Page 8 of Gumiho Kiss (Realm of Eternal Blossoms #1)

The Partner

T he pair headed home once they’d collected all the items Chin Sun needed, with nary another word between them. Mr. Park didn’t seem to be a talkative sort, which she was glad of. His heroic rescue had made quite an impression on her, and she needed time to sift through her thoughts.

He’d overtaken the bandits so quickly that it was difficult to gauge just how skilled of a fighter he was. Still, he’d proven himself both levelheaded and a man of sharp reflexes. If he was also an expert swordsman, he might be more than Chin Sun could handle.

For while her gumiho nature afforded her greater speed and strength than the average human, she was far from invincible.

Oftentimes when she accessed her powers, she felt like she was hitting an invisible wall, one she had no idea how to overcome.

She’d only barely surpassed Kim Min Joon during their last sword fight.

And though her old friend was a skilled opponent, he couldn’t be the best there was.

What concerned her more than Hyun Soo’s swordsmanship, though, was that he’d noticed her claws.

How could she have been so reckless!

He’d mistaken them for knives, of course, but that was only because she’d come to her senses before he’d scared off the idiots who’d been foolish enough to try to rob her.

Maybe she should start carrying a dagger during the day.

That was much easier to explain than claws suddenly growing out of her fingertips.

This was the first time someone had threatened her while she was dressed as a noblewoman. Most thieves were either simple pickpockets or smart enough to wait until nightfall before they made their move. Those men, though, had practically reeked of desperation.

Chin Sun sighed. While she didn’t condone their actions, such behavior was just another symptom of the city’s growing problems. Commoners were forced to pay higher and higher taxes that ultimately went to yangban pockets, and rather than helping those less fortunate than themselves as they were instructed to in school, most nobles were only interested in increasing their wealth and position.

If she weren’t an orphan, would she have turned out the same way?

It was only thanks to her aunt and uncle’s benevolence that Chin Sun enjoyed such a privileged life.

She saw herself in every beggar she passed, every gisaeng faking a smile on her powdered face, every slave crying out to his master for mercy.

Once they arrived at the Lee residence, Mr. Park took his leave so he could guard the perimeter while Chin Sun went about her household chores. She tried to talk to Sang Mi, but the girl refused to leave her room, so Chin Sun simply placed the new book she’d purchased on the floor outside.

When the family came together for the evening meal, Sang Mi finally emerged from her bedroom, eyes puffy and red. The two locked gazes as Sang Mi sat down at the low table next to her brother, and though neither spoke a word, a silent conversation passed between them:

Please don’t tell Father , Sang Mi pleaded.

All right , Chin Sun replied, but I expect a full explanation later.

They broke eye contact when the servants brought out trays of hot food and alcohol. The heady aroma of hotpot, pickled cucumbers, seasoned bean sprouts, and rice filled the air, making Chin Sun realize she’d been so worked up by the morning’s events that she’d forgotten to eat lunch.

“How was school today, Sang Ook?” Uncle asked.

The boy began sharing what he’d studied, and Samchon happily talked with him for the next several minutes. The girls chimed in a few times when they had something to add, but both were quieter than usual, and Sang Mi ate hardly anything.

“Did you find everything you needed at the market?” Uncle finally asked, gaze going from Sang Mi to Chin Sun.

Sang Mi paled, her grip on her chopsticks a bit more rigid, but Chin Sun spoke up. “Yeh, we did, Samchon.”

“I trust your new bodyguard was helpful?” Uncle’s tone was casual, but Chin Sun could tell by the way he leaned slightly closer that he was very interested in her response.

Chin Sun debated how much she should share about the incident with the thieves.

She didn’t want Uncle worried about her safety—then he would agree with Young Master Kang that a bodyguard was necessary.

But she could accuse Mr. Park of negligence, as the man himself had confessed to, and perhaps that would result in his dismissal.

She opened her mouth to do just that, but to her shock, she hesitated, a vision filling her mind of him leaping to her rescue with no regard for his own safety.

She was the one who’d put herself in danger by willfully running away from him. Was it wrong to call his capability into question when it was her fault she’d gotten into trouble?

No, it didn’t matter if it was right or wrong. It was too risky to keep him around. If he found out she was Gwishin, everything would be ruined. His reputation was a small price to keep her life intact.

“Actually, he?—”

“His presence was most comforting,” Sang Mi interjected.

Chin Sun’s hand slipped, but she barely noticed the broth that sloshed out of her bowl. She glanced at Sang Mi, but the girl was focused on Uncle.

“After all these Gwi—” She cut off at her father’s sharp look, then stumbled onward. “Uhh . . . sightings, I was glad to have him there to keep us safe.”

Heat rose in Chin Sun’s belly. If Sang Mi had just kept her mouth shut, she could have gotten rid of Mr. Park and not had to worry about him anymore. Why had she gone and?—

“Is that true, Chin Sun?” Samchon turned, a single eyebrow raised.

“Y-yeh, of course.” She smoothed away the anger from her expression, though it still blew over her heart. Sang Mi had unwittingly backed Chin Sun into a corner; now there was no way she could share what had happened with the bandits without exposing her cousin’s lie.

“Hmm . . .” Uncle took a bite of cucumber, chewing it slowly as he continued to watch her.

Chin Sun smiled innocently until he looked away and directed another school-related question to Sang Ook. She tried not to sigh in relief.

Did I say something wrong? Sang Mi mouthed across the table.

Chin Sun broke eye contact, too frustrated to give her a response. Covering up for her cousin was taking more of a toll than she wished.

When the meal came to a close, Chin Sun announced, “I believe I shall retire for the evening.”

“Did you not want to read with me?” Sang Mi asked.

The two of them had a habit of enjoying stories together in the evenings whenever Chin Sun brought home a new book.

It was also a good time to discuss the things they didn’t want Samchon or Sang Ook to know about, which mostly involved Sang Mi’s frequent romantic interests.

Chin Sun shook her head. “I have a slight headache coming on. Forgive me.”

Her voice was perfectly sweet, concealing the bitterness swimming through her thoughts. Sang Mi may be ready to talk now after ignoring her all afternoon, but the girl’s impulsiveness had ruined Chin Sun’s mood. Perhaps it would do her good to be the one snubbed this time.

Aren’t you being rather petty, Chin Sun? her conscience argued.

She brushed aside the invoked twinge of guilt. She had the right to be petty after all the trouble Sang Mi had caused.

Uncle frowned. Chin Sun wasn’t prone to poor health, so even something as mild as a headache must have sounded odd to him. “Should I ask Ah In to bring you some tea?”

She shook her head a little too strongly. “No, I should be fine once I get some rest. Thank you, Samchon.” She bowed and took her leave, ignoring Sang Mi’s puzzled brow.

* * *

The sky was coated with pearly white stars when Chin Sun crept into the courtyard, then leaped over the wall and onto the main road.

She’d observed Mr. Park patrolling the property for almost an hour before she’d made her move.

He always paused in his sweep when he reached the back of the manor, giving her ample time to slip out unseen.

No men besides police officers were about now, for it was after curfew and only women were allowed on the city’s streets.

On three occasions, patrolmen marched by, so she hid behind the nearest building until their clomping footsteps faded into the night.

She knew the officers’ routes so well now, she could practically skirt by them in her sleep.

She told herself to stay alert. Her carelessness at the magistrate’s office had given her the wound in her shoulder. She didn’t want any further mistakes.

The injured area was still very tender, but the brief skirmish this afternoon didn’t seem to have done her any harm.

She didn’t like admitting it, but it had been a good thing Mr. Park was there.

While she could have taken them all on and won, she may not have been able to walk away unscathed.

Especially not while pretending to be a delicate noblewoman.

By all rights, she should still be resting, but the conversation she’d overheard at the magistrate’s office contained valuable information Min Joon would want to know about.

“In ten days’ time, meet at the agreed-upon location to trade,” Hong whispered, his Japanese so stilted Chin Sun almost couldn’t decipher it.

“What guarantee do we have that you’ll be there?” the pirate asked.

Hong didn’t speak for a moment. “How could you doubt me when my entire reputation is on the line?” His voice was low, angry. “You just make sure all the sulfur is ready for transport.”

If the pirates were smuggling sulfur into the country, it could only be for a single purpose: gunpowder.

What Hong needed it for, Chin Sun had no idea, but if she got the information to Min Joon quickly enough, perhaps he could intercept the goods and stop whatever the magistrate was planning.

Or maybe he’d want to watch the exchange to find out where the sulfur was being delivered.

Either way, all she needed to do for now was drop her note off at the abandoned hut at the edge of the woods, then she could sneak back into her bedroom and get some much-needed rest.

Chin Sun hadn’t been to the hut since Min Joon had tipped her off about the magistrate’s clandestine meeting.

The inspector lacked Gwishin’s stealth and had asked her to listen in on Hong’s conversation.

He’d also advised her to be discreet, which certainly hadn’t happened, so he would probably give her a good tongue-lashing the next time they met.

The moon was bright as Chin Sun arrived and stepped into the straw-roofed hut, illuminating the dark space and casting ominous shadows along the inner walls. Neatly stacked papers rested atop an old table, along with a small lantern ready for use. Two chairs leaned against the wall nearby.

Chin Sun approached the table, note in hand.

Her gaze darted to the back corner where a tall silhouette lurked, barely visible even with her fox senses. She whipped forward, unsheathing her sword and addressing the intruder. “Show yourself.”

“Is that any way to treat your partner?”

Chin Sun huffed as she put away her sword, annoyance overtaking her alarm. “You could have announced yourself from the start, Min Joon-ah.”

The young police inspector stepped forward, a grin on his lips. “Where’s the fun in that?” He lit the lantern and took a seat.

“I’d say not getting impaled is fun enough,” she replied gruffly. “I thought you weren’t returning until tomorrow.”

“I came back early when I heard you’d been wounded.” All traces of humor vanished from his face. “Are you all right?”

Chin Sun reached for the map on the table, avoiding his eye so she didn’t have to see the worry on his face. “News travels fast. I didn’t think you’d have heard about it all the way in Geungmeung already. Speaking of which, I need to tell you what I learned while I was there.”

Min Joon moved the map out of reach. “Don’t avoid the question. Did you really get shot?”

“I’m not that easy of a target,” she hissed, the lie stinging her lips. “Now, can we get on to more important things?”

Her friend’s expression remained hard, stubbornly resisting her attempts to ignore his concern. “It’s all right to be weak sometimes, you know. You may not be human, but you still bleed like the rest of us.”

When she didn’t answer, Min Joon sighed and relinquished his hold on the map. “What did you find out?”