Episode 191: I heard you said just one word.
Why did my father come?
“Of course you came to push me.”
I know very well that he is not that kind of person.
It is not easy to find out why my father came here today, as much as why Kwon Ma came to the late-night training meeting.
“Is that really the case?”
Kwon Ma acted as if he had an idea about his father’s visit this time.
I asked, pouring alcohol into his empty glass.
“Then why do you think you came?”
Gwonma emptied the glass again. He drank without a change in his countenance.
“I think the opposite is true. “I came to support the Archduke.”
“Did you two share a message?”
Gwonma shook his head.
“But how do you know your heart?”
“Because the fact that you came here tells you the answer. The leader came to the first drink of the meeting I am having with you. To congratulate me? “Is the religious leader that kind of person?”
“No.”
“Yeah no. Then why did you come? I came here to let you know. “I’m just trying to let you know that I’m keeping an eye on this situation.”
How could he possibly know everything about his father? He must be saying such things because he has certain feelings.
“In the end, my father is on my brother’s side.”
“I can’t say for sure that that’s the case.”
“You said that a while ago, right?”
“You said you came to take my side, but I didn’t mean that the religious leader was on the archduke’s side.”
With those vague words, Gwonma stood up.
“You were well received today.”
“It’s good that Madam Kwon joined the meeting.”
“You like it?”
Gwon Ma’s suspicious gaze turned from me to Ian and Cheon Sohee.
I took their place in their frozen hearts.
“Of course it will be difficult and uncomfortable for those two, but they will definitely like you a lot.”
If it were the Ian I knew, he would have wanted to joke around by saying ‘No!’, but he nodded with a stern expression.
“I’m so glad that Madam Kwon came in!”
“I guess so. “You’re a good woman.”
At my joke, Ian tightened his eyes again and looked at me.
Gwonma pretended not to hear. Whether it was a joke or a prank, the woman who could be called the most beautiful woman in the world said she was in good shape, so at least it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
In fact, the person who was greatly affected by the arrival of Kwon Ma was not Ian, but Cheon So-hee.
She spoke to Gwonma in a trembling voice.
“You may not believe me because I made a lot of mistakes, but… the reason I chose fighting instead of swordsmanship is because I admire you. “I want to become like Madam Kwon.”
Her face was red, perhaps because she was drunk or nervous. However, he was trying to convey his sincerity in his eyes towards Gwonma.
“I’m really glad that Madam Kwon joined the group.”
Kwon Ma stared at her for a moment and went down to the first floor without saying a word.
Cheon So-hee stood with a face that looked like she was about to collapse at any moment. I nodded to her and shouted at Gwonma, who was leaving the bar.
“Next time, Master Kwon, please buy me a drink!”
“There is no next time.”
“Maybe there will be a reception for my father?”
Gwonma stopped at the entrance to the bar, then snorted and shook his head.
“The leader? “Don’t even dream.”
Just like that, Kwon Ma left the tavern.
Now only me and Ian Cheon Sohee are left. Ian and Cheon Sohee sat down in their seats as if broken.
“Ahhh! finished.”
Ian heaved a sigh of relief and held out his drink.
“I can finally have a drink comfortably. “Have a drink, master.”
I toasted her and then had a drink.
Cheon So-hee’s hands were shaking.
“I’ll drink it later. “I can’t lift my glass.”
When we were all together, I was caught up in the situation, but once Cheonma and Gwonma left, it seemed like I was dreaming. Well, he drank with Cheonma and directly told Gwonma that he admired him. Something that was previously unthinkable happened today.
“Oh, I was so nervous that my whole body felt stiff.”
“how is it? “Can you drink it again?”
To my question, Sohee Cheon gave a different answer depending on her physical condition.
“It was so hard… but the tension wasn’t that bad.”
She met me recently and she seemed to be flustered by various things, but she is a woman with the greatest iron fist in the world of Dong-gwon and is stronger than anyone else.
“I’m not saying I can drink it, I want to drink it.”
“Surely something stimulating is thrilling, right?”
Cheon So-hee smiled slightly and agreed.
Now my eyes turned to Ian.
“How do you feel?”
“What do you think?”
It was the day I received martial arts instruction from Heavenly Demon.
“I wasn’t just happy that the teacher taught me martial arts.”
“then?”
“The fact that you taught me martial arts means you officially acknowledged me, right?”
Although she could not bear to say it out loud, her father acknowledged that she was as close to him as if he were blood relatives by personally teaching her the Bicheon Sword Technique. Because the Bicheon Sword Technique was a martial art that was only taught to blood relatives.
“It will be a day I will never forget. “Thank you, master.”
“What did I do?”
“You said that to the leader, right? It may be a one-time drinking event for his father, but it could be a life-changing event for Ian. “If it weren’t for those words, nothing would have happened.”
Ian remembered exactly what I told my father.
“I felt welcome today.”
I smiled broadly and patted her on the shoulder. Welcome Ian.
And just like that, the drinking party at the Pungryu bar came to an end.
* * *
The reception was over, but my day was not.
When I returned to my residence, an unexpected person was waiting for me.
The person standing in the yard of my residence looking up at the moon in the night sky was my older brother, Geommuyang.
“When did you come?”
“Just before.”
I feel like I probably waited quite a long time. What did you think while waiting?
“I had a drink with Madam Kwon. “If I had known this would happen, I would have done it together.”
Geommuyang just looked up at the moon in silence.
I stood side by side next to him.
“You look tired.”
At my words, Geommuyang’s eyes turned from the moon to me.
“okay? I have a lot of work to do these days. “How about you?”
He looked softer than usual. I felt it. That Geommuyang is trying her best. The more cornered I am, the more I try.
In a way, I felt sorry for my brother. It was true that my brother’s life became difficult when I returned. This fight was a fight with a decided outcome from the beginning. Because a young man in his twenties couldn’t deal with me. Even after I regressed, I was getting stronger endlessly.
Still, bro, we can’t live the same life. If we continue like this, the only thing waiting for us is death.
“Do you care that I’m meeting Gwonma?”
“It would be a lie if I said it wasn’t used.”
“I’m really into boxing these days. “You won’t believe this, right?”
“Would you believe it?”
“You too can meet the Majons comfortably. We met at Hyeolcheon Doma and talked about books, and we met at Hoeoma and drank alcohol. “Because I’m fine.”
“Are you confident about this? It’s already yours? As your older brother, let me give you some advice. Don’t look down on the Magons. If you think that the person smiling in front of you right now is you, it is a big mistake. “They will ultimately make a choice at the last moment that is in their own interest.”
I smiled at him.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“no. When was the last time my brother gave me advice or advice? “It was quite a while ago, right?”
Geommuyang turned her head and looked at the wall with the shadow of the moon.
Between us, there is a fence several times higher and thicker than that fence.
“Gwonma said so. He said he supports his brother. “I’m sure my father would want that too.”
For a moment, Geommuyang was startled.
“Really?”
“okay.”
“Why are you telling me that?”
“brother. I am naturally this kind of person. “The other person comes out well, but I’m not the type of person who makes trouble.”
I revealed my true feelings to him, something I hadn’t done in a long time.
“Do you know why I told the Magons that I would fight for the successor without shedding blood with my brother?”
“because?”
Geommuyang was genuinely curious.
“When I was young, my brother did things to me that I couldn’t do. They instilled a fear of martial arts in me as a child and caused me to break down psychologically. “At that time, just thinking about the word martial arts made me feel intimidated and scared.”
This was the first time I brought this issue up to him. Geommuyang’s eyes trembled. I guess they thought I didn’t know. Actually, he pretended to be worried about me and told me all kinds of things.
My brother did not deny it.
“Then why do you want to take revenge and not shed blood?”
“My brother was a bad guy only to that extent.”
“!”
“If my brother had been more of a scumbag, he would have killed me somehow. They must have destroyed the Danjeon or used some other vicious tactic. But my older brother was not the kind of person who wanted to become a successor, at least by harming his younger brother. That’s why he’s a bad guy that I can understand and tolerate. With my broad heart, let me forgive and understand up to that point. “Because you were young back then.”
Of course, the fact that my father wanted it was another big reason.
“You crazy guy is fucking crazy.”
A swear word that I didn’t usually use came out. Geommuyang was embarrassed. Perhaps at this moment, my brother is being bombarded with questions deep inside his heart.
‘What would have happened if you weren’t confident in becoming the successor? Still, would he have left his younger brother alone? Didn’t he stop at that level because he was confident that he would become the successor?’
What kind of person is my brother?
Actually, I don’t even know that far. Because it was something that never happened and no one could guarantee what choice a desperate person would make at that moment.
“Instead, don’t let your guard down. My brother and I are still standing on the test table. I said I would fight for succession without shedding blood, but if I kill my brother and become the leader of the cult, no mazon will truly follow me. Same goes for my brother. If you defeat me and take over as leader through a clumsy plot, the Mazon will never be truly loyal to you. do not forget. “It seems like they don’t see us, but the Mazons are always watching us.”
Geommuyang, who was quietly staring at me, suddenly spoke.
“Why are you talking so much? “I wasn’t like that when I was younger.”
“I guess all my energy goes to my mouth.”
“It’s not funny at all.”
Did my first words knock a brick off the thick wall between him and me? I kept nagging him more, hoping that would happen. I have no choice but to use my nagging skills towards my older brother.
“Since we’ve become chatters anyway, I’ll just say one last thing. There is no coexistence between brothers in a power struggle? They end up killing each other? Who decided? “Why should we be swayed by the precedents and suspicions of idiots who can’t even control their desires?”
I, who was next to him, went in front of Geommuyang. Then he looked into his eyes and said.
“So don’t even dream of being swayed. If you ever feel anxious, like I’m going to kill you, come see me. When you see me, those thoughts will disappear. Don’t think you’ve been ignored by me today either! Don’t think you lost. I just think that my younger brother talks a lot and speaks well. Don’t get upset! “Don’t decide anything hastily!”
As soon as I finished speaking, Geommuyang became upset.
“You bastard! I thought my ears were bleeding. You say you only say one word, but is this just one word? If you feel like killing yourself or me, come see me! “The little guy needs to be disciplined!”
Geommyang walked out with great strides.
I know that? brother. It may be difficult for you too, but so am I. For me, more than my father, more than Palmazon, my older brother is the most difficult.
I stood in the yard for a moment and looked up at the moon my brother had been looking at. It was a night when I remembered the words of Hyeolcheon Doma, who said that my family was my enemy.
* * *
We trained hard the next day and the day after that.
I worked hard during the day and worked hard at night as well. It was truly a series of training.
A few days passed and today we were still in the middle of a late-night training session.
Today was also the time when I was practicing herbalism in the same posture as a boxing horse.
Whoa!
The horse’s fist flew towards me.
It looked like a mistake, but it wasn’t a mistake.
Boom!
My fist and the horse’s fist collided in the air.
At the sound of the drum exploding, Ian and Cheon Sohee looked at us in surprise.
We were raising our fists in the same posture and our fists were meeting in the air.
“I’m sorry. “I was thinking about something else for a moment.”
“That could be true.”
“How is it? “I’ve already put in so much effort, so why not give it a try?”
“It was a good try. “I decline.”
Finally, the horse is starting to do tricks that are not just tricks. He wanted to fight me ten times as much as I wanted to learn his martial arts.
“If you declined, you should turn around. Why are you looking at me like that?”
It was probably a very unfamiliar experience for him. It’s rare for someone to stare at you like this.
Now I’m going to take a good look at that horse. I saw the fist first, but now I’m going to look at him. Straight forward without any preconceptions.
“I think it’s less scary because I keep seeing Madam Kwon’s face.”
Gwonma shook his head with a puzzled expression and got dressed as if that was the end of today’s training.
After he left, Ian and Cheon Sohee came to either side of me and said.
“liar!”
“The more I look at it, the scarier it gets.”
I laughed lightly at their sincere jokes.
My eyes turned to the horse walking in the distance. The horse was walking alone into the darkness with its large, thick back showing.
What keeps catching my eye isn’t his face. In that lonely looking back, I see myself before my return.