The Swing

When I opened my eyes, I felt a strange sense of stuffiness wash over me. I quietly sat up and looked beside me.

Chunhyang was sleeping soundly, breathing evenly.

Her peaceful face was so beautiful that I unconsciously stroked her hair.

The smooth hair that wrapped around my hand felt like spun sugar.

The scent of flowers lingered on the hand that stroked Chunhyang’s hair.

I drank the water by the bedside, then opened the door and went outside.

Sitting on the veranda, I replayed the events of yesterday in my mind.

Bangja had collapsed and mentioned the Jang tribe. But when Bangja woke up, he claimed to have no memory of saying such things.

There were two possibilities.

Either Bangja was delirious and talking nonsense, or someone had manipulated Bangja’s memories.

Logically, the former seemed more likely, but the latter kept bothering me.

I remembered Bangja saying that the Jang tribe seemed to use unusual Sorcery.

If they could make the Japanese devils who entered the mountain kill each other, they must have some kind of method.

Having traversed worlds filled with magic, mystery, faith, and shamanism, I had seen many abilities that could manipulate memories.

I couldn’t rule out the possibility of such abilities existing here as well.

Focusing on the hypothesis that the Jang tribe had manipulated Bangja’s memories, I needed to consider how to deal with the Jang tribe.

First of all, I didn’t know what the Jang tribe’s goal was.

There was a high probability that it was related to me, but the only Jang tribe members I had encountered were the one who was almost killed by a tiger and the group I met while descending the mountain.

The group I met while descending the mountain didn’t seem to be the cause of the current situation.

It was hard to say for sure, but that was the feeling I got.

They were unremarkable, except for the fact that they were Jang tribe members.

They were trained warriors, but they didn’t possess the level of power to trigger my danger sense.

So, that left…

The Jang tribe member I met as soon as I arrived in this world.

Long ears that stretched out horizontally, golden eyes.

An existence that gave off a strange feeling, different from other Jang tribe members.

She was the one who created this situation.

My intuition screamed.

“Did you cough?”

As I pressed down on my throbbing head, a gentle voice caressed my back.

“Ah, you’re awake?”

Chunhyang sat beside me.

“Yes. It was about time to wake up.”

Her hair was neatly arranged, and her face was radiant, hardly like someone who had just woken up.

“What’s wrong?”

Chunhyang tilted her head, noticing my stare.

“No, it’s just, you’re beautiful.”

My true feelings slipped out, and I turned my gaze to the courtyard to regain control of my expression.

“Hehe, is that so?”

With a satisfied hum, Chunhyang leaned her head on my shoulder. Her left hand wrapped around my right hand.

I smelled the scent of flowers.

Chunhyang looked in the same direction as me.

The morning sun, which had just peeked over the horizon, began to warm the air that had cooled overnight.

From the kitchen, I could smell Hyangdan cooking rice, and I could hear Bangja, who had woken up late, tidying his clothes and combing his hair.

“Young master.”

“Hmm?”

“Although many things have happened, things are peaceful now.”

Chunhyang turned her face towards me. She had a gentle smile.

“Yeah.”

I nodded at Chunhyang’s words and squeezed her hand.

I felt the connection between Chunhyang and me growing stronger.

“Young master, do you have any plans for today?”

“Not really…”

I was considering reporting to the government office that the Jang tribe was nearby.

“Then how about we go swing this afternoon?”

“Swing?”

“We haven’t gone swinging since you came back, Young master, and I’ve been missing it…”

Chunhyang’s face flushed.

It seemed like she was asking me on a date.

I nodded.

The swing was on top of a hill.

Looking at the path leading up and the swing decorated with wood, I could tell that a lot of manpower had been put into its construction.

Chunhyang said that she used to swing here and watch me.

As Chunhyang said, the view of the town was excellent.

“Is that the marketplace over there?”

“Yes. And that’s our house. It looks like Bangja is sweeping the yard.”

With the town’s scenery spread out before us, we pieced together the landscape we had previously seen horizontally.

I followed Chunhyang’s finger and memorized the town’s geography.

After looking at the town for a while, Chunhyang put her feet on the swing.

“Shall I push you?”

“I would be very happy if you would.”

Chunhyang smiled brightly at my question.

I pushed Chunhyang’s back.

“Ah!”

The swing swayed unsteadily.

“Um… Young master. Have you forgotten?”

“Hmm?”

“You… you have to push my waist. Or below that…”

Chunhyang stammered.

“Ah, ah…”

I slowly lowered my hand and grabbed Chunhyang’s waist.

Chunhyang’s body stiffened at my touch.

“Are you getting shy now?”

I made a joke to ease the awkward atmosphere.

“I, I’ve never done this outside before… I was surprised.”

Chunhyang offered her own explanation.

I cleared my throat and gently pushed Chunhyang’s waist.

The swing moved smoothly, like a sailboat catching the wind.

I took a few steps back and pushed her again as she came back.

Push the swing,

Out to the distant sea,

As if launching a boat,

I remembered the words Chunhyang had recited while imprisoned in jail.

I pushed her as if sending her out to sea, as if the wind was pushing a boat,

Gently, freely.

Chunhyang went far, far away.

Chunhyang’s hands, gripping the swing’s ropes, looked strong.

“Young master.”

Chunhyang called out to me from afar.

“I’m happy.”

Her words were filled with sincerity and emotion, which made me feel good.

“I wish this moment could last forever.”

The wind blew. And I smelled the scent of flowers.

As if possessed, I turned around.

Not towards the hill overlooking the town, but behind it.

Golden flowers covered the hill.

Bright and beautiful yellow flowers emitted a dizzying fragrance, occupying the hill.

The sight of those flowers, not allowing a single other flower or tree, sent a chill down my spine.