TSBIRBV Ch 141

Chapter 141 The Oldest (3)

“Preparations complete.”

With a haggard face, Yegyeol smiled brightly.

There was good reason why a face that normally brimmed with vitality after a bit of proper guiding now bore such blatant traces of fatigue.

He had not slept a wink the night before, tossing and turning endlessly because of what had happened.

He simply didn’t know what sort of face he ought to show when he saw his Senior Brother again.

In just a single day he had been strangled, discovered that his Senior Brother harbored murderous intent toward him, and—had that been all, perhaps it could have ended there—but while he hid away to heal, Haryang had sought him out even into the bathhouse, crossing the line he had always drawn between them.

That’s not something I can dismiss as mere fooling around…

Having swung between heaven and hell in such a short span, Yegyeol felt as though steam might burst from his head.

If Senior Brother had originally intended to guide Yegyeol toward the Black Ghost, then surely what had happened in the bathhouse was not part of Haryang’s plan.

It had been a spark of impulse. That much Yegyeol could accept—but he had never calculated that he himself would be so helplessly shaken. He had buried his head in his pillow, struggling to cool the fever burning his body.

And then, as the dawn-blue seeped into his bedding, Yegyeol suddenly sat up.

I’ll prepare for Senior Brother’s birthday.

It was the perfect way to shake off troubles that could not be called troubles.

With this thought, he began moving at first light.

He planned a surprise party and chose the largest guestroom in the annex. Because the room was rarely used, it was somewhat bare. Yegyeol busied himself moving furniture, bringing in porcelain, even plucking flowers from the garden for arrangements.

Still unsatisfied, he racked his brains for a way to fill the empty space and invented a new kind of decoration. Since balloons did not exist in the martial world, he fashioned something similar: round bundles of cotton wrapped in silk and tied with ribbons, which he strung up here and there. It looked rather decent.

“If you lack teeth, then chew with your gums.”

Yegyeol praised himself.

Because he wanted to keep it secret from Senior Brother, he minimized the servants’ involvement. Inevitably, this led to Samrang’s overtime; she grumbled that she would take Baembaemi away for the weekend.

At this rate, Baembaemi might even learn to launch hidden weapons, Yegyeol thought, half in jest and half in earnest, before returning to his meticulous work.

It was a pity there wasn’t time to re-paper the walls. Still, if he was going to exploit someone, he ought to squeeze every bit out of Samrang’s labor—that was only proper etiquette.

Just then, from within a heap of leftover silk scraps meant for ribbons, Baembaemi’s little head popped out.

“It’s really finished this time.”

Yegyeol spoke as if in explanation to the round eyes staring at him.

Baembaemi flicked its tiny tongue as though to say it would keep watch. When Yegyeol stretched out a hand, the golden serpent quickly coiled around his arm.

At first, that faintly cold sensation had felt strange, but now he thought he would feel empty without it.

Before coming back to the central plains, I never even dreamed of this.

Preparing a birthday gift with such excitement, having a companion creature he felt attached to—it was all unfamiliar.

Yet within these untried experiences, Yegyeol found simple happiness.

“Samrang treats you well, doesn’t she?”

Baembaemi looked back at him with round eyes, showing no signs of displeasure.

“If she bullies you, tell me. I’ll have a word with her.”

“My lord will arrive shortly.”

Samrang appeared, reporting as if on cue.

Though she had just caught him badmouthing her, Yegyeol remained calm. He had already sensed her approach anyway.

“Good. Tell them to bring out the food right when Senior Brother arrives.”

Yegyeol set the much-anticipated birthday gift before Haryang’s seat.

He had gone out just to buy this, returned again to fetch it, even been caught up in an assassination attempt along the way. To top it off, at midnight he had sneaked into Senior Brother’s bedchamber, wanting to present it on the exact hour, and nearly ended up strangled.

Guess that served as a proper exorcism of ill luck…

With a slightly self-mocking joke in mind, Yegyeol stepped outside to await Haryang’s arrival.

Haryang soon reached the annex, only moments behind Samrang.

“Senior Brother, you’re here?”

Seeing Yegyeol waiting outside, Haryang strode forward and took his hand. At the warmth that flowed into him, Yegyeol’s fingers fidgeted faintly.

“The morning air is still cold. Why are you waiting outside?”

“This much is nothing.”

Yegyeol answered cheerfully.

Haryang’s gaze slid over his disciple’s smiling face. At a glance, it truly was the same old Yegyeol.

“Come inside.”

At his urging, Yegyeol asked, just before entering, “May I blindfold you and guide you in?”

“What have you prepared, to warrant this?”

Haryang’s affectionate voice held its usual warmth. Looking at that gentle face, Yegyeol grinned mischievously.

“You’ll see for yourself.”

Taking his Senior Brother’s consent for granted, he slipped behind him. Ordinarily a martial man would be wary of having his back exposed, yet Haryang remained calm, not even flinching.

Yegyeol rose on tiptoe to cover his eyes, hesitating briefly.

Damn this height difference.

If he only stretched out a hand, it wouldn’t cover properly. He had no choice.

Samrang, waiting to open the door, noticed and quickly lowered her gaze.

Feigning ignorance, Yegyeol used a silk ribbon he had prepared to blindfold Haryang, then placed his own arm into Haryang’s hand.

“Ready?”

Casting a stern look at Samrang, whose shoulders trembled with suppressed laughter, Yegyeol turned back and whispered to Haryang.

“Go on.”

The blindfolded man answered meekly. Yegyeol gazed at his Senior Brother’s covered eyes. To be looked upon with such steady trust, no matter what he did, dissolved the last lingering unease from the previous day.

So this is why the Black Ghost always covers my eyes…

“I’ll walk ahead. Just follow me.”

Despite being blindfolded, Haryang never once stumbled. Yegyeol, who secretly hoped his Senior Brother would lean on him a little, could only grumble inwardly at the needless balance of a martial artist.

When they reached the prepared room, Yegyeol stopped.

“This is… the old bedchamber that was cleared out because the sunlight was poor, isn’t it?”

“What? You’re blindfolded. That’s cheating.”

“Cheating?”

Haryang chuckled.

“Well, I don’t know the rules very well. Forgive me.”

Drawling the last words with mock-playfulness, his voice carried a tenderness that tugged at Yegyeol’s heart. He clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a grin before replying, “Just this once.”

Though he tried for firmness, his trembling voice betrayed him. The faint vibration in his arm told him Haryang was laughing.

Yegyeol jerked his chin at Samrang. She swung the door open, still refusing to meet his eyes lest her laughter spill.

“Ta-da.”

Yegyeol pulled off the blindfold. Haryang blinked slowly, adjusting to the sight before him.

“So this is why you brought me here.”

His gaze swept the decorated room.

“You’ve done it up amusingly.”

“Do you like it?”

“Did you arrange this yourself?”

At the gentle question, Yegyeol answered honestly.

“I started preparing as soon as I woke up.”

“As soon as you woke? No wonder you looked tired.”

Haryang reached for Yegyeol’s cheek.

Yegyeol flinched without meaning to, and when Haryang withdrew his hand, he bit his tongue.

Damn it, I’m too conscious of everything.

He thought he had greeted Senior Brother naturally, but his body clearly had other ideas.

Haryang drew back as though nothing had happened.

“Come sit. The food will be here any moment.”

The awkward air dissolved quickly when the servants filed in with dishes.

The table was soon laden with refined, clean-flavored fare. Haryang’s brows knit slightly as he looked it over.

Yegyeol’s heart sank.

“Not much of what you like… No braised pork belly, for instance.”

When Haryang spoke in mild dissatisfaction, Yegyeol exhaled in relief.

He had watched carefully at meals to see what Senior Brother enjoyed most, then ordered accordingly. For a moment he thought he had been wrong.

“I had them prepare only the foods you like best.”

“Ah.”

Now understanding, Haryang murmured softly.

Just as the last servant departed, one more entered with a jug and two cups, setting them between the two before withdrawing. Samrang closed the door behind her, leaving them alone.

From the ceramic jug, faint steam rose. The sweet aroma of warmed wine reached Yegyeol, making him swallow without thinking.

This part had not been his arrangement.

“The fragrance is lovely.”

“A fine wine arrived. I thought to let you taste it.”

Of course—it was Haryang’s doing.

“Now then, what has moved my disciple to arrange such a gathering?”

Leaning back against his chair, a trace of arrogance—not usually present in his Senior Brother—seemed to gleam in Haryang’s eyes.

Yegyeol lifted a hand to tuck stray hair behind his ear, then checked himself. He had awaited this day eagerly, yet when it arrived, nerves knotted within him.

“Today is your birthday, Senior Brother.”