Chương 63: S.04 Memory of the Clock 11(04)

Scene 12. It was an unwelcome feeling. Even while donning his ceremonial uniform, the Master of the Northeast Province, Hyeon-sik, was not in the mood. He had set out with the intention of weighing whether to look into matters and put them in order, but a creeping unease had also rolled in — the sense that the moment he went, his head might be lopped off.

Both the The Oldest who had issued an abrupt summons under the guise of a first greeting, and the Executive Secretary who had timed his strike against that very The Oldest, all carried a whiff of suspicion. That unease was not Hyeon-sik's alone. While Hyeon-sik was preparing himself at Yu-seok's family residence, the Master of the West Province, Yoon Bo-ram, came over having finished her own preparations.

Bo-ram opened the closed door and stepped into the room where Hyeon-sik was, accompanied by her own Deputy of the Province, and quietly asked Hyeon-sik — who appeared somewhat older. Bo-ram: Oppa. Are you actually following any of this right now? Pretending to fasten his uniform's tie-strings and buttons, Hyeon-sik checked whether any ears were listening in. To Bo-ram's question, soaked through with suspicion, Hyeon-sik gave a slight shake of the head in reply.

The Deputy of the Province who had finished tending to Hyeon-sik's tie-strings and ornaments shut the once-open door firmly at Hyeon-sik's chin-jerked signal and stepped fully inside. Once Hyeon-sik confirmed the closed door, he sat down — fully prepared — into a nearby chair and made no effort to hide the tangle of feelings inside him. Bo-ram dragged a chair from nearby and seated herself there as well. Hyeon-sik: Ah-ni. Not a single thing about this makes any damn sense.

Bo-ram: The Former The Oldest, well — she was the type that didn't really care what we got up to in the provinces, so we had it easy raking it in. But this current The Oldest, no telling what she's like. What's the point of putting our faces on display to her. And gathering us all together so plainly — that's not sitting right either. Hyeon-sik: Said she'll look into the inside, since she's just taken the seat. Bo-ram: You buying that?

Hyeon-sik: Well, like that piece of shit Executive Secretary was rambling — sure, if he actually hands me a seat at the top, that'd be great. But yeah, not something to buy into. Hyeon-sik, while harboring a flicker of "well, maybe," bit his lip and shook his head as if he had no intention of acting like an idiot. After mulling it over for a beat, he turned to Bo-ram with a small voice, as though something had just come to him. Hyeon-sik: Anyway. What ever happened with that local assembly member of yours?

And the county chief. Bo-ram: What about it. Hyeon-sik: Heard there was a lot of noise around developing your-side properties. Like a fight over the cut. You eat it, I eat it, that kind of mess. Bo-ram: Ah, that. Bo-ram pursed her lips and waved her hand around her own throat as if brushing it clean. Hyeon-sik: Didn't your Headquarters do an inspection over that? Bo-ram, wearing a sneering smile — Bo-ram: The previous Inspectorate was easy to handle.

Bunch of bitches obsessed with money, so all you had to do was slip them cash behind the The Oldest's back and shut their mouths. Well — when has the rule about us not getting tangled up with the secular world ever actually been kept anyway. It's been a rigged gambling table from way back. Your side's taken its share of payouts, hasn't it? Hyeon-sik: Eh, what's there to say on our end. Less getting mixed up with politicians, more just dealing with riffraff and lowlifes.

We just run a few rituals along the coast under the pretext of holding a 굿 (Gut_Shamanic rite) and pull in our take. Anyway, looking around, I started thinking, hmm. Bo-ram: What. Hyeon-sik: The folks gathered here this time — they're somehow all the ones with something a little crooked going on. Bo-ram: The places that didn't show up are no different. Provincial native ground, all the same.

Hyeon-sik: Among the Masters of the Province here this time, there's even some who helped the previous The Oldest with her second crisis, I think. Bo-ram: Anyway. We'll just show our faces and slip out. But I don't like it. The Executive Secretary and the current The Oldest don't seem to get along all that well either, and even his position — what was it, deposed? Duties suspended?

Hyeon-sik: Our side came because the Master of the Northwest Province coaxed us into it, but the timing — the current The Oldest also issuing a summons right at this moment — sits wrong with me. And how well the Executive Secretary has actually stitched together his own play, I have no idea. Bo-ram: So — let's just do enough to get by and pull out. Don't go getting tangled in for nothing. The very moment Hyeon-sik gave a wordless nod, beyond the closed door came the sound of people murmuring and clearing the area.

As if the time had come, Hyeon-sik and Bo-ram both rose from their seats, fixed their tie-strings, and stepped outside with care. Scene 13. So-hui was getting ready to head out. Gyeong-seo and Yeon-su, seated in the hushed living room, had been watching So-hui — who had her bedroom door wide open as she prepared herself — when So-hui noticed the two pairs of eyes on her, turned her head from the vanity, and glanced over at them.

Meeting the gazes of Gyeong-seo and Yeon-su, who had been watching her as if observing something curious, So-hui asked tentatively. So-hui: Did, did I get something on me? At Gyeong-seo's lukewarm reply, So-hui chided her with a light laugh. Gyeong-seo: Ah, sorry. The, um. Yes. This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. So-hui: What kind of answer is that. Watching to your heart's content like that. Gyeong-seo: No, I just — eh. Ah. Yes.

Just, was wondering how today would go, so I was looking for a sec, yes — Yeon-su, who had been sitting beside her, glanced sidelong at Gyeong-seo, looking more exasperated than anything. So-hui — preparations complete — walked out with a steady look about her. The two who had been sitting cross-legged in the living room scrambled to their feet. Once they had moved into the living room, the sound of the shower running from the nearby bathroom came through more clearly. So-hui: Aigoo, taking forever to wash up. YAH!

Hurry up and get out!! Si-yeon: Argh!! SSibal!! Now you're nagging me about even washing up?! So-hui: When the hell have I ever made a fuss about anything!! At So-hui's harsh voice, Yeon-su pursed her lips out and nodded. So-hui, catching that gesture in her line of sight, dropped her scolding expression and looked at Yeon-su. So-hui: Hm? Why're you nodding. Yeon-su: I, just felt now that you really are different. So-hui: Ah — from Yeon-hui sis? Yeon-su nodded with full force. So-hui: Right.

Yeon-hui sis doesn't really raise her voice, does she?? Yeon-su: No. She does. Especially when I'm playing games — she just walks over and turns the console off. So-hui: That's unexpected. Yeon-su: But really, aside from things like that, on days like today when the Guide isn't wearing heavy makeup, I really do get confused myself sometimes, and — Yeon-su was suddenly missing Yeon-hui. As her sentence trailed off, Gyeong-seo — wearing a face full of reproach — kicked Yeon-su's thigh.

Gyeong-seo: If you're going to keep whining, take it outside. Yeon-su's gloomy moods were Gyeong-seo's department. Forgetting everything in an instant from Gyeong-seo's harsh kick, Yeon-su scrunched up her face and kept rubbing her bony thigh. Si-yeon, fully washed, came out of the bathroom as she pulled her wet hair up on top of her head. After tightly knotting the belt of her robe, she shook out the towel-wrapped bundle of her hair again and again.

Watching her, So-hui delivered the rest of her nagging to Si-yeon. So-hui: YAH!! The whole living room's getting wet!! At So-hui's nag, Si-yeon glanced down at the floor, dropped the towel that had been wrapped around her head onto the floor with a careless plop, and roughly mopped the floor with her bare wet feet. Si-yeon leaned back into the bathroom halfway, pulled out a fresh towel, and started drying her hair again.

To Si-yeon's brazen presence — as if absolutely nothing had happened — So-hui carried the matter no further. Watching Si-yeon's fresh-faced, dewy look without a trace of makeup, Gyeong-seo and Yeon-su were staring at her in the same way. Si-yeon: What. Why're you staring like that? Yeon-su, as if having reached some private revelation, nodded again.

To Yeon-su's bland reaction — a nod with no answer — Si-yeon hooked the floor-mopping towel with her toes, and with a deft little flick tossed it over toward the basket beside the washing machine in the living room. Unable to watch any further, So-hui — frowning — opened the lid of the laundry basket and dropped the soggy towel in herself. Si-yeon: Thanks? So-hui: Ha. Si-yeon: Yah, so what am I supposed to do? It's my first time, so I'm gonna look like an absolute idiot.

Gyeong-seo, with a face that said it was nothing, shook her head and spoke to Si-yeon. Gyeong-seo: They'll look out for you, so don't worry about that — just hurry up and dry your hair. Your hair's long enough that drying it'll take a damn eternity. Scene 14. Which way she ought to turn her own thinking, Su-jeong knew better than anyone — and found it harder than anyone. She watched, with a wearied gaze, the densely parked cars peeling off one by one.

Seated upon the head dais of the wide training grounds at Yu-seok's residence, taking the cold wind on her face, Su-jeong was approached by a familiar presence. Su-jeong loosened the stiffness from her face for a moment and even withdrew every black eye that had been laid open. The presence — walking down the dirt path through the hot-yet-cool winter sunlight — drew close to Su-jeong, lowered the knees, and offered a deep prostration upon the dirt ground.

Su-jeong, too, lifted her seated body and bowed her waist lightly toward the presence that had given her the prostration. Yoo-rim: Strategist. Yoo-rim had always followed Su-jeong's instructions in silence. Su-jeong stepped down and raised Yoo-rim from her prostration. Yoo-rim, having handed back the prostration, gave her upper arms into Su-jeong's two hands and met Su-jeong's cold consolation. Yoo-rim looked like someone who had resolved upon all of it. In a calm voice, she let her words out toward Su-jeong.

Yoo-rim: 언니 (Eonni_older sister). In the calm of Yoo-rim's voice was held a long and deep affection. Su-jeong, for the first time in a while, let a light smile rise. It was no sneer. It was a smile aimed at the younger sister who had walked beside her. Yoo-rim was the same age as Su-jeong's own younger sister, who had already passed away. To Su-jeong, Yoo-rim had been a grateful presence — someone who had played the role of the lost younger sister well. Su-jeong, with her voice steadied, answered Yoo-rim.

Su-jeong: Yes. Yoo-rim. Yoo-rim: Will you, go on with it. Within Yoo-rim's tender voice, a deep sorrow was held. Su-jeong: I have to see it through. Yoo-rim: I cannot refuse Ga-yeon's request. Nor could I refuse yours, sis. Su-jeong: I know. The greeting — I received it well. Yoo-rim: But, sis, just don't — Su-jeong: Yoo-rim. Yoo-rim, without a word, looked at Su-jeong and let out a small breath. One of Su-jeong's eyes began to take on a charred black tint once more. Su-jeong: I chose this.

You'll choose, in your own turn. Your choice. Your decision. I won't carry any regret. Because you've truly been a gift. The wretched things I said — every one of them, you took in, and there was no task you ever turned away from. I won't forget that. I won't carry regret. It's all right. And — thank you. Thank you for it. Yoo-rim slowly nodded. Su-jeong: Honestly, I didn't even expect you to come find me like this. Yoo-rim: I'd hoped this wouldn't be the last. Su-jeong: The end has to be brought.

Whatever the result. Yoo-rim: Yes. Su-jeong: And Ga-yeon? Yoo-rim: She's outside. Su-jeong: All right. Thank you for your help. Yoo-rim: Please, may you — Yoo-rim slowly drew her upper arms out of Su-jeong's two cradling hands. After fixing herself, Yoo-rim once again offered Su-jeong a deep prostration. Yoo-rim, who had given only a single prostration, was still regarding Su-jeong as the living person who had cherished her.

Yoo-rim: Whatever lingering sorrow remains deep within — please, may you set it aside before you go. Yoo-rim left the prostration behind and rose from the ground. Su-jeong, unable to give a final answer, watched Yoo-rim's turned back in silence. Scene 15_01. Ji-young was wearing a ceremonial robe whose lines fell in straight, rigid runs. The crisp set of the stiff fabric carried a fairly refined weight to it.

Fastening the modern-style 한복(Han-bok_Traditional Korean dress) 저고리(Jeogori_Korean Traditional inner jacket) she wore underneath, Ji-young — receiving help from the officers of the Directorate of Knowledge — began to don the rigid ceremonial robe over the inner jacket. Over the pale sky-blue inner jacket, a dark navy ceremonial robe was laid. It was not thick, but the weight of the garment was considerable. As if she were already feeling the fatigue, Ji-young let out a soft breath.

Hee-jin held Ji-young's tie-strings from in front of her, lending her hands to the work the Directorate of Knowledge officers were doing. A 견사(Gyeon-sa_Silk Cord) thread carrying a faint tri-color hue was woven into the buttons set on the shoulder of Ji-young's ceremonial robe and let down its 수술(Su-sul_Tassel) below. The tassel, falling to about Ji-young's elbow, swayed lightly. Ji-young's long hair had been bound back like a chignon and pulled over to her waist.

At the hair-tie set close to the back of Ji-young's head, five thumbnail-sized butterfly ornaments — wrought in pewter that could not possibly be light — were placed. With her forehead bared in full, Ji-young stole glances at her own reflection past Hee-jin's shoulder. As if she could not see it well, she even raised her white-stockinged feet onto the balls — going up onto her tiptoes — to glimpse herself. Hee-jin, who had been tidying the front of Ji-young's robe, asked with a smile. Hee-jin: Are you curious.

Ji-young: Turns out there are more types of ceremonial robes than I thought. I was just curious how this one would turn out. Hee-jin let out a light laugh. It was a garment closer to a long coat, with a sharp, knife-edged cut. After tying the waist-sash of the cleanly tailored ceremonial robe, she stepped aside to open Ji-young's line of sight so she could see for herself.

The 두루마기(Durumagi_Traditional outer coat) — falling to just below the knee on Ji-young's tall frame — felt different from her usual fluttering outer coats. The weight was heavier as well, and the stiffly drawn lines of the garment looked rather sharp. Glancing at her back, Ji-young checked the embroidery worked into the area near her shoulder blades. The pattern of the 좌독기(Jwa-dok-gi_General's Banner), embroidered in silver thread, was set there at about the size of a palm.

While Ji-young, looking at herself, was marveling at it, the remaining officers of the Directorate of Knowledge were assisting I-seon and Hee-jin into preparing garments similar to Ji-young's. As Ji-young leaned in toward the mirror, taken by the sharp edge of her own reflection, Eun-jae's voice came from outside. Eun-jae: The Oldest. The Directors of each office, prepared and ready. Just then, Hee-jin and I-seon's preparations were also complete, so they stepped out without delay.

With I-seon taking position before Ji-young's stride, he opened the way ahead of her. After opening the closed door and stepping out, the officers who had been inside Ji-young's spacious quarters came out together. The Director of each office and their secretarial staff stood paired up in arrangement. Chae-rim placed Ji-young's 당혜(Danghye_Formal traditional shoes) on the 댓돌(Dat-dol_Stepping stone). Chae-rim, too, was wearing her ceremonial uniform rather than her usual combat garment.

Ji-young: Don't think I dressed up even this much for our Directors' inauguration ceremony. At Ji-young's light remark, Soo-a, Eun-jae, and Jeong-in — who had been waiting on Ji-young — let smiles rise to their lips. I-seon, who had opened the way ahead, slipped his own formal shoes onto his feet from the stepping stone alongside Hee-jin and made way for Ji-young. Ji-young carefully eased her white-stockinged feet — embroidered in white — into her formal shoes embroidered with butterflies and lilies.

Unlike the everyday traditional shoes, the formal shoes had a fairly raised heel, and Ji-young's height shot up at once. After taking a sheepish look at everyone who had been quietly watching her, Ji-young flashed a bashful smile and offered up what was almost a muttered excuse to herself. Ji-young: It's just. I'm — I'm at least about 173, you know.