Chapter 21 Friend (3) - Martial Arts Masochist

It was just past noon, and the place where the most village people, living under the protection of the Emei Sect, gathered was, unsurprisingly, the market. The road, stained with dust, bustled with the lively movement of countless people. On either side stood old houses and shops lined up closely, augmented by the tent stores in front. Beneath these tents lay an array of items. The fragrant smell of medicinal herbs tickled the nose, while the aroma of freshly steamed potatoes and dumplings stirred the stomach. Sparkling rings, necklaces, hairpins, and colorful fabric shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight. "Potatoes! Freshly steamed potatoes!" "Mister! Halt your steps for a moment! Just imagine the smiles from your wife with this one hairpin!" Amidst the bustle of shouting merchants, I walked slowly. It was a place filled with the smells of life. Busy housewives hustling about, children running around with friends, and even the familiar beggars leaning against the shaded stone wall, basking in the sunshine. "Sigh." I let out a breath, unconsciously absorbed by the lively energy. It felt as if my mind was clearing up. After all, I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts that I couldn't even focus during simpler tasks. My concerns were, unsurprisingly, about Cheongwol. During the last session, I realized something - we were likely to continue engaging in the SM play consistently. Cheongwol was a masochist. Whether her tendency was deep-seated or shallow, her reactions were incredibly blatant when provoked by humiliation. Even with moist eyes and flushed cheeks, despite expressing reluctance, she would ultimately give in. The way she twisted her body and her breath exhaled... ...It was practically the ideal image of a masochist that every sadist might dream of, something straight out of a book. If only it weren't Cheongwol, I might have been spinning cartwheels in delight, particularly in this mundane world. Four days had passed since that day, yet I still couldn't fully come to grips with it. Cheongwol? A masochist? She was a nun of the Emei Sect, embodying the words pure and elegant. Yet, this monster, who found satisfaction in killing, was actually a pervert who enjoyed flogging and shame. I couldn't help but be shocked. I thought to myself I had truly stepped into something troublesome. Even though I was acting just to survive, I could feel things tangling further out of my favor as time passed. I wasn't entirely sure, but Cheongwol still seemed to consider this as treatment for her inner demon. The fact that she might be so deluded was terrifying in itself. This is merely an act enjoyed by perverts with peculiar tastes. How would she react if she found out? Would she try to kill me for deceiving her? “Argh... Aaargh!!” Sighing, I yelled out. People on the street shot me strange looks before promptly disregarding me again. "Heh." Ultimately, the only option left was to continue disguising this as treatment. If I wanted to keep surviving, that is. And if I intended to continue this play, I needed preparation. Simply going about it half-heartedly wouldn't work; meeting Cheongwol’s expectations without thorough preparation was impossible. If it weren't like this, there would be no issue. There's an abundance of things that can be done without preparation, provided I disregard her. Raising the level isn't hard either. Just touching her body with disgraceful intentions would suffice. But could I ever touch Cheongwol's body like that? Pinch her nipples? Pat her lower abdomen? Of course not! Even the time I petted her head, had I not been somewhat tipsy, I wouldn't have dared. Touching her body, even just a bit, felt burdensome. Hence, I came to the market. To prepare, given the restricted nature of the play. And perhaps to buy some potatoes for home or taste some street food, greet a few beggar acquaintances. Perhaps to soothe my complicated feelings a bit. Thus, today, I just intended to spend the day like that. “…” “…” ...But why on earth are you there? I froze in place, locking eyes with Cheongwol in the middle of the market. She was the same, staring at me with an unexpected blink. Surrounding her were people trying to engage her in conversation, laugh, and please her with reverence. “Miss Cheongwol! Come this way! Have a snack!” “Miss! The hairpin you accepted last time is ready! Over here!” “Oh my, how truly beautiful you are…” Yet Cheongwol appeared uninterested in the noise, choosing instead to focus solely on me. Like a starving bear that had found its prey. For a moment, I shifted my gaze from side to side. As Cheongwol bore into me with her gaze, others around her naturally started to glance my way too. The beggar uncles, the shop owners, and the fawning fans by her side—they all turned their heads in unison, staring at me with strange looks. Cold sweat dripped down the nape of my neck. At that moment, it seemed like Cheongwol, as if to greet me, began to raise her hand slowly. - Swish! I turned my head on reflex. Pretending not to have seen her, I swiftly crossed the market alley at a brisk pace. Hey, you crazy woman! How many times do I have to tell you I don't want to get involved with martial artists! Especially not with you! The more entangled I became with her, the more it felt like I was being dragged into the abyss. Right now, it wasn't even about the threat of the Seven Evils of the Demonic Cult. If news spread around the Jianghu that I was acquainted with the Emei Sect's Millennium Flower, what would become of me? Endless trouble would rain down, and the Murim, which I had strived so hard to distance myself from, would stand right at my doorstep. Clutching the back of my head, I quickened my steps. It's fine. It'll be fine. ...Right? We agreed, didn't we? Not to see each other for ten days. It's not even that hard. You'll keep that promise, right? So let's just drop any interest entirely. Thus, I walked for a good while, heading to the opposite side of the market. I had planned to look for leather straps or oil to coat rawhide in the area where I encountered Cheongwol... I would have to do it later. So, shifting to a different zone, I started searching for ink blocks. Ever since Cheongwol found her way into my basement, I too needed to delve deeper into the world of SM. The play was no longer something I could just enjoy for my own satisfaction. Therefore, I needed to document and organize somehow the vague ideas forming in my mind, whether about knotting techniques or managing the intensity. I approached one side of the market, where the half-sleeping owner of a bookstore was seated. "Mr. Jang. It's been a while. Do you have any ink? Even a cheap one would be fine... huh?" At that moment, a commotion arose from the street. Turning my head to see... "...Thank you. Please stay healthy, ma'am..." ...there was Cheongwol, her face adorned with a bright smile, laughing with the townspeople, as always. A distance of about 100 meters lay between us. ...Just when I thought the distance had increased, why was she here? Surely, she wasn’t following me, I hoped. As I continued to gaze at Cheongwol suspecting her intent, she never once looked my way. “Yes, I am well aware. Thanks to you, our brothers are doing well too...” It didn’t seem like she had any business with me. Thankfully. Perhaps she remembered our agreement. Her being here was purely coincidental, simply a matter of overlapping paths. "Seo Jin, are you going to buy it or not?" The bookstore owner, waving the ink in his hand, was urging me. "Ah, please give it to me." I fished out some coins from my pocket and handed them to the owner. Then I turned away, distancing myself from Cheongwol again. Maybe I should go get some oil. "Hey, Seo Jin’s come back, huh?" The street beggars noticed me and inquired. I nodded slightly in their direction. “Drink moderately, guys. No coins left for you.” “If there’s not enough, you can just give us what we need, right?” “Just drink moderately and don’t drink all of my share.” I hastened my steps, leaving the laughing men behind. I should make my purchases quickly and get going, lest I get entangled with Cheongwol. However... ‘...Miss, what you said back then truly touched my heart...’ ‘I always feel like crying every time I see Miss Cheongwol... Oh dear, am I being silly...’ ...Still, before long, the commotion found its way back to me. I rolled my eyes again, and there she was—Cheongwol, not too far off. “Why did you come down after such a long time!” “I’ll come down more often. If you always greet me so warmly, it’ll make me happy too.” “Oh, seeing our Cheongwol alone always brings a smile to my face!” It was as if she was cultivating friendships with the villagers, spreading merriment and joy, yet inexplicably, the group surrounding her seemed to edge closer and closer to me. As I stood there confused, the distance between us shrank from 100 meters to 80 meters, then 60 meters... and soon to about 20 meters. - A sidelong glance. Only then did Cheongwol, moving at a fleeting speed, glance at me and then avert her eyes. At that moment, I realized. ...Right, this woman had an obsessive personality. Her fixation was in a league of its own. If there was something she wanted, she wouldn’t rest until it was resolved. Ha. I took a deep breath. ...Will today be alright? **** Whenever Han Seo Jin came into view, a simmering irritation surfaced for Cheongwol. While she was being disregarded by him so blatantly, he interacted with others normally, if not warmly. "This oil is filtered to be scent-free, right?" "Lick and see! If you think there is any smell. I’ve added crushed flowers to make it all fragrant!" “Ah, really? Well, in that case, it should be fine.” ...He acts like that with others. Why was he so cold only to the one with whom he shared a secret? It felt like a form of discrimination. She understood he didn’t want to get entangled with martial artists. But did that mean he was unwilling to even exchange pleasantries? How hard could that be? He’s all smiles, chatting warmly with everyone else in town, yet he keeps his back to her, pretending not to notice. Isn’t that more awkward and unnatural? Moreover, she didn’t think they were at a point where saying hello should be uncomfortable. Cheongwol had shown tears before Han Seo Jin and exposed herself emotionally to him. He was someone who recently occupied an irreversible place in her mind. Yet, she couldn’t even manage a simple greeting; something about that felt unjustly one-sided. The absurdity of the situation only made her boiling emotions inside more vibrant. A soft revenge was vaguely tempting. ...Besides, let’s be honest. The social standing doesn’t even match. She was a renowned figure across the Central Plains, and he was nothing more than the head of a leather workshop who grew up among beggars. If anything, he should be grateful if she even acknowledged him. “…Ha.” Cheongwol let out a hollow laugh. Perhaps her pride had taken a slight hit. Additionally, the subtle realization that she was, albeit unwittingly, assessing people by their social rank gnawed at her, making her feel uneasy. “…” She could simply ignore it. What did it matter what Han Seo Jin did? Cheongwol had dealt with such negative emotions for a long time. Just like she did with her own brothers, she could just turn her interest away. “What? No, that’s too expensive!” “I told you, it’s fragrant with the flowers crushed in!” “No! Just give me the cheap one, even if it stinks!” “This is exactly the behavior of someone raised among beggars! You do this every time you buy something!” ...Yet, Cheongwol found it difficult to tear her gaze away from him. Whenever she looked at his face, she was reminded of the basement. The words he’d whispered, the gentle touch of his hand on her head. The commanding, authoritative demeanor and even the heart-constricting sensation she felt then came vividly to life. So once she finished greeting those around her, Cheongwol naturally gravitated toward Han Seo Jin. Her steps were cautious. ‘...What’s this?’ The closer she got to him, the more her heart raced inexplicably. Everything became off-kilter when she was entangled with him. It felt as if rationality always crumbled away. What was it about just approaching him that did this? Once she was close enough, she wetted her lips and opened her mouth to call out, "Master Jun–" But before she could finish, Han Seo Jin shouted out. “-It’s settled from the start. Thank you. Sell a lot!" And with a quick turn, he vanished to the other end of the market. Cheongwol stood frozen in place, watching his retreating back. She was too exasperated to even breathe. “...Ha.” Unknowingly, she let out a cold laugh. Fine. She thought to herself. Let's see who wins this. It seemed that securing a greeting from him was the only way to ease her irritation. **** Damn it. It's certain now. Cheongwol is following me like a duckling trailing after its mother duck, tailing me wherever I go. Does she think she’s doing it secretly, or is she just shamelessly obvious about it? “...” “...” ...It seemed like it was the latter. Our eyes just met again. Evading her while moving around the market was taking me twice as long as it should. Honestly, why? Why is she following me like this, making it so scary? We agreed not to acknowledge each other! Even when racking my brain, I couldn’t figure out why she was shadowing me. It's definitely nothing like asking for another flogging session. Or is she just trying to mess with me? If it's not one of those things, I can't think of anything else. ...Is this revenge for leaving her in the basement the other day? Or is she monitoring me to see if I'll try another weird stunt like SM with the villagers here? I couldn’t make heads or tails of it— “Han Seo Jin!” Someone called my name then. Ah. Turning my head, I saw Ga-young standing there. It seemed I had wandered near Ga-young’s shop absentmindedly. Ga-young was a young woman I had known since my beggar days. It’s awkward to call her a friend, but more of an acquaintance. She's a bit plump and not particularly striking, but she has a kind heart. She used to give me food when I was homeless. She's also the only daughter of a dumpling shop owner. Upon spotting me, Ga-young began calling out to customers. “Come by and have a dumpling. We steamed them deliciously today.” “...Is it free?” “...” Ga-young just smiled, as if asking, ‘Do you really think so, you cheeky beggar?’ My stomach grumbled, possibly due to dodging Cheongwol continually. I glanced briefly at Cheongwol, noticing she was intently staring at Ga-young. After some thought, I asked Ga-young, “What kind of dumplings are they?” “We only have meat dumplings.” Perfect. Cheongwol, being a nun, wouldn’t eat meat, so this was my chance to evade her. “Alright, then. I'll take one.” "I'll give you a discount, but it won't be free." With that, I stepped up to the shop for a quick snack. ...But then. “...What?” Cheongwol stood right next to me, abruptly shattering the distance we had maintained thus far. “Oh my! Miss Cheongwol!” Ga-young exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Cheongwol. “Uh... uh...” I was likewise startled and a bit frightened by her sudden approach. Cheongwol, offering Ga-young a charming eye-smile, leaned over to whisper something only I could hear. ‘...Who is she?’ The chilling tone was enough to make anyone need to change their underwear.