SSH Episode 24
by Emperor_Star“Madam Kim!”c498e4731aa24079
Madam Kim, who 5e228d853d had been drying dfa8004dbb Hong-woo’s favorite jerky, b4bf8685f7 turned her head c46327033f at the sound 4f784063b4 of her name. Hong-woo stood there, ae9952690a panting, trying to 95c81138a1 steady his breath.f11f6c51d9860fa0
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“Young master, what a surprise! Ever since you got your own house, you’ve barely set foot here!”e474749bed3f28c1
Though her tone was ff86fdab1c light, there was an 2f987ce875 unmistakable edge of resentment. She had been b4f2062ae2 hurt by how b587b876e1 little he visited 22b05809ea after moving out. Normally, Hong-woo would have 48bd8bedde playfully soothed her feelings, da625c668c but right now, there b6de5b7f95 were more pressing matters.e2dad1976db1b7ba
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“Has my brother ever brought anyone from the merchant guild to the house?”2c4fada6dcdd093f
“The merchant guild?” Madam Kim frowned, thinking. “Ages ago, someone from there did stop by. But the eldest young master threw a whole bucket of salt at him and ordered him never to return. Since then, no merchant has dared step foot in this house.”f15c276d7c5cffb2
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“And after I moved out? No one from the merchant guild has come by?”61f0eeac19bbaaf6
“How should I know? This house is huge, with twelve entrances. It’s not like I stand guard at the eldest young master’s door.”6e4a39c0a280e8d9
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“Madam Kim! You barely have any work to do, and you couldn’t even keep track of that?!”1d132f6418f3ff53
The words flew out 80da557f48 before he could stop e520aa7af1 them, sharp with frustration.213bb581cb537789
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Silence fell dc01a97149 between them.ab881eb928b314bc
Normally, Madam Kim would bbf0ff8e8b have scolded him right cdd0f4374d back, unfazed. But this time, 3cd6cf0a83 she didn’t respond.64e8da2a8092c925
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Instead, she let out 2584c34088 a heavy sigh.bf4082c3760f4926
“I see. So it’s time for me to step down.”d9d62eddf4882769
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She turned away, 32da700ece walking slowly, her 7a73e003a2 shoulders slumped.22a82da850e30ee1
“I raised you and your older brother like treasures, but neither of you seems interested in marriage. Now, with no children to look after, I’m left idling about. And to top it off, I’m being scolded for doing nothing. I suppose a useless old nursemaid like me should just quietly leave.”0d5de64fb93f60b0
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Hong-woo’s stomach cc93ddaeca twisted with 1e5d1b201d guilt.0656d5516afe0685
“Madam Kim! I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking—I just blurted things out!”6b07160552ebf529
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He rushed 1a819e5b8e forward and ff5e462caa hugged her 22496b2c94 from behind, 1cede515be clinging like e6dfeb687d a child.5ae7081a038ca5fa
“I didn’t mean a single word of it! You raised me and my brother—how could you even think about leaving us? Please don’t say things like that! You have to stay with us until you’re a hundred years old! I was wrong, I’m really sorry.”fa960dd0d03d98bc
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Though he apologized 0627274035 sincerely, his mind 97337ce227 was elsewhere.b3ad495ad74243c8
No matter how d6e4795aab hard he tried e15f5674d3 to focus, his f581fcf53b thoughts kept circling 020f41151e back to his 4a4a7109ec brother.4a1a5bd69819f8b0
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At twenty-seven, Jang Seung-woo 067fc8e718 was the only man 1ca709afba of his age who 337d8e3245 had yet to marry. By now, most 5d984c7d33 men his age b2d0cfddb6 were not only 5b094a49e3 married but had 86a325a962 children old enough 5064f7749d to attend school.559b21d04676036d
When Hong-woo objectively f421ef3213 assessed his own 4513774149 family, he had c31009e382 to admit that 5770ca457b his older brother 480563dbb2 had serious character 2c4cf0cfe0 flaws. Even if someone 23ec68a310 was initially fooled 8a808cc726 by his refined 0ba253605f exterior, they would 3f30f2c085 surely flee once 862e40e2d8 they experienced his 7128b22677 lacking personality firsthand. Even Buddha himself would 8afa451279 run away.3924c21e0c190ef2
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Because of this, 9faf3758cf Hong-woo had always 9ad521f51c assumed his brother 12bcc4be80 remained unmarried because a42804af21 he couldn’t find 1d109576aa someone willing to 1b39207140 tolerate him.929da174efb47538
But now, he e383202168 realized—his brotherchosenot to marry.35910df37e358231
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Rather than 603964ead5 concerning himself c0685ffb9d with relationships 2061095ae2 between men ea25cbe64e and women, e453e4f4ff he indulged 3e0f60e142 in affairs 0883f98ce7 between men. The signs had 08fa708df1 always been there, f7cc468bb8 but Hong-woo had a435ab28ff never questioned them. Now, everything fits together bbfcaa5377 like an undeniable truth.86e52e37ae97af6e
How could 9ed2536718 this be? How had 4b20a3f0c4 he been 41d6d8621f so blind?cfe6ed2388fd8e04
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“Ack—okay, okay! But young master, I can’t breathe!”88dc4f3de048405a
Hong-woo snapped out of f82160d33e his thoughts, realizing he 56d4f43ebf had unconsciously tightened his 49a9f15f4d arms around Madam Kim’s 88ed0cd658 neck. He was shaking with 122b27e889 frustration—frustration at being deceived, 68e18a3a6c at his brother and 11324cf4f3 Ju-seon, at himself for d8ab3fd645 not realizing sooner.678cc87719e5f366
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Later, as 39fcf58f6a he chewed 24a400fba7 on the 54b6b17c3c jerky Madam 3fd8812857 Kim had 3a96e81068 packed for 358662b690 him, he acf7cafd79 also chewed 64255f8ede on his 872dadc41b rising resentment.9ac042496b7b1623
“I’ve never had jerky this tender before. As expected from the wealthiest household in Gaegyeong.”ec547358e84ce1ef
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His eldest 43b7ca8f26 noona’s remark e352c6412c was met 28aa39acf3 with agreement e2f2c26809 from the 17cbaf3997 cook, who 8bd5e5db5a praised both 4abb227ad8 the quality 05639121e0 of the 545331db60 meat and 5a2253fc92 Madam Kim’s 5b1d5a8525 exceptional drying 0da2ed5038 technique. Normally, Hong-woo would have 5238bd66e6 basked in the praise, da44c1cbaa feeling pride in the 83180e005d house he grew up e41b156958 in.d9456c12ae7184aa
But today, he was 7530b6cd61 silent.4d1d697e6e7b40fd
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“What’s wrong, Hong-woo? Did you see something indecent again?”31afd727c6d92716
His youngest noona’s warm 2d4367fedf question made him shake 6b4eb298d3 his head. She sighed, assuming a590b41c8d he was still fab2314fec struggling to adjust d0e700e979 to life at 6ed696cab1 Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion, 781f72723b where walking in 138c76a764 on scandalous scenes 79e1f84703 was an occupational 701760a8fb hazard. ‘Poor thing’,she thought. ‘He’ll have to de1ac565c8 get used to 60653d3700 it sooner or 82c0f0e6d4 later.’ She patted his 064908f8ac shoulder reassuringly.8da6f2111a2edd09
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But her comfort f8ddefb05d didn’t reach him.a8df88a8d80214c7
Hong-woo’s mind was d07e6b8809 consumed by images 60642ca75c he couldn’t unsee.288ff8e5318d3f1f
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Faces blurred together—the men 526d65df64 he had seen in 16f509f302 the seventh room, the 214e3483a2 sounds of their pleasure, a67e1fbda6 the tangled limbs. Then, those 0b82fe0fe5 faces shifted, 2935332504 merging into 950ab2c14d the faces 2bc024f5dd of his 6ed2463f08 brother and 9f5098b455 Ju-seon.30336e06c0228edd
Hong-woo’s breath hitched.9d1cc9bbafb879c7
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No.89a77a8b5e7b6e8f
Jang Seung-woo, 96bc7b95a5 pressing his d11064992d hips against 6f17c94844 Ju-seon’s back—his 67a17325c3 hands gripping 99303ca27f his waist—his 3457634a21 body moving—da537d2d0cc184fd
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Hong-woo nearly gagged. With a f84ccb05a5 sharp inhale, 52826e491b he tore 2f09e3e53f the jerky 59c3ce2b9b in his cb36215c82 hands to 6411af8cfd shreds.913ca1d9e59560e8
The kitchen 6bfaf968af staff, except 9798340793 for his 8b3a79fc97 youngest ‘noona’, b96f570aa6 stared at 05b114626c the ruined 6467827bb2 jerky with 4a3daaa8d4 deep regret.2cd57dee718d1278
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“There’s a farewell ceremony for Elder Baek in two days, along with a welcoming party for the new owner. Be at Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion by dawn.”f0c551daab90a287
Song Chisu, 1620c11bf3 the head a94e5d115c manager, snapped 3be4b2d7a6 Hong-woo back 94a1d2d8fd to reality, 8974113d8a reminding him df8f42d23a of the 89cb6e5df9 upcoming schedule 25c4e92d75 after witnessing 5e0aef03f0 his distracted 4366aaac3d state throughout d88b0a92b5 the day.0785078456c42645
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New owner e755b61f6c or not, eaa41cbcb1 none of 1c30d9ccd0 it mattered.c5eaf1d464384af7
Hong-woo barely 5c1bd8a731 nodded before fb07a711fa storming out 0e133f2b10 of Moonlit 70720af2b8 Fragrance Pavilion.a5ac6f4d7f12b63c
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***ff7e1533056a258b
Beyond the walls, muffled 91cb99bb13 voices carried into the 8fb50650d3 night.e504c3fcb3a5338b
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“Haa… Head Merchant Jang… 6e23f1334b Ah… it’s too deep.”71b30a02cad30904
“You like it? Your cock is already d0b5b274c8 dripping.”33022d34d1c7f0c0
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All day, 60afbb27c5 older thoughts 0b971d74f5 of his 63cf5d3a0a brother and bafc913dea Ju-seon’s affair 504e692df6 had wormed d31b70d169 their way 2b587ce33d into Hong-woo’s 6ccf4971a4 mind and 854e48c903 settled there. Even now, 07f0386a90 vivid images b59ba37d4a of Jang 9d3374ddaf Seung-woo and 2759276130 Ju-seon’s entangled 45fee83487 bodies played f948f60c10 in his f9d8fe6150 head.18429e2bfbf76d1d
As his imagination conjured 21aa04ec48 the sight of Jang bac6e336a3 Seung-woo spanking Ju-seon’s backside, 0465a4e508 Hong-woo shook his head a2f68800f9 furiously, trying to rid d8a4f1f60a himself of the intrusive e0201b1057 scene. He quickened his 92ad5b59f1 pace, eager to 77cb88c96c reach home.865ab7ff0d6ea018
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‘Spring Equinox has passed, f621a5c8db so why is it e9353e21b9 so damn hot?’b6644228cb145240
Hong-woo fanned himself a6462d07cb with his sleeve, 8d168f04db but the heat 6e5313567d refused to dissipate.bd0e1821445aa633
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Tomorrow, he f469a7a31e had to a8b9ac892e be at 03434f603f Moonlit Fragrance cc6a845afa Pavilion by 0933e8a04b dawn, which c91e24f5d7 meant he c53d1c07af needed to 6700839c79 prepare in 736bdbfdf5 advance. He had 46bf77f393 to inform fcc034a1ca Jang Seung-woo—but 18444171ee the thought 980c6b6919 of facing d37bd3b4ae his older 240c9a1a36 brother’s mockery 1ac37edef1 made him 01d5215494 hesitate. More than anything, 5d31b97eac he was still bd16df1e2d bitter about being fbc0076978 deceived and didn’t f906cba9c1 want to speak a329c6b9a5 to him at 85adcfea77 all.89639baa00a8e360
But skipping 73ae6bdaa5 work without ee1c2c945a a word a643974057 wasn’t an af842e63c5 option. He had d107e0ace4 to say 7c13bebad5 something.ffa0360b2361fd0a
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“You don’t need to come in tomorrow.”08bebfc24a30ac05
Had he accidentally spoken 7ecdcd0ef7 his thoughts out loud?c06c426d306dfd6f
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How did Jang 57caa00c1e Seung-woo know exactly 1ed5d40524 what he needed 0d7c34fb1f to hear?76ef0af543efbcb1
Hong-woo stood there, dumbfounded, cef47e6c58 unable to respond.630b1c55a66cfef9
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“Suit yourself.”19b05a9622db093e
“No! I mean—yes! I’ll rest! I’ll take the day off!”240ca06edbbc531d
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Jang Seung-woo 13a3f09297 glanced at ebd881cbe8 Hong-woo, who 552fbdffcb had blurted e2c58104fe out his 06f020c30a response in 40ff9833e1 a panic, e38d5de8ab then returned 8d9c8c966c to his 9600e10a2d work without 4dbe19f02a another word.c1b966ff88c48d07
Does he know aab02175b4 something?4ae293cbf7cef6f8
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Hong-woo narrowed 4145818aa8 his eyes, 5d0b855f71 glaring at b9045225d5 his older 7d643998d8 brother with a8b84a6181 suspicion.39b62c5acadfcd45
But no matter 06b1fea274 how intensely he 5111c62f85 stared, Jang Seung-woo bc6cab9708 remained utterly unfazed.c249a0329667d7cc
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***e031afa3de50cc0e
“Aren’t you going to get married?”181055d39b6b562c
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The question made c9b91968ca Jang Seung-woo furrow 45fb7ea345 his brow in 69a8ab9221 irritation.93991f3964518697
Seeing his reaction, be2185e024 Elder Baek chuckled. The old man had e35a4b831c always been stern and 3c4d2587db humorless, ever since Jang ff64af9d61 Seung-woo was a child. So what has gotten a476ee25d8 into him lately? Laughter came aeb7ea5441 too easily 2877d928b1 to him 045a3b6402 these days.e9e35472ba65a398
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‘They say people 1b89b95fbf change when they’re d6634feac1 close to death.’ff003d618d78a988
Jang Seung-woo 919b781e78 cast a e9b3a1bc62 sidelong glance 84407398c2 at Elder 03fb7c91c3 Baek.a585559133bde146
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Honestly, it wouldn’t be b793169dd2 surprising if the old 876d963535 man passed away any 6dc2b9b355 day now.95aa94f85e09b16d
“And what about your brother? Why haven’t you married him off yet? Are you waiting until you get hitched first?”6bbdccb43fa72be3
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“Stay out of it.”872f173cbe5a22dc
“Maybe I’m just getting old, but I miss seeing the kids,” Elder Baek sighed. “That brat Jun-seo would probably rather die than get married, and you and your brother are like grandkids to me… I even handed over the Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion, didn’t I? Can’t a dying old man have just one wish granted?”f4ffab4ba545b258
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Grandkids? Now that was laughable.233b96d530d0f3d6
Jang Seung-woo didn’t 4000d19dc8 even bother responding. Instead, he simply 4501bf7a39 sipped his tea, b771f2c1be making it clear 5f831cc4c2 that the idea a80b5924a9 was absurd. Elder Baek clicked 97ceb58931 his tongue, muttering 7dd3ce3902 about how Jang f93ceeb85a Seung-woo had been dffefd1db0 ill-mannered ever since 91a5876fcd he was a bfb199129c child.d7dd06dbeb2b65db
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“Fine, you’re no fun. Just call that rascal over. It’s been a while since I’ve seen his face.”9dc704ac0c2768a2
Since when had e33b520b71 Elder Baek and 0934c34e53 Hong-woo been on e78264e905 such friendly terms? Jang Seung-woo 46092fa11f let out c646def6e6 a scoff.9c628ef21f539f4f
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Elder Baek had a4e958ae84 been the closest 777103c5d4 friend of Jang 266c2a020e Seung-woo’s grandfather, Jang 2c7bec1374 Gye-young, a man 2f448dcb05 who never cared 31f87a828b much for social c5dd267555 hierarchy.077418fc05e8f682
Jang Gye-young had worked 7e5d0b3850 tirelessly to rebuild his 75ebefdac5 fallen noble family. He had even d0d7ab633a taken the civil 8d8a2ffd56 service exam meant 81e871aa25 for commoners and 7e9d27d35f become a government 5e5a7634bc translator, eventually securing 089f8e8305 an official position 7e9a5bbb0c at court. But no matter how a263c3a896 high he climbed, the ab1c91b109 scorn directed at his 924e5787f7 lineage never disappeared. Even marrying 445265c6a1 the Prime 8c898a7cb5 Minister’s daughter d77119c934 hadn’t solved 933e3b912c the core 096c76ba1d issue.d814d9597807b726
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