As she was about to dart out through the inner gate, Dohwi caught her by the ankle.
“Where are you going? Didn’t you say you were going to the outhouse?”
Sohwa froze, then turned stiffly to look at him.
He gestured towards the nearby outhouse.
“Well, um, I’ve been staying in the servants’ quarters lately, you know. It’s just... my body’s gotten used to their outhouse, that’s all....”
“....”
“I’ll be quick!”
Her flimsy excuse left Dohwi speechless.
Flustered, Sohwa bolted out of the inner quarters.
* * *
“Teacher! Teacher!”
Bursting into the outer quarters, Sohwa called for Noksu in a hushed voice.
But the guest quarters were silent.
She sighed at the sight of the untouched breakfast tray on the porch.
‘That foolish gumiho. Even in someone else’s house, he can’t break his lazy habits.’
She couldn’t bring herself to barge into his room to wake him, yet leaving him there felt equally wrong.
