DKM 19

“……How strange.”

He was the one who had grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me away blindly, yet I don’t know why I feel a sense of sadness, similar to how I felt when I saw the Madam asleep after crying herself to exhaustion. It’s probably because Moyong Hwa has some similarities to Soseo. And above all……. I set down the refreshment tray and approached Moyong Hwa. With his eyes closed, only his lips moved.

“Don’t come closer, you lowly brat.”

I pulled a handkerchief from my clothes. Moyong Hwa continued to spit venom.

“Not only are you stupid, but you’re clueless too. I bet you want to ask why I did that earlier; get lost before I actually cut you.”

When I didn’t respond, Moyong Hwa slowly opened his eyes and watched my actions. I spread the handkerchief on the ground beside him and spoke.

“Don’t sit on the dirt; sit here.”

“……What?”

Ah, now I feel relieved. As expected, I’m an incurable fan of romance fantasy novels. I only felt satisfied once I spread the handkerchief for him, just as a male lead would do for a female lead in a Ropan. On the other hand, Moyong Hwa stared at me with a look of utter absurdity.

“Are you seriously saying this right now?”

“Since you’re sitting anyway, it’s better to sit somewhere clean.”

“…….”

“Then I’ll be going now.”

Good, let’s go. Leaving the dazed Moyong Hwa behind, I headed toward Soseo’s room. Soseo’s door was firmly shut. I stood before the door and called out to him.

“Soseo, I’m here.”

“…….”

However, no answer came back. I called him once more.

“Soseo, are you sleeping by any chance?”

Before long, a faint voice drifted out.

“……No.”

“Can I see you for a moment?”

“……No. Go back. I don’t want to see you right now.”

This had happened before. I set down the refreshment tray.

“Then I’ll just say this and go.”

“…….”

“Soseo.”

I called his name once more. And then, I confessed.

“I think I like you more than I thought I did.”

If anyone were to argue that I came all this way just to say one sentence, I’d have no excuse. But I couldn’t help it. I really wanted to tell Soseo this. Feeling light-hearted, I turned around.

“Then, I’ll be—”

Bang! Before I could finish, the door flew open with a loud crash. My eyes widened. He had pushed it so hard that the door practically flew across the room. Soseo, his neck flushed bright red, asked demandingly:

“……What did you just say?!”

……I thought he didn’t want to see me right now? My confusion was brief; I didn’t let the opportunity slip and grabbed hold of Soseo.

“Can I come in? I want to talk to you comfortably.”

“Just tell me what you meant by that first, ah.”

Soseo’s hand, which had been bracing the doorway, slid down. He muttered to himself.

“Of course, it doesn’t mean what I thought it meant.”

“Huh?”

“How foolish. Given your personality, the answer is obvious, yet for a moment I lost my reason…….”

Soseo turned around.

“Go back. I’m in no mood to talk to you.”

“…….”

Thanks to the door flying off its hinges, I could see the inside of Soseo’s room clearly. The state of it was truly disastrous. The bed was snapped in two, and the desk had collapsed, losing all function. The bookshelf had been completely dismantled into pieces, and every single ornament was shattered. Who says Soseo doesn’t seem like a member of the Paeng Clan? Judging by the use of force, he is the Paeng Clan through and through. As I surveyed the room, the corner of Soseo’s mouth curled up crookedly. So Soseo could smile like that. Having only seen his gentle smiles, seeing him smile coldly felt new.

“Why, are you disappointed too?”

“…….”

“Do you also think I’ve gone mad, just like my mother?”

Soseo stepped close to me.

“Do you regret following me to Hebei? Do you want to escape this place even now?”

Soseo’s both hands gripped my shoulders tightly.

“But what can we do? visit our siteIt’s already [Read on Read BL Novels]too late. Now that you’ve entered this [visit our site]place, you can’t leave.”

“……Um, Soseo.”

“You’ll stay by my side for the rest of your life……!”

I lightly cupped Soseo’s cheeks. Soseo stopped talking and looked at me. Keeping his face fixed toward me, I spoke.

“I’ve never once said I was disappointed in you, so why are you making such a fuss all by yourself?”

Soseo’s fierce expression instantly turned into one of bewilderment. I rubbed his cheeks up and down.

“If you’re curious about what I’m thinking, just ask. Don’t go imagining strange things.”

“……Then what are you thinking right now?”

I recited exactly what was on my mind.

“Wow, Soseo looks pretty even when he’s angry.”

“…….”

Soseo’s body suddenly slumped downward. Could it be that he was so flabbergasted that his legs gave out? I reached out to help him up, but Soseo didn’t budge. As I struggled, tugging on his arm, Soseo asked in a trembling voice.

“Are you serious?”

Startled by the sudden question, I looked at him and nodded.

“Yes.”

“You’re not disappointed in me?”

“I’m not.”

“You don’t regret following me?”

“I’m still grateful to you.”

“……Thank goodness.”

Tears streamed down Soseo’s cheeks.

“I’m so glad.”

“…….”

I waited silently for Soseo to stand up.

We left the ruined room and headed to the garden. After reaching the stone steps leading up to the pavilion, I set down the refreshment tray, but Soseo shook his head.

“You eat.”

“Thanks.”

I took a bite of a rice cake. Soseo sat beside me in silence for a while before speaking.

“……The Moyong Clan is a place where it’s very easy for a person to go mad.”

“Huh?”

“The current Gaju of stolen contentthe Moyong [unauthorized copy]Clan—who is my maternal grandfather—is a Read on Read BL Novelsman of immense greed.”

Soseo explained that his grandfather wanted the Moyong Clan to ascend to an even higher position.

“That’s why he was very disappointed when my mother was born. Not only was she a daughter when he expected a son, but she was also physically frail.”

I nodded, and Soseo continued.

“My mother married my father and left that house as if she were escaping. But then, the Moyong Clan, which had treated her with coldness, suddenly took an interest in her and requested frequent exchanges with the Paeng Clan.”

“Why?”

“It was because of us. I can still remember the words my grandfather said while stroking my head.”

Soseo gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“‘You should have been born into the Moyong Clan.’ Was that really something he had to say while Hwa was right there?”

“…….”

“The more the Paeng Clan interacted with them, and the more my grandfather coveted us, stolen contentthe more my mother suffered. However, my father believed the reason my mother was so sensitive was because of her poor health. So, he sought out spiritual elixirs. Was that all? He [stolen content]gathered every kind of health tonic imaginable and brought them all to her. But would that actually improve her condition?”

“No. The fundamental problem wasn’t solved.”

“My mother became increasingly irritable, and her obsession with us grew stronger. Just as everyone was becoming exhausted, my grandfather suddenly made a proposal.”

“……What was it?”

“To send my mother back to her maiden home. He said her condition would improve if she rested there. But do you really think my grandfather made that proposal out of concern for her? He was simply ashamed to keep his daughter here. But my father—that ignorant, simple man—would he have noticed the hidden intent?”

I immediately shook my head.

“Right. Your father must have believed your grandfather’s words literally.”

“You opposed it, didn’t you?”

“Yes. But my father was stubborn. He said it seemed like the grandfather sincerely worried for my mother, and since my mother was too obsessed with us, it would be better to separate us for a while……. He said things that were completely absurd. Even then, if he had stopped there, I would have tried to understand him. But I completely lost all affection for him after his final words.”

“What did he say?”

Soseo imitated the Gaju’s tone of voice.

“The bonds of heaven cannot be severed; the tie between parent and child is something no one can break; let us give the grandfather a chance.”

In that moment, my inner thoughts leaped out of my mouth.

“What a load of bullshit.”

“…….”

Soseo stopped talking and stared at me. I hurriedly lowered my head.

“Sorry.”

“No, I think so too.”

Soseo smiled brightly and continued.

“I still don’t understand it. Why is he the one giving the chance? Shouldn’t the chance be given by my mother?”

“But how was the Madam able to return here?”

“I hate to say this, but you could say it was thanks to Hwa. My grandfather is completely powerless against my aunt.”

“Why is he powerless?”

“Actually, my aunt is an incredibly wealthy woman. Hwa probably brought my mother back on purpose just to spite us, but for me, it actually worked out well. Because I can serve my mother here again.”

“……Could it be that what Moyong Hwa did to me was also…?”

Soseo shrugged.

“Even I feel like going crazy just meeting my grandfather occasionally; how crazy must that kid be, stuck with him all day? He’s desperate to stand out more than I do.”

“As I thought.”

“Honestly, I do feel a bit sorry for him, but…….”

Soseo picked up a snack and popped it into my mouth.

“There’s no need to go out of the way to [unauthorized copy]like someone who hates me, right? It’s not Read on Read BL Novelsmy fault that my grandfather likes me.”

That was true. Pity is one thing, and fault is another. I nodded while munching on the snack. Soseo watched me and spoke again.

“There is a rumor circulating among the servants.”

“What rumor?”

“A rumor that those who inherit the Moyong bloodline eventually go mad.”

I recalled the conversation the ladies had been having in the kitchen earlier. Soyu’s breathing grew heavier.

“They said my mother, I, and Hwa are the evidence. Since Soyu looks like a member of the Paeng Clan in every way, resembles my father, and follows him well, he was lucky enough not to go mad.”

“…….”

“I have no intention of denying that rumor. Honestly, it’s not entirely wrong. However, other people will never understand.”

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Soseo covered his face with his palm.

“Why we have no choice but to go mad.”