HDCLSSRS Ch 99

Chapter 99 Lifeline (4)

“Master? Well… I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

“Is that so?”

Seong Muyeon casually shrugged his shoulders and began preparing to go out.

As he finished dressing, Kang Ung sharply questioned him.

“Where are you going?”

“Oh, since Elder Yakseon is still at Mount Hua, I thought I’d go see her before she leaves…”

“You must not!”

Uncharacteristically, Kang Ung raised his voice.

“Wh-Why are you acting like this?”

“You heard it earlier, didn’t you? She tried to… to kill you! And you want to go to her on your own two feet? Absolutely not. I will never allow it.”

Kang Ung shouted firmly, and Seong Muyeon, halfway through opening the door, shut it again. He was left utterly bewildered.

“…Why is it that you’re becoming more and more like my master? Don’t worry. If things look bad, I’ll run away in an instant. You know me—I would never do something reckless.”

“It’s still not allowed!”

He tried to push away the boy blocking the door, but despite being almost a head shorter, Kang Ung didn’t budge an inch.

“Move aside!”

“No!”

In the midst of their scuffle, the door creaked open.

“Then go with me.”

“Baek Dojang!”

“Either way, this is someone we have to meet at least once.”

Baek Ryeoil gave a short nod, gesturing for them to follow. At that, Kang Ung could no longer stop them. As he reluctantly stepped aside, Seong Muyeon darted out like lightning.

“I’ll be right back!”

Leaving behind Kang Ung’s worried expression, the two departed from Chwijungjae. Seong Muyeon had to half-run to keep up with Baek Ryeoil’s pace.

“Thank you for the other day. I heard you played a huge part in what happened.”

“…”

“But you didn’t know the Sect Leader was aware of my illness either, did you? That really surprised me. Why are you walking so fast? Let’s go together!”

Baek Ryeoil flinched slightly and slowed down a bit, but even so, Seong Muyeon could barely catch a glimpse of his profile.

‘Is he angry?’

Baek Ryeoil didn’t seem to be in a good mood. Seong Muyeon quickly searched his mind for possible reasons behind his displeasure.

“Ah, you must’ve been startled yesterday, right? I’m sorry I didn’t warn you beforehand. I thought I could hold out until we met Elder Yakseon, but I slipped up.”

“…”

‘Guess that wasn’t it?’

Before long, they arrived at the guest quarters where Yakseon was staying.

Though he had spoken boldly in front of Kang Ung, now that they were about to meet Yakseon, fear took over and his steps unconsciously slowed.

His worry was no small matter. Until now, many had been rude to his face, but it never truly affected him—those people were never important to his life.

Yakseon, however, was different.

His very life might rest in her hands.

Unaware of his turmoil, Baek Ryeoil boldly knocked on the door to the guest quarters. Receiving no reply from inside, he pushed the door open without waiting.

‘I wasn’t mentally prepared yet.’

But by then, Baek Ryeoil had already entered. Seong Muyeon steadied his trembling heart and followed after him.

Yakseon was lounging crookedly on a bench by the window, tilting a bottle of liquor to her lips. When the unexpected visitors entered, she shot them a glare.

“Did I give you permission to enter?”

Her muttered voice dripped with hostility.

For a moment, Seong Muyeon was overwhelmed with the urge to hide behind Baek Ryeoil’s broad back, but he swallowed hard and stepped forward.

“Hello, Elder Yakseon. I’ve heard much about you. It’s an honor to meet you—”

“Get lost.”

Yakseon didn’t even look at him and continued drinking. She clearly had no intention of listening. Though he expected a cold reaction, the sting of it still pricked his heart. Nonetheless, Seong Muyeon forced a bright smile and tried again.

“Still, since you saved my life, I wanted to at least offer my gratitude—”

“I told you to get lost.”

‘Yeah… she’s definitely furious.’

Forcing a conversation with someone this hostile would only leave a bad impression, so he decided to retreat for now. Maintaining his polite smile, Seong Muyeon bowed slightly.

“Very well. I shall return at a more suitable time.”

“You stay.”

The words were directed at Baek Ryeoil.

Slam.

Before Seong Muyeon could react, the door shut right in front of him.

“…”

That night, Baek Ryeoil did not return to Chwijungjae.

Nor did he return the next day. Or the day after that.

From early morning, a guest arrived. Well, “arrived” might be too generous—it was more that Seong Muyeon caught someone loitering by the doorway.

“Lord Seo Mun, is it you again? What are you scheming this time?”

Seong Muyeon grabbed the fleeing Seomun Yuha and dragged him inside.

“N-No, that’s not it…”

Forced into a chair, Seomun Yuha slumped his shoulders, unable to even meet Seong Muyeon’s eyes. Whenever their gazes accidentally met, he would quickly avert his eyes.

“Isn’t it about time you stopped spying on me?”

“I’m sorry…”

Seomun Yuha muttered, fidgeting with his fingers.

“I just… had something I wanted to say…”

“Say it now.”

Seong Muyeon sat across from him, arms crossed, as if daring him to speak. After a long moment of hesitation, Seomun Yuha mumbled in a voice barely above a whisper:

“I’m sorry I wasn’t any help…”

“…What?”

Seong Muyeon was dumbfounded. He had collapsed days ago—had Seomun Yuha really been agonizing over this all that time, loitering around someone else’s gate just to say that?

“Why would you think that? Thanks to you, I was able to… well, to… help—”

Seong Muyeon trailed off, unable to continue.

Even as a platitude, he couldn’t bring himself to say that Seomun Yuha had been helpful. Considering all the trouble he’d caused, Seong Muyeon still felt like giving him a good thrashing. Especially now that he knew Seomun Yuha’s so-called help could have cost him his life.

But in the end, Seong Muyeon chuckled.

“Still, the intention to help was genuine, wasn’t it? I’ll accept that much.”

“Lord…”

Seomun Yuha’s eyes welled up as he looked up. Alarmed that he might once again try to meddle, Seong Muyeon hurriedly added:

“Just your heart, though.”

“…But in the end, I didn’t help at all.”

Seomun Yuha pouted, lips jutting out in frustration.

“In the end, everything turned out fine anyway, didn’t it? Does it really matter who helped?”

“It does matter! I… I wanted to be friends with you!”

Seomun Yuha suddenly shouted, burying his face in his hands.

“When I said I didn’t have any friends before… I meant it. All those people you saw with me? They only hung out with me because of my charm. But I thought this time would be different… I thought if I risked my life to help you, we could really become friends… But it all fell apart.”

“You were thinking like that?”

“I’m sorry…”

Seomun Yuha’s head drooped lower and lower, nearly touching the floor. Seong Muyeon shook his head.

“Unfortunately, Lord Seo Mun, friendships aren’t built that way. You’ve been thinking about it all wrong.”

“I suppose so… Even if you hate me now, I’d understand. After all the disgraceful things I’ve shown you, you must find me unbearable. I’ll leave you alone now. Please stay healthy…”

He sniffled as he rose weakly from his chair.

“That’s strange. Weren’t we already friends?”

Seomun Yuha’s tear-filled eyes widened in shock as he turned back to Seong Muyeon.

“Friends fight and argue, then grow closer, don’t they? I’ve thought of you as a friend for a long time now. I suppose you didn’t feel the same way. That’s disappointing.”

“…”

Seomun Yuha’s blank expression gradually brightened, and soon, he beamed.

“R-Really? Even if I haven’t done anything, we can still be friends?”

“Well, if I’m the only one who thinks so—”

“No! No! I think so too! I really do! Wow…”

As Seomun Yuha moved to throw himself into a hug, Seong Muyeon instinctively blocked him, narrowing his eyes.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that anymore. And no more lurking around outside either!”

“Alright! I won’t do it again. Hahaha.”

With a cheerful grin, Seomun Yuha backed off. His eyes sparkled as he twisted his body in delight, staring affectionately at his very first friend.

“We really are friends, right?”

Seeing that gaze reminded Seong Muyeon of all the times he’d been harassed by him, and he briefly regretted what he’d just said. But then he burst into laughter.

“What else would we be?”

Seomun Yuha theatrically wiped imaginary sweat from his brow and joked,

“Phew. That’s a relief. I was really worried I’d have to practice bedroom arts with you. No offense, but… between men? Not really my thing.”

“…Is that so.”

‘And you still tormented me like that?!’

Friendship? Forget it—revoked.

Seomun Yuha lingered, chatting idly with Seong Muyeon until it was time for training, then finally left.

‘It’s about time.’

Seong Muyeon straightened his clothes and left Chwijungjae.

All this time, he had been making tireless efforts to make himself known to Yakseon, but to no avail. Being turned away at the door had become routine, and he’d nearly smashed his nose on a closing door more than once. Naturally, he hadn’t exchanged a single word with her as time slipped by.

But giving up wasn’t in Seong Muyeon’s nature. Early that morning, he headed for the dining hall kitchen.

“Is it ready?”

“Yes!”

Thanks to prior arrangements with the chef, a staff member handed him a freshly prepared lunchbox.

“We’re swamped in the kitchen, so this is a huge help, my lord. Please take care of it.”

“The pleasure’s mine.”

As soon as the kitchen door closed, Seong Muyeon wiped the pleasant smile off his face, replacing it with a sly grin.

‘Let’s see if even food gets turned away.’