Munjeong - Chapter 25

Has it already been a week? It was the first time seeing Chaeon since they met under the late-night moonlight. Though I couldn’t understand why the memory of that particularly dark moment lingered so vividly, the pale, almost white skin and the starlike gleam in her widened eyes kept flickering in my mind, hauntingly fleeting.

 

It’s already been a season since she came to this place.

 

“During the university consultation, she submitted all her applications to schools in Seoul. Her future plan, for now, is to quickly settle in Seoul as soon as she gets into university…”

 

 That’s what I heard when I was briefed on the matters Jang Yeonjun was involved in concerning her. But… I wonder. Really.

 

Taeha quietly stared at Chaeon’s profile. He recalled the withered calla lily he once saw on Jang Yeonjun’s desk. That pristine and delicate flower that had been placed in Hayeon’s room after her death. Even when it was crumbling to dust, he had tenaciously refused to throw it away, clinging to it with an obsessive, peculiar affection.

 

When a person becomes so fixated on something, it becomes unsettling. After going to such lengths to win her over, would he let her go so easily? The thought made Taeha smirk crookedly.

 

Watching Jang Yeonjun, who acted like a master over his “possessions” here in Songbaekwon, was tolerable only because his deepening interest in Chaeon made her all the more useful.

 

So, please, cling to her—deeply and for a long time, just as you are now, Jang Yeonjun.

 

But before that… Taeha slowly rubbed his aching temples. He hadn’t been able to sleep soundly for some time. And he knew a face—one he couldn’t quite hide his craving for—that could most effectively lull him to rest.

 

After briefly glancing at Chaeon, he turned and walked inside again, feeling the persistent, clingy gaze following him the moment he turned his back.

 

—

 

“Look here. In the set of all real numbers, you’re finding the constant value when it’s continuous, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then 6-a is…”

 

Chaeon had been seeking Yeonjun’s help for a particularly stubborn math problem she couldn’t solve. As always, the room, which overlooked the garden, was filled with the gentle aroma of coffee, and its owner exuded kindness. His voice, explaining things calmly, and the warm gaze he directed at her, both carried a certain tenderness.

 

Yeonjun wore a beige knit cardigan with the clean scent of fabric softener and cream-colored cotton pants. Chaeon thought the outfit suited his pale, elegant demeanor exceptionally well and found herself frequently stealing glances at him.

 

“…”

 

Yeonjun’s hands moved smoothly as he explained, but suddenly, he went quiet. Curious, Chaeon lifted her head, only to meet his playful eyes as he looked down at her.

 

“Yoon Chaeon.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“What was I just explaining?”

 

His voice, tinged with amusement, made her shift her gaze awkwardly.

 

“Why aren’t you focusing?”

 

His tone wasn’t stern, but it was still a scolding, prompting Chaeon to mumble softly.

 

“Sorry…”

 

“Should we take a break?”

 

Yeonjun’s fingertips, slightly cool to the touch, grazed Chaeon’s cheek. Despite his warm demeanor, he often mentioned that his body tended to feel cold. Perhaps because of that, his habitual gestures of stroking her hair or touching her cheek always carried a particularly chilling sensation. Meeting his gaze as he tilted his head, Chaeon shook hers.

 

“No, I’ll focus now…”

 

Knock, knock.

 

At the sound of a knock breaking the quiet atmosphere, Chaeon flinched, and Yeonjun, whose smooth smile disappeared as if it had never been there, let out a small sigh.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Young master, I have something to tell you.”

 

“Come in.”

 

A familiar yet cautious voice came from beyond the door, and once Yeonjun granted permission, someone peeked their head inside. It was Yeonseo.

 

“Well…”

 

“What is it?”

 

When Yeonjun asked, Yeonseo hesitated for a moment before glancing at Chaeon.

 

“Well, the elder young master said he needs Chaeon for something. He asked for her to come right away…”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes. He just said he had something he needed help with.”

 

Yeonseo’s gaze, fixed on Chaeon, was rather persistent. It was as if she were silently questioning why both young masters of the household seemed so desperate to seek her out, even though she was already here with Yeonjun. Her expression was slightly sullen.

 

Why would he call me? Pressing her lips together in thought, Chaeon nervously fidgeted with her fingers. In Songbaekwon, it was unthinkable not to respond to a summons, but Chaeon already felt a tightness in her chest at the thought of facing Taeha, who always made her uncomfortable.

 

“Well, go on. Head to the third room on the left hallway on the second floor.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Reluctantly answering, Chaeon gave a small nod and watched as Yeonseo bowed slightly to Yeonjun before leaving and shutting the door behind her. Feeling a gaze on her cheek, Chaeon turned to see Yeonjun looking at her with an expression she’d never seen before.

 

How to describe it… It was almost…

 

“Are you going to go?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“To Jang Taeha.”

 

Yeonjun, now perched on the sofa with his long legs tucked under him, rested his chin on his knees as he gazed at her. Chaeon knew that, at times, his expression could be so cold it made her feel a chill. And now, his tilted gaze was thick with displeasure.

 

“I have to. He called for me.”

 

Chaeon swallowed a sigh and replied calmly. What else could she do? Aside from Chairman Jang, the household’s highest authority, everyone else walked on eggshells around Jang Taeha.

 

“I’ll work on this problem later in my room. Thank you for teaching me.”

 

Chaeon packed up her notebook and gave a small bow as she rose to leave when—

 

“Chaeon.”

 

At the soft call, Yeonjun grabbed her hand.

 

“Do you really have to go?”

 

“Sorry?”

 

“If it’s something someone else can do instead of you?”

 

She wished it could be, but Chaeon was never in a position to judge or act on her own in this place. Smiling faintly, she shook her head.

 

“The young master has never called for me separately before. There must be a reason.”

 

For a moment, the muscles in Yeonjun’s jaw tightened before relaxing. The hand that had been holding Chaeon’s seemed to loosen as if it would release her entirely, then his previously expressionless face softened into a faint smile.

 

“…I see.”

 

His amber eyes, which had been gazing intently at her, narrowed slightly, reflecting a subtle gleam.

 

“In that case, Chaeon.”

 

Suddenly, Yeonjun slipped off the cardigan he had been wearing over his white T-shirt and stepped closer to her.

 

“Uh…”

 

Beneath his smooth, fair face lay a firm build. His broad shoulders and toned arms revealed themselves, leaving Chaeon at a loss as to where to look, causing her to lower her eyes.

 

“Hold on a second. Lift your arms.”

 

Caught off guard, she raised her arms, and Yeonjun, ever so naturally, draped his oversized cardigan over her. Surprised by the unexpected gesture, Chaeon looked up at him, only to see him smile gently, his eyes curving slightly.

 

“Wear it.”

 

“Oh… but this…”

 

“It’s chilly.”

 

The cardigan, which Yeonjun had worn until just moments ago, carried his warmth. It was probably just a few dozen steps to where Jang Taeha was. Even so, this act of kindness must have been because Yeonjun was, by nature, a caring person. Chaeon offered him a small smile.

 

“Thank you. I’ll return it when I come back.”

 

“Alright. Go on.”

 

The way he brushed her hair behind her ears felt unusually slow and deliberate. Startled, she took a step back and, without meeting his eyes, offered a brief bow before turning away in haste.

 

Click.

 

As Chaeon disappeared from view, wrapped in his large cardigan, the faint smile that had lingered on Yeonjun’s face also vanished.

 

—

 

Taeha, who was beginning to take over key responsibilities one by one, had been leaving early in the morning and returning late at night with increasing frequency. The only time Chaeon had even caught a glimpse of him recently was two days ago, for a brief moment.

 

She was curious as to why he was rarely around, yet, at the same time, found herself somewhat relieved by his absence.

 

Step by step, she ascended the spiral staircase, each step tightening her chest further. That dark night, the damp look in his eyes as he exhaled cigarette smoke, and the indescribable sense of oppression, kept replaying in her mind.

 

The third door down the left hallway on the second floor. Stopping in front of the location Yeonseo had indicated, Chaeon took a deep breath to calm her nerves before knocking on the door.

 

“Come in.”

 

Stepping inside, Chaeon found Taeha standing at his desk, accepting a glass of water and something else from a servant. Sparing her a brief glance, his slightly hoarse voice directed her to wait.

 

“Just a moment.”

 

“….”

 

Standing silently with her hands clasped, Chaeon gradually took in the unfamiliar space around her. She had never imagined she’d step foot into Jang Taeha’s room, just as she had never anticipated being in Yeonjun’s.

 

Unlike Yeonjun’s room, which exuded the charm of someone who appreciated art as a hobby, Taeha’s space was stark, almost minimalist, as if he believed in only keeping the bare essentials. The room held almost no items to draw one’s gaze.

 

Except for one thing.

 

The piano.

 

It seemed to be the grand piano from the first floor, now relocated here, standing imposingly in front of a large window. Unable to resist, her gaze shifted back to Taeha, who appeared to have just finished his conversation. The servant, bowing to him, passed Chaeon as they left the room.

 

Click. The sound of the door closing behind her made Chaeon glance around before offering a greeting to Taeha.

 

“Hello.”

 

His hair was slightly damp, as if he had just finished bathing. Dressed in a navy V-neck sweater and comfortable pants, his straight neck and broad shoulders stood out, though there was a faint hint of fatigue on his face.

 

After swallowing the pill in his hand with water, Taeha lightly gestured with his chin.

 

“Sit.”

 

As Chaeon moved toward the sofa, Taeha’s voice stopped her mid-step.

 

“Not there.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“By the piano.”