Chapter 28
“Was she hurt?”
Gahyeon thought of Soya’s large, trembling eyes.
Since that incident, he hadn’t seen Soya again.
He should have explained that his words weren’t meant that way, but when he actually tried to go see her, he didn’t know what to say, and time had just slipped by.
Because of that, yesterday’s incident lingered like a thorn caught in his throat, prickly and uncomfortable.
At that moment, a guest from the Silver Tiger family arrived.
“Hyun-ii oppa, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”
Eunsiyo greeted him warmly.
At the word “oppa,” Gahyeon lifted his head to look at Siyo.
Since they were distant relatives, almost strangers, the term wasn’t really appropriate.
Still, Gahyeon hid his thoughts and responded with a gentle smile.
“Yeah, it’s been a while. Siha.”
He deliberately called her by the wrong name—a polite way of saying they weren’t that close.
Siyo’s face flushed slightly at that.
“Ah, um, oppa, I’m not Siha……”
Siyo stammered as she reintroduced herself. The thought that others nearby might have seen this made her feel embarrassed.
“Ah, sorry. I must have confused you.”
Gahyeon replied in a soft, kind voice, as if it wasn’t intentional.
“No, oppa. It’s because I haven’t visited for so long.”
“But it’s better to use proper titles, Siyo. What if people misunderstand? They might think you’re trying to take the west end room.”
Although it sounded like a warning not to covet the west end room, Gahyeon’s expression and tone were so gentle and caring that it seemed as if he were just concerned for her.
Siyo also felt a subtle line being drawn by him, but she dismissed it as her imagination.
“Yes, sir. Thank you for worrying about me.”
They continued their conversation while sitting across a tea table.
“Hoho, so my father said……”
“Mm, I see.”
Gahyeon remained polite throughout, but he had lost interest in the conversation long ago.
Even before Siyo arrived, his mind had been elsewhere, and after exchanging a few words with her, he felt the meeting was a waste of time.
So he continued to respond superficially, wearing a kind mask while enduring the dull and boring time.
As he absentmindedly looked out the window, he suddenly felt a subtle sense of strangeness.
Soon, he realized what it was.
Soya, who should have been taking her last afternoon walk before dinner, was nowhere to be seen.
“Why…… isn’t she here?”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Now that I think about it, she hasn’t been seen all day.”
Reaching that thought, Gahyeon abruptly stood up.
Soya’s daily routine was regular.
Of course, occasionally she might deviate by an hour or two, but for someone who loved her walks, not appearing in the garden even once all day was extremely unusual.
Not only Soya, but Gayul was also missing.
“Sir……?”
Siyo blinked in surprise, looking up at Gahyeon. His expression was grim.
“Is something wrong……?”
Before Siyo could finish, Gahyeon dashed out, calling for Jeoka.
“Jeoka!”
“Sir?”
“I can’t find her. Where is she?”
“Huh?”
“Soya. She hasn’t been seen all day.”
Jeoka looked at him with a perplexed expression, as if asking how he knew that.
“Well, sir, you probably know Miss Cottonball’s schedule better than I do.”
The young master knew Soya’s schedule more perfectly than anyone in Baekho Palace. Probably even more precisely than Yeonjeong or Sanho.
“It’s time for the afternoon walk, but she’s not here. She wasn’t visible in the morning walk or afternoon playtime either.”
“Perhaps she wanted to rest in her room for a day? She might not have been feeling well……”
Whack!
Gahyeon brushed past Jeoka and headed straight for Soya’s room.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
As a direct descendant of the White Tiger family, Gahyeon had always been careful about his posture. He had never walked with such heavy footsteps, even in the rain, when he usually walked calmly, letting the raindrops fall on him.
Everyone in the hallway, including Jeoka, stared in surprise at this unusual behavior.
Bang!
He flung open Soya’s door—but she wasn’t there.
Gahyeon clenched his fists and searched the mansion for her.
But Soya was nowhere—in the garden, on the walking paths, or in Gayul’s room.
“Where could she be……?”
As Gahyeon anxiously searched, he spotted Yeonjeong walking from the opposite side.
“Where is Soya?”
Yeonjeong looked surprised at the sudden, sharp question but answered obediently.
“Miss went up Horim Mountain during the day and hasn’t returned yet. She seems to be a little late.”
“What?”
“She went with the youngest sir and Suri, so it should be fine. Horim Mountain isn’t dangerous.”
“Suri…… you mean that azure wolf guy?”
Yeonjeong turned her head toward Gahyeon’s pointing, startled.
Suri, who should have been with the young lady and the young master, was wandering near the North Gate of Baekho Palace.
“Suri! Why are you here? Where are the young lady and young master?”
“Oh, Yeonjeong. Little sir. Well, I had an upset stomach…… so I promised to stay right next to Miss Cottonball and the young master……”
Suri hesitated in her explanation.
Gahyeon’s expression stiffened.
Since Gayul was with them, there was no immediate danger, but his worry did not subside.
“I’ll go fetch her myself.”
Gahyeon strode toward the back of Baekho Palace.
“Oh my, sir? Sir!”
“Sir, I understand you’re worried about Miss Cottonball, but this is excessive……”
Yeonjeong and Jeoka ran after him.
“Isn’t that the youngest sir?”
At that moment, Gayul was coming down the mountain.
“So she’s coming down now.”
Everyone sighed in relief, but Gahyeon muttered stiffly:
“……Why is he alone?”
Gayul, who should have been with Soya, was coming down by himself.
At that moment, Gayul, looking anxious, spotted Gahyeon and shouted:
“Hyung! Have you seen Cottonball?”
“She went up the mountain with you. What are you talking about?”
Gayul’s face turned pale.
“Oh no, Hyung. I think I lost Cottonball!”
“What?”
“I woke up from dozing, but Cottonball wasn’t there…… I looked everywhere and couldn’t find her, so I thought maybe she came down first……”
Gayul fidgeted as he explained, and Gahyeon’s expression darkened.
“And you come down alone? You idiot!”
Gahyeon shouted.
Although he was usually strict and cold with his own relatives, he had never raised his voice like this before.
“W-waaah, wuuuh…….”
“Why are you crying? What did you do well?”
Gayul sobbed in fear at losing Cottonball, and Gahyeon snapped at him sharply.
“B-but… but Cottonball…… it’s my fault……”
Gayul choked back his tears.
“Don’t worry too much, sir. Miss will be safe.”
“Yes. Besides, Horim Mountain’s animals are tame and not dangerous.”
“Since she seems to have lost her way, we’ll go find her……”
Everyone tried to speak optimistically.
“I can’t smell Soya.”
At Gahyeon’s murmur as he stared at Horim Mountain with cold eyes, everyone froze.
“Something is stopping us from finding Soya.”
Gahyeon gritted his teeth and glared at Horim Mountain, then suddenly transformed with a bang! into a huge tiger.
Meanwhile, Soya, left in the forest, waited for Gayul to pick up her scent and come find her.
But no matter how long she waited, Gayul did not come.
By then, the sun had completely set.
