Hajime and Yul had toiled all night, the air thick with the scent of freshly cut golden hair and the quiet rhythm of metalworking. It was past three in the morning when Yul insisted on rest, knowing U-ri and Michio would soon rise to prepare breakfast.
As the first slivers of morning sunlight pierced the broken stone of the house, Hajime placed the last finished hairpin with the nineteen others they had crafted. He yawned, stretching his golden arms, before glancing at his friends still sleeping soundly.
Hajime walked over to his blanket, collapsed between Yul and U-ri, and immediately dozed off.
Abrafo was the next to stir, sitting up and stretching. He was surprised to find his spot occupied by the sleeping Hajime. He thought he was the first awake, but the empty space suggested Yul, U-ri, and Michio had already gone out. He walked to the cold firepit and found twenty exquisite hairpins neatly arranged nearby. Abrafo picked one up, admiring the stunning work of art.
"Good job, Hajime," Abrafo murmured. He suddenly realized something was different about the mage. Turning, he saw that Hajime's hair had grown back to its original golden shape since the night before. Abrafo chuckled heartily—the curse was only temporary!
Abrafo stepped outside and found Yul, U-ri, and Michio returning with baskets of fresh vegetables and four fish.
"Bring us some firewood," U-ri instructed. "After we eat, you, Yul, and I will go to the market to sell the hairpins Hajime made."
Abrafo frowned. "Why me?"
Yul raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips. "Don't you want to eat something delicious?"
Abrafo stammered, "Ah-uh..."
"Then you have to sell some hairpins to get the good stuff," Yul concluded.
After breakfast, the three Tanzanies made their way to the market, which was already bustling. They set up their humble stall next to a middle-aged woman selling cosmetics.
Yul returned, handing three pieces of scallion pancake to U-ri. "Where's Abrafo?" he asked.
U-ri took the pancake. "There's a competition over there; he went to watch it." He took a bite of his pancake. "Now that you're here, I want to go to the bookstore..."
Yul smiled, nodding his permission. He watched U-ri quickly disappear into the crowd. Yul sat down and ate, unconcerned—he understood his friends' need for distraction and curiosity. He continued eating when a soft, white hand delicately picked up one of the hairpins from the display. He looked up.
A beautiful young woman stood before him. Her eyes, twinkling with undeniable interest, were locked directly onto Yul's. He set down the pancake and slowly stood up.
The young woman was petite, and her fine clothing suggested she came from a family of high status. She studied Yul, then selected two more hairpins. Their eyes held, and the world around them seemed to dissolve. Yul heard his heart pounding against his ribs, and she heard hers echoing the same frantic rhythm.
"My Lady, do you want this hairpin?" Bi, the woman's maid, asked, receiving no response. "My lady... my lady..." Bi finally looked up at Yul, who was equally engrossed. "Hey!" she snapped, banging on the table.
The loud noise startled both Yul and the young woman back to reality. The young woman gently grabbed Bi's hand and quickly wrote a single word on Bi's palm.
Bi looked at Yul, about to speak, when Yul preempted her, his voice soft but firm. "Two silver leaves for each."
The young woman smiled at Yul and motioned for Bi to pay for the three hairpins. Bi quickly paid, and the two women walked away.
Yul watched the young woman disappear into the crowd. Just before she vanished, she turned back and met his gaze again.
"So, this is what it feels like to meet someone who understands your thoughts without having to express them," the young woman thought, smiling and nodding at him.
Yul returned the nod, his heart still racing. "So, this is what it feels like to meet someone who understands your thoughts without having to express them," he thought. He stared at the young woman—whose name he didn't know—until she was gone.
The middle-aged woman next to him smiled knowingly. "Young man, you are not the first to smile at Lady Lai." She sighed and shook her head. "Although Lady Lai has such beautiful features, it's a pity that she doesn't speak."
Meanwhile, Abrafo stood in the distance, spotting a line of people. He approached a man waiting and asked, "Brother, why are you waiting in line?"
"You don't know?" the man replied.
Abrafo smiled shyly. "Well, I'm not from here."
"Today is Mr. He's birthday," the man explained. "Every year, the He Mansion gives away free food."
"What kind of free food?" Abrafo's eyes widened.
"The annual gifts are rice, a piece of chicken, and a roasted yam."
"Well," Abrafo decided, his mouth watering, "I think that tastes better than pancakes."
Abrafo quickly joined the line. After a long, hot wait, he was near the front when the person behind him shoved forward, making Abrafo bump into the man ahead.
Whether it was hunger or his innate refusal to be bullied, Abrafo spun around, his temper flaring. "Hey!"
A taller man with crossed arms stood behind him. "What!" the man responded harshly.
Seeing the man's size, Abrafo's fury cooled, replaced by practiced diplomacy. He quickly gave a polite chuckle. "Otherwise you'll hit us too hard, and we might crash into the dining table in front." Abrafo stepped aside. "You first, brother."
"Hmph..." The man spat on the ground. "Know your place."
Abrafo gritted his teeth, whispering under his breath, "If I wasn't reduced to selling hairpins on the street, I wouldn't tolerate you, dumbass."
"Next one," Old Li shouted.
Abrafo rushed forward, seeing the steaming rice, chicken slices, and roasted yams. He looked at Old Li. "Dear elder, can you give me a little more? I have four family members at home."
"I'm sorry, young man, you have to be here to receive the meal," Old Li said stiffly.
"But my family are disabled. They cannot even stand up!" Abrafo exaggerated wildly.
Old Li sighed and fetched Abrafo two cups of rice, two pieces of chicken, and two rolls of yams. "It's the best I can do. If you want more, you must go back to the end of the line to claim your family's share."
"Oh, the young hero who saved us from destruction is now so poor that he has to line up with these beggars to receive food," a familiar voice mocked. Kexin pushed Old Li aside. "How pitiful?"
"Ke... Ke... Kexin..." Abrafo bit his lower lip, a mixture of dread and anger rising in him. "How the hell did you get here?"
"This is my home; why can't I be here?" Kexin said, glaring at the extra food in Abrafo's hands. She turned on Old Li. "Hey... hey... Old Li! One share per person! Why does this beggar have more than one share?"
Abrafo gritted his teeth. "Kexin, you evil..."
"My Lady," Old Li stammered, "he said he has disabled family members. I dared not give him more than two shares."
Abrafo glared at Kexin. "Beggar? Who begged you?"
"Are you not the one who queues up to get food with these beggars that my family provides every year?" Kexin retorted, smirking. "So, if you are not a beggar, then what are you?"
Abrafo sighed, resigned to her torture. "I thought I would never see you again, but I was wrong." He looked at her, picking up a piece of chicken and beginning to eat it. "Are you done laughing at me? Or if you want to continue laughing at me, then I'll start eating."
"Where are Yul and the others?" Kexin asked, curiosity outweighing her mockery.
Abrafo chewed loudly. "They're good. But if you really want to help us or meet Yul, go to the market and buy all the hairpins he's selling."
Kexin was stunned. "What? Is Yul selling hairpins on the street? How could this happen?"
Abrafo continued eating. "Well... we lost our money bag when we rescued you back in Magior City. Now we have no money, so we have to sell Hajime's hair."
"Then where are you staying if you don't have money?" she asked, aghast.
Abrafo paused, a cunning idea flashing in his eyes. 'Do you really think I'm going to tell you where we are? Humph... I'm not crazy enough to let you destroy our quiet home.' "We stay in a mortuary temple outside the city."
Kexin's jaw dropped. "The Haven Temple?"
Abrafo nodded dramatically and began quickly piling as many chicken and yam onto his food as possible. "Old Li, give me three bags," he ordered. "Yes, we have no food, and we are starving, especially Yul. He hasn't eaten for several days... If you care about him, please send some food to the morgue." He took the bags from Old Li and stuffed them full. He grabbed another bag for rice. "We're okay, but you know Yul. He suffered the most of all of them. No money, no food, no medicine for his injuries. He is the one who is truly pitiful."
Kexin's face softened with genuine distress. "I didn't know he would suffer so much. If I knew he was coming to Menyi, I could have let him go with us." She turned to Old Li. "Old Li, tell the maids to cook twenty dishes. I will go to Haven Temple. Oh, and bring Doctor Long with us."
"Yes, my Lady, I will make arrangements for you right away," Old Li said politely.
Abrafo slowly backed away, then suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs. "Hey everyone! Lady Kexin said that if you can make her smile, she will give each of you a silver leaf!"
The crowd waiting for food erupted, rushing forward and surrounding Kexin instantly. Kexin frantically searched for Abrafo, but she couldn't see him. She saw Abrafo running away across the street. She tried to chase him but was blocked by the mass of people.
"Abrafo! You Bastard! Abrafo!" Kexin screamed, trapped. "Let me go! Do not touch me!"