Across The Paper

Part 2: Overalls

March 12th; Kim Bora

I woke up in my new bed this morning. I needed a minute or two to realize where I was, after that to only rise up quickly, wearing my slippers and running to my closet. I called Gahyeon, my maid, who came in quickly after the call. I even thought she was waiting at the door to hear my voice, other than that, how could she come so fast!

She had helped me wear my clothes, tie up my corset and button up my dress. I ate my breakfast in a matter of seconds and got ready to leave.

"Be careful, my dear, this village is still not so familiar to you. I do not want you to get lost." My mother said in a sweet voice, preventing me from walking out of the door.

"She won't go alone, of course. Gahyeon, go after your mistress, you all know how she is very clumsy sometimes. I do not want her to damage my reputation on the first day of our arrival!" Spoke my father in a strict voice without looking up from his magazine. "And Bora, do not forget that you have to meet your fiancé tonight. Be home on time."

I rolled my eyes, telling Gahyeon to get ready and walked to my dad, making him turn his eyes from the journal to me. "He is not my fiancé, father. How could he be, when I haven't even met him." I let out my words in a scoff, shaking my head.

His eyes got dimmer, as he tapped his fingers on the table and sighed. "How many more times should I tell you, Bora, that your grounds are not reasonable for this marriage. It's just business, darling."

"No, dad, it's my life. And you should not treat my life as 'just business'" I said and walked to Gahyeon who was already clothed, taking her hand. "But I will be on time to meet him, who knows, maybe he is handsome after all," I spoke ironically and walked out of the house with Gahyeon after grabbing my hat from the wall.

That was the reason we came here in the first place, after all. For me to meet this unintelligent, coward, simple-minded man with an unhealthy dependence on his rich mother, only because of some 'business'.

I scoffed again and continued going forward with Gahyeon following me beside. I tried to not think about anyone, especially that toad, and just enjoy the day!

In the barely-there light of morning, the strawberries were already scarlet. Somehow, they take these feeble rays and still manage to shine on their subdued bed of straw.

It was very early in the morning, yet it looked like the whole village was out! Everyone looked so busy, and I started looking for the place the festival was getting prepared.

"Miss Bora, walk a little slower, a lady should not-" Gahyeon started, but I cut her off before she would finish that annoying of a sentence.

"I am not a lady right now and here, Gahyeon. In fact, I am going to be one of the villagers! Now, it would be much helpful if you would ask around where can I see the preparation for the festival." I voiced, as Gahyeon walked to a few farmers with an irked expression. "Thank you," I whispered, as I stood in the centre of the stoneware.

I was waiting for a few more seconds before I noticed crowds of people gathered at the start of the forest, guessing that it was the place I was searching for. I looked around to spot Gahyeon, but since I couldn't see her, I just decided to turn on my heels and headed exactly to the crowd.

"Hello, are all these people preparing stuff for the festival?" I asked a middle-aged looking woman who was cutting the fabric in half with big scissors, putting the pieces in the basket.

The woman looked at me from head to toe, only then to tilt her head and kindly answer "Yes, darling, we all are getting ready for it."

She was about fifty, with a white cap with frills and a way of not quite looking in your eye as she spoke to you. She was much taller than me, well, she was generally taller than the usual height for a woman, which made me look at her almost with my head fully stretched up.