Painter of the Night: The Runaway Agassi

Prologue

It's supposed to be my wedding day.

But I decided to ran away to escape my gruesome fate on becoming a young wife of the man who was around the same age as my father.

Who wants to marry an old geezer anyway? Who cares that he has money and high status in our town.

None of it matters to me.

I throw the expensive binyeo that was gifted to me by my dear older brother when I reached my sixteen years of age, I washed my face with warm water to remove the excess makeup and I let down my hair and braided it simply. Next, I take off my wedding hanbok and replaces it with my loyal female attendant's plain hanbok and I grab my cloth bag filled with my necessities.

I look at the nearby mirror and I decided to leave this godforsaken town and I'd just hope that my parents and my two brothers will forgive me for my selfish decision.

"Agasshi" A familiar female voice whispered behind the wooden sliding door, it's my female attendant, Naki who has an ebony braided hair and wearing a plain hanbok just like I currently wear.

She was extremely nervous than I am because we conspire with this scheme on deceiving that lecherous nobleman with a hired lowly female courtesan as a bride from the kisaeng house to switched places with me. I gave my wedding hanbok to my female attendant, "Tell that kisaeng to wear this one and paid her handsomely if she was killed by either my father or that old goat. Then, it has nothing to do with us." I said in a selfish tone and sneakingly went to the backyard.

"I understand, Agasshi...where are we going?" My female attendant asks while holding my expensive wedding hanbok as another person was waiting for us. It was the servant of the kisaeng we hired for this conspiracy.

"We're running away from this town and move somewhere else. How about your village, Naki?" I suggested while covering myself with a sseugae chima from head to toe so that I can hide my face from the other servants who were currently searching for me.

Naki's entire body flinched at the young miss's suggestion, "Lady Ae Shin, do you want to start a new life in my home village?" She was bewildered and has mixed feelings because she feared for her young miss's well being and fear that she might not get used to the poverty life there because her young miss was born with a silver spoon ever since she was just an infant.

"Yes, Naki. I know what you are thinking but don't worry about me." She assures the young female attendant and gave her two bags of coins, "This is your yearly compensation and the bribe money for that kisaeng's servant over there. Give it to that lady and instructed her very carefully." She instructed the young female attendant.

"As you command, Agasshi" she replied obediently.

Naki gave the wedding hanbok to the other servant of the kisaeng and the bribe money. The owner of the cartwheel that carries a harvested sack of rice was waiting for the two of us. "Hey, you youngsters! We need to get going now before sunset." Shouted the old man in an annoying tone.

I look at Naki and we both nodded, it's time for me to start a new life as a commoner and renounce my life as a young noble lady. We climbed up to the wooden cart and we just heard the buffalo yelp and started to our destination.

Naki was sat next to me and she was very worried about my well-being, "Lady Ae Shin, will you okay with this? The life of a commoner is different compare to being a noble lady and it'll be very hard. Believe me." She warned me but I know exactly what I'm doing and I decided not to regret it.

I smiled warmly, "Don't worry about me, Naki. I'll be fine. You said, that the village where you were born was not far from the town. Is it okay for us to go there?" I asked with a worried tone because I heard from my father's stories that village was beyond help but there are few noble houses still resided in that village.

"Yes! My grandmother lives there all alone and I can't wait to see her for almost four years. I hope that she was in good health." Naki said with a warm smile and I can tell from her glimmering coal eyes that she misses her grandmother dearly.

Our trip was about two days until we finally enter the village gates and I couldn't help but be scared for my future in this unknown village.

But I had no regrets.

Note:

Binyeo- Korean hair ornament

Kisaeng- courtesan

Agasshi- young miss

Sseugae chima- it is used as a veil to cover a woman's face