Walking in the Darkness || Yeosang (A Treasure Tale)

Navigating the World

When the dewdrops were fresh and rosy strands bent the sky, there was a certain smell that flooded the senses with spring.

Spring meant summer break was on its way.

Yeosang would much rather be poking around in the rain-soaked dirt and trying to predict the weather from the clouds than driving to school, but he clutched his bag close and rested in the thought that he'd be able to resume his father's memoirs during his free time.

The carriage driver pulled up and opened the door in silence as he always did, and Yeosang watched him go before steeling himself for the day ahead. His weekend was over, and it was back to ducked heads and ignoring sharp words.

He had slept deeply enough to disperse the fear of the stranger on the gravel last night, but the curiosity lingered. Who was out there that would dare threaten him?

Yeosang could think of only one person with enough guts, and he was currently walking into the classroom.

Rim Yongsoo.

The ringleader of all the other name-callers. He was too cowardly to lay a finger on the Kang family heir, but his words were spears from afar.

Yeosang had learned to deflect the sharp attacks by ignoring them when one day Housekeeper Sohyun had entered his room to find him crying over something a classmate had said.

The whispers couldn't hurt him if he blocked them out, she had reminded him gently, so every day he sat in his seat as if he was the only one in the room.

If any of the bullies had gotten bold in his father's absence, it would be Yongsoo.

For the first time in the past month, Yeosang opened his mouth before class to make his accusation.

"Yongsoo, you wouldn't happen to recognise this, would you?"

Confidently, Yeosang pulled the rock which had been thrown into the observatory out of his bag and waved it in Yongsoo's face.

The other boy took a moment before his face cleared of shock and turned accusatory. "When did you become interested in rocks, pansy? Aren't you usually staring at the sky?"

Yeosang's jaw clenched as snickers followed and he couldn't help but defend himself. "Don't call me pansy."

"My mistake," Yongsoo returned, saccharine voice accompanied by a fake frown. "I though you preferred it over damsel in distress!"

"Were you or were you not on my property last night?" Yeosang's voice raised almost imperceptibly to break through the laughter sweeping the classroom.

"Your property? No, I don't think it's yours as long as your father's around. Although I suppose if he actually drowns at sea this time..."

Yeosang's face was burning and the rock clenched in his fist threatened to scratch him from how tightly he was holding it, so he slammed it onto the boy's desk, interrupting yet another round of giggles.

"This is the last time I'm asking, Yongsoo," he grit out, relishing secretly the way the bully's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Don't make me take it up with your father."

He had hit a nerve.

"No I wasn't near your estate," Yongsoo defended quickly. "I spent the night at Hyunjoon's."

Yeosang released the rock and turned to the other boy's desk, asking with his eyes if he could confirm Yongsoo's alibi.

Hyunjoon wasn't a bully like Yongsoo and his lackeys, but he wasn't exactly friendly toward Yeosang either. At the very least, he knew he wouldn't lie about something like this, so Yeosang waited for him to adjust his glasses and clear his throat before answering.