Chapter 9: Kang Da-In

"Hello. Who...are you?" I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't even notice this girl had walked up to me. It was clear that she wasn't used to visitors in the home. I had only been in the mansion in 5 minutes and already I was getting fed-up of her doe-like innocence. That's when he finally looked up at me...at long last. I held my breath as I waited for our eyes to meet and...connect like they did in the new trendy romance books that were causing a storm in our nation. I waited...but..."Oh, this is just a young woman from my neighbourhood who visits sometimes. You don't need to worry about it, or her" he kept his eyes firmly on her...he didn't even welcome me back home after years of being absent. I felt tears swelling in my eyes and my oxygen been constrained in my throat as I begged him with my eyes to take notice of me as I didn't want to cause a scene in front of the likes of her...but before I could say anything...

"Where is your father oroboni? I don't want to get in trouble for meeting someone I'm not supposed to" she asked him worryingly as she tried to retreat back to her room, but Seon-Ho...Nam Seon-Ho who was usually so poised and mature...was now acting like an excited child bouncing around an empty field "He's long gone Yeonn-a, he left for dinner with some people" he could barely contain himself for some reason. "Hmm ok...well, have fun with your friend then" she smiled sweetly at him before trying to escape once again but this time he completely forgot himself as he...actually reached out to grabbed her by the arm! Even married couples were not to touch each other in public but here he was all over over like a damned rash! "No! Well...I mean...Yeonn-a why don't we...why don't we..." "Orobani! What are you, a child? Why can't you look after yourself properly?" He looked...stunned at her concern and confused by her words. But before he could get a word in she stormed back into her room only to storm out again carrying out a tray of cheap and ugly things "get over here right now! Honestly, you're meant to be a well-known inspector and here you are, running around with these unsightly bruises and scrapes! How is anyone meant to take you seriously when you do not look after yourself? Do you enjoy having me worry about you all the time?" She sat him down on her front steps and continued to chide him when she took his noble hands into her own filthy ones and rubbed some low-priced balm and rubbed it all over his hands meticulously and wrapped a piece of embroidery around his wrist while she was still lecturing him. She was completely unaware that he was completely frozen in shock, but watching her tend to him so intently I thought I was going to pass out right there and then.

"Yeonn-a...this embroidery piece...is it yours?" He asked rather...gaily. That shut her up as she slowly started turning pink before she suddenly appeared to be flustered and distracted by something imaginary on her sleeve "N...no. its just...something I picked up...in the market" she replied in a tone that not even a child would believe. "Why aren't you looking at me then" he replied with a very large smirk on his face while she stuttered and and was still avoiding his gaze "why...why should I look at you? I already see you every day in your mansion...so why...why should I look at you now" she tried to run back inside but he wasn't having it as he kept grabbing her arms and wrists so she couldn't leave.

I couldn't believe it...I thought the only person he was close to was her brother. I had no idea that he was even closer to his sister! Or did that only happen when she jumped at the chance to stay close to him? I didn't want to think about it anymore as I tired to interject myself in their conversation. "Orobani! I completely forgot that I had brought you a gift from my travels, I left it in my bedroom! Why don't you accompany me back to my home so I can bring it to you?" I may as well have been talking to a wall as they were...in their own world. "Why are you still not looking at me then? And why are you blushing? What exactly are you thinking?" They were practically wrestling each other at this point "blushing? Who's blushing? I think you're beginning to loose your eyesight old man?" She was hiding her face at every opportunity she could take while trying to taunt him back and failing. "Stop picking on me just because I'm shorter than you" she began to indignantly wail as things got more intense. He had no choice but to let go of her then...but not before she stomped on his foot and stuck her tongue out before trying to run inside but he grabbed her again before she knew it and accidentally pulled her so close to himself that she landed on his chest.