Chapter 29

One wrong word and I was a goner. Choosing my words carefully, I said, “There’s a friend I made at school named Seok Gayak. He’s the one standing outside the room right now. He brought me this peony as a gift. And, well... I wanted to share it with you.”
“That’s it?”
“Umm...” I pretended to hesitate, glancing at the twins and Myung before meeting Father’s eyes. His calm eyes helped steady my nerves. “Grandfather, I’m all right. Father brought me new peonies, and I even have this potted one now.” The deep furrow in Grandfather’s brow grew even deeper. I tried to make my voice sound as innocent as possible. “And Myung has always been closer to Pyo and Ak, so... It would’ve been difficult for him to stop them.”
Myung looked deeply touched by my words, but the twins’ eyes only filled with more malice. Pretending to be oblivious to their glares, I continued, “And so... I don’t want you to be too upset. The flowers will bloom again next year.”
“‘Flowers bloom and fall, so don’t let your emotions sway you so easily,’ is that what you mean?”
“Ah, yes! That’s right.” I giggled as if happy that he’d understood me.
“Oh, you can laugh right now?”
I quickly wiped the smile off my face.
“You’ve got nothing to be proud of, either. You think everything’s fine so long as you avoid the fight? How admirable of you! So admirable to bring me a gift to bribe me into forgiving your bullies. You’re just as responsible for dishonoring the clan before Namgoong Wan!” Grandfather shouted.
I ducked my head as if in shame. He went on. “Nothing that anyone says will change my mind! How dare you come all this way just to spout such— No, this might be for the best after all. Stand over there with him and watch!” He gestured me to Father’s side. When I hesitated, his eyebrows shot up menacingly. Putting on a glum face, I trudged toward my father, who patted my shoulder consolingly.
Grandfather’s severe voice rang out through the room. “Myung, I’m sure you’ve learned from this incident.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“You are the eldest child of the Baengri clan. Are Ak and Pyo your only cousins? Isn’t Yeon a part of the family as well? She’s no different from them. And yet, you sat back and watched the twins bully her instead of stopping them!”
Myung lowered his head. Grandfather continued, “Furthermore, you are to blame for the Riri incident! If you hadn’t given the flowers to her, you should’ve told the truth. Instead, you made up a pack of senseless lies!”
Myung guiltily recalled how Riri had been scolded without even knowing why, just because he’d panicked when Lord Wan asked him about the peonies and made a bad call in the spur of the moment.
“Do you think Namgoong Wan would ever fall for such a lie? Why did you have to drag your innocent sister into your mess and smear her good name? How will Riri ever be able to face anyone of the Namgoong clan now?”
It was true that, had he told the truth from the beginning, the situation wouldn’t have gotten out of hand. But, Myung also felt that the situation was unfair. He’d been planning to take the peonies to his sister. Although he hadn’t stopped the twins from harassing Yeon, it had been their idea to throw the flowers away, not his.
Of course, he’d already conveniently forgotten all about how much he hadn’t wanted to take them to Riri back then.
Lord Baengri sternly pronounced, “Baengri Myung, I sentence you to half a year of probation. You are also barred from entering the main hall for some time. But I will allow you to continue attending school.”
“Thank you for your generosity.” Myung bowed obediently, but his inner thoughts were anything but docile. Not allowed to enter the main hall? Fine! But probation for half a year? How would he explain this to his friends? If word got out of his encounter with Lord Wan... He would hardly be able to show his face from the shame. Feeling miserable, he said, “It’ll never happen again.”
Grandfather relaxed slightly at the sight of his grandson’s apparently sincere repentance. Still, he was going to make sure that the boy learned his lesson. He called out resolutely, “You must be punished for the wrongs you’ve committed. Bring it here!”
A servant appeared with a switch.
“Ah!”
“No!”
The twins moaned in fear.
That yellow bamboo switch swished flexibly with every swing, and it hurt like hell. I knew because... I’ve been beaten with it too. I’d almost fainted at the time. No, maybe I actually had...
Myung’s face grew pale as Grandfather took the switch from the servant and told him, “Place your hands out in front and stand up straight.” Straightening up, he gritted his teeth as he held out his hands.
Damn, is Grandfather really going to do it himself? You could call it special treatment, but of a kind I never wanted to receive.
“Do you understand why you’re being punished?” Grandfather asked.
“Yes, Grandfather.” He tried to remain calm, but Myung was also just a twelve-year-old child. His fearful voice trembled with a hint of tears. I couldn’t look. Just as I turned my face away, I heard a fierce thwack.
I didn’t feel particularly sorry for Myung. He was only getting what he deserved, after all. But I still couldn’t watch. Myung held out as best as he could, but by the end he couldn’t help but groan in pain and begin to cry. Bad memories resurfaced in me, and my stomach churned. I only came back to my senses when I felt someone tapping my shoulders.
Father was gazing at me with concern. The sound of the switch had stopped. I whispered, “I’m fine.”
Of course, I was not fine. Even I could tell from the way my voice sounded. Father placed his hand on my forehead before moving toward Myung. Helping him up slowly with a hand on his arm, Father told him, “You did well.”
Myung did his best to swallow his sobs.
Grandfather looked back at the twins, who were shivering as they held onto one another. He let the whip in his hands fall to the ground. “As for you two... We’ll see what your mother chooses.”
* * *
Only the sound of wheezing breaths remained in the room once my grandfather and father left. I approached Myung and asked, “Are you all right?”
Myung winced, his face covered in cold sweat. I took a handkerchief out and was about to pass it to him when I spotted his red, swollen hands. That was when I heard light footsteps approaching us.
Turning his head to look at their source, Myung scowled. “What are you doing here, Young Master Seok?”
“Aide Jang requested I deliver this to you.” Gayak handed over an ointment.
“Oh...”
“Please hold out your hands.”
Myung whimpered in pain at the touch of ointment against his wound.
Gayak quickly finished rubbing the ointment in and casually swiped my handkerchief to wipe off his fingers. “Once you go back, run your hands under cold water to reduce the swelling and then apply the ointment again. Remember not to keep your hands in the water for too long.”
“My thanks,” Myung said to Gayak and then turned to me. He hesitated for a second before saying, “You too, Yeon... Thanks for worrying about me.”
“Myung?” Pyo grabbed Myung’s sleeve as if to ask what he was doing.
A surge of irritation swelled up in Baengri Myung. Yeon had at least tried to stick up for him, but what had the twins done? He’d gotten chewed out just for getting caught up in the trouble they caused, and then had unfairly been the only one punished as a result. Ignoring Pyo, Myung turned his gaze toward Yeon. “I haven’t been very good to you up to now, have I? I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right.”
Myung smiled faintly at my ready reply. “From now on, no more fighting among cousins—”
“Myung! What are you saying?” Pyo cut him off with a yell. “Thanks to that worthless scum, we’re about to be kicked out of the family!”
“Pyo, calm down.” Myung forgot his anger in his surprise. Their grandfather might have left the room, but he wouldn’t have gone far, and he could return if they made too much of a commotion.
“Calm down? Wake up, Myung! How could you do this to us?”
Pyo could continue to yell because he was sure that he’d never be banished from the clan, but things were different for Ak. Unlike Pyo, who might be allowed to stay depending on Aunt Euiran’s decision, Ak would have to leave no matter what. He looked daggers at me, his eyes bloodshot.
I was staring back at him when I felt a tug and turned my head toward its source.
“Let’s go.” It was Gayak.
“All right,” I replied.
I was letting Gayak drag me out of the hall when Ak shouted at my back, “You knew, didn’t you? You knew Namgoong Wan was there, but you didn’t say anything on purpose!”
I stopped and looked back at the twins. At the sight of their eyes full of hatred, I recalled how they’d snickered as they stomped on my peonies and threw rocks at my head.
A voice echoed through Baengri Pyo and Soh Wuak’s minds: qi-speak.
[That’s right. I knew he was there at the time.]
I looked back at the now wide-eyed twins and smiled.
[But what difference does that make? Did I force you to step on my peonies?]

Chapter end