Two For the Price of One, Ch. 7
Previously:
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Disclaimer: The SKKS-verse belongs to the creators of Sungkyunkwan Scandal.
Author's Notes: Yes, I know, it's been ages since my last update. In the interim, I became very busy with preparations for and the actual taking of a major vacation :) I'm happy to say I had a great time, and came back re-energized and excited to write some more. Thanks to knweaye and naddyamal for the reviews and continued encouragement :) Hope you enjoy this chapter and please look forward to more!
Chapter Seven
“Agasshi, do you have a moment? The young master would like a word with you.”
“He does?” Iseul looked at the maid in disbelief. Usually, her half-brother Ki-hoon stayed as far away from her as he could during her duty visits to their grandfather.
“I-I mean, yes,” she said when she remembered that the servant probably wanted an answer. “I have an appointment later, but I have a little time to spare.”
“Then, if you would please follow me.”
Iseul followed the maid to a part of the house that she had never visited before. She supposed that it was the wing occupied by Ki-hoon's branch of the family, as it featured a room that seemed to be a lesser version of their grandfather's study.
Her half-brother was looking over some ledgers, and he looked up with a stiff smile when her arrival was announced. “Ah, Iseul-ah, you're here,” he said. “Please have a seat.”
The knowledge that he wanted to see her was enough of a surprise, so she was not stunned further by the informal address. “Orabeoni,” she murmured, giving him a brief bow of greeting before sinking down on the cushion he indicated. “You wanted to see me?”
He nodded, but instead of giving her a reason gestured to the maid. “You must stay and have some tea,” he said as the servant busied herself with the teapot already warming on a nearby brazier. “My father-in-law sent some very good red ginseng.”
Iseul accepted a cup of the piping-hot brew, more out of a desire to be polite than any actual thirst. “Thank you.”
“Please try it,” Ki-hoon entreated when she made no move to drink. He made a show of drinking from his own cup, as if to show that he didn't intend to poison her. “It'll warm you up nicely. It feels like we will be in for another harsh winter, doesn't it?”
That led to a stilted conversation about the weather. Then, he asked after her grandmother and her painting lessons. They were pleasant enough topics, but did little to dispel the tension she felt over this uncharacteristically cordial treatment.
Then, he said, “I suppose that your work as a teacher is why you are so interested in the Chamber of Commerce.”
She nodded even as the nonchalance in his voice set off warning bells in her head. “At first, I was just curious because all my neighbors were so excited about it,” she replied cautiously, “but teaching involves commerce as well. I decided I need to know more about matters that may affect my livelihood and, perhaps, try to make things better for people like myself.”
“Of course, of course. Then... I suppose you are going to vote in the upcoming elections?”
The warning bells rang louder. “It's not every day that an ordinary person, especially a woman, can help make such an important choice. I shouldn't waste this opportunity.”
“That is a very important choice to make,” her half-brother agreed earnestly. “You need to choose a leader who can fight for your interests.”
He then launched into a speech about the perfect leader's other sterling qualities, and Iseul remembered that Ki-hoon was also looking to lead the Chamber of Commerce. The point of this entire exchange, therefore, was to try and convince her to support his leadership bid.
“So,” he concluded in the friendliest tone she had ever heard from him, “can I count on you to vote for me at the election?”
“Ah... I'm still deciding on whom to vote for,” she told him. “But I'll certainly think about it, Orabeoni. As you said, it's a very important choice to make.”
Iseul framed her answer as diplomatically as she could, but her half-brother instantly abandoned his pleasant demeanor. “If not me, then who?” he demanded. “Do you mean to tell me that you are going to vote for Gu Yong-ha?”
“I already told you that I'm still thinking-“
“He's the only other logical choice! I saw him sitting with you at the meeting! You're going to vote for that flighty young puppy, aren't you?”
“Gu Yong-ha is not flighty,” she retorted hotly. “He may seem that way at first, but you'll think otherwise once you've heard him talk about the Chamber of Commerce. He has a very clear vision of what he wants the organization to be, and how it can benefit all of its members.”
“Still!” Ki-hoon sputtered. “You would choose him over your own flesh and blood?”
“Yes, I would!” she declared. “I might have considered voting for you if I had any idea of what good it would do to have the same flesh and blood as you, but it's far too late for that now!”
He glared at her after her outburst. “You'll regret this,” he said. “I'll make you pay.”
Her half-brother had never said anything like that to her before, but Iseul refused to back down. “Fine, just send me a bill,” she replied recklessly. “And do allow me to pay in installments-some of us need to actually work for our money.”
With that, she set down her teacup and got to her feet. “Now, if we are done here, Orabeoni,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster, “I must get going. I must give a lesson this afternoon.” She gave him a frosty little bow. “Goodbye, and good luck with the election.”
Iseul tried her best to calm down after leaving the Mas. She believed that she had done quite a good job of hiding her upset at Bang Jung-hwa's painting lesson, but should have remembered that very little escaped her student's notice. The girl spent most of the lesson trying to confirm that something was wrong, and suggesting all manner of solutions even though she had no idea whether there was even a problem in the first place.
“Teacher Kim, do you have a moment?” a voice interrupted as Iseul packed away her paints and brushes after the lesson. “I was wondering if I could have a word with you.”
She looked up and groaned inwardly at the sight of Jung-soo standing in the doorway. One of Jung-hwa's suggestions was to have her brother fix the problem. Whatever it was, the girl declared confidently, her orabeoni could make it all better.
“Of course, Master Bang,” she replied politely. “What do you wish to discuss?”
“Perhaps you should tell me,” the young man said. “My sister said that something is still troubling you. She is very worried. Is this the same thing from last time?”
The memory of her struggle with the male nude painting-and Jung-soo's potential involvement in it-made Iseul laugh, which she hoped would make him think that she had no troubles whatsoever. “There's nothing troubling me, sir. I've just been very busy today and feeling a little tired, that's all. I'm truly sorry that I seem to keep worrying you, especially the agasshi.”
“Jung-hwa has a kind heart,” he agreed. “Well, if you're sure that nothing is bothering you....”
“Everything's fine, Master Bang,” she told him. As much as she wished she could confide in Jung-soo, and perhaps leave it to him to make everything better, it felt wrong to burden him with such a private family matter when-it had to be admitted-they barely knew each other. (Also, Iseul couldn't help but think that there was someone else she could tell if she needed to, someone who knew the whole story and would understand.) “I thank you and your sister for your concern.”
“I just wanted to assure you again that you can come to us for help, if you ever need it.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He gave her a smile, then cleared his throat to break the awkward silence that followed. “Then... I suppose you are off to give another lesson?”
“Ah, no,” she replied as she finished putting away her things. “I'm heading home from here.”
“Do you perhaps need an escort?”
She shook her head vehemently, blushing. “No, no, not at all! I wouldn't want to trouble you.”
“Oh, it wouldn't be any trouble. I was going to see if any of the servants was free.”
Iseul managed a smile even as something inside her deflated. What, did you think he would personally accompany you? “Well, that won't be necessary. I know the way very well, and the roads are well-lighted.”
“If you're sure....” Jung-soo said.
“Quite sure, Master Bang,” she confirmed briskly. “But thank you for the offer.” She got to her feet and straightened her skirts. “Please tell the agasshi that I will see her as usual next week.”
“This next lesson,” Yong-ha began, “is a very important one.”
The two ladies seated before him reacted very differently to this announcement. One leaned forward, eager to catch whatever pearls of wisdom that might come her way. The other blinked and asked, “But aren't they all important, seonsaengnim?” in an innocent tone that he nevertheless knew was threaded with sarcasm.
What a pity that his real student was the sarcastic one.
“That is true,” he replied calmly, “but this one is especially important, one that women are seldom taught.”
“What is it?” asked Chae-mi, who was accompanying her friend that day.
“Today, I will teach you about identifying and dealing with men whose intentions are, shall we say, somewhat less than pure. I thought you should have some idea of how to do this, Teacher Kim, especially now that you've come into some money.”
“What money?” Iseul asked blankly.
“Don't you have an inheritance coming?”
“Oh, right,” she said, abashed. “Well, I don't expect it to be much, not enough to attract men like that, anyway.”
“You would be surprised at the lengths that desperate people would go for even just a small amount,” Yong-ha lectured. “And more often than not, the victims are women who don't know enough about the world to realize that they're in danger until it is too late, and then do not know how to protect themselves.
“The first thing to remember,” he began, “is that if a man-or any person, for that matter-seems too good to be true, then that is probably the case. If a man loves the exact same things that you love, or hates everything that you hate, nothing more and nothing less, then you must be on your guard instantly!”
“But why?” Chae-mi asked. “Doesn't it just mean that you're perfect for each other?”
“I'm sorry to disappoint you, agasshi,” he told her gently, “but more often than not, it means he is playing on your interests to get something from you, something you might not otherwise give up... or, even worse, he simply does not have a mind of his own. Would you want a man like that?”
“Of course not,” Iseul said.
Yong-ha gave her an approving nod. “I'm glad you think so, Teacher Kim,” he commended her. “But please don't frown so; you'll get wrinkles.”
He proceeded to enumerate the things they must be careful not to say or do when a suspicious person tried to strike up a conversation or otherwise get close to them. These were things that Iseul already knew, since she had quite a few secrets of her own that needed guarding, but it was nice to know that she was doing something right, so she listened attentively.
“Now,” he continued, “I know that after this lesson, you will both be very careful, but it is still possible for you to may make a mistake. Or, these people might know more tricks to escape suspicion than we have discussed here, and you won't realize it until after you have fallen into their trap. What do you do then?” He rose to his feet. “Teacher Kim, please get up. I need you to help me give a little demonstration.”
“A-all right.” Trading puzzled looks with Chae-mi, she got up. “What should I-”
Both women squealed in surprise when Yong-ha suddenly stepped very close to her. “Wh-what do you think you're doing?” Iseul managed to ask.
“If you are not careful,” he told her, “you can find yourself completely at the mercy of someone who wants to hurt you, rob you blind... or worse. What would you do then?”
As he spoke, he backed her slowly against the wall, eyes riveted on her face in a disturbingly intent fashion. She took a shuddering breath, only to draw in a clean, masculine scent that could only be coming from him. Her heart began to race.
“What do you do then, Teacher Kim?” he repeated tersely.
“G-grab, twist, and pull!” Iseul blurted out.
That brought him up short. “What?”
“Grab, twist, and pull. That's what Chin-hae ajusshi taught me,” she explained. “He said it would work on any part of the body.”
Yong-ha paused, pondering this. It did seem that it would work on any appendage: the hair, nose, ears, limbs, and even.... He swallowed. “Yes, I believe that the ajusshi is right.”
“I, ah, didn't think it would be polite to actually do so, though,” she added. “Since this is just a demonstration.”
“Th-that's right, it wouldn't have been polite,” he managed to say as a highly disturbing image of her grabbing, twisting, and pulling flashed unbidden in his mind. With great effort, he willed himself to focus on the lesson at hand. “Thank you for being so considerate.”
“Then... is the demonstration over? May I sit back down now?”
It was only then that he realized that he still had her crowded against the wall. He took a giant step away, clearing his throat loudly. “Yes, of course you may. Very good, Teacher Kim.”
“That was quite a lesson!” Chae-mi exclaimed as she and Iseul walked home together that evening. “I didn't think Master Gu would ever teach us that!”
The other young woman hid a smile. As far as she knew, Gu Yong-ha had only one student, but she was not about to destroy her friend's fantasy. “I'm glad that he did,” she said. “If these flirting lessons are going to work, then we should also be prepared to deal with anything that follows.”
“What's even better is that we'll be able to handle any man who gets too fresh, not just the ones we will flirt with. Choi Man-shik had better remember his place!”
“Who's Choi Man-shik?”
Chae-mi sniffed irritably. “Abeonim's apprentice, who else?”
Iseul's cloak slipped off her head as she rounded on the other young woman with a horrified gasp. “Is he doing anything improper with you?” she demanded. If so, then Yong-ha gave this particular lesson just in time!
“Of course he isn't; if he did, I would tell my father right away and Abeonim would kill him.” Their skirts brushed as she neatly sidestepped a garbage heap. “I'm just saying that I'd be able to take care of myself if he ever tries to do that!”
“You sound as though you're expecting him to try doing something improper with you,” Iseul teased. Her friend did seem to mention the apprentice with increasing frequency during their conversations, even if it was only to complain about him.
“I am not!” Chae-mi denied hotly, then shot her a narrow-eyed glance. “But what about you?”
She rolled her eyes. “I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there's little to no chance that I'll ever need to use today's lesson on Bang Jung-soo.”
“I wasn't thinking about Bang Jung-soo. On the other hand, you and Master Gu....”
“What? Me and-it was just a demonstration, Chae-mi! Didn't he say that it was exactly that?”
“Some demonstration! With the way you were looking at each other, maybe you should have 'grabbed, twisted, and pulled' for real.”
Iseul busied herself with rearranging her cloak; at least the garment would hide her flushed face from view. “You're seeing things,” she told her friend, even as she wondered just how had Yong-ha been looking at her. She had been too preoccupied with her own reactions to notice.
“I don't know, there seemed to be a lot of tension in that room earlier.”
“Well, that's because we're both really tense! You know what my brother said to me; who wouldn't be tense about that? A-and Master Gu is going against him at the Chamber of Commerce elections!” she added in a burst of inspiration. “Surely he's been very busy with that, on top of running his shop.”
Fortunately, Chae-mi took the bait. “He has,” she confirmed. “Abeonim says Master Gu has made the rounds among the artisans. I'm sure he's spoken with everyone he could think of. He spoke with you, too, right?”
“Yes. He was one of the few who thought to discuss the matter with me. I guess the others thought I wasn't significant enough.”
“And are you going to vote for him?”
Iseul nodded. “He was also the only one who said anything about what he could do for the Chamber of Commerce, and what the organization should do for Joseon.”
It turned out that there was a grain of truth in her lie, for even though Yong-ha had been thinking about other things during their lesson, he was indeed also preoccupied with the coming Chamber of Commerce elections. Despite any and all efforts to to build up his confidence, distract him, or otherwise calm him down, the tension reached a fever pitch on the day of the vote.
Gu Yong-ha, however, would rather die than betray his nervousness in front of everyone, and sauntered into Hwang's bookshop that afternoon with a pleasant smile on his face. Although the voting had been going on since morning, the place was still packed with tradespeople of all sorts casting their ballots. No one had closed shop that day, which meant that many people needed to carve out the time to visit Hwang's and vote.
He fell in line, cast his own vote (in his own favor, of course), and joined a group of his supporters to await the counting and results of the election. “Nice coat,” commented one of them, a trader who also just happened to be a distant relative.
“You think so?” Yong-ha replied modestly. “It's not too much?” He had initially thought to wear something brighter, but decided that cobalt blue would be flamboyant enough for his personal tastes, but also sober enough for a leader of the Chamber of Commerce.
“Everyone knows you have more taste in your little finger than most of us put together,” the other man chuckled.
Just then, Master Hwang announced that the counting of the ballots would begin in an hour. The lines of people still waiting to cast their votes moved a little faster. A voter moved forward, allowing Yong-ha to catch a glimpse of Ma Ki-hoon. The wine merchant was sitting across the room, surrounded by his own cronies. Was it just him, Yong-ha wondered, or was his rival's group larger?
A flash of green caught his eye then and Iseul, wearing one of her new skirts, came into view. She caught sight of him and gave him and encouraging nod, as did the man ahead of her in line (who also happened to be Yong-ha's hatmaker of choice).
Yong-ha smiled gratefully back at them, took a deep breath, and willed himself to relax. He had done all that he could to convince people of his qualifications as a leader, and he liked to think that he had managed to reach out to more people than his fellow candidates. Now, it was up to the people to decide. It was all out of his hands.
Iseul wriggled discreetly to relieve the growing numbness in her bottom and stole another glance at the door to Master Hwang's back room. It had been ages since the representatives from the Ministry of Commerce went inside to count the ballots.
“Haven't they finished counting yet?” wondered Master Han, Chae-mi's father and the Kims' nearest neighbor. They were sitting with a small group of their other neighbors from the artisans' quarter, part of the crowd that packed the bookshop, awaiting the results of the election.
“I hope they finish soon,” said another neighbor, a shoemaker. “I barely did any work today, but I'm worn out from nerves. I can't wait for them to announce who won, so that we can all go home.”
Many others in the room were showing similar signs of restlessness, but Iseul's half-brother wasn't one of them. Judging from the easy manner in which he chatted with the merchants seated around him, Ki-hoon seemed fairly confident that he would win. Fighting hard to keep from showing her distaste, she turned away from the sight of his smug expression just in time to see Yong-ha coming towards her.
“Good evening, Teacher Kim,” he greeted her. He spoke in his usual jaunty tone, but it was belied by the tension around his eyes. “Do you mind if I join you?”
“No, not at all,” she replied, moving to make some space for him (and easing more of the pressure on her rear end in the process).
He sank down beside her and exchanged greetings with her neighbors. “Have you all eaten?” he asked them.
“Yes, we all went to get something to eat earlier,” the shoemaker answered. Iseul had gone with them; despite not having much of an appetite, she had forced herself to down a green onion pancake just to make sure that there was something in her stomach. “How about you?”
“Not yet,” he replied with a tight little smile, and waved away the subsequent offers to get him a bite and exhortations that he not neglect his health. “Please don't worry about me. I'll eat later, after the results have been announced.”
Suddenly, the door to Hwang's back room swung open. All conversation in the bookshop ceased as the Ministry representatives emerged. Yong-ha, abandoning all pretense of calm, grabbed Iseul's arm for support and she unthinkingly grabbed right back.
One of the Ministry men-presumably the highest-ranking one of the group-addressed the crowd. “Thank you all for waiting,” he began. “The canvassing went a little slowly because there was a large number of ballots to count, and we wanted to ensure that our tally was correct.”
He unfolded the sheet of paper that he carried and cleared his throat. “We have finished counting the votes, and the duly elected head of the Joseon Chamber of Commerce is-“ he paused for effect “-Gu Yong-ha.”
A cheer went up and the man sitting beside Iseul was promptly besieged with congratulations, but he was too shocked to notice. “Did I hear correctly?” he asked her. “Did he really say my name?”
She nodded and squeezed his arm happily. “Congratulations!”
A beaming Master Hwang came forward to shake Yong-ha's hand. “Congratulations, Master Gu!” he shrilled. “Perhaps our new leader may wish to say a few words?”
“Speech!” said someone sitting nearby, a cry that was quickly taken up by the most of the assembly. “Speech! Speech!”
“A speech?” Yong-ha repeated, even as he finally released his hold on Iseul and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. “Yes, I suppose I should say something-“
However, an angry shout cut him off before he could begin. “This will never do!” Ma Ki-hoon blustered, scrambling to stand as well. “I will not have it!
“Is this truly the sort of man you want to lead our Chamber of Commerce?” he went on, pointing an accusing finger at Yong-ha and ignoring all attempts to calm him down. “A boy, barely out of the schoolroom... who runs a women's clothing shop, of all things, and looks as though he dresses in his own wares... and associates with the most unsavory characters in our society!”
Iseul's heart stopped when her half-brother then pointed at her. “That woman,” he ranted, flecks of spittle starting to form at the corners of his mouth, “is baseborn, hardly better than a slave-“
“Ma Ki-hoon, you go too far!” Master Han thundered. The rest of the artisans' group also rushed to her defense, but their protests failed to stem the flow of Ki-hoon's venom. Iseul sat rooted to the floor, simmering with both shame and rage but at a loss on how she might make him shut up.
“That is enough.”
Yong-ha did not try to shout, but his declaration cut through the chaos like a knife, and once again the room fell silent. He stalked towards his defeated adversary with his fists clenched. The other man stiffened, clearly expecting to get hit, but Yong-ha only continued to address him in the same low, controlled voice.
“I can accept your casting doubt on my age,” he said, “and endure your criticisms of the manner in which I dress-however misguided they may be-but I cannot allow you to insult the woman who is to become my wife.”
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Disclaimer: The SKKS-verse belongs to the creators of Sungkyunkwan Scandal.
Author's Notes: Yes, I know, it's been ages since my last update. In the interim, I became very busy with preparations for and the actual taking of a major vacation :) I'm happy to say I had a great time, and came back re-energized and excited to write some more. Thanks to knweaye and naddyamal for the reviews and continued encouragement :) Hope you enjoy this chapter and please look forward to more!
Chapter Seven
“Agasshi, do you have a moment? The young master would like a word with you.”
“He does?” Iseul looked at the maid in disbelief. Usually, her half-brother Ki-hoon stayed as far away from her as he could during her duty visits to their grandfather.
“I-I mean, yes,” she said when she remembered that the servant probably wanted an answer. “I have an appointment later, but I have a little time to spare.”
“Then, if you would please follow me.”
Iseul followed the maid to a part of the house that she had never visited before. She supposed that it was the wing occupied by Ki-hoon's branch of the family, as it featured a room that seemed to be a lesser version of their grandfather's study.
Her half-brother was looking over some ledgers, and he looked up with a stiff smile when her arrival was announced. “Ah, Iseul-ah, you're here,” he said. “Please have a seat.”
The knowledge that he wanted to see her was enough of a surprise, so she was not stunned further by the informal address. “Orabeoni,” she murmured, giving him a brief bow of greeting before sinking down on the cushion he indicated. “You wanted to see me?”
He nodded, but instead of giving her a reason gestured to the maid. “You must stay and have some tea,” he said as the servant busied herself with the teapot already warming on a nearby brazier. “My father-in-law sent some very good red ginseng.”
Iseul accepted a cup of the piping-hot brew, more out of a desire to be polite than any actual thirst. “Thank you.”
“Please try it,” Ki-hoon entreated when she made no move to drink. He made a show of drinking from his own cup, as if to show that he didn't intend to poison her. “It'll warm you up nicely. It feels like we will be in for another harsh winter, doesn't it?”
That led to a stilted conversation about the weather. Then, he asked after her grandmother and her painting lessons. They were pleasant enough topics, but did little to dispel the tension she felt over this uncharacteristically cordial treatment.
Then, he said, “I suppose that your work as a teacher is why you are so interested in the Chamber of Commerce.”
She nodded even as the nonchalance in his voice set off warning bells in her head. “At first, I was just curious because all my neighbors were so excited about it,” she replied cautiously, “but teaching involves commerce as well. I decided I need to know more about matters that may affect my livelihood and, perhaps, try to make things better for people like myself.”
“Of course, of course. Then... I suppose you are going to vote in the upcoming elections?”
The warning bells rang louder. “It's not every day that an ordinary person, especially a woman, can help make such an important choice. I shouldn't waste this opportunity.”
“That is a very important choice to make,” her half-brother agreed earnestly. “You need to choose a leader who can fight for your interests.”
He then launched into a speech about the perfect leader's other sterling qualities, and Iseul remembered that Ki-hoon was also looking to lead the Chamber of Commerce. The point of this entire exchange, therefore, was to try and convince her to support his leadership bid.
“So,” he concluded in the friendliest tone she had ever heard from him, “can I count on you to vote for me at the election?”
“Ah... I'm still deciding on whom to vote for,” she told him. “But I'll certainly think about it, Orabeoni. As you said, it's a very important choice to make.”
Iseul framed her answer as diplomatically as she could, but her half-brother instantly abandoned his pleasant demeanor. “If not me, then who?” he demanded. “Do you mean to tell me that you are going to vote for Gu Yong-ha?”
“I already told you that I'm still thinking-“
“He's the only other logical choice! I saw him sitting with you at the meeting! You're going to vote for that flighty young puppy, aren't you?”
“Gu Yong-ha is not flighty,” she retorted hotly. “He may seem that way at first, but you'll think otherwise once you've heard him talk about the Chamber of Commerce. He has a very clear vision of what he wants the organization to be, and how it can benefit all of its members.”
“Still!” Ki-hoon sputtered. “You would choose him over your own flesh and blood?”
“Yes, I would!” she declared. “I might have considered voting for you if I had any idea of what good it would do to have the same flesh and blood as you, but it's far too late for that now!”
He glared at her after her outburst. “You'll regret this,” he said. “I'll make you pay.”
Her half-brother had never said anything like that to her before, but Iseul refused to back down. “Fine, just send me a bill,” she replied recklessly. “And do allow me to pay in installments-some of us need to actually work for our money.”
With that, she set down her teacup and got to her feet. “Now, if we are done here, Orabeoni,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster, “I must get going. I must give a lesson this afternoon.” She gave him a frosty little bow. “Goodbye, and good luck with the election.”
Iseul tried her best to calm down after leaving the Mas. She believed that she had done quite a good job of hiding her upset at Bang Jung-hwa's painting lesson, but should have remembered that very little escaped her student's notice. The girl spent most of the lesson trying to confirm that something was wrong, and suggesting all manner of solutions even though she had no idea whether there was even a problem in the first place.
“Teacher Kim, do you have a moment?” a voice interrupted as Iseul packed away her paints and brushes after the lesson. “I was wondering if I could have a word with you.”
She looked up and groaned inwardly at the sight of Jung-soo standing in the doorway. One of Jung-hwa's suggestions was to have her brother fix the problem. Whatever it was, the girl declared confidently, her orabeoni could make it all better.
“Of course, Master Bang,” she replied politely. “What do you wish to discuss?”
“Perhaps you should tell me,” the young man said. “My sister said that something is still troubling you. She is very worried. Is this the same thing from last time?”
The memory of her struggle with the male nude painting-and Jung-soo's potential involvement in it-made Iseul laugh, which she hoped would make him think that she had no troubles whatsoever. “There's nothing troubling me, sir. I've just been very busy today and feeling a little tired, that's all. I'm truly sorry that I seem to keep worrying you, especially the agasshi.”
“Jung-hwa has a kind heart,” he agreed. “Well, if you're sure that nothing is bothering you....”
“Everything's fine, Master Bang,” she told him. As much as she wished she could confide in Jung-soo, and perhaps leave it to him to make everything better, it felt wrong to burden him with such a private family matter when-it had to be admitted-they barely knew each other. (Also, Iseul couldn't help but think that there was someone else she could tell if she needed to, someone who knew the whole story and would understand.) “I thank you and your sister for your concern.”
“I just wanted to assure you again that you can come to us for help, if you ever need it.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He gave her a smile, then cleared his throat to break the awkward silence that followed. “Then... I suppose you are off to give another lesson?”
“Ah, no,” she replied as she finished putting away her things. “I'm heading home from here.”
“Do you perhaps need an escort?”
She shook her head vehemently, blushing. “No, no, not at all! I wouldn't want to trouble you.”
“Oh, it wouldn't be any trouble. I was going to see if any of the servants was free.”
Iseul managed a smile even as something inside her deflated. What, did you think he would personally accompany you? “Well, that won't be necessary. I know the way very well, and the roads are well-lighted.”
“If you're sure....” Jung-soo said.
“Quite sure, Master Bang,” she confirmed briskly. “But thank you for the offer.” She got to her feet and straightened her skirts. “Please tell the agasshi that I will see her as usual next week.”
“This next lesson,” Yong-ha began, “is a very important one.”
The two ladies seated before him reacted very differently to this announcement. One leaned forward, eager to catch whatever pearls of wisdom that might come her way. The other blinked and asked, “But aren't they all important, seonsaengnim?” in an innocent tone that he nevertheless knew was threaded with sarcasm.
What a pity that his real student was the sarcastic one.
“That is true,” he replied calmly, “but this one is especially important, one that women are seldom taught.”
“What is it?” asked Chae-mi, who was accompanying her friend that day.
“Today, I will teach you about identifying and dealing with men whose intentions are, shall we say, somewhat less than pure. I thought you should have some idea of how to do this, Teacher Kim, especially now that you've come into some money.”
“What money?” Iseul asked blankly.
“Don't you have an inheritance coming?”
“Oh, right,” she said, abashed. “Well, I don't expect it to be much, not enough to attract men like that, anyway.”
“You would be surprised at the lengths that desperate people would go for even just a small amount,” Yong-ha lectured. “And more often than not, the victims are women who don't know enough about the world to realize that they're in danger until it is too late, and then do not know how to protect themselves.
“The first thing to remember,” he began, “is that if a man-or any person, for that matter-seems too good to be true, then that is probably the case. If a man loves the exact same things that you love, or hates everything that you hate, nothing more and nothing less, then you must be on your guard instantly!”
“But why?” Chae-mi asked. “Doesn't it just mean that you're perfect for each other?”
“I'm sorry to disappoint you, agasshi,” he told her gently, “but more often than not, it means he is playing on your interests to get something from you, something you might not otherwise give up... or, even worse, he simply does not have a mind of his own. Would you want a man like that?”
“Of course not,” Iseul said.
Yong-ha gave her an approving nod. “I'm glad you think so, Teacher Kim,” he commended her. “But please don't frown so; you'll get wrinkles.”
He proceeded to enumerate the things they must be careful not to say or do when a suspicious person tried to strike up a conversation or otherwise get close to them. These were things that Iseul already knew, since she had quite a few secrets of her own that needed guarding, but it was nice to know that she was doing something right, so she listened attentively.
“Now,” he continued, “I know that after this lesson, you will both be very careful, but it is still possible for you to may make a mistake. Or, these people might know more tricks to escape suspicion than we have discussed here, and you won't realize it until after you have fallen into their trap. What do you do then?” He rose to his feet. “Teacher Kim, please get up. I need you to help me give a little demonstration.”
“A-all right.” Trading puzzled looks with Chae-mi, she got up. “What should I-”
Both women squealed in surprise when Yong-ha suddenly stepped very close to her. “Wh-what do you think you're doing?” Iseul managed to ask.
“If you are not careful,” he told her, “you can find yourself completely at the mercy of someone who wants to hurt you, rob you blind... or worse. What would you do then?”
As he spoke, he backed her slowly against the wall, eyes riveted on her face in a disturbingly intent fashion. She took a shuddering breath, only to draw in a clean, masculine scent that could only be coming from him. Her heart began to race.
“What do you do then, Teacher Kim?” he repeated tersely.
“G-grab, twist, and pull!” Iseul blurted out.
That brought him up short. “What?”
“Grab, twist, and pull. That's what Chin-hae ajusshi taught me,” she explained. “He said it would work on any part of the body.”
Yong-ha paused, pondering this. It did seem that it would work on any appendage: the hair, nose, ears, limbs, and even.... He swallowed. “Yes, I believe that the ajusshi is right.”
“I, ah, didn't think it would be polite to actually do so, though,” she added. “Since this is just a demonstration.”
“Th-that's right, it wouldn't have been polite,” he managed to say as a highly disturbing image of her grabbing, twisting, and pulling flashed unbidden in his mind. With great effort, he willed himself to focus on the lesson at hand. “Thank you for being so considerate.”
“Then... is the demonstration over? May I sit back down now?”
It was only then that he realized that he still had her crowded against the wall. He took a giant step away, clearing his throat loudly. “Yes, of course you may. Very good, Teacher Kim.”
“That was quite a lesson!” Chae-mi exclaimed as she and Iseul walked home together that evening. “I didn't think Master Gu would ever teach us that!”
The other young woman hid a smile. As far as she knew, Gu Yong-ha had only one student, but she was not about to destroy her friend's fantasy. “I'm glad that he did,” she said. “If these flirting lessons are going to work, then we should also be prepared to deal with anything that follows.”
“What's even better is that we'll be able to handle any man who gets too fresh, not just the ones we will flirt with. Choi Man-shik had better remember his place!”
“Who's Choi Man-shik?”
Chae-mi sniffed irritably. “Abeonim's apprentice, who else?”
Iseul's cloak slipped off her head as she rounded on the other young woman with a horrified gasp. “Is he doing anything improper with you?” she demanded. If so, then Yong-ha gave this particular lesson just in time!
“Of course he isn't; if he did, I would tell my father right away and Abeonim would kill him.” Their skirts brushed as she neatly sidestepped a garbage heap. “I'm just saying that I'd be able to take care of myself if he ever tries to do that!”
“You sound as though you're expecting him to try doing something improper with you,” Iseul teased. Her friend did seem to mention the apprentice with increasing frequency during their conversations, even if it was only to complain about him.
“I am not!” Chae-mi denied hotly, then shot her a narrow-eyed glance. “But what about you?”
She rolled her eyes. “I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there's little to no chance that I'll ever need to use today's lesson on Bang Jung-soo.”
“I wasn't thinking about Bang Jung-soo. On the other hand, you and Master Gu....”
“What? Me and-it was just a demonstration, Chae-mi! Didn't he say that it was exactly that?”
“Some demonstration! With the way you were looking at each other, maybe you should have 'grabbed, twisted, and pulled' for real.”
Iseul busied herself with rearranging her cloak; at least the garment would hide her flushed face from view. “You're seeing things,” she told her friend, even as she wondered just how had Yong-ha been looking at her. She had been too preoccupied with her own reactions to notice.
“I don't know, there seemed to be a lot of tension in that room earlier.”
“Well, that's because we're both really tense! You know what my brother said to me; who wouldn't be tense about that? A-and Master Gu is going against him at the Chamber of Commerce elections!” she added in a burst of inspiration. “Surely he's been very busy with that, on top of running his shop.”
Fortunately, Chae-mi took the bait. “He has,” she confirmed. “Abeonim says Master Gu has made the rounds among the artisans. I'm sure he's spoken with everyone he could think of. He spoke with you, too, right?”
“Yes. He was one of the few who thought to discuss the matter with me. I guess the others thought I wasn't significant enough.”
“And are you going to vote for him?”
Iseul nodded. “He was also the only one who said anything about what he could do for the Chamber of Commerce, and what the organization should do for Joseon.”
It turned out that there was a grain of truth in her lie, for even though Yong-ha had been thinking about other things during their lesson, he was indeed also preoccupied with the coming Chamber of Commerce elections. Despite any and all efforts to to build up his confidence, distract him, or otherwise calm him down, the tension reached a fever pitch on the day of the vote.
Gu Yong-ha, however, would rather die than betray his nervousness in front of everyone, and sauntered into Hwang's bookshop that afternoon with a pleasant smile on his face. Although the voting had been going on since morning, the place was still packed with tradespeople of all sorts casting their ballots. No one had closed shop that day, which meant that many people needed to carve out the time to visit Hwang's and vote.
He fell in line, cast his own vote (in his own favor, of course), and joined a group of his supporters to await the counting and results of the election. “Nice coat,” commented one of them, a trader who also just happened to be a distant relative.
“You think so?” Yong-ha replied modestly. “It's not too much?” He had initially thought to wear something brighter, but decided that cobalt blue would be flamboyant enough for his personal tastes, but also sober enough for a leader of the Chamber of Commerce.
“Everyone knows you have more taste in your little finger than most of us put together,” the other man chuckled.
Just then, Master Hwang announced that the counting of the ballots would begin in an hour. The lines of people still waiting to cast their votes moved a little faster. A voter moved forward, allowing Yong-ha to catch a glimpse of Ma Ki-hoon. The wine merchant was sitting across the room, surrounded by his own cronies. Was it just him, Yong-ha wondered, or was his rival's group larger?
A flash of green caught his eye then and Iseul, wearing one of her new skirts, came into view. She caught sight of him and gave him and encouraging nod, as did the man ahead of her in line (who also happened to be Yong-ha's hatmaker of choice).
Yong-ha smiled gratefully back at them, took a deep breath, and willed himself to relax. He had done all that he could to convince people of his qualifications as a leader, and he liked to think that he had managed to reach out to more people than his fellow candidates. Now, it was up to the people to decide. It was all out of his hands.
Iseul wriggled discreetly to relieve the growing numbness in her bottom and stole another glance at the door to Master Hwang's back room. It had been ages since the representatives from the Ministry of Commerce went inside to count the ballots.
“Haven't they finished counting yet?” wondered Master Han, Chae-mi's father and the Kims' nearest neighbor. They were sitting with a small group of their other neighbors from the artisans' quarter, part of the crowd that packed the bookshop, awaiting the results of the election.
“I hope they finish soon,” said another neighbor, a shoemaker. “I barely did any work today, but I'm worn out from nerves. I can't wait for them to announce who won, so that we can all go home.”
Many others in the room were showing similar signs of restlessness, but Iseul's half-brother wasn't one of them. Judging from the easy manner in which he chatted with the merchants seated around him, Ki-hoon seemed fairly confident that he would win. Fighting hard to keep from showing her distaste, she turned away from the sight of his smug expression just in time to see Yong-ha coming towards her.
“Good evening, Teacher Kim,” he greeted her. He spoke in his usual jaunty tone, but it was belied by the tension around his eyes. “Do you mind if I join you?”
“No, not at all,” she replied, moving to make some space for him (and easing more of the pressure on her rear end in the process).
He sank down beside her and exchanged greetings with her neighbors. “Have you all eaten?” he asked them.
“Yes, we all went to get something to eat earlier,” the shoemaker answered. Iseul had gone with them; despite not having much of an appetite, she had forced herself to down a green onion pancake just to make sure that there was something in her stomach. “How about you?”
“Not yet,” he replied with a tight little smile, and waved away the subsequent offers to get him a bite and exhortations that he not neglect his health. “Please don't worry about me. I'll eat later, after the results have been announced.”
Suddenly, the door to Hwang's back room swung open. All conversation in the bookshop ceased as the Ministry representatives emerged. Yong-ha, abandoning all pretense of calm, grabbed Iseul's arm for support and she unthinkingly grabbed right back.
One of the Ministry men-presumably the highest-ranking one of the group-addressed the crowd. “Thank you all for waiting,” he began. “The canvassing went a little slowly because there was a large number of ballots to count, and we wanted to ensure that our tally was correct.”
He unfolded the sheet of paper that he carried and cleared his throat. “We have finished counting the votes, and the duly elected head of the Joseon Chamber of Commerce is-“ he paused for effect “-Gu Yong-ha.”
A cheer went up and the man sitting beside Iseul was promptly besieged with congratulations, but he was too shocked to notice. “Did I hear correctly?” he asked her. “Did he really say my name?”
She nodded and squeezed his arm happily. “Congratulations!”
A beaming Master Hwang came forward to shake Yong-ha's hand. “Congratulations, Master Gu!” he shrilled. “Perhaps our new leader may wish to say a few words?”
“Speech!” said someone sitting nearby, a cry that was quickly taken up by the most of the assembly. “Speech! Speech!”
“A speech?” Yong-ha repeated, even as he finally released his hold on Iseul and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. “Yes, I suppose I should say something-“
However, an angry shout cut him off before he could begin. “This will never do!” Ma Ki-hoon blustered, scrambling to stand as well. “I will not have it!
“Is this truly the sort of man you want to lead our Chamber of Commerce?” he went on, pointing an accusing finger at Yong-ha and ignoring all attempts to calm him down. “A boy, barely out of the schoolroom... who runs a women's clothing shop, of all things, and looks as though he dresses in his own wares... and associates with the most unsavory characters in our society!”
Iseul's heart stopped when her half-brother then pointed at her. “That woman,” he ranted, flecks of spittle starting to form at the corners of his mouth, “is baseborn, hardly better than a slave-“
“Ma Ki-hoon, you go too far!” Master Han thundered. The rest of the artisans' group also rushed to her defense, but their protests failed to stem the flow of Ki-hoon's venom. Iseul sat rooted to the floor, simmering with both shame and rage but at a loss on how she might make him shut up.
“That is enough.”
Yong-ha did not try to shout, but his declaration cut through the chaos like a knife, and once again the room fell silent. He stalked towards his defeated adversary with his fists clenched. The other man stiffened, clearly expecting to get hit, but Yong-ha only continued to address him in the same low, controlled voice.
“I can accept your casting doubt on my age,” he said, “and endure your criticisms of the manner in which I dress-however misguided they may be-but I cannot allow you to insult the woman who is to become my wife.”