878 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Episode 878 My head was spinning. Every time I heard a voice I didn't recognize echoing in my mind, I felt nauseous. I clutched my chest, trying to steady my breathing, but even that was difficult. What is this? What is this feeling? My vision was blurry. The sounds that once echoed in my head now began to obscure my sight. The scene around me shifted. Instead of facing Tang Sohyeol under the night sky, I was somewhere else entirely. Though it's hazy and hard to see clearly, it wasn't night by any means. Rather, it was broad daylight. The faint sight of autumn leaves made it seem like it was the current season. Where is this place? Why is such a thing happening to me, and when exactly? And then, ‘Just a little more.’ Despite my bewilderment, I was eager to see more of that scene. I couldn't tear my eyes away. Or perhaps, it was simply that I missed it. It's a feeling I couldn't quite understand myself. But no matter what, I wanted to see it. Although I couldn’t discern the expressions, there I was, sitting in front of a cabin I had never seen before, with someone I didn't recognize. -Yes, just like that. The woman smiled, seemingly satisfied that I had called her name. But then. -Always stay like this. Just like that. Her voice was filled with an inexplicable sadness. So I asked. -Why are you like this? What makes you so sad? Why are you unhappy even when your request is fulfilled? I asked, but no response came. I couldn't tell if it was because the woman chose not to speak, or if the voice was simply absent from my memory. ‘Speak.’ But I longed to hear it. ‘Tell me.’ I wanted to hold on and question her, but the me in my memory seemed unwilling to speak any further. It was suffocating. This moment where I couldn't move was even more so. Why was I so anxious and frustrated? I couldn't tell. ‘Move.’ I gritted my teeth and strained. I knew that wouldn't make the me in the memory move. But still, it felt like something I had to do. And as I was trying all I could in that fleeting moment, Silently. ‘…!’ In the hazy vision, my body moved. Was it me who moved? I wasn't sure, but it was true that my body responded to my will. My hand reached out. The woman flinched as she saw it. Her expression remained unseen, as the blur had not subsided. -…You? A surprised voice echoed. And then. “Young master…!” “…!” A voice intruded, jolting me awake. “Young master…. Are you alright?” “…Ah….” Tang Sohyeol's face came into view. She gently caressed my cheek with her hand. “Why... why are you crying, young master? Is it because of me…?” Crying? I hurriedly wiped my eyes with my hand at her words. It was true. Even if just a little, tears had welled up. It was absurd. ‘What is this.’ Why was I suddenly on the verge of tears? What was that memory even about? I was momentarily lost, unable to make sense of the situation. “I'm, I'm sorry….” Tang Sohyeol's words made me widen my eyes. “What?” “It's because I was being unreasonable, isn't it? I'm sorry…. It's not that I meant to…” “What are you talking about? No, that's not it.” I hastily tried to add more words, but Tang Sohyeol was already visibly shaken. “…I'm sorry.” “No, wait….” “I should go now. Please rest.” Before I could say anything to stop her, Tang Sohyeol tried to rush out. Would it be best to just let her go for now? That thought briefly crossed my mind. But then. I noticed Tang Sohyeol’s eyes. Her reddened eyes looked like tears were ready to fall at any moment. Seeing that, my hand moved first. I reached out and held Tang Sohyeol close to me. “…Sorry.” “...” “It’s not like that. Truly.” I fervently muttered excuses. Tang Sohyeol said nothing, just holding onto my back firmly. The words she had asked about my feelings lingered in my mind. What was the answer I had been preparing to give? There was no need to search for it. How could I forget after such a short moment? ...The issue was. “I can't give you an answer right now.” I could not say the answer to those words. Upon hearing that, Tang Sohyeol squirmed in my embrace. “…Why?” Her voice was very small. “Are you unsure…? Or is it because there's no such feeling?” The tremble in her voice showed how anxious Tang Sohyeol truly was. “…No. It’s neither.” Unsure? That couldn't be it. If it’s because there are no such feelings? That was not it either. “Simply... I just can’t say it now.” At least not now. Not at this moment. If I were to speak now, it felt as if everything I had been suppressing would burst out uncontrollably. ‘Though I'm barely managing.’ I may not be the brightest, but I understood the emotions of those looking at me with such affection. And those sentiments clinging to me were overwhelming. But it was something I had to endure. ‘Because now isn't the right time.’ Without achieving anything or resolving any problems, now wasn’t the time. Only after I had settled everything in front of me... Then would be the right moment. So, “Just... wait a little longer.” “...” The grip on my back tightened. “How long is ‘a little’?” It was a question reminiscent of a child. Like how I once asked how long more I’d have to wait for that day to come. How should I answer her? I shouldn’t agonize over it for too long. This time, I needed to speak honestly from within. “It won't take long.” Although I couldn’t promise a precise answer, I tried my best. It shouldn’t be too long. Even if circumstances dragged out, I intended to make them otherwise. “...” In the end, the response was vague, but Tang Sohyeol didn't press for more. She just stayed nestled against my chest, quietly resting her face against me. Even after a long while. “…Alright.” Tang Sohyeol, still nestled against my chest, spoke. “I’ll wait…. I’m confident in that.” Her words carried a strangely bittersweet tone. “But on one condition…” Tang Sohyeol lifted her head, meeting my gaze. Her eyes were still red-rimmed. “When the time comes for you to say those words, please tell me first.” “…What?” “I understand it's not something you'll say to just one person.” “...” I felt like the lowest person on earth, and I couldn't deny it. I couldn't look away, so I just swallowed hard. “No matter what form you take or what you do, I know I'm not the only one who can love that about you. So it's okay.” “...” “Heh… Your expression is quite funny right now, young master.” “…That…” “Could you promise me?” If it’s something you'll say, let me hear it first. Watching Tang Sohyeol say that, I scratched my cheek and replied. “…I’ll try.” “Okay.” Tang Sohyeol's expression softened, as if my trivial reply was enough. “Please make sure to try.” She smiled bashfully, and seeing that smile, I couldn't help but smile awkwardly too. Just as I thought the conversation would end... “But, young master.” “Yeah?” Tang Sohyeol asked. “Who is Yeon Hwa?” “...” Oh, damn. The atmosphere suddenly chilled. Tang Sohyeol was still smiling, but that smile was terrifying. ‘I guess she heard.’ A slip of the tongue it seemed, yet she managed to catch it. In simple terms, I was screwed. “Is she a woman? Who?” “…Did I say that? I don't really—” “Your face shows you know you said it.” “...” Damn it. I seriously contemplated running away, but Tang Sohyeol was holding me tightly in her arms. It was enough to worry about my body breaking under the pressure. Creak. “Ah… That hurts?” “It’s supposed to.” “Oh, right.” That’s right. It's supposed to hurt. Well, then, I guess I should endure it. “Who is she?” “…Well, it’s just that.” “Young master, it's not really my place to say, but I dislike adding more.” “Who says I’m adding anything?” “You still have a conscience, don't you? Right?” “...” Did I ever have one? It felt like I’d come too far to consider that now. “…Right?” “Of course. Yes…. Naturally.” I answered hastily, detecting the danger in her voice. This was one of those times where I needed to conjure up a conscience I didn’t have. “Who is she?” She was determined not to let this go. Her eyes were serious, more so than when discussing the Heavenly Demon Sect. The problem is. “…That's the thing.” “What?” “I don't really know who she is.” “…What do you mean?” “I really don't know. Who could it be?” I honestly didn’t know who this Yeon Hwa person is. Tang Sohyeol's brows furrowed at my response, but I was telling the truth. I wanted to know who this woman named Yeon Hwa was, more than anything. ****************** Swoosh. The grass rustled in the night wind. The moon hovered close to a crescent shape. As if signaling the end of autumn, a hint of winter lingered in the air. “...” Someone was seated on a rock, gazing at the sky. Today, the cloudless sky seemed peculiar, and the woman stared at it with a vacant expression, wondering if it was something strange. What could she be thinking? Her expression betrayed no clue at all. “…Hmm.” The woman, who had been quietly looking at the sky, suddenly muttered softly and moved her hand. She opened her palm and stroked her chest several times. “…Mmm….” A reaction suggesting something was wrong, accompanied by a baffled expression. The woman rolled her pretty violet eyes thoughtfully. “What is this?” Something was amiss today. “What is it?” Difficult to describe, equally challenging to ponder. Cursing the ineffable sensation, she could only tilt her head back and forth. “Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.” Every motion of her head was accompanied by sound. The behavior was a tad childish for someone with such a mature exterior. After tilting her head for a while, the woman finally halted. “I don’t know. Hmm, I really don’t know.” She concluded. “Want to see you.” Whom did she wish to see? The answer eluded even her. It was words voiced by instinct. “You want to see…?” And then she immediately turned it into a question. “Hmm.” The woman's legs swung slowly in the air. Just then. -Yeon Ah! Yeon Ah! Where has she wandered off to now? At the sound of a distant voice, the woman ceased moving. In that instant, a force emerged from her shadow, enveloping the area. -Yeon…! Only then did the voice fade away. She chose this method because she wished to be alone. Besides. ‘That's not my name.’ She wasn’t Yeon Ah. In silence, she accepted her sister's calling, but she couldn't get accustomed to it, no matter how much she thought about it. Instinct told her. That wasn't her name. Never to entertain such a thought. If so. ‘Then, what is my name?’ What could her name be? Why did she think it wasn't Yeon Ah? It was the deepest quandary she had ever pondered. If she disliked being called that by her sister, she could simply say it wasn’t her name, that it was something else. ‘I don’t know.’ Though she disliked it, she had no clue what her real name was. ‘I… don’t know.’ What is a name? Or perhaps, that wasn’t the important part. ‘…What matters is…’ Who calls it. That felt more crucial to her. She was waiting for someone who knew her name to call for her. “Hmm….” She clutched her now heavy heart. It was stifling and painful. She no longer wanted to think about anything. Swoosh. As she compressed the space around her to conceal any sign of herself, the woman closed her eyes. She loathed the solitude of the night. All she yearned for was the warmth of the returning daylight. As always. Genre: Martial Arts 5 Comments 3.2 / 79 Gongmyeong Cham 2024.09.09 09:23 Report It's intriguing how everything becomes more curious when the fixed count of four characters increases to five... Especially when they're beautiful heroines wielding swords. 재미있는거찾아다닐예정 2024.09.09 17:17 Report But did the Blood Demon not move when the Heavenly Demon was repeating its life? It seems the world where the Heavenly Demon was returning is different from the current world. dlfkehs17 2024.09.14 14:29 Report It appears something got twisted when the origin of the Gu family opened the Demon Gate? 장화홍련 2024.09.29 16:59 Report The main character seems to act quite differently from the Orthodoxy after becoming a dragon? 연우 2024.10.28 16:34 Report Poor Heavenly Demon. Only logged-in members can post comments. 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