“Take this to the shed and wait by the back porch until I send someone to get you.”

Jongin meets his father’s gaze with a fearful expression and nods gratefully as he takes the tools from the older man and moves away from the entrance of the house. Jinki doesn’t know what’s going on but Jongin’s behavior is enough to have the man feeling concerned. He uncomfortably remembers all of his wife’s fears throughout the years of someone taking their gifted son away.

There are two strange voices mixing in with Gwiboon’s and the carpenter stays quietly in the entrance, listening for any signs of distress before he makes his presence known to the people in the kitchen. Hearing none, he makes a show of pulling the screen door open and closed loudly before going around the entrance hallways and into the large kitchen of the house. Gwiboon and Jin Hee are seated at the table with two splendidly dressed strangers while Jung Ah holds Rahee by the stove and Taemin is presumably outside getting wood to put under the stove. Jinki makes eye contact with his wife and she widens her eyes imperceptibly at him, a motion that over the years he has well learned means to keep his mouth shut. One of the strangers seated at the table turns to give Jinki a curious look and glances behind him as if waiting for someone else to follow the woodworker in, meaning that they are definitely here looking for Jongin. The man is young and Jinki feels that his face is familiar, but he turns back to the table before Jinki can process it. 

“Ah,” Begins Gwiboon with an easy smile, “My husband is here. Jongin-ah must be putting the tools away in the back. My husband is the true master, he has taught Jongin very well. There is scarcely a house in this town that my husband has not helped to build.”

Jinki pauses at this, surprised that his wife would so easily reveal to these men, who must be here for Jongin, that the boy himself was present. Could it be, then, that they didn’t know about his Magic?

“Yes, it was your husband's work that first drew my master’s and my attention when we were children. I still have a splendid hand mirror carved by him. But, and you will forgive me Samchon,” says the young man, bowing slightly to Jinki as he joins them at the table, “Jongin’s work is truly without equal. His mastery of his craft is renowned far beyond this region, and no lesser craftsman will be suitable for this most auspicious undertaking.”

The young man’s thin face breaks into a crafty little smile and Jinki has a sudden vision of a nervous boy tripping down the market place in an overly large hanbok. 

“How flattering,” says Gwiboon flatly and Jinki is jolted out of his reminiscing by vicious nails digging into the skin of his thigh. “My dear, it seems that our Queen’s birthday is approaching and young master Byun, who frequents Jongin’s stall in the city market, has recommended our son to capture her likeness.”

Jinki glances curiously around the table, trying to catch up with what’s happening. 

“A wooden figurine of the Queen? That is rather… different. Would the King not prefer to commission a portrait of her majesty? There are many fantastic painters in the region. There is even a young man in Busan, I have heard, that can create colors from shells and mother of pearl that no other artist has been able to imitate.”

“The King’s home is replete with portraits of the royal family,” says the one who is presumably young master Byun with a dismissive wave. “There is one for every generation until now. Besides, you have said so yourself uncle, it would be most unique to boast a masterful wooden statuette of our most elegant Queen.”

Jinki tries not to show the misery on his face when his wife digs her nails further into his leg. Footsteps approach from behind them and Taemin and Jongin enter the room, Taemin with an armful of wood and Jongin with two kettles of water. Jinki wonders why his son did not wait to be called in, but the trepidation had disappeared from the young man’s face to be replaced by suspicion as he looks at the narrow-faced young man with the sharp chin sitting at the table.

“Baekhyun-ssi,” he begins and Jinki would have snapped in recognition if he were not afraid Gwiboon would bite his head off for it, “What a pleasure to see you in my home.”

As much as Jongin had inherited Jinki’s mild mannerisms, he had also been raised under the influence of his wife’s fiery tongue. There was no one in the room fooled into thinking Jongin was actually pleased to see Baekhyun. 

“Jongin-ssi, just the man we came for. Please, join us, I have a truly wonderful proposition for you.” 

Jongin seems to suppress an eye roll at being invited by a stranger to sit at his own table. Jin Hee moves to take the kettles from her brother and together she and Taemin put them to boil on the stove top. 

“It is no secret, Jongin-ssi, that Master Do and I are quite the admirers of your work.” 

Jinki does not miss the flush on his son’s neck at the mention of the doe-eyed Lord. The concern that these men might be here to capture his son is quickly diminishing and when he returns his focus on Byun Baekhyun’s impish smile there is a creeping intuition at the back of the elder woodworker’s mind. 

“When our dear King was fretting to my Lord and I that he could not think of a gift befitting the remarkable occasion of his bride’s 25th birth celebration, we almost immediately thought of your great skill. There is no other craftsmen that my master and I would consider to have such gifted hands. Of course, we said as much to our great King and even showed him some of your works.”

Jongin jolted slightly next to Jinki and seemed to search Baekhyun’s face for some kind of hidden meaning, but the other young man only smiles innocently back. 

“I have been hearing from your mother that it has been a rather busy season for your family. But if you can be spared, the King would be more than happy to provide you lodging in his home until the commission has been completed. Of course, you and your family would also be monetarily compensated for your work and for the time you’d be kept away from your own trade.”

There is a moment of silence as the words settle over the Kim family. Jongin himself looks stricken, like he doesn’t quite believe what he’s heard or is suspecting some kind of trick. Gwiboon has her eyes narrowed suspiciously at the thin faced young man dressed in blue, also trying to detect some kind of ulterior motive.

“To have our Jongin’s skill recognized in such a way by our great King is an honor and a great complement to all of the Kim household. I think, my son, that this is a wonderful opportunity that you should accept.”

Jinki hears his wife’s neck crack with the force of the way her head whips to glare at him. He subconsciously worries that a screw might have come lose and her head will go rolling across the kitchen floor when she undoubtedly tries to throttle him once the guests have left. But something like a shadow of gratitude replaces the impish grin on Baekhyun’s face for a moment and Jinki feels confident he has not mistaking the young man’s good intentions.

Jongin looks thoughtfully at his father before coughing slightly to clear his throat and bowing to the two richly clad men at the table.

“Forgive my silence, but I am truly surprised and flattered to even be considered for such a great task. If our Lord King finds my work suitable, then I have no reason to refuse him. As my father gives his blessing, it would be an extraordinary honor to myself and all my family to accept this commission.”

The young man beside Baekhyun who had been silent all the time suddenly moves to uncover a box-like shape he has been holding on his lap. Under the cloth is a wooden cage holding a dark haired mink with a diamond encrusted collar. When the young man speaks, his voice is surprisingly nasally and young sounding, contrasting with his serious expression. 

“This is Dasom, the Queen’s beloved pet. The King would like for you to capture her likeness in your craft. You may have all of tomorrow to work, and tomorrow night we will all go to the palace together to show the King your work. If he is pleased with the figurine created on such short notice, you will be formally given the task of carving the Queen. Because we cannot leave Dasom alone, though I am sure she would be well taken care of,“ he says with a bow at Gwiboon, “I hope that you will not mind us imposing on your hospitality for a night, madame.” 

Jinki tenses, wondering if his wife will hiss and spit at the two young men, but she only smiles stiffly and replies; “It is an honor to serve the King in any way.”

Gwiboon then stands and calls Jung Ah to help her prepare a room for the two guests while Jin Hee leaves to put Rahee to bed. Only men are left in the kitchen now and Taemin finally removes the heavy kettle from the stove top and serves tea for everyone present before serving himself and sitting next to Jongin. The younger man speaks up over the steaming rim of his cup.

“I am not sure the King will be pleased with a hasty work completed in a single day.”

Baekhyun smiles placatingly. “I have seen you give birth to the most splendid art in lesser time, Jongin-ssi. I am sure your skill will shine through.”

The two young men seem to share a meaningful look, Baekhyun’s eyes teasing and Jongin’s gaze darkened by apprehension.

Jinki just watches it all while he drinks his tea.