The Girl of an Old Mansion

8. An Unexpected Encounter

Min-ho opened his eyes and saw sunlight streaming in through the window. He recalled last night's events. He noticed that his hands and legs were tied.

"I am still alive. How is that possible? Why didn't the witch kill me? Maybe she spared me to be her lunch."

Min-ho was crying and cursing at Ji-ho when he heard footsteps coming from the staircase. He quickly closed his eyes to avoid her horrible appearance, as he had heard the people describe.

"Please don't kill me. I am innocent. Please let me go."

After begging for some time and hearing nothing in response he slowly opened his eyes to see a young girl observing him with a confused face.

"How could a witch be so mesmerizingly beautiful?" He asked himself, lost in his thoughts while admiring Si-ri's beauty.

After coming back to his senses, he continued to beg her "Please witch, let me go."

"I am not a witch," she responded in a gentle voice.

"But they said that the black mansion is the residence of a witch."

"Do I look like a witch? Whatever you have heard is not true, there is no witch here."

Min-ho remarked that the creepiness of the house was fit for a ghost but by looking at Si-ri he was quickly convinced that she wasn't a witch. So, he asked her to let him free.

"I am not a witch but you are a thief. I will not let you go." Si-ri said furiously.

Min-ho again started begging and explained that the only reason he came was because of the bet. He further explained that his intention was not to harm her.

"Trust me, I'm harmless."

Si-ri inspects him more closely and decides that he's not a threat. She offers to untie him, but only under one condition. She leans in close and says, "Let me eat it." He let out a scream of terror before noticing that she was pointing at something.

He followed her line of sight to see her pointing to persimmons hanging up high in a tree just outside of the property.

" Bring me a few of those and I'll let you go," she says.

Min-ho gave her a confused look not understanding why she doesn't pick them herself.

"I am not allowed to leave." She explained.

He gives in and picks the fruit, earning a priceless smile from her.

Meanwhile, Lord Yong arrives in the dark forest.

As Si-ri devoured the persimmons while Min-ho looked at her, intrigued. When Si-ri asked Min ho how he got to this house, he jumped up, remembering his original mission; to find the belongings of the witch.

Min-ho tells her about his deal with Ji-ho and points to the scarf next to her to take with him.

Si-ri was not clearly convinced with the idea of Min-ho taking her scarf and grabbed it back from his hand.

Min-ho tries to take it back, and a brief tug of war ensues, which ends with him pulling a little too hard and Si-ri collapsing into his arms, her head on his chest.

She could hear Min-ho's heart beating. He looked totally flustered, while Si-ri had no traces of embarrassment. She marveled at the firmness of his chest, saying that he was a "healthy man".

He quickly jerks away, but Si-ri just pulls him back in and presses herself up against his chest, wanting to listen to his rapidly beating heart.

He wriggles free and stammers, "Girls should not behave like this."

"Why?" Si-ri asks curiously.

To which he had no answer. She noticed his cheeks glowing bright red.

It was obvious that Si-ri had never had any human interaction in all those years and was very naïve.

Just then, Si-ri heard her name being called. Panicked, she tells Min-ho to hide and quickly straightens up as Lord Yong storms in.

"Father," she greets him.

"These are some clothes and other household stuff for you. I am again reminding you that under no circumstances you'll ever set foot outside the house."

"I know father, don't worry. I will take care of it."

They chatted for some time before Lord Yong bid farewell to his daughter.

Meanwhile, Min-ho overheard the entire conversation while hiding.

He saw Lord Yong leaving and came out to confront Si-ri with a confused expression.

"I don't know much about your life but how could your father confine you to such a horrible place like this all alone?"

"Because he wants to protect me" said Si-ri.

"Protect you? Why? From what?"

"He says I am a cursed child. That is the only thing I know. He never told me the story behind this curse. But I have faith in my father, he is searching for ways to save me from the curse."

"That is really strange. Do you know what kind of curse this is?" Min-ho asks curiously.

"I don't know."

Min-ho was still dazed by her revelation, when Si-ri quickly said,

"You should leave now; the forest is full of wild animals so you must be careful on your way"

"Oh! Yes, I should leave."

"Wait!" She placed her ring on his palm and continued, "I hope this shall be enough for your bet."

"Oh! Thank you so much I almost forgot about it. I will always be grateful to you. Tell me if you want any help from my side." He thanks her.

"I don't want any help but a promise from your side," she replies

"What promise ?"

"You must promise me that the secret of this witch mansion will remain a secret, after returning you must not tell anyone about me. Father says that if people came to know about this anyway that a young girl is living here alone, it wouldn't be safe for me anymore," she explained.

"Don't worry. You can trust me. I am taking my leave now. It was a nice meeting you miss...?"

"Si-ri" she said promptly

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. I am Min-ho." He says before waving her bye and leaving.

Si-ri watched him walking towards the forest until his figure disappeared. Anyone could see the gloominess in her eyes.

Meanwhile Min-ho was still astounded by learning about Si-ri.

"This is really unfair. I really feel bad for that sweet girl. She has been imprisoned in that horrible mansion for years without any interaction with other human beings. The poor girl has not even seen the outside world." Min-ho thought.