My deep soul

Chapter 10

“You! Who are you?” the man demanded, his chest heaving. The man in the red hanbok seemed momentarily stunned to see her there.

“I’m nobody,” she replied, retreating a step.

The stranger’s eyes widened, and before she could react, he lunged forward, shielding her from view. The  masked man attacked him, and chaos erupted in the narrow street. The stranger shoved Jinyoen toward the exit.

“Run!” he hissed.

Without turning back, Jinyoen sprinted, lifting her hanbok to run faster, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn’t stop until she reached the safety of Okta. Once she was in view, Ahro rushed to her side.

“Are you all right, Jin? What happened? Why are you breathing so heavily?”

“I—I’ll tell you later. Please… ah—give me some… wa—water,” Jinyoen gasped, downing the cup Ahro handed her.

“Did you finish your work?” Jinyoen asked, still panting.

“Yeah… let’s go,” Ahro replied, worry in her eyes.

As the two girls walked toward Ahro’s home, laughing softly to ease the tension, a man in a red hanbok appeared, standing silently near the edge of the street, staring at Jinyoen’s home.

Jinyoen froze. “Ahro… look at him!”

They crouched behind the bushes, peering at the man. Jinyoen’s eyes widened as recognition struck her. She grabbed Ahro’s hand.

“He’s the man from the shop! Wait… where is he?”

“Are you looking for me?” A voice called, and the man stepped from the shadows. He grabbed Jinyoen by the shoulders.

“Were you following me? Are you on the same side as that man?” he demanded, shaking her lightly. Tears pricked at Jinyoen’s eyes.

Ahro pushed him back, anger flaring. “How dare you threaten my little sister! And what are you doing in front of our house?”

The man’s expression softened slightly, taken aback. “You are—You are Master Ahn Ji’s daughter… and you must be Lord Keng’s daughter. You are back in the capital…”

Jinyoen’s heart raced. She looked him over carefully.

“Ahro, look at his clothes…” she whispered.

Ahro’s eyes widened as she realized it too. Without a word, the two girls lunged, flipping and twisting his hanbok. Together, they pulled him to the ground, shaking him.

“Wh-what are you doing?” he stammered.

“We made this! We made this for our brother! Did you steal it?” Jinyoen demanded, grabbing the lapel of his hanbok and hitting him lightly in frustration.

“You are here…” Ahn Ji’s voice trembled as he appeared, his face etched with worry. The girls immediately turned to him, demanding answers.

“Why is he here? Do you know him? And why is he wearing the clothes we made?”

Ahn Ji stepped forward, taking the man’s hand gently. “That man is your elder brother,” he explained, handing the matching necklace to Jinyoen and Ahro. “He had this with him.”

The girls stared, disbelief and shock etched across their faces.

“I know this may be a shock,” Ahn Ji continued, a sad smile on his face, “but a father can always recognize his children.”

With that, he left the girls alone, leaving Jinyoen trembling. She turned to Ahro, voice barely a whisper.

“How can we believe this, Jin?”

“I… I don’t know, Ahro. I need to go home. I need some time alone.”

Jinyoen walked away slowly, clutching the necklace, her mind racing with questions, shock, and a strange, bittersweet relief.