Wooyun felt his soul leaving his body at that moment and turned around with a start. His face was as white as a sheet, and his heart raced a mile a minute.
"Dude! What did I tell you about scaring me like that?! How is it possible for you not to make a single sound when you walk?!" He exclaimed.
Eun-woo furrowed his brows. "Dude?" Wooyun gave him a sheepish laugh, waving his head dismissively. "N-Nothing. Anyway, I was looking for you."
Eun-woo looked at him strangely before answering. "I can see that. What business do you have with me?" He asked as he saw the nape of Wooyun's neck turn red.
His gaze remained on the crimson color before shifting away. "I want to learn how to fight." He simply said.
"You want to learn how to fight? Good for you. But what does that have to do with me?" Eun-woo responded coolly.
Wooyun had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "You're the only person here that knows martial arts. Who else am I supposed to ask?" He said.
"You can ask the young master. I'm sure he would be more than happy to show you a few tricks." He said.
Wooyun's lips twitched when he heard this. "Wow, sending me right into the belly of the beast, aren't you?" He said sarcastically. This remark made Eun-woo's eyes glint.
"I already told you that if you wish to train with me, you must have a strong enough resolve. Have you found it yet?"
Wooyun nodded. But Eun-woo wasn't convinced. "Show me then." He said.
Wooyun raised an eyebrow. "Show you how?"
"You see those bamboos over there? I will teach you if you can stand on it and keep your balance for over five seconds. If you fail, you can forget it."
Wooyun's face paled. There was no way a normal modern man such as himself could accomplish such a feat—in so little time, too!
Just who does he think I am?!
"Hey, boss. Can't you go a little easier on a novice like me?" He asked, smiling at the older man innocently.
There's no way he will make me do that, right? He would have to be insane?!
Eun-woo looked at him with indignation, the man clearly offended by his words. "The path of a martial cultivator isn't supposed to be easy. You either complete this simple task or don't. Whatever you choose to do is none of my concern."
I stand corrected, Wooyun thought. He is insane.
~*~
Wooyun threw himself into training for the next few days with a single-minded determination. Not because he wanted to improve. Not because he understood the importance of mastering his body and qi. He did it out of pure spite.
He wanted to prove to Eun-woo that he wasn't some weak chump or delicate little young master who couldn't put in the work. More importantly, he was tired of seeing that smug, insufferable look on Eun-woo's face every time he stumbled or failed. He wanted to wipe that expression right off his above-average face. Was he being petty? Yes, he was. But Wooyun had always been a sore loser. He always needed to win, even when he had no need or desire. It was a compulsive need he had yet to tackle in therapy. Fortunately for him, therapy wasn't a thing in this world.
Fuck a healthy and sound mind. He had no need for that crap at the moment.
The young man persevered and continued to try and fail until failure was no longer an option.
At long last, Wooyun stood atop the swaying bamboo for five seconds. It wasn't much, but it was more than yesterday. More than the day before. He grinned, arms wobbling as he fought for balance. However, his moment of triumph was short-lived as an all-too-familiar voice cut through the quiet of the training grounds.
"Seo-yoon?"
Wooyun's foot slipped, and he yelped as he barely caught himself, gripping the bamboo tightly. Turning his head, he found Do-yun watching him with a raised brow. The older Kang brother stood at the edge of the clearing, dressed in a crisp robe, exuding the usual air of self-importance that made Wooyun want to punch him in the face.
Do-yun, however, barely spared the scene another glance. "Mother wants you to go into town and buy some things," he said disinterestedly. "Don't keep her waiting."
All the joy accumulated in Wooyun's body disappeared at that moment. A groan escaped his lips. He hated running errands for Kang Choon-hee, but arguing would only worsen things. With a grumble, he hopped down from the bamboo and dusted himself off before making his way to the market.
~*~
The streets were bustling as Wooyun weaved through the crowd, balancing the mental list of items he needed to buy. The scent of roasted chestnuts and freshly baked pastries through the air, mingling with the chatter of the vendors calling out their wares.
Wooyun's mouth watered at the sight of the delicious little cakes packaged neatly for people of all ages to enjoy. His eyes zeroed in on the little fruit cakes that were laid neatly. They came in various flavors—honey, sesame seeds, and crisped lotus cakes. He was itching to get his hands on one of them as sweets were his ultimate weakness, but they cost ten-star coins each—too expensive for the little amount Kang Choon-hee had given him.
A bitter laugh nearly escaped his lips as he eyed the coins of copper and a few silver in his little bag. You would think that, as the "owner" of an expensive estate and young master of a relatively wealthy clan, he would be swimming in cash. Alas, reality was more cruel than one could ever imagine. He was about to leave the sweet section of the market when his eyes landed on a stall selling candied hawthorns. His stomach rumbled as he looked at them—red, vibrant, and incredibly enticing. They didn't cost as much money as the fruit cakes, so he thought he could spare a few coins for all his hard work.
He reached out to grab one just as another hand did the same. Their fingers brushed. Wooyun blinked, then immediately scowled.
"Hey! Are you blind? I clearly grabbed it first."
The other person paused, tilting his head slightly. "Is it such a big deal?" His voice was smooth, calm, almost amused. "There are plenty more."
"That's not the point," Wooyun shot back, gripping the stick tighter. "I already touched it. Unless you want to eat my germs, let go."
The man was taken aback by Wooyun's words and chuckled—a deep, velvety sound that sent an inexplicable shiver down Wooyun's spine. He looked up, intending to glare at his opponent properly, but his breath hitched when his eyes landed on the man's face.
The stranger was stunning.
Tall, clad in pristine white robes of the finest silk, with long, luxurious black hair cascading down his back. A wide-brimmed straw hat cast a shadow over his sharp, regal features, but Wooyun caught a glimpse of a single dangling earring shimmering in the sunlight. His beauty was almost unearthly, the kind that would make heads turn and leave people speechless.
Wooyun was momentarily struck dumb—until the man smirked.
"I wouldn't mind ingesting your germs," he mused, "if it means I get to eat the treat I've been waiting for all day."
Wooyun snapped out of his trance and scowled, looking the man up and down. He was obviously wealthy, the kind of person who could afford to buy a dozen of these treats without blinking. "You look wealthy enough," he pointed out. "Why has it taken you all day to get one?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "I've been too busy."
"Too busy to walk outside and buy food?" Wooyun scoffed. "Must be nice."
Despite himself, he huffed and shoved the treat into the stranger's hand before grabbing another. He paid the vendor, then turned on his heel to leave. But before walking off, he threw one last comment over his shoulder because he was petty like that.
"I hope you enjoy my germs."
The stranger's smile widened as he watched Wooyun disappear into the crowd. The man beside him, an older companion with an air of careful vigilance, sighed. "You're letting him go just like that?"
The man hummed, twirling the stick between his fingers. "I'm not looking for trouble today. Just a peaceful outing before I return to my endless work."
His companion shook his head but said nothing more as they continued on their way.
When Wooyun returned home, he was met with the usual storm of Kang Choon-hee's scolding. Seo-yoon had taken too long. He had been careless. He had wasted time. The same endless, grating complaints. Wooyun barely flinched as she grabbed a cane. He stretched out his hands without being told, bracing himself for the pain he had grown used to. Too used to it.
And that scared him.
Lee Wooyun clenched his teeth, his mind flashing back to the smug look on Eun-woo's face and how his body felt lighter after his brief moment of victory. He wasn't going to stay like this forever. Wooyun was going to grow stronger. He had to.
Because if he didn't, this would never end.