THE CURSED ONE - THE BOY WHO CHALLENGE DESTINY

Dead End

A beautiful mid-aged lady that he saw yesterday entered the room.

“Good day, Sir, I am Madame Airi, Mr. Jai’s wife and the owner of this house, what can I help you?” That lady asked.

“Good day, Madame Airi, I am Hyung Jae from gungjeon gyeongbi. I will be strict to the point. My reason to come here was that I want to ask about your husband's travel. In our record, Mr. Jai, your husband, was traveled to En City around 6 or 7 months back, did you know about this or follow him on that journey?” Hyung Jae asked.

“Yes, Mr. Hyung Jae, it is true about what you said, my husband has traveled to En City a few months ago but I forgot about the exact time, he went there to sell silk and old wine. I didn’t follow him on that journey but he went there with his assistant.” Madame Airi answered.

 “And who is his assistant?” Hyung Jae asked.

“His assistant was the one that opened the door for you, Mr. Hyung Jae.” Madame Airi replied.

“I see, has Mr. Jai ever told you anything about founding a child during his travel?” Hyung Jae asked.

Madame Airi’s expression little bit changed and Hyung Jae noticed it.

“What child? If you asked about our children, we never have any children even he was too old to have a child.” Madame Airi answered.

Hyung Jae suspected if this lady in front of him hiding some secret but he doesn’t know how to make her tell what her secret was, he can’t force her either.

“Could you please call your assistant? I need to ask some questions to him also.” Hyung Jae said.

“Of course, please wait a moment.” Madame Airi answered.

She stands up and walks outside the room. Hyung Jae waits for a few moments until she comes back with the hard face man, her assistant.

“This is Han, my husband's assistant.” Madame Airi introduced him.

“Good day, Mr. Hyung Jae.” Han said.

Hyung Jae looked at Han’s face and he sees if Han expresses some fear but he tried hard to hide it.

“Mr. Han, how long have you worked for Mr. Jai? And is it true that you accompany Mr. Jai during his travel to En City a few months back?” Hyung Jae asked.

Han keeps silent for a moment before starting to speak with his eyes peeking at Madame Airi for a glance and Hyung Jae noticed it.

“Err… I have worked for 1 year with Mr. Jai, Sir, and it was true if Mr. Jai went to En City with me.” Han answered.

“Tell me what has happened when you went through Wangdu Forest? Did you find a child in your chariot?” Hyung Jae asked.

Hyung Jae can see if Han gets nervous with his questions before he answered.

“No, Sir, we didn’t find any boy during our travel through Wangdu Forest.” Han replied.

Hyung Jae knows that Han’s lie to him, he never mentions if he was looking for a boy, he only mentions a child without a specific gender, yet Han answered about a boy.

“Are you sure if you and Mr. Jai didn’t meet anyone in the forest? Or saw something strange right there?” Hyung Jae asked again.

“Err… no, Sir.” Han replied shortly.

Hyung Jae is certain if they know about the boy's presence, but right now he can’t force them to tell their secret as he doesn’t have any proof. Hyung Jae stares at Han’s eyes sharply which makes him uncomfortable and throws his eyes in another direction.

“Well, I think it’s enough for the questions, I already get what I need to know, and thanks for your cooperation.” Hyung Jae said.

He leaves Jai’s house as there are no more things that he can ask them, he then goes back to the front gate to finish his Job. But tonight he planned to find more clues by sneaking into Jai’s house again.

---

It’s still early night when Hyung Jae arrived at Jai’s house, he wears black clothes to make it easy for him to hide in the dark of the night. Just like before, he jumps up to the rooftop from the corner of the house and jumps down in the yard. It is very quiet inside the house, Hyung Jae guessed if a house as big as this only lived by the two of them. He patiently waited for someone to show up in the dark between the trees. The big house was lighted with many torch or candles in every corner and room, the light itself enough to make someone see properly around the house during night time except for the yard which doesn’t have any light source on it.

Hyung Jae almost falls asleep when suddenly he saw Han, the hard face man, walking into the corridor, Han walks towards a similar room to last night it was Madame Airi’s room. Hyung Jae’s drowsiness disappeared immediately, he walks silently closer to Madame Airi’s room and he saw Han standing in front of the room.

“Madame, this is me, Han” Han said.

“Come in, and close the door.” Madame Airi answered.

Han entered Madame Airi’s room and closed the door. Hyung Jae walks as silently as he can until he positions himself the same as the previous night. Now he can hear the conversation inside.

“Was that guard, Hyung Jae, coming here again?” Madame Airi asked.

“No, Madame.” Han answered.

“I think he suspected us, but I don’t know his motivation to ask about the boy.” Madame Airi said again.

Hyung Jae who listened to their conversations from outside sharpened his ears when he heard about the boy’s word.

“Don’t worry Madame I will protect you if he does something harmful to you.” Han said.

“Yes, I trusted you, Han, you’re the best.” Madame Airi replied.

That was their last conversation before he heard strange voices from inside the room. Hyung Jae is waiting for a few moments but no any further conversations from them but he was very sure if they knew something about the boy. He runs out of patience now, he put his mask on to cover his head and he will rush inside and ask them politely but if they refuse to speak then he will force them to speak up.

Hyung Jae then forcefully opened the door and entered the room, inside the room he saw two people grappling with each other on top of the bed, both of them were shocked by Hyung Jae’s unexpected presence.

“Eaahk… Who are you?” Madame Airi is shocked and screamed when she saw a masked man forcefully enter her room, she was undressed the same as Han who is under her body. She immediately grabbed her dress to cover her body and Han also do the same thing. Hyung Jae didn’t expect if they were undressed when he decided to enter the room, this makes him a little bit shocked either but he can control himself.

“No need to know who I am, use your dress first, and don’t do anything stupid or you’ll get hurt.” Hyung Jae said forcefully.

Both Madame Airi and Han have dresses, they feel very embarrassed after an unknown man knew about their secret affairs. They are standing in front of Hyung Jae who is now sitting on the chair. Madame Airi looks at Han and she instructs Han with her eyes to attack Hyung Jae. Han rushes forward towards Hyung Jae and throws his punch aiming at Hyung Jae’s face, but Hyung Jae is an expert master, he has predicted if Han going to attack him hence he has prepared himself. Han’s hard face and big body mostly will scare any normal people out, but not with Hyung Jae. After some moves, he knows if Han was not a martial artist as he throws his attack randomly without any technique and too many opening on his moves. Hyung Jae plays with Han for a moment before he catches and twists Han’s arm easily and Han screaming loud in pain. Actually, Hyung Jae doesn’t twist Han’s arm too hard as he didn’t have any intention to fight or harm them.

“I told you not to do anything stupid, why did you ignore my warning?” Hyung Jae scolded them.

He twists Han’s arm a little bit hard and Han screams again, even he starts crying.

“Hey…Hey… why are you crying, you are a man.” Hyung Jae said while his hand keeps twisting Han’s arm.

“Stop… stop please… don’t hurt him, I’ll do whatever you want, please…” Madam Airi begged.

“Wow… you must be loved this man a lot. Hey lady, your husband just died a month ago and you already do an affair with this man? Don’t you have any shame with your dead husband?” Hyung Jae asked.

Madame Airi keeps quiet, she doesn’t answer Hyung Jae’s question.

“Why are you silent? Apparently you keep a lot of secrets, lady?” Hyung Jae’s asked, actually he doesn’t want to do this but he needs to threaten them so they will tell the truth to him.

Hyung Jae twists Han’s arm again which makes Han scream.

“Stop…stop…okay, I’ll talk.” Madame Airi said.

Hyung Jae releases Han’s arm and he sits again on the chair.

“Han was and is my actual husband.” Madame Airi confessed.

“What?! Wasn’t your husband Mr. Jai, who has passed away?” Hyung Jae asked.

“It’s complicated, but yes Mr. Jai was my husband, but Han was my actual husband.” Madame Airi confessed.

“I don’t get it.” Hyung Jae said.

“More than a year ago my father has a lot of debts to Mr. Jai and cannot afford to pay the debt which its interest increased more and more. Mr. Jai saw my presence and asked my father to pay his debt by selling me to him. My father didn’t have any option as Mr. Jai brought a few goons with him and they beat him out. Because I didn't have any other choice to save my father, I followed Mr. Jai’s request and became his wife, but he didn’t know if I already have a husband, Han, which at that time was on his travel to sell some goods far away from my home. When Han has returned he was shocked after knowing that I was taken by Mr. Jai and brought to this city. Han loved me very much so he went to this city and looked for my presence with the hope he can pay the debt and took me back. The hand of fate made us meet again around a year ago, we were very happy but we knew that Han couldn’t afford to pay the debt to take me back. We kept meeting regularly but it was very risky as Mr. Jai has a lot of spies everywhere, so I tried to suggest Han as his assistant. With Han’s experience as a merchant, Mr. Jai finally accepted Han as his assistant, and finally, we can meet every day as Han stayed in here,” Madame Airi said. “That is the truth.” She added.

“Hmm…” Hyung Jae believed that Madam Airi wouldn’t lie to him in this kind of situation.

He knew that everyone has their own problem, but he believes that Madame Airi and Han have been through very difficult moments in their lives. Inside his heart, he feels happy for them as this time the hand of fate leads their love to bounds back once again.

“Okay, let’s forget about that. That was not my purpose to come here like this,” Hyung Jae said. “I want to know what information that you both have hidden from me regarding the boy that you found in Wangdu Forest.” He added.

Hyung Jae opened his mask, both Madame Airi and Han seemed not shocked after knowing who behind the mask is.

“Now you know who I am,” Hyung Jae said. “Now tell me the truth about you and Mr. Jai’s travel inside Wangdu Forest.” He asked Han.

“I will tell you the story, Mr. Hyung Jae. Han was not too good at speaking, I afraid if he will mislead you.” Madam Airi said.

“Okay, then tell me what you’ve hidden from me this morning. I knew if both of you hide something because when I only mention about a child but Han knew if the child was a boy.” Hyung Jae said.

“You are smart, Mr. Hyung Jae,” Madame Airi praised him, “Yes, actually Mr. Jai and Han found a boy inside their chariot that time, Han said if that boy looked like sleeping or under influence of some kind of d**g or medicine, they didn’t know who was the boy and how he can enter their chariot.”

“So where did you hide him right now? Bring me there.” Hyung Jae asked. He feels happy because his long journey to find the boy will finally end today.

“We don’t know, Mr. Hyung Jae.” Madame Airi answered.

“What do you mean? Didn’t you just tell me that Han and Mr. Jai were found the boy?” Hyung Jae confusedly asked.

“Yes, but Mr. Jai asked Han to throw the boy and left him in Sinmu town.” Madame Airi said.

“What?! How could you do that?!” Hyung Jae said furiously to Han.

“Please calm down, Mr. Hyung Jae, It was not Han’s fault, it was that greedy old man’s fault,” Madame Airi explained, “Mr. Jai was a superstitious old-fashioned people, he believed if a child means bad omen for him and his business, that’s why no any child around in this house. He has a daughter from his second wife, but he immediately divorced his wife after he knew if his wife was pregnant.”

Hyung Jae listened to Madame Airi’s story in silence.

“Han told me that the boy who he found after they went out from Wangdu Forest was in very weak conditions, his breath and pulse almost imperceptible. Mr. Jai was panicked at that time and he asked Han to lead their chariot to the nearest town which was Sinmu town. Actually, they didn’t have any plan to stop by at Sinmu town, but Mr. Jai kept forced to go there, and at midnight when no one was around, Mr. Jai asked Han to throw the boy anywhere in the road, Han didn’t have any choice as it’s impossible for him to take care of the boy, he carries the boy as instructed by Mr.Jai and then put him in a dry and clean place around Sinmu’s Market, they immediately went out from Sinmu City directly that night and start traveled to Emperor City. I guessed that the old greedy man felt so much guilt after that incident because almost every night he got a bad dream about the boy and it has affected his health. His health declined day by day until he passed out a month ago,” Madam Airi finished her story, “To be honest right now we didn’t know whether the boy is still alive or not, Mr. Hyung Jae.”

Hyung Jae thinks if Madame Airi’s story is legit but he feels disappointed because his journeys to find the boy still meet a dead end. In the least right now he finally has a clear clue about the boy’s last location, and one thing is for sure he will immediately resign as gungjeon gyeongbi and go to Sinmu City to complete his promise.