As True as a Dream

“…In a situation like that, wouldn’t being more efficient with your words increase your chances of survival?” “Really?” “…Maybe.” 

Yi Ho turned away in disbelief at Hae-Joo’s unnecessary words.

 

Just then he felt a small movement behind him.

 

Suddenly, Yi Ho’s mind flashed back to the brave kick in the crotch and teeth of a man twice her size.

 “Where did you learn to be so clumsy with your feet?” “My father told me to learn it, saying a girl should learn the art of self defense to defend herself.” “I guess you didn’t try hard enough?” “No, I didn’t. The father who taught me was even worse, so we agreed that if anything happened, I’d only attack the supply house.” 

A supply house?

 

Yi Ho laughed out loud.

 

It was definitely a place that could not afford to defend itself for a while.

 “By the way, how did you know that my footwork was sloppy?” 

Hae-joo sneaks over and stands next to me.

 “Can’t you tell?” “Wasn’t my dodge a little sloppy?” “Not that much.” “Oh. I guess I’ll have to practice more if I want to turn you on.” 

As if his honesty didn’t offend her, Hae-Joo replied with a cheeky remark.

 

Yi Ho raised an eyebrow.

 

How much could practice really improve her skills?

 “Well, try your best. By the way, why did you try so hard earlier?” “What? How else could I get away? You’re sick, and your stamina isn’t… that good, so I had to do my best.” “…Hmph.” 

Yi Ho was at a loss for words for a moment, not knowing what to say to Hae-Joo who dared to treat him like a sick chicken.

 

The reason this woman was being proactive was because he was weak.

 

His mood became eerie again.

 

His mind flashed back to the time when Hae-Joo, distracted by a flock of crows flying overhead, was pulling, pushing, and shouting at him.

 “Why doesn’t this make you angry?” “What? What did you say?” 

Climbing the shallow steps and standing at the door of the house, Yi Ho turned and looked at Hae-Joo.

 

‘Was it because this woman was trying to protect him?’

 

He felt a twinge of amusement even though he was sure she had a purpose and an ulterior motive.

 

There. Hae-Joo raised her hand to rub her eyes.

 “What’s wrong?” 

Yi Ho reached out and took her hand, looking into the back of it.

 “Boss?” 

Hae-Joo looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.

 “Do you want some medicine?” 

Yi Ho is in such a good mood that he feels like doing good deeds.

 

***

 

Hae-Joo realized the enormous wealth of Yi Ho, the owner of Song Yue Pavilion.

 

There were three cars parked next to each other in front of the building, a Cadillac, a Buick and a Ford.

 

The Ford was the most common, as it was the same model as her taxi, but the other two were expensive luxury cars that she could never hope to drive in her lifetime.

 

She wondered why he had three such nice cars and never drove them, but the thought was fleeting.

 

As she followed Yi Ho into the house, she was struck twice: once by the waterfall chandelier in the soaring foyer, and again by the stylish and luxurious furnishings throughout the house.

 

In the living room, where Yi Ho had told her to wait, there were three

“Easy Chairs”

that had been in the newspapers because only ten had been made.

 

Even though it was late at night, the whole place was lit up.

 

She thought she had traveled all over the castle and broadened her horizons, but she realized it was fresh blood.

 

Hae-Joo looked out the parlor window and saw the lawn where she had walked so many times.

 

After a moment of contemplation, she closed the curtains and sat down on a chair with a thick bolster under the window.

 

A yawn escaped her as tiredness overcame her.

 “…haam.” 

The medicine man could have been of any age.

 

Hae-Joo gazed at the view of the room, cozy with the soft glow of the lamps, and then lay down.

 

It’s called a chair, but it’s long enough and has a fluffy bolster to make it as comfortable as a futon.

 

Hae-Joo pressed her back against the wall below the window and blinked her sleepy eyes.

 

Her sleep was already light from the nightmare, so she planned to wake up as soon as Yi Ho arrived.

 

Hae-Joo closed her eyes and let her body relax.

 

Then her body felt heavy, like it was sinking underwater, and drowsiness washed over her.

 

Just as she was about to fall asleep, Hae-Joo suddenly frowned.

 

She thought she heard a crow cawing in the distance.

 

Groggily, she opened her eyes and squeezed them shut.

 

‘And those crows… What the hell was that?’

 

So many things had happened at once, and she’d been so distracted by one thing after another that it only dawned on her now.

 

She’d been pecked by crows before, but not as often as these thugs.

 

Hae-Joo raised her hand and looked at the back of it.

 

The crows looked as if they had a target.

 

It was clear that it wasn’t her and Yi Ho.

 

Strange.

 

Come to think of it, so was the rash on her body earlier. It was strange.

 

The rash that was so ugly had disappeared overnight.

 

At that time, she forgot about it and didn’t pay attention to it because she didn’t want to get into trouble.

 

The doubts she had been trying to push away crept into her mind.

 “Cursed. They say it’s Song Yue’s curse.” 

He remembered the voice that Yi Ho had once spat out with a dubious smile.

 

Those thugs….

 

The thugs also tried to disturb Song Yue’s serenity.

 “Ugh, you can’t be serious… is there really such a thing as a curse?” 

In the middle of the cold, footsteps sounded from the entrance of the living room.

 

Hae-Joo jumped to her feet and looked toward the entrance.

 

It was Yi Ho, wearing a black shirt and birch-colored pants instead of a suit.

 

His hair was slightly damp from washing, and he wore a towel around his neck.

 “A curse?” 

Yi Ho, holding a small blue-purple porcelain vial in his hand, pulled up a chair on the bench next to her and sat down.

 “No… the… the crow.” 

Hae-Joo moistened her parched lips and spoke in a low voice.

 “It was so strange, wasn’t it, the timing of its appearance and the way it attacked with such intensity… Don’t you think someone set it up?” “I see.” 

Yi Ho replied dryly, sitting up with his legs spread wide, then grabbing the wrist that held the boreo and pulling it forward.

 

Distracted by the raven, Hae-Joo jumped at the sudden grip on her wrist.

 

Lowering her eyelids, YiHo took her other hand and placed it in front of her.

 

At first, she held her hands together like a puppy, but then she realized what was happening and tried to pull them away.

 

But somehow Yi Ho immediately grabbed her fingertips and pulled them back into place.

 “Give me the medicine and I’ll put it on.” 

Hae-Joo was stunned and reached for the bottle in his hand.

 

But Yi Ho snatched it away immediately.

 “It’s an expensive medicine. Just give me your hand.” 

He said, slapping his hand against his throat.

 

Hae-Joo remembered that the wound on his neck had healed nicely and looked at the bottle in his hand.

 “Oh, this is the medicine.” 

Hae-Joo immediately held out her hand.

 

It might have been just a commercial jade, but the wound on Yi Ho’s neck told her how good it was.

 

If it’s that good, it must be incredibly expensive.

 

No wonder he didn’t dare give her the bottle.

 

Hae-Joo watched as Yi Ho slowly unscrewed the bottle’s cap.

 

When he tilted the bottle, a thin, clear liquid oozed out and he smeared it on her fingertips.

 

He placed the bottle on the wooden storage cabinet next to the bench chair and casually curled her fingers around it.

 

For some reason, she was a little nervous at how dry and hard it felt, so unlike his soft hands.

 

Beneath the slant of his face, the high bridge of his nose and his red lips looked dreamy in the dim light of the parlor lamp.

 

The sudden silence made her hold her breath.

 

A faint scent of fresh cologne wafted into her nose.

 

His long fingers on the back of her hand slowly spread the red liquid.

 

Looking at his face, which lacked his usual smile, she felt alienated and unable to get close to him.

 

When the medicine was finished on the back of her right hand, Yi Ho tilted the bottle and smeared some of the liquid on her fingers again.

 

This time, he wrapped it around her left finger and held it.

 

Before applying the medicine, Yi Ho lifted his eyes to look at her.

 

His cold eyes, which had shown no emotion, suddenly curved in a gentle curve.

 

Hae-Joo involuntarily squeezed her hand.

 

The corners of his mouth curled into a tight smile and he asked teasingly.

 “Does it hurt?” “No.” 

Raising his eyebrows at her answer, Yi Ho lowered his eyelids again and looked at the back of her hand.

 

Hae-Joo blinked dazedly.

 

What the hell was that?

 

She already knew that this guy was ridiculously handsome.

 

And then, just a moment ago, when she’d met his smiling eyes so closely, she’d felt her heart skip a beat.

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