ho to see me in. I had been collecting the trendy type of clothing that most men liked to see women wear and I was wealthy enough to buy them in different colours. I started ripping all of my outfits from my wardrobe as I started pairing them with new shoes and accessories I had just bought from the northern province. I felt the adrenaline flowing through me as I ran the material through my hands, hoping that he would like it. I hadn't seen him for so long...and I know that once he saw me dressed up just for him he would forget all about that gold-digging harlot.

I got so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't even hear my mother calling for me. I hurried out to the front courtyard and I ran outside in an unfashionably manner. Women were not supposed to run so I got a real lecture from my mother...but it was well worth it. They were so focused on the proper image and walked as if they were taking a leisurely stroll. I was complete on edge by the time that they arrived, what seemed like hours later. I kept my composure as I greeted his highly esteemed father as we made small talk before they all left for dinner and I set out to find my love Seon-Ho...only to bump into my cousin Chun-Ae, the scullery maid.

I tried with all my might to keep my composure around her but it was just so damned hard...It was embarrassing that my father still kept his relations with his foolish sister. She ran away from my grandfather to marry a man who caused his own family to fall into ruin by high gambling debts. His family was sent into exile after he killed himself causing all debts to be placed on my aunt who served at gibangs for the rest of her miserable life...until she was raped, murdered and her body was found floating in the river a few years ago...well, that was the official story anyways. Chun-Ae was lucky to find work as a maid...even if it was in my lover's home. That was the only thing I envied about her, but I couldn't let it show...she had just better keep her filthy claws away from my man.

But before I had time to even talk to her finally saw him at long last; my god the sight of him was so breath-taking. He had most definitely been keeping up with his training...goodness look at his muscles! And how tall he had gotten! His pitch black leg hair only defined his chiselled facial featured a lot more. And how...hang on...what was he doing? Was he...wasn't that the girls quarters? Why was he...watching her like that? He was peeking through her door ever so slightly with such...enthralment he kept clenching and unclenching his hands and...he kept rocking himself on the spot...what the hell was going on?

"Orobani?" I asked tentatively, but not before I straightened my outfit and accessories out, waiting for his reaction...but he didn't even hear me. I called out to him a few times but he still didn't notice. I was starting to loose my confidence...but I had planned todays visit for such a long time! How can I possibly just give up now. I edged my way towards him but..."Orobani? Are you ok? Who's calling for you?" I heard an annoyingly honey sweet voice come from the room and he almost fell back on himself before trying to straighten himself out with just as much urgency as I did. He still ignored me totally as he tried to put some distance between himself and her room, waiting for her to come out with bated breathe that I wanted to knock out of him.

What the hell had happened to her? Wasn't she always in rags and straw shoes? She had...changed...she looked like me! She was even wearing the same outfit as me in the 1 colour I couldn't get it in! I couldn't believe it...she wore the same perfume as me, the same coloured accessories and her hair...it was even longer and thicker than mine. I looked back at him only to see him practically enraptured by her presence. I still wasn't getting it; what exactly was it about her that suddenly had him bewitched like this? He looked...elated to see her, never mind hear her voice, like she was a light that shone so brightly in the mansion that she was the only thing he could see.