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Chanyeol hugged her sweetly. Kept her there in his embrace, so she could sink in his warmth a little longer before sending her to bed. It was all that Namjoo lived on in the moment. His feelings for her. All of it flurried through her menacingly until she fell asleep.

This morning breakfast was a feast. Namjoo only had a bite of gourd soup before she was called in to accompany Lady Chunghee to the dining hall. Unable to understand if they were eating what reason required her to be there.

She realized why later, when Chanyeol and Minseok entered the hall. Namjoo glanced at him surprised, but like yesterday he didn’t glance at her at all. Pit to the back with the other servant girls waiting on the family members, Namjoo seemed to disappear into the background as one by one the Jin ladies entered. Lighting up when she recognized Suji who didn’t glance at her once, but she had been kind and Namjoo regarded her as a kind of ally.

“It’s quite the full house today,” Uncle Jin remarked haughtily.

“You’ve overdone it mother,” Chunghee happily chided.

Madam Kim graciously grinned while the rest watched without the slightest expression. “Of course, now that everyone is here and the general has returned, we should celebrate.”

“What is there to celebrate?” Suji wondered poking distastefully at her plate.

“Why, the general returned yesterday,” Madam Kim’s eyes turned stark that she had to say the obvious.

“I’m ever curious,” Haeji spoke up, “where did he go?”

Namjoo glanced at Chanyeol who was focused on his food. Taking little bite by little bite like he didn’t want to eat. Chunghee, too, eyed him then at her with a constricting glare. Namjoo immediately lowered her eyes. Would Chanyeol get in even worse trouble if they found out he’d gone to the bathhouse? Once they found out she was from the bathhouse?

“I thought I’d like to get some air,” Chanyeol explained, “so I left for a few days.”

“Oh? Then why not return home with the commander?” Madam Kim asked. “Are you two not from the same hometown?”

Minseok laughed boisterously, “The general’s mother is such a master of the works that everyone requires her. Even if the general went home there would be no one to welcome him. There was no reason for him to go.”

“I hear your grandparents are severely ill.” Uncle Jin noted. “Please do say, if ever they need help.”

“Of course,” Madam Kim wholesomely agreed with an extremely wide smile, “the commander is our general’s person, we must do what is needed.”

“I’m grateful. Thank you.” Minseok grinned.

“General, it would be so nice to meet your mother,” Madam Kim perked up. She shot her daughter a cheery grin, as if they’d been concocting this particular plan. “The weather will be turning cold soon, why don’t you ask her to come stay? We’ll happily prepare a bed for her.”

“It would be an honor to finally greet your mother,” a sickly Madam Lin agreed before coughing into her sleeve.

“Yes, it’s as mother says,” Haein politely agreed. “We would love to meet your mother.”

“Why don’t you consider it, general? Doesn’t your mother live all by herself?” Uncle Jin asked.

Chanyeol tried to avoid eye contact with the Jin family members. The drawn-out silence filled with anticipation, that yes, he would invite his mother.

“It’s as the commander says. My mother is heavily buried in much work. I’m afraid it will be difficult for her to make the trip.” Chanyeol excused.

Chunghee bit her lower lip disappointed. Her mother piped up, “We really would like to meet her and tell her she’s brought up such a great son. And Chunghee,” she specifically enunciated, “would love to talk with her. All the elder vendors at the market always want to chat with her.”

“Chunghee leaves the house?” Haein raised a brow. Her sister breathed a laugh beside her, hurriedly caught herself, and straightened in her seat.

“Do find a time when it’s most convenient,” Uncle Jin intervened, “for your mother to come. I’ll send some men to her.” He glanced in Chunghee’s direction with a smile, “And lets have her meet Chunghee.”

Madam Kim smiled adoringly at her daughter who happily grinned in reply.

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Namjoo was crouched on the ground by a large bucket filled with water. Washing, what seemed like a hundred dishes from breakfast, with the other girls. Sleeves tied up with drawcord cloth strings. The piles were endless. Her knees were aching again. Her thigh muscles sore as if she’d done a hundred set of squats.

Deeply immersed in work that she hadn’t realized Chunghee had entered the worker’s territory, waving the other girls off. Emptying the field.

“Did you see that?” the voice made her turn. Namjoo first glanced at the vibrant dress in front of her before angling her head up to look at the oval face.

Blinking when she saw that she’d been deserted. It didn’t seem like she had a choice, so Namjoo turned around to resume her chore. She wasn’t about to fight with Chunghee. More or less likely it was already determined if she wasn’t in trouble, she was getting her head talked off. The powerful second Madam Kim showing off her prowess.

Yielding to her fate, Namjoo let Chunghee go at it.

“The general and I are one step further to getting married.” Chunghee exclaimed. “Do you understand? Where you belong? The general is in a highly regarded position. He hardly acknowledged you. Whatever time you had together is as menial as the dishes you are washing. Used over and over until it’s useless.”

Namjoo had never been looked down on before. Neither had she been embroiled in childish fights about a man. No, Kim Namjoo spent her time more wisely than with girls who nitpicked over men. Jin Chunghee was really pushing it. Namjoo had to bite back the urge to say something. Afraid that if she went off on this girl Chanyeol would get the brunt of it.

“So, stay where you belong.” Chunghee spat. Grabbing a silver bowl from the water Chunghee slammed onto the ground before walking off. Namjoo listened to the bowl spin on its side before rattling to a stop. Glaring at the young girl’s back as she disappeared around the corner.

And here, she was finally having her first taste of what she’d never had. Biting her tongue for the sake of someone. Here, Namjoo wasn’t so lucky or upstanding. Here, Namjoo was experiencing her first of everything.

Unneeded at Madam Kim’s, Namjoo grabbed lunch from the kitchen. All she got was a lump of cold meat and old rice. Ending up eating by herself on the doorstep of her sleeping quarters, because she couldn’t eat with the orderlies in the kitchen. Driven by hunger, Namjoo stuffed herself regardless of her poor food.

The sound of footsteps made her look up. Becoming immediately conscious when Chanyeol sat down next to her. Afraid if someone saw them together word would get out. Madam Kim and Chunghee could come for her, but what would happen to Chanyeol?

Shifting, Namjoo asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Why? I can’t be?”

Glancing around, she cautioned, “What if someone sees?”

He grinned, “No one comes here.”

“How can you be so sure?” But his eyes drifted to her food.

“What’s with your food?” he sounded offended.

Namjoo twisted away when he reached for the gourd she was eating out of. “Leave it.”

“Why are you eating that?” this time he sounded angry. “There’s warm food in the worker’s station.”

She grabbed his arm when he stood up to fetch her a plate. “Just forget it. I don’t want to make a scene out of nothing.”

Heavily sighing, he sank back down. For some reason guilt weighed on her.

Stealing a glance of him then away, she said, “They were really pushing Chunghee…I mean, Lady Chunghee on you, huh?”

His eyelids moved up then drifted toward the ground. “Why were you even there?”

Namjoo didn’t answer. The answer seemed obvious enough. She’d been called to do nothing but stand with the other servants whose task was breakfast. To listen to them talk about encouraging his mother to come up in hopes of embracing a promise of marriage. Chunghee’s parents were happy enough to give her to Chanyeol. How much they liked him.

“It’s nothing,” he assured. “My mother is too occupied to make the road trip.”

“But,” Namjoo felt pathetic for even saying this, “would she reject a marriage proposal from the prime minister?”

His long silence was her answer. “They would have to meet her first.” He touched her hand. “But I’d like to introduce you to her before it happens.”

Namjoo looked at him. Strangely touched.

Chanyeol handsomely smiled confidently. “Go home with me.”

Go home with me never sounded so intimate in her time. It could imply being invited to his place; his private world, where he lived, ate, bathed, slept. Or it meant going over to his bed to sleep with him and taking their relationship a step further.

But right now, the connotation to it suddenly meant more. Like I want you to meet my family, become a part of it. I want to spend my days with you. Would you feel the same? To make a union and spend it happily?

I choose you.

His gentle smile was even more endearing today. Namjoo wanted to lean over to kiss him for a long time.

The sound of footsteps made them turn. Around the corner of the nearby building they spotted Suji holding a tray. Gaze landing point on them. On instinct, Namjoo pulled her hand out of Chanyeol’s. Heart thumping.

Her breath quickened when Suji turned to walk away. Disappearing around the corner without a word.

Abandoning both her bowl of food and Chanyeol, Namjoo chased after her. Although she knew Chunghee, Haein, and Haeji were part of the lineup for Chanyeol she didn’t know if Suji was part of that group. What she felt at all. Having just being approached by her once Namjoo hadn’t truly figured her out.

Thankfully, Suji hadn’t gone far. Namjoo caught up with her not even halfway from the corner. Calling out, “Lady Suji, wait.” When the woman paused, Namjoo fiddled with her fingers uneasily. “Um…I can explain.”

Namjoo flinched surprising herself when Suji peered over her shoulder. Finally turning to face her. Recognizing the steaming food on the tray she was carrying. There was a teapot and a matching cup in addition to it.

Suddenly, Namjoo had no idea how to interpret the situation.  

“You don’t need to explain.” Suji sounded ice-cool.

Befuddled, Namjoo stammered, “W…what?”

“I don’t care,” Suji told, “if you have an affair with him.”

Namjoo blinked. Taken aback. Not about her calling it an affair, but that she didn’t care for Chanyeol. Every other girl in the household would die to have him.

“Do you like him?” Suji straightforwardly asked.

On reflex, Namjoo thought to lie. To save herself. Save Chanyeol.

“Yes.”

“Good.” Suji said even though her tone held an air of coldness. Peering off into the distance she said, “I don’t want Chunghee to win.”

This came as even more of a shock.

Namjoo watched Suji close the distance between them and hold out the tray of food to her. “Chunghee has everyone on her side here. You’re the enemy right now, so you better watch your back.” Looking behind her as if Chanyeol was there, she finished, “If you don’t want to get caught. The punishment will be quite serious”

Namjoo was unable to mumble even a thanks as Suji dropped the tray into her hands and wheeled around to walk away.

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Minseok watched from the doorway as Chanyeol went through his drawers. Pulling out extra sets of clothes, hidden jerky, and necessities for a long road trip.

“Where are you going this time?” Minseok wondered. “Your bathhouse girl is here.” Joking, “Don’t tell me, you’re leaving her?”

Glancing at his friend, Chanyeol mischievously smirked, “We’re running away.”

Minseok nearly choked on his own saliva. “What?!”

Widely grinning as he returned to work kneeled in front of the borrowed dresser, Chanyeol explained, “We’re visiting my mother.”

There was a moment of silence that prompted Chanyeol to look at his friend again. “What?” he wondered why chatty Minseok suddenly went quiet.

“You’re going,” Minseok finally said almost quietly, “to our hometown?”

Back at work, Chanyeol answered, “Yea. I want my mother to meet her.”

“You’re aware introducing a girl to your parent isn’t a light promise,” Minseok said.

“I know.” Chanyeol told then repeated, “I know. At this age, you think I don’t know?”

“I’m just worried,” Minseok said. “What about Minister Jin?”

“Why would I need to worry about them?” Dropping his chore Chanyeol turned to Minseok. “I’m not marrying Lady Chunghee. I never swore on it.”

“You know they’re planning for it,” Minseok reasoned. “They have always been planning for it the moment you got here, you know as well I do, they’ll do anything to make it happen. Right now, it’s easy talk, ok, yes. But what about Namjoo? Have you thought what they might do to her? They could imprison her. Sell her if they won’t lash or beat her.”

“That’s why,” Chanyeol breathed, “she’s not coming back. Neither am I.”

Minseok frowned, “Have you gone out of your mind?”

“Yea,” Chanyeol nodded.

“Where are you going to go?” Minseok asked. “They’ll come after you. Prime Minister Jin has connections. He’ll send troops your way. To your mother’s house.”

“No, he won’t do that.”

“Chanyeol…”

“Because we’re leaving tonight.”

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It wasn’t unusual for Namjoo to be called to work. It was unusual for her to be called to serve the Lee sisters and Chunghee. Sitting like the pretty ladies they were at the octagon pavilion. Enjoying the view of the late evening as colors starting merging into darkness.

Carrying a tray of hot tea, Namjoo climbed the steps up toward them. Closing in on the three gals and meeting with Haein’s perpetuating stare where an underlay of coyness gleamed. Quietly setting their cups in front of them Namjoo proceeded to pour their tea.

“Why, Chunghee,” Haein started, “I must have to say, congratulations.”

Covering with her fisted hand, Chunghee giggled. “Please, don’t.”

“Where are you going?” Haeji scolded when Namjoo started backing up. “Don’t you know you have to stay until we finish? Are we going to pour our tea ourselves?”

Waving a hand, Chunghee said, “Apparently, she’s new and still having a hard time. You must go easy on her.”

“What a simpleton,” Haeji mumbled.

“How long have you been here?” Haein demanded. “You have the indecency to look at us in the eye?”

“I heard a servant broke Madam Kim’s precious vase. It looks like it must be her,” Haeji said. Giving her a onceover. “People say you are only as good as you look.”

Chunghee broke out into another giggle. Namjoo shot her a glare.

“Oh my, oh my,” Haeji slyly teased, “did you see the way she just looked at you?” Glancing at her sister for verification, “Did you?”

“Indeed, I did,” Haein confirmed. “Why, it looks like she needs to go into the horse stall to learn a lesson or two.”

“Girls, please,” Chunghee cooed. Sneering at her through narrowed eyes, “The general would be upset.”

Both the Lin sisters gasped. Leaning forward in her seat, Haein asked, “What ever are you talking about?”

Raising her tea cup to her lips, Chunghee said, “It’s the bathhouse.”

Both the sisters jaw dropped. They gasped, as if Namjoo was an abhorrent criminal stepped under their roof.

Taking a sip of the tea, Chunghee icily said, “Why do you think we placed such a person under my mother’s residence? Even my blood boils from doing it, but it’s only right for me to teach her a lesson. When the lowly acts out it’s because they feel they have freedom, so they don’t know their place. Uneducated people like that need us to keep them in line.”

“I’ve never said this before, but you’re definitely better, Chunghee,” Haein said.

“Yes,” Haeji was quick to jump in, “ten times, better Chunghee.”

Chunghee’s pressed lips formed a decadent smile.

“Then, you should let us borrow her,” Haein suggested. “Mother is always so sick, the house needs cleaning.”

“You don’t need to ask,” Chunghee said. “That’s what she was born for.”

“Then,” Haeji curiously questioned, “what about when you get married?”

“Of course she’ll do the child rearing,” Chunghee matter of factly said, “and if I want to, I’ll ask the general to kick her out. Who would want an old maid then? My son will need someone young to play with him.”

“Does your mother know?” Haeji inquired.

“Well,” Chunghee looked straight at Namjoo, “I’m thinking about telling her tonight.”

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Chanyeol kicked at the ground in front of Namjoo’s quarters. Luggage hooked over his shoulder. Before departing all he needed was her. Evening dusk had befallen them. Now was the perfect time to leave, when everyone was asleep. No one scouring the courtyard.

A breath shot out of his throat when he turned at the sound of soft footsteps. A pale faced Namjoo stepped forward slowly before noticing him. Quickly looking around she rushed toward him, pushing him under the roof of the storage shed to hide him.

“Don’t stand out in the open!” she scolded. “What if someone sees you?”

“What’s wrong?” he worried. Still glancing around Namjoo didn’t hear him. Touching her arm, he asked, “Are you ok?”

“They all know.” Panic eroded the light in her eyes. “By tomorrow, everyone will know that I’m from the bathhouse. And you left to come see me.”

“They could imprison her. Sell her if they won’t lash or beat her.” An upstanding family like the Jin’s could do worse. If it had already been an order, Chanyeol would have had to take Chunghee’s hand in marriage. Being a status lower he would have to yield to Uncle Jin. But Namjoo was even more lowly.

Chanyeol knew taking Namjoo with him was literally stabbing his Uncle Jin in the back. The man who wanted him for his daughter; whose daughter pined for him day after day. They were literally going against the systematic order. Yet Chanyeol wanted freedom because he was in love.

Grasping Namjoo’s hand tightly, he said, “Lets go.”