| Farewell, My Friend, I Cannot Leave You (Part II)

[Chapter theme - "Broken Hopes And Dreams" from playlist link tinyurl.com/hofsotsound ]

Jung-In eventually confessed to Master Min-Jun that he devised the prank grasshopper. He did not put it in words but the fact that he missed her company, must have come through his confession. Probably this is why his punishment was to help Soo-Ah with her chores. There was no other punishment that could have made him happier but spending his attention on her.

Because when it came to their studies, Jung-In's attention was focused on what the Old Master had to teach them and he kept excelling, every day a little bit more.

The old master had a thought. What if he were to send the boy to study at a private school in the capital city? He was willing to support the tuition cost as he saw promise in the young lad. Since he could not make use of his presence in the city, he could use his influence as a proxy. Luckily, he had someone he could trust with this idea.

Knowing that Ho-Orabeoni's visit was approaching, the old master sat at his table, writing a letter, detailing his plan for Jung-In's future and asking for help. The sooner the better because the kingdom's politics had become aggressive. Skirmishes raged rampant not far from them, along their northern border, and he had heard talks of a new war more often than he would have liked.

By the time the Young Master came to stay at the manor, they had already found a tutor who had opened the door of his private school to Jung-In. Every step of the plan had been laid out.

The following morning, the children were called to the master's study, where he sat in his armchair while Ho-Orabeoni stood by his right side.

Jung-In and Soo-Ah were convinced they were being called to be scolded and were poking at each other, placing the blame on imagined things. Little did they expect to see both Master Min-Jun and Ho-Orabeoni trying to hide their smiles.

"The look on your faces tells me you made trouble again," commenced the Old Master, musing while the children made ready to deny everything. "No matter what you did I have news. Especially for you, young Jung-In."

The boy's eyes grew wide, and he began to get uncomfortable as everyone in the room was staring at him.

"It was decided Jung-In should attend a private school in the capital. One of the best. The Tutor will house you and feed you as well, courtesy of Young Master's honoured name and his intercession," he looked at Ho-Orabeoni who bowed his head after being so graciously mentioned.

"What? Brother Jung-In is to leave? Go alone? With Ho-Orabeoni?" Soo-Ah asked with dismay on her face.

"Yes, he is," and turning to face Jung-In, Old Master continued, "I have already discussed it with your father, dear boy. You have plenty of time to prepare for the journey. When Young Master leaves he is to take you with him to the capital. I entrusted him to keep an eye on you also, so you're to rein in your behaviour. Don't you go dishonouring his name."

Ho-Orabeoni intervened. "I would say to tread forward carefully, young one, for it is also your Master's Min-Jun Kim name that you will represent."

Jung-In slowly came to grips with the news. Thinking about the big city, a private tutor slowly drew a wide smile on his face. He was ready to go on this new adventure. And the smile froze on his face. To go to the city meant to leave here. Leaving his home, his father, Soo-Ah. His smile gradually turned into a frown. He looked in Soo-Ah's direction. She had uttered no more words and was keeping silent, fixing her stare on the floor. His heart tumbled right there next to her feet.

"Forgive me, Old Master but I don't want to go. I can't leave my home." Jung-In finally spoke, still looking at Soo-Ah's disenchanted expression. He could hardly believe what he had said when all he ever wanted was to leave this place, to go forge a destiny for himself.

His reply left all the others surprised until Ho-Orabeoni intervened, "Don't rush to decide young Jung-In. Let us have a talk, just the two of us."

To Jung-In this sounded more like a command than a request and he could not wiggle his way out.

Min-Jun took Soo-Ah out of the room to give them some privacy. Ushered out, she stared back at Ho-Orabeoni and Jung-In and remained to stare at the closing door. It was like seeing a bright sky become clouded ahead of a storm when all she wanted to do was to stay outside and play. It was not fair.

If it was anyone going anywhere it should have been her. She should leave in Jung-In's place. If only she was better at her lessons. If only girls could go to school. If only she was a boy. She was being left behind in this world where men attained all privileges and she could not even touch one.

Jung-In came out of his discussion with the young master donning a new perspective. Through mysticism and magic, Ho-Orabeoni must have turned his mind inside out. Since that moment the boy grew more and more impatient for the moment he would leave the rural setting behind to begin what he was now calling - A new life -.

Until they were set to depart, Soo-Ah tried to avoid Jung-In as much as she could. Because when she meet his eyes and he began smiling at her like the dumb mule he was, it made her stomach clench and her eyes water. It made her want to get closer, to say something, knowing full well that soon she would not be able to. Unable to because he was going away, to do all the things she could not do. How she wished she could go in his place. She never thought to see the day when she wanted to leave her home behind. Torn between an indescribable mix of emotions and envy, she did not like who she became. Better to avoid him and to keep herself dignified than to risk giving into her foul mood and bad mouth.

Despite her inner rebellion, on the day when Jung-In was to leave with Ho-Orabeoni, she found herself fighting tears. Feelings that made no sense, washed over her like waves, leaving behind a lingering sorrowful taste in her mouth. It was something that gnawed inside of her, leaving her restless and her tiny heart making vaults between her stomach and her throat. She would have started sprinting, away from this place, from this moment. She would have started sprinting knowing that Jung-In never missed the chance to chase her.

She lost her fight to stay strong and let one teardrop slide over her cheek while they all stood together in the courtyard, in front of the opened gate.

Three freshly hooved horses awaited with travelling bags on their backs. Ho-Orabeoni and his servant mounted the saddle and waited patiently.

It was time for Jung-In's final goodbyes.

Jung-In took one good look around the courtyard. The apple tree with the swing swayed with the wind. The chickens' and pigs' sounds were coming from afar. The worn-out cart he used to pull Soo-Ah in, stood bleached and abandoned under one of the trees. The trees were in bloom and the air had a sweet scent. It was the first scent he remembered having sampled, the scent that told him each year he was getting older. The smell of the trees in bloom will make him remember that on his tenth spring he left his home behind. He was leaving his family to set on the journey he always dreamed of. And he had never been as heartbroken in his entire life.

He first received a strong pat on his back from his father who looked like he had lost something precious. Then it was Noona's turn. She slipped him a talisman for good fortune and health and hugged him tight against her bosom, turning his cheeks to an awkward pink. From the Old Master, he received a manly handshake and encouraging words about his future. Despite everyone else showering him with a warm display of affection, Soo-Ah put up a cold front though her eyes were pouring tear after tear. Until Jung-In awkwardly came to face her and she began to sob uncontrollably.

He was taken aback by her reaction, fidgeting and stalling, unwilling to leave her like this, yet unsure of what to do. After they received the news, he thought Soo-Ah was jealous of him and suspected this was the reason why she kept him at an arm's distance. At the dinner table, she moved her chair to the other side, whenever he would enter a room she turned quiet at best. At worst she would leave, slamming the door behind her. And whenever he got her face to face, sorrow and grudge were mixed on her expression while her voice was colder than a handful of snow. Seeing her cry now he could hardly believe his eyes.

Despite all their arguments and all their fighting, and all that had come to pass between them in the time they grew up together, she would miss him. From the time he held her hand while she wobbled around the courtyard and shared splashes of water in the bathtub until they shared fights or laughs, she cared for him as he cared for her. She was his friend, his little sister, and his family.

Since the girl seemed to wear her emotions on her sleeve, he decided to do the same and went with the flow. Picking up her face in his hands he lifted her head so that he could look her straight in the eyes. "Do not cry Soo-Ah. You should be happy I leave cause you won't have my stupid face to annoy you. You can say goodbye to my dumb jokes," he tried to tease her one last time.

Soo-Ah closed her eyes and continued sobbing. A sudden urge came over Jung-In to embrace the little girl tightly, his tears overtaking him. Despite how much he wanted to leave, it was too hard to break away from everything he'd known and loved. As he got up on the horse and was led out of the courtyard, the inevitability of this decision stared him back in the face.

He turned to look at the one he left behind, crying. "Soo-Ah-ah! Stupid Soo-Ah, don't cry. Friends never say goodbye. I promise I'll be back for you. I promise I'll be back, Soo-Ah, and I'll bring you the most beautiful jewel in the city." Having found his resolve, he kept waving, willing to shout it out loud enough for the gods to hear, "If the jewel makes you even a little beautiful, I'll marry you. Soo-Ah-ah! I'll come back and marry you!"

And the gods would have done well to listen.

Jung-In's shouts became fainter and fainter as the party distanced themselves from the house.

Soo-Ah was crying uncontrollably by now, barely managing to understand what she felt or to speak a sentence just for her to hear. As if she was trying to hide from the real reason for her sorrow, she whispered a set of words she could hardly believe, "Stupid Jung-In. I am not crying for you. I am crying because you get to leave with my Ho-Orabeoni."