Chapter 298 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

**The Gift - 9** **Tanghye (Traditional Korean Shoes).** Just as students living away from home appreciate a set of oil, seasoning, and Spam as gifts, in the Joseon era, the most popular present was a pair of shoes. Given their necessity and substantial cost, it was an ideal choice for a gift. Unlike modern superstitions around gifting shoes, back then, giving a pair symbolized wishing the recipient success in all their endeavors, as if threading a new path with new shoes. There was another layer of meaning, but I saw no need in revealing it just yet. "A gift for me?" Lim Ha Yeon looked back and forth between me and the shoes with wide eyes. I smiled at her. "They are Tanghye, a popular type of Korean footwear from the Joseon period, made from leather and silk, typically worn by affluent women." They're quite expensive, too, usually worn by women from noble families. "Where did you find these Joseon shoes?" "I heard that among the members of our society, there's a skilled shoemaker. I had him meticulously craft these for you, Lady Ha Yeon. How do you find them?" A blossom shoe crafted with dedication by a master artisan. Indeed, even from my perspective, the craftsmanship was remarkable, and the patterns were quite beautiful for a woman to wear. "They're beautiful." Lim Ha Yeon held the shoes with an expression of wonder, carefully inspecting them without uttering a word. It seemed she was quite pleased. Great. Now that I've opened the door to her heart with gifts, it's time to offer my own heart. "I apologize for all the trouble I've caused you." I said, with a thoughtful tone, as if at a loss for words out of guilt, looking at her. "Why are you saying this all of a sudden?" "I couldn't even properly compensate you, and it seemed like you were wearing shoes that had worn out." I once noticed her wearing worn-out shoes while walking along the wall. It made me realize just how diligently she was working in silence, leading to deep introspection. I could understand her being at a loss for words when she saw the brush. She's tirelessly working while I seem to be off having fun, receiving gifts. One could see how she'd feel slighted. So, I had a skilled artisan make a diligent gift for her. "But you're working hard because of me. Why worry about something like this?" "It's not that I'm struggling because of you, Lady Ha Yeon, but because it's our joint endeavor." Dasogak is at stake. We are, after all, fate-bound companions dipping together in this venture. Shouldn't we work hard together? I gazed intently at Lim Ha Yeon. Did my sincerity reach her? She pressed her lips tightly together as her eyes wavered. "..." "Shouldn't we take care of each other when we're both working so hard? Please accept it." "Ugh... You're really..." She seemed to be at a loss for words, bowing her head with a slightly flushed face, handing the shoes to my chest. Putting them on her? “Then extend your foot.” Might as well offer the service. She turned her head away and extended her leg towards me. Admittedly, it felt a bit awkward. In ancient China, showing one's bare leg was akin to considering that man a potential suitor. Though that custom isn’t present in this world due to the horrible foot binding practice, it was still a bit embarrassing. I gently reached for her slender ankle to remove her worn shoes. “Hm…” Making such odd sounds only amplifies the embarrassment. It makes me self-conscious. My gaze inadvertently pulls towards her legs. On her pale skin were visibly healthy, toned muscles. Could it be like the leg of an Olympic sprinter? I swallowed dryly in spite of myself. Why? Better focus on removing the shoes. The socks came off as well. Though I don't have a particular fetish, seeing her toes makes me want to grasp them. And from that beautiful foot, a slightly musty… "Foot odor…" "What did you say!" Suddenly, I was kicked. “Ow!” We're on the rooftop! For a moment, I felt weightless. A sense of gravity abandoning me. Slipping off this pavilion? I haven't mastered the art of skywalking, nor have I learned the technique of changing directions mid-air. This isn't a prophetic dream, nor a moment of profound insight granting escape, but now I face yet another crisis? "Are you alright?!" Thankfully, Lim Ha Yeon promptly grabbed my hand. “Huff!” It's been a while, gravity. I missed you, even after a mere second apart. Looking up in surprise, I found Lim Ha Yeon glaring at me with furrowed brows. "It's outrageous! What kind of man tells a woman her feet smell!" "That... my apologies." "And they're not smelly at all!" With an unusually red face, Lim Ha Yeon quickly slipped on the blossom shoes and shouted at me. It was a misunderstanding. Even if the faint scent was starting to waft up, it wasn’t that bad. "When I said smelly... it’s just that after running around all day... it's not a bad smell. Something slightly musty yet oddly pleasing..." I realized I made a mistake, even if it's a lame excuse. "They don't! I said, they don't!" My senseless muddle of excuses was bound to fail. "It seems they really don't smell." Honestly, my nose is probably broken. No doubt Master Muyeong thinks so too. "Sigh. Why are you always so good at ruining the moment!" Lim Ha Yeon rebuked me, her face tinged with an unfair grievance. Actually, the atmosphere was a bit awkward just now. My nerves got the better of me, and I ended up holding back words I couldn’t say. With that, I glanced at Lim Ha Yeon’s feet, now snug in her shoes. "Haha. They suit you well." Beautiful feet in beautiful shoes. From every angle, even just looking at her feet, everything matched perfectly. "...They're incredibly comfortable." Perhaps unwilling to continue arguing, Lim Ha Yeon lifted her heels and admired the shoes. "The artisan with the Na surname crafted them with high-quality lining and insoles, using what's called 'Aieo.' They added something for comfort while walking." A shoe showcasing the advanced scientific prowess of Joseon, where enlightened kings looked after their people. "They must be quite expensive. I should wear them carefully." "If they wear out, I’ll gift you another pair. Just say the word." “...Let’s be on our way.” She seemed bashful about wearing the new gift right away. With a somewhat embarrassed expression, Lim Ha Yeon prepared to climb down from the structure. "Let's do that. But..." "What?" "You need to let go of my hand, don't you think?" She hadn’t moved her hand since she had grabbed mine. Even though we were safe now, she continued holding on. "Oh... it's just that! Coming down is harder than going up. I'll hold on, so let's go down together." "Being adept at Muyeong Arts Level One, I think I’m fine." "It's dangerous! Just come with me." Looking down, it was indeed dizzying. Taking her hand, I carefully descended from the high pavilion and headed towards our quarters. For some reason, she never let go of my hand the entire walk back to the guesthouse, but on a day like this, perhaps it was insignificant. ************ "Suk Soo-ssi, haven't you gone home yet?" It was already late at night. Lim Ha Yeon, entering the guesthouse with Kang Yun Ho, called out to An Suk Soo, resting in a corner. "Recently, there have been more guests wanting late-night snacks. The boys below can't handle it all." "Aren’t you working too late? You should get some rest." Kang Yun Ho spoke with concern for the weary-looking An Suk Soo. "I can’t just leave snack duty to the kids and rest easy. It’s fine since tomorrow’s my day off. Anyway..." With a sly grin, An Suk Soo observed something different about the two. “Yes?” "Such sweetness overflowing." Their intertwined hands had caught his eye. Even since their first days at Muhyeon, An Suk Soo had never seen them like this before. “Oh no!” “Oh…” With a bittersweet exclamation, they released their interlocked fingers. “By the way, I need to talk with your wife for a moment.” “I’ll head to my room first. Sleep well.” “Ah, yes. Good night.” After exchanging a slightly awkward glance with Lim Ha Yeon, Kang Yun Ho retreated to his own room. Lim Ha Yeon, the hand she had been holding now tucked behind her back, wordlessly watched him disappear. "Have you two finally made up? Even our boss was asking about it. I see he finally gave you the shoe gift." “You even know about that? But what did you want to talk about?” "Isn't it tough for you lately?" With a knowing look, An Suk Soo spoke to her. "No, you have it harder, Suk Soo-ssi." "I'm talking about the leader’s matchmaking situation." The topic of Je Gal Se’s matchmaking with his youngest daughter wasn’t lost on the guesthouse staff, who tread carefully around Lim Ha Yeon despite its fiery popularity. "Ah…" "When men wander outside, nagging too much is unwise. It tends to push them farther away." The peculiar tension between Kang Yun Ho and Lim Ha Yeon wasn’t unnoticed. An Suk Soo had planned to offer advice, yet after witnessing a reconciliation, only she needed his guidance. "..." "Simply maintaining your place where you can see him will make him feel guilty and return." “Will it?” Her voice carried a hint of skepticism. "Do you know what gifting shoes means in Joseon?" Feigning understanding, An Suk Soo glanced at her shoes and then read her worried expression. "Does it hold a special meaning?" "It's about wishing success in the recipient’s endeavors…" "Wishing for success?" "Moreover, it signifies that you're always someone they wish to see." An Suk Soo's eyes smiled as he looked down at her beautiful shoes. “Ah…” Her worried expression slowly transformed into a flushed smile. "No diligent leader would abandon a virtuous partner. Remain visible without displaying too much emotion. That way, they'll never stray far." While some among the staff might joke that the Je Gal Se offer was better, An Suk Soo firmly sided with Lim Ha Yeon. “Visible place, a visible place..." Did she gain insight? Feeling satisfied, An Suk Soo spoke again. “That’s all I had to say. Go ahead and rest.” “Thank you. I will.” Bowing to An Suk Soo, she discreetly headed to her room, occasionally peeking at the hand she had held moments ago, as if it were something precious. ******************* The gift offensive was a success. I suppose she’s forgotten staring at my back the other day. What can I do if her gaze lands on me? Still, having offered a good gift to repay her hard work and express my lingering guilt, I’m content. "Are you heading out somewhere this early?" As I prepared to leave the office, Lim Ha Yeon approached, looking a little excited. "I’m planning to stop by the Seo Cheon Trading Company to pick up books from Yi Chang for our branch store. I need to send letters and discuss consignments as well." "Oh…" "The moment the books arrive, we can probably open the branch." Working efficiently, it wouldn't take many days to get the branch up and running, moving a step closer to passing the exam of the rich merchant. The issue lies in managing the branch of Dasogak, which would mean entrusting more delivery business work to Ha Yeon. It’s good to give her a heads-up about such changes in advance. Glancing at Lim Ha Yeon, ready to bring up future plans, I wondered—what’s on her mind? Lim Ha Yeon seemed to have something to say; she hesitated for a moment, then, as if reaching a decision, spoke up. “I’ll help, too.” “Hm? What do you mean?” “The operation of the Dasogak branch. Let me be a part of it.”