~Chapter 05~
In Gyeongseong’s gwonbeon, there was a gisaeng praised as the very best.
Her name was Yohwa.
She was said to be so beautiful that people claimed she was the rebirth of Choesun, one of China’s four great beauties.
Not only was her face stunning, but she was also excellent at singing, dancing, poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Her fame spread across the whole country.
But more than anything else, what drove men crazy was the way she moved.
A single look.
A small movement of her hand.
Even the way she walked across the floor.
Her movements were elegant and graceful, filled with old-fashioned dignity.
Anyone who saw her could not help but admire her.
Because of this, people called her a butterfly that had descended from the heavens.
When Seho saw Yohwa’s name on a letter, he smiled in a teasing way.
“Another letter from Yohwa again.”
“She sends them often. It’s nothing new.”
Trying to ignore Seho’s tone, Woo-geon flipped the envelope over.
A letter from Yohwa was not something he could read here.
“I just don’t get it,” Seho said quietly.
“Why does such a proud woman keep contacting you, sir?”
Lowering his voice even more, he whispered,
“Just tell me secretly. You and Yohwa… there is something between you, right?”
Woo-geon let out a quiet sigh.
His eyebrows twisted slightly. He clearly didn’t like the question.
“I’ve told you many times. Yohwa is only learning Esperanto from me. This letter is probably just asking when we can study this week.”
“Well… that makes sense. If you want to learn Esperanto in Gyeongseong, there really is no one better than you.”
Esperanto was a language created by a Polish doctor named Zamenhof.
It was an international language and very easy for beginners to learn.
At the time, Esperanto was becoming popular in Joseon.
Woo-geon was one of the pioneers.
His Esperanto was so good that he even wrote butterfly research papers in it and communicated directly with scholars around the world.
Of course, Esperanto was not the only reason he met Yohwa.
‘That part doesn’t need to be told to Seho.’
And it shouldn’t be told.
Annoyed, Woo-geon waved his hand.
“Stop talking nonsense. If you have time, go classify the butterflies we collected this weekend.”
“What? All of those? By myself?”
“If we wait for the science students later—”
“……”
“……I mean, if I start now, it’ll finish faster. Yes. Of course.”
Under Woo-geon’s sharp stare, Seho groaned and returned to his seat.
Glancing back, he saw Woo-geon tuck the letter deep into his coat and return to writing his paper.
If it were really such a simple letter, he could have read it here.
‘Just what kind of letter is it?’
Was it really a love letter, like the rumors said?
The two only met at Pyeongchungwan, the most famous luxury restaurant in Gyeongseong.
What really happened in that quiet room—whether they studied Esperanto or did something more private—no one could know.
‘Even if something is going on, it’s my job to protect my teacher’s dignity.’
After all, this was a man who had never shown interest in women before!
Clearing his throat proudly, Seho then gagged slightly when he looked at the thousands of butterfly specimens.
The next day.
The modern café was noisier than usual as it prepared to open.
“Is it true? Did President Wang Hak-je personally take So-hye to the hospital?”
“I swear! I saw it with my own eyes!”
A dancer who had seen So-hye at the hospital spoke excitedly, like she was telling a heroic tale.
All she had really seen was them sitting side by side, but she added details and turned it into a romantic story.
“He was so gentle with her! Even my heart fluttered!”
“Oh my! How could he be so kind?”
“He’s handsome, has a good personality, and is rich at such a young age! That man has everything.”
“I heard he’s the most popular man among modern girls these days.”
“Oh! There’s So-hye!”
All the dancers turned their heads at once.
So-hye froze when she suddenly became the center of attention.
The dancers gathered around her like butterflies around a flower.
“So-hye, how did you meet him yesterday?”
“Did you already know him?”
“Was it a planned meeting?”
So-hye panicked at the flood of questions.
“What are you talking about? Who did I meet?”
One dancer stomped her foot impatiently.
“President Wang Hak-je! Didn’t you go to the hospital with him?”
So-hye looked at the dancer she had seen at the hospital.
The woman avoided her eyes.
‘So that’s it. She caught a scandal.’
The dancers at the café always loved gossip.
Once a scandal started, they never let it go until something new appeared.
If you got caught, you could suffer for days—sometimes months.
Holding back a sigh, So-hye spoke calmly.
“I fainted from the heat after standing in the sun too long. The president found me and took me to the hospital. That’s all.”
“Oh my, what were you doing in the heat?”
“I was… uh—”
“Was?”
Her mouth stiffened.
“…taking a walk.”
“In that heat?”
“I just… felt like walking.”
She wasn’t good at lying, and her words stumbled.
She almost caused another rumor.
If she said she went to see a man she missed…
A museum teacher from Songil High School…
The scandal would spread across all of Gyeongseong.
She shook her head quickly.
“Anyway, you left first, and I left soon after. He also went straight home.”
“That’s really all?”
“You didn’t go for coffee?”
“Nothing like that.”
Disappointed, the dancers clicked their tongues.
Just then, Man-seok came out and clapped his hands.
“Alright, enough! Get ready to welcome customers!”
The dancers finally returned to their places.
‘That was close…’
So-hye sighed quietly and headed to the dressing room.
Inside, she met Gyeong-rim’s eyes in the mirror.
“Hello, unni.”
“…Yes.”
Her tone was colder than usual.
Why?
Confused, So-hye approached carefully.
“Do you want help with your hair?”
“No.”
That was strange. Gyeong-rim usually asked first.
Something was wrong.
Did I make a mistake on stage?
Not knowing the reason, So-hye stayed quiet and waited.
Then Gyeong-rim turned to her.
“So-hye.”
“Are you close with that man, Wang Hak-je?”
“What?”
“I heard the others talking.”
So-hye’s eyes widened.
“No! Not at all!”
She quickly explained everything.
Gyeong-rim stepped closer.
“Listen carefully.”
Lowering her voice, she said,
“No matter how kind he seems, he’s just another man trying to take advantage of Joseon.”
“What…?”
“Different nationality, same kind of man.”
Her voice was full of anger.
She was warning her.
“Remember this, So-hye. You and I ended up here because of men like that.”
Gyeong-rim left, slamming the door.
So-hye stood there, stunned.
Her words stayed in her mind.
“My father sold me because of gambling.”
Was it all because of people like him?
“…But Joseon was never kind to me either.”
She quietly began getting ready.
But her heart did not calm down.
That night, at a small incinerator behind Songil High School.
Woo-geon stood alone, looking at a letter.
“We will meet at Pyeongchungwan on the agreed day.”
Only one line.
From Yohwa.
He tore it up and burned it.
Looking at the stars, he murmured,
“They’re all like those stars…”
Small lights shining in a dark age.
The members of the secret resistance group Hanyeoldan.
Woo-geon was one of them.
“If becoming a villain is my way of atonement… I will accept it.”
Later that night, Woo-geon stopped in front of a bright sign.
“Modern Café…”
Without realizing it, he had come here.
‘Maybe I was thinking of her.’
So-hye.
“She should be dancing now.”
He wanted to see her again.
Just once.
Then—
He felt someone watching him.
Turning around, he froze.
“So… it really is you, Teacher Shin.”
Baek So-hye stood there.
He smiled softly and walked toward her.
“Did you come to the café?”
“To see a friend.”
Her face fell slightly.
“A friend?”
“Yes.”
He was clearly looking at her.
Her face turned red.
He laughed quietly.
The heavy air seemed to clear.
He held out his hand.
“Shall we walk together? The moon looks nice.”
He wanted to hold on to this gentle breeze a little longer.
