Ki-Se had been with them for a few months now, although Taesu still wasn’t sure what to make of him. He understood how frightening it was to be in a new place with new people, all while coming to the understanding of just what Abeoji wanted them for. Still, they were brothers in some way or another, so Tae wanted to make some kind of effort to know him.

The market was alive by the time they reached the main road, women in dusty hanboks carrying baskets of greens and rice while butchers called out over the table for them to come take a look. But they weren’t there for that. “Come on Ki-Se-Ah, before the good ones are gone.” Taesu said as he glanced back.

He meant soaps, of course – he’d heard someone talk about a new vendor who'd come all the way from Hanseong with bars shaped like lotus flowers that were said to smell like jasmine and honey. Taesu enjoyed smelling nice, and maybe he liked the idea of having something beautiful tucked into his washbasin when he returned from the harder nights. He hoped that Ki-Se might feel the same.

“You’ll thank me when you smell nice.” He added, stepping between some stalls.

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Ki-Se Jeong

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