By Zephyria The two-story villa Ivan Bikoff had procured lay adjacent to the blue waves of the coast.
Though not tall, the building boasted a wide span from side to side, its exterior walls painted a brilliant white, shimmering just as Yulan’s buildings always did. Because all the windows on the upper floor opened towards the sea, everyone who entered the villa could savor the scent and sound of the ocean at any time.
Ivan and I were standing on the second-floor terrace. The laborers, divided into groups of twos and fours, had spread out all the items they brought into the spacious yard and were counting them on their fingers, dividing them into small carriages.
From now on, they would pair up, two or four per group, to travel to villages across Yulan as Ivan had instructed, delivering Ivan’s letters and gifts, and returning with replies. Even though Yulan was a smaller country compared to Sierren, this was not a task that could be completed in just a month or two.
Throughout this time, Ivan’s gaze remained fixed on the distant horizon.
I had no idea what he was thinking. I suddenly felt a pang of fear that Ivan might just leave for some faraway place. As I mulled over my anxious thoughts, I quietly gazed at his serene profile, and then his gaze turned back to me. Feeling awkward and embarrassed, I quickly pretended to look down.
“Is it really alright to send just the laborers?”
“Of course. They aren’t meeting directly with nobles, after all. They’re just delivering letters and gifts bearing my name and signature. Yulan’s winter isn’t as harsh as Sierren’s, so it will be fine.”
“But, you asked them to gather information…”
“It’s just asking for a few coins and whether any ships haven’t returned. I’ve paired the laborers who haven’t done long-distance trade with experienced partners, so you don’t need to worry.”
“…Then, what should we do now?”
“Well.”
Ivan placed his hand over mine as I gripped the terrace railing. As his lukewarm warmth transferred to me, my earlobes felt strangely hot. Startled, I looked back, but seeing Ivan’s lips curve into a gentle arc, I quickly cast my eyes down again.
I met Paul’s eyes from below, where he was giving the departing group’s luggage a final check. Seeing us, Paul exaggeratedly scrunched up his face and acted lonely. He shook his head and hugged his own arm, patting himself as if he were pathetic. As if he knew someone was having some wicked thoughts. It wasn’t that I was thinking anything wicked now, but simply because Ivan was acting so cute all of a sudden…
Ivan, who had been watching the scene with me, chuckled softly and lowered his voice as if whispering.
“Once everyone leaves…”
“…Yes.”
Ah, here we go again. No way, not now? My chest felt ticklish. My heart pounded. Ivan’s fingertips gently brushed my hand, then pressed down firmly. My tongue felt dry, and in my impatience, I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them. Ivan’s gaze on my profile felt incredibly sharp.
And then my husband smiled with a refreshingly bright expression and pulled my hand.
“Shall we go for a walk too?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. That would be nice.”
“Hmm?”
“A walk, a walk would be great.”
…I really wasn’t thinking anything wicked, truly, truly, truly.
A few days later, the market in Songbr was quiet and serene.
To me, accustomed to Sierren’s bustling markets, it was an unfamiliar sight. Unlike Sierren, most buildings in Songbr were low-rise. Even the tall ones were only two stories, and many were single-story, making the sky seem unusually close, as if it had descended.
But was that the only unfamiliar thing? Both those who came out to sell and those who came to buy walked slowly. Were they relaxed, or tired? The salty scent of the sea filled the air, yet there were fewer types of seafood than I expected.
Down towards the harbor, a few fishermen were laughing heartily in deep voices as they mended their nets and fishing lines. Their laughter, resembling the sound of waves, was so peaceful; the incident from just a few days ago, where I had risked my life, felt like a dream.
As I stared blankly at the fishermen chattering in the distance, Ivan’s voice gently wove through the sound of the waves and reached my ear.
“Yulan’s dawn market is actually more famous. This is because sunlight feels hotter over the sea than over land. Many fishermen go out to sea before dawn, and when the sun rises, they return to the harbor and bring their catch to the market.”
“…Ah…”
“After they sell all their catch, they mend their nets like that and prepare for the next voyage. It’s a routine they repeat every day, yet it somehow feels romantic. Is it the power of the sea?”
“Perhaps…”
“Or is it because you are by my side?”
He rendered me speechless. Suddenly hearing such sweet words, my mouth clamped shut, and I could only swallow hard. Ivan, looking up at my face, which was starting to flush a warm red, chuckled again and gently intertwined his fingers with my right hand.
How could this man possibly not care about what others thought?
No, even so, holding hands like this was unheard of in Sierren. Even standing next to Ivan, everyone naturally assumed we were just friends, and sometimes merchants would joke, thinking he was teasing when he held up pretty fabrics to me.
But since arriving in Yulan, Ivan had not let go of my hand, his fingers laced with mine. I didn’t know if his already thick skin had grown thicker, or if he had made some decision behind my back.
Even the children’s glances, which kept darting our way, finding it strange to see two men as large as doors walking hand-in-hand, or the way some adults would pull their children away, saying, “Don’t look at that,” made my shoulders hunch. But did I have the courage to pull my hand away from Ivan? It was impossible.
My husband, who had been walking with long strides, stopped at an accessory stall. Ah, could it be? Could it really be?
“Want to try this on?”
“No, there’s no need…”
“Of course, it’s not a grand gem, but as a memento of our visit to Yulan.”
Ivan took out a ring adorned with sparkling mother-of-pearl and beckoned. You’re a merchant, how can you not know the size? This looks like women’s wear, will it even fit?
But I didn’t have the courage to say these words. Suppressing a sigh, I meekly extended my hand. Ivan, without hesitation, slipped the ring onto the pinky finger of my left hand. Ah, it fits. A ring for a thumb… I’m going mad…
“It suits you well. I’ll buy this. How much is it?”
“Uh… that, that is… what was the price again…”
“Excuse me?”
“Ah, no! It suits you so well, I just momentarily forgot. You know, as one gets older, one forgets all sorts of things. Don’t you agree? So, this person here is your husband? You must have come from far away.”
“Yes. We came from Sierren.”
“Ah~. Sierren. Well, you didn’t look like you were from Yulan at all.”
“That’s possible. So, how much did you say it was?”
“Ah, right, right, look at me. Just give me 15 copper.”
“For two?”
“Uh, I’m being generous. I’ll give you a 2 copper discount. 28 copper!”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Ivan quickly slipped the same ring onto his own pinky finger. The merchant, eager to make a sale, even clapped, saying we looked very good together. Ivan maintained his usual stoic expression, but I felt mortified to death.
I could already imagine what that man would tell his wife tonight when he got home. They say men date and walk hand-in-hand in Sierren. He chose rings so confidently, saying they were so pretty. Blah, blah, blah.
With a ring on my finger, Ivan took my hand again and strolled casually through the market.
Even though it was midwinter, the air was definitely milder than in Sierren. As we walked down the street, where the low-hanging sun cast long shadows, no one we passed hurried. The sound of the sea-weathered signs creaking and swaying in front of the shops added a rhythm to the wind’s song.
Strangely, I felt a peculiar sense of liberation.
Yes, this was not Sierren; it was a foreign land. Whether we walked hand-in-hand, wore wedding rings, or wore rings made of seashells like little girls, who would care?
Thinking that, my steps became somehow more cheerful. Perhaps it was because I had moved past the threshold of embarrassment. I tried to maintain a neutral expression, following the man beside me.
It was around then that I heard my husband’s voice, tinged with a slight excitement.
“Look at that, wife.”
“What is that…?”
“Smoked oysters on a skewer. I’ve always wanted to try them.”
“…Oysters? You mean, like, that crumpled wet paper thing?”
“Yes.”
“Um, I’m fine.”
“You have to eat them with me. We’re on our honeymoon, after all.”
“No, what does a honeymoon have to do with weird food…”
But when had my resistance ever worked on Ivan?
The oysters we ended up eating did not suit my palate at all. Oysters and conches both looked too grotesque to me, and their slimy or chewy textures were all the worst. Ivan, who had lived inland his entire life, also didn’t seem to like these unfamiliar foods much. Seeing his perfectly straight forehead furrowed vertically, I laughed for a long time.
We both looked for various snacks to rinse our mouths.
We found a stall selling drinks made from a strangely spiky local fruit. I chose a pale yellow juice, while Ivan picked a bizarre juice filled with seeds that looked like eyeballs. After much persuasion, I finally tasted the drink; contrary to its appearance, it was refreshingly sweet and not bad.
We chewed on something that looked like dried fish, and ate dried, preserved dates. We bought and ate anything we could put in our mouths, darting around the not-so-large market. Then, a merchant sitting on a creaking chair in the distance suddenly spoke to us.
“You look so happy. Let me join you, so I can laugh too.”
The woman, who appeared to be in her late thirties, held a round fan in her hand, the kind used to ward off flies, unsuited for this winter.
When I was alone, I used to deal with such merchants with ease. I’d simply comment on the scenery, or ask if business was good. Conversations between merchants were usually superficial, making them easy.
Yet, now, holding my husband’s hand tightly, I found myself unable to speak. What would I say if they asked why we were holding hands? Or how would Ivan react if I said something? My mind was a jumble of such worries.
Ivan readily engaged the playful woman.
“What do you sell here?”
“Anything. But mostly things like this. For fishing.”
“Fishing?”
“Yes. Have you ever tried sea fishing? It’s quite a thrill.”
Everyone in the group that had boarded the Eldos Ho had tried fishing from the Saras River a few times, but they hadn’t dared to do so at sea. They were afraid of falling into the sea without even catching anything if they got too close to the railing. Instead of fishing, all I remembered clearly was shivering and watching each other every time we went on deck.
I started to feel uneasy. I was still afraid of going out to sea. I tugged Ivan’s hand, wanting to stop. But Ivan, without even looking at me, spoke in an unusually amiable tone.
“Do you fish even in winter?”
“Of course. Yulan’s winds are not harsh in any season. By the way, are you from Sierren?”
“Do I look like it?”
“It’s obvious you’re not from here. There isn’t a single person in this village I don’t know.”
“Is that so? Do many tourists come?”
“They did, until a few years ago. Well, I wanted to ask you something too. Is something happening in Sierren lately?”
“Something happening?”
“Yes, otherwise, why would people stop coming like this? Even if tourists decrease in winter, there were always people coming and going by boat. Sierren ships haven’t docked here for three years, three years. People who rely on tourists will starve at this rate.”
Ivan’s eyes sparkled.
“Three years?”
“Yes. Three years.”