Chapter 14: Kim Chun-Ae/ Seon-Ho

..."Listen to me you little slut! If you want to crawl up the social ladder then go to the gibangs like you're whore of a mother. In fact, take anyone in the neighbourhood, province, nation I don't care. But you had better keep your hands and eyes off of my Seon-Ho! I knew him long before you were dragged here to survive remember? My father was the one who got you this job! We do not want anything to do with you; just know your place. There's only 1 thing you can do to repay my family, keeping me updated on Seon-Ho for MYSELF not for you!"...

Those words were still ringing in my ears as I lay on the cold floor for hours and hours on end as literally no one took any notice of me lying on the ground...just like I had to when mother worked in the gibang as I was forced to watch...sometimes even partake in...in acts that helped us put food on the table. No one cared if I was alright, if I was harmed, if I was hungry or cold....or maybe someone did care about me deep down...but he was distracted by the new shiny thing living in his mother's quarters.

I picked myself up off of the floor in the same way I used to back in Ihwaru every night; I managed to get up on my knees first, then I would grab the nearest surface in which I would pick myself up off of the floor...and shuffle my way back to my room...until Nam-Jeon rescued me. I was still shuffling when I couldn't hep but overhear that with bitch talking to him about me. I couldn't believe it! They were discussing me without even rushing over to help me! I felt my blood boil as I was completely tempted to barge in there and tear here apart with my bare hands...that retard was the reason why he had changed so much.

I had a peaceful like here the day Nam-Jeon found me and recruited me to work in his estate when I was 10 years old...I was so delighted to finally get the hell out of that gibang; even if I was to be a mere maid I would still have a life of my own. I swore to myself that I wouldn't look at another man after what I had been through...but that's when I saw him. The boy looked just as lost and lonely as I felt and he had a hard time fitting in as well. We were both the same age and even though I was a mere servant and forbidden to interact with the young master other than my services...we both grew up beautifully despite our painful past. The scrawny skinny boy who had been brought into the mansion grew up into a fine, tall, handsome and intensely athletic and self-managed. He had a huge grudge with his father which didn't make sense to me; his father saved him like he saved me and gave him nobility in this huge mansion...but the young master could be kind sometimes...depending on his mood. He was...everything a well-bred man could be, and he could make any girl very lucky with his fortune...he was everything all the other men were not. I liked him...no, it was more than like...but if we married and I got to live as lady of this very manor...I could live happily as well as look down on my cousin's family who had been doing the same to me for all of my life and long last.

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"Oraboni...shouldn't you help that servant out who was beaten on the floor. You...you just left her there on her own for hours, you won't even let me help her out" I heard her words but all I could focus on were on how I felt when she grabbed me...hugged me...offered to look after me. The first person to do so...and I sensed it was a lot more than mere sisterly affection. I couldn't take my eyes off of her for one second, no matter how hard I tried. I tried to remember who she was and I tried to respect her...maybe her memory loss was a blessing in disguise? Maybe it was a sign...that I could steal some precious moments with someone who was kind and tender rather than be surrounded by people who insisted on insulting me and humiliating me all the time. "It's fine Yeonnie, that servant probably did something to deserve it...come here Yeon" her perfume lingered everywhere she was and I wanted to smell more of it. I want't an unclean man; but I was always training in every free moment I had or I was stuck in a room full of stuffy old men who barely showered...I do not remember the last time I smelt something so good. "Oraboni please...I'm going to go get her if you won't" "Yeonnie stay!" That came out a lot more...coercively than I had meant to...but she had been here for years and my father never left us alone. I was sick and tried of having to distance myself from her just to satisfy him, especially when she had transformed so much.

I closed my eyes and I started cursing myself under my breathe; what if I scared her away? What if she was upset with me? God forbid I just terrified the girl...but I strangely just kept smelling her perfume getting stronger and stronger until I dared to open my eyes only to see her hovering over me with one hand on my back and another on my books that I had opened before us. I was illegitimate and most people couldn't bear my existence but I had a temper on me that usually kept everyone away from me but Yeon...she wasn't scared of me at all.