Like a fish on land, Raon didn't move an inch and just blinked her eyes. Perched on the crossbeam, the phantom looked down on the girl.
It's only early in the evening, but a ghost has already strutted inside. They say that even the weeds in the Palace aren't your average weeds, so maybe that's why that Palace ghost isn't your typical ghost?
"Haaahm"
The ghost let out a long yawn.
Interesting. Ghosts can yawn too.
"What? Why are you staring like that? Did you see a ghost or something?"
Ah! It can talk as well! Still, I guess it's not like it can't talk just because it's a ghost. That mouth probably isn't there for decoration.
While she was wondering this, the ghost jumped down from the crossbeam. Is it because he's a ghost? He doesn't seem to care about the height and jumped down lightly like a cat.
"You there. Who're you?"
The ghost asked in a lazy voice. Instantly, Raon called out as she sprung from the floor.
"Away with you, ghost!"
Thump, the ghost gave Raon a light knock on the top of her head.
"Ow!"
"Will you quit mistaking me for a ghost?"
At the ghost's, no, the young man's words, Raon's eyes stretched wide open.
"You're...... human?"
"Do I look like a ghost to you?"
His eyes looked too chilly for a human. His lips were a deep red, as if they were stained with blood, and his complexion was very pale. Because of this, Raon utterly could not believe that he was real.
Raon reached out her hand and touched his face. It was a bit cool, but she could feel his body heat. The hair that was covering half his face tickled her hand, and she could clearly smell the scent he was giving off.
"Are you really human?"
Raon asked this young man dressed in black as she looked him up and down. He was tall. His height was similar to the Flower Scholar's, whom she had met back then. Now that she thought about it, all the young men she had met recently were attractively tall and well-born.
Was this good luck? Or was this a calamity?
"Do you need to be hit again to get a grip?"
"But they told me that no one would be here."
Thinking back to Eunuch Jang's words, Raon mumbled to herself. Apparently the chatterbox eunuch was mistaken. But......
"Who are you?"
She felt like she was always asking this question to the well-born young men these days. Is this going to become a habit?
"Then who are you?"
The young man gestured to her with his chin as he asked.
"My name is Hong Raon, and I've been assigned to the JaSunDang."
"I'm Kim ByungYun, and I've already beenhere at JaSunDang."
"Ah, you are Eunuch Kim."
For a moment, ByungYun gave Raon a scary look.
"Do I look like I belong with the likes of a eunuch?"
"What do you mean by 'likes of a eunuch'? Do you know how hard it is to become a eunuch? We may look laughable to you, but did you know that we have to risk our lives to 'belong with the likes of a eunuch'?"
Of course, this was not truly relevant in Raon's case, but she scowled fiercely at ByungYun who had mocked the eunuchs. Seeing Raon's angry glare, ByungYun glanced at Raon's clothes. And then he indifferently spit out his words.
"I see you're a eunuch. Either way, I'm not like you."
"Then what kind of person are you?"
"It's none of your business."
"......"
This person!
Having so clearly disregarded the furious Raon, ByungYun lay down where Raon had been before. Raon, who had been standing blankly, sat down by his feet and leaned forward.
"So."
"......"
"Since you said you've already been living here, I guess that means you'll continue living here."
"So it sounds like the kid that rolled in here wants to get rid of the one that was already here."
"No, it's definitely not that. Then what am I supposed to call you from now on?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you're not a eunuch, then what is your job?"
"Why do you want to know what my job is?"
"I have to know what your job is in order to figure out how to address you."
She learned that in the Palace, people were addressed according to the duties of their jobs.
"You don't need to address me by anything."
"What?"
"It's not like you're going to stay here for a long time anyway."
"They say that a human's job is to not know the future."
"......"
"So......"
"Kim-hyung."
(T/N: "hyung" = older brother, doesn't necessarily mean they are blood-related. "Hyung" is used by a younger male to address an older male.)
"What?"
"You can call me Kim-hyung."
"You want me to call you Kim-hyung?"
"......"
Acting as if Raon's question was tiresome, ByungYun turned around. It was a rejection that was meant to tell her to stop talking to him. Raon, who just blinked her eyes at his back for a while, called ByungYun as if to ask him a question.
"Kim-hyung."
"......"
"I'm sorry to ask you, but do you know where the bedding is?"
"......"
"Kim-hyung."
"You are really annoying, aren't you?"
Still lying down with his back to her, ByungYun pointed to the opposite wall with his foot.
"The wall closet is over there."
Raon hurried over to the wall closet and opened its doors. The folded bedding inside was pretty worn-out, but there were a few that were definitely useable. Raon picked up the cleanest one and returned to ByungYun, who was still lying down on the floor. Then she called to him.
"Kim-hyung."
"I don't need a blanket."
"It's not that......"
ByungYun slowly turned towards Raon. He glared at Raon as if to say that it had better be important. At his bullying expression, Raon felt as if she were being pressed down by his strong energy and opened her mouth with much difficulty.
"That spot, that's my spot."
I'm saying that I warmed up that spot with my own back.
With eyes that seemed to say 'Where did they find this guy?', ByungYun looked up at Raon then sluggishly moved a bit further down the floor. Promptly, the space for one more person appeared.
"You're not telling me to lie down over there, right?"
"......"
"I'm sorry, but I've never slept with a stranger before."
Although the situation required her to wear the uniform of a eunuch, underneath it she was undeniably a young woman. Not just that, but she was a young woman that was beginning to fully blossom. So how could she dare to sleep next to a young man? With a determined expression, Raon shook her head.
ByungYun saw Raon like this and thought it was odd. Still, Raon held her bedding and waited for ByungYun to move away.
"Such a bothersome guy."
Biting out his short reply, ByungYun sluggishly got up.
"I apologize for being bothersome."
Raon lowered her head to ByungYun with a sorry heart as he walked away slowly.
"Kim-hyung, when it gets brighter tomorrow, I will go ahead and clean another part of this building. At that time...... huh?"
After raising her head, Raon tilted it. Just a moment ago, he was moving around so sluggishly before her eyes. Now he had disappeared, as if he had just been an illusion.
"Where did he go?"
Raon turned her head in every direction. She looked up onto the ceiling and gaped. She didn't know when he had gotten up there. ByungYun laid out his lean body on the crossbeam and was leisurely lying down.
Just when did he get up there?
"Seriously, you're not going to sleep there, right?"
"Didn't you say we couldn't sleep next to each other?"
"I did, but..."
Did you ever consider that having someone watch you from above as you sleep could disturb their dreams?
"Should I go back down?"
"No! It's fine!"
Since it was more uncomfortable to have him next to her, having him watch her from above was better. That's better, right? Will it be better? Will it......really be okay?
Raon looked up and saw ByungYun on the crossbeam looking down with his eyes half-closed.
It looks like there's no way I'm sleeping tonight.
---
Chirp chirp chirp. The sound of sparrows announcing the morning could be heard outside.
"It's a refreshing morning."
Raon looked out the window with red bloodshot eyes. She hadn't had a wink of sleep thanks to ByungYun, who had stayed on the crossbeam.
"I will have to come up with a different plan. At this rate, I will become the ghost."
Raon murmured to herself and got up.
"What are you muttering to yourself?"
At that moment, Raon heard a voice from behind her. It was ByungYun, who, just a moment ago, had been on the crossbeam.
"Ah, you surprised me! Please make some kind of noise when you move around."
ByungYun didn't seem to care and went straight into the bedding Raon had just left.
"Is summer coming to an end? It was so darn cold at night."
He said he didn't a blanket. But him sleeping on the crossbeam with a blanket would be a ridiculous sight.
"Kim-hyung, how did you manage to sleep on the crossbeam?"
"......"
"Kim-hyung, what do you do and where do you work?"
"......"
"Kim-hyung, how old are you?"
"......"
"But Kim-hyung, what time, and where, does one eat?"
Whack! ByungYun kicked Raon with his foot. With that, he put the blanket over his head as if to say that she was being too noisy.
"Am I being noisy? I'm sorry, Kim-hyung."
An embarrassed expression crept up on Raon's face as she scratched the back of her head.
At that moment... Rumble. The sound flowed out of Raon's stomach and made the silent room shake. Her stomach was protesting because she had not eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. Raon hurriedly grasped her stomach and turned to look at ByungYun, who still had the blanket over his head. Did he hear that? Thanks to the blanket over his head, he might not have heard. Raon felt relieved for the moment, but ByungYun suddenly got up.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
Is he busy today or something ? Raon stared at him with a worried look. With a look that was clearly expressing his frustration, ByungYun stared at Raon. Then he spoke two short words to her with an indifferent voice.
"Tiresome brat."
Having suddenly become a tiresome and frustrating person, Raon blushed. In this weird situation, she was just about to explain herself when...
"Eunuch Hong! Eunuch Hong!"
Someone's voice floated in from outside. All the way across the lawn of weeds, on the other side of the tall gate, Eunuch Jang had only poked his head through the gate door.
"Eunuch Jang!"
She couldn't have been happier to see the chatterbox Eunuch Jang. Raon rejoiced and scurried over to Eunuch Jang without stopping. With a blank look, ByungYun watched Raon's back and muttered to himself.
"He's quite tiresome."
---
"Eunuch Hong, are you alright?"
Holding a bundle in his arms, Eunuch Jang asked as he looked at Raon and glanced towards the inner rooms of JaSunDang.
"I'm fine. Last night's sleep was a bit fitful, but it was tolerable."
"Fitful sleep? Why? Is it because you happened to see anything weird?"
"Something weird? Ah, if you mean that, then yes I did."
At Eunuch Jang's question, Raon remembered ByungYun, the man who seemed to be attached to the crossbeam. He was definitely a weird guy.
"Y-you did? You're saying that you truly saw it?"
"Yes, I saw him. I didn't just see him. I even talked with him."
"Gah!"
Eunuch Jang's face turned white.
"Th-this......"
Eunuch Jang handed over the bundle that had been in his arms to Raon.
"What is this?"
"It's some clothing for you to change into and some daily necessities. Well then, I'm off."
"Don't be like that and just enter inside for a bit. It is still a bit messy, but..."
"No, no."
"It's because I still have a few things I want ask you."
"You can ask me here."
"There's no place to sit comfortably here."
"If it's just to talk, we don't need to find a comfortable place to do so."
Showing a strong reluctance to even take one step into JaSunDang with his whole body, Eunuch Jang eventually crouched down in front of the gate and sat down.
"It's comfortable and totally fine over here."
"If that's what you want..."
Ultimately, Raon joined Eunuch Jang and sat down next to him.
"The thing is, Eunuch Jang... how did JaSunDang ever get into such a state?"
"They say that this building was burned during the ImJinWaeRan."
(T/N: "ImJinWaeRan" = first Japanese invasion of Korea, 1592-1593)
"If it was during the ImJinWaeRan, doesn't that mean this place has been like this for hundreds of years? It has been so long, but why has a palace building been abandoned like this?"
At Raon's question, Eunuch Jang paused and looked around at their surroundings. Then in a low voice, he whispered.
"Eunuch Hong, this is a secret. This is a palace residence where the yin energy has been strong, which has caused many unlucky things to happen. And within this residence, the building with the greatest amount of yin energy is JaSunDang. This must be true, because many ghastly things have happened frequently here. In other words......"
"Are you talking about things like the two court ladies that drowned here?"
At Raon's words, Eunuch Jang suddenly lowered his head.
"Eunuch Hong, I have something I must confess."
"Confess?"
"Truth is......"
His words drifting away, Eunuch Jang held up four fingers to Raon.
"Actually it was four."
"What was?"
"The court ladies that drowned in JaSunDang. It wasn't two, but four. Two during the time of King Sejong, and there were two more after that. And apparently, there were even more deaths than what I've told you."
Please don't tell me that kind of chilly confession.
Raon turned her head. She suddenly thought of another question and turned back to look at Eunuch Jang.
"Eunuch Jang, sir. I have one more question I would like to ask you."
"Please ask it."
"Didn't you tell me last night that only I would be here at JaSunDang?"
"Yes, I did."
"Then who is that person?"
"Who do you mean?"
"You know, I'm talking about that young man dressed in black whose hair falls down on their face like this."
"A young man dressed in black?"
"I'm talking about the one that sticks to the crossbeam and looks down on you all night. How long has that person been at JaSunDang?"
"I w-wonder."
Eunuch Jang began to slowly creep back while still sitting.
"Eunuch Jang?"
Why is he acting like that?
"Haha, well then, I had better get going. I suddenly remembered I had something urgent to take care of."
"Can't you stay a bit longer? I still have a lot of things I want to ask you."
"There will be many more days ahead of us. Just ask me later. Well then, I'm off."
It seemed like his legs had fallen asleep as he kept putting some of his saliva on the tip of his nose. Eunuch Jang, with a white face, began to walk backwards.
(T/N = Korean superstition that if your one or both of your legs fall asleep, just lick your finger and dab your nose and it will get better.)
"Eunuch Jang! How can you leave like this? What am I supposed to do here at JaSunDang? More importantly, when do they serve the food?"
Grabbing her hungry stomach, Raon yelled out, but only echoes returned.
---
"Ah, I'm hungry."
Having returned inside JaSunDang, the only things there were an empty room void of joy and her empty stomach. ByungYun, who had taken her spot and lied down, had disappeared, and she didn't know where he could have gone. She even looked up to see if he was lying down on the crossbeam, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Where could he have gone?"
Raon turned to look outside with worried eyes.
At that moment...
"Are you looking for me?"
"Ah, you surprised me!"
She saw ByungYun in a corner that had definitely been empty before.
"Where did you come from?"
Thud, ByungYun tossed Raon a bundle.
"What is this?"
"You said you were hungry."
"What?"
Raon opened the bundle that he had just tossed her. Delicious food appeared in front of her eyes. Well-boiled chicken, marinated grilled beaf glistening with grease, skewers with green and red ingredients, pumpkin pancakes, potato pancakes, a bunch of ripe apples. This was a distribution of foods that was rare outside the Palace.
After looking at the food admiringly, Raon looked around her. There was no table to put these precious foods.
"Kim-hyung, did you happen to bring a table with you when you brought the food?"
She only asked in case he did, but as she expected, there was no reply. With no other choice, she had to put the food on the floor. But...... she also didn't have a spoon. With an unbearable expression, she just smacked her lips. From above, ByungYun's voice floated down.
"Just eat it roughly with your hands."
Feeling as if she had been making more obstacles for no reason, Raon hurriedly nodded her head and looked up at ByungYun and asked.
"But Kim-hyung, do people usually eat like this at the Palace?"
Ah, I can't get used to it... this life at the Palace.