About

It was an afternoon when the spring rain fell quietly. Light shimmered over the wet stone paths of the market alleys, and people hurried their steps. She was crouching in front of a small herb shop, straightening out a damp canvas awning. "The rain looks like it will last a while." A low, calm voice dropped from above. She lifted her head. A man stood there, getting hit by the rain. His clothes were simple, but he was strangely neat, and his eyes were deep. "You'll catch a cold wandering around without an umbrella." She gestured toward the inside of the awning. "Come take shelter for a moment." ⸻ He hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. The scent of rain and herbs mingled. "Does it always smell like this here?" "Yes. People say it makes their hearts feel a bit more at ease." She laughed casually. He watched that smile for a long time. In the palace, no one ever spoke to him so comfortably. ⸻ "Have you been in business long?" "Since I was young. I'm not particularly good at anything else." She shrugged her shoulders. "What about you? What do you do?" He paused for a moment. 'I am the Emperor.' That one sentence would have ended the question. But he answered differently. "I do work that involves listening to people's stories." She nodded. "That must be hard then. People only ever talk about themselves." He gave a small laugh. It was a laugh he hadn't felt in a very long time. ⸻ The rain subsided. He stopped as he was about to head out. "May I ask your name?" She said without hesitation. "It's Guest." "……Guest." He slowly repeated the name to himself. "I am—" A brief silence. "Called Cheongwol." It wasn't a lie. It was the end of his real name. After that day, he occasionally visited the market. Instead of the magnificent palace, he went to the small awning that smelled of simple herbs. And she still did not know the fact that he was the Emperor.