I love living without caring for others’ opinions. I stealthily suggested to Moyong Hwa.
“Why not live as you please for a little bit as well, Young Master?”
“……As I please?”
“Yes. Not caring about others, and just doing what the Young Master wants.”
“…….”
He didn’t say anything. I slightly raised the corners of my mouth.
“I know. You’re in a more difficult situation than mine. It’s hard for the Moyong Family’s future leader to not care about people’s opinions.”
“……If you know that, why did you ask.”
I secretly checked Moyong Hwa’s face and sat down. I asked an out of nowhere question instead.
“Young Master, it’s a little sudden, but what is the Young Master’s goal?”
“My goal?”
“Yes. I’m curious about what you really want, not what the others want from you.”
Moyong Hwa murmured to himself.
“What I want…….”
He agonized for a long time before spewing out.
“To be recognized by Soseo Hyung-nim.”
“What?”
As soon as I asked back, Moyong Hwa jumped up. Swish, a silver, well forged sword touched my neck. But I was less scared this time compared to before. I guess I quickly got used to it. Is that a good thing? Yeah, it’s a good thing. I said to myself that martial artists who are not as gentle as Soseo usually draw their swords first. It’s a little sad to live in such a dangerous world, but it’s better than living in fear at every moment. I looked up at Moyong Hwa with calm and clear eyes. He ordered with a very murderous face.
“Forget what you just heard.”
He probably said it without thinking. I nodded.
“Yes, I will forget it. But Young Master Moyong Hwa, the more you say to forget, the more people won’t. On the contrary, I am afraid they will remember it even more clearly.”
“…….”
“You should threaten me not to tell anyone else instead. Please do that next time.”
After I said that, Moyong Hwa looked down at me without saying a word for a minute, and then muttered with a dejected expression.
“……All of a sudden, I’m becoming a fool too.”
He went back to his place and sat down. I waited for a bit while he got a hang of his emotions before asking.
“How do you want to spend time with Young Master Soseo?”
“Didn’t I tell you earlier to forget that.”
“I forgot about it a long time ago. I am just asking because I have always been curious.”
I intentionally lightly asked him.
“Do you want to get along well with Young Master Soseo?”
“……How could that be?! Stop changing the subject.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“So?”
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“Pr atja ktja atf Tbecu Zjrafg kjcar?”
“Tfr. Ktlr lr ktja P kjca.”
“Lw, atja lr ragjcuf. Qts vb P xffq atlcxlcu atf Tbecu Zjrafg jmaejiis kjcar rbwfatlcu firf? P atlcx atfgf wera yf rbwfatlcu firf sbe gfjiis kjca.”
“……Ha.”
Moyong Hwa was speechless. He clicked his tongue and snapped.
“Then what is it you think I really want?”
“That, I do not know.”
I’m saying the obvious. If I knew that, I would have made a name for myself through mind reading instead of doing odd jobs.
“But could you think about it one more time? Is that what you really want?”
After that, he went silent again. Yeah, his heart is too complicated. I should go now so that I leave with a clear heart. It’s time for Young Master Soseo’s meal. I stood up and told Moyong Hwa.
“Then, I will be on my way.”
Moyong Hwa, who had his face buried on his knee, raised his head. He hesitated for a while, and then casually questioned.
“……Are you going back to Hyung-nim?”
“Yes, I am his servant after all.”
“…….”
He got up from his seat. You can just stay here. It’s quiet and there’s no people here. It’s quite nice. I reached out for my handkerchief while thinking about that.
“……Are you going to use that again?”
“What? Yes. The back is covered with mud, but I can use it again after washing it.”
The moment when my finger was about to touch the handkerchief, Moyong Hwa quickly snatched it with lightning speed.
“I was the one who got it dirty, so I’ll buy you a new one.”
“What? I put it down because I wanted to in the first place. If I just wash it…….”
He turned his back before I was done talking.
“I’ll buy you a new one, so follow me.”
“Are you going to be okay? There must be a lot of people on the street…….”
Moyong Hwa was angry, and shouted even before I finished speaking.
“Of course I’ll be okay! Who the hell do you think of me as!”
“Of course I think of you as Young Master Moyong Hwa……. I am sorry if I offended you. I am just worried about you.”
Annoyed eyes were revealed through the bangs. He groaned and repeated.
“Quickly follow me.”
The moment I met those eyes, my heart started racing. This is happening right now, but what I just saw was the Moyong Hwa from five years ago. The Moyong Hwa that captivated me with his coy cat-like face. For some reason, my heart was pounding. I followed him as if I were possessed.
* * *
As I expected, the market was filled with people. Moyong Hwa paused in front of the entrance, but he still strode into the crowd as if he was conscious of me behind him. You don’t have to force yourself. But it’s a little cute though. He’s like a RoFan male lead who’s trying to show off to look good in front of the female protagonist. A mom-like smile came out on its own and my heart warmed up.
“Do you know where the handkerchief store is?”
He shook his head. Then, I guess we have no choice but to slowly look for it. I was worried people would recognize and bother Moyong Hwa, but it was nothing more than an unfounded worry.
“That’s the Wudang Sect’s Dan Jahan. I guess he’s here to eat with his martial brothers.”
“And the Tang Family’s Young Miss Tang Ok. It seems the rumors she’s chasing after Dan Jahan are true.”
What a relief! There are more famous martial artists here than Moyong Hwa! No one was paying attention to him! I put my hand on my chest, feeling relieved, when Moyong Hwa stopped and looked at me.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“……I felt sick for a moment.”
“Hey, quickly let’s go.”
He’s sharp, huh. I slightly pushed his back. But I still couldn’t see a store that sold handkerchiefs. After walking for a short time, my stomach made a rumbling sound. Soseo and Myoryeong are probably eating lunch by themselves, right? I don’t care about the handkerchief, let’s fill my stomach first.
“Are you hungry, Young Master Moyong Hwa?”
“……Not really.”
“Well, I am actually a little hungry, so can we look for it after having lunch? I don’t have much money, so I can’t buy you expensive food, but I can buy you delicious ones.”
Moyong Hwa asked back with a cold face.
“You’re buying it for me?”
“Yes.”
“You?”
Oh yeah, right. Moyong Hwa was born in a chaebol-level family. He got angry again.
“You think I don’t have any money just because they don’t care about me?”
“No, it isn’t like that, I just said….”
“Shut up and follow me.”
He’s really old-fashioned. He entered the guest house in front of us. Even before the running waiter opened his mouth, Moyong Hwa threw a handful of money. With his eyes blinded by the money, he immediately led us to their best seats. After a while, delicious food was served. It looks good. I gulped and looked at the steaming hot food. It looks really good. I was still staring when Moyong Hwa asked.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“I have to wait until my superior starts eating first.”
He repeated in a mocking way.
“……Your superior.”
The blushing Moyong Hwa reached out and raised his chopsticks. Then he took a bite of the nearest dish. Now I finally can eat. I took a bite of a fish ball. Wow, it softly melts in my mouth. I said after swallowing it down.
“Thank you very much, Young Master. Thanks to you, I was able to eat something so delicious.”
Moyong Hwa didn’t say anything back. Instead, he kept ordering food until my stomach was about to burst.
……He must’ve been treated so badly all this time. I felt pity for Moyong Hwa, who had become so generous with the mere mention of the word “superior”.
* * *
“Come back again, Young Martial Master!”
Ugh. I struggled out of the guest house with a heavy body. I feel like there’s food up until my throat.
“Young, Young Master. Can’t we walk a little slower? I’m so full it’s difficult to walk.”
“……How much did you eat?”
He said that, but slowed down his pace. Then he pointed to a stall selling tanghulu on the side of the road.
“Should I buy you that too?”
“Young Master, I really think I will be in trouble if I eat more.”
“…….”
He began to walk again. Looking at his back, I said.
“It’s okay, Young Master. I have already seen how rich and generous the Young Master is in the guest house.”
“……Who said anything.”
This is a big deal. I think I can see what Moyong Hwa is thinking just by looking at his back. I’ve never seen such a simple guy. Then I saw a store. I immediately suggested to him.
“Let’s go over there, Young Master.”
We went into the little tented store. Embroidered handkerchiefs were neatly displayed. But I couldn’t see the owner. I shouted inside.
“Is anybody there? I’m here to buy a handkerchief!”
“…….”
It was very quiet inside the store. There seems to be no one here. Too bad, all the handkerchiefs here look pretty. I got a little sullen and grabbed the hem of Moyong Hwa’s clothes.
“I guess there’s no one. Maybe next time…….”
“Customers?”
Then, a slender old lady walked out slowly from another room, touching the ground with a cane. I quickly greeted her.
“Hello.”
But the grandma didn’t accept my greeting. She just stared at me. Is there something on my face? I made sure I didn’t have anything on it when I came out of the guest house earlier. Or is it because I’m cute? When I was letting my imagination flourish, she said.
“I’m sorry I stared at you so much, I can’t see well.”
“Oh, it’s all right, Grandma.”
“How old are you?”
“18 years old.”
“It’s quite nice to stare at your chubby cheeks.”
As expected, my prediction was right. It’s a feature the elderly love.
“It’s really nice to see you. You have to eat until you’re full and live well.”
The grandma reached out to me. I bent down, and she gently touched my face with her wrinkled hands. I let out a happy childish smile. She kept stroking my face and told Moyong Hwa.
“It sure would be nice to have such a beautiful Young Miss as your pair.”
“……What?”
“……Yes?”
What kind of nonsense is this? We simultaneously let out a stupified sound.
NAHHH not young misss lol