七部小说 · Seven Novels

第 30 章

二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一的清晨，第六时第三分，在北村宅院中座韩屋的安房（anbang）里，矮桌前我与他独处，我问了。

他在温热地炕上的叠好的褥子上，睡了五个小时——那是他，以第一段巫祭、内院、清亮的笑、新娘的赤裙（chima）为凭，在二〇二六年三月二十九日礼拜天的晚上第十一时第二分，终于得以寻得的，第一次持续的睡眠。

他睡在叠好的褥子上，与我自己叠好的褥子相隔一掌之遥。

我也睡了。

我也睡了五个小时——那是我，自二〇二六年二月二十二日礼拜天清晨四时十一分的灰色时刻以来，在二〇二六年三月二十九日礼拜天的晚上第十一时第二分，也得以寻得的，第一次持续的睡眠。

我们在二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨的第五时第五十八分，于安房中那温热地炕上的叠好的褥子上，醒来。

我们没有，在醒来时，说话。

他——以一只其自身四百年戒律已尽的生灵那种谨慎的朝鲜士子的方式——起身、叠起自己的褥子并将其搁在安房的北墙、走过安房、穿到东门边大厅（daecheong）那矮松木架前、取回那只装着大邱口味大麦茶的圆筒形大麦茶（boricha）罐、水壶、两只白瓷杯，以及那只青瓷杯——那只他自周四清晨不为自己倒茶之后，在周六下午的破斋一刻，又开始，为自己倒的，青瓷杯。

他将青瓷杯置于矮桌的北侧。

他将两只白瓷杯置于矮桌的南侧。

他倒了茶。

他倒了那只青瓷杯。

他倒了那两只白瓷杯。

他将茶罐与水壶置于矮桌的西侧。

他在矮桌北侧、安房所允许的那个角度上、于方席（bangseok）坐垫上坐下。

我也起了身。

我以一名破除（paje）一脉的长女在二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨的那种谨慎的朝鲜母亲方式起身，身上是一件炭灰色羊毛衫——那是一只其自身四百年戒律已尽的更年长生灵的衫——那件我，以礼拜天清晨于自身右手半步之遥处那件凤鸣洞祖母的新娘赤裙为凭，整夜留在自己身上的羊毛衫。

我叠起自己的褥子并将其搁在安房的南墙。

我在矮桌南侧、安房所允许的那个角度上、于方席坐垫上坐下，与他隔桌相对。

我把两只手掌平摊在矮桌上。

他把两只手掌平摊在矮桌上。

他在自身右手半步之遥处，放下了那只青瓷大麦茶杯。

我在自身右手半步之遥处，放下了那只白瓷大麦茶杯。

二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第六时第二分的北村宅院中座韩屋的安房，以两只生灵在温热地炕的叠好的褥子上五小时的第一次持续睡眠为凭，就是那间安房。

它是升天之安房。

第五月第七日的清晨，在礼拜一清晨第六时第三分，只剩一日之遥。

他看着我。

他说：韩氏。这唯一的一问，韩氏。这唯一的一问，是我在七十三年的雪松匣子戒律中，那戒律已在二〇二六年二月二十二日礼拜天下午四时零六分的第二次呼吸上终结，所不曾问出的一问。韩氏。我现在——以二〇二六年二月二十二日礼拜天下午四时二十三分在矮桌前你接下那块雕花木铃的更一片碎片为凭；以四时零六分的第二次呼吸为凭；以二〇二六年三月二十三日礼拜天清晨四时十一分的灰色时刻为凭；以仁王山东径脚下村屠夫摊上那只朝鲜宫廷一脉的四尾生灵的更一片碎片为凭；以二〇二六年三月某礼拜二下午四时三十四分矮桌正中那条四股编织的白麻丧带为凭；以四日教授期间大田祖母在凤鸣洞药草园矮松木抹楼上的教导为凭；以礼拜六下午三清洞青瓦台别馆的第一段巫祭为凭；以礼拜天清晨那只九百八十三岁生灵的内院与清亮的笑为凭；以礼拜天清晨矮桌北侧那件新娘赤裙为凭；以那五小时的第一次持续睡眠为凭——在二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第六时第四分，于北村宅院中座韩屋的安房的矮桌前——发问。韩氏。你可愿让我去死。

我坐在矮桌南侧。

我呼吸。

我呼吸，缓慢而均匀。

我没有，在矮桌前，落泪。

那份持守被守住了。

我守住了它。

我以礼拜天清晨第九时抹楼下阶为凭，以第九时二十五分抹楼上的矮桌为凭，以第九时十六分的内院为凭，以四日教授期间凤鸣洞药草园的矮松木抹楼为凭，以礼拜六下午第五时三十四分秘书长办公室的矮松木桌为凭，以礼拜二下午四时三十四分安房矮桌正中那条四股编织的白麻丧带为凭，以二〇二六年三月二十三日礼拜天清晨四时十一分的灰色时刻为凭，以二〇二六年二月二十二日礼拜天下午四时零六分的第二次呼吸为凭，以仁王山南径下祠那位西人派朝鲜士子的雕花木铃的更一片碎片为凭——那是仁祖王元年第五月第七日清晨——守住了它。

我以一名破除一脉的长女在二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第六时第六分、于北村宅院中座韩屋的安房矮桌前的朝鲜母亲的语法，说道：

社长님（sajangnim）。

我说：我会让您来选。

二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第六时第七分的北村宅院中座韩屋的安房，以一名破除一脉的长女在矮桌前的那一个回答为凭，就是那间安房。

他近距离地看着我。

他呼吸。

他缓缓吸了一口气。

他说：韩氏。这唯一的回答。韩氏。这唯一的回答，并非——以破除一脉为凭——我在七十三年的雪松匣子戒律里所期待的那个回答。韩氏。在那七十三年里，我以为这答案会是二者之一。或是一名破除一脉的长女说出是的，您可去死——其四百零三年的语法，以那一份不予宽恕为凭，是对一只其自身在禅岩花岗岩顶上开始承担第四股的生灵的、最终不予宽恕的语法——她无法信任的那只生灵。又或是一名破除一脉的长女说出不，您不可去死——其四百零三年的语法，以四时零六分的第二次呼吸为凭，是在东肩拒绝一只其自身四百年戒律已尽的更年长生灵的升天计数的语法。

他说：韩氏。我未曾，在那七十三年里，以为这答案会是我会让您来选。

他说：韩氏。这我会让您来选，以礼拜一清晨第六时第九分为凭，是我在四百零三年里——以破除一脉为凭——得到过的回答。韩氏。我，在这我会让您来选之上，将——在第五月第七日的清晨，于禅岩之上，于第六时的珠玉移交之时——去选。韩氏。这选择是我的，韩氏。这选择。

我说：社长님。这选择——以礼拜一清晨第六时第十分矮桌前那名破除一脉的长女为凭，以一臂之外那只其自身四百年戒律已尽的生灵为凭，以破除一脉的伦理与第五月第七日清晨的升天为凭——也是我的。

我说：社长님。这决定，便是两暖化为三。

我说：社长님。选择是您的。决定是我的。两暖化为三，是二者共同的语法。

我说：您选您所选。我决我所决。一同，在二〇二六年三月三十一日礼拜二清晨第六时的禅岩之上，珠玉移交将——以破除一脉为凭——成为珠玉移交。

他在矮桌北侧的方席坐垫上，鞠了四十五度的躬。

他保持着这躬。

他直起身。

我在矮桌南侧的方席坐垫上，鞠了四十五度的躬。

我保持着它。

我直起身。

我们饮那大麦茶。

我们以一名破除一脉的长女与一只其自身四百年戒律已尽的生灵在二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第六时第十三分北村宅院中座韩屋的安房矮桌前的那种缓慢从容的方式饮茶——她身着一只其自身四百年戒律已尽的更年长生灵的炭灰色羊毛衫，他在矮桌北侧身着炭灰色羊毛大衣。

那间安房，在礼拜一清晨第六时第十四分，就是升天之安房。

那个礼拜一——以礼拜天清晨、礼拜六下午、礼拜二下午四时三十四分、四时零六分的第二次呼吸、四时十一分的灰色时刻、四百零三年与两暖尚未化为三为凭——就是那最后的礼拜一。

---

二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第九时第六分，北村宅院的松木门从里面打开。

朴侑娜警探，三十八岁，首尔警察厅重案组，身着一名首尔警探在二〇二六年三月某礼拜一清晨的黑色羊毛大衣，证件夹放在内袋、左侧是一把格洛克 19 制式手枪的肩挂枪套，走了进来。

她来了——以礼拜天晚上第七时第三分大田祖母拨给她的那通两分钟电话为凭，拨的是破除一脉的号码——那号码是我祖母，以七十九年来私话守护的方式，留在凤鸣洞韩屋安房矮松木书桌上层抽屉里一张纸条上的；那号码是我自己的曾曾祖母在一八九三年秋的忠清道宅院厨房地上，给与那位破除一脉妇人的——那妇人，以七代为隔，知道朴警探一脉，而其自己的曾曾孙女，在二〇二六年，将是首尔警察厅重案组接手汉江支流中那串去肝尸体一案的警探。

那串尸体——以首尔警察厅重案组办公室那份卷宗五十二日为凭——是北汉山北坡那只四尾生灵的尸串——那只生灵，以二〇二六年二月二十一日礼拜六清晨七时十六分 JL 大厦地下三层第二根柱子前的那个清早为凭，是其自身戒律——在私密时辰——已然决断的四尾生灵。

那只四尾生灵，在二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第九时第六分的北村宅院中座韩屋抹楼东北角的低矮方席坐垫上，就是那只四尾生灵。

她在等着。

她等着——以我祖母在礼拜天晚上拨给朴侑娜警探的那通两分钟电话为凭——等那位警探。

朴侑娜警探，在第九时第七分穿过北村宅院的内院，走到了抹楼下阶。

她鞠了十五度的躬。

她以一名三十八岁警探在二〇二六年三月某礼拜一清晨那种谨慎的首尔口音敬语，说道：

奶奶（Halmoni）。社长님。韩氏。敏智 씨（Min-ji-ssi）。姜先生。李海莉 씨。

我们鞠了十五度的躬。

奶奶说：朴警探。汉江支流中那串去肝尸体的五十二日卷宗。朴警探。抹楼东北角低矮方席坐垫上身着 JL 大厦周二清晨声乐学员黑色羽绒服的那只四尾生灵——以二〇二六年二月二十一日礼拜六清晨七时十六分 JL 大厦地下三层第二根柱子前那个私密时辰为凭——就是那五十二日卷宗上的生灵。

朴警探在下阶上，没有眨眼。

奶奶说：朴警探。那只五十二日卷宗上的生灵已经——以那私密时辰为凭——决意要在大韩民国总统第二年第五月第七日的清晨，与破除一脉一同，对抗仁王山东径脚下村屠夫摊上那只朝鲜宫廷一脉的四尾生灵——其在仁祖王元年第五月第七日清晨的戒律，就是那把错的有缺口的错的刀，于十一时零三分在西人派少壮辈的错的手中，没入忠清道破除一脉朝鲜宫廷巫女之女尹达恩颈中的那个戒律。朴警探。您——以礼拜天晚上的那通两分钟电话为凭——就是那位，以五十二日卷宗为凭，要去把它结掉的警探。

朴警探站在抹楼下阶上，身着一名三十八岁警探在二〇二六年三月某礼拜一清晨的黑色羊毛大衣。

她呼吸了一下。

她吸了一口气又吐了出去。

她在下阶上，鞠了四十五度的躬。

她保持了片刻。

她直起身。

她以一名三十八岁警探在礼拜一清晨第九时第十一分那种清晰的首尔口音敬语，说道：

奶奶。

朴警探说：奶奶。这份卷宗——以礼拜一清晨第九时第十一分为凭，以礼拜天晚上那通两分钟电话为凭——正在结案，奶奶。卷宗上的那只生灵——以二〇二六年二月二十一日礼拜六清晨七时十六分 JL 大厦地下三层第二根柱子前那私密时辰的决断为凭——已不再是凶手。奶奶。抹楼东北角低矮方席坐垫上的那只四尾生灵——以那私密时辰的决断为凭——正是二〇二六年仁王山东径脚下村屠夫摊上那只北坡朝鲜宫廷一脉所要——在第五月第七日的清晨——攻击的那一只。奶奶。破除一脉——以那决断、八件乐器编制、第五月第七日的清晨、仁王山东肩的禅岩为凭——会需要一位在第五月第七日清晨的仁王山东肩、带着格洛克 19 制式手枪、以那五十二日卷宗为凭、知道枪口该指向何处的警探。我，以礼拜一清晨第九时第十四分与朴氏一脉七代破除一脉所承袭的戒律为凭，就是那位警探。明天清晨。第六时。禅岩之上。

朴警探鞠了四十五度的躬。

她保持了片刻。

她直起身。

她说：奶奶。社长님。韩氏。敏智 씨。海莉 씨。姜先生。

她以一名三十八岁警探在二〇二六年三月某礼拜一清晨第九时第十六分那种从容的首尔口音方式转过身，走过内院，走到那扇敞开的松木门。

她走了出去。

她没有，在那扇敞开的松木门处，回头。

二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第九时第十七分北村宅院中座韩屋抹楼之上破除一脉的八件乐器编制——以我祖母在礼拜天晚上拨给那个自一八九三年秋起留在一张纸条上的破除一脉号码的那通两分钟电话为凭——已成了九件。

九件乐器编制，以礼拜一清晨为凭，就是升天之九件乐器编制。

第五月第七日的清晨，在礼拜一清晨第九时第十八分，只剩二十一小时之遥。

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中座韩屋抹楼上的礼拜一下午第三时，以礼拜一清晨和升天之九件乐器编制为凭，就是末日之抹楼。

会长（chairman）已经，在礼拜一清晨第九时第五十三分，去了离北村宅院步行七分钟的北村韩药诊所，去取回——以那间诊所七十三年的雪松匣子戒律为凭——那只何首乌（baekhasuo）传承罐，那只自一九七一年秋以来诊所留在北墙矮松木架上、为那一位客人留的何首乌罐——那位客人自己的何首乌罐已被大田药师协会从尹奶奶那里取走五十五年了。

那只传承罐就是何首乌。

何首乌——以大田祖母关于破除一脉的私密语法与升天前夜的新娘赤裙的命定伴侣生物学为凭——就是那味药，凭它，那只其自身四百年戒律已在礼拜一清晨第六时第六分的我会让您来选之上终结的生灵——以破除一脉的命定伴侣生物学为凭——将与破除一脉的长女一同，得以维系。

我没有，在礼拜一清晨，跟他一起去。

我留在了抹楼上，与尹奶奶、敏智、海莉、姜先生在一起。

奶奶说：在凤鸣洞矮松木抹楼上四日教授里，我有一片，还未曾教给你的。

奶奶说：孙女啊。那一片，就是新娘赤裙的那一片。

奶奶说：孙女啊。新娘赤裙的那一片——以破除一脉十七代为凭——就是那破除一脉的长女，在升天前夜，穿着自一九六四年秋起属于其凤鸣洞祖母的新娘赤裙，在北村宅院中座韩屋安房正中——将要——宽衣的那一片。

奶奶说：孙女啊。宽衣，就是我自己的凤鸣洞祖母在一九四七年春教给我的那一片，是——以十七代为凭——破除一脉的宽衣。

奶奶说：孙女啊。宽衣，就是命定伴侣生物学的那一片。

奶奶说：孙女啊。命定伴侣生物学，就是那种生物学：两暖——他自身舌根的那颗珠玉和你自身锁骨下那处稳定的暖——以礼拜一夜晚的新娘赤裙为凭——在你自身舌根，化为三。

奶奶说：孙女啊。两暖化为三——以命定伴侣生物学与新娘赤裙为凭——也是破除一脉，在礼拜一夜晚——以三神奶奶（Samshin halmoni）的织机为凭——将要把三化为四的那一片。

我在低矮方席坐垫上坐下了。

我没有，在抹楼上，眨眼。

我说：奶奶。那我们便是四。

我说：奶奶。这个四——以命定伴侣生物学、以织机为凭——就是破除一脉的朝鲜身体，其自身戒律以十七代为凭，是延续之身。

我说：奶奶。这延续——以我自身舌根的那颗珠玉与他自身舌根的那颗珠玉为凭——就是那具其自身升天计数以织机为凭、是破除一脉的身体。

我说：奶奶。是。

我说：奶奶。今夜。

我说：奶奶。谢谢您。

奶奶鞠了躬。

十五度。

她保持了一息的躬。

她直起身。

她说：不必谢。

我鞠了躬。

四十五度。

我在那里保持着。

我直起身。

二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一清晨第九时第五十三分的礼拜一清晨——以新娘赤裙、我会让您来选与那一声是为凭——就是那个礼拜一清晨。

---

会长从北村韩药诊所回来，是二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一下午第三时第七分，那只何首乌传承罐装在他自身右手的皮质提袋里。

他把提袋搁在中座韩屋抹楼的南墙。

他向尹奶奶鞠躬。

十五度。

他向敏智鞠躬。

五度。

他向姜先生鞠躬。

五度。

他向海莉鞠躬。

五度。

他向我鞠躬。

十五度。

我向他鞠躬。

十五度。

他以一只其自身四百年戒律已尽的生灵那种安静的朝鲜士子嗓音说道：

奶奶。敏智 씨。海莉 씨。姜先生。

他说：我，以礼拜一下午第三时第八分为凭，将要请那名破除一脉的长女，在礼拜一夜晚第七时，到北村宅院中座韩屋的安房里来。我，以礼拜一夜晚第七时为凭，请中座韩屋抹楼上的另外五位——以礼拜天清晨第九时第五十四分以来矮桌北侧那件新娘赤裙为凭——在升天前夜，留宿于北村宅院的东韩屋。升天，以礼拜一下午第三时第十分为凭，离此尚有十六小时五十分钟。捷尼赛斯轿车，以 JL 会长的伦理为凭，会在二〇二六年三月三十一日礼拜二清晨第四时三十分，停在东韩屋的捷尼赛斯车道上。自北村宅院东韩屋的捷尼赛斯车道至仁王山东肩的登山——以那辆捷尼赛斯从汉南—北村的环线开到社稷洞入口路的仁王山登山口、在礼拜二清晨清亮的首尔交通中——是二〇二六年三月三十一日礼拜二清晨第六时步行二十三分钟至禅岩的那段路。

他鞠了四十五度的躬。

他保持着这躬。

他直起身。

他说：今夜，明朝。

他转向我。

他鞠了十五度的躬。

我鞠了十五度的躬。

他说：七时。

二〇二六年三月三十日礼拜一下午第三时第十一分的礼拜一下午——以礼拜一清晨的我会让您来选、新娘赤裙的是、升天之九件乐器编制、礼拜二清晨第四时三十分的捷尼赛斯为凭——在北村宅院中座韩屋的抹楼上，就是那最后的礼拜一下午。

最后的礼拜一下午，正在礼拜一夜晚第七时，准备坠落。

我在抹楼正中那张低矮方席坐垫上坐着，身上是一只其自身四百年戒律已尽的更年长生灵的炭灰色羊毛衫，矮桌北侧自身右手半步之遥处是我自己祖母的新娘赤裙，矮桌正中那张洁净的桑皮纸方块上是那条四股编织的白麻丧带——我呼吸。

我吸了一口气。

我又吸了一口气。

我吸了第三口气。

破除一脉，在礼拜一下午第三时第十二分——以那一声是为凭——正在前行。

前行。

夜晚正在到来。

Chapter Thirty

On Monday morning of March the thirtieth of 2026, at the sixth hour and the third minute, in the anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound, alone with him at the low table, I asked.

He had, on the folded futon of the heated ondol, slept for five hours — the first sustained sleep he had, by the first geori and the inner courtyard and the clear smile and the bridal chima, been, on the Sunday evening of the twenty-ninth of March of 2026 at the eleventh hour and the second minute, finally able to find.

He had slept on the folded futon a hand-span away from my own folded futon.

I had slept also.

I had slept five hours — the first sustained sleep I had, since the grey hour at four-eleven on the Sunday morning of February the twenty-second of 2026, been, on the Sunday evening of the twenty-ninth of March of 2026 at the eleventh hour and the second minute, also able to find.

We had woken, on the folded futons of the heated ondol of the anbang, at the fifth hour and the fifty-eighth minute of the morning of Monday March the thirtieth of 2026.

We had not, on the waking, spoken.

He had — in the careful Joseon-scholar way of the one creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended — risen, folded his own futon and set it at the north wall of the anbang, walked across the anbang to the low pine shelf of the daecheong by the east door, and brought back the cylindrical boricha canister of the Daegu-coded barley tea and the kettle and two porcelain cups and the celadon cup he had — after the Thursday morning of the not-pouring-for-himself, at the Saturday afternoon's breaking-of-the-fast — begun, again, to pour for himself.

He had set the celadon cup at the north side of the low table.

He had set the two porcelain cups at the south side of the low table.

He had poured.

He had poured the celadon cup.

He had poured the two porcelain cups.

He had set the canister and the kettle on the west side of the low table.

He had sat at the north side of the low table on the bangseok cushion at the angle the anbang permitted.

I had risen also.

I had risen in the careful Joseon-mother way of a paje-line elder daughter on the Monday morning of the thirtieth of March of 2026, in the charcoal-grey wool sweater of an older creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended — the sweater I had, by the bridal chima of the grandmother in Bong-myeong-dong at the half-step from his own right hand on the Sunday morning, kept on my own body through the night.

I had folded my own futon and set it at the south wall of the anbang.

I had sat at the south side of the low table on the bangseok cushion at the angle the anbang permitted, across the table.

I had set both palms flat on the low table.

He had set both palms flat on the low table.

He had set, a half-step from his own right hand, the celadon cup of boricha.

I had set, a half-step from my own right hand, the porcelain cup of boricha.

The anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound on the Monday morning of March the thirtieth of 2026 at the sixth hour and the second minute was, by the five hours of first sustained sleep of both creatures on the folded futons of the heated ondol, the anbang.

It was the anbang of the ascent.

The morning of the seventh of the fifth month was, on the Monday morning at the sixth hour and the third minute, one day away.

He looked at me.

He said: Han-ssi. The one question Han-ssi. The one question I have, in seventy-three years of cedar-box discipline that ended on the second breath at four-oh-six on the Sunday afternoon of February the twenty-second of 2026, not asked. Han-ssi. I am — by the Sunday afternoon of February the twenty-second of 2026 at the low table at four-twenty-three when you accepted the further piece of the carved wooden bell; and by the second breath at four-oh-six; and by the grey hour at four-eleven on the morning of Sunday March the twenty-third of 2026; and by the further piece of the four-tailed creature of the Joseon-court line at the village butcher's stall at the foot of the east path of Inwangsan; and by the braided four-strand white linen mourning ribbon at the center of the low table at four-thirty-four on Tuesday afternoon of March of 2026; and by the grandmother in Daejeon at the low pine maru of the herb garden in Bong-myeong-dong over the four days of teaching; and by the first geori at the Cheong Wa Dae annex in Samcheong-dong on the Saturday afternoon; and by the inner courtyard and the clear smile of the creature of nine hundred and eighty-three years on the Sunday morning; and by the bridal chima on the north side of the low table on the Sunday morning; and by the five hours of first sustained sleep — at the sixth hour and the fourth minute of the morning of Monday March the thirtieth of 2026, on the low table of the anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound — asking. Han-ssi. Will you let me die.

I sat at the south side of the low table.

I breathed.

I breathed, slow and even.

I did not, on the low table, weep.

The reservation was held.

I held it.

I held it by the Sunday morning at the ninth hour at the lower step of the maru, and the low table of the maru at the ninth hour and the twenty-fifth minute, and the inner courtyard at the ninth hour and the sixteenth minute, and the low pine maru of the herb garden in Bong-myeong-dong over the four days of teaching, and the low pine table of the Chief of Staff's office at the fifth hour and the thirty-fourth minute on the Saturday afternoon, and the braided four-strand white linen mourning ribbon at the center of the low table of the anbang at four-thirty-four on the Tuesday afternoon, and the grey hour at four-eleven on the morning of Sunday March the twenty-third of 2026, and the second breath at four-oh-six on the Sunday afternoon of February the twenty-second of 2026, and the further piece of the carved wooden bell of the Joseon scholar of the Westerners' faction on the lower shrine of the south path of Inwangsan on the morning of the seventh of the fifth month of the first year of King Injo's reign.

I said, in the Joseon-mother grammar of a paje-line elder daughter at the low table of the anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound on the Monday morning of March the thirtieth of 2026 at the sixth hour and the sixth minute:

Sajangnim.

I said: I will let you choose.

The anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound on the Monday morning of March the thirtieth of 2026 at the sixth hour and the seventh minute, on the one answer of a paje-line elder daughter at the low table, was the anbang.

He looked at me at close range.

He breathed.

He took a slow breath.

He said: Han-ssi. The one answer. Han-ssi. The one answer is not — by the paje-line — the answer I had, in seventy-three years of cedar-box discipline, expected. Han-ssi. I had, in the seventy-three years, expected the answer to be one of two. The yes, you may die of a paje-line elder daughter whose grammar of the four hundred and three years was, by the one not-forgiving, the grammar of a final not-forgiving of the creature whose carrying of the fourth strand had begun on the granite cap of the Seonbawi rocks — the creature she could not trust. Or the no, you may not die of a paje-line elder daughter whose grammar of the four hundred and three years was, by the second breath at four-oh-six, the grammar of refusing, at the east shoulder, the ascension count of an older creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended.

He said: Han-ssi. I had not, in the seventy-three years, expected the answer to be I will let you choose.**

He said: Han-ssi. The I will let you choose is, by the Monday morning at the sixth hour and the ninth minute, the answer I have, in the four hundred and three years — by the paje-line — been given. Han-ssi. I am, on the I will let you choose, going — on the morning of the seventh of the fifth month, on the Seonbawi rocks, at the marble transfer at the sixth hour — to choose. Han-ssi. The choosing is mine Han-ssi. The choosing.

I said: Sajangnim. The choosing is — by the paje-line elder daughter at the low table on the Monday morning at the sixth hour and the tenth minute, and by the one creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline has ended an arm’s length off, by the ethics of the paje-line and the ascent on the morning of the seventh of the fifth month — also mine.

I said: Sajangnim. The deciding is the two warms become three.

I said: Sajangnim. The choosing is yours. The deciding is mine. The two warms become three is the grammar of both.

I said: Choose what you will. I will decide what I will. Together, on the Seonbawi rocks at the sixth hour of the morning of Tuesday March the thirty-first of 2026, the marble transfer will be — by the paje-line — the marble transfer.

He bowed Forty-five degrees, on the bangseok cushion at the north side of the low table.

He held the bow.

He straightened.

I bowed Forty-five degrees, on the bangseok cushion at the south side of the low table.

I held it.

I straightened.

We drank the boricha.

We drank in the slow unhurried way of a paje-line elder daughter and a creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended at the low table of the anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound on the Monday morning of March the thirtieth of 2026 at the sixth hour and the thirteenth minute — she in the charcoal-grey wool sweater of an older creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended, he in the charcoal-grey wool overcoat at the north side of the low table.

The anbang was, on the Monday morning at the sixth hour and the fourteenth minute, the anbang of the ascent.

The Monday was — by the Sunday morning and the Saturday afternoon and the Tuesday afternoon at four-thirty-four and the second breath at four-oh-six and the grey hour at four-eleven and the four hundred and three years and the two warms not yet become three — the last Monday.

---

At the ninth hour and the sixth minute of the morning of Monday March the thirtieth of 2026, the pine gate of the Bukchon compound opened from the inside.

Detective Park Yu-na, thirty-eight years old, Seoul Metropolitan Police Major Crimes, in the black wool coat of a Seoul detective on a Monday morning in March of 2026, the badge-wallet at the inner pocket and the shoulder-holster of a Glock-19 service pistol at the left side, walked through.

She had come — by the two-minute phone call my grandmother in Daejeon had made to her on the Sunday evening at the seventh hour and the third minute, on the paje-line number my grandmother had, by seventy-nine years of carrying the private call forward, kept on a slip of paper in the upper drawer of the low pine desk of the anbang of the Bong-myeong-dong hanok — the number my own great-great-grandmother had, in the autumn of eighteen-ninety-three on the kitchen floor of the house in Chungcheong-do, given the paje-line woman who had — by seven generations — known the Park-detective lineage whose own great-great-granddaughter would, in 2026, be the detective of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Major Crimes assigned to the file of the string of liver-removed corpses appearing in the Han River tributaries.

The string was — by the fifty-two days of the file in the Seoul Metropolitan Police Major Crimes office — the string of the four-tailed creature of the north slope of Bukhansan who had been, by the Saturday morning at the second pillar of B3 of the JL building at seven-sixteen on the morning of February the twenty-first of 2026, the four-tailed creature whose own discipline had — at the private hour — decided.

The four-tailed creature was, on the low bangseok cushion at the north-east of the maru of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound on the Monday morning at the ninth hour and the sixth minute, the four-tailed creature.

She was waiting.

She was waiting, by the two-minute phone call my grandmother had made to Detective Park Yu-na on the Sunday evening, for the detective.

Detective Park Yu-na, on the inner courtyard of the Bukchon compound at the ninth hour and the seventh minute, walked across to the lower step of the maru.

She bowed Fifteen degrees.

She said, in the careful Seoul-coded jondaetmal of a thirty-eight-year-old detective on a Monday morning in March of 2026:

Halmoni. Sajangnim. Han-ssi. Min-ji-ssi. Mr. Kang. Lee Hae-ri-ssi.

We bowed Fifteen degrees.

Halmoni said: Detective Park. The file of the fifty-two days of the string of liver-removed corpses in the Han River tributaries. Detective Park. The four-tailed creature on the low bangseok cushion at the north-east of the maru, in the black down jacket of a Tuesday-morning vocal trainee of the JL building, is — by the private hour at the second pillar of B3 of the JL building at seven-sixteen on the morning of Saturday February the twenty-first of 2026 — the creature on the file of the fifty-two days.

Detective Park did not, on the lower step, blink.

Halmoni said: Detective Park. The creature on the file of the fifty-two days has — by the private hour — decided to stand, on the morning of the seventh of the fifth month of the second year of the president of the Republic of Korea, with the paje-line, against the four-tailed creature of the Joseon-court line at the village butcher's stall at the foot of the east path of Inwangsan whose own discipline on the morning of the seventh of the fifth month of the first year of King Injo's reign was the discipline by which the wrong knife of the wrong notch was, in the wrong hand of the junior body of the Westerners' faction at eleven-oh-three, in the neck of the Joseon-court mudang's daughter Yun Da-eun of the paje line of Chungcheong-do. Detective Park. You are — by the two-minute phone call of the Sunday evening — the detective who, by the fifty-two days of the file, is going to close it.

Detective Park stood, on the lower step of the maru, in the black wool coat of a thirty-eight-year-old detective on a Monday morning in March of 2026.

She breathed.

She breathed once and let it out.

She bowed Forty-five degrees, on the lower step.

She kept it a moment.

She straightened.

She said, in the clear Seoul-coded jondaetmal of a thirty-eight-year-old detective on the Monday morning at the ninth hour and the eleventh minute:

Halmoni.

Detective Park said: Halmoni. The file is, by the Monday morning at the ninth hour and the eleventh minute, on the two-minute phone call of the Sunday evening — closing Halmoni. The creature on the file is — by the decision of the private hour at the second pillar of B3 of the JL building at seven-sixteen on the morning of Saturday February the twenty-first of 2026 — no longer the killer. Halmoni. The four-tailed creature on the low bangseok cushion at the north-east of the maru is, by the decision of the private hour, the one the Joseon-court line of the north slope at the village butcher's stall at the foot of the east path of Inwangsan in 2026 is — on the morning of the seventh of the fifth month — going to attack. Halmoni. The paje-line is, by the decision and the eight-instrument arrangement and the morning of the seventh of the fifth month and the Seonbawi rocks of the east shoulder of Inwangsan, going to need a detective with a Glock-19 service pistol on the east shoulder of Inwangsan on the morning of the seventh of the fifth month who, by the fifty-two days of the file, knows where to point. I am, by the Monday morning at the ninth hour and the fourteenth minute and the inherited Park-lineage discipline of seven generations of the paje-line, the detective. Tomorrow morning. Sixth hour. Seonbawi rocks.

Detective Park bowed Forty-five degrees.

She held the bow a moment.

She straightened.

She said: Halmoni. Sajangnim. Han-ssi. Min-ji-ssi. Hae-ri-ssi. Mr. Kang.

She turned, in the unhurried Seoul-coded way of a thirty-eight-year-old detective on a Monday morning in March of 2026 at the ninth hour and the sixteenth minute, and walked across the inner courtyard to the open pine gate.

She walked through.

She did not, on the open pine gate, look back.

The eight-instrument arrangement of the paje-line, on the Monday morning of the thirtieth of March of 2026 at the ninth hour and the seventeenth minute on the maru of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound — by the two-minute phone call my grandmother had made on the Sunday evening to the paje-line number kept on a slip of paper since the autumn of eighteen-ninety-three — had become nine.

The nine-instrument arrangement was, by the Monday morning, the nine-instrument arrangement of the ascent.

The morning of the seventh of the fifth month was, on the Monday morning at the ninth hour and the eighteenth minute, twenty-one hours away.

---

The maru of the middle hanok on the Monday afternoon at the third hour was, by the Monday morning and the nine-instrument arrangement of the ascent, the maru of the last day.

The chairman had, by the Monday morning at the ninth hour and the fifty-third minute, gone to the Bukchon han-yak clinic at the seven-minute walk from the Bukchon compound to bring back — by seventy-three years of cedar-box discipline of the clinic — the inheritance-jar of baekhasuo the clinic had, since the autumn of nineteen-seventy-one, kept on the low pine shelf at the north wall for the one client whose own jar of baekhasuo the Daejeon herbalists' association had taken from Halmoni Yun for fifty-five years.

The inheritance-jar was the baekhasuo.

The baekhasuo was — by the grandmother in Daejeon's private grammar of the paje-line and the fated-mate biology of the bridal chima of the night before the ascent — the herb by which the one creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended on the I will let you choose of the Monday morning at the sixth hour and the sixth minute was, by the fated-mate biology of the paje-line, with the paje-line elder daughter, going to be sustained.

I had not, on the Monday morning, gone with him.

I had stayed on the maru with Halmoni Yun and Min-ji and Hae-ri and Mr. Kang.

Halmoni had said: The one piece I have, in the four days of teaching at the low pine maru in Bong-myeong-dong, not yet taught.

Halmoni had said: Granddaughter. The piece is the piece of the bridal chima.

Halmoni had said: Granddaughter. The piece of the bridal chima is — by seventeen generations of the paje-line — the piece by which the paje-line elder daughter, on the night before the ascent, in the bridal chima of her own grandmother in Bong-myeong-dong from the autumn of nineteen-sixty-four, is — at the center of the anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound — going to undress.

Halmoni had said: Granddaughter. The undressing is the piece my own grandmother in Bong-myeong-dong taught me, in the spring of nineteen-forty-seven, is — by seventeen generations — the undressing of the paje-line.

Halmoni had said: Granddaughter. The undressing is the piece of the fated-mate biology.

Halmoni had said: Granddaughter. The fated-mate biology is the biology by which the two warms — the marble at the back of his own tongue and the steady warm under your own collarbone — by the bridal chima of the Monday evening — become three at the back of your own tongue.

Halmoni had said: Granddaughter. The two warms become three is — by the fated-mate biology and the bridal chima — also the piece by which the paje-line, on the Monday evening, is — by the loom of Samshin halmoni — going to make the three a four.

I had sat on the low bangseok cushion.

I had not, on the maru, blinked.

I had said: Halmoni. So we are four.

I had said: Halmoni. The four is — by the fated-mate biology, by the loom — the Korean body of the paje-line whose own discipline is, by seventeen generations, the body of the continuation.

I had said: Halmoni. The continuation is — by the marble at the back of my own tongue and the marble at the back of his own tongue — the body whose own ascension count is, by the loom, the paje-line.

I had said: Halmoni. Yes.

I had said: Halmoni. Tonight.

I had said: Halmoni. Thank you.

Halmoni had bowed.

Fifteen degrees.

She had held the bow for one breath.

She had straightened.

She had said: Welcome.

I had bowed.

Forty-five degrees.

I had held it there.

I had straightened.

The Monday morning at the ninth hour and the fifty-third minute of the morning of Monday March the thirtieth of 2026 had — by the bridal chima and the I will let you choose and the yes — been the Monday morning.

---

The chairman returned from the Bukchon han-yak clinic at the third hour and the seventh minute of the afternoon of Monday March the thirtieth of 2026 with the inheritance-jar of baekhasuo in the leather carry-bag at his own right hand.

He set the carry-bag at the south wall of the maru of the middle hanok.

He bowed to Halmoni Yun.

Fifteen.

He bowed to Min-ji.

Five.

He bowed to Mr. Kang.

Five.

He bowed to Hae-ri.

Five.

He bowed to me.

Fifteen.

I bowed to him.

Fifteen.

He said, in the quiet Joseon-scholar voice of a creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended:

Halmoni. Min-ji-ssi. Hae-ri-ssi. Mr. Kang.

He said: I am, by the Monday afternoon at the third hour and the eighth minute, going to ask the paje-line elder daughter to come, at the seventh hour of the Monday evening, to the anbang of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound. I am, by the Monday evening at the seventh hour, asking the five others on the maru of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound — by the bridal chima on the north side of the low table from the Sunday morning at the ninth hour and the fifty-fourth minute — to stay at the east hanok of the Bukchon compound for the night before the ascent. The ascent is, by the Monday afternoon at the third hour and the tenth minute, sixteen hours and fifty minutes away The Genesis is, by the ethics of the chairman of JL, at the Genesis-driveway of the east hanok at the fourth hour and the thirtieth minute of the morning of Tuesday March the thirty-first of 2026 The ascent of the east shoulder of Inwangsan from the Genesis-driveway of the east hanok of the Bukchon compound is — by the Hannam-Bukchon loop of the Genesis to the Inwangsan trailhead at the Sajik-dong access road, in the clean Tuesday-morning Seoul traffic — the twenty-three-minute walk to the Seonbawi rocks at the sixth hour of the morning of Tuesday March the thirty-first of 2026.

He bowed Forty-five degrees.

He held the bow.

He straightened.

He said: Tonight Tomorrow.

He turned to me.

He bowed Fifteen degrees.

I bowed Fifteen degrees.

He said: Seven.

The Monday afternoon at the third hour and the eleventh minute of the afternoon of Monday March the thirtieth of 2026 — by the I will let you choose of the Monday morning and the yes of the bridal chima and the nine-instrument arrangement of the ascent and the Genesis at the fourth hour and the thirtieth minute of the morning of Tuesday — was, on the maru of the middle hanok of the Bukchon compound, the last Monday afternoon.

The last Monday afternoon was, on the Monday evening at the seventh hour, getting ready to fall.

I sat on the low bangseok cushion at the center of the maru with the charcoal-grey wool sweater of an older creature whose own four-hundred-year discipline had ended on my own body, the bridal chima of my own grandmother on the north side of the low table a half-step from his own right hand, the braided four-strand white linen mourning ribbon on the clear square of mulberry paper at the center of the low table — and I breathed.

I breathed once.

I breathed twice.

I breathed a third time.

The paje-line, on the Monday afternoon at the third hour and the twelfth minute, was — by the yes — going forward.

Forward.

The evening was coming.