I couldn’t say anything in response to Hyuk Dojin’s answer and hurriedly turned my gaze to Man Do. I thought Man Do’s additional explanation was unnecessary.

It would have been better if he had just said ‘Martial Uncle’ and ended it there. I felt it was unnecessary to bring up the story of Hyuk Dojin’s deceased mother.

I felt awkward for asking the unnecessary question, so I pursed my lips. I felt like I should say something, but I couldn’t easily open my mouth, so I pondered for a while before slowly trying to make a sound.

But before I could, Hyuk Dojin’s voice flowed out first.

“It’s alright. It happened more than ten years ago, and I’ve forgotten about it now, so you don’t have to make that expression, Sowol.”

“…I feel like I asked an unnecessary question.”

“It was a story I would have told you eventually anyway. Since the Martial Uncle has lived alone in the mountains for dozens of years, he’s become tactless and often brings up things like that, but I was just caught off guard when he brought it up here.”

I silently nodded my head at his follow-up words. I couldn’t help but agree. 

Hyuk Dojin softly smiled at me before turning his gaze away.

“As I said, the Martial Uncle was my mother’s godfather. That’s why I learned many things from him since I was young.”

“Heh, it’s fortunate you didn’t learn my lack of tact, isn’t it?”

“Is that something to be proud of?”

Looking at the casually laughing Man Do, Hyuk Dojin let out a long sigh. With his arms crossed, he gazed at him and said softly:

“How long are you planning to stay this time?”

“It’s been ten years since I last saw you, and you’re already thinking about when we’ll part ways. How heartless of you, Young Cult Leader.”

“I’m just worried you’ll leave without a word again, Just like last time.”

The wide smile on Man Do’s lips faded slightly. He looked at Hyuk Dojin with quiet eyes and said:

“I won’t leave without a word like last time.”

I wonder what ‘last time’ refers to. Is it the story from ten years ago that keeps being mentioned?

Unable to understand the common theme forming between the two, I just quietly listened to their conversation. When they both closed their mouths at the same time, a silence naturally fell.

Rubbing the teacup in my hand, I quietly tilted my head. The awkward atmosphere continued, and I couldn’t bring myself to speak up. I didn’t have anything to say either.

Waiting for someone to speak first while sipping my tea, I felt someone’s gaze on me. As I raised my head from drinking tea, Man Do was staring intently at me.

A thin smile lingered on his wrinkle-free lips. When our eyes met, Man Do straightened his back and leaned against the chair.

“My apologies. I asked young lady  Moyoung to keep company, yet here I am, just sitting her down without engaging in conversation… Please forgive me.”

“No, don’t worry about it. It’s fine.”

I shook my head lightly, and Man Do continued softly:

“You are very kind, young lady Moyong.”

“Is that so?”

It would be more accurate to say I’m not particularly interested. I detached my lips from the teacup and tilted my head. Man Do quietly answered:

“You greatly resemble someone I knew. That person was also kind and well-mannered. Always bringing comfort to those around them.”

A small laugh flowed from his lips. Leaning back in his chair, slightly raising his chin as if recalling something, Man Do’s lips parted slowly:

“Which is why that person was loved by everyone.”

“It seems they were an admirable person.”

“An admirable person indeed. A beautiful person. But at the same time, a pitiful one as well.”

“Why?”

I asked with a puzzled expression. Man Do looked at me, hesitated for a moment, then said quietly:

“While loved by everyone, that person didn’t receive the love of one person. That was…”

“Martial Uncle.”

Hyuk Dojin’s words cut through Man Do’s voice, which had been flowing like a gentle stream. All attention turned to him. Hyuk Dojin looked at Man Do and quietly shook his head, as if telling him to stop.

Hyuk Dojin then rose from his seat at that point.

“It was good to see you today, Martial Uncle. I would like to converse more, but it doesn’t seem to be an appropriate time. How about we meet separately later to talk?”

At his clear attempt to draw a line, Man Do quietly gazed at Hyuk Dojin. An atmosphere as precarious as if an accident might occur surrounded them.

Man Do stared at him with an unreadable expression, then eventually smiled softly and nodded his head.

“That would be good.”

After giving that short reply, he turned his head to look at me and showed an apologetic face.

“I wanted to have various conversations, but it seems we’ll have to make time for that later. Thank you for your precious time today, young lady Moyong. Next time we meet, let’s have more discussions.”

After calmly nodding in response to his words, I also rose from my seat. Man Do followed suit, stepped back, and bowed his head slightly.

“Then I shall see you again later, Young Cult Leader.”

With those words, I followed his back with my eyes as he turned away. I watched as he walked out of the room with a straight back, then rolled my eyes. Hyuk Dojin, who had been watching Man Do with a stiff face, seemed to notice my gaze and turned his head.

His slightly downcast eyes flickered lightly before a thin smile spread across his lips.

“Let’s go back, Sowol.”

At Hyuk Dojin’s words, I simply nodded silently without any questions.

Even on the way back to the room, Hyuk Dojin remained quiet. At times, he seemed deep in thought, and at others, he looked as if he was angry.

The usually calm, composed, and smiling Hyuk Dojin was nowhere to be seen. He simply kept silent.

When we returned to the room, he left, saying he had something to do.

After seeing him off, I sat down on a chair and recalled what Man Do and Hyuk Dojin had said. Joo Hwarin brought a pot of flower tea and placed it on the table.

After bringing the tea, Joo Hwarin scanned the traces of the disappeared Hyuk Dojin and turned her head toward me.

“Did something happen today? The Young Cult Leader’s expression doesn’t look too good.”

I pursed my lips while holding the tea cup. Whether something happened or not… I felt it was a bit inappropriate to say it out loud.

Joo Hwarin gave me a puzzled look as I kept silent.

After taking a sip of tea and thinking for a moment, I slowly opened my mouth, wondering if perhaps…

“Do you know someone named Soso?”

“Soso? I don’t think so.Well, the name itself is so common, I can’t tell just from the name.”

“I see.”

“But why are you looking for that person?”

“Oh no, I’m not looking for them. I’m just curious.”

I smiled and tilted the teacup again. Avoiding Joo Hwarin’s inquiring gaze, I lowered my eyes.

Geum Soso, Hyuk Dojin’s mother. A character that didn’t appear in the original novel.

Come to think of it, Hyuk Dojin wasn’t a very prominent character in the original work either. The main protagonist was Moyong Do, and Hyuk Dojin was simply the one who sparked Moyong Do’s initial anger. And by all accounts, he was also a villain.

But this perspective was all from Moyong Do’s point of view.

The novel never showed what Hyuk Dojin was thinking or his relationship with Moyong Sowol – it only mentioned that Hyuk Dojin informed Moyong Do of Moyong Sowol’s death, leading to a rift between the two men. That was all.

However, based on my recent experiences, the relationship between Hyuk Dojin and Moyong Sowol didn’t seem so simple.

I didn’t show any special behavior, yet Hyuk Dojin was showing me quite a bit of consideration. Whether it was out of romantic interest, simple sympathy, or human decency.

And perhaps Geum Soso… Hyuk Dojin’s mother, had something to do with it, I vaguely thought.

I wanted to ask what their conversation meant. But I couldn’t say a word. I didn’t want to pry into his painful wounds.

He had such a precarious expression, as if he might collapse at any moment, so I just kept my mouth shut.

“Miss Moyong Sowol. Hwa Ui has come to see you.”

At Joo Hwarin’s voice, I came out of my reverie and looked up. As Joo Hwarin opened the door, Hwa Ui entered with a kind face, stroking his beard as he looked over my condition.

“How are you feeling today?”

I gave a light reply to his calm inquiry.

“Same as before. Neither good nor bad, just adequate.”

“Hmm, I thought you’d feel a bit better after taking the medicine… but I guess not much has changed.”

Hwa Ui approached and sat casually on the opposite chair, opening his palm. Following his gesture, I raised my wrist. He gently grasped my wrist, then slowly closed his eyes.

Hwa Ui stroked his beard and let out a long sigh. In sync with his sigh, my head tilted sideways.

“I guess it doesn’t seem too good.”

“Not necessarily. It has improved from when I first checked your pulse. That much is certain.”

“Then isn’t that good?”

“Looking at just that, yes it’s good. But the problem is your condition isn’t improving beyond that.”

That was an issue with the chronic illness I was suffering from. No matter what medicine was used, I probably couldn’t expect dramatic improvement.

I stared at Hwa Ui’s worried face and briefly pondered what to do. Should I reveal it now? That I don’t need any more medicine. That I should just be left to die like this.

But the weight of those words was too heavy for me to easily voice them.

With every unspoken instance, an additional burden gets attached to those weighty words. I could no longer fathom how much effort would be needed to utter those heavy words now.

The burden would likely only grow heavier with time passing. Yet despite knowing that, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

Hwa Ui groaned while constantly stroking his beard. Seeing him agonizing for my sake, and thinking of Hyuk Dojin, it felt unethical to keep hiding everything.

After pondering for a while, I slowly opened my lips.

“Hwa Ui, you don’t need to worry too much…”

“Come to think of it, long ago there was someone quite similar to Miss Moyong Sowol. Their hair and skin weren’t pure white like yours, but their body was also cool to the touch and sunlight was fatal, just the same.”

At Hwa Ui’s words, I paused with my mouth open. He looked at me calmly and spoke.

“I wonder why I’m only recalling that now.”

“Hwa Ui?”

He stroked his beard and furrowed his brows. Then he waved his hand, sending Joo Hwarin out of the room. As I looked at him with a puzzled expression, wondering why the sudden behavior, Hwa Ui’s gaze turned back to me.

“Tell me honestly.”

As I tilted my head, Hwa Ui’s mouth opened slowly.

“Miss Moyong Sowol, how much longer can you live?”

“…”

I felt the blood draining from my entire body.