It was long past the time to sleep, but my eyes wouldn’t close.
I just lazed in bed, recalling thoughts of the past.
Back in my Iryu days, I couldn’t understand why martial artists trained so diligently from dawn until late at night.
I thought resting was better than wandering around, and if I was going to rest, lying down was preferable to sitting. Why were they working so hard?
But now that I’ve become a Hwa-gyeong martial artist, I understand why the martial artists are so active.
Haven’t there been days when you feel this way?
Normally, no matter how much you rest, you end up tired, but then there are those rare days when you feel great, and everything just clicks.
On those days, you want to take a walk, play a game, or even do the recycling, motivating you to get moving.
Although I wasn’t fully aware of it, it seems that after reaching Peak Stage or Hwa-gyeong, I was constantly in that state.
I guess you could say a trained body and activated Qi forced me to reach that state.
The reason I realize this now is simple.
Up until now, I’ve poured every ounce of that Qi into achieving my goals.
I’ve been running straight ahead like a racehorse wearing blinders.
Having crossed the finish line, I finally relaxed my screaming muscles and calmed my racing heart, only then could I look back.
Actually, that’s not entirely accurate.
I had become so used to only looking forward that the thought of looking back hadn’t crossed my mind.
The catalyst for turning my gaze back was the gambling training with Miss Yeo Il-ye.
The moment the unique scent of Yeo Il-ye invaded my nostrils, a scene flashed in my mind.
It was on the day of the mountain bandit alliance suppression ceremony in Sacheon City. The scent that filled my nose when our lips overlapped, as well as Yeo Il-ye’s grinning expression when she said she would wait for my answer.
Naturally, memories of what happened at the headquarters flooded my mind.
I recalled the confessions I received from the two of them and their consideration in holding back their replies for me.
“It’s been a long delay.”
The fact that I postponed my reply was truly unavoidable.
I had to stop Jeong Cheol.
When I first resolved to stop Jeong Cheol, I didn’t think it was very likely.
I was merely moving with the mindset of pushing my body through a needle’s eye because it was something that had to be done.
It was already improbable that a martial artist who couldn’t even dodge a blade would catch up to a Hwa-gyeong martial artist. On top of that, I also had to delay time while stopping Jeong Cheol’s invasion of Sacheon.
I had to pour everything into stopping Jeong Cheol, so I had no leisure to prepare for anything else. In fact, I didn’t even have the luxury of looking.
To be honest, I felt more gratitude for the two people’s willingness to wait for me than when they had conveyed their feelings.
And then I ended up completely forgetting.
Even if I had a hundred mouths, there would be nothing to say.
So, even now, I knew I had to hurry and return the answer…
“Haaa…”
The problem is that the more you delay, the bigger it gets.
Even when traveling to the headquarters with my companions, that bond was by no means shallow… but the bond I have now is different from then.
We’ve shared various trials together, and having trained while remaining in the Array Formation.
We had also reunited after being scattered due to our journey to the Heavenly Demon Sect.
The depth of our bond, thickened through years and hardships, weighed heavily in my chest.
Giving an answer to Yeo Il-ye and the Black Cat… would likely result in parting ways with one of them.
Losing that bond with one of the two.
“Haaa…”
It was enough to make me sigh just from the thought.
But I had to make a decision anyway.
“Haa…”
I had no choice but to spend the night letting out sighs.
“Ha ha ha!”
Perhaps because I didn’t enjoy gambling yesterday, Wi Seorye suddenly stormed into the campsite like the wind. Upon seeing Ho Cheon-an’s face, she flinched.
“…What happened yesterday?”
“Nothing much.”
But that face carried the weight of the world’s worries.
Wi Seorye had that thought in her head, but having rapidly developed social awareness under the guidance of the Black Cat in the campsite, she didn’t say it out loud.
The three games the now habitual competitors, Wi Seorye and Hyeok Gi-rin, had finished while searching for another gambling partner saw her eyeing the party.
Naturally excluding Ho Cheon-an, who looked like death warmed over.
And the Black Cat, who was looking at Ho Cheon-an with a serious expression, would likely refuse even if asked to gamble.
Wi Seorye’s gaze settled on Tang Do-yeon and Tang So-yeol. Though Tang So-yeol usually lounged around carelessly, their posture was unusually modest, yet they were still in a better condition than Ho Cheon-an’s group.
“Do either of you want to join me for a hand?”
“I’ll do it!”
Tang So-yeol, who had been walloped senseless by the Black Cat yesterday, was worried that today’s atmosphere might ignite the Black Cat’s wrath once again.
She thought that gambling with Wi Seorye would spare her from being pulled into the woods.
“Finally, I get to witness the Tang Clan’s gambling skills!”
“Anything works. Let’s get it started quickly.”
While Wi Seorye had found a new partner and Tang So-yeol had secured safety, the campsite atmosphere was anything but cheerful.
The three were observing Ho Cheon-an, whose behavior had suddenly changed.
The Black Cat observed the distressed expression of Ho Cheon-an and had a hunch.
‘Something must have changed because of what happened yesterday.’
That intuition quickly turned into certainty.
As Ho Cheon-an, with worried eyes, turned to glance at Yeo Il-ye and then stealthily at the Black Cat, his shoulders twitched as if he was caught stealing.
He hurriedly averted his gaze.
Anyone could see it was suspicious behavior, so the thought naturally arose in the Black Cat’s mind.
Could it be that he is finally getting the answer from that day?
The Black Cat had that thought but soon glared directly at Ho Cheon-an.
Feeling the intense gaze of the Black Cat, Ho Cheon-an broke into a cold sweat, desperately trying to look away.
The Black Cat stepped closer.
How many years had passed while waiting and hoping for the right moment?
Guessing internally and ending up losing would no longer do for the Black Cat.
“Senior, are you troubled?”
So the Black Cat crashed into Ho Cheon-an.
“Ah, no…? I have no worries at all!”
Ho Cheon-an desperately denied it. His heart was heavy with the worries he had carried from last night.
‘How could I ever tell the involved parties that I was struggling with which one to let go?’
That dilemma was something he could never share with the Black Cat.
Thus, Ho Cheon-an desperately tried to change the subject by fidgeting with the cup placed in front of him, looking for Hyeok Gi-rin.
“Ahem! Hyeok Gi-rin, Miss, isn’t it time to start class…”
“Was it because of Miss Yeo Il-ye that worries surfaced yesterday?”
Ding. Clang…
The dice slipped from Ho Cheon-an’s cup and fell to the floor.
“….”
“….”
“….”
No one could deny the clear evidence of Ho Cheon-an’s troubled heart. A silence descended between Ho Cheon-an and the Black Cat.
“W-why did it fall?”
Whiz!
Ho Cheon-an hurriedly swatted through the air to retrieve the dice but there was no escaping the narrowed gaze of the suspicious Black Cat.
“You definitely look worried, don’t you?”
The Black Cat observed Ho Cheon-an, who was dripping with cold sweat and remained tight-lipped, and eventually sighed. Pressing further would only lead to an argument.
“Even if it looks like you have worries… I’ll take that as given for now.”
This meant she hadn’t given up yet.
“Phew…”
In an instant, Ho Cheon-an aged a decade as he sighed and looked at Yeo Il-ye and Hyeok Gi-rin.
“I’m sorry. You two, practice by yourselves today.”
Both Yeo Il-ye and Hyeok Gi-rin sensed what kind of topic Ho Cheon-an was grappling with.
Determining that it wasn’t the time for holding hands and satisfying personal desires, the two readily stepped back.
So at last, Ho Cheon-an found some relief in solitude.
However, he soon realized that escaping the Black Cat’s inquiry hadn’t solved anything, and a renewed frown crossed his face.
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– Do you need help?
Ho Cheon-an raised his head at the dissonance ringing in his brain.
Amidst pretending to tidy up the Bicheongmacha, he caught sight of Tang Do-yeon, who was glancing at him.
Help.
Help.
Ho Cheon-an unconsciously looked around.
“Ho ho ho! Interesting!”
A complete novice in relationships, the gambling master Wi Seorye.
“…Right. As long as you’re enjoying yourself, that’s all that matters.”
Tang So-yeol, who wouldn’t trust anyone at all.
A warm-hearted Hyeok Gi-rin, who was soft-hearted enough to struggle with heavy discussions like cutting ties with someone.
But then there was Tang Do-yeon.
She had an appropriate bond with the party yet didn’t lean too heavily toward any individual. If it weren’t for the Bicheongmacha, she was a capable and trustworthy person.
Ho Cheon-an’s heart shifted entirely.
Tang Do-yeon was someone he could consult about his worries.
Ho Cheon-an felt resolved as he raised his body, encouraged by the relaxed demeanor of Tang Do-yeon lounging against the carriage.
Click-click?
Pretending to pet Seo Gong, who was resting in the Bicheongmacha, Ho Cheon-an boarded the cart. Tang Do-yeon closed the Bicheongmacha’s door.
Tang Do-yeon waited for Ho Cheon-an to speak without pressuring him even after indicating willingness to help by shutting the door.
Click-Click-Click.
After a while, when Seo Gong had halfway fallen into slumber from Ho Cheon-an’s gentle caress, he finally opened his mouth.
A complaint that encapsulated everything he had been worried about since last night.
“It started from when I was leaving the Tang Clan with you all.”
Tang Do-yeon listened attentively to Ho Cheon-an’s words, occasionally nodding. She kept silent, absorbed in Ho Cheon-an’s voice.
‘He was having such worries.’
Before the journey commenced, Ho Cheon-an had been talented in her eyes.
Even back then, when he had just been an expert martial artist and found himself in the presence of Jeong Cheol, she wondered whether such a thing was even possible.
As she watched Ho Cheon-an become their backbone and traverse the Central Plains, witnessing his talents and the results they yielded, she began to view him as superhuman.
Moreover, now that she understood Ho Cheon-an’s secrets and past, she regarded him as a being of heroic status.
Even though there were critical situations threatening his life within the Array Formation, he emerged victorious in the end, and that alone was enough to overshadow his miraculous achievements.
He had consistently accomplished extraordinary feats in innovative ways and executed plans without hesitation.
The common folk couldn’t even fathom the ways he progressed at an unbelievable speed.
So she believed since Ho Cheon-an declared he would stop Jeong Cheol at the Tang Clan, he must have calculated enough to ensure his chances of victory.
However, what Ho Cheon-an was now voicing was far from Tang Do-yeon’s expectations.
Ho Cheon-an, who seemed to always carry confidence and composure, had actually poured every fiber of his being into the effort to defeat Jeong Cheol.
“I know all too well that my worries have come far too late. Hence, I need to provide my answer now.”
“Is that so?”
“Yet… I absolutely cannot come to a conclusion.”
After hearing the extended doubts of Ho Cheon-an, Tang Do-yeon lowered her head to peer at the Bicheongmacha.
‘This is my fault too regarding Ho Senior’s worries.’
Having treated Ho Cheon-an as a superhuman, assuming he could handle everything alone, she had done nothing.
It was inexcusable for her, the guide of the journey and a comrade, to allow him to carry such burdens.
Therefore…
It was now her responsibility to pick up the pieces.
“Everyone! Gather over here!”
Tang Do-yeon raised her voice and moved her hands from the driver’s seat of the Bicheongmacha.
Clash!
“???”
Ho Cheon-an fell into confusion at Tang Do-yeon’s sudden call and the engaging safety locks of the Bicheongmacha.
“What are you doing?”
“Haha! I’m going to announce what I just heard to our party!”
“…What?”
Ho Cheon-an momentarily felt dizzy.
“You must be crazy! I need to get out of here!”
“Whoops, don’t regret what you do.”
As Ho Cheon-an was about to smash the carriage door to escape, his hand froze.
He felt a chilling warning freezing his spine even as reason began to slip away!
While he hesitated, the party quickly gathered around. They had all sensed that something was off with Ho Cheon-an.
“What is it that you’re troubled with, Ho Senior?!”
In a blur akin to Tang So-yeol’s rapid-fire hidden weapons setup, Tang Do-yeon enumerated Ho Cheon-an’s worries. The expressions of his stunned companions started to settle as they absorbed the details.
Thud.
After witnessing all that transpired, Ho Cheon-an sat back in his seat.
“So… you’re worried about having to sever ties with someone.”
After Tang Do-yeon’s disclosure, silence enveloped the campsite. Even Wi Seorye and Tang So-yeol, who had been caught up in a gamble, held their breath and watched.
“…Senior, come out.”
Clank!
With the safety lock disengaged, the door of the Bicheongmacha swung open. Ho Cheon-an stepped out and faced Yeo Il-ye and the Black Cat.
They stood before him with unreadable expressions.
“Do you think I’m lacking as a lover?”
“…I think you’re overflowing with it.”
“Then does that mean you don’t like me?”
“…That can’t possibly be the case.”
As he watched the Black Cat’s hand rise, Ho Cheon-an tightly shut his eyes. Even he knew that was a trash answer, so even receiving a slap would leave him speechless.
Soon after, he felt a sensation on his cheek.
But it was not a stinging pain; it was a gentle touch.
Ho Cheon-an opened his eyes slightly.
What entered his gaze was the Black Cat, wearing a soft smile.
“Were you worrying about something so foolish?”
Ho Cheon-an’s eyes blinked blankly. The Black Cat chuckled at his dopey expression, taking him by surprise.
“So it seems you really have just been looking ahead.”
Yeo Il-ye intertwined her fingers with Ho Cheon-an’s. A tender smile graced her face as well.
“The adventures and time that made you cherish us are part of us together. Are you forgetting that?”
Ho Cheon-an blinked in confusion. Not fully understanding, the Black Cat sighed and continued.
“That doesn’t mean we’d be happy if just one of us gets to keep you while the other leaves.”
Ho Cheon-an, still struggling to comprehend, cast glances between the two until Tang Do-yeon delivered a decisive blow.
“Isn’t it just to accept both of our feelings?”
“…That’s true.”
“Phew, how did it come to this?”
“Heh, right?”
After exchanging glances, the Black Cat and Yeo Il-ye turned their attention back to Ho Cheon-an.
“So what’s your answer?”
“If you both feel alright with it…”
“Oh dear!”
At his lackluster response, the Black Cat bulged her eyes, causing Ho Cheon-an to hesitate momentarily before gathering his conviction.
“Thank you for both accepting me as your lover, even though I’m lacking.”
At that moment, the faces of the Black Cat and Yeo Il-ye blossomed into bright smiles. The long wait had finally borne fruit, and how could they not grin widely?
Ho Cheon-an, unable to bear their cheerful expressions, scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. The gazes of the smiling Black Cat and Yeo Il-ye shifted toward one person.
Hyeok Gi-rin.
Having caught the attention of the two, Hyeok Gi-rin flinched.
“It’s fine.”
“Come over, Big Brother.”
Hyeok Gi-rin stepped forward timidly. He had yet to express his feelings to Ho Cheon-an. The Black Cat and Yeo Il-ye wanted to give Hyeok Gi-rin an opportunity.
The two patted Hyeok Gi-rin’s shoulders, encouraging him, as he cast a look at Ho Cheon-an.
Ho Cheon-an, still lost in thought, was oblivious to the situation. And as those curious gazes from him landed on Hyeok Gi-rin, his heart raced, and he began to speak slowly.
But before Hyeok Gi-rin’s mouth could even open…
“Yongji Maeng?”
A voice rang from behind.
Though distant, it was unmistakable, and the party turned around to find Dokgo I-seol standing there, wide-eyed.
