Chapter 222
Chapter 222
As I considered the possibility of Yanghwa being ensnared in Exchetra’s scheme, I couldn’t help but fear for her safety. The idea of her being poisoned seemed all too likely.
Julius appeared to share my concern, his gaze fixed intently on Kaichen as he waited for an answer.
But when Kaichen finally spoke, his words were not what either of us were expecting.
“It’s an addiction, but not poison,” he stated firmly, a deep frown etched across his face.
Julius and I both blinked in surprise, momentarily caught off guard by Kaichen’s response.
***
Being the youngest of her siblings, Yanghwa always felt like the black sheep. Her older brothers were reliable and her older sisters were the epitome of cool, making her feel like she could never measure up. She yearned to be like them, to help the family in any way she could, but her attempts were always met with a resounding “no.”
The loss of her mother when she was ten, who had given birth at an old age, was a wound that never fully healed. Yanghwa remembered her as a warm and loving mother, who despite her wrinkled hands and difficulty walking, always welcomed her with open arms. But even in her grief, her elder siblings showed no empathy, telling her to simply sleep it off.
It was this loneliness that Yanghwa couldn’t shake.
She spent the next decade in solitude, even after the loss of her father who had comforted her as she grappled with her newfound abilities to feel emotions through magic.
As she wept over her father’s lifeless hand, she was hit with the harsh reality of her family’s future as she watched her eldest brother take on the mantle of their father’s responsibilities, declaring his duty to succeed the family.
It was then that Yanghwa made a bold decision. To escape the loneliness of her family home, where there was no one left to love her. She would fulfill the promise her parents made to her before they passed.
“Yanghwa, just like your name, you can thrive anywhere. If there’s anything you want to do, go ahead and do it. Let your flower bloom wherever you choose.”
With that, Yanghwa left the confines of the Suran Empire, determined to make her own path in life.
*Yanghwa means hydrangea in Korean
Yanghwa thought she would be able to adjust to the new surroundings of Kalhai with ease, just like her father had said. But she was mistaken. The culture and people were completely different from what she was used to in the Suran Empire.
There were no friendly greetings, no understanding smiles, no kind gestures. She struggled to earn enough to survive, even with a full day’s work, and was forced to sleep in unpleasant conditions.
It was a harsh reality, so different from the comfort of her childhood. No longer did she have a brother to pick her up when she fell, or another to scold her for her clumsiness. Her sisters were no longer there to grumble about her messy clothes or secretly feed her onions to help her grow taller.
After her mother’s death, Yanghwa struggled with sleeping alone. She tried to convince herself that she needed to be independent and not rely on her elder brother for comfort, but the loneliness was overwhelming. Every night, she cried herself to sleep thinking about her siblings back in the Suran Empire.
Her co-worker, Rosa, tried to comfort her, saying that perhaps her siblings’ tough love and disregard for her was actually a sign of their love and protection. But Yanghwa couldn’t shake off the hurt and loneliness she felt.
“Is it possible that your siblings care for you deeply?”
“No, everyone was harsh to me.”
“Take a moment to reflect. You mentioned that your siblings would come to your aid whenever you fell, they would help you up if you were hurt, they made clothes for you, and even cooked for you, right?”
“But…they ignored me and told me to stay quiet and not do anything. My older siblings had their own responsibilities…”
“…It sounds like they treasured you so much that they didn’t want you to do anything dangerous or taxing. Isn’t that love..?”
Even though her siblings had treated her harshly, Yanghwa realized that the pain of missing them was far worse than the solitude she felt when she was still with them. So, she worked tirelessly to save up enough money to return to the Suran Empire. She had already spent all her jewels, and this was her only option.
Rosa constantly complained about Yanghwa’s gullibility and her lack of common sense. She scolded her for losing all of her jewelry to some con artist. Yanghwa couldn’t understand why Rosa thought she was swindled, because she gave away her jewelry willingly.
“I gave it away to someone who claimed their mother needed immediate medical attention and they didn’t have any money for a doctor,” Yanghwa explained.
“Please, you really fell for that classic scam? After that, I bet you were a popular target for other fraudsters, right?” Rosa asked.
“No.. people came to me for help! It’s a sad reality in this city. But, I always thought that the people who were asking for help were filial and just trying to take care of their parents. They must have a bright future,” Yanghwa responded optimistically.
“You’re crazy. I think I finally understand why your siblings were always so protective of you. Snap out of it, Ja Yanghwa,” Rosa said while washing dishes until her hands became sore.