“How truly disappointing.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa stepped forward.
“…M-Miss?”
As she looked at Ho Cheon-an, who wore a confused expression, she felt a peculiar flutter in her heart.
It was the same sensation she felt when swinging Ho Cheon-an, who was flustered inside the faction, but this feeling was far more vivid.
In her mind, she recalled the scene where Ho Cheon-an landed a hit on the Red Blood Rat.
The aura that brought the whole body to tremble, the power strong enough to unleash both Qi and Entities.
‘Is this why my heart is racing, having seen such a sight?’
Moyong Yeon-hwa chuckled as she watched Ho Cheon-an awkwardly pull away. Wasn’t he the one acting like he could see through everything in the world? Yet, seeing him genuinely embarrassed made her find him cute.
“Do you remember what you said before?”
“W-What did I say…?”
“During our special training. You said you were startled, even knowing it was acting.”
“I did say that. But the distance…”
So close that they could embrace if they stretched their arms. Watching Ho Cheon-an fidget, Moyong Yeon-hwa brought her lips close to his ear.
“I’ve thought about it since hearing those words, about that act.”
Feeling Ho Cheon-an’s body stiffening, Moyong Yeon-hwa continued.
“Perhaps it wasn’t acting after all.”
“D-Don’t do that.”
Suddenly, a scene popped up in Moyong Yeon-hwa’s mind. After negotiating with three people at the Watchtower Shrine, when she returned to the inn and talked to Moyong Seo.
Moyong Seo laughed heartily upon hearing what Moyong Yeon-hwa experienced at the shrine.
“Ha ha, did you feel disillusioned with him?”
“I can’t say I didn’t.”
Hearing this, Moyong Seo burst into even louder laughter.
“Hahahaha! Good, that’s a good sign.”
“…A good sign?”
“Yes. Yeon-hwa. You surely don’t think you’ll develop feelings for that guy now, do you?”
Moyong Seo said this with a meaningful smile.
“That’s why relationships between men and women are so hard to understand.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa internally scoffed.
“Indeed, Uncle. It seems relationships are quite inexplicable.”
Who would have thought that just the thought of the last meeting with Ho Cheon-an could make her heart ache like this?
“Ho Cheon-an, Outcast.”
“…Speak.”
“I must return to my main family. I need to convince the Elders there. I have to advocate for the efforts of the Shengsu Faction and argue that they just went down the wrong path and should be given an opportunity.”
Ho Cheon-an looked into Moyong Yeon-hwa’s eyes.
What was reflected in those eyes was sadness.
“I want to stay by your side and laugh at your flustered self, but I must go.”
“…Miss.”
“Even if things go well and I return quickly, you will surely have to leave, and I will have to stay with the Shengsu Faction. Rebuilding the Shengsu Faction is a task that promises nothing. No matter how much I harbor feelings, there was never a chance for us to be together.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa moved a bit closer.
Her chest brushed against Ho Cheon-an’s body. Moyong Yeon-hwa drew near, forgetting even her embarrassment.
Ho Cheon-an’s face and Moyong Yeon-hwa’s face were so close, they seemed about to overlap.
“Pretending to be lovers, looking in the same direction, walking together while giving each other realizations—this path we took, was there ever a way for us to truly walk it together?”
“I…”
Before Ho Cheon-an could say anything, Moyong Yeon-hwa moved just a bit faster.
Their lips met.
As she saw Ho Cheon-an’s eyes widen in surprise, she thought.
The sweet sensation of the kiss was indeed special.
But nothing could resonate with her heart quite like seeing Ho Cheon-an flustered.
Moyong Yeon-hwa, who had been leaning against Ho Cheon-an, pulled away.
Her face was flushed red, like it might explode at any moment.
“There’s no need for you to say anything, Outcast.”
“…Miss.”
“I thought that if I didn’t take this chance, I might never express my feelings, so I acted on impulse.”
Ho Cheon-an silently gazed at the sad smile of Moyong Yeon-hwa. Seeing that expression, she couldn’t help but grinning mischievously.
“However, if you ever feel like running away from their pressing demands, you can come find me. I promise I’ll give you a hug then.”
Ho Cheon-an frowned at her words. Moyong Yeon-hwa chuckled at his expression and dashed out of the room.
Her face conveyed a whirlwind of emotions as she exited.
The sorrow of having to part with Ho Cheon-an and the sense of achievement of conveying her feelings to him.
And then, a lingering regret.
“Phew.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa wiped away a tear that had escaped. She had wanted to be smiling instead of tearing up at the moment of parting, which is why she ran out, but that too was a form of regret.
Would it have been better to show tears rather than just leaving without seeing more of Ho Cheon-an?
As those thoughts crossed her mind, Moyong Yeon-hwa shook her head.
She had received so much from Ho Cheon-an.
He had worked hard to solve the issues of the Shengsu Faction and even imparted realizations to her.
‘Just conveying my feelings was already greedy. I don’t want to transfer any guilt to the Brain Knife Outcast.’
Moyong Yeon-hwa stifled her tears and held her breath.
How long had it been?
She sensed a presence at the door.
Ho Cheon-an stepped out, and voices of conversation with Moyong Mo reached her ears. Shortly after, she saw Moyong Mo and Ho Cheon-an heading toward the main gate of the faction.
Moyong Yeon-hwa hid between the gaps of the window to watch that scene.
‘So, he has gone.’
After Ho Cheon-an disappeared, Moyong Yeon-hwa sat down. As she blankly stared into the void, she soon noticed Moyong Mo knocking at the door.
Moyong Mo quietly sat down across from Moyong Yeon-hwa.
“I’m sorry, Sister.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“If not for the faction’s troubles… I might have been able to follow Brother.”
Moyong Mo looked at Moyong Yeon-hwa with sorrowful eyes. If there hadn’t been a need to return home directly, would she have been able to follow Ho Cheon-an?
It was a possibility.
The daughter of the Tang Clan and the disciples of the Jeomchang Faction were traveling alongside Ho Cheon-an, after all.
“Well, since the Brain Knife Outcast’s group had a pact anyway.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa recounted what happened at the Watchtower Shrine to Moyong Mo.
“Haha, it seems Brother is completely trapped. I thought the two of them were seamlessly acting in the faction… It appears it was all living acting.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa smiled gently at Moyong Mo’s playful banter.
“Why not return to the main family together?”
“To the main family? But…”
“Even if I stay in the faction, I won’t have the authority to intervene in the mines. And to properly manage the mines, there’s much to learn from the other branch clans. To do that, I must convince the main family.”
Moyong Mo bantered again.
“So let’s both flit off to get permission quickly and return. Then you can leave swiftly to follow Brother. Who would say anything in the main family if you were to say you’re following your brother?”
Moyong Yeon-hwa was left speechless.
Would it really be that easy?
Stopping the sale of the mines and getting permission for the survival of the Shengsu Faction alone would be quite the challenge.
And beyond that, there were mountains of issues.
The mines, the members, and the faction were all in disarray, and just how long would it take to set everything right?
It was a practically impossible suggestion.
“Thank you.”
However, Moyong Yeon-hwa chose to speak words of gratitude over criticism. She fully received Moyong Mo’s sentiments.
And who knows what might happen.
Even if it looks like an unattainable goal, maybe if she pushes through diligently with Moyong Mo, they could find a solution sooner than expected.
“Hahaha! Then I’ll prepare to leave as well.”
Looking at Moyong Mo bursting into hearty laughter as he left, Moyong Yeon-hwa recalled the plans discussed with Ho Cheon-an.
Once the information about the Blood Sect goes public, it’s sure to attract a lot of attention from the Shengsu Faction and the Moyong Clan.
Before the eyes of those martial artists and the world of martial arts get locked on them, they had to hide the Entity of the Blood Sect.
‘Tomorrow, everyone will be setting out on their own paths.’
“Wishing you well with Jeong Cheol.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa murmured, envisioning Ho Cheon-an and his entourage, and then rose from her seat.
She too was bound to leave tomorrow.
Now was the time to shake off her regrets and move busily.
Ho Cheon-an. And then, Moyong Mo and Moyong Yeon-hwa.
Three people who were just entangled for a short time under the guise of coincidence.
The news of the Blood Sect’s upheaval that would shake the entire martial world.
Two days before that news was made public.
The three began walking toward their own respective paths.
