Eternal life - Magdalena Wita (best summer reads .TXT) 📗

Young Saeng was sitting on the couch and wondered what to do. First five minutes he kept himself occupied and played on phone. Then he went to kitchen and grabbed some food. He already ate, but he craved for some snacks. He sat on the couch back, but playing with phone was no longer entertaining, so he laid on the couch. It didn’t take long when he was fast asleep.

He woke up as Aeri was covering him with a blanket. He looked at the clock, it was almost 2 hours later. He looked back at her. ‘How it went?’

She sat beside him on the couch, exhaling the air heavily. ‘He misses grandma cooking.’

‘Ouch…’ Young Saeng didn’t know what to answer.

‘Yup… He’s a kid overall…’

‘So what you’re going to do?’

She bit her lip, as she usually did. ‘As for now I got him to get rid of his work and that I’ll give him bigger allowance. For now should be enough.’

‘But how? You barley have money to live, as you said!’ He shouted directly at her.

Aeri avoided Young Saeng’s gaze. ‘Maybe I’ll borrow from Ji Soo…’

‘Stop it! I’ll leave the house, ok?’

She pointed her finger at him. ‘Don’t! I don’t need more problems!’

‘But having me around you is bigger issue!’

‘Really, drop it. I decided that I’ll help you. Also you’re starting a job, so soon you’ll be paying for yourself…’ She patted his shoulder.

The man was not buying it. He felt like he was a burden. ‘But for now I’m not…’

‘Young saeng-a, really, listen. I hate abandoning people. And also I’m really curious who you are. That number two. And third thing, I know my brother – after a week he starts to feel guilty. And in next month, the situation will happen again. So I have to think of something permanent. But for that I have to grab some sleep…’ Aeri wanted to settle things quickly, since she finally started to feel tired from all the stuff that happened that day. She yawned and Young Saeng noticed it.

He took of the blanket that was still covering him and stood up. ‘I’ll take the floor…’

She waved her hand at him. ‘Don’t bother, I’ll sleep with granny. Goodnight. And don’t think about it all, ok?’ She walked out to different room and switched off the lights.

‘Goodnight. How I can stop myself from overthinking, hmm?’ Young Saeng whispered, while laying down on the couch.

***

Woong Tae approached the back of his yard. The household beside his belonged to his dear friend’s family. In the corner of the second yard a tree was growing, which branches peeped through it at dangled upon the Shim court. The young master got closer to that tree and looked up.

‘Ji Woon?’ he asked the tree. Then he heard as the leaves make a noise and his friend showed up on the fence. He sat on the peak.

‘I’ve heard, your walk isn’t brisk. What this time? A story, when he single-handedly defeated fifteen enemies? Or when he discovered a foe in the government just because of his military wisdom?’ Ji Woon asked jokingly.

‘Ji Woon, how do you value our friendship?’ Woong Tae ignored his companion comments.

‘Well, in the first place there’s not many people I talk with. You’re first on the list. Then there’s my sister, but she’s sick again, so lord… or father, as some may say, forbid me from visiting her, as if I’m the cause… Then older brother is passing a military exam right now and he only spoke to me, when I was in his way… Oh, and the twins. Father let me help them with swordsmanship, but that’s all. For now their mind is not poisoned with discrimination, so they’re kind of nice to me…’

Ji Woon was reciting, while Woong Tae sat below him and blankly looked to the ground. ‘You didn’t answer my question.’ He said.

‘Damn, my friend! You’re an important person in my life. Only my sister is better, but let say it’s her privilege as a only woman, who is feeding me!’ Ji Woon laughed. ‘I would die for both of you.’

‘Then I think I choose correctly.’ Woong Tae dully answered.

‘Choose what? Stop beating about the bush!’

‘Father ordered me to get married.’

Ji Woon was laying on the top of the wall, after hearing those word, he swiftly sat up and looked down at his friend. ‘You? Marry?! Hahaha! Don’t joke!’

‘Stop mocking me. He gave me a choice, either to marry or to go to the capital.’

‘Geez! No wonder why you sound so lifeless! So you choose to marry? Whom? Did you already, you know, did them?’ Ji Woon’s voice was joyful.

‘Don’t sadden me. I don’t know yet. But hear me out. You and our life style is also important to me. No matter what kind of woman will come into my life, no one will stop us from being who we are.’

‘You’re saying that no matter who’ll be your wife, she’ll be mistreated and you’ll have many lovers? This kind of life?’

‘Exactly. I’m young and I’m just following my father’s order.’

‘I’m in this. You know, I love to watch who you peeve with your attitude.’ Ji Woon said and that made Woong Tae laugh through his nose.

Suddenly, they heard a voice coming from Choi yard. One of the servants came for Ji Woon. ‘Sir Yoo Ji Woon, lord is looking for you.’ He said.

‘Father? I mean master? For me?’ He pointed at himself with disbelief. The servant nodded. ‘Weird things are happening tonight.’ He whispered to Woong Tae and said goodbye to him. After that he jumped off of the fence and followed the man, which came for him.

It was maybe second time that his alleged father wanted to talk with him. Earlier it happened when Ji Woon accidently bumped into officer Choi. That time lord only warned him that he better stay aloof off of him, as he’s not welcomed there. The young boy took this words to his heart and barely showed up in the main house, he preferred to keep with the servants. Every comment said about him by the officer was passed to him by someone of the help. The thing he said to Woong Tae while before was true: the only person that ever had any interest in him was his sister.

She was two years older than him and was nothing alike him. His father had two official wives. From the first marriage came his brother, which now is going to serve in the army and his sister. After giving a birth to her, their mother died. However officer Choi did not mourn her too much, since even when she was alive he already had many affairs, but none ever came to that point, where a child appeared. But there is Ji Woon. No one knows why he was kept in, but he had to stay there, not belonging to any rank. After that his father remarried and few years ago they had twins.

His sister was in poor health. She always stayed inside, not being in ability to travel, because she would always catch some sickness. She was small, fragile and behaved truly like an angel. When Woong Tae couldn’t play with Ji Woon, because of general’s trainings, Hwa Ryeong would go out to keep her sad brother company. He was terrified, because he immediately knew, that if she’s going to be sick, their father would blame it on him. But she didn’t care and always could make young boy smile.

Their environments were totally different. Ji Woon ate with the servants, while Hwa Ryeong got all the best cooking. However she was kind enough to always leave something for him to eat. Their bond was tight, even without anyone knowing that.

Ji Woon was being leaded to the main study, where his father awaited for him. He was standing in the middle of the room and as his lost in thought son came in, he ordered the servants to came out and leave them alone.

Boy looked at the master without trust in his eyes. ‘What is that, that you want to talk with me, my lord?’

‘I plan to marry of Hwa Ryeong.’ Officer Choi coldly answered in his high pitched voice.

Ji Woon felt shivers run down his spine. He had a bad feeling about this, but he had to make himself sure. ‘And you’re telling me this because…?’

‘As you don’t already figured it out. Shim Woong Tae is going to be her husband.’

Young master took a sharp breath. ‘Sir, he’s my dear friend, but… I may tell you honestly, he’s not a husband material… At least not for Hwa Ryeong.’

‘Don’t you think I don’t have eyes and ears? That I don’t know what you two do in the town?’ His father was irritated, clearly because of the situation he was put in. ‘I know. But as you keep yourself far from me I can stand it. I promised general her hand and I have to keep that promise.’

‘You promised? Father, she’s not some kind of good to sell…’

Choi Jeong Ho looked sharply at Ji Woon. ‘You don’t deserve to call me like that. But I will let it go once, however you have to be at use for once in your life.’

‘How is that?’

‘I can’t say no to the general, without losing my head. Nevertheless he can say no, which I will kindly accept. Your only task is to make it happen.’

‘Only task? Sir, you know the best what kind of man general Shim is…’

‘Use your head. Show that really there is some of my blood running in you.’ Officer Choi shouted, then he quickly changed the tone of his voice to calm and friendly. ‘If you do good, who knows, maybe not only Hwa Ryeong will be saved from that wicked man, but also you’ll be in ability to sit and eat with us one day… my son?’ He patted Ji Woon’s shoulder with hesitance and smiled untrustworthy. ‘Now go, I hope you’ll work quick. General is waiting only for Hwa Ryeong to get better.’

‘Yes, my lord.’ Ji Woon walked outside and run out of the court. It was completely dark, since it was deep on the night, however he headed to the woods nearby. The moon was shining as he approached the river and heavily sat on one of the rocks. He picked some stones and started to throw them into the water with a lot of the strength, so the splattering water was hitting his body and face. The water was mixing with the tears of anger running down his face. He shouted to the moon and placed his head on his palms, squatting.

He was in despair. He had to choose between his best friend, the only one he ever had and his sister, the only being that cared about him. The words, which Woong Tae said earlier to him, about not being faithful, echoed in his thoughts. His sister didn’t deserve such a person. She was too pure to be around someone who’ll not give a rip about her. He didn’t care about stupid promise of his father. He would never want to become a part of this wicked family. But Woong Tae also didn’t earn to be treated this way. Ji Woon could just talk with him…

Immediately a vision of his friend laughing at him scared him. He imagined, that knowing young master personality, he’s going to say something bad. ‘She’s just a woman. Wouldn’t it be better for her, when I’m not around her? That she can stay in home without me and not be ordered around? Husbands in home are such a stress! Hahaha!’ Ji Woon grabbed his hair as he heard those word in his mind said with Woong Tae voice. It was so like him, so the anger slowly fading inside of Ji Woon started to boil again. No, he has to do something out of hiding. He can’t talk with him nor utter a word. He has to come up with a plan.

He put