Joseon Idols

 

The person I was waiting for still hadn’t shown up, but for the past few days, a middle-aged man had been lingering around the inn without eating.

 

When I finally stepped out to talk to him, he hesitated nervously.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Uh… well, do you think you could sell me some of those?”

 

“Nope. Those are my personal collection.”

 

“I’ll pay double what you paid for them. What do you say?”

 

“I’m not selling. I’m trying to use them to lure someone here. If you’re interested in reading them, come back later. I might let you borrow them.”

 

“No, no, it’s not that. My master has been searching for items like those, but they’re nearly impossible to find these days. After some asking around, I heard you’ve been buying them up wherever you can, so I came to see for myself.”

 

The man gazed longingly at the piles of books and paintings neatly stacked on the floor, his expression a mix of defeat and yearning.

 

“Well, there’s nothing I can do for you. I’ve spent a lot of effort—and soup-selling profits—on these. But, does your master hit you if you can’t find what he wants?”

 

The man quickly shook his head. 

 

“Getting hit would be a mercy. No, it’s far worse. He’ll keep me up all night talking about art and literature I don’t understand. And he doesn’t stop! He clings to me all day, making it impossible to get any work done.”

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“Sounds like a pretty demanding boss.”

 

The man’s eyes grew teary as he clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture. 

 

“Think of it as saving a life, would you? You don’t have to sell them, but maybe you’d let my master come here to look at them?”

 

“Well, I guess letting him take a look wouldn’t hurt too much…”

 

“Of course, the offer is not to your liking, is it? Well, nothing I can do about that. Come back later.”

 

Even as I gave him a clear signal to leave, the man kept glancing around the room.

 

“It’s really not ideal for someone of his stature to come here, though…”

 

Unable to hold back, I finally shoved the man toward the door.

 

“Well, if your master is so noble, he doesn’t have to come. It’s no skin off my nose!”

 

I crossed my arms, speaking loudly, and the man let out an awkward laugh.

 

“No, no, it’s not that. I’m sure my master would be happy to come. He might just wish for a little… tidying up beforehand. How about I bring him by tonight, just briefly?”

 

I nodded.

 

“Fine, but tell him to come quietly, take a look, and then leave. Got it?”

 

The man nodded eagerly. Well, books and paintings wouldn’t wear out from being looked at, after all. And the fact that he didn’t beat his servant was something I appreciated. Knowing someone like that could be valuable in a place like this.

 

“Alright then, tonight it is! I’ll bring him for sure!”

 

He waved at me, his face brightened with relief. I, on the other hand, waved dismissively, annoyed. The one I wanted to see, Yeolha, still hadn’t shown up—what a hassle!

 

***

 

When night fell, a man appeared.

 

I had told him to come quietly and take a look, but he arrived dressed in black and even had a cloth covering his face. At first, I thought he was a thief, and both Byeolho and I froze in shock. But the man also flinched, then cautiously spoke to us.

 

“I’m not here to cause trouble. Relax. Did someone I sent ahead come by earlier?”

 

I nodded, and he glanced around.

 

“Where are the items?”

 

I pointed to the raised wooden platform.

 

“Over there, on the veranda. Go ahead and look. I thought you’d be older, though.”

 

“… …”

 

“Anyway, just step into that room and take your time. Don’t think about stealing anything, because I’ll know if you do.”

 

Without a word, the man strode over to the veranda. He sat down, muttering to himself, and suddenly broke into a wide grin.

 

“Yes! They’re all here! I’ve missed these so much!”

 

Byeolho and I sat on the bench, watching the odd scene unfold. Byeolho made circles near his temple with his finger and whispered,

 

“Hey, innkeeper. That guy’s definitely lost it.”

 

“Sure seems like it. I heard he even makes his servant study.”

 

When the door slammed shut behind him, I flashed a meaningful smile at Byeolho.

 

The moonlight spilled softly over the dirt ground, making it shimmer like a stage. This was the perfect time to start training Byeolho.

 

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Your eyes… they look just like that magistrate’s wife’s right now.”

 

I smacked Byeolho on the back.

 

“What did you just say? Comparing me to who? Ugh, you’re driving me nuts. Fine, just sing something! Let me hear you belt out a tune. Anything will do.”

 

Byeolho scratched his head.

 

“You mean the stuff I sing while working? I just make it up as I go.”

 

“Exactly. Composing and writing your own songs is a major talent. Now, go! Show me what you’ve got!”

 

“Give me something to do first, then. I’ll sing while I work.”

 

Coming here really had given him some strange habits. I grabbed a bundle of straw and plopped it down in front of

him. Byeolho took it and began weaving it into a basket, humming as he started singing.

 

As expected, he nailed it.

 

That husky voice, just slightly raw—it was perfect. Yes, this is it!

 

I clapped silently in my head. If Yeolha showed up, maybe—just maybe—I could dream again about becoming the entertainment agency CEO I once was.

 

Suddenly, I snatched the straw back out of Byeolho’s hands and pulled him to his feet.

 

“Now dance! Don’t just jiggle around aimlessly. Put some sharp moves into it!”

 

Being such a big guy, his movements weren’t exactly delicate.

 

“More precision! Hit those moves hard!”

 

My words seemed to ignite a fire in Byeolho, who poured his sweat and effort into improving. The more he danced, the better he got—practice makes perfect, after all.

 

I clapped in rhythm to encourage him.

 

But amidst the noise and movement, I noticed the man in black standing silently, watching us.

 

Uh-oh. Was our noise disturbing him? Did we disrupt his focus?

 

When we paused to look at him, he cleared his throat and spoke up.

 

“Ahem. I was trying to read, but it’s simply too loud to concentrate.”

 

Byeolho pouted and muttered under his breath.

 

“Geez, why not just plug your ears or something? The fact that he’s even allowed to read should be more than enough to be grateful for.”

 

The man in black kept clearing his throat, clearly uncomfortable. After hesitating, he finally said,

 

“That, uh, sharp and precise thing. The moves you were doing just now. I can do that too.”

 

Then, without further explanation, he started moving to the rhythm, suddenly performing a flawless handstand on the

dirt ground.

 

“Oh, and here I thought you were just a bookworm!”

 

Byeolho burst into laughter, picking up his song again, and the man began to dance in time with the music. His movements were sharp, clean, and precise, with each motion perfectly deliberate and striking.

 

“Byeolho! That’s what I was talking about! That’s the kind of precision I meant!”

 

I felt a wave of joy. Watching this, I could see how Byeolho would improve even further. The example before him was bound to push him to a whole new level.

 

I wanted to ensure that this camaraderie between the man in black and Byeolho continued to flourish.

 

Under the moonlight, Byeolho’s husky voice intertwined with the sharp, yet still raw, dance moves they displayed. The scene filled me with joy—I was surrounded by diamonds in the rough.

 

Seo Ahwon. Your dream is starting to take shape once again.

 

The man in black and Byeolho, apparently fully immersed in their shared energy, didn’t even need my prompting anymore. The two had started their own impromptu dance-off, fueled purely by excitement.

 

I clapped along, matching their rhythm, fully engrossed in the moment with them.

 

But then, as the man in black spun and moved, the cloth covering his face slid off, fluttering softly to the ground.

 

Sharp, elongated eyes, a finely sculpted nose, and lips so strikingly red that fans had once dubbed them “cherry lips.”

 

It was Yeolha.

 

Yet, Yeolha seemed blissfully unaware of his sudden reveal. He was lost in the moment, fully immersed in dancing alongside Byeolho.

 

Watching the two of them, I sank onto the bench, a knowing smile spreading across my face.

 

Yeah, I knew you’d come.

 

The two of them had been at it for over two hours, dancing and shaking around, and now they were sitting on the bench, chatting. I brought over a bowl of water for them.

 

Yeolha, still with the cloth draped over his face, had apparently forgotten about it as he gulped down the water. Afterward, he absentmindedly wiped his mouth, and only then did he seem to realize.

 

“Wait… where did my mask go? I need to cover my face…”

 

I handed him the neatly folded black cloth.

 

“The newly appointed magistrate, Yeolha. Is that right?”

 

As I offered him the cloth, Yeolha quickly covered his face with it.

 

“How did you know right away?” he asked, his voice laced with surprise.

 

“Well, it’s pretty obvious now, isn’t it?”

 

Byeolho blinked, staring at Yeolha, and he reluctantly spoke up.

 

“My name is already well known, isn’t it? Yes, that’s right. I’m the newly appointed magistrate.”

 

Magistrate?

You’re

the magistrate? I hadn’t known that. This revelation hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving my head spinning.

 

“People think it’s fine that I like literature and art, but when they find out that I also enjoy dancing, they think it’s strange.”

 

That’s true. It was an issue that had caused trouble before.

 

When Yeolha was attending Seoul National University, his plans to debut as an idol had faced strong opposition from his family and others around him.

 

“But when I found so many books and paintings here, and then got to dance and sing, I felt like I was truly alive again after so long.”

 

That’s right. Yeolha, who had become the magistrate. He was certainly another piece of eternity.

 

I looked at Yeolha and smiled gently.

 

“Well, there is one way.”

 

“What is it?”

 

I said it in a roundabout way, suggesting that he come here right after work to practice like when he was a trainee.

 

“How about coming at night, enjoying the books and paintings, and also practicing dance and singing with Byeolho and me?”

 

At my suggestion, Yeolha’s face immediately flushed red.

 

“Is that really okay?”

 

“Of course.”

 

I gave him a warm smile.

 

“As long as you can get to the office in the morning and do your work, what’s the problem?”

 

Yeah, this is what living at the dorms is all about.

 

I knew it wouldn’t be easy for Yeolha to balance being a magistrate and preparing at the same time, but there were so

many people juggling two jobs in the world.

 

It seemed like Yeolha had already made up his mind. He nodded enthusiastically at my suggestion.

 

“But, I need to make one promise.”

 

He looked at me as though wondering what could be the issue. I spoke again.

 

“Providing the space, helping with dance and singing practice, and food and lodging – do you know what that means?”

 

“……”

 

“You should start calling me your ‘Daephyo Noona (representative older sister)’ from now on. That’s a promise. From now on, I’m the leader here.”

 

Unlike Byeolho, Yeolha, who had risen to the position of magistrate, seemed to hesitate a bit, his pride slightly wounded.

 

“If you don’t want to, fine. But if you’re not going to treat me as the leader, then everything’s off.”

 

As soon as I turned around, I heard Yeolha’s voice.

 

“Ah! You’re so impatient. Daephyo noona!”

 

Yeah, this is exactly why I take on the role of the representative.

 

I watched the two of them playfully bickering with each other, and my thoughts drifted.

 

Hwon, Robert, and Hyunmyeong. 

 

I wondered how the three of them were doing.

 

Lost in thought, I must have looked sad, because Byeolho and Yeolha were looking at me with concern.

 

Right. For now, I decided to focus on the fact that these two were here with me. I should be grateful for that.

 

“What are you staring at?”

 

I quickly hooked my arms around both of them and pulled them into a headlock.

 

As the two big guys stood up, I found myself struggling to keep my balance. Kicking my legs in the air, I yelled.

 

“Hey! Don’t mess with the representative like this!”

 

And so, the night deepened as I found another piece of eternity.

Hi everyone! It's Flo here!

I usually translate BLs but I wanted to try something new and it's very interesting and fun for me to read so I hope you guys enjoy it too! The chapters will be updated every Thursday!

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