JangMi sang softly to himself as he
skipped over the hillside and into the forest. It was a beautiful
day, just perfect for picking wildflowers and splashing about in the
creek. Of course, his father would have beat him black and blue if
he'd caught him sneaking out into the woods, so far from the safety
of the palace.
Colonel Baek was always looking for an excuse
to hit him, it seemed. The military officer never hit JangMi's
brother, DuHyun. DuHyun got all the attention and praise, and
received presents when the colonel returned from his military
campaigns. DuHyun was already being trained in military tactics and
war strategy, even though he and JangMi were both just twelve years
of age. JangMi loved to watch his brother practice fighting in the
castle courtyard with the other boys and longed to join them, but he
was never permitted. He was kept in the castle kitchen with the
women, where, the colonel laughed, he'd "be of more use."
JangMi often wondered what the difference was. DuHyun was
exactly his age, but they didn't look at all alike. Where JangMi's
features were soft, and he was slender and pale, his brother had a
strong profile and a muscular frame, and was of somewhat darker
coloring. JangMi was called "the bastard" by almost
everyone he knew, but DuHyun was called "the young master."
It didn't make any sense. What did "bastard" mean, anyway?
Was it as unpleasant as it sounded?
The boy's thoughts were
interrupted when he suddenly spotted a bush of roses. Roses! Growing
wild in the forest!
They were so beautiful, JangMi couldn't
resist taking a closer look. He jumped in excitement, running to the
blushing flowers. He fell to his knees, pressing his face gently
against the soft petals, breathing their sweet scent into his lungs
with a happy smile on his face. He didn't know what he'd do if his
father took this freedom away. He had to get away sometimes. He
needed this time to be alone.
But he wasn't alone.
A
snarl made JangMi's eyes snap open and he peered fearfully through
the bush to meet a terrifying sight. There was a wolf glaring at him
through the blooms, its eyes as red but more fierce than the flowers.
The boy's eyes widened in surprise and fear, and after just a
moment's hesitation, he scrambled to his feet and raced down the
hill.
The wolf pursued. It gave chase around fallen trees and
over rocks and growled at JangMi the whole way down the hill. It was
catching up, fast.
JangMi risked a glance behind, but that
was his mistake. He didn't see the small rock in his path, and he
fell, tumbling the rest of the way to the base of the hill. Oh,
please! he thought fearfully. DuHyun! Save me! He put his
arm across his eyes and trembled, prepared for the assault.
The
wolf drew back on its haunches, preparing to spring. It suddenly
lunged--
--and stopped mid-pounce.
JangMi lowered his
arm, opening his eyes slowly in disbelief. The wolf now had a slash
across its forehead, and was snarling in rage as blood dripped from
above its eye down over its hissing jowls.
Just in front of
the shaking child stood another figure, a tall boy with a staff in
his hands. His longish hair fell across his shoulders in a mess
caused by his sudden attack on the wild animal, and his clothes were
dirty and tattered. He looked like some wild creature of the forest,
a sprite or an angel of the woods.
Is he real? JangMi
slowly rose to his feet, placing a hand on the stranger's shoulder.
He was real.
The courageous boy did not turn around. Instead
he raised his pole and rushed forward at the mad dog.
JangMi's
hand fell from the strange boy's shoulder, and he brought it to his
lips to cover his gaping mouth. His mysterious rescuer was attacking
the dog with passionate fury, such strength and power in his swings.
JangMi had never seen fighting like that--not in the palace
courtyard, not when his father instructed DuHyun, not from the
captain of the guards--never with this magical force.
It was
finished. The wolf was dead, and JangMi was glad. His champion,
however, had not prevailed unscathed. He turned to JangMi with a
triumphant grin, then winced and dropped his staff. His arm was
bleeding. JangMi gasped. He got hurt...protecting me.
The
colonel's young son reached down to his waist where a red piece of
silk cloth was tied like a belt. He undid the knot quickly, his
fingers steady now that the threat was gone, and walked over to the
stranger.
The other boy held out his arm with a smile, and
JangMi tied the ribbon over the wound to stop the bleeding. "My
name is Baek JangMi. And you?"
Baek JangMi? It means
"White Rose." the forest boy thought in fascination. He's
so lovely... A lovely name, for a lovely boy...
The
strange boy looked down at the noble's son like he was from another
country. His eyes were dark, gentle, and warm...beautiful.
"JinYoung."
The old man smiled down at his manual, the book of the Bichun Secrets. He had raised the boy well. He would grow to be a wise man and use the martial arts to take revenge on the evils all those years ago, when he'd been but a year old, too young to remember. I will explain everything to JinYoung...eventually. But for now...
He squinted in the dim light, watching the sword the boy swung at the air as he kicked powerfully at imaginary foes. There was a red scarf of some sort tied to the hilt. JinYoung sat playing his flute while JangMi sang and danced across the bridge. This was one of their favorite spots. They loved to sit on the bridge and talk, with the clear, cool water rushing under them. It was exciting. Such a long drop, but JangMi always felt safe with JinYoung, his wild wood elf. And JinYoung could listen to JangMi sing for hours. Their friendship was growing stronger with each day spent together.
JinYoung stopped playing and looked wistfully at the other boy.
JangMi stopped singing and smiled. "I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat?"
JinYoung smiled and nodded. "We could...go to my house." "Wow! Nice place!" JangMi breathed as they approached the one-room, tumbled-down shack. He'd never seen such a cozy little house. And hidden back here in the woods, where no one could find it--! He'd give anything to have a little place like this to stay in, where even Colonel Baek and his whole company couldn't find them.
JinYoung just smiled. He didn't talk very often, but he was always smiling. He went to a three-legged, leaning wooden table and found some bread to make sandwiches with, skillfully preparing the food while JangMi watched his hands with interest. The colonel's son had never made his own food, but he liked watching the cooks, though their calloused hands weren't nearly so beautiful as JinYoung's fingers.
Suddenly there was another figure in the room. As the old man's head poked through, JangMi swallowed hard to choke down his bite of sandwich, fearing that his father had discovered them. But his father was bald, and this man had long gray hair and a kind face with eyes shining with friendliness.
"I didn't mean to interrupt you boys," the old man said. "Forgive an old man for intruding. I'm just looking for my tools." His eyes scanned the room, finally falling on a box in the corner. He walked over and dug through its contents until he had what he wanted. "Ah! Here it is!" He smiled again and pushed aside the blanket covering the doorway on his way back outside.
"Who was that?" JangMi asked.
"My uncle."
So silent. "Your uncle?" JangMi prompted.
"He's the one who's raising me. My mother and father died in a war."
"Oh. I'm sorry." JangMi's parents were both living. He didn't get along with his father at all, but he loved his mother very much. She was a palace concubine, not the same mother DuHyun had. She was always kind to him and willing to spend time with him.
JangMi knew a little bit about war, from what he heard his family discussing. He worried about it sometimes. He couldn't defend himself against even a wolf, so what would he do if someone attacked the castle when his father and DuHyun were gone? How could he protect his mother? "JinYoung? Will you teach me to fight?" JangMi's skill improved quickly over the following weeks. Using JinYoung's staff, he mimicked his friend's sword motions almost perfectly. He smiled as the red tie that had once belonged to him blew in the breeze from where it was tied to the end of JinYoung's sword.
"This is a lot of fun," JangMi said happily as they were practicing a new movement one day. "And it's much easier than I thought. It's almost like dancing." "You seem to be a natural," JinYoung complemented him. "...What's dancing?"
JangMi laughed. "Remind me to teach you some day, to pay you back for the fighting lessons."
"This isn't just ordinary fighting, you know," JinYoung said proudly. "This is called 'Bichunmoo.' My uncle taught it to me. It's a secret, so don't show these moves to anyone."
"A secret?" JangMi said excitedly. "Okay!" "I'm going to play; you dance for me," JinYoung said. He was out in the field with his friend, admiring the way the sunlight made JangMi's black hair shine. He sat down and crossed his legs, putting his soft lips against his instrument.
JangMi raised his staff and began to swing, his long skirts spinning around his body as he demonstrated his skills in the Bichun Secrets. It was a dance, and JangMi made it beautiful, in perfect harmony with JinYoung's sad melody dripping from his flute.
And thus the seasons changed. JangMi plucked the petals from the roses and laughed as he let them shower down over his forever-smiling JinYoung. Then the leaves fell from the trees, turning the world into golden, crimson fall. The leaves crunched under JangMi's dancing feet, and then the sound was muffled by the snow. JinYoung loved to watch the light snowflakes catch in JangMi's hair. The winter was cold, but his friend's hand was warm. And thus their childhood ended, and before they knew a day had passed, they were men.