Thief of Twilight

Part Two: Chapter 54

"...Yohan..."

The emperor peered ahead of him to the horizon lined with rolling hills and a cloudless sky. He dreamingly gazed at Zurine as she stood several feet away, smiling happily while the wind brushed her skin. The sky was blue. The sun was shining. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. They stood in a field of wildflowers, rustling in the gentle breeze.

"...Yohan..." she held out her hands as if asking for him to follow.

The emperor reached out his hand only to watch the sky darken with thick gray clouds. The wildflowers wilted away. The grass darkened into mush.

"Yohan." her loving tone was now filled with disgust.

Emperor Kang sprang up from his sleep. His eyes were wide as cold sweat trickled down the side of his face. His body was left trembling as he calmed himself. He looked around him to see his room. His robe was draped over the foot of his bed. A ceramic bottle of rice wine stood on the table with a single cup.

Combing his fingers through his hair, he gave a heavy sigh.

___

I woke up the next morning just after sunrise. I was able to get a good night's rest after drinking the mermaid tears that Hyemi had given me. I'll definitely bring her some apples to repay her. I still can't believe that's all she wants. I was almost certain she would want something else. Something that's not easily obtainable.

But then again, she is a mermaid. She doesn't understand the value of things when it comes to humans. I mean, if I were giving away something that was valuable, I would ask for something of the same value in return. Like...moon essence or something.

I ate some peaches that one of the women from the market dropped off last night. I even scarfed down one of the dumplings So-hee left for me.

As I approached the farmland at the end of the village, I saw small houses surrounded by fields. As I got closer, I saw Sun-hee burst through the door of one of those houses.

"Big sister! Big sister!"

"Sun-hee, come back! Don't run outside like that!" So-hee ran outside after her. They sure are lively in the morning.

"Big sister!" Sun-hee ran up to me and threw her arms around my legs.

"I'm so sorry." So-hee sighed. "She's been so excited ever since I told her that you would be helping at the farm."

"It's okay." I said. "What am I going to be doing again?"

So-hee pulled her daughter away from my legs. "You won't be doing much. I just need your help harvesting crops, feeding the chickens, and running small errands to the market. But mostly, Sun-hee has taken a liking to you. So-."

"Babysitting..."

So-hee looked at me with wide eyes.

"I'm basically babysitting."

She looked down before pursing her lips.

"I don't mind. I'll do what I can to help. Don't worry about it."

She gave a deep sigh of relief. I mean, how hard can it be? Sun-hee is only five or six anyway.

"Can I show her around?" Sun-hee looked up at her mother with eager eyes.

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea." So-hee smiled down at her.

"Sun-hee snatched up my hand. "Follow me, big sister!"

Why does she keep calling me that?

Sun-hee pulled me around the back of the house where I saw wooden pens filled with dozens of chickens. I watched as they happily walked about the low grass.