Flower of the Mirror, Water, Moon

Kang In-ho and Chunhyang faced each other. The passionate affair of the night seemed like a lie, as cold gazes were exchanged.

In truth, Kang In-ho was the only one sending hostility. Chunhyang was still looking up at Kang In-ho with affectionate eyes.

The candlelight projected their shadows onto the wall. The flickering shadows mirrored Kang In-ho’s inner turmoil.

“Please, sit down.”

It was Chunhyang who broke the silence. She patted the blanket twice with her white hand.

“……..”

Kang In-ho’s wary eyes showed no sign of softening.

Chunhyang continued to look at him with unwavering eyes and raised her hand. Kang In-ho flinched at the gesture, and Chunhyang’s eyes narrowed for the first time.

“Don’t you have many questions? It will be a long story, so please, sit down.”

At the second invitation, Kang In-ho slowly sat on the floor. Keeping as much distance as possible from Chunhyang was his own way of expressing himself.

Kang In-ho swallowed several times, but his mouth wouldn’t open easily.

He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.

“How did you know?”

So Chunhyang spoke first.

“By looking at the trees, I could see the forest.”

Kang In-ho replied with difficulty.

“I do enjoy metaphors, but I would appreciate it if you could be a little more direct.”

“First, the writing.”

As Kang In-ho answered, Chunhyang nodded slowly.

“I can’t read the writing here.”

He couldn’t read the notice posted in the street.

How could he, who couldn’t read, have read the contents of Byeon Hakdo’s corrupt ledger and Chunhyang’s letter asking him to forget her?

“Is there anything else?”

“Your scars. There aren’t any.”

Chunhyang had been brutally tortured.

Even a strong man would need weeks, if not months, to recover. But Chunhyang came straight to his house from prison.

“I see. Anything else?”

“The season. It’s still spring.”

It was spring when he came down from Hanyang to Namwon. Months had passed, but spring hadn’t ended.

The flowers and trees in the street were always green, and the weather was always clear.

“Anything else?”

“When Bangja fell and got up, you were the closest to him.”

Bangja, after waking up, didn’t remember the conversation he had before he collapsed.

If someone had tampered with Bangja’s memory, the most likely suspect was Chunhyang.

“I see. Anything else?”

“The flower field behind the hill.”

“The flower field… you mean?”

“For a moment, I saw yellow flowers covering the entire hill. If I’m not mistaken, those flowers were Golden Eye Herb.”

Chunhyang’s eyes narrowed.

“I heard somewhere that Golden Eye Herb has hallucinogenic effects.”

Kang In-ho, having revealed all the clues he had found, stared straight at Chunhyang.

He meant, ‘You’re not going to deny it now, are you?’

“Excellent.”

Of course, Chunhyang simply smiled leisurely and praised him.

Kang In-ho’s eyes trembled at her friendly yet confident attitude.

“But it’s a little disappointing. I was hoping you would find clues elsewhere… for example… that you have sensitive ears.”

Chunhyang covered her mouth and laughed playfully.

“Are you kidding me…!”

As Kang In-ho was about to raise his voice at Chunhyang’s nonchalant attitude, a voice was heard from outside the door.

“Young master. Are you not asleep?”

It was Bangja’s voice.

“Huh? Huh?”

Kang In-ho, flustered by the unexpected voice, Chunhyang raised her index finger and brought it to her lips.

As they held their breath for a moment, another voice was heard from outside.

“Why are you up so early?”

“Ah, Chunhyang. I just went to the outhouse.”

Chunhyang’s voice was heard from outside.

Kang In-ho looked back and forth between Chunhyang in front of him and the outside.

Chunhyang smiled deeply, amused by the man’s head turning back and forth.

The conversation between Chunhyang and Bangja outside continued.

“Aren’t you going back in, miss?”

“I’m about to go in now. You should go in and sleep too.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The sound of a door opening was heard. It was definitely the sound of the door to the room he was in opening, but the door didn’t open.

Soon, the sound of the door closing was heard, and Bangja’s footsteps faded away.

Kang In-ho looked at Chunhyang sitting in front of him.

Her still smiling face confused him.

A long, uncomfortable silence followed.

“Is there another Chunhyang… besides you?”

Kang In-ho asked.

“Do you think I’m acting as the existence of Chunhyang, Young master? Using Golden Eye Herb?”

“It could be. I thought you changed from the time the letter came… or was even the letter a hallucination?”

“I have been myself from the beginning. There was no other Chunhyang.”

“I see… from the beginning… then I’m hallucinating….”

“Young master, I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s not a hallucination.”

Chunhyang cut him off.

“What?”

Kang In-ho asked back.

“This is just one of the phenomena created by my talent.”

“Golden Eye Herb is a flower I especially cherish because it resembles my eyes. The scent it has is also quite useful.”

Chunhyang smiled.

“I’m so glad I can explain it to you, Young master.”

“If you mix the scent emitted by Golden Eye Herb well… this is also possible.”

As Chunhyang snapped her fingers again, the scenery of the room changed.

It was a familiar scene that he had seen somewhere, but it didn’t fit in with this place.

“I have recreated the space that often appears in your memories, Young master.”

Kang In-ho’s mouth dropped open at his studio apartment recreated in the Joseon Dynasty.

“This is one of my talents. ‘Complete Hypnosis’.”

As if revealing a surprise gift, Chunhyang smiled brightly.