Yeo Wool could not hide her amazement when the flower in her hand bloomed right before her in the blink of an eye.
Seol ma....
"Eotteoke...?" Was all she managed to say. Kang Cheol just smiled at her. She was about to pry the answer from him when....
"Nuna, Ahjussi, dinner's ready." Han Wool called from behind her, which startled her, and made her break her gaze from Kang Cheol.
"A-Arasseo...." She told her brother as he turned away. She returned her gaze at him, raising an eyebrow and slightly pursing her lips to indicate that she wanted an answer to her question.
"Uhmm...The dinner...is ready?" He answered instead. "And I have to go back to Seoul...So...."
"Eo! Ah! Mianhaeyo...Geuraeyo...." She said, a little embarrassed by her momentary absentmindedness. "Bap meogeoyo...." She continued and led him inside the house.
They all sat around the small round table and ate dinner in awkward and deafening silence. As much as she wanted to break the ice, she did not want to embarrass herself by blurting out what comes to mind, speaking unnecessarily, or talking excessively. She silently wished for someone—but her—to say something.
Her wish was granted when Kang Cheol spoke unexpectedly.
"Eo!" He exclaimed when he saw Han Wool's bruised elbow. "Was I responsible for that?" He asked.
Wae? Why would he ask that?
"Aniyeyo, Ahjussi." Han Wool politely answered. "Two days ago, while I was walking outside, I was chased by a dog. I ran and fell. But when I looked back, the dog was gone."
"Eo...Jinjja?...Geureom...Jaldwaenneyo."
It was a good thing Kang Cheol noticed Han Wool's bruised arm and spoke about it, because it switched her brother to 'talking' mode. His lively babbling and innocent questions amused the adults and occupied most of the conversation. It did not matter to them, though. And more importantly, it did not matter to her, because Han Wool talking meant that she could keep silent for as long as she wanted to.
They spent a few good hours exchanging anecdotes after dinner—in front of the uncleared table complete with leftovers—they forgot about the time. It was Kang Cheol who realized about the night getting deeper. He stood up to prepare himself for his departure back to Seoul.
"Sabunim, Su Jung hyung..." He began his bid farewell. "Yeo Wool-ssi, Han Wool-ah...I really wanted to stay longer but I really have to go...."
You should've said that earlier. Why just now? Are you expecting an invitation for the night?
"Geureom, malriji anketsseumnida." Her father answered. "Please drive safely back to...."
"Why don't you stay for the night?"
Who said that?!
"Nuna...."
"Wae? Mwo?" She asked when she noticed everyone looking at her.
"Nuna! I'd love him to stay! Kamsahamnida!" Han Wool exclaimed as he hugged her.
"Eum, geunyeoneun malhaettda." Her father seconded the motion, then addressing Kang Cheol. "I think it would be better if you stay for the night...."
Mwo?!
"Jamkkanman...Stay for the night?" She asked in a tone of mixed confusion and surprise.
Says who?!
"Nuna...."
"Gwaenchansseumnida, Sabunim." Kang Cheol interrupted. "I really must go...."
Andwae....
Kang Cheol slightly bowed for one last time. When he straightened up, she was surprised to see him do a double take on her.
"Hyung...Please stay for the night." Han Wool pleaded with a sullen voice.
Hyung?! He was calling him Ahjussi this whole time...Wae?!
"Geureonde..." Kang Cheol said, his eyes squinting, lips pouting, and head slightly angled to the left. "I want to hear more of Han Wool's stories, geuraesseo...."
"Yey!" Han Wool excitedly blurted out as he went to him and pulled him back down to sit.
Her emotions were currently making waves inside of her, which made her feel like hugging and strangling her brother at the same time.
She could still hear them talking outside, long after she had gone to bed. It was way past Han Wool's bedtime, but his company was still being enjoyed by the others, thus, no one thought of suggesting that he should be sleeping.
As she had anticipated, sleeplessness, once again, came uninvitedly. Everyone seemed to have gone to bed by now, but she, who had done so the earliest, still has her eyes wide open, and her consciousness fully alert as if she had downed a liter of caffeine. As she tossed and turned on her bedding, the Violet bloom—handed to her by Kang Cheol earlier that evening—that she placed in a glass jar, caught her sight. She stared at it, wondering what compelled him to give it to her. Then she recalled the dreams she had during her last visit. Did the man in her dreams and Kang Cheol have something to do with each other? Were they somehow, somewhat connected?
She smiled at the unlikely thought.
As if...How can it be?
With Kang Cheol and the flower occupying her mind during the wee hours of the morning, an image of a little girl—perhaps about five years old—suddenly appeared. She was being chased by a large dog and she was running as fast as she could before falling helplessly. Running out of breath, strength, and time to stand up and continue running, she huddled her knees to her chest and covered her face with her arms in fear, as the large rabid dog moved towards her. It leaped into the air, certain to land on top of the little girl, when a man intervened. The rabid dog landed on him instead, sinking its teeth on his forearm....
She woke up gasping for breath, sweat dripping down her face. She never had nightmares before, nor dreamed of somebody else. She wondered what it was all about, why and who. She could remember the little girl's face—in fact, she looked familiar—but the man, disappointingly, like her previous dreams, she just could not.
She was not able to fall back to sleep again after the dream. She spent the remaining dark hours trying her very best to recall the man's face...Until the sun came rising up and shone through her bedroom window.
This inadequate sleep willdefinitely give me a headache.
YOU ARE READING
Kang Chi: Beyond Life and Time
FanfictionThe story of Kang Chi and Yeo Wool that began centuries ago continues in the year 2013.
