"My father bought you? For me?" The restrained whisper is barely heard above my crying.
I wipe my eyes on my sleeve even though new ones keep coming. Chin-Hwa's hands are shaking until she balls them into fists. Louder then before she repeats: "He bought you? And you were stolen from the man you were going to marry?"
I don't know which thing upsets her more, but this seems to be the last straw. She gets up, almost falling over in her haste to stand and runs from the room. I hear her shrieking: "Father!" and pick myself up from the ground.
The sight that greets me when I shakily step outside, turns my blood to ice. Chin-Hwa is screaming at her father, but it's Gi-Kyong's appearance that elicits a scream from my lips. He's on his knees in front of the porch, stripped from his uniform. His hair hangs in disordered wisps around his face that is black and blue. His lip is bleeding and there's a cut in his arm. When he hears my cry he looks up in alarm.
Without thinking, I run to him and throw my arms around him. His hands are tied on his back and with a chocking voice he says: "Ji-Eun, no."
Sheltering his battered face against my shoulder, I close my eyes when I see Mr. Kim's guard walk up to us with drawn sword. But then Chin-Hwa shouts at him to stop and when my eyes fly open, I see how she jumps in front of us.
Mr. Kim orders his daughter to back away, but she yells at him: "Is it true? Did you buy her, as a slave? Were there not women enough in this town that you had to go and steal someone's bride?"
The expression on Mr. Kim's face changes from anger to shock as he cannot deny that he has done that. His daughter points at the miserable two people that we are and her voice breaks when she sobs: "They were going to get married and they kidnapped her and you ... you bought her. I was so happy, so happy that you had found me a friend and now it's all a lie."
"Chin-Hwa-"
"No!"
I have no idea where she finds the courage. All the servants are watching her in dread and the guard has no idea what to do as his master is torn in two. I can't see Beak-So anywhere, maybe he fled when his friend was taken, maybe he went to get help.
Chin-Hwa takes a deep breath, calms herself and stares her father down as she says: "You will let them go. You will let them go and leave them be. I will not allow you to destroy two lives of two people that have done nothing wrong. You made her my friend and I will not have you destroy her."
"Chin-Hwa-" Mr. Kim begins again and is again interrupted by his daughter who astonishes me.
"Say it! Say it, father, say you will release them. Both of them!"
My respect for the girl, whom I always secretly called naive, grows by the second and when I dare to look at her father, my heart begins to swell with hope. His grave expression moves from his daughter to us, to his guard, to finally come to rest on his daughter again. It astonishes me how far Chin-Hwa can go. Isn't this a society wherein woman are little more than servants? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering I've always been treated well by Mrs. and Mr. Ho, even when I was nothing more than a stowaway.
With a fast beating heart and sweaty palms, holding Gi-Kyong and feeling his trembling body, I silently plead with my eyes. The man who holds our fate in his hands glances our way one more time, raises his shoulders, lifts his chin and grumbles: "Very well. But ..."
The whole mansion seems to hold it's breath.
"I want five years of service without wages in exchange for the money I lost."
Before any sounds of joy, protest or acceptance can erupt, two men enter the courtyard, trot over to us and fall next to us on their knees. It's Gi-Kyongs other two friends and my mouth drops open when the first one bows his head to the magistrate and loudly proclaims: "I will take one of those years."
My eyes widen even further when the other one echoes his words and says: "I will also take one."
When I look at Gi-Kyong, I see the same wonder and gratitude appear. He may live, we may leave and he only has to work three years. I want to scream for joy, but at the gate one other figure appears. It's Beak-So and I can't hold back my tears any longer when he joins his friends, bows his head and says: "I will take the remaining three years of service."
A sharp inhale is heard from several corners. I don't understand. Why all three? Why not just one, like the others. Two years is a lot, but we would manage, I would work extra hard in the fields. Why would Beak-So offer up three years of his life to allow his friends freedom?
The answer comes when he turns around and bows low before me. "Forgive me, Yeong Ji-Eun-agassi, it was my fault you were taken against your will. I could not keep quiet after I saw the color of your eyes. I boasted and it almost cost you your lives. Please forgive me and allow me to repay you by taking on this burden."
I'm speechless, but when he remains in a kneeling position, I quickly breath: "Of course, of course I forgive you."
Gi-Kyong says nothing, I can see the hurt on his face when he realizes what the stupidity of his friend almost cost him. Soon, however, the hurt is replaced by resignation and when Beak-So looks up again, his fear dissipates and the air instantly becomes lighter.
In the corner of my eye I see Chin-Hwa flinging herself at her father, expressing her gratitude a thousand times over. The man, who still strikes terror in my heart, turns slightly red and taps his daughter on her back, while at the same time dismissing the servants. They flee in all directions, probably buzzing with the events of today. Soon the whole town will know, maybe our story will even become one of those epic legends.
Shoving the ridiculous idea to the back of my brain, I carefully help Gi-Kyong to his feet. There's something wrong with his leg and we almost tumble over, but Beak-So comes to the rescue. All is forgiven as he helps Gi-Kyong to a tree stump where he can sit down.
Beside me, Chin-Hwa orders one of the servants to fetch hot water and medicine and soon my fiancee is well taken care of. I never let go of his hand.
---
Later, when Chin-Hwa helps me pack for our trip back home, she takes my hands in hers and with a sorrowful expression says: "Can you ever forgive me, Ji-Eun-eonni?"
My eyes widen. "There's nothing to forgive, you didn't know. I am so incredibly grateful for your bravery and your words. You saved us, I am forever in your debt."
She smiles relieved. "Promise me we will remain friends. I will come and visit you. You must invite me to your wedding."
I nod without words, understanding the honor she's giving me.
The wedding. There really will be a wedding this time. The events of today ensure me that everyone now knows about me, the girl with the golden hair and blue eyes. All now know who I belong to and no one will ever be able to sell me to anybody without evoking the wrath of the magistrate's daughter. I almost pity the two men who kidnapped me, because Mr. Kim has ordered for them to be hunted down and brought back for justice.
A justice I probably don't want to see served, no matter how well deserved.
I came with nothing, but leave with a cart filled with food and clothing. Chin-Hwa's been incredibly generous, even giving me one of her own binyeo. The beautiful ebony hairpin with the little jade and pink flowers will have to wait a few years before my hair is long enough to be able to wear it in the correct style, but I'm very happy with it.
Gi-Kyong can't walk, so he gets a place on the cart as well. When we're all set to go, Chin-Hwa embraces me and in the presence of her father orders me to keep in touch.
The three men, who pledged themselves to the Kim household, will accompany us to ensure our safe return. I bow to Chin-Hwa and to her father and walk out of the gate for the last time. I doubt if I will ever set foot in that place again. Even though Chin-Hwa wants to stay in touch and has promised to come visit, I don't think I'm welcome anymore. And frankly, I'd rather forget I was ever here.
---
The road towards the town, when I was abducted and transported as a piece of meat, seemed much longer than our way back. When the house of the Ho family comes in view, it fully dawns on me how close I've been this whole time.
This is the town where Mr. Ho goes to do business, the town where Mrs. Ho goes to visit her old friend once in a while on market day. Gi-Kyong seems to guess my thoughts because he pulls at my sleeve and softly says: "Had I only known you were so near the whole time."
I smile and squeeze his hand. Time for regret is over. We're free and we're almost home.
One of the friends runs ahead of us and when we step over the threshold, Mrs. Ho comes running towards us. With tears in her eyes she kisses her son and embraces me and I feel so humble to see how much she has also missed me. She keeps repeating: "Ji-Eun-ah, you've returned, I am so happy, so happy." Mr. Ho just nods his head and is mostly glad his son's returned home safe and almost sound. Yet, he no longer averts his eyes when he looks at me and even nods once.
The three friends have to go back immediately and we wave them goodbye, promising to send whatever they need. Somehow though, I think Chin-Hwa will make sure these heroes won't starve.
Gi-Kyong is placed on his old sleeping mat in the backroom. A physician already ascertained his leg wasn't broken, only bruised very badly, so time will bring healing and it's my turn to take care of him.