[TOMORROW X TOGETHER Beomgyu] To the point of aching

Side Story Episode 2. On a sunny day

[Past Story - Beomgyu and Yeoju’s First Meeting]

 

In the courtyard of the Choi manor, busy hands were moving from morning on.

Servants sprinkled water in front of the main gate to settle the dust, and new cushions were laid out in the sarangchae.

Eight-year-old Beomgyu, wearing stiff clothes he normally never wore, sat at the edge of the wooden floor, idly dangling his feet.

 

"Be quiet today. It’s the day the esteemed guests from the Kim household are coming."

 

At his mother’s reminder, Beomgyu nodded with a lukewarm air.

He hadn’t even properly heard who the guests were, or why they had to go to such lengths to be proper.

From the kitchen, the smell of frying jeon had been wafting out since dawn, and fine bottles of liquor taken from the storeroom were carried into the sarangchae.

His father, Choi Siheon, kept straightening his clothes more times than usual as he paced around the courtyard.

Seeing that unfamiliar sight, Beomgyu vaguely guessed only that today was no ordinary day.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

Before noon, the sound of horse hooves came from outside the gate.

Kim Yoo-hyung entered the courtyard holding his wife and young daughter’s hands.

Choi Siheon ran out barefoot to greet him.

 

"Welcome, sir. You must have had a hard journey coming such a long way."

"Hard journey, my foot. It’s only this much trouble for a good day."

 

The two men, like old friends, patted each other’s shoulders and laughed brightly.

Their wives also exchanged warm greetings, holding hands affectionately.

 

Behind them, the same-aged Yeoju, with her hair neatly braided, was half-hidden behind her mother’s skirt.

 

"Go on and greet them, Yeoju. This is Beomgyu."

 

At Kim Yoo-hyung’s words, Yeoju cautiously poked her head out.

Beomgyu cleared his throat for no reason and straightened his back, trying to look grown-up.

 

"…I’m Choi Beomgyu."

"…I’m Kim Yeoju."

 

Neither of them knew what else to say, so they just kept sneaking glances at each other.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

In the sarangchae, the two fathers sat facing each other for the first time in a while, sipping drinks.

 

"To think we’d be joining our families like this—it feels especially meaningful."

 

At Kim Yoo-hyung’s words, Choi Siheon laughed heartily.

 

"It’s already hard enough to find a like-minded friend in court, and now it seems we’ll even become one family."

 

Then, from outside, a servant reported in a hurry.

 

"My lord, the Uuijeong has come to visit. He says he has an urgent message to deliver."

 

Choi Siheon furrowed his brow and rose to his feet.

 

"At this hour? Bring him in first."

 

Soon Jo Seunghak entered the sarangchae. But when he saw unfamiliar guests in the room, he paused for a moment.

 

"…The Kim Panseo household is here, I see. I hope I haven’t been rude."

"Not at all, my lord. What brings you here at this late hour?"

"His Majesty said he had something to ask in advance before tomorrow’s Gyeongyeon…… Since your home is so close, I thought it best to stop by myself."

 

After briefly stating his business, Jo Seunghak still did not leave and casually asked,

 

"So, this must be a happy occasion."

 

Choi Siheon answered with a friendly smile.

 

"Actually, today we planned to betroth our Beomgyu and this gentleman’s daughter."

"Please sit, my lord. Have a drink before you go."

 

With proper courtesy, Choi Siheon offered him a seat.

Jo Seunghak sat down as if reluctantly, accepted a cup of liquor, and kept watching the two children running around the courtyard for a long time.

 

"With the two households growing this close, it will be a solid thing for the court as well."

 

The words were a blessing, but the end of that smile felt oddly cold.

 

"You flatter us. It’s only a bond between old friends."

 

Kim Yoo-hyung replied humbly.

 

"So modest. Lord Commander is deeply trusted by His Majesty, and the Kim Panseo household is also highly respected in court…… If the two families become one, who could stand against that influence?"

 

Though his tone still held a smile, there was an edge to his words.

Choi Siheon just laughed it off genially.

 

"What influence could there be? I’m only a father who wants to see his children live well."

 

Jo Seunghak emptied his cup without a word.

No one there noticed whether what lingered in his eyes was envy or wariness.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

Meanwhile in the courtyard, Beomgyu was putting on a pointless show of territorialism toward Yeoju.

 

"I’m the best at running in this yard."

"So what? How do you know if you haven’t even tried."

"No need to try. If a young lady runs in a skirt, she’ll trip."

 

Yeoju’s glare sharpened.

 

"Just wait and see. I’ll win."

 

With that, the two of them really did dash across the yard.

Beomgyu reached the wall first by half a step and planted his hand on it.

Even so, Yeoju refused to admit defeat.

 

"That doesn’t count! You started running first, young master!"

"That’s not how it works. You just started late, miss."

"Hmph, then one more time."

 

The two of them ran off again and again like that, bickering over the result each time.

As they argued, their awkwardness had already melted away like snow.

After running themselves breathless, the two sat side by side on the wooden floor and caught their breath.

 

"Are you always this talkative, young master?"

"…It’s because you keep making me talk, miss."

"Excuses."

 

When Yeoju let out a snort of laughter, Beomgyu couldn’t help but laugh too.

The unfamiliar faces were gradually becoming more at ease.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

As the sun tilted low, the adults were still in the sarangchae, talking.

 

Beomgyu and Yeoju slipped into the back courtyard without the servants noticing, chasing fireflies glittering among the bushes.

 

"Over there, over there!"

 

Beomgyu ran after where Yeoju was pointing, only to trip over a stone and tumble forward.

 

"Ow……!"

 

Red blood began to seep from his knee. More than the pain, Beomgyu felt tears welling up from embarrassment.

Yeoju ran over with a shocked face and checked his knee.

 

"Oh no, does it hurt a lot?"

"…It doesn’t hurt."

 

His voice was already quivering with tears.

After a moment of thought, Yeoju untied the danggi from her hair and firmly wrapped it around his knee.

 

"It’s okay, I’ll make it not hurt at all."

 

It was nonsense.

And yet, at those words, Beomgyu stopped crying as if by magic.

 

Back then, he had only thought the world would always be this kind.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

After he had calmed down a little, the two sat side by side on the raised wooden porch and looked up at the night sky.

As a pair of jade pendants tucked inside their clothes slipped out between their collars, Beomgyu suddenly remembered and took them out to show her.

 

"Oh right, I was going to show you this. Father gave it to me earlier. It was originally a pair, but from now on our two families are supposed to keep one each."

 

On the two jade pendants resting on his palm, familiar yet unfamiliar patterns were carved side by side.

Beomgyu picked one up and held it out to Yeoju.

 

"This one’s yours, miss, so you should keep it."

 

Yeoju opened her eyes wide and took it, then held it up beside the one in Beomgyu’s hand.

When the two patterns were placed side by side, they fit together perfectly, as if they had always been one.

 

"Wow, look at this. It matches perfectly!"

 

Yeoju smiled, her eyes sparkling as if she found it amazing.

At her smile, Beomgyu found himself smiling too.

 

Yeoju carefully tucked her jade pendant into her bosom, then placed her hand over the remaining one in Beomgyu’s grasp.

 

"You have to keep yours safe too, young master. When we grow up later, we’ll really be husband and wife."

 

At those words delivered with a shy grin, Beomgyu didn’t know what to say and simply clutched the jade pendant tightly.

Back then, no one knew how heavy a promise that would become.

 

That laughter, that warmth in her hand, Beomgyu would never forget even one day of it later.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

When night had deepened and it was time to prepare to leave, Jo Seunghak was the first to stand up.

 

"I’ll take my leave now. I hope I haven’t lingered too long at a place where a good bond is being made."

"Think nothing of it. Please take care on your way, my lord."

 

Seeing him off, Choi Siheon escorted Jo Seunghak out first through the gate.

Soon after, Choi Siheon and Kim Yoo-hyung again firmly clasped hands in front of the gate.

 

"Next time, we’ll come visit your side."

"Come anytime. How could we treat someone who’ll soon be family like an outsider?"

 

The laughter of the two households echoed long beyond the gate.

 

Riding off, Jo Seunghak glanced back at that laughter.

The smiling face was already gone.

He murmured softly.

 

"…Those two have grown too close."

 

His hand on the reins tightened briefly, then loosened as if nothing had happened.

No one heard that muttered remark.

 

Neither the cheerful laughter of that day nor the shadow quietly cast beneath it was noticed by anyone at the time.

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

This day is Beomgyu and Yeoju’s first meeting, but it’s also the day everything began!!

Since it’s a childhood story, I didn’t attach a separate photo hahaha

I think the side story will probably wrap up in the next part too!!