The Pheasant, that fell from the Sky || Hwarang

- 13 -

Yeseul went along the market. She had just finished running the errands her mother had given her and was on her way back home. The things she had bought were bundled up in a cloth. Since the morning her thoughts were with the Hwarang at the sparring contest. She just didn't understand why they were supposed to possibly hurt each other. Shouldn't their training just continue without anyone having to take a break because he was injured? And as they all seemed to become friends with each other it must be hard to hurt the other.

Suddenly she noticed the group of robbers going around on the market in the distance. In panic she looked around herself. Quickly she put the bundle underneath the table of one of the vendors as she didn't want it to get stolen.

»I'll come back later and take it back«, she told him, »I'm sorry.«

**

Then she tried disappearing in one of the small alleys between two houses. But suddenly she felt a hand on her mouth and got dragged on the ground. Helpless she laid on the ground and looked up to the five robbers. One of them kept her mouth shut. Another held her down by kneeling on her legs and pinning down her upper body at her shoulders with one hand. She tried moving but the robber was too heavy. It hurt as she tried to move, and he added even more weight when she tried.

»Oh, look«, the head of the group said, »It's the Hwarang's concubine again. Let's see how much you can pay us this time.«

One of the other two robbers left took the sack of silver out of her pocket, opened it and let its content fall out.

»Just two silver, boss«, he said disappointed. The head of the group took the silver and turned himself away annoyed.

»Any jewellery?«, he asked. Yeseul wanted to scream as they again searched for jewellery on her, but the one who had put his hand on her mouth now choked her making her feel dizzy.

»No.«

»You fucking bitch! That way you'll never repay us! Your so stupid!«, the boss said angry, turned around and forcefully kicked in her side. Yeseul let out a painful sound, to more she wasn't able.

»Seems we'll have to meet more often«, he said after collecting himself again, »I'm going to let you die very slowly.«

After he said that she fainted. Everything suddenly seemed so light. All pressure was gone. It took her a few seconds to regain consciousness. She touched her neck as she took multiple deep breaths trying to control her breathing again. She pressed against her side, where he had kicked her and felt how it hurt her. Yeseul sat up and leaned against the wooden wall for a moment before getting up and running back to the vendor. With a friendly smile she took the bundle from under the table and bowed to the middle-aged man.

** end

»Thank you. Goodbye.« Then she hurried home.

»You're back?«, her mum asked as Yeseul put the bundle on the counter of the shop, »And the rest silver?«

»I lost it. I lost the sachet.«

»Again? You can't just keep losing money like that, Yeseul.«

»I'm sorry«, said Yeseul, »I'll put the things away.«

»Alright. After that you can prepare the colours for the colouring tomorrow.«

»Yes. I'll do that.«

Yeseul went into the storage part of their house and put away all the things she had bought. After that she took all the things, she needed for preparing the colours out of the shelves and brought them outside to the pyeong-sang. It began getting darker outside as she started the process. She mixed a few of the colours to create new ones and put them in small bowls. It was one of her favourite tasks to do as she liked experimenting with the different colours and combinations.