The Peasant | SaChaeng

The Water Flows

"Daiki-san hasn't returned yet. It's been two days already..." Jihyo whispered as she peeked a little from behind the window, distraught about the bathhouse owner's state.

Two days ago, after receiving the message from Momo, the owner asked his two workers to stay and lock the whole bathhouse. "Mongols have approached the mainland already. If you see one passing by or if they wanted to get in, never open the door and hide." Jihyo remembers how he reminded them before grabbing his blade weapons and rushed out.

After some hours of crouching in the dark, it occurred to Sana that she'd never truly been hungry before, slightly thirsty. It's been also two days since they're hiding inside the steaming room. Jihyo thought that the only way is to take some food supplies in their shelter during the dead of night, where no one's probably around.

"I know that feeling, Sana. I can go out and take something that would fill our stomachs." Jihyo offers in a very low volume.

But Sana wasn't a fan of that idea. What if there are Mongol armys meandering around their place? She saw two of them just passing by yesterday; looking so huge, fierced, with their sharp lance on their grips. That's why they decided to stay hidden and they should still, mongols might be out there, even this late at night.

"Your tanto's with you right?" Asked Jihyo, checking if Sana still has the small dagger in her. Just in case something bad happens, she has something that can at least protect her.

"Don't tell me you're going out now?!" Sana whisper-yelled, trying to stop her friend from doing this dangerous plan of her. But Jihyo thought it's way better to take the risk than to collapse from hunger.

So Jihyo slowly walks out from the bathhouse with delicate steps. There was a huge exhalation of pent-up breath thinking that she succeeded. Unfortunately, she heard a group of mongol armys letting out unrestrained burst of laughters while walking by the bathhouse. They were evidently tipsy, hence those guffaws.

Despite the circumstances, Jihyo pursued. She only had to cross over the wooden fence to get into their shelter. Stealthy as a shadow, she starts to place her right foot on top of the fence. Then she pushes herself up with her legs, causing the wood to make a creaking sound.

The mongols immediately turned their heads at her, so quick to find where that sound came from.

Sana suddenly hid behind the wooden tub, quaking and sweating with fear the moment she heard a loud scream from the outside. She knew it was Jihyo's; her voice had become increasingly sharp, almost strident. The sound of blade piercing into one's body was also clear enough for the lady that someone's hurt. It could be her friend so she couldn't help herself but to sat huddled behind the tub, holding her hand clamped over her own mouth. Tears streamed silently down her face as she listens to those frightening noises.

Few moments later, the floorboards start to creak under someone's feet. Whoever is coming inside this steaming room might be heavily armed and dangerous. Whilst Sana stayed hidden, trembling hand was already holding on to the tanto blade.

Each footstep rings out and it's getting more clear as it slowly approaches toward the certain wooden tub. That was Sana's chance to stand up and point the blade at the unwanted visitor. Her crying affected her vision, blurred. But she's well aware that the walking figure was very close. She pointed the small blade more, telling the enemy to back off.

The person drew even nearer to the point that the blade's sharp edge penetrated starting from the first layer of cloth until it slightly cuts their abdomen skin. As if that small weapon would be enough to save her from this dangerous situation.

"Thanks for taking good care of my tanto, lady Sana."

Sana suddenly loses her grip on the blade, eyes start to dilate after wiping her tears off. Did she hear it right? That voice, the person she's been longing for months is now standing in front of her. She's not hallucinating right?