The Girl of an Old Mansion

13. A Present

Golden rays of sunlight peeping through the window, tickled Min-ho to get up from bed. With half open eyes, the young man yawningly walked towards the washroom to continue with his morning routine.

Looking around the house, anyone would say that the house was small yet beautiful. There was only one bedroom attached with a kitchen and one washroom with a big porch more than enough for a single person. However, the thing that can make anyone's heart flutter was, looking at this small house's garden; beautiful cherry blossoms surround it. With the blowing wind, cherry blossom sheds its pink leaves over the roof like it's raining blessing over the small house.

Min-ho gets ready and walks towards the market area in search of getting some work to earn his daily bread. Usually he works as a labour, assisting in someone's shop, helping people with ploughing fields but with this work, he only earns bread for hardly two days. The handsome earnings can be made only when there is a festival and secondly, a celebration in the royal palace.

Min-ho had been trying to get a permanent job in the palace but unfortunately he was not qualified enough. As per the palace rule, they only employed literate people, even for small labor work.

Well, a local festival is near, the lantern festival. A local festival called the lantern festival was approaching, so Min-ho decided to make some beautiful lanterns by himself and sell them at a good price, he arrived at a local shop and bought the required materials for designing the lanterns.

"With that money I can purchase some stuff for my household. I have made a list of necessary stuff. It has to be somewhere in my pocket-Found it! Why is the list so long? Looks like I'll have to buy only the important things."

Going with the list Min-ho purchased some edibles, a woollen quilt and some clothes as the winters in Noam were merciless. He then headed towards the shoe shop, to treat himself to a new pair of shoes when his eyes landed on a lady who was selling persimmon.

Seeing the persimmons Min-ho's mind drifted to the memories of Si-ri. Of how her eyes flickered when she saw the persimmon, the moment he fetched them for her.

"It seemed she really likes persimmon. Should I take these persimmons for Si-ri? Obviously yes, she helped you win your bet and earn this money otherwise; you would not be here today purchasing your stuff. You must give her something for her kindness." Min-ho thought.

Min-ho moves forward and buys a pack of persimmon. Min-ho kept the persimmon in his bag and left for the shoe shop but stopped realising that he didn't have enough money left for shoes.

"I have only a little money left, no worries, maybe next time," he said to himself a small smile resting on his lips. He then left the market with his purchases in hand.

"The lantern festival is near. I should gift her a lantern too," said Min-ho and left for the forest with his bag dangling on his shoulder.

On the way to the mansion questions swirled around Min-ho's mind. What if she labelled me as a bad guy? No! I don't think I look like a thief. How can anyone misunderstand such a handsome and pious face? Let's see what happens."

As he stood in front of the mansion observing it, he chuckled lightly recalling the memory of the first time he was here.

"Finally, I'm at the so-called witch's mansion to see the witch." Min-ho laughs and knocks at the door.

After knocking for some time and not getting any response from the other side, Min-ho decides to push the gate and luckily, it opens.

The moment Min-ho entered he sensed something behind him and hastily turned around only to see Si-ri with a big iron rod in her hand. Both of them froze in their position for a moment looking at each other with mixed feelings.