632 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

“So, So Hee?” “Why does something else linger on your lips when you kiss me?” I should have brushed my teeth. Kang Yoon Ho, a man who dreams of a harem. If you're ending one date in the morning and starting another in the afternoon, brushing your teeth is a must. Today, his essential knowledge for maintaining a harem has expanded yet again. Though he might be dead soon. So Hee. How do you distinguish this unknown taste from my own? A sticky tension akin to the sharp edge of a deadly star crept up my neck. Desperate to escape the aura that threatened to tear my nape, I hastily uttered an excuse. “Oh, it's because your brother was treated to dumplings at the Jegal family. Sichuan-style dumplings, Haomun-style street dumplings, Jegal family dumplings, all separately consumed! Th-That's it! Our So Hee must be mistaken.” Your brother found kimchi dumplings from the Jegal family the most delicious. Shintoburi, just like So Hee. Of course, my excuse was destined to be unheard. So Hee stepped back, leaned in towards my side, and said, “Now that I see it, there's another scent.” “What do you mean by that? It's all a mistake. I've actually started using cologne.” Desperate, I continued my unconvincing explanations. “One, two? No. Three.” “...Are you considering becoming a detective, following your brother’s footsteps?” Our So Hee. You’ve found something to do even after retiring from being a warrior. Your brother is pleased. “...” Am I going to die like this? So Hee’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me. At this rate, I could truly lose it all. “Kang Yoon Ho knows. Kang Yoon Ho knows how to transform Chun So Hee into Cheon Sal Seong… No, this isn't right...” There's already Cheon Sal Seong before me. No, but still, maybe that would have been better than this. This situation might really lead to my demise. “Yoon Ho oppa.” A chilling voice as cold as midwinter called to me. “What?! Why, why?!” “Why does my Yoon Ho oppa carry the aura of others?” “Haha. Hahahahaha…” Why does this seem scarier than Cheon Sal Seong earlier? I have to survive. I must find a way to live, somehow. Cornered, I fortunately knew how to divert So Hee's attention. “Yoon Ho oppa?” “So Hee, I missed you.” Ultimate move by Kang Yoon Ho: Pretend to know nothing and tenderly embrace her. Thankfully, So Hee didn’t reject my embrace. In any case, words can’t reach her. It's best not to respond unnecessarily. Time is running out. I can’t explain what's happening right now or why my mouth seems to taste of four different flavors when it shouldn’t. So Hee must realize the conversation is futile. Initially, So Hee seemed tense with suspicion, but as I continued to hold her warmly, her tension gradually eased. For the first time in a while, I gently stroked So Hee's hair. "Is this a dream?" Like a cat purring in a pleasant slumber, her voice drifted dreamily. I didn’t bother to answer. 'I must survive.' Because life is precious. "It's warm." So Hee, your brother's cold sweat is trickling down his neck right now. —— “How have you been? I wonder if you've read the letters I sent.” Knowing no response would come, I spoke the words I had held in my heart alone. A reply that won't return. How I've yearned to hear about So Hee's recent life. I know it's selfish of me. It’s because she belongs to a secretive and dangerous guild. It's only recently that I could send more than short notes. Dreaming of a reply is out of the question. So Hee is a nameless member who must protect the organization’s secrets. I knew this. And knowing it, I could only soothe my lingering sorrows through the shared warmth between us. "Strange." "What seems strange to our So Hee?" "Is this a dream? I usually don’t dream like this." "Ahaha..." So Hee burrowed deeper into my embrace, seeking more warmth. Her trembling was palpable, as if she couldn't quite believe it, clutching me even tighter. Amidst the joyous thumps of our hearts, So Hee softly called to me. "Oppa. Yoon Ho oppa." "Yes?" "I'm trying my best." Her tone was almost confessional. A voice not typical of So Hee. "I see." "I won’t give up. I'm firmly grasping my destiny, trying not to be defeated by fate as you told me." I was momentarily speechless. That day’s promise. The story we shared when we parted ways. Though a year had swiftly passed, So Hee lived up to the promise made that day. "Your brother is doing the same." Someday, I’ll save So Hee's destiny. It’s the driving force that keeps me from giving up, sitting down, and settling. It keeps me moving forward. I patted her head in praise. Was my feeling conveyed? I sensed a tremor from So Hee's body. "But... but I'm a little scared." "So Hee?" Her voice surprised me, as I barely managed to suppress the emotions threatening to burst forth. "I'm afraid that even if we live diligently, that day might still come. That despite our efforts, that day could arrive." "...." Because no matter how much one struggles, they can’t reach heaven, and So Hee’s fears never fade. YW9peUx5cktZYXhyU2hzY1VsMkQ0WkpoSDFxTlUyVVRqY0VWMUtpelRDUHFTdzlkVFRCajlpZGVlM0NLOHNVLw She slipped slightly from my arms, and with a bitter smile—a look that evoked the day of our goodbye—she slowly confessed. “Dying doesn't scare me. Other things don't frighten me. But someday… someday, not remembering you oppa, that’s what terrifies me.” A confession to no one else but me. She could do it because it was a dream, and because Kang Yoon Ho stood before her. So Hee's hand gently reached for my face. Her touch traced my eyes, nose, and lips—every part, as if wanting to remember them all. I wanted to answer this earnest So Hee, to comfort her. Wasn’t there a way? While I contemplated for a moment. "Has the time come...? So Hee." From her toes, glints of dark pearls began to scatter into a luminous haze. “I want to see you, oppa. As much as I enjoy your letters, and as much as I love these dreams, I really want to see Yoon Ho oppa.” There was a trace of emotion in So Hee’s earnest voice. Though I knew we were short of time, I couldn’t help myself. “Cheon Sal Seong can hear my voice.” “……?” Holding So Hee's hand tightly, I promised her. “I’ll come to you without delay.” “Yoon Ho oppa...?” “I promise. Your brother swears it.” Though So Hee appeared bewildered, there was no more time. Just as the light of a lighthouse converges into a human form, it was dissolving back into a beam of light. However, I had just enough time to share my determination. “So Hee, hang in there.” There was time for a heartfelt encouragement to So Hee. “Yes. I’ll be waiting.” There was time to see her genuine smile—time for us both to find the courage to move forward again. ----------------- “Damn it! I’m late! It’s too late!” After leaving So Hee’s smile behind, I sprinted with all my might. ‘That beam of light looks incredibly dangerous.’ The exit to return to reality was a narrowing passage that inspired a sense of urgency. “This is close—everything's on edge! Sir! No, even the Guardian! If I miss this last opportunity, my life is over! Hold on!” Brings back memories. Back when I schooled in Seoul, during college gatherings, when people deliberated on which bar to head next. Except now, I’m in a hurry to leave before missing the last bus. Guys, don’t pretend you aren’t upset—I really am. I was happy sitting next to the girl I had a crush on during the gatherings. Although she was always looking at my buddy. The feeling of rushing the moment you step out of the pub, before you could even sort out your lingering regret—that desperation is back. “Huff! Huff! Is this the last lighthouse?” I barely reached the final lighthouse. The beam of light was now right in front of me. It's a distance I could cover by crossing one small bridge. Four lighthouses—Hwa Lin, Ha Yeon, and So Hee. Who might the last one be? I didn’t need to wonder. “There’s only one possibility.” Mo Yong Sang Ah. The beginning of my story and the journey’s end. Will I truly see her? Despite being connected through dreams, the thought of seeing her face made my chest tighten. How should I react? What should I say? How should I face her? Numerous thoughts crossed my mind, so I decided to just wait. After waiting for a while... “Why isn’t it transforming?” The light of the lighthouse didn’t change into a human form. Hey, the pillar of light is steadily diminishing right now. Madam, I know I’ve kept you waiting often, but this kind of attempt at assassination is troubling. Perplexed, I looked around, and something different happened. “Huh?! Why is there a bridge?" A golden bridge appeared. Its direction was, of course, towards the beam of light right before my eyes. “Does this mean… I have to go because there isn’t much time?” The bridge flashed repeatedly, as if urging me to hurry. “Did I use too much energy?” Did I take too long? My banter with Hwa Lin, my conversation with Lady Ha Yeon, my encouragement to So Hee. Perhaps I expended too much energy to connect with Mo Yong Sang Ah. The golden bridge flickered repeatedly as if urging me. “Alright, alright. I’m going.” The once mighty pillar that seemed as though it supported the earth had thinned significantly. There was no time. I took the first step onto the bridge. “Yeah. Maybe it’s better not to see her now.” She’s smart and perceptive. If we connect, she might catch onto the fact that I survived. It’s best not to meet now. When the time is right, when I’m prepared, that will be when it's best to reunite with her. Going now is the right choice. I don’t need to see her now. I desperately tried to convince myself, but I couldn’t quite shake the lingering attachment and looked back at the lighthouse. “Hey, Guardian! Are you still there?!” I shouted towards the sky. Of course, there was no response. “It’s supposed to be over! Show yourself!” Without a response, I resolved not to budge, making myself a hostage as leverage. “If you don’t appear, I won’t leave! Come out quickly!” [Why are you not leaving?] In the end, a voice echoed from the heavens, unable to hold back any longer. The tone suggested I should be satisfied with the gift and exit. Yeah, it’s fine to leave like this. But you see. “I have one last favor.” If you’re going to give me a gift, you might as well help until the end.