#yushin x reader

[my-intrusive-stories]

Who Fell First, and Who Fell Harder?

Engen - You Fell First, and You Fell Harder

People describe Engen as many things–terrifying, powerful, obsessive–but throughout the years of being his subordinate, you saw what others couldn’t. Engen’s occasional dry humor, rigid work ethic, and determination were aspects of the villain’s personality that others never experienced. Every day, you felt your admiration for Engen grow. It was only a matter of time before you fell for your handsome leader.

When you finally fell in love with Engen, you fell hard. The mere sight of him would cause your heart rate to increase abnormally fast. It soon became difficult to form coherent sentences around the man, often resulting in you running away while trying to hide your embarrassment. Unbeknownst to you, Engen reciprocated your feelings but was waiting for you, his cute little subordinate, to muster the courage to confess.

Chaos - You Fell First, and He Fell Harder

It’s not hard to fall for Jeremy Bernstein. He’s a bit chaotic (hence his hero name), but Jeremy is still charming. What’s not to like about his bright smile and dedication to justice? As you carefully treated his wounds, you imagined a future with the hero. Maybe if he had someone to come home to, he’d take better care of his health.

Not long after you caught feelings for Chaos, he found his eyes straying toward you at every opportunity. Jeremy loved everything about you, from how you executed your work professionally to how you weren’t afraid to tell him off. The happiest moment in his life was when you scolded him for being so reckless and let it slip that you loved him. As he kissed you sweetly, Jeremy realized he would do anything to keep you safe.

Bishop (Padrius Encilion) - He Fell First, and You Fell Harder

Surprisingly, Padrius was the first to be struck by Cupid’s arrow. You were always a reliable assistant, whether filling out paperwork or playing chess with him. Little by little, the Elder found himself seeking your companionship. Soon, teasing remarks became a staple of your conversations with Padrius. His ultimate goal was to see your flustered face.

One day, you realized your boss was intentionally teasing you. At first, you were wary. Bishop liked to pick on most people, so his words weren’t out of character. What was strange, though, was his accompanying actions. He’d brush against your hand, pull out your chair, or even whisper lowly in your ear. It wasn’t good for your heart. On the outside, you managed to stay stoic, but on the inside, you were a mess. You were in love with the ruler of Cloud Garden. Everything came together when Padrius saved your life from a rogue assassin. He teasingly said he deserved a reward, so with a racing heart, you went to kiss his cheek, but he turned so your lips met instead.

Yushin - He Fell First, and You Fell Harder

You’d been by Yushin’s side for most of his life, so it was no wonder he adored you. The way you dedicated yourself to training and confidently carried yourself was undoubtedly attractive to him. You were a force of nature. Having committed to training, Yushin thought you wouldn’t be interested in a relationship, so he tried not to burden you with his feelings.

Years later, after the Skysword defeated Yushin, you took care of your lifelong friend. You were his pillar of support. Something in your heart changed during that period. Over time, you realized that the warm feeling in your chest was love. Ever attentive, Yushin noticed the sudden changes in your mannerisms. Why did you, someone who could stand up to the Skysword, seem so nervous around him? To his surprise, you blurted out you were deeply in love with him. A smile adorned the swordsman’s face. The feelings he buried long ago were finally reciprocated.

Jintae Yang - You Fell First, and He Fell Harder

Life is unexpected. You never thought you’d become a villain, yet you became a follower of Jintae Yang. His charisma and ambition drew you in. Perhaps that’s why you soon found yourself pining over your leader. If Jintae wanted to reshape the world according to his vision, you’d be by his side working towards it.

Jintae first discovered his fondness for you after you took a blow meant for him. The sight of your bloodied body filled him with panic and rage. After dispatching the assailant and healing your wounds, Jintae demanded to know why you got injured in his stead. You simply smiled and said your body moved on its own. Later, when you jumped in front of the Executioner, Jintae willingly sacrificed his eyes to ensure your survival. You were frantic, trying to figure out why he’d do such a thing, but the young swordsman opted to kiss you instead of explaining. 

Bagna - He Fell First, and He Fell Harder

Bagna isn’t the brightest in terms of emotions. Rachel easily tricked him into thinking he was in love with Ihwa and Engen (he was just scared). So when he starts to grow feelings for you, he isn’t sure what they are. His first impression is that he’s sick. After all, why would his palms become sweaty and his heartbeat accelerate? Luckily, Vector helped the fire wielder understand his feelings.

When you’re happy, Bagna is happy. He goes out of his way to help you with every problem you face, even if the methods are unconventional (burning the couch you stubbed your toe on was some of his proudest work). The slightest praise from you fills him with satisfaction. It’s like there’s a flame-lobbing puppy at your beck and call. Of course, the young man’s sweet gestures don’t go unnoticed. After you confess, Bagna realizes he has two goals now: to ignite the hottest flame and to protect you.

[pasteidolons]

𝔥𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔤 - 𝔩𝔧𝔥 || 𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔳𝔦

pairing: lee jihoon x female!reader genre: historical au, fluff, angst, smut (later routes), supernatural members: choi seungcheol, wen junhui, kwon soonyoung, jeon wonwoo, lee seokmin, kim mingyu, boo seungkwan, lee chan, hong jisoo, xu minghao, choi hansol warnings: crass humor and language, blood, violence, mentions of suicide, alcohol, minor character death, major character death, 660's sexism, crossdressing, medical procedures, political upset, historical inaccuracies for the sake of plot progression word count: 20k

taglist: @reiofsuns2001, @lovrehani, @hipsdofangirl

𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔳 || 𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔳𝔦𝔦

𝔄𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔩 7𝔱𝔥, 666 - ℌ𝔞𝔫𝔰𝔢𝔬𝔫𝔤, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 Sometime after the incident between Jihoon and you, you begin to move northward, back to Hanseong. Nearly a month after its liberation from the Goguryeo forces, the Hwarang settled on a private estate just outside of the city’s walls. Youngmin had been reluctant to return to the battlefields, but after several conversations with Jihoon, he’d become convinced otherwise. 

Until the preparations to siege Pyongyang were in place, you would be set up in Hanseong to train. Hansol had gone to a town some ways south to train in Tang weaponry with one of Wong Kunhang’s assistants, Hao Chujun. Seungcheol and Soonyoung had left with the Fury Corps along the naval route to Bakjak as they were not permitted to travel to Hanseong. 

“Do you know where the Gukseon Kwak is?” A voice calls out to you, and you turn to see Kim Dohoon standing there, his eyes wide. 

“I think he’s reading in his room,” you have to think of when you last saw him. Weight shifting from foot to foot you try not to look concerned, “Is something the matter?” 

“It’s nothing in particular, but…” There’s a peculiar expression on his face you can’t quite grasp. “I can’t shake this worrying feeling like he’s lost the will for us to fight again since the last time we were here…” 

“Hmm…” You purse your lips, “I don’t think that’s the case. I can’t say that he’s completely lost his will to fight.”

Dohoon is hesitant to respond as he stays quiet, eventually speaking again, “You’re probably right, huh? I mean, Commander Lee is still giving his all for him. I’m sure he’ll return to his old self soon enough.” With that, Dohoon quickly scurries off, racing back into the depths of the manor. 

As you watch him, you can’t help but let his words sting you a little. Youngmin certainly had lost some of that ambitious fire he’d always had in his eyes as of late. If he wasn’t holed up reading in his room, he’d spend time in solitude out in the garden. Yet, you hold on hope that his confidence had deflated only a little after the battle in Hanseong. 

Prompted by the meeting with Dohoon, you decide to pay the Chief a visit a few hours later. 

“I’ve brought you some tea,” You say quietly as you slide open the door. Youngmin sits behind his desk, nose buried in a bound novel, and he greets you with a smile. “What are you reading?” 

“Oh, this is Jemangmaega,” he lowers the book, closing it but saving his place with a scrap piece of parchment. “A collection of poems but more critical than that if one reads further into the text. I practically know them by heart now, but with each time I reread them I find I learn something new.”

“When I was younger I wanted to be just like Kim Yushin– he fought for others, more so than just himself,” his grin lasts for a moment before fading, “But I suppose dreaming about being a great commander doesn’t just make you one… I wish I realized that a bit sooner.”

“What are you talking about?” You tilt your head, “You’ve only just begun.” 

“... How’s Jihoon?” He asks, not seeming to have heard your prior statement. 

“I think he’s in his room writing something.” You state, “Probably writing orders for Hansol, he’s off with Hao Chujun in Kyeju, you know.” 

“Ah…” Youngmin sighs, “I keep giving Jihoon so much to do.”

“I don’t think he’s pushing himself too hard,” you say quickly, “And nothing makes him happier than being able to help you. That’s just the kind of guy he is.” 

Youngmin chuckles at that, “You’ve turned out to be quite a page to him, haven’t you? I think you know him quite well by now.” 

“You think so?” You feel your cheeks warm at his certainty. “That’s right… I was supposed to be his page, wasn’t I?”

“To be truthful, I never thought that you’d be with us for this long…” Before you knew it, the two of you had begun to reminisce about your time in Seorabeol. Back then, you never could have guessed where fate would take you. There have been constant challenges, but you thought that’d you’d eventually return to your lives in the capital. 

“I know things will work out. The Commander will get us through this.” 

Youngmin responds with a melancholy laugh, “Don’t you think you’re asking quite a bit of him?”

“... What do you mean?”

Before Youngmin has any time to answer, the door opens with a snap, Wonwoo and Jihoon briskly walking inside, their faces tense and drawn. 

“We have to go. Now.” Jihoon says sharply, “The place’s surrounded.” 

“There’s two, maybe three hundred of them out there. We came in through the back so they wouldn’t see us,” Wonwoo says solemnly.

“If it were only twenty or thirty then we could take them… But we don’t have time to call Hansol and his men. Guess we’ll have to come up with something here. You two take Youngmin and go on ahead,” Jihoon says quickly. 

“What?!” You speak up, “Not even you can take on that many people. And it’s still daytime…” 

“A majority of the soldiers out there are archers,” Wonwoo says as both you and he move toward the door in an effort to block it should Jihoon try to get out. 

Youngmin, having been in quiet contemplation since their arrival, speaks out, “You needn't do that, Jihoon. I’ll go and have them take me to their headquarters.” 

“What the hell?!” Jihoon shouts out incredulously, “You might as well just paint a target on your chest!” 

“I won’t introduce myself as Kwak Youngmin of the Hwarang, of course,” Youngmin sighs as he rises to his feet, “I’ll tell them that we’re soldiers here to just secure the location. At any rate, it should buy you enough time to get away.” 

While you and Wonwoo lay shocked into silence, Jihoon doesn’t relent, “Listen to yourself! You really think they’ll let you waltz in and fuck with them like that?! You know how they work! There’s no way in hell that those bastards don’t hate our guts! They won’t believe that shit about us being soldiers for a second!”

“Well, even if I do get captured, I have the status of a Lord. They can’t just kill me.” 

“You have got to be kidding me.” Jihoon’s face is a near vibrant red at the moment, “You think they’ll give a shit about a title you have from the Kingdom they’re against?! You go out there, you’re signing your death warrant. You really think I’ll just let you do that?!” 

No matter what the Commander yells at him, Youngmin’s expression doesn’t change. 

“I’ve made my decision. Nothing you say can convince me otherwise.” 

Jihoons fists begin to shake by his sides. In all your time with the Hwarang, you’ve never seen either of them act like this before. 

“No! No! What the hell are the Hwarang going to do without their Chief?!” Jihoon shouts, “You’re coming with me even if I have to knock you out and drag you along! You have a responsibility to the Hwarang! You don’t get to die and run away from that!” He’s screaming at Youngmin, his white knuckled fists now gripping the front of the other man’s robes and his eyes red with held-back tears.

Yet his fury and pleas break across Youngmin’s impassable calm like wind against a mountain. 

“This is a direct order!” Youngmin says sternly as Jihoon’s hands drop from his robes, “You will go to Kyeju to meet with the rest of our men. The two of you will accompany him as well.” Jihoon stumbles back a step or two at the force of Youngmin’s voice. 

“You’re going to tell me what to do…? What the hell is this?!” Jihoon asks near incredulously. 

“Aren’t your Chief’s orders absolute?” Youngmin asks with a tilt of his head, “You’ve ordered men to kill themselves, or to become Furies from disobeying that rule. Are you somehow an exception? Is that the sort of warrior you want to be?” 

Jihoon says nothing. 

As long as he’d been commander, Jihoon strove to lead by example. He lived by the O Gye and demanded that others do likewise to groom the Hwarang into true warriors. There’s no doubt Youngmin had counted on that fact. He meant to do it to keep Jihoon alive.

Youngmin looks to you and Wonwoo, stepping a few paces in your direction, “I want you to leave with Jihoon. If you take too long, they’ll attack and my surrender will mean nothing.” He gives you two a small shove to get you moving, Wonwoo turns to look at Jihoon.

“Commander… Let’s go.” 

He only stands, chewing his lip, until Youngmin lays his hands on his friend’s shoulders, giving him a warm smile. 

“Hey, Jihoon… Let it go. Let me go.” Youngmin says softly, “You’ve run yourself ragged trying to earn me the status and fame that I wanted. You even turned yourself into a Fury… It kills me to see you do all of these things for me… I’m not worth it.”

Jihoon doesn’t meet his friend’s gaze, he instead blinks rapidly, trying to hold back tears, and stares desperately at the floor. Then he swallows the lump in his throat, his voice tight and strained when he speaks, “I– If I do this, then what have I been fighting for all these years? I became a warrior, served our Kingdom… I won numerous battles and killed men… All because I thought you’d be there at the end with all of us…” 

“I’m sorry,” Youngmin’s voice reflects the softness of the other’s, “I brought you here, I did this to you. Thinking back on it, it was all sort of a dream. We weren’t real warriors yet but we strapped on our swords and went to work.” His voice is warm, but that seems to make it even more difficult for Jihoon to let go.

The room is still before the commander speaks, “Jeon… Send a message to our remaining men. We need to secure an escape route.” His gaze then falls to you, “Stay here. Once we’re ready, I’ll come get you.” 

“Okay,” you nod quickly. And with that, Wonwoo and Jihoon leave, and Youngmin and you are alone once more. 

“Take this with you,” Youngmin says as he begins to reach for something in his robes. After a moment, he hands you a small cloth bag, it clinks as it rests in your palm. 

“What is it?”

“Money. To help you escape. I wasn’t able to do anything for you. This is a token of my appreciation, for all you’ve done for us. Please, take it.” His warmth still lingers on the fabric of the bag, you feel a lump rise in your throat. “You still have time. I’ll tell Jihoon. Once you get away, go somewhere safe and look for Doctor Namekawa… Just forget you had anything to do with us. Marry someone you love and live a peaceful life. Find happiness.” 

While you appreciate his kind gesture you cannot find it within yourself to follow his guidance, “No, I won’t run. I want to go with Jihoon. I’m… I’m his page…” Your teeth catch your lip, afraid that if you say any more you may cry. Instead, you look up to Youngmin and do your best to smile. 

His eyes are warm as he looks to you, “Our Commander’s been blessed with some great friends. I’ll be counting on you, then. Take care of him for me.” 

Eventually, Jihoon and Wonwoo return. They gather you and the rest of the men in an outer courtyard on the premises, including Junghwan and Dohoon. 

“What?!” Junghwan shouts, “We’re going to leave Chief behind? Is that true Commander?!” 

“Chief’s orders,” Jihoon says sternly, “You’re all going to escape this place and I’ll be right behind you.” 

“If he just surrenders, then his cover will be blown immediately!” Junghwan insists, “At least here, I could remain by his si–” 

“I said, ‘Chief’s orders’! Or do you have shit in your ears?!” Jihoon snaps, “Don’t you dare put Youngmin’s efforts in vain with your stupid suggestions!”

Junghwan looks as if he wants to respond, but instead he looks down as he tightens his fists and shakes. 

Just then, Dohoon says, “I’m going to stay. I understand they’re the Chief’s orders. However, as a warrior of the Hwarang, I cannot abandon the Chief.” 

“Kim Dohoon!” Wonwoo raises his voice, only to be interrupted. 

“Dohoon you bastard…” Jihoon frowns, angrily tapping the hilt of his sword, “You really want this steel in your gut right now?”

“No! It’s not like that,” Dohoon’s eyes burn with intense vigor as he glares back at Jihoon. “I understand you, more than anyone else, want to remain here. But the Chief entrusted the Hwarang to you, which is why you can’t… So that’s why I want to protect him in your stead, Commander!” 

Jihoon curls his lip, staring at him for a long moment before unsheathing his blade at his hip. 

“Commander!” As the exclamation leaves Wonwoo’s mouth, Jihoon points the tip of the sword toward Dohoon’s throat.

“You said you’ll protect the Chief, right?”

Sweat trickles down Dohoon’s reddened cheeks, “...Yes, I will.” 

“Then you’d better keep your goddamn word. No matter what, your eyes don’t leave Kwak, got it?” 

Dohoon’s eyes grow wide, trembling for a moment but soon after brim with a fiery determination, “Yes, sir! I, Kim Dohoon, promise to protect the Chief's life, no matter the cost!” 

It seems as if he’s convinced Jihoon, as the latter returns his blade to its sheath. “Let’s go.” His words are curt as he nods quickly before leaving the residence behind. 

In a short while, Youngmin and Dohoon will hand their terms of surrender to the Goguryeo army. You find yourself looking back over your shoulder many times as you run. Soon, Youngmin will give himself to his enemies. Perhaps, you think time and time again, if you turn around now, you can rescue him, 

Wonwoo seems to feel the same way, but Jihoon never once turns back. 

You run and run through the forest to Kyeju. It doesn’t matter how quickly you get there– it’s not soon enough to bring back an army to save Youngmin. 

“Are you alright?” Wonwoo asks as he falls in step by your side, “We can rest if you’re tired.” 

“I’m alright,” you shake your head, “I can keep going.” 

Jihoon, with his back to you, says nothing, but you can feel each pained step he takes away from his friend. 

The sun begins to dip towards the western horizon and night starts to fall when your party is stopped by a group of Goguryeo soldiers. 

“You there! Stop!” One of them commands, his hand already hovering over the hilt of his sword, “Where are you headed?” 

Jihoon only frowns and makes his way to walk past the soldier. 

“He said to stop!” Another soldier yells out, “Goddamn it, are you more of those Silla guys?”

“Hold,” the first man pauses, “I’ve seen him before. You’re that bastard from the Hwarang, aren’t you?”

“You mean those guys that offed Yoon?” The soldiers around them begin to scramble for their weapons.

Unfortunately, they aren’t fast enough for Jihoon. His hair snaps white and he shoots forward, toward the soldiers, sword in hand. His strikes are so fast and elegant that the eye barely even has time to perceive what happened before the two men fall dead. 

“Wrong day to fuck with me, boys.” 

A volley of soldiers rush forward, as well as a few arrows loosened in his direction. One of the arrows pierces his shoulder and Jihoon cries out, swiftly pulling it from the wound. It immediately begins to close as he smirks at them, “That’s how it feels getting shot, huh? Not as bad as I thought.” His gaze sharpens on those left before him, “This is nothing! This doesn’t even come close to what Youngmin’s going through!” 

Jihoon launches himself at the nearest of the soldiers, his sword already in motion and his face twisted by grief and anger. Even without Fury powers, Jihoon and Wonwoo could have made easy work of this small troop of men… But rage and frustration boiling over since you’d left Youngmin had erupted in a torrent of violence. 

“You can’t use your powers–!” You call out to Jihoon, trying to stop his relentless assault. 

“Shut up!” He snarls at you, “Stay out of this!” 

He knows what he’s doing, but he’s far past caring. Jihoon leaps from tree to tree, his sword flashing like lightning. Every time it moves, a life ends. Rage, anguish and an unrestrained thirst for blood radiates from him like heat from a blaze from a fire. Blood soaks his face and hands. Still, he cuts and cuts, never satisfied. 

You see Wonwoo and Junghwan sweating as they stand silently, watching Jihoon fight as a Fury. They’re mesmerized and you can hardly blame them. Every swing of his sword spills a man to the dirt. He looks like a monster. At last, the only man left alive is Jihoon himself. 

Silence falls over the forest once more, save for the birds that have restarted their chatter, 

“Wonwoo… Junghwan… Go see if there’s any more of them.” Desperate to distance themselves from the bloodshed, the two depart quickly after Jihoon’s orders. “You. Go with them.” 

Normally you would do as he’d asked and followed after them but now… 

“What?” Jihoon turns to you, noticing your hesitation, “I gave you an order.” His words cut like a knife but you don’t move. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“I am your commanding officer. I am giving you an order.” He sounds angry, as he oft does, but just behind that there's a deep, miserable sadness. If he doesn’t stay angry, you feel, he’d probably be crying.

“I promise I won’t get in your way, but please, just let me stay here with you.” There’s nothing you can do for him, but you cannot bear to leave him alone. 

He turns his back to you– to everything, his face hidden. You have no idea what expression he’s wearing.

You search yourself for something to say, something to ease him, but you find nothing within yourself to better him. And, after a few moments, he speaks.

“What the hell did I do… all of this for?” 

How can this be the fate dealt by the gods for two men so honest and determined? It just doesn’t seem fair…

“Was it just so I could give Youngmin to those bastards? I busted my ass to give my friend to the enemy?” His voice trembles with every word, the weight of it all still resting heavily on him, “I was going to make him important. Help him carry himself to his family’s standards. I wanted to see him fight in the kind of battles they wrote about. Like a true warrior… I wanted to see just how far the owner of a school in the sticks could go.” 

You’re not even sure if he knows that you’re still here. If he does, it seems as if he no longer cares.  

“I thought we were shooting for the same dream. Long as it was for him, I felt like I could do anything. So what the hell am I doing here, alive, while he’s… he’s god knows where?! After all that self-righteous preaching, what did I do?! I turned around and left him to the wolves! He… I’m just like the king. Soon as things get dangerous, I turn tail and leave better men to deal with the mess! God damn it! Why am I alive?!”

It tears you apart to hear him lament his inner machinations aloud. You find yourself stepping forward, wrapping your arms around his back, pressing your face against his uniform. 

“Youngmin said… I mean, after you’d left, I told him that you’d figure it out,” you say softly,  “and he said that I was asking too much of you.” Tears run hot down your cheeks, “It’s not your fault, you can’t blame yourself… He didn’t want you to die. That’s why you’re still alive. Just… Please don’t blame yourself.”

 Jihoon listens, saying nothing. Or perhaps he didn’t even hear you. Why do words feel so powerless when you need them the most? What good are they if you cannot comfort someone at their lowest? 

“He did this to save me… but what the hell am I supposed to do without Kwak Youngmin of the Hwarang? The dream of helping him is what brought me here in the first place.” Jihoon’s shoulders shake, “Now that dream has left me… I don’t have anything left. I’m nothing.” He gives a short bark of humorless laughter, “Seriously Kwak… Stop giving me all the shitty jobs.”  His voice chokes on a sob and falls silent. 

𝔄𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔩 10𝔱𝔥, 666 - ℌ𝔞𝔫𝔰𝔢𝔬𝔫𝔤, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 The days that followed were somber, and eventually your group returned to Ungjin before regrouping with Hansol in Kyeju. When you arrived in the city, Junghwan mentioned he was going to visit a friend of his, and left. However, you think Junghwan’s just trying to be considerate and give Jihoon some space.

Arriving back at the compound, you’re shocked to see none other than Boo Seungkwan waiting for you.

“Evening,” he says as you walk inside, “Who would’ve thought you guys would ever come to visit me?”

“Nevermind that you should be in Sabi– why are you up this late? Just look at you,” Jihoon frowns, crossing his arms.

“I’m a bit tired of sleeping alone, you know?” Seungkwan muses, “At this rate, I’ll never get a chance to shine again… Seems to me it’s time to join you guys.” 

“The hell you won’t! What makes you think you can hold a sword with that body?” Jihoons words cut through the air.

“Come on, cut me some slack.” Seungkwan snorts, “I’ve been feeling great lately. So…” As he begins his next statement, he turns to cough into his fist. The fit doesn’t relent until he crouches on the floor, coughing painfully with strained breaths. 

“Are you alright, Seungkwan?” You ask, rubbing his back as he tries to catch his breath. Under your palm, you can feel the bones of his back. At first glance, he may look to be improving but he’s lost a lot of weight and it’s almost painful to look at. 

“See?” Jihoon turns to look down at him, “What’d I tell you? Why don’t you admit you’re sick for once, and take it easy?”

Seungkwan bites his lips out of frustration, grimacing at the thought of admitting his weakness, he sighs deeply and rises to his feet, “So, how’s Kwak doing? Too busy to visit me again?” 

You flinch at the mention of Youngmin, which causes your body to jolt unexpectedly. Jihoon, however, is unfazed by the question. 

“He’s a little preoccupied at the moment.” 

“How’s his shoulder doing? Isn’t it tough for him to be up and about?”

“That was a while ago. He’s fine.” Jihoon says, “He may not be able to wield his sword but, well, with his promotion, it’s not like he’s charging from the front lines anyway.” 

“Spare me,” Seungkwan waves his hand, “You’re bragging about his promotion like it’s you out there and not him. But… that’s good to hear. Youngmin’s okay then.” The Hwarang seems to have eased down. It looks as if Youngmin’s well-being is the only thing keeping Seungkwan invested in his own health. 

“Look,” Jihoon states, “I promise I’ll bring him next time. Just sit tight, okay?”

“Sure, I’ll wait. But I’m not holding my breath. You’ve always been a bad liar, Jihoon.”

“Who the hell are you calling a liar? I’ve never lied to you about Youngmin.” The tone of their conversation sounds like their usual banter, but you can understand why Junghwan may have been inclined to step out. You begin to gather that there’s much for them to reminisce on, so you take the chance to sneak outside. 

Cool nighttime air whispers against your cheeks as you gaze to the stars hanging above. It seems like tonight would be the final farewell between Jihoon and Seungkwan, you need to let them have this moment to themselves. Being an outside observer to the intimacy of their conversation tells you this, at least. 

In the midst of your contemplation, you think you see Junghwan speaking to someone in the distance. You know he said he’d been planning to meet a friend in Ungjin but you don’t recognize the figure. 

“Are you sure about that? You’re the Commander’s acquaintance, aren’t you?” You hear Junghwan speak to him as you slowly approach. “You’re already here so why don’t you stop by?” 

“I think I’ll pass on that.” The person says coolly.

“Why?” Junghwan questions further, “This may be the last time we step foot in Ungjin.”

“Wasn’t Youngmin just arrested by Goguryeo soldiers in Hanseong?” The person murmurs, “I don’t know what I’d say to Jihoon in a time like this, knowing what everyone’s been through and all.”

Junghwan’s head suddenly hangs, as the words from the conversation penetrate and resound around his head, “You don’t need to mince words. Just, you know, tell them how you feel… talk about what you’ve been up to, or what you’ve seen. Isn’t that good enough?” 

“Junghwan…”  For a brief moment, the stranger looks unsettled by the suggestion. However, he takes a deep breath and continues, “But I was never one of the Hwarang. I just happened to be around when the newer group was established.”

“Then why did you paint them as Furies?” Junghwan frowns, “If they didn’t matter to you anymore, then you wouldn’t go through the trouble of drawing that? It’s not like it’d make you any money.”

“Well…” The other stops.

“So, are you absolutely sure there’s nothing you’d want to say to the Commander, Colonel or Soonyoung? You’re positive?” Junghwan lists off the names of the Hwarang, only making you question the stranger yourself. Is he a friend of theirs? Perhaps Junghwan had met with him to bring him to your side?

Whatever the case, the stranger’s countenance gives the impression that he’s reluctant to be involved at all. 

As you’re thinking of this person, a voice speaks up behind you, “You should go and talk to Seungkwan while you can.” 

Jihoon. You hadn’t heard the door open, much less his footsteps approach.

“S- Sure,” you say quickly, spinning on your heels and walking into the house from the darkness. 

After making smalltalk for a while, Jihoon rejoins you and begins to say his farewell to him, “We’ll see you later, Boo. Don’t trouble Namekawa too much.”

“I never do,” Seungkwan shakes his head, “The man just worries too much.”

“Forever the smartass,” Jihoon rolls his eyes jokingly, “Whatever the case, we’ll be on our way soon.”

“Leaving already?” Seungkwan asks, eyebrows raised. 

“Goodnight, Seungkwan. Please take care of yourself.” You say with a small smile and begin to turn to leave.

“Hey,” Seungkwan calls out to you, “Can I have a word?” He beckons you over with a gentle gesture so you walk to him. 

“Is something the matter?” 

“I know he won’t admit it, but Jihoon looks like shit. Are things at the front going bad?” 

If you speak too carelessly you can give away information– information that can easily hurt Seungkwan, so you fall silent. 

“Here’s the thing: I don’t like that man at all, and quite frankly, I can’t give a rat’s ass what happens to him. But… I want you to be by his side. If he goes down, then the Hwarang go down with him.”

“I understand…” you murmur out before Jihoon butts in.

“Are we done here? Time to get going.” 

He doesn’t ask a thing about your conversation as he begins walking briskly ahead of you on the darkened streets. Watching him make that promise of bringing Youngmin the next time he’d see Seungkwan… it seems as though that burden of promise, and the potential of it being left unfulfilled, weighs heavily on him.

Suddenly, he stops in his tracks.

“You should go on ahead and go home.”

“Huh?” You pause yourself, “What do you mean? What do you plan on doing?”

“I’m going to speak to the Goguryeo forces in Hanseong,” he turns to face you, “And I’m going to personally ask them to release Youngmin.”

“You’re going now?!” You sputter, “I thought you said they can’t be reasoned with?”

“If we can’t get results, then I can’t say we’ve done everything we could.”

“It’s not safe for you to go there! They could capture you at any moment!” Frantic energy runs in your voice, “If they take you like they did Youngmin…” 

Yesterday this idea would have been preposterous to Jihoon, what happened to make him change his mind?

“So you’re telling me to my face that this decision is a mistake?” 

“No… No I’m not saying that.”

“Then what is it?” He snaps, “If you have something to say, just say it.” 

“Stay strong.” You raise your voice, nearly shocking yourself,  “You of all people know what needs to be done.”

“I decide on what I do. It’s not your place to say.” 

“I understand, but what will you do if you’re arrested by the Goguryeo army?”

“So what if I am?” He frowns, crossing his arms, “Sitting here and talking about ‘what-ifs’ isn’t any better than taking action.  

“So you’re going to let Chan and Eunseok’s sacrifices go in vain?!”

“What do you know?!” He explodes, and you have to stop yourself from taking a step back.

“E- Even I can understand a little!” You refuse to let your convictions amount to nothing. With a heavy heart you continue, “I was there when they gave their lives for… I saw it with my own eyes. Both of them loved the Hwarang. And they trusted their commander! If either of them saw what I am now, it would crush them.” 

“Crush them, huh?” At last, he seems to let go of a bit of the tension in his shoulders. They relax slightly as he looks off into the distance. “Do you believe it to be the survivor’s duty to carry on the will of the deceased?”

“I think so.”At least that’s what it feels as if you’re doing now. The reason you can’t back down, even if Jihoon feels compelled to yell at you, is because you know Eunseok and Chan would have done the same. 

“Damn, guess this means all I have to look forward to in life is shouldering more burdens until I die.”

“Jihoon…”

He shakes his head and gives you a short, melancholic smile, “Sorry for yelling at you. You were right. You did know. There’s no point in me being irrational when our situation is already grim, huh? It wouldn;t look too great if there’s nowhere for the Chief to go when he gets out eventually.”

With that last statement, you see that he’s finally regained his composure, and you respond in kind by calming down, “I know I told you to stay strong, but please, don’t push yourself too hard. I noticed you’ve been running around during both day and night time.”

“Where do you have all this time to show concern for every person you meet?” Jihoon sighs out, “Once we leave here, if you so much as collapse on the way out, I’m leaving your ass behind. Brace yourself.” 

“Okay!”

You’re happy to have gotten through to him, even if it was just a courteous gesture. He begins walking again and you run right behind him, doing your best to keep up with the swiftness of his pace.  

At the entrance of the city, you regroup with Junghwan and Wonwoo, the two greeting you quickly. 

“Commander, I need to speak with you urgently,” Junghwan says, looking frigid as he approaches Jihoon. “Please let me petition for the clemency of both the Chief and Dohoon! Surely the Goguryeo forces understand what killing Kwak would detail. If we work hard, I’m sure we can find people to cooperate with us. So please–”

 Jihoon stares at Junghwan, who’s bowed over in a sign of respect, and seems to take his suggestion into consideration. 

“...You beat me to it. I was going to say the same thing.”

“Commander! Then–”

“Jeon, I have a favor to ask you. Take her and head to Kyeju first.”

“What?!” You gasp out.

“We’re going to continue our fight for Youngmin’s freedom. Your presence here is only a burden for us right now.” Earlier he’d given you the same instruction, albeit with a far more aggressive tone. But this time you can tell thoughtful consideration went into it. 

You’re worried, of course. But there isn’t anything more you can argue. 

“This is an order from your commander. We’ll meet up again soon so get out of here and stay sharp.” 

It felt strange to part from them, as if some piece of yourself is now missing– but you don’t have much time to harp on it as you meet up with other troops in Kyeju. 

You’re worried about what’s to become of Youngmin, but perhaps because the situation seems grim, no one has brought it up.

𝔐𝔞𝔶 1𝔰𝔱, 666 – 𝔒𝔲𝔱𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔎𝔶𝔢𝔧𝔲, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 Jihoon soon rejoined Wonwoo and you as you resided in Kyeju, only after he’d settled his affairs for Youngmin’s freedom in Ungjin first. Hansol had taken the main body of Hwarang soldiers to Koksan and then onto Bakjak to keep an eye on the Fury Corps. You have just left the small town with Wong Kunhang’s men to hop onto the route to follow after him. 

After a while, you manage to meet up with some allied soldiers, but many of them look at you with a strange mixture of curiosity and fear. It’s unpleasant, to say the least.

“Those are the Hwarang, right? The murderers?”

“Yeah, noble dogs that  kill men for no reason– even their comrades! Best not to look at them for too long. You never know what might set them off.”

It isn’t difficult to hear the gossip that floats through the ranks. 

“They sound like a bunch of old wives spinning those stories!” Wonwoo scoffs, turning to look at Jihoon, “Want me to keep them quiet for you?”

“No.” Jihoon shakes his head, sounding more irritated than usual, “They want to talk, let them talk.” 

“Are you alright?” You ask as you walk along, “You don’t look too well.”

“I’m fine.” He says but he clearly seems otherwise. His skin is a pale color, almost blue, and he looks exhausted. Marching during the day is hardly a pleasant walk for a Fury. 

Youngmin is clearly at the forefront of his mind. And although you hate to admit it, he has a good reason to be on edge. 

“Excuse me, could you let me pass? Ah– apologies, oops…” Someone moves towards you from the back of the column of men, pushing his way through the rest of the marching soldiers. 

“Hello,” a man, no older than Jihoon, steps forward and offers a bow, “Are you Lee Jihoon? I’ve heard a great deal about you and the Hwarang.” 

“Who the hell are you?” Jihoon asks, puzzled.

“Pardon my rudeness, I’m still not fully functional with the language– my name is Wong Kunhang, one of the commanders of the Tang forces. I’m sure I’ll be talking with the Hwarang a great deal in the future. It’s nice to meet you.” 

It’s strange, for the man who claimed to command the infantry of men, he looks more like the son of a wealthy merchant than a soldier. 

Jihoon snorts under his breath and turns away, leaving Kunhang to look on for a moment longer. 

“Do you have business with Jihoon?” Wonwoo asks.

“Ah, yes. I was hoping to hear stories about the Seorabeol attacks from the Commander of the Hwarang himself.”

“Sure you wouldn’t rather hear some ridiculous rumor from a drunk soldier?” Jihoon bites, “Seems like everybody here loves to gossip.”

“I apologize for them. We’ve been far from home for a while and they’ve only grown more undisciplined as time progressed.” Kunhang shakes his head to continue his original plan, “At any rate, I came here to give you an overview of how our forces are being deployed. We have five thousand soldiers in the advance guard, main body and rear guard. As the highest ranking officer–” 

“Wong Kunhang… The Wong Kunhang who took back Hanseong a few months back?”

“That’s me,” he smiles.

“And you lost it.” 

“Yes, well… I suppose I did. It was a misstep of my forces and I take full responsibility for it. But I assure you that we will be taking it back, and keeping it this time.”

Jihoon looks as if he’s just swallowed something rotten. He’d only just lost his Chief and it seems as if this newcomer’s trying to force himself into Youngmin’s place. No one, no matter the skill, can replace his friend. Still, Kunhang seems to have been expecting to be rebuffed, and continues, showing no sign of being put off by Jihoon's behavior. 

“The advance guard is made up mostly of men from the Silla army. The rear guard, however, is composed of men from Tang. I’m thinking of promoting you to Deputy Commander in order to lead the advance guard. What do you say?” 

“Why?”

“I have experience leading my men. And am I wrong to think that the advance guard would take more kindly to a fellow countryman than an outsider?” Kunhang speaks plainly, “Besides, there isn’t anyone on our side or theirs who hasn’t heard the name Lee Jihoon. I can’t think of anyone better suited.” His copious praise does nothing to thaw Jihoon, they just stare at each other for a few awkward moments. 

It’s painfully clear that the two of them don’t see eye to eye, and it cannot be a worse first impression. 

“Well,” Kunhang claps his hands together, “I suppose I better be on my way. We’ll talk later, and go over some more in-depth plans.” Their conversation ends as one-sided as it had begun, and the Tang general disappears into the swarm of marching soldiers. 

Later that night, your group camps a short distance away from the rest of the force. Jihoon, sitting by the fire’s edge, beckons you and Wonwoo over, “We need to talk.” The main bulk of the Hwarang forces are with Hansol heading even more northward, meaning that the only people in the camp were you, Wonwoo, Jihoon and three dozen more Hwarang. “Remember what Kunhang told us earlier?”

“About taking command of the advance guard?” Wonwoo inquires, “What of it?”

“I’ve been thinking about what I want you guys to do. You can’t be in the advance guard, so I’ll have to send you off to fight with the main body or the rear guard.”

“So this means you’re going to take his offer?” Wonwoo shifts as he speaks.

“Yes. You were in Seorabeol. You’d be a good commander for men who’ve never seen a real battle.”

“But…” A frown carves itself on his lips. Jihoon’s reasoning makes sense, but it doesn’t mean he has to like it.  It feels as if Wonwoo had grown attached to the idea of fighting in the same unit as Jihoon. Perhaps the commander is insensitive for either ignoring this sentiment, or not acknowledging it at all. 

Wonwoo sighs, resigning himself into a period of deep thought, looking up to Jihoon’s gaze, “Understood. Whatever you order me to do, I’ll do it. But first, I want you to tell me something. This doesn’t mean you’re planning to disband the Hwarang, does it? If I fight in this, it’ll be as a member of the Hwarang.”

It seems the two of you feel the same way. Jihoon’s hope may be flickering but yours isn’t.

“Fine. Whatever.” Jihoon seems disengaged.

“I should also point out that I think commanding soldiers is a little more than she can handle.” Wonwoo adds, glancing over to you, “She doesn’t belong on the front line. She’s a page, not a soldier.” He rises to his feet, dusting the dirt from his knees, “Anyways, I’ll go and tell the others what you’ve decided.”

Jihoon and you are left alone with the crackling fire as Wonwoo jogs back to the main encampment. He sighs and his shoulders drop. Suddenly he looks very, very tired.

“Why did you try to order us away?” The question leaves you before you can think it through.

He doesn’t answer, only tilts his head to look at the flecks of starlight dappling through the trees above. As the melancholy silence speaks, you nearly regret asking the question before he laments, “If I knew Youngmin was coming back, then I could go out there ready to give my life to win. Just like Chan said– Youngmin and I were the Hwarang. With him gone, there’s no way in hell I can carry all this on my own.”   

When he normally speaks to you, he is oft cruel and rude, you’ve never heard him sound so defeated before. 

“Junhui was right, wasn’t he? Remember what he said when we decided to attack Hanseong? He said there was no way in hell Kim Yong would fund us without some sort of hidden agenda.” Jihoon huffs, “He was right. So was Mingyu… You know who was the first to petition for a settlement between Goguryeo and our forces? Kim Yong.”

“...What?”

“He wanted to showcase our defeat as costly and an expenditure of life and resources. Make it abysmally clear that the war is funded on blood, and to keep his own money in his coiffers.” He laughs despondently and kicks at a rock by his foot, “Damn it, how couldn’t I see that coming? If I thought about it, that would’ve never slipped past me. I was desperate for Youngmin to be off fighting big important battles, winning all sorts of glory…  But I let it all blind me, we were played and Youngmin lost his spirit…” 

The Hwarang had put their lives on the line for the Kingdom. How could the King just let them be pawned around? 

“Noble or commoner– we all busted our asses to get where we are. Aren’t warriors meant to be the masters of the battlefield? What the hell have we been fighting for this entire time? Is anything I believed in still true? We believed that we were fighting for something, so no matter the shit we had to crawl through, we did it.  Turns out it was just a trench that just circles itself. What are we supposed to do now? What the hell am I supposed to believe in?”

Every word of his punctures you with pain. But the kingdom had betrayed them, their trust. The war had changed and it feels as if the Hwarang had been tossed aside. All that the Hwarang had done is fade away, what could Jihoon do to fix it? 

“You lost what you believed in,” you say quietly, “They think as long as you’re there to lead, they’ll be fine and refuse to show fear in front of you. They want you to see the kind of men they are, which means they’ll fight to the death if you tell them to.” If anything, you want to soothe his wounded soul a bit. “But if someone were to ask why I’m here… I’d say it’s because I believe in you.”

Perhaps that’s the wrong thing to say, all you’ve done is give him something more to worry about. 

Jihoon looks at you, but for once the light in his eyes is soft, “You’re right. If you lose sight of something the only person who can find it again is you. Besides, we’ve got a big fight coming up. Guess I should be thinking about how we’re going to win that, not whining about my problems.” With a small smile, he turns back to the stars.

You fall silent again, cicadas fluttering and chirping through the night being the only cacophony of sounds around you.  

“Are you really going to stick around?” He asks. You know he wants to go alone, but you can’t go with Wonwoo, you both know that.

“Yes, I am.” Perhaps you don’t know how you can help him just yet, but you can hardly leave him alone. 

“Fine. Just stay out of my way.” 

“I know.” You sit there in the silence of night, you’re just about to return to your tent when he groans out in pain. Almost immediately you know what’s happening, your fears confirmed when his hair begins to turn white at the roots. Quickly you scramble to your feet, urging him to his and leading him to the shadow of a large tree where the nearby soldiers won’t be able to see him.  

“Damn it,” he curses through clenched teeth, “Why now?!”

With shaking hands you reach for your collar, and as he grasps your intent he grimaces. Jihoon takes a hold of your shoulders and roughly pulls you toward him, seconds later you feel a dull sting on the back of your neck and then the hot trickle of blood. 

His warm breath comes in pants across your bare skin, but after a time his ragged gasps for deliverance begin to steady. And slowly, his grip loosens. Then, without a word, he pulls away from you. 

“How long do you plan to keep letting me do this?” He mutters, as you turn to him, worry in his eyes.

“Forever,” you say simply, “As long as you need me, I’ll be here.” 

“You’re a stupid woman,” he sighs, “And I’m a man who’s lost sight of what makes him human. How can you just let me cut you open like that and drink your blood? What the hell are you thinking?”

“It’s alright, Jihoon. I really don’t mind.”

There’s nothing for him to say to that.

The next day, along the route to Hanseong, the news breaks.

“So, Goguryeo forces are pulling out of Hanseong?” Wong Kunhang frowns, “That’s… unexpected.” He and Jihoon stop to talk over the news and their next move. 

“Unexpected? They’re cocky bastards that think we won’t try to retake the city.” Jihoon scoffs, “It’s the most opportune moment to take it back.” 

“I’m not against going into battle,” Kunhang states, “We are leading an army, after all. But the main body and the rear guard are still on their way. All I’m asking is that you wait until they catch up with us. Attempting to lay siege to the city with the men we have is folly beyond folly. We should–”

Jihoon sighs, “This isn’t a theoretical scenario from one of your war manuals.”

“Sun Tzu isn’t just a war manual. The highest form of generalship is balking enemy plans; the next best in preventing enemy junctions,” Kunhang argues, standing his ground, “After that, it’s attacking armies in the field, and the worst of all is besieging walled cities. Therefore, we should only lay siege as a last resort. Attacking head-on is foolish. If you’re determined to be foolish, the best you can do is make sure your army is in the best condition possible and–”

“Though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays! No kingdom benefits from prolonged warfare!” Jihoon offers his rebuttal, “Remember that one? He’s saying that it might get messy, but it’s better to end your battles quickly. Taking your sweet time just comes back to bite you in the ass.”

“Lee… Don’t do that.” Wong Kunhang’s brow furrows, “I’m not asking you to wait long. They should be here in just a few days.”

“And we’re just meant to sit here twiddling our thumbs until the Goguryeo army shows up?” Jihoon frowns, “If they catch us unaware then we’re screwed, no two ways about it.” He must sense that he caught a nerve in the other as he pushes ahead, “You want to miss this opportunity, fine. I’ll just take the advance guard and capture Hanseong myself.”

“That’s suicide!” Kunhang shouts as Jihoon snorts derisively. He clearly has no intention of taking his opinion. 

“I guess we’ll see. I’ll take Hanseong by tomorrow.” His lips pull back from his teeth in a feral grin, and he looks off in the distance toward Hanseong.

He isn’t being belligerent. He’s being reckless. With Jihoon like this, can you really win?

𝔐𝔞𝔶 13𝔱𝔥 666 - ℌ𝔞𝔫𝔰𝔢𝔬𝔫𝔤, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔊𝔬𝔤𝔲𝔯𝔶𝔢𝔬 Hanseong is in turmoil. Your forces neared three thousand, while Hanseong’s barely had a thousand. And although the Silla forces easily outnumber your opponents, the guards are able to use their fortifications to great effect, fighting you to a standstill. Arrows fly, swords clash, and men scream in pain.

“We can’t keep this up,” Jihoon sighs out with crossed arms, “This is as good a time as any to attack the enemy lines.”   

“Attack?” You look toward him in disbelief, as a nearby soldier cries out, “Their fortifications–” 

“Can fall.” Jihoon says flatly, “An arrow or two won’t kill you.” The men around him are stunned into silence, never having imagined they would receive orders like this. Their commander, however, just stares back coldly. “What the hell did you come here to do? You’re here to fight a war. If you’re prepared to fight, you should be prepared to die. Am I wrong? So, when I give the word, you’re going to charge that line!”

The men before him pale, and many tremble. Eventually, one of them snaps, “I can’t do it! I don’t want to die here.”

No sooner had he turned to run, does Jihoon’s sword flash in the daylight, striking the soldier dead. The men watching swallow thickly. For a few moments they stay utterly silent. Commotion breaks out shortly afterward. 

“What is this?!”

“Is he crazy?!”

Jihoon lets his cold eyes slide slowly across their ranks, and slowly the mumbling ceases, “Anyone else want to run? If you’re too scared to fight, go ahead. Be my guest. But anyone who runs will die by my hand. So either I kill you… Or you take your chance out there. Up to you.” With one final scowl, he turns back to the battlefield, taking off across it.

He runs through the throng of bodies and hail of arrows, falling upon the men defending the main gate like a vengeful god. His sword drips with fresh blood, you stay in the shadows of the treeline waiting for him to return.  

Wonwoo runs to the commander, grime and blood smeared across his face, “With another push we should be able to take the gate!”

“Great!” Jihoon shouts, “I believe in you Jeon!” 

As Jihoon effortlessly slices through the enemy, the mood among his men begins to change. A ripple goes through them, a surge of newfound energy to fight. You can’t hear him from the distance, but he shouts something over his shoulder and his soldiers fight with intense vigor. 

And soon after the sun passes its zenith, the city gates open, the news of it spreading like wildfire. 

The Silla forces sweep into the city soon after, finding relative ease when liberating the streets. Jihoon glances at you with a grin as Wonwoo runs up to him.

“Commander! The men we sent to the town head’s home ran into trouble!”

“What?” Jihoon almost sounds confused, “We haven’t seen any real resistance so far.”

Wonwoo shakes his head, “I’m unaware of the details. Should I go see…?”

“No. I’ll go.” Jihoon stops him, “I’m leaving you in charge here.”

“What would you like me to do?” You ask.

“Come with me,” he says simply, “Don’t want you wandering around. Might get hit by a stray arrow or something.  

And thus it was decided. You quickly follow after Jihoon, and even upon approaching the building, you can tell something is wrong. Inside, your men are dead on the floor, their bodies laid out like the spokes of a wheel, and at its hub… Hong Jisoo.

“What are you doing here?” Jihoon asks, more nonchalant than you’d have thought. “Decided you’d take a vacation? You do know there’s a war out there, right? Or maybe you’re just hiding out here, hoping you won’t get hurt.”

“We were acting under orders from the King.” Hwan Minhyun, whom you hadn’t seen upon your arrival, speaks out, “We are here to deliver a secret message. We did not expect to be drawn into battle and we certainly did not expect to encounter you here.”

“Huh,” Jihoon scoffs, “Gaesomun yells jamp and you leap. You sure are dedicated.” 

“Well, I didn’t think I’d see you again so soon, Lee…” Jisoo leers with a snide grin.

“And I didn’t think you were so anxious to get your ass beat again. Don’t worry though, I’m happy to oblige.”

Jisoo grinds his teeth and draws his sword at his hip, “Killing you will erase the humiliation I suffered at your hands. You and your dogs have been a thorn in my side since Wonweol. Today, I will have my revenge.”

“... Sounds as if you’ve got this covered,” Minhyun sighs, stepping back once more, “He’s all yours.” 

Jihoon just as easily draws his sword, “Guess the face wasn’t enough, maybe if I take an arm you’ll get the message.” He soars across the room at Jisoo, their blades rattling against one another as Jisoo block’s the commander’s strike. Then, the demon pushes back and Jihoon is thrown across the hall. 

“You’re not getting away,” Jisoo says coolly, his hair turning stark white, just as Jihoon’s had done at the beginning of the battle. In the blink of an eye, he leaps after his opponent, whipping his sword in a quick slash. Jihoon brings up his blade at the last second before the strike could wound him. 

“You’re slow,” Jisoo taunts, “Your movements lack finesse. Don’t tell me that killing humans has tired you out? Last time you said you were a Demon…” Their blades locked together, Jihoon’s begins to shake under the pressure of the other’s force. 

Jisoo’s right, though, Even with his Fury abilities, Jihoon is slower than before, too unfocused. 

“Ah, I see,” the Demon’s eyes flicker to the open door for a moment, “The sun’s still out. You don’t like it much, do you?” He chuckles, “Don’t worry, I won’t go easy on you just because you’re weak. After all, a warrior always gives all he can, no matter the situation. That is your code, isn’t it?” 

“Damn you!” Jihoon jumps backwards, but not fast enough to escape Jisoo’s blade. It arcs down across the Hwarang’s chest, blood erupting from the gash and splattering to the floor. Jihoon drops to his knees, skidding across the hard wooden panels panting heavily as blood blooms across his robes and pools on the floor below him. 

Agonizing seconds pass as both you and he wait for the blood to stop, yet it continues to fall through his fingers clenched to the robes hanging from the wound. “What the hell is this?!” Jihoon asks through clenched teeth as he stares daggers at Jisoo standing before him. 

Jisoo laughs, almost as if Jihoon had told him a joke, “What’s the matter? Not healing like you should? This,” his wrist flicks upward to show off his blade, which almost looks to be faintly glowing, “is Hwangun’s Blade. It’s been passed down through my family for generations, but… no one had ever thought to test it on a Demon. This is an excellent chance to see what it can do. And you know what? I can use it to put down a fake Demon.”

He smirks, giving the impression that he’s figured this victory is a foregone conclusion. 

“You must be pretty desperate if you’re willing to grab your family’s magic sword. Really need something like that to take on a fake Demon?” Jihoon gives his own taunting laugh, but Jisoo’s grin doesn’t falter. 

“You humiliated me for the first time in my life. Nothing is too much if it will send you to hell.” With another flick of his wrist, Jisoo sends droplets of gore spraying down onto the floor, “Your abilities can’t heal any wounds from this blade. You became a Fury to defeat me, but now that sacrifice means nothing.” 

“So, tell me if I’ve got this right. All I have to do is avoid getting cut by that thing? Hell, before I became a Fury, all I did was dodge swords. This’ll be easy.”

“Does your impudence know no bounds?” The Demon scoffs, “Fine. I’ll put your short lived defiance to the test.” His blade shimmers a blue-white and seems to shiver with his murderous intent. The air is thick, feeling like a struggle to just breathe. 

Jisoo slashes downwards toward Jihoon, who’s able to dodge out of the way in time, bringing up his own sword to strike back. But when it arcs upward, instead of hitting flesh, Jihoon’s sword cuts through air. In tandem with the strikes, Jisoo moves too fast for the bare eye to see, Jihoon’s margin for error becoming slimmer and slimmer. With another dodge, the Demon slams his riposte into the Hwarang’s shoulder. Jihoon’s robe is torn away, displaying a fresh wound. 

“Good… You’re overthinking on how you might kill me,” Jisoo smirks, “But I want to see more. I want to see your face when you realize that you can’t kill me and that I will win!”

Blood pours from him, but Jihoon brings up his sword to catch Hwangun. Teeth clenched, you know that he’s lost far too much blood to carry on for much longer. Jisoo kicks Jihoon back and as he does, the commander’s hair returns to its natural hue.   

“What the hell?!” Jihoon cries out, still in a defensive stance.

“Reached your limit, I see,” the Demon chortles, inching closer, “Even a false Demon is better than this pathetic existence! You might as well be an insect.” His laugh echoes through the hall, gloating over the near unconscious Jihoon, “I want to hear you cry! Scream! Beg me for your life! You and your filth have stood in my way for too long. I’ll kill you and the Hwarang!”

Jihoon’s head twitches, “Kill…the Hwarang? You?” It’s almost as if he’s keeping himself upright with sheer force of will at this point. “After we left Youngmin and the Hwarang fell to me, I felt like there was no way I could do all that by myself. I was just about ready to give it up.” Suddenly, the hair on his head shifts back to its demonic white, “...But now, when you say you want to erase everything we did… I’ll be goddamned if I let you destroy the Hwarang!” 

Ichor continues to fall from him and you know that if he’s to continue like this he’ll most certainly die.

“Jihoon, no!” You cry out, “If you don’t stop you’re going to die!”

His eyes flick to you and you can already see the resolution in his gaze, then he gives you a grin before looking back to Jisoo, “You really think I care about how much of my future I’ve gotta burn to get this bastard? I can’t let him kill me here. I can’t let this bastard and his damn sword get the best of me now!” 

Relaxed now, Jisoo speaks once more, “You’re practically dead already. What do you intend to do? This charade is pathetic.” Almost lazily, he swings his sword again. 

Jihoon cries out in pain, not having the strength to lift his sword entirely to block the blow. Then Jisoo’s sword slams into his right shoulder. Jihoon’s clothes are soaked in blood, his skin the color of parchment. 

“I hoped you might be entertaining, but I suppose it’s time for me to say goodbye now. Shame you don’t have enough energy to talk. I miss that dry wit,” Jisoo sighs, “What’s the matter? Can’t hold your sword anymore? Where’s that warrior spirit?”

Even though he struggles to draw breath, Jihoon musters what little strength he has left to reach for his sword. The point of the blade tips and weaves in the air as blood pours from his body, but he stands. Jisoo lifts his sword slick with the commander’s blood, and smiles. 

“At last! I can kill you with my own hands and erase the humiliation you gave me!” 

Before he can land another blow, the building shakes as an ear splitting crash barrels through somewhere on the estate. Smoke rapidly fills the room, making it hard to see.

“What is this?!” Jisoo spits, distractedly turning from Jihoon to find the root of the interruption. 

“Fire! Fire!” Cries scream out from deep in the building, and you can ascertain that one of the trebuchets aligning the fortified walls had been turned against the city for some reason or another in a last act of defense. 

The fire from the lit fodder spreads quickly, roaring around the room and licking at the sides of the hall. Black smoke pours into the room, irritating your eyes and throat. Even as the room plunges into a near unbearable heat, the two men don’t lower their swords. 

It’s only when the ceiling begins to give way does Jisoo remark, “Damn it, this place is falling apart.” Not wanting to endanger himself, he shoves his sword back into its scabbard angrily, glaring across the smoldering wreckage at Jihoon. “I’ll let you go this time. We’ll finish this duel another day. And you will die.”

He disappears shortly thereafter and you run to Jihoon, “Are you alright?!” 

Waxen skin and face writhing in pain, he doesn’t respond as he drops to the floor. And as he does, the near forgotten Minhyun walks toward you from his corner, unbothered by the flames around him. 

“The Demon clans no longer intend to involve themselves in your governmental squabbles.”

“Why?” Jihoon asks, sweat beading on his forehead. 

“We owed favors to Goguryeo. We feel those have now been repaid.” Minhyun shrugs, “Besides, even you must know that they will soon fall, regardless of the efforts of my kin.” 

You spot a bitter smile creeping along Jihoon’s lips, “... Yeah.” 

“And I suppose you intend to watch that ship sink?” Minhyun asks, “Silla never gave your Hwarang the recognition it so desired, and pawned you off when they had nothing to lose. Why do you still fight?” The truth of his words drive a knife into Jihoon’s heart, and you see his face fall. 

“We’re knights of the Crown, we fight for them no matter what, right?” Jihoon says with ragged breaths, “What I’m fighting for now isn’t Hanseong or Pyongyang, or any of those bastards that call themselves ministers. What I– no– What we’re fighting for is the bond in our hearts. The bond that we joined the Hwarang with.”

His hand clenches to his chest and he lets out a small ‘fuck’ before continuing, “It’s not easy, not by a long shot, but… I’d feel like a real asshole if I died before Youngmin came back.” 

Minhyun closed his eyes while Jihoon spoke, he now stands silent, “If Jisoo chooses to involve himself with either of you again, he will have betrayed the moral code that binds all of our kind. He will no longer have the support of the clans. He will be on his own.” He looks to the building around him, “I imagine this will be of little concern to him, but I ask you to hear his mind when he next tries you, he is not doing so at the behest of the Demon clans. He is, I fear, your problem now.”

Then, he turns and disappears. As you look to where he once stood, you hear Jihoon thud to the floor, collapsing from relief or exhaustion, you cannot tell. But, he’s fallen unconscious, and if you cannot escape soon, you’ll burn to death. 

“Hello?! Are you here?!” A figure bursts into the hall, shrouded in smoke but with a voice you recognize.

Wonwoo had come to the rescue in your most dire hour. He quickly helps you lift Jihoon so you can shoulder the weight of his body together as you leave the estate.  

Hanseong, the town Jihoon had fought tooth and nail to overtake, only remained in Silla custody for a few days. As an army of Goguryeo soldiers came within the following week to recapture the city, leaving your commander’s mission for naught. After the battle, Wong Kunhang’s army, along with the remaining Hwarang, set off to Koksan. Jihoon had somehow miraculously survived, but by no means has he recovered. For days he drifts in and out of consciousness, settling in at a small residence in Kyeju for him to recover. 

𝔐𝔞𝔶 20𝔱𝔥, 666 - 𝔎𝔶𝔢𝔧𝔲, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 Since you’d arrived in Kyeju, you’d buisied yourself with taking care of Jihoon. As a Fury, most normal means of healing and medicine have little to no effect on him. So, most of your nursing consists of fervently hoping that his natural strength and tenacity would bring him through. Fortunately, your prayers begin to pay off and in time his wounds begin to heal. 

Although those made by Jisoo’s blade did not do so easily, or quickly. You find yourself thinking of the battle of Hanseong. After watching Jihoon, many of the reluctant soldiers came around to clash swords with the enemy. They had told him it was an honor to fight alongside the Hwarang, for they were true warriors. 

You replay that fated battle several times over the course of your day, you’re just about to do it again as you open the door to Jihoon’s room, set to change his bandages. Yet, you don’t have the chance, as when you peer in, you see him sitting at his desk. He’s healed enough to move and speak without pain, but he’s still meant to be confined to his bed. 

“You shouldn’t be up,” you say quickly, walking inside and shutting the door behind you, “When I said you were healthy enough to get up, I didn’t mean you were healthy enough to work!”

“It’ll be only a minute,” he murmurs, looking over a few papers before him, “I’m going back to bed as soon as I finish this.”

“You nearly died! You need rest!” You rush to him, setting the bandages down on the tabletop. 

“Died?” He laughs once, dryly, “Me? Hah. That was nothing. Barely a scratch.” 

“Barely a– Do you know how long I’ve been taking care of you?!”

“Fine, fine,” he relents with a sigh. “Just a bit more reading, that's all I ask.”

You sigh too, reaching for his blanket he’d strewn aside when he awoke. Moving to stand behind him, you drape it over his shoulders, “At least let me put this on you. You’re going to catch a chill.”  

“Hm, I’m sure even if I said I don’t want it, you wouldn’t listen to me.” 

“I’m glad you see how this works,” you say with a smile, “Now, as soon as that’s done, it’s straight back to bed.” 

At last he turns to look at you, his face quirked in a small, bitter smile, “Alright, fine. Sorry for the trouble.”

“Huh?” You stare back at him intently.

“Guess I should be thanking you and Wonwoo, huh? Well… I appreciate what you did. Thanks.” His thanks are rarely unaccompanied by cynicism, sarcasm or outright derision but this is different. Noticing your baffled expression he speaks again. “Something wrong? Did I say something funny?”

“Oh! No no no,” you quickly assure him, “It’s not that.” It’s more you’ve never seen him act so nice. 

After that, you leave him to his work, checking back an hour later to make sure that he’s asleep and not working himself to the bone. Once doing so, you return to your quarters for another few, quiet hours, before a visitor arrives in the night.

“I thought I’d come and pay him a visit…” You hear the voice of Wong Kunhang speak out as you approach the common area, you also note Wonwoo standing next to him.

“He’s resting at the moment–” You begin, but stop when you hear movement behind you. 

“Commander–!” Wonwoo says, rushing to Jihoon’s side, “I’m glad to see you standing! For a while, I really wasn’t sure what was going to happen.” His eyes begin to tear up and he blinks rapidly to clear them. 

“C’mon, don’t give me that,” Jihoon gives a short laugh, “You really think I’d die so easily?”

“I’m sorry, you’re right,” he rubs his hand across his face awkwardly, trying to brush away the tears that refuse to stop forming. 

“Jihoon,” Kunhang says solemnly, “I’m going to be honest with you. You fought like a Demon back in Hanseong, I’ll give you that. Morale is through the roof. The whole army won’t stop talking about you. But your actions were dangerous and idiotic,” the once calm demeanor of the general turns angered. “You are a commanding officer, not a soldier! You don’t belong on the front line!” 

“General Wong, he’s only just recovered… Don’t you think you’re being a bit too harsh–” Wonwoo tries to quell the other’s discontent. 

“No! I’m going to give my piece, I won’t let him slide out of this one!” Kunhang shouts, “Listen to me, Lee Jihoon. Combining our men isn’t just about new clothes and new titles, we have to change about how we think about war. We have to learn new tactics. The commander charging at the front of the army does not show that we are improving our strategy!”

Flustered at this point, Kunhang struggles hard to keep his composure, “If the soldiers are the hands and feet, then their commanding officer is the head. Without a head, the body is a useless mess! This war will be lost if we succumb to our own pride!”

Jihoon’s eyes go wide. The words similarly mirror one of the last things that Chan had said to him. Keeping his head on so that the body can move forward… 

“Chan’s ghost back to haunt me,” Jihoon sighs out with a weighted smile, a faraway look in his eyes. 

“Is something funny?” Kunhang frowns, “This is serious! Don’t you understand how worried I was about you? Hell, how worried the whole army was about you?!”

For a few moments, Jihoon simply stares at him. 

“Say what you want!” Kunhang stands his ground, albeit a bit taken aback at the commander’s attitude, “It won’t change my mind!”

“You’re right, Wong. Sorry for worrying you.” He follows his surprisingly genuine apology with a similarly surprising bow.  

Kunhang has clearly prepared himself for a variety of reactions from Jihoon, but this had been none of them. For several moments he stands there, too flabbergasted to speak. 

“My apologies to you too, Wonwoo. I hear you helped carry me all the way here.”

“Oh no!” Wonwoo shakes his head, “No, it was nothing. Anything for you, sir.” 

𝔍𝔲𝔫𝔢 19𝔱𝔥, 666 – 𝔎𝔬𝔨𝔰𝔞𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 Summer blooms from the remnants of spring in full fury. Rumors and news about the intense fighting floats in and out of the town, and you grow uneasy thinking about the loss of lives on each side. In the subsequent weeks following Wong Kunhang’s visit, he’s once again able to take Hanseong and keep a steady hand over keeping it in Silla's grasp. And although he hasn’t completely healed, Jihoon has decided to leave Kyeju as soon as he is well enough to march with Kunhang who’s now stationed in Koksan. 

The way there seems longer than you'd ever thought possible. At last, you’d caught up with the main body of the Hwarang. 

Hansol’s at the door to greet you the moment you arrive at the estate. 

“Commander,” Hansol says with a small smile, “I’m grateful to see you alive.”

“Glad to see you’re alright too, I hear you’ve been doing well.”  

Although Hansol looks relieved to be reunited with Jihoon, he frowns and rubs his hand to his forehead. Perhaps fatigue from the battles occurring is beginning to get to him. 

Jihoon looks past him to the people standing behind him, “Junghwan, Dohoon, nice to see you’re still around. Was starting to get worried about you two.” Despite their commander’s voiced appreciations, both wear glum expressions. 

It’s Dohoon who begins to shake before breaking down into tears, his voice quivering violently, “You entrusted me with Chief’s safety, b-but– I wasn’t strong enough! I couldn’t protect him!”

Although hearing his words, you cannot get yourself to grasp their meaning. For him to be this distraught can only mean one thing. 

“We have been told that at the end of last month that Youngmin was… beheaded in Pyongyang.” Hansol steps in after Dohoon fails to compose himself, being ushered aside and consoled by Junghwan. 

‘Beheaded.’ You swallow at the word. Youngmin had been killed like a common criminal, and you know it would have been pure humiliation for him. 

“Hm, didn’t even let him kill himself,” it almost seems as if Jihoon had expected this. His voice is controlled and unsurprised, but within his eyes you can see a bottomless, yawning despair. 

“It’s my fault he died!” Dohoon exclaims, “Please commander, I deserve to die as well!”

“I as well!” Junghwan adds, “I begged you to let me fight for his freedom, but I– I wasn’t successful! I’m a failure!”  

“You idiots! Look around you,” Jihoon frowns, “There’s no goodman way we have a single Hwarang left to spare! If you’re so prepared for death, then don’t give me your cheap words. Prove yourselves on the battlefield!”

The two fall silent after a quick, “Yes sir.”

Later that night, both Seungcheol and Soonyoung come to visit Jihoon.

As members of the Fury Corp, they had been resting when you’d arrived earlier in the day. 

“Your arrival has the men in something of an uproar,” Seungcheol muses, “It woke me somewhat earlier than usual.” 

“I heard you got hurt pretty bad, Commander. Didn’t think we’d see you again so soon,” Soonyoung says, almost scanning for wounds on the elder.

“Well, I couldn’t just sit on my ass once I heard there were battles happening all over the place,” Jihoon says, sounding calm and relaxed. You know that isn’t how he’s feeling on the inside though. If you have been feeling depressed since learning of Youngmin’s passing, you cannot begin to comprehend how he must be feeling. 

“We should be on our way then, our work begins at night, after all,” Seungcheol notes and begins to head for the door. Soonyoung nods and heads after him before Jihoon speaks up. 

“Soonyoung, do you think you can tell Hansol to come by?”

“Huh?” Soonyoung looks back, “Uh, sure… I’ll go and get him now.” Before he leaves he says one more thing to Jihoon, “I know you only just got here. But you should really rest tonight.”   

With both of them gone, the room falls into an awkward silence. Jihoon hasn’t told you to leave, but it seems unlikely that he’ll start talking to you either. Just as you’re about to break the quiet, Hansol opens the door and steps inside.

“I heard you had business with me. Can I help you?”

Without even waiting for him to settle in, Jihoon says, “From now on, I’ll be commanding from the front line.”

A strangled gulp treks down your throat as he says this out of almost nowhere. If he were to fight on the front line, the violence would be intense and he still hadn’t fully healed. 

“Do you intend to die in battle?” Hansol asks simply.

“No,” Jihoon shakes his head, “I won’t go out that easily. You’ve been out there. Only right for me to take that burden off you, right?” 

His presence would raise morale among the men but if he died, the Hwarang dies with him. 

“You raise an excellent point, sir. If you mean to take my place, however,” the air grows thick as Hansol’s hand falls to his sword, “I must ask you to defeat me first. If you cannot best me, then only death awaits you on the front lines.”  

“Getting a little full of yourself without me, huh?” Jihoon’s lips turn upward into a grin as his sword slides from its scabbard. 

“You shouldn’t be doing this!” You cry out as Hansol’s blade is also released, the blade glinting in the glow of the lanterns.

“Stay out of this!” Jihoon says and locks eyes with Hansol. Seconds linger as they remain unmoving, just then they leap towards one another, swords struggling against one another. After a bit, Jihoon is thrown backwards to sprawl across the floorboards. 

“What?!” He looks surprised. Even only partially healed, he still has far greater strength than a human, and he isn’t the type to go easy on a friend. 

“This war is not so easy that you might rush to the front line without your full strength,” Hansol says and as you look back at him your eyes grow wide.

“Hansol…” With his now reddened eyes and white hair, there’s no doubt that he’s a Fury. “You drank the pimul?”

“Don’t worry about me, I made my own decision.” The simple fact that he’s decided this path says more about the battles he’s been fighting than words ever can. Hansol looks to Jihoon, who’s rising to his feet, “I understand why you wish to fight, that is why I cannot allow you to.” He straightens himself and sheaths his sword, his hair returning to normal. “Perhaps you might be able to forget your pain in the midst of battle, but I cannot afford to let you do that. You cannot be permitted to turn a blind eye to our problems.”

Jihoon slowly puts his sword away, “Because I’m the Chief now?”

“Because you’re the only one who can unify the Hwarang.” After hearing that, Jihoon sighs, only allowing Hansol to continue. “Leave the front line to us. You, Jihoon, should remain here and plan our strategies.” 

“Fine. The front line’s yours until my wounds heal.” 

An honest, “Thank you” leaves Hansol, and then he turns to you. “I’m leaving him in your care. Don’t let him out of your sight until he’s healthy again.”  

You nod and give him what you hope to be a reassuring smile. He inclines his head to you, turns to Jihoon to give a short bow, then leaves. As soon as the door closes, Jihoon’s face darkens and his brows draw together. 

“Damn it… He’s gotten to the point where he doesn’t trust me and thinks I need you as a babysitter.”

“He’s just worried about you, that’s all,” you try to justify Hansol’s actions. 

Jihoon gives a bitter laugh, then stops suddenly. He gulps out a noise and clutches his stomach in pain, his body and hands shaking as his hair and eyes begin to change color.  With the bloodlust taking hold, he begins to groan out in pain. 

“This way,” you quickly take his arm and lead him to a room off of the main hall. In the open, anyone is privy to catch him. 

As he settles in the room, you set out towards him, and he has a look in his eyes as if he already knows what your next move is. You tug at your collar, loosening it like you’d done before. He leans toward you and you feel a sharp prick on your neck, you stay as still as you can as he bites down onto you. His hot breath panting along your neck, drinking slowly as he begins to calm. 

Eventually, he pulls back. There’s pain on his face but not from the bloodlust. 

“This can’t go on forever…” His face turns upward into a half sour smile, “You. Me. This war. Everything…”

“Jihoon?” His eyes are distant and he doesn’t seem to hear you. You can’t describe it but something feels strange, wrong, even. 

𝔖𝔢𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 6𝔱𝔥, 666 – 𝔎𝔬𝔨𝔰𝔞𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 By the time Jihoon’s injuries heal, it’s early autumn. Battles still rage along the fronts, and Silla inches nearer and nearer towards its goal. Jihoon hasn’t received any orders of late, but you feel that that’s about to change when you hear Wonwoo storming down the hallway.

You’re settled in the main room with Jihoon, Seungcheol, Soonyoung, Junghwan and Dohoon when the doors burst open, Wonwoo shouting, “I have news from Wong Kunhang! He says were to launch an offensive against Pyongyang.”

“Pyongyang? That’s the capital….” Junghwan says seriously, glancing towards Jihoon.

In other words, this may be the push to finally close in on Goguryeo. 

“What now then?” Dohoon looks to Jihoon as well.

“We’ll need to get there as soon as possible. No doubt Kunhang has some elaborate plan to route out their forces.” You haven’t seen Jihoon this excited in a while, and the others in the room pick up on his energy.  

“Our ships have already been sent to Ongjin, they will be able to converge on Pyongyang once the situation up north has settled.” 

“Then I should go to Ongjin first,” Seungcheol says, “We should establish a stronghold for when the main body of men arrives.” 

“Isn’t it a bit dangerous to have our representative be someone from the Fury Corps?” You postulate to the group.

“My father’s family is from Ongjin, you know.” Seungcheol says quietly, “I have a few connections there. I feel I am most suited to lead the advance guard. There’s… Something else that’s been bothering me as well.”

“Bothering you?” You question but all he does in response is nod and smile. 

“Seungcheol… you’re supposed to be dead, aren’t you?” Soonyoung interrupts, “Seems like that might be an issue.”

“A minor detail,” he waves it off, “easily dealt with.”

“In that case, he’s probably the best choice,” Wonwoo murmurs. 

“No,” Jihoon disagrees, “The Fury Corps isn’t cut out for that. You still can’t stand up during the day.” 

“It’s difficult, certainly, but not impossible.” Seungcheol argues, “I don’t see any reason to just follow behind the rest of the army, and I’d be glad to push myself for this.”

You don’t doubt his ability to do that, but you do question the validity of his motives. 

“There’s… a bit more to his message,” Wonwoo says after Jihoon and Seungcheol have been staring at each other for a moment. “Kunhang will be leading his men to Tagok Pass in hopes of stalling the Goguryeo reinforcements. I believe he means to buy time so that our allies can sack the city without interference. But…”

“The pass is on the front line right now,” Soonyoung drums his fingers along the hilt of his sword. “I understand what he’s trying to do, but I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as he thinks it’ll be.” 

“That’s a good point,” Junghwan sighs, “The enemy’s getting desperate, and we don’t know what else they’ve got up their sleeves.”

“If we want Kunhang to come back alive, we need to send some reinforcements to go along with him,” Jihoon ascertains. 

“I disagree.” Seungcheol frowns. “If we are to win in Pyongyang, we must arrive there at full strength.” 

“Are you saying we should abandon Kunhang then?” Hansol asks.

“Well, if both of our forces are wiped out by Goguryeo, there is hardly any point at all.” 

The men all shoot glances at one another, formulating their own thoughts and responses before Hansol speaks once more, “I will remain with Wong. Without their aid in previous battles none of us would be here. I will go to Tagok Pass. Jihoon, please take the rest of the men to Ongjin.” 

“Hansol, you–” Jihoon’s eyes grow wide.

“Then I’ll go and prepare to depart.” Before giving Jihoon a chance to respond, Seungcheol stands quickly and leaves the room.

Soonyoung doesn’t seem particularly happy about the way things have gone either, and after a moment of furious thought, he stands as well, “I guess I’ll go with him. Don’t really want to let him out of my sight, you know.”

 “Yeah,” Jihoon nods, “That’s probably smart.” 

“Be careful, Soonyoung,” you say as he walks past you. He gives you a small smile and a wink, then dashes out the door after Seungcheol. 

“Jeon,” Jihoon looks at the man still at the door, “I need you to go and tell Kunhang what we’ve decided.” 

“Understood,” Wonwoo says quickly, “I’ll be off as soon as I can.” 

Once he leaves, Hansol turns to Jihoon. Whether or not he was waiting for the room to be cleared, you’re unsure. 

“Please survive. No matter what happens.”

“What’s the matter?” His brow furrows as he looks to the other, “That came from nowhere.” 

“In the Hwarang, you and Youngmin upheld the path of a true warrior.” Even when slanted by their own kingdom, they had never compromised what they stand for. “Our standard of truth is a banner for everyone who fights. We lead the way.”

Hansol and Jihoon look at one another silently, before Hansol continues. “As the man who made the Hwarang into what it has become, it must be your duty to carry that standard. Every Hwarang before you and after is relying on that.”

“You make it sound so easy.” Jihoon replies with his thin lipped grin. “I’ll promise you this though, I’ll stick around until the Hwarang’s dead, or I am.”

“Thank you, Chief.” Hansol smiles, eventually turning to you, “I leave Jihoon in your care.”

The words are few but hold great emotion behind them, “We’ll be fine. I’m sure of it… After all, I don’t think he could die even if someone killed him. I’ve seen him on the verge of death many times, but he always pulls through. So,” your jaw locks and you look directly into Hansol’s eyes, “Please don’t die, Hansol.”

The battle at Tagok Pass is sure to be an intense one. Many lives, you’re sure, are going to be lost.  

“I won’t die even if I get killed?” Jihoon’s eyebrow piques, “That’s quite a statement. If you’ve got time to worry about me, maybe you oughta be worrying about yourself too, Hansol.” He’d said it as a joke but there’s no mistaking his underlying sincerity. 

“I won’t die easily either. After all, I will be fighting in the name of the Hwarang.” Hansol says calmly and then addresses you, “Thank you for your kind gesture.” 

And so, you accompany Jihoon to Ongjin. He’s still gravely concerned about Hansol, thus he’d ordered Wonwoo to remain alongside him at Tagok Pass. Leaving them both turns out to be much more difficult than you’d imagined. All you can do is pray that they survive, and that you will meet again someday.  

𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 1𝔰𝔱, 666 – 𝔒𝔫𝔤𝔧𝔦𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 As winter takes hold, the cold wind blows down on the main body of the Hwarang as they arrive in Ongjin. The trip had been impeded by several small snowstorms, but now upon your arrival a new problem is encountered: Seungcheol and the Fury Corps were nowhere to be found. Soonyoung, too, had been unheard from.  

From the townspeople in Ongjin, you hear disturbing rumors that murder has been on the rise in recent weeks. 

Upon reaching the regional minister’s house, you’re met with a man who splits a grin as soon as he sees Jihoon. “Long time no see, Lee. How are you?”

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well, Qian.”

Later on, you learn that this man is Qian Kun, the Tang navy’s second-in-command. When the Yamoto forces had fired upon Sabi some years earlier, Kun had been in command of the Tang ships that aided the Silla forces on land. While Jihoon hadn’t been at the battle, he was able to speak with and befriend the man when he visited Seorabeol some weeks later. 

“Have you already heard about Youngmin?” Kun frowns,as Jihoon nods. “I apologize for having been unable to help. Your kingdom has truly lost a great man.”  

“He would’ve been happy to hear you say that,” Jihoon says with a bitter smile, “But he wouldn’t want us to stand around crying about him. He’d want us to get to work. Can you give me a rundown of what we’re working with?”

“Unfortunately I don’t have the greatest news,” Kun says, “While we’ve secured the city, there is something… wrong occurring. I have requested a meeting with the newly implemented officials but I haven’t received any form of response. To top it off, there’s a suspicious group of men running around Ongjin. Well, there are rumors, at least.”

“Suspicious how?”

“Well murders have increased, and a few rumors report the assailiants running back to the minister’s home.” 

Suspicious men running around, possibly murdering civilians… Seungcheol and the Fury Corps unreachable… It isn’t hard to put two and two together. 

Jihoon and you lock eyes, no doubt thinking the same thing. 

“If this continues we may become sidetracked here from our main goal,” Qian states, “Perhaps if we could arrest these murders and restore peace in this area…”

“Kun, think you could leave the murders to me?” The other man opens his mouth to protest, but something in Jihoon’s gaze makes him change his mind and he nods. 

“Alright, I’ll leave this one to you. No more questions from me.” 

Once Kun returns to his men, you turn to Jihoon, “Do you think it’s Seungcheol…?”

“Can’t say,” Jihoon sighs out breathily, “You heard the same things I did. No way to know for sure but if it is… I’ll have to kill him.”

“Jihoon…”

“He got pretty freaked out when he heard about where a Fury's power comes from. Might be he’s pretty depressed right now. Maybe crazy.” He shakes his head and looks to the minister’s house, “Strange things are afoot in Ongjin. We can’t be careless.” 

𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 2𝔫𝔡, 666 - 𝔒𝔫𝔤𝔧𝔦𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 The next day, Jihoon begins his investigation. Despite your attempts to convince him that he still needs rest, not the stress of a murder investigation, he presses on. And so, that is how you find yourself lounging around the rooms the Hwarang are occupying while Jihoon goes off on rounds with the rest of the men.

You’re engrossed in reading over some medical papers Namekawa had left you with when you receive an unexpected visitor. 

“Where were you this whole time?!” The papers drop from your grasp as Kwon Soonyoung steps into the room, “We couldn’t contact you, we were all so worried…”

“Do you know where Jihoon is?” He doesn’t answer your question, but rather jumps straight to the chase. 

“He’s off doing rounds at the minister’s estate…” 

“Ah,” Soonyoung looks a bit crestfallen, “Can you give him a message for me? I can tell you everything since we got here. Just make sure you pass it on to him.”

You gulp, waiting for him to open up. “The minister isn’t being cooperative. Chances are they're being pressured by the enemy somehow. At least that's what Seungcheol thinks. So, we looked around a little more and while we were doing that we found out that Heo is actually here.”

“What?!” You cry out at the unexpected revelation. Your father had been forced to do research on the Furies by the revivalists before the war broke out, or at least that's what you thought. 

“Yeah… and… he seems to be leading a unit of Furies for the Goguryeo forces.” Soonyoung frowns, “Well we figured we could just let that slide so we started watching their Furies, you know, where they go and stuff and well… I saw Seungcheol meeting with Heo.”

Soonyoung explains that Seungcheol told him they'd be more likely to get spotted if they moved together and went off on his own. This is pretty peculiar on its own but sometime after they split up Soonyoung witnessed Seungcheol meeting with your father. 

“I don’t know anymore… I don’t know what Seungcheol is thinking.”

“It doesn’t mean that Seungcheol is connected with Goguryeo, does it?” Your brow furrows. 

“If that were the case then there wouldn't be a need for him to lie to me though, right?” Soonyoung says frustratedly, “Doesn't act like he's got any plans to contact the rest of the Hwarang. I just didn't know what to do…” 

You’re not sure what else to say and just before you open your mouth you hear a commotion happening at the entrance of the building. The door to your room is kicked open and several strange men suddenly leap inside. 

“Who the hell are they–?! Shit!” Soonyoung shouts as they unsheathe their swords and lunge after him. He dodges the attack easily drawing his own sword as he moves. He strikes out at one of the men before he has a chance to recover. The man laughs and the spot where Soonyoung had struck him is beginning to heal immediately. Suddenly, the man's eyes begin to grow a deep crimson you understand what you're up against.

“Furies…!” 

“Get behind me!” Soonyoung reaches out and grabs your wrist, pulling you backwards.

“Now, there’s no need for that,” a new voice says from the entrance. You feel your eyelids footer incredulously after hearing a man's voice.  It's familiar… nostalgically so. 

“Father?!” You’re frozen in place as Soonyoung continues to fight the Furies. 

“What the hell!? Who are these guys! It's broad daylight! How are they moving swiftly?!”Although he's Clearly they're superior regards to swordsmanship, he's outnumbered and the daylight had weakened him. He's slow and his strikes are unsure. 

Your father maintains his cool composure, and he mutters under his breath as he observes the events, “Aren't they wonderful? Furies no longer restrained by the cycles of day and night.”

“You…” You stare at him, mouth agape, “You did this?”

“Of course, my child. I am unsure if the news has reached you yet but I was captured by the Goguryeo Army, and in this captivity I continued to research the pimul.”

“Father– you need to stop them!” You look to your friend fighting, “At this rate he’ll–” 

Heo Jinsang’s eyes widen as if he’s only just remembered and he looks over to Soonyoung with a smile. “Ah, yes. I don’t know how to thank you. Without you, it would have taken much longer to find my daughter.”

“You followed me?!” Soonyoung spits through grit teeth. 

Ignoring him, your father looks back to you and speaks with a soft voice, “I’ve come to get you. At last, we’ll be able to restore our clan.” 

“Clan…? You mean the Heo family?”

“With these superior Furies, restoring the glory of our clan will be child’s play.” Heo laughs, “Once the kingdoms bear witness to the potential of these breakthroughs, they cannot ignore us! We can even wipe out the Demon clans who rejected our plea for help, avenging our kin!”

“You’re planning on using Furies to restore the Heo lineage to power?” 

“Yes, I am. Everything I have done was for you.” His voice evokes the same tone he had used to speak to you when you were a child. You shake your head to combat it and his eyes narrow. With a few swift footfalls, he closes in, “You’ve been with the Hwarang for too long. They’ve corrupted you.”

No… It isn’t you who’s changed, it’s your father. 

“Goddamn it! Get off me you bastards!” Despite being out of breath, Soonyoung manages to swipe at the Furies with his sword, giving himself space. However, no matter the amount of wounds he’s able to inflict on them, they heal immediately.  

“Father…” 

“If we just sit down and talk this through, I’m sure you’d understand.” Your father’s face lies in a stony demeanor. 

“I–!” Before you can say anything else, he drives his fist into your stomach. Stars leap before your eyes, the world grows dark and you slip into unconsciousness.  

When you awake, you’re in an unfamiliar room. 

“Where…” Your hands gripping your head as you sit up, “Where am I?”

“You’re at the minister’s estate.” A voice says before you and you widen your eyes.

“Seungcheol?!” You cry out before noticing the figure next to him. Beside him stands your father. 

“What’s going on here?” You say as you scramble to your feet. “Why are you two together?!”

“I met with Heo secretly here in Ongjin, and we’ve agreed to work together in order to do Fury research.” Seungcheol explains, resting his arm on the hilt of his sword. 

“Then… You’re working with Goguryeo? You’ve betrayed Silla… Betrayed the Hwarang…”

“Is that what you think?” Seungcheol raises an eyebrow, “Interesting…” Explaining himself had never been one of Seungcheol’s strong points.

“How are you feeling, my child?” Heo asks sympathetically, “I apologize for the rough treatment. I hope you aren’t too hurt.” His tone is intimate and caring, you feel yourself wavering towards the father you used to know. 

“I suggest you make no attempts to escape…” Seungcheol says calmly but with more intimidation than you’d seen from him before, “We could make that difficult. In any event, it was reckless of you to bring her here, Heo.” He glances at you before continuing, “Jihoon is no fool. Her disappearance will surely mean that he will be onto our plans. I expect him at any moment.” 

“You told me that if I wanted to know where my daughter was, I just had to follow Kwon to the Hwarang.”

“Yes. I did.” Seungcheol’s lips curve into a frown, “But I never suggested to kidnap her. Alas, what’s done is done. No point arguing about it. We need to be thinking about what this could mean, and plan for it.”

 “I’m sure the Furies I left to deal with Kwon will return to the estate soon, you needn’t worry about the future.” Heo shrugs.

“What did you do to Soonyoung?” Your voice nearly breaks.

“I doubt he survived. After all, I did bring quite a few of them.” 

Your whole body shakes. You want wholeheartedly to not believe it, but the Furies that your father had brought were unlike any you’d ever seen before. Soonyoung had already looked pale and weak even before he’d started fighting…

“You just have to assume I’m dead?” A voice says from the open doorway, “C’mon, that hurts my feelings…” He’s leaning against the frame and someone brushes past him, glaring at Seungcheol and your father.

“You alright?” Jihoon asks as he looks at you. 

“I am!” You nod vigorously and he lets out a snort of laughter. 

“How did you find us?!” Heo asks incredulously, “I’ve made so many improvements on my Furies. How could you have destroyed them all?”

“Improvements? If you say so, but if you want to take out the Hwarang, you’ll need about ten times what you sent.” Jihoon smirks.

“I figured you’d be here soon,” Seungcheol murmurs, “You didn’t bring any of the men, though… Well, I suspected you wouldn’t. Still, doesn’t it seem rather reckless for the two of you to charge headfirst into unknown enemy territory?” 

“Explain.” Jihoon’s eyes narrow at Seungcheol, “Why didn’t you contact us?”

“There’s nothing for you in Ongjin.” Seungcheol says simply.

“I was given orders by Yeon Gaesomun to come here. They told me to take my Furies and kill the traitors who reside here. However, I found such a plan unagreeable when so many test subjects reside here…” Heo sighs out.  

“We found common ground in our distaste for Goguryeo,” Seungcheol explains, “and thusly decided to seize Ongjin for ourselves.”

“So you’re not fighting with our enemy…?” You struggle to piece together everything.

“I’m on your side, child. I have no intention of taking part in mankind’s disputes.” Your father says as he crosses his arms, “Let us bring retribution to the humans who destroyed our clan and the Demons who betrayed us. It is in our destiny to forge a new Demon kingdom with our own hands– no, we will be the only Demon clan!”

You recall Sooyoung explaining how the Heo village had been destroyed by humans. Even then, you can’t get yourself to agree with your father.

Just then, the sound of footsteps loudly resound out from the hallway. Furies pour into the room as Seungcheol smiles, “Ah, they seem to have noticed our intruders.”

“Hey–!” Jihoon’s eyes widen as he notices their faces, “They’re the Hwarang’s–!”

“Not only does this castle hold the remnants of Goguryeo’s Fury army, but also of the Hwarang’s Fury Corps.” Seungcheol crosses his arms, “All of the Furies that exist in both Kingdoms are gathered here.” 

Red eyes surround Soonyoung, Jihoon and you. No humanity resides in their gazes. 

“Please give us your help,” Your father calls out to you, “We need you to lead us. You must command the Furies and restore the Heo clan.” 

But you don’t care about restoring the clan. You don’t want to create more Furies so that blood can drive them mad. You don’t want to see more suffering. 

“Father… you’re wrong.” Heo’s eyes go wide when you speak. “Building a kingdom on the corpses of others isn’t right! I can’t agree to it!”

Human or Demon, every life is precious. Just because your home village was destroyed doesn’t mean you can oppress humans. 

“I believe Heo was saying that he’d be willing to assist the Hwarang.” Seungcheol interjects, looking at Jihoon. “What do you think, Lee? Would you like to lead this army of Furies against Goguryeo?” 

“You know the answer.” With Jihoon having been against Furies from the very beginning, you doubt he’s changed his mind about them.

“So I suppose that ends our negotiation.” Seungcheol sighs, slowly drawing his sword from its scabbard. “Very well…”

You stiffen, yet Jihoon doesn’t move towards his own blade. He remains still, cooly contemplating Seungcheol. Almost as if someone’s dumping white ink on it, Seungcheol’s hair slowly changes to white and he raises his sword.

Instead of swiping at Jihoon though, he cuts down a Fury standing nearby him. 

“All a Fury exists for is battle, and now we’ve taken that away from them…” Seungcheol shakes his head with a sigh, “The least I can do for them is let them die here, in battle.”

The room falls silent. Then it explodes in noise– the enraged cries of the Furies and the rattle of swords being drawn. 

“Soonyoung–” Jihoon says quickly.

“I know!” The younger shouts and drops into a fighting stance, slipping his hand around the hilt of his sword. A grin splits on his lips as his hair turns white, “Seungcheol, this is way too badass for an old guy like you! Why didn’t you tell us?!”

“Well,” Seungcheol chuckles, “as they say, to fool your enemies, you must first fool your friends.” Their swords whistle and spark through the air, Fury after Fury falling before them. “Besides, doesn’t the hero’s right-hand man make the best villain?”

Jihoon responds with a bark of wry laughter and draws his own sword in a flash of silver light as his hair turns white as well. The men get into their stances and face the Furies as Furies themselves.

“The hell are you talking about?” Jihoon says with a grin, “Still means the hero gets stuck cleaning up the damn mess.” 

As their three swords spin and hiss through the air, blood gushes and spatters, painting the walls of the estate a deep red. Wave after wave conquered, they drown their foes in a sea of blood. You notice that your mouth has gone dry, your hands beginning to shake. In the corner, you spot your father sitting down.

“Everything you told me was a lie?” Heo asks Seungcheol. “You said you wanted to do more research on the Furies in the kingdom of Demons… Why?”

“I saw the end.” Seungcheol answers, “I was trying to discover a way for Furies to live past their… limits. Our short lifespans made me impatient. To continue my research I even dirtied my hands.” Every suspicious thing he had done had been in the service of a single goal: saving his fellow Furies. “We have no future as Furies. You know this as well as I do, Heo.”

“No matter how resistant you make them to sunlight, they will push themselves too hard, and their lifespans will shrink and the bloodlust will drive them mad.” Seungcheol confirms the truth you’d all suspected: there is no way to save the Furies. “We are a mistake: a failed experiment. Furies are not something that should exist in this world. Let’s end this.”

Seungcheol’s true intentions leave you surprised, as does his admission that the Furies are a failure. Is he right? Can they not be saved? Has all hope been lost? You let your mind drift for a moment, and then you see a shadow move in the corner of your eye– A Fury only feet from you, his eyes red and mad with bloodlust. You reach for your sword but it’s too late.

Before your hand even touches the hilt, you see the Fury’s blade sweeping toward you. Blood splashes down onto the floor before you, but it isn’t yours. A figure standing before you had taken the blow in your stead.

“Father?!” 

The Fury pulls back for another swing but then it freezes, gurgles oddly and slides neatly in half, a blade glistening in the center.

“Turn your back on us in a fight, will you?” Jihoon spits as he looks down to the halved Fury, “Idiot.” He shifts his eyes up to your father’s wound, and you see his face twitch. Immediately, he moves closer and turns his back to the two of you, sword held at the ready.

“Are you… alright? Are you hurt anywhere?” Your father asks as he turns to look at you. There’s blood splattered all over his chest. The wound, now that you can see it, is undoubtedly a fatal one. 

“Yes, yes. I’m fine. I’m not hurt at all,” you say quickly. His hand reaches out and grasps your shoulder, he falls to his knees and you follow after him. Quickly you lay him on his back, clutching at his hand. 

“Our research was a… failure. I knew there was no future for the Furies…” He murmurs out as tears begin to well in your eyes, “But I couldn’t give it up… I wanted to bring back your clan, your family.” Ever since you were young he’d always tried to do what was best for you. “It seems my fate is to die with the Furies… I have committed terrible sins. This is for the best, please, don’t cry.” 

You nod your head knowing that if you’re to open your mouth the tears would never stop. He gives you one last smile, sighs a calm breath and is gone.

After what seems like an eternity, you look up. The battle is over. The Furies that came to fruition by the Hwarang and your father lie dead, scattered around the room. 

“Kind of a waste, isn’t it?” Seungcheol says as he looks at the bodies, “That many Furies could have been awfully useful… The Hwarang could have used these men.”

“You don’t win battles by thinking you’ll lose them.” Jihoon says.

“Well, you don’t win by thinking you’ll win either,” Soonyoung snorts with laughter, then coughs to cover it up.

It’s true, the Hwarang had lost a lot of Furies but their unity had grown stronger.

“Ack–!” A sudden burst of pain wipes the grin from Soonyoung’s face. Seungcheol, too, has doubled over in agony. Their hair which had returned to normal goes back to stark white. 

“Looks like we’ve reached our limit,” Seungcheol says through grit teeth.

Minhyun’s words suddenly flash to you. The Fury’s power isn’t a gift from the gods. You’re only borrowing life that you would spend decades on. 

Soonyoung sees your eyes go wide and gives you an awkward sort of laugh, “We were some of the first Furies.” They’d been in more battles as Furies than anyone else, and all of the strength and healing they’d enjoyed ate away at their futures until there was nothing left. 

“Did you know…?” The question leaves Jihoon as a whisper. 

Seungcheol smiles and then gives a slow nod, “What warrior doesn’t know his own body?” His legs suddenly shake violently and he falls to the floor, Soonyoung soon following. 

Jihoon drops to his knees and takes both of their hands in his own.

“Jihoon… Do you remember?” Seungcheol remineces weakly, “Back when we were at Kwak Hall, we would spend all night talking.”

“Yeah,” Jihoon nods, “We would say that Youngmin would never be content with being just the heir of a small school. We promised to do what we could for him…”

“Who would’ve thought he would leave this world before us?” Seungcheol frowns and his voice grows quiet, “I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but without you, we couldn’t have built up the Hwarang.”

“Same goes for you too…” Jihoon says with a small smile, “You were the one that always calmed me down whenever I’d start a fight with Yixing.” He’s doing his best to act tough so that Soonyoung and Seungcheol won’t worry. 

“Looks like we’re taking the lead this time… Don’t be in too much of a hurry to catch up though, alright?” Soonyoung adds in a bright and kind tone, “I mean, you barely had any time to rest since you joined the Hwarang.”

Jihoon just nods.

“I’m having a hard time buying that ‘yes’. You’re a little too short-tempered to keep a promise like that…”

“Shut it, you little brat. You really think I’m gonna take that crap from you?”

Soonyoung’s face relaxes as Jihoon snarls back at him. Even in this moment, Jamein’s tender and kind for the benefit of his Chief. 

“You must go south.” Seungcheol suddenly says. “Heo said he used water from Tamna when he was refining the pimul.”

Your eyes widen– perhaps there still is hope. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance something south can repair the curse of the Fury to these men. Seungcheol’s last words are the fait muster of hope for the fate of the Furies. 

“Jihoon… Don’t… don’t lose sight of what matters, alright? Being reckless doesn’t work out so well.” Soonyoung’s voice has grown rough and raspy. Jihoon’s knuckles whiten as they tighten around his comerade’s hands. But with a sound like sand pouring over a stone, their hands crumble into ash. In moments, they are no more. 

“Jihoon…” You call out but he doesn’t answer. He only stares, silent, at the twin piles of ash that sit where his friends were only moments before. There aren’t any tears in his eyes, but even so he’s somehow crying. 

You’re not sure how long you sit there before he stands up. The room that includes only you two is devastatingly quiet.

“Let’s go.” He says quietly, his voice curt and clipped. Yet, when he turns to you, his eyes suddenly go wide. “Hey, no crying.”

You nod, trying to stop, but it’s no good. The tears don’t pause, regardless of how much you wipe them away. In one day– an hour– you’ve been forced to say goodbye to Soonyoung, to Seungcheol… and the father you haven’t seen in over a year.

𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 17𝔱𝔥, 666 – 𝔒𝔫𝔤𝔧𝔦𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 The events of the magistrate’s house resonate with you for a while, and after some time has passed you find yourself alone again, standing in front of the estate. Wisps of snowflakes fall around you, wind hitting your cheeks and chapping your lips.

“They sure took their sweet-ass time,” Jihoon quips as he exits the front gates of the building. His worn expression indicates a worried tiredness. 

“Hello,” you greet him, “How was the meeting?”

“How? Hmph.” He shakes his head, “Those idiots north of Pyongyang don’t like any of the plans we’ve proposed, even with Kunhang and I poking around as often as we are. Apparently with the incident here and continuing at Tagok, Munmu doesn’t trust us yet to act. That’s the bullshit they relayed! Can you believe that?”

Jihoon paces the front gate, arms crossed and breath puffing in the air, “They act all high and mighty on their capital in the north, but pussy out when it’s time for the final push. It’s pathetic, Munmu hasn’t done shit and is relying on the Tang for everything.” He frowns, “Whatever. Let’s head back to the inn, the sun’s really beating down today.”

“Okay…” A cloud of frustration seems to follow you as you return to the inn, most notably in Jihoon. “We’ll be there soon enough, hang in there.” His skin looks pale and watching him in silent agony makes your heart ache.

“Don’t worry about me,” he sighs, “How about you? Are you holding up alright?”

“I’m… fine. I mean, I’m pretty resilient.”

“How can you say that?” He lets out a dry laugh, “You stay up all night just to tend to me…”

“I’m tough.” You smile back, “When you finally fall asleep, it gives me the peace of mind so that I can rest easily too.” 

Jihoon’s lips curl and he doesn’t seem satisfied with your answer. Instead, he just stares at you. He turns his head gradually to the hues of red and orange covering the winter sky in the distance. You follow his lead and look towards the horizon. 

“Huh…?” Your vision suddenly blurs. 

“Hey, what’s the matter?” Jihoon’s right next to you, but yet his voice sounds so distant. 

Before you know it, your body collapses to the ground. 

“Hey!” Jihoon shouts out, “You alright?! Hang in there!”

When you regain consciousness, you discover yourself tucked snugly in bed. 

“About time you woke up,” Jihoon says as you look around the room. “Do you know where you are right now?”

“Ah! Jihoon…” Once you  realize that it’s him, you snap out of your daze. “I’m sorry, I–” 

“You idiot!” He shouts, causing you to jump. “If you weren’t feeling well, you shouldn’t have gone outside. You should’ve rested!”

“I’m sorry…” It feels as if a stone has dropped into the pit of your stomach as he scolds you, and you can only look down at your hands. 

“Uhm, well… I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on you,” Jihoon sighs. “You’ve barely had any chance to rest, especially after what happened with your father’s passing… I can’t really be surprised that you would push yourself to act like everything’s normal.”

But he’s lost people too, and if you’re suppressing how you’ve been feeling you can’t imagine the turmoil happening within him,

“Until further notice, you don’t have to join me when I meet with members of the war council. You’re going to stay here to rest.”

“What?” You shake your head, “No, I’m fine. Today was just a lot to handle. So, please… I’ll be careful. I won’t let this become a problem again in the future.”

“Why? Because Youngmin, Chan and Eunseok asked you to watch after me or something?” His head tilts, “None of the men who died for us would have wanted you to look after me at the expense of your own health.”

He does have a point. But that isn’t the only reason you’re still here.

“I… I want to be by your side, Jihoon.”

“Yeah?” His brow furrows, “Why’s that?”

“What do you mean ‘why’?” I, um…” You can’t continue. Of course, you know the true answer but to admit that is a bit too much. There’s no way you can tell him your feelings. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

“Well, fine. Whatever,” he waves it off, flashing his usual sense of detachment, muttering to himself,  “If you don’t want to tell me, I don’t care.” Caught up in his own thoughts, he mutters something shortly, “You were close with Namekawa, right?”

“I wasn’t close with him… My father was, though.” You admit, “However, he did watch after me frequently.” 

“I see. He’s a good man, but I just can’t seem to put my full trust in him.” 

“Okay…?” You can’t quite grasp the point Jihoon is trying to make. 

“If anything happens while we’re out here, I want you to find him and stay with him.” Jihoon states, “Even if Goguryeo catches you, they won’t touch you as long as you’re with him.”

“What? Why would they–”

“Look. When you’re at war, you can’t just prepare for victory. Gotta consider your defeat as well.” Jihoon crosses his arms, “I’m sure Doctor Namekawa will show up here any day, so when that happens…” He falls silent. After a while, he shakes his head tenderly, “Nothing. Forget it. I’m just rambling.”

In the empty space of your conversation, you try to sift through what Jihoon’s trying to say. All you can do is pray that this brief, peaceful reprieve will prolong itself for a bit longer. 

𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 21𝔱𝔥, 666 – 𝔒𝔫𝔤𝔧𝔦𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 In the following days Kun and Jihoon make another trip to the war council stationed in the minister’s home. Although they hope their audience with the officials will be fruitful, it turns out to be less than eventful. 

“Yeah,” Kun sighs, “It’s no use. The water’s going to be frozen over soon enough, I get that. But waiting until it thaws in the spring…” 

“It’s idiotic,” Jihoon agrees. “Guess we should kick back and relax until then, huh?”

“Even if you’re joking it’s not funny.” Kun frowns, “We’re only giving them more time to reinforce Pyongyang.”

“Sure,” Jihoon says, “But it’s not like they’ve got anyone else to come in and save them. They’ll be holed up in the city, waiting for a reprieve. If they’re smart they’d have surrendered by now.”

“Knowing Gaesomun, it’s not like he’ll have a shortage of ideas of how to turn this around. For fuck’s sake he killed their last king to wrest power from him. I suppose we’ll refrain from making any rash decisions until we reunite with Boo.”

𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 26𝔱𝔥, 666 – 𝔒𝔫𝔤𝔧𝔦𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 You find Jihoon in his apartments when you approach him, “I hear our forces are gathering in the north of the city… Are we leaving?”

“The Hwarang serves two things:” he sighs, “the King and the Kingdom. That hasn’t changed.”

“The Hwarang show the way, right?” You point out.

“It’s funny, isn’t it? All this time, we had those lords and ministers looking down and judging our actions. Now look at us.” You can almost recall Youngmin’s grin as Jihoon smiles. 

“Well, that’s one more reason not to die, then.” 

It’s a burden on him, undoubtedly, but Jihoon has seen many of his friends lay down their lives for the Hwarang and what it represents. Knowing what it had meant to them, he can’t allow himself to die.

“As long as the men believe in what we stand for, I can’t let the Hwarang die.” The doubt you’d seen in him weeks before is gone. He’s accepted his place at the head of the Hwarang. “I have to protect them.”

He looks over to you, his gaze warm, it makes you feel better than you have in a while. Just being next to him is enough to make you feel like everything is right in the world. 

𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 30𝔱𝔥, 666 – 𝔒𝔫𝔤𝔧𝔦𝔫, 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞 A few more days pass and the men you’d left to go to Tagok Pass finally reach Onjin. Unfortunately, bad news comes with their victory over the pass.

“Hansol has fallen in battle,” Wonwoo reports, his head bowed, “His last words were ‘Leave the rest to Jihoon’...” 

Ever since this war started, you’re unsure of how many times you’ve seen this expression on a warrior’s face. You bite your lip until it almost bleeds.

Jihoon puts his hands on Wonwoo’s shoulders, giving him some words of encouragement, “I’m sorry I put you through that, Jeon. I’m just glad you made it back alive.”

Wonwoo’s eyes grow wide and he looks overcome with emotion, “Th–Thank you sir!”

Soonyoung and Seungcheol lost their lives in Ongjin, and Hansol at Tagok… This means that Jihoon is the only Fury left among the Hwarang.

“It’s been hard already, but I’m pretty sure things are going to get worse,” Jihoon crosses his arms, “You’ve all fought enough, so…” 

Wonwoo sets his jaw and looks back at Jihoon, “I’ve given my life to the Hwarang, it just hasn’t been lost yet. We’ll follow you to the end of the world and back, sir.”

“Me too!” Junghwan says firmly, “I’ll follow you all the way!”

“Let me accompany you, no matter where it takes us!” Dohoon adds.

“You guys…”  Jihoon’s almost at a loss for words.

“We want to fight as the Hwarang, not as foot soldiers of Silla. We want to fight for the justice we believe in.” Wonwoo smiles at him reassuringly. 

You’re sure that if Youngmin were alive, he’d be crying. The Hwarang united in body and mind. A great happiness wells within you and suddenly you can’t hold it in any longer. Tears spill forth from your eyes.

“... Idiots.” Jihoon’s face twists into a sneer, but there isn’t any hiding the warmth in his eyes as he looks out over the men. They know the coming battle will not be an easy one, but there is no doubt in their mind: their place is with Jihoon and the Hwarang.

[tiajk]

Little Miss Hamilton(I think i’m actually hilarious)

Masterlist

Warnings: reader is seen as the Hamilton of the crew, reader is implied to have powers but not have eaten devil fruit, Poc reader implied (brown skin, curly hair ), It’s a platonic mostly (hint of zosan x reader not a hint it’s plain a day), Cursing, pre time skip im mind, Best friends Nami & Ussop (such an underrated duo), Mostly the Anime in mind when writing this, no use of name or y/n, grammar errors (i js know there are)

A/n: Told you guys another fic would be out today (I love Hamilton) (if you watch Hamilton what’s your favorite song(s) mines are satisfied & Non-stop), you guys i wrote this with the worst stomach pain im gonna fucking die

Dividers from ; @y-yushin & @anitalenia

—It almost felt like a reward every single piece of it. Starting with the fact you were apart of the straw hat pirate crew. Luffy claimed that you were all the best including you. most of the time dismissing him with a smile and a small “thank you!!” Then going back to your books and writings. thinking back to the fights you’ve been though you were grateful for having your powers what was more important was knowledge knowing every single piece of information that you found valuable was important to you and you would do anything to obtain it. Even if that included staying up late at night sleeping all during the day which at first no one thought was odd just assuming you were like Zoro. At night was when you did your true calling the most knowledge obtained from the Stars making charts, maps, and hypothesis’s about the moon and why does it change every single night. Mind running through thousands of ideas on how. Most of the time you would ire yourself out so much that you would fall asleep on deck but someone would always awake in the night to check most of the time it was Sanji and Zoro. Whenever Zoro found you he would grumble stings of curses out of his mouth when he saw you. He didn’t understand why you would leave yourself out in the open just to get more information about the stars but he would rather die then let you sit out in the cold. Sanji was the same way he would find you most of the time after Luffy tries to sneak into the fridge and he can’t go back to sleep. Tonight is no different from the rest your slumped on the deck your book is closed secure so the wind wont open it with little bits of pages sticking out of it your notebook stacked on top as well. Sanji & Zoro both cant sleep tonight instead of arguing with each other the just drink and get to know each other better. Surprisingly there laughing together playfully bantering each other when Sanji’s expression changes and goes outside Zoro doesn’t know what he’s doing at first but then it clicks in his head you were probably asleep on the deck again. He follows Sanji out the kitchen door seeing Sanji picking you up bridal style already you look peaceful its like your boy knows that Sanji’s got you and that your safe. While he’s climbing up the stars when he passes zoro he stops “Can you get her books I would usually would get them but your here to help me this time”. He wants to roll his eyes but he can’t and for once he just listen maybe it’s the alcohol flowing through his system or maybe he knows how important your books are to you it’s your dream. During the day most of the time nami watched over you she would distract from your books claiming how you both needed a break. Dragging Ussop(he wanted to go) as you guys al go shopping and play a little dress up. By you guys its mostly nami and ussop finding clothes to give you and you to try on while they give you there opinions (Ussop has good fashion taste cant change my mind (u prob could but pls don’t). Nami Had this beautiful Long body con dress the base of the dress was a peachy pink with coral all over it the coral being in all different shapes the colors being blue, purple and ifferent shades of pink as well. “Go try it on it’s gorgeous and goes perfect with your skin tone ” taking the fabric from her hands you go to the dresseing room sort of excited to try it on. when you finished putting you examined your self in the mirror in the dressing room it was the perfect length on the floor but not enough to drag on your feet to annoy you but it hugged everywhere and it just felt perfect you didn’t really care if you have to go into debt for nami to buy this dress it would be worth it. While opening the door holding your hair in a low pony with no ponytail holder some curly staying in the front. Nami and Ussop mouth dropped to the floor when they saw you “What is it bad” you confidence going down slowly but it accelerates when nami says “It’s perfect on you we have to buy it it was literally made for you” you smile at her thanking her for the compliment “I agree it’s an amazing dress for you”.

—When going back in the dressing room as you put your other clothes on thinking what would Zoro and Sanji think about the dress you shiver at the thought of the reaction and shake it from your mind. When you guys head back to the ship it’s not loud and that worries you automatically as you speed up your pace to the going merry. Going to the kitchen is ur first stop and it was correct. You see Luffy, Sanji and Zoro all cooped up around something but you don’t know what “HMH” clearing your throat to get their attention. The all look in shock not expecting you to be there. Luffy hides the object behind his back “We thought you guys were still shopping?” “Well we're back now” You look at all three of the they seem nervous. Luffy is sweating hard “What do you have behind your back Luffy?” “Nothing” You don’t believe him so you place the shopping back on the counter and sit at the table with them “What’s the problem guys you seem nervous did i do something wrong?” They all looked at each other silently communicating “No we just don’t want you to get mad at us” it was really confusing why would you get mad? “I won’t promise” Luffy looks at you one more time just to make sure he brings the object in front of him and on the table it’s your book your book with everything in it. Part of you wants to get mad but you don’t “where did you find this?” “It was on the table fore you left I saw it and wondered what it was about didn’t know it was yours” Zoro states with his harms crossed looking at you “It’s okay but are any of the pages missing” you say examining every page that you could get your hands on slightly worried that some valuable information could be missing “No I made sure that nothing happened to it” Sanji blows the smoke out of his mouth “What happened?” Nami ask as she enters the room “Nothing just my books” Ussop comes behind you one of your books was open and he’s peeking at it over your shoulder “woah you wrote all of this?” you honestly didn’t think that it was a lot not enough knowledge so it wasn’t a lot. Nami comes and looks as well “Wow it really is a lot is that why your always up at night writing?” You start to feel a little bit on the spot which it doesn’t really matter that its you its just the subject “Yea but I could write more i dont feel like it’s enough” Zoro thinks to himself ‘what will be enough for her’ “Why it’s it not enough you write like your running out of time”…………

Part 2 coming soon ( i couldn’t finish my stomach hurts and it feels like i have the throw up)(update i threw up and i’m sick ass hell)

[cloudiest-dayze]

Gif creds go to @shady-the-simp divider creds go to @y-yushin

Do not repost or translate without my permission and credit.

Never ending cycle

Dark!Clyde (Electrick Children) x Black!F!Reader

WARNINGS: MDNI, toxic relationship, marijuana use, dubcon?, smut, pnv, oral (F Receiving), hair pulling (both receiving), talks about breeding, rough sex, degradation, one use of the.word 'momma', I think thats it but if not tell me!

Y/N and Clyde were what you would call toxic. Arguing everyday, breaking up every other month and this time was no different, well that's what Clyde thought. Y/N on the other hand was completely done with the relationship, it was taking a drain on her mental health. If she could never see him again she would but she just so happened to leave her favorite sweater at his apartment and needed to get it.

As she searches around the cheap apartment she's happy that she memorized his gig schedule. It would be a different problem. "Where the fuck is it?" She angrily mumbles to herself. "Where's what?" A horribly familiar voice asks behind her. She turns around to face Clyde. "Where's my sweater?" She asks dryly not wanting to deal with his shit. "Why? You got somewhere to be?" He wonders, getting closer and putting his hands on her hips. "I just need my sweater." She pushes his hands away.

He looks confused "What's wrong with you babe? You're acting funny". "Don't call me babe we aren't together anymore" She responds angrily. He laughs not taking her seriously until he sees her face. "Wait are you serious?" He gets closer once again putting his hands on her waist. "I'm tired of this Clyde, you always say you're gonna change and then don't." She sighs. He groans and gets close to her ear kissing the spot right underneath. "C'mon baby y'know I'm sorry." He whispers groping her ass. She whimpers quietly "Clyde no we can't do this again" she shakily mutters.

He chuckles softly as he moves his hand to her jean buttons. "C'mon baby let me show you how sorry I am.." She whimpers as she feels him bite her neck. "Clyde please." She sighs "What? What do you want baby?" He asks as he gets down on his knees and pulls her jeans and panties down with him. "Please do something... Anything" She begs. He smirks smugly and puts her leg over his shoulder and gently kisses her clit. She whimpers out of pleasure. He kisses deeper and deeper until he is fully eating her out. She moans loudly as she feels his tongue thrusting in and out of her tight hole, pp gripping his hair tightly. He moans at the taste of her, the vibrations making her fall over the edge and cream in his mouth. "That was quick baby, you really needed this huh?" He laughs smugly as he pushes her into the bed undressing himself quickly. She takes off her shirt and bra and spreads her legs. Clyde smirks at her desperation. "No no baby turn around and bend over."

She quickly does as he says just wanting him in her. He rubs his tip up and down her slit bumping her sensitive nub. "Fuck hurry up Clyde." She groans impatiently. He chuckles under his breath and roughly pushes himself into her. She screams outside in a mixture of pain and pleasure. He thrusts hard and fast not giving her time to adjust to the size. "FUCK! FUCK YES!" She yells out, eyes rolling to the back of her head. He grabs her braids and pulls her back up to his chest, the new angle hitting her g-spot perfectly. Already sensitive from the other orgasm earlier, she cums again. He laughs darkly in her ear "You see how I have you right now and you want to leave me?" He asked rhetorically knowing she was too far gone to respond. He starts to thrust faster and with less rhythm than usual. "I'm gonna cum in you and get you pregnant baby." Her eyes shoot open "N-No not inside" she moans. He pushes her face down into the pillow. "Shut up slut!" He growls. "I'm gonna get you pregnant and then you can't ever leave me." She whines at him unable to speak as his thrusts are fucking her brainless. He pumps into her once more before shooting his cum deep inside. "God you are so tight baby, gonna make you a momma." He groans hips stuttering.

She whimpers as he pulls out of her. "Why did you cum in me? I told you not to." She asks as angry as she can be in her current state. "Calm down we can get the morning after pill or something" He lights up a joint uncaring of her worry. She rolls her eyes and turns away from him eyes fluttering closed. "Y'know I love you too much to let you leave me" he says to her as she falls asleep.

(AN: this is my first time ever writing smut so tell me how I did. Requests are open!)

[blossom-hwa]

Complete - JAEHYUN

Well, this was inspired by @bba-sae‘s “Memoirs of the Broken People.” Dude, if you think this is too similar, please feel free to message me with why. I personally don’t think it’s too similar but I could be wrong! Anyway, have fun with this historical/modern au with Jaehyun. RIHY 2 will be out probably next week or the week after (depends on how bad Irma is).

Pairing: Jaehyun x fem!reader

Genre: angst, fluff, historical au, sorta soulmate au?

Triggers: death, violence, slightly graphic?

Word Count: 4.6k

You already know everything you’re learning in history. How?

Because you lived it.

But seeing as you only remember bits and pieces, each new stinking memory pressed into your mind gives you a splitting headache, and they only get worse as time goes on.

NCT Masterlist

You like history. It’s fun. It’s interesting. There’s a lot of memorization, which is what you’re good at.

But you don’t particularly care for learning about the kingdoms of Silla, or Baekje, or Goguryeo. Particularly Silla during the classical period.

Why?

Because you remember bits and pieces of your life when you lived it.

~~~

You stand in the hot sun, sweating but unable to do anything about it. Your sword weighs heavy in your hand, but you force yourself to raise it, staring directly at your opponent.

You, the first female warrior Silla has seen in years.

You, the first female Hwarang.

You, the only female Hwarang.

Jiseop, the insufferable brat in front of you, smirks. You offer nothing by way of reply, not a twitch of your eye or a change of expression.

And you attack.

Jiseop’s smirk is almost immediately wiped off his face as he meets your attack, wooden swords clacking together with a resounding crack. The shock travels up your arms but you ignore it, already darting away from Jiseop’s next strike.

Stupid.

He leaves his side totally open and you take advantage, swiping your sword so the flat of it hits his side, and when he bends over, you knock the sword out of his hands and position yours at his throat.

You glance at the instructor, who nods his head in grudging approval. You drop your arm so that your sword is at your side and join the rest of the Hwarang around the training area.

~~~

“As you already know, class, there was only one female Hwarang ever recorded in history. Kim Sunmi. She was the daughter of the famed general Kim Yushin, a general who had curiously modern views on women. Her mother was said to be headstrong and in fact managed the family finances, and her father treated his daughter as a sort of experiment. What if he gave her the education and upbringing he would give a son? What would happen then? Would she turn out like the other women, giggling and submissive? Or stubborn, strong-willed, and ready to step up?” Your teacher paces at the front of the room, eyes bright. You can tell this is her favorite part of the year.

“As you can probably guess, she turned out like the second option. She became one of trusted advisors of King Taejong, who as you should know reunified Korea, and served alongside her father in the army.”

You rest your head in your hands, not ready for the onslaught of memories that overwhelms your brain.

~~~

Your hair is tied up, your sword hanging at your side.

You are ready for the general’s visit.

Outside, you stand in formation with the rest of the Hwarang, next to your childhood friend Minhyung. You two exchange glances as the doors to the Hwarang house begin to open.

You make out the figure of your father first, then two others behind him, probably other officials. You narrow your eyes when you see a slighter figure approach behind them.

This isn’t just a routine visit to hype us up and remind us of our duty.

You stand up a little straighter, as do the rest of those around you. To be in the presence of the Kim Yushin himself is an honor. To be in the presence of both the prince and Yushin is twice as much an honor.

And because Yushin is your father, you have to make a good impression.

The chief instructor bows to the small group, and then, in unison, the Hwarangs sink to one knee and dip their heads.

“Please rise.” The prince’s voice is softer and more kind than you thought it would be. Mellow, like honey.

Your father steps up. “As you may have realized by now, today’s visit is not routine. The prince has come back from leading the fight against rebels in Baekje. He himself will test your skills today.” His eyes flash towards yours, as though telling you not to let him down. You give him a slight nod in response.

“Your Highness.” Your father acknowledges the prince with a respectful nod. “It is your choice how you’d like to test the Hwarangs today.”

“Thank you, General.” You can feel the prince gazing at you all steadily with that solid, calm look in his eyes.

You decide then and there that you would trust him with your life.

~~~

“Miss Yu? Are you alright?” Your teacher stops in front of your desk, looking at you worriedly. You give a tight nod. “Can I step outside for a bit? I have a little headache.”

“Of course.” You slide out of your desk and quickly walk outside the room, leaning against the wall.

This is why you really don’t like learning about your own history.

~~~

The next day continues the lesson on Kim Sunmi and her life.

“Sunmi was one of the most influential women in classical Korean history. She was up there with Queen Sondok and her cousin, Queen Jindeok,” your teacher says, tapping swiftly at her computer. A web browser pops up, and your teacher begins searching things up.

You put your head in your hands, feeling the beginnings of a splitting headache coming on.

On the smartboard, an image pops up. You freeze in your seat.

It is an image of you.

Of course, not exactly you. The woman on the screen is obviously painted. A sword is slung at her waist, an arrow nocked in the bow she holds, and yet she has a fierce, commanding expression that you have seen yourself wear.

You involuntarily gasp in pain as the pangs in your head get worse, and you press your hands to your temples in a vain effort to counter some of the pain.

~~~

You stand in the sweltering training ground, watching as the prince- Jaehyun, his name is- defeat the next Hwarang. It doesn’t even look like he’s broken a sweat, though the Hwarang on the ground, Jiyoung, is panting heavily.

Jaehyun’s eyes sweep through your ranks, coming to a rest on your figure.

“If you don’t mind, General,” he says in his mild tone, “I’d like to challenge your daughter.”

There is a short, shocked silence, and then Yushin smiles. “I would not refuse.”

It’s as though you can’t move. Minhyung finally pokes your side, though, and you stumble forward, forcing yourself to put one foot in front of the other.

You take a deep breath as you stand in front of him, steadying the erratic beating of your heart. You fix him with a levelheaded gaze that he returns, holding your sword- not wooden this time, but metal- in front of you.

He strikes first, whirling around in an intricate move that you just manage to block.

He’s much stronger than he looks. Fast, too.

His hair fans around his face, giving him an almost ethereal look as he lowers his sword slightly, giving you an almost mischievous look.

Anger boils within you. He doesn’t think you can last long.

The urge to prove him wrong surges up inside of you, and you come at him quickly, surprising him. He barely manages to parry the swipe and you quickly dart out of reach of his sword.

Your swords flash in the sunlight, striking and swiping and blocking, each encounter ending with a clang. The fight drags on, and after what seems to be a half hour, you are exhausted and dripping with sweat.

A flash at the side of your vision has you dancing away, using your sword to block his own. Jaehyun’s eyes are narrowed, his expression no longer mischievous or fun-containing. He is focused, concentrated, and no longer doubting your skill.

You want so badly to surrender at that moment, to give up, to accept your defeat, but the urge to prove that you can beat the prince is overpowering.

Swords clang. Blades flash.

And you feel a sharp sting on your arm. Because of your carelessness, Jaehyun landed a slice on your left forearm.

Gritting your teeth in an effort to ignore the pain, you return to the fight with renewed resolve, attacking and defending with new vigor, until Jaehyun finally knocks the sword out of your hands and you are forced to surrender, a blade at your neck.

There is silence in the courtyard. When you stand, breathing heavily, you see that there is not one person present who doesn’t have their eyes trained on you and Jaehyun.

You pick up your sword, the metal dragging along the stone with a screech, and bow to your prince.

He looks at you, breathing just as heavily as you, but with a twinkle in his eye. Before you can think about what it means, he turns to your father.

“She is indeed your daughter, General.”

~~~

You wake up with a jolt in the nurse’s office, sweat beading your forehead and your breath ragged. You remember your dream vividly.

You don’t remember the faces of almost anyone in the dream. At all.

Another boy lies on a cot near you, eyes screwed shut in seeming pain.

As you stare at him, you can’t help but wonder where exactly you’ve seen his face before. You feel a weird sense of déjà vu, that you’ve seen him somewhere before. Somewhere not at school. Or even in the country.

“Great, you’re awake!” The sweet voice of the school nurse makes you jump slightly, but you quickly relax. “You fainted in class. Probably studied too much, you poor thing.” She notices your frequent glances towards the boy on the other cot. “Oh, that’s Mark. He fainted around the same time you did, I think. I think he was in history class?”

He’s Minhyung.

Staring at his carved features, you are dead certain that despite his dyed blond hair, this boy, the boy you haven’t ever spoken to since you started school here, is your childhood friend Minhyung from another time.

Minhyung- no, Mark- wakes up a few minutes later, and his jolt of shock when he sees you makes you certain that he knows who you are.

Once the nurse dismisses you both, you grab his wrist in the hall, staring at him. “You know.” It isn’t a question.

“Yeah… Sunmi.”

“Minhyung.”

You two stare at each other for a few seconds, then look away nervously. “Hard to believe that in another life, we were warriors,” you say softly.

“I know. I’m Mark, by the way.”

“Y/N.”

~~~

You and Mark grow closer, and he provides a kind of support you really need because as you continue history class, the headaches and fainting spells get worse and worse. Your parents and nurse are worried, but you refuse to go to the doctor, knowing that trained professionals won’t be able to help your case.

You two sometimes just sit together in a quiet place and talk about your past life together. It’s jarring but also interesting how you two managed to meet each other in two timestreams.

History continues, and soon you are learning about Sunmi and her more personal life. You discover that she did have a lover, though your teacher doesn’t say who and you are too terrified to search it up on your own or read the textbook, for fear of the migraines the information will undoubtedly bring.

Then one day, you learn the truth.

“You all know I mentioned Sunmi had a lover, right?” Many girls perk up, but most of the class remains bored, staring out the windows.

Your teacher smiles wickedly. “As those of you who read the textbook know, her lover was the prince.”

It’s as though someone is slamming a hammer against your head, and you cry out in pain, clutching your head.

~~~

You are exhausted, having come back from a grueling and harrowing mission in a far area of Silla. All you want to do is fall into your bed and sleep, but you have to make a report to the prince.

The prince whose smile and voice continues to make your heart flutter each time you see him.

You know it’s improper, the headstrong daughter of a general and the crown prince, but you can’t help it. Still, you keep your feelings hidden as much as possible.

With a sigh, you begin to make your way into the forest to the prince’s favored meeting point. It’s rather secluded, so there is little chance of anyone overhearing any sensitive details.

The prince is already there when you arrive, gazing around with sharp eyes. Those eyes crinkle into crescents when he sees you.

“Miss Sunmi,” he says, greeting you.

“Your Highness.” You bow in return. “The mission went well. The uprising was put down with little loss of life on either side. All Hwarangs have returned safely; only one royal soldier was killed. Park Minhwan.”

Jaehyun nods, looking grave. “I grieve for him.”

That’s as far as he gets before you spot the point of an arrow behind him.

“Your Highness!” you yell, pushing him to the side. The arrow flies so close to your neck you can hear it whizzing by.

“Sunmi- what-”

“Get down!” you hiss, drawing your own sword. You are at a disadvantage because the shooter evidently has a long range weapon and the foliage is dense, but you will have to make do.

You grunt in pain as an arrow pierces your shoulder, but you make note of where the arrow came from, and you throw your sword, hoping for a miracle.

To your immense luck, you hear a squelch of the sword hitting flesh, and something thumps. Wincing, you go to see who the shooter was.

You do not recognize the shooter. Neither does Jaehyun when you beckon him over.

“Do we leave him here?” you ask. He nods. “For now, yes. I will send others to retrieve the body. Now, you look exhausted. Go get some rest. And thank you, Sunmi.”

The way he says your name sends shivers up your spine. “It was my duty, my prince,” you say softly, bowing.

Without warning, he catches up your hand and pulls you closer. Eyes widening, you stare at him in shock.

“Still, I thank you for doing your duty, Sunmi.” His smile is entrancing, and you find yourself lost in his bright eyes and the curve of his lips.

Those lips come closer and closer until you feel a light pressure on your mouth, so soft and feathery it doesn’t feel real. When he pulls away, you bring a hand up to your lips, smiling shyly.

Jaehyun smiles. “Cute,” he chuckles.

And you have your second kiss.

You leave the scene with an odd sense of completion, that Jaehyun filled a part of you that was missing.

~~~

“Y/N! Y/N! Are you okay?” Your history teacher shakes you by the shoulders, and you wrench your head out of your hands with an almost herculean effort, trying desperately to ignore the throbbing in your forehead and the tears of pain in your eyes. “Yes, yes, Miss, I’m fine,” you lie, wiping the tears away quickly.

Try as you might, you cannot remember Jaehyun’s face. At all. You know he is handsome, bright-eyed, mischievous, but you can’t remember it, which makes you want to throw a hissy fit.

“Miss Yu, did you hear me?” You lift your head again, aware of the stares your classmates are giving you. “No, I’m sorry.”

“Go to the nurse. I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s obviously serious. Have the nurse call home or something, but you need to rest. If you’re back in school by Friday, there’ll be a test on what we’ve learned in this chapter, alright?” Your teacher looks at you in concern, and you have no choice but to nod and begin collecting your things, your head still feeling like it’s being stabbed.

“Feel better, Y/N.” Your teacher gives you a worried look as you walk out of class, a hand pressed to your head.

At home, you immediately curl up in bed, ignoring all else, and fall into a fitful sleep.

~~~

Rumors of yours and Jaehyun’s relationship spread, and soon, your parents have arranged a marriage between you and him. It is a cause of celebration in yours and his family, the unification of two True Bone families.

Days of sparring, walks in the forest, and bickering fights fly by, and soon, it is only ten days before the wedding.

It is on that day that you receive news that Baekje is marching towards Silla.

The prince cannot ignore his duty. Nor can you. So, with regret in your heart, you get ready to don your armor and set off with the rest of the Hwarang to fight.

You manage to arrange one last rendezvous with him, late at night two days before you leave.

When you see each other, all you can do is rush into his arms and cry.

“Shh… Sunmi… We will both be alright,” he whispers. His hand strokes your hair, a repetitive motion that calms you slightly.

“I just… We were going to be happy. Why did this have to happen?” you choke out, tightening your grip around his torso.

He sighs into your hair. “I don’t know, Sunmi. I’m so sorry.”

You sniffle. “I am too.”

You spend the rest of the night in silence by the lake, watching the image of the moon on its surface. You lean on him, and he drapes an arm around your shoulder.

Both of you pretend that nothing is wrong.

~~~

You make it back to school by Friday and take the test, absolutely acing every question related to Kim Sunmi in some way.

The headaches leave you for a while, though the throbbing comes back every so often when your teacher mentions a war or battle you fought in or when you remember a dream or vision you had.

Mark is still your pillar of support, the only one who understands your struggle. He listens quietly when you tell him about your dreams, and you listen when he tells you his.

It is a month later when the headaches come back in full force, because you begin studying the wars with Baekje and Silla.

You sit in class, pen in hand as you scribble down notes.

“Sunmi and the rest of the Hwarang played an influential role in stopping the advancement of Baekje,” your teacher says, pacing around the classroom. “The crown prince Jaehyun led them into battle, and it was there that he died.”

You swear someone is stabbing a knife into your head repeatedly.

~~~

Screaming.

Blood.

Clanging.

War cries.

Sweat.

You can hardly bear it.

You have lost Jaehyun in the heat of the battle and are sticking with a few of your fellow Hwarangs as you cut down enemy soldiers. The stench of blood, sweat, and tears invades your nostrils, making you gag almost every two minutes, but you keep going.

You keep telling yourself it is your duty.

With a loud shout, you clang your sword against an enemy soldier’s, knocking him down. A horse tramples over him, and that is his end.

Breathing heavily, you look around, trying to account for the rest of your side.

A figure catches your eye.

Minhyung!

You run over, hacking down a few soldiers in the way, and rush to help. The two of you manage to finish off the rest of the soldiers around, though you don’t escape unscathed. Part of your hair is cut off and you have a large gash in your thigh, while Minhyung sports a large cut on his cheek and on his arm.

“Where’s the prince?” you yell over the noise of battle. Minhyung shrugs helplessly and runs off, leaving you to look for the crown prince on your own.

You see him just as he is struck down off his horse.

A scream builds up in your throat, but you swallow it down, fighting your way to his side.

You arrive just in time to see an enemy soldier stab him through the chest.

The scream bursts out of your mouth, and the soldier looks at you, surprised.

Your sword is the last thing he sees.

Red hazes your vision. You don’t remember what happens next, but you are suddenly kneeling over Jaehyun’s body, tears blurring your sight, the bodies of enemy soldiers nearby.

“Jaehyun!” you scream, cupping his face in your hands. “Jaehyun!”

To your surprise, he musters up a smile, though blood is still pooling out of his wound. “Sunmi…”

“Jaehyun, no. You’re not leaving me, got it? We’re still getting married after this. We’re going to live together, we’re going to rule Silla together, we’re… we’re…” You’re rambling now, words just spitting out of your mouth at an unprecedented rate. You don’t even know what you’re saying at this point. You’re crying too hard to register anything.

“Sunmi… No. I’m gone. Live for me, okay? Live for me.” His eyes are getting glassier by the minute, his breathing shallower and shallower.

“No! You’re going to live, Jaehyun! You’re going to live!” You’re hysterical at this point, tears dripping down your face and onto Jaehyun. His voice is so faint that you have to lean next to his mouth to hear it.

“No, love, I’m not. Promise me that you’ll live for me, got it? Promise me you’ll tell my family how much I love them? Promise me, Sunmi,” he whispers, gripping your hand with the last little bit of strength he has.

You wipe away your tears, trying to speak.

“Promise!” he says, gripping your hand tighter.

“I promise,” you whisper, pressing a final kiss to his lips. He closes his eyes and smiles, the same beautiful smile that always made your heart flutter. “Thank you, Sunmi.”

His hand goes slack.

You kiss his still-warm hand and wipe away your remaining tears. Then you stand, an angry fire burning in your chest.

They will pay.

That day, you lose a part of yourself.

You are no longer complete.

~~~

“Miss Yu!”

Tears fall down your face as you struggle to pull yourself out of the haze of memories that cloud your mind.

“Miss Yu!”

Crying plus a pounding headache isn’t a good combination.

“Miss Yu!”

You can still hear his final words, feel his hand in yours, smell the blood of the battle.

“Miss Yu!”

You finally snap out of your vision, tears still streaming down your cheeks.

“Miss Yu! What in heaven is wrong?!” your teacher exclaims. You come to the realization that you are in the nurse’s office, sitting on the small cot. Mark sits nearby, looking terrified.

“I… I don’t know…” you choke out, wiping your eyes. The tears keep flowing.

“I’ll leave you here to collect yourself, alright, Y/N? I’m going to call your parents. The nurse isn’t here today.” Your teacher leaves the small clinic after casting you one more anxious glance.

Mark checks to see if she’s left before he turns to you. “Another dream?” he asks quietly. You nod and begin to recount what you envisioned.

Mark listens carefully until you’re finished. “I dreamed about that battle too,” he says, looking solemn. “I guess my teacher is a bit ahead of yours. And my headaches were nowhere near as bad.”

“He… he died,” you say, still unable to comprehend how Jaehyun was killed. “He just… died.”

“What do you think would happen if we found Jaehyun?” Mark muses. You shake your head. “I can’t even remember what he looks like. How do you think we can find him?”

“What, you don’t want to find him?” Mark asks, shocked. You shake your head again. “I do! I just don’t see how we can.”

Your parents take you to the doctor, who prescribes some medicine to help headaches that probably won’t help at all. The minute you get home, you crawl into bed again.

~~~

You are inconsolable when you reach Silla again. Not even Minhyung can cheer you up.

You meet with the grief-stricken king and queen who ask if he had any last words. You get choked up as you recall his last moments, but you manage to hold back your tears. “He told me to promise to live for him and to tell you how much he loved you,” you say.

The usually stoic queen dabs at her eyes, and you swear you can see a watering in the king’s eyes. “Thank you, Sunmi. Our court is always open to you, should you wish to become an official of some sort.”

Jaehyun’s brother, Taejong, takes the throne soon after and names you his chief strategist. He has ambitious plans to unite the three kingdoms, which few believe will work, but you do.

You pore over maps for hours with your father, discussing strategy. You feel a burning desire for revenge on Baekje after they took Jaehyun’s life, and only conquering the kingdom will satiate it.

The kingdoms get conquered.

Jaehyun is still dead.

You never marry.

~~~

A few years after that dreadful year of high school, you step onto your college campus, taking a deep breath to calm your heart.

A new start.

You never forgot your previous life, the one in which you suffered and gained so much all in the space of a few years. Your history teacher never figured out what exactly was causing your headaches, though you’re pretty sure she has a small idea. Your parents still worry that the headaches will come again, but you are certain they won’t.

You’ve experienced your entire past life. Nothing can haunt you anymore. You know it all.

You ended your life as a high-ranking True Bone official, dying honorably in battle. You visited the place where you were buried, which gave you an odd feeling of vertigo but also a feeling that you are more complete. Maybe not whole yet, but like a part of you that was missing came back.

You want to look for Jaehyun, but the sensible part of you knows that as of now, that isn’t possible. Mark is the only one who knows your struggle, and between the two of you, you don’t have enough funds to go around asking people if they ever had a past life.

Your college is very nice- large, open, and rather beautiful. You are here to study chemistry and computer science, what your logical mind is wired for.

As you walk across the campus green to get to your class, you pull out your schedule to double-check you’re going to the right place. Because you aren’t looking where you’re going, you bump into a hard chest.

A large hand bends down to pick up your dropped schedule for you. “Thanks, I’m so sorry,” you say, extending a hand to take it.

The hand stops moving. Confused, you look up, and your breath hitches.

“It’s you,” he whispers.

Despite you never having remembered any faces except Mark’s from your dreams, you know, instinctively, that it’s him.

Your prince.

Jaehyun.

He pulls you close and you wrap your arms around him, cherishing each other’s crushing embrace, the feeling of your body pressed close to his.

“You’re back,” you whisper into his shoulder.

He pulls away, opting to grasp your hands in his. Your eyes are wet, and you can see tears in his too.

“I am.”

He presses his lips against yours, and you feel whole again.

Complete.

[my-intrusive-stories]

Yushin x Reader: Slight Smiles (ft. Child! Ihwa)

Word Count ~ 1327 Warnings: None Notes: I'm back from the dead. Wooo!

Yushin’s name alone could command respect despite no longer being an Elder. He was and remains one of the greatest swordsmen to ever live, yet there was one hurdle he couldn’t seem to overcome: a child.

You’d been by Yushin’s side for more years than many had lived, and you’d never seen him as blindsided as this. It all started a few days after he’d taken in a young girl named Ihwa. Yushin had promised to train her so that she could avenge her sister's death, but a few days after she’d arrived, Yushin approached you.

“(Y/N), my dear, how does one deal with children?”

A small smile spread across your face at your lover’s question. He’d been so quickly charmed by Ihwa that it was almost comical. Of course, he’d never admit it out loud, though.

“Well,” you began thoughtfully, “it would be best to engage them with things they like. Ihwa likes food and swords, doesn’t she?” 

Yushin nodded. In the short time he’d known the silver-haired child, she’d demonstrated a monstrous appetite and a passion for weapons—especially swords.

“Hmm, you’re not the finest of cooks,” I teased with a grin, “but you’re quite the swordsman. Why don’t you show her some of your techniques?”

“Ihwa is still too young. If she sees those, she’ll want to learn them immediately.” Yushin shook his head at the thought. She would be ready one day but now was not the time.

You sighed, knowing he had a point. “I’m sure we can figure something out soon, but until then, just guide Ihwa well. Eventually, she’ll warm up to you, my love.”

With that, you leaned down to kiss Yushin’s forehead, then left him to his thoughts. Ihwa had been forced to grow up far too quickly. Getting past her defenses would be no easy task. But judging by Yushin’s apparent determination, it would only be a matter of time.

A few weeks later, you were watching as Yushin trained Ihwa. Instead of fighting, her training was more focused on building endurance. As the young girl ran laps, you noticed her body swaying dangerously. Something was wrong. Yushin also noticed and sharply told her to stop running, but Ihwa persisted. That was when you decided to step in. Using your gift of telekinesis, you picked her up and gently moved her into your arms.

“You’re sick,” you observed as you felt Ihwa’s overly warm forehead. After a moment of consideration, you continued gently. “No more training until you’ve recovered, Ihwa.”

A frown formed on the child’s flushed face as she protested. “I can keep going. How else will I get stronger?” Her red eyes were filled with a thirst for revenge that no kid should ever need to have. Around the same time she said this, Yushin arrived. Suddenly, you had an idea and carefully placed Ihwa on your lover’s lap.

Sensing your scheming, Yushin took the child without complaint. Looking at Ihwa, she reminded him of himself. She was prideful, stubborn, and made for combat. And yet, the silver-haired girl was also small and fragile–still reeling from the death of her sister.

“Even the strongest of people still need to rest,” Yushin stated firmly, yet his tone was gentle. It was far more tender than anything you’d ever heard him use. A soft smile spread across your face as you watched the scene before you.

Ihwa seemed to accept Yushin’s words far quicker than yours. Taking that as confirmation, you took the handles of your lover’s wheelchair and began to push them both inside. When you arrived inside Ihwa’s room, Yushin placed her on the bed, and she passed out instantly, betraying her claims that she wasn’t tired. He also tucked her in, an action far more delicate than one would expect from a former Elder.

“Don’t say a word,” Yushin grumbled as you pushed him out of the room. After so many decades of being together, he could sense when you were about to tease him.

You held your hands up in mock defense. “I didn’t say anything, my love.”

“You were about to,” he muttered, causing you to laugh softly because he was correct.

“Perhaps,” you said with a slight smirk. With that, you pushed Yushin into the kitchen. Once you were both inside, you started to pull out the ingredients to make chicken noodle soup. The aroma of broth soon filled the house. Before you could chop up the vegetables to add to the soup, a still-flushed Ihwa snuck into the kitchen.

“Ihwa,” you said gently, concerned for the young girl, “what are you doing up? You should be resting.”

“I smelled food,” the red-eyed girl stated bluntly. Her voracious appetite was once again making an appearance.

A soft sigh left your lips. Using your gift, you pulled out a chair and lifted Ihwa onto it. She watched in silent fascination as she was lifted up by an invisible force.

“The soup will be done soon,” you said with a smile, reaching for the knife so you could start on the vegetables.

“(Y/N),” Yushin interjected, “let me cut the vegetables.” 

Immediately, you understood your lover’s intentions. He was no chef, but blades were his forte. After handing Yushin the knife, you stepped back and tossed the vegetables into the air with your gift. In an instant, the vegetables were diced into evenly sized pieces. You reactivated your telekinesis with practiced precision and put the food into the pot.

Ihwa’s eyes were sparkling at the display of blade work. “That was so cool, Old Man,” she gasped.

You had to turn away to muffle your laughter at Ihwa’s nickname for Yushin. Meanwhile, the man in question looked slightly taken aback. “Old Man?” Yushin muttered under his breath, but a hint of affection on his face betrayed his facade.

After a few minutes, the soup was done. Ihwa was drowsily laying her head on the table, waiting for the food. Her face was still redder than it ought to be. 

“Ihwa, the soup is ready,” you murmured, gently shaking her shoulder. 

Before you could hand her a bowl, the pot began to levitate and was placed in front of the girl. Yushin gave you a questioning look, but you just shrugged. You weren’t the one who moved the pot.

Meanwhile, Ihwa grabbed the pot and chugged the soup. Had this not been a regular occurrence, you’d have been shocked. Once it was all gone, a napkin floated into her outstretched hand. That’s when it clicked. She’d awakened her gift. Instantly, you picked up the girl and spun her around happily before passing her to Yushin. 

“We need to celebrate this,” you declared, leaving no room for argument. “I’ll go buy a cake. Yushin, my love, please watch Ihwa while I’m gone.”

Not waiting for a response, you dashed out of the front door, leaving the child in the arms of your exasperated yet amused lover.

When you got back, you were carrying a nicely decorated cake. Just as you opened your mouth to announce your arrival, Yushin raised a finger to his lips and gestured to a sleeping Ihwa. You nodded and set aside the cake for a later time.

Not wanting the squeak of Yushin’s wheelchair to wake the sleeping child, you carefully used your gift to lift and transport them to Ihwa’s room. Once you arrived inside, you took in the adorable sight of Ihwa sleeping on Yushin one last time before carefully placing the young girl on her bed.

“You know,” Yushin started once you’d quietly left Ihwa’s room, “you didn’t have to levitate both of us.”

“Ah, but you two looked so cute. I wanted to make it last… Old Man,” you teased with a mischievous smile. 

“You’re unbelievable,” the swordsman said under his breath, but contrary to his tone, the prideful man had a slight smile on his face. And little did you know, so did the sleeping Ihwa.

-Mis

[my-intrusive-stories]

Warlock! Yushin x Reader: After the Storm

Word Count ~ 1490 Warnings: Brief mentions of blood Notes: I'm sorry for the inconsistent updates. I have writer's block, so I'll prob be switching to one post per week. If I do make that decision, I’ll make an update about it.

As you stumbled blindly through the forest, centuries-old trees groaned from stress as turbulent winds ripped through them. The weather in this area was always erratic, but this was by far the worst storm you'd ever seen. Dodging a stray branch, you looked for something that could be used as a shelter, but the rain was too heavy to see anything. Every minute in the miserable storm felt like an hour. It was eating away at your strength. Sheer will can't overcome the limitations of the body. You certainly tried, though.

As you forced yourself to move forward step by step, your body finally gave out. Before you lost consciousness entirely, you noticed a strangely marked rock. Perhaps it was your exhaustion, but it seemed to glow faintly in the darkness of the storm.

Meanwhile, the old warlock Yushin sensed a disturbance in his barrier. Someone had crossed through. He wheeled himself over to the window to observe the weather. What kind of person would be traveling in these conditions? Nevertheless, Yushin was curious about the intruder on his land. By using one of his swords as a staff, the old warlock cast a simple spell to open the door, followed by a more complicated one to halt the weather around his house.

If Yushin thought the storm was troublesome when he looked outside the window, seeing it up close was worse. Small trees were uprooted by the tempestial winds while streaks of lightning cut through the sky.

When he finally reached the border of the barrier, Yushin saw your unconscious form. Cuts from the win marred your skin; no doubt they came from branches. Pitying you, the man cast a spell to levitate your body as he returned home.

Hours later, you awoke to a wooden roof and a warm bed. A quick glance around told you this wasn't a house in your old city. Someone had saved you from the storm. Relief filled your chest but quickly dissipated. You were chased from your home for unknowingly using magic. There was a possibility that the owner of the house was anti-Supernatural.

Creaking floorboards snapped you out of your thoughts and alerted you to the presence of the man you assumed was your savior. He had grey hair and wore clothes reminiscent of a noble. There was an air of quiet danger that surrounded him. Wheelchair or not, this man was not to be messed with.

"How are you feeling," the man asked as he drew near the bed you occupied. His eyes weren't open, but it felt as if he was staring into your soul.

"I-I'm alright. Thank you for saving me, but I must tell you something," you spoke guiltily as you slowly got out of bed. If anyone found out that the man had helped a Supernatural--knowingly or not--he would be likely be killed. "I'm a Supernatural. For your safety, it would be better for me to leave."

For emphasis, you used magic to levitate the candle on the bedpost. Moments of silence passed, which you took as an invitation to depart. But before you could reach the door, your body was lifted from the ground by an invisible force. Soon enough, you were placed back in the bed.

"There's no need for you to worry about such things," a sly smile appeared on the man's face as he continued, "since I'm also a Supernatural."

With that, he left the room. Once again, relief filled your chest as you let sleep take over your tired body. This place was safe.

After that encounter, you slipped into a routine with the man whose name you discovered was Yushin. Despite the storm continuing to rage outside, he would often go hunting. And every time, you'd insist on cooking and doing other chores. It was the least you could do for the man who'd saved your life.

Yushin took a little longer to adjust. Years had passed since his sole apprentice, Ihwa, had left, so he wasn't entirely used to living with someone else again. Once he did adapt, Yushin found your company pleasant. You were a nice change of pace from his period of solitude.

One day during lunch, Yushin surprised you by asking if you wished to learn magic from him. He'd seen you watch him curiously as he practiced spells, yet you were far too shy to ask. That was how you were: timid when trying to express desires in fear of overstepping boundaries. Yushin found your bashfulness endearing, yet he wished you were more comfortable expressing yourself.

The issue arose during training. After Yushin had you read through the basic principles of magic, he gave you a list of exercises to complete while he hunted. At first, the list seemed manageable, but it was far beyond your depths. Completing the allotted tasks was impossible. Despite knowing this, you pushed your body harder. Mid-incantation, you felt something warm trickle down your nose. You wiped it off using the back of your hand, then looked at it.

"Oh," you mumbled as your vision blurred and your body gave out. "It was blood."

Minutes later, Yushin returned. Once he closed the door, the house quietened. It was far too quiet, though. Usually, you'd greet him when he arrived.

"(Y/N)," he called. Silence followed. A sinking feeling filled the warlock's chest. He quickly navigated toward the room where you were practicing before. There, he saw you passed out on the floor. The first time Yushin ever saw you, you were unconscious, but how he felt then couldn't compare to the sheer panic he was currently experiencing. Spells flew from his lips as he did everything he could to heal you.

After what felt like hours, your eyes cracked open, but only a little. You could feel a gentle hand wiping the blood off of your face. Using the little strength left in your body, you murmured, "I'm okay," then drifted off again. That was enough to give Yushin solace.

When you were finally lucid enough, Yushin asked what had happened. You explained how you felt dizzy after practicing too much. The warlock explained that that was a symptom of magic fatigue.

"Next time, stop if it doesn't feel right. If you want something, don't be apprehensive about asking for it." Yushin himself was surprised by the words that came out of his mouth. When he trained Ihwa, he had no qualms with pushing her to her limit. With you, though, he hated seeing you in distress. It was a strange feeling.

"I'm sorry for the trouble," you said quietly. "I just hate feeling helpless. Getting exiled from my home made me realize how weak I am. Once the storm stops and I have to leave, I don't want to feel like that again."

Your last sentence was barely louder than a whisper, yet it carried more weight than Yushin cared to admit. The inevitability of your departure had been hanging over his head for a long time, yet hearing them spoken hurt.

"When that time comes, being fully healthy will be more important than your strength. Overwork won't help you grow." With that, Yushin left to think.

It was selfish, but part of the old warlock hoped the foul weather would last longer. Storms could last months in this forest, but this one was starting to die down already. And when the rain disappeared, so would you. Yushin finally realized why the thought of that hurt. He'd grown feelings for you. Little did he know, they were reciprocated.

Back in your room, you wanted to curl up and perish. You liked it here, and you were fond of Yushin. Why would you bring that up in front of him? The exchange made you cringe every time you closed your eyes to rest. Eventually, you managed to doze off.

Things felt off after that day. You and Yushin continued your routine, but there was an undercurrent of unspoken sadness. It was as if the clouds from outside were infiltrating the house. Then, one day, the inevitable happened. The storm had stopped.

You were playing a game of chess with Yushin when the sound of rain faded away. It took a while to process, but the following silence was deafening. All you could do was look at Yushin sadly.

"I guess this is where we part." A sob tried to escape your lips, but you forced it down. "Thank you for everything."

Before you could grab your bag and leave, you remembered Yushin's advice: "If you want something, don't be apprehensive about asking for it." So you steeled your nerves and turned to the one you'd grown feelings for.

"I know I said I'd leave after the storm, but could I stay here with you?"

Using a spell to bring you toward him, Yushin smiled softly and pressed his lips to yours. You happily reciprocated the kiss.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Thank you for reading!

-Mis

[my-intrusive-stories]

Yushin x Reader: Evermore

Word Count ~ 4375 Warnings: Canon-typical blood Note: Tried to follow canon, but it's def not 100% accurate cause I got lost in the sauce. Anyway, this was a trip and a half to make, but I hope you enjoy me simping for an old dude. I'd let Yushin hit it any day of the week.

Countless years. That was how long you've known Yushin, the ruler of Yerim. Throughout those years, you were his closest attendant and friend. Anything you could do to help the Elder, you did.

How did that happen? Well, it all started on the day of a foul blizzard. No sane person would have traversed the land on such a day, but the people of your village were determined to reach Yerim. The settlement they formerly lived in was prosperous yet not large enough to be considered a district. Naturally, this brought unwanted attention from District Lords who coveted their land. Many lords offered to take the villagers and their land as part of their district, but the conditions were ultimately unfavorable. Loss of autonomy, taxes, and the conscription of those with gifts were just some terms included in every deal. Knowing they couldn't survive a battle for their freedom, your village decided to go where no rational lord would touch: an Elder's domain.

Padrius Encilion wasn't known for his sympathy, meaning Cloud Garden wasn't an option, and Reagan Sinclair didn't allow outsiders into Castle Gray. Other districts, such as Rhodos or Crystal Line, would have been ideal, but they were too far away. That left Yerim. There wasn't extensive information about its ruler, Yushin, but his character didn't seem questionable. With that information, your people set out to seek asylum in Yerim. It was a risk they were willing to take. It's why an entire village was traveling through a storm.

Unfortunately, not everything goes as planned. Bandits were lurking in the forest. Not many journeyed through the area, so they were low on supplies. Such a large gathering of people walking through their land seemed like a blessing to them. Within minutes, an ambush descended on your people. Screams of horror were swallowed by the roaring wind as the bandits indiscriminately slaughtered everyone they could.

As one of the two gift users, you immediately jumped to action. You levitated above the battleground using your telekinetic powers to identify each threat's location. Daggers made of snow formed and flew toward bandits with each flick of your hand. Despite the cold weather, sweat trickled down your face. This was the first real battle you'd participated in, so your control of EST was shaky at best.

Quickly, the outlaws who had avoided being skewered turned their attention towards you. An arrow narrowly missed embedding itself in your throat, causing you to lose focus and drop to the ground. The other gift user, Ellis, saw this and screamed to join him and the others inside his force field. With every passing second, more people rushed towards the safety provided by Ellis, but he couldn't maintain it for long. As soon as his EST ran out, the bandits would finish off the rest of the villagers. It had to end now.

Pushing yourself out of the snow, you regained focus and sent waves of snow toward the remaining outlaws. The force knocked them outside of the forest and into a clearing. You rushed over to finish them off, but as you raised your hands to attack, your gift didn't work. No more EST.

Shit.

The bandits kept their distance, but it wouldn't be long before they realized you were defenseless. Slowly, they formed a circle and began to close in. With nowhere to go and no weapon in hand, you hoped you could outclass them physically. One of the more daring criminals took a swipe at you with his sword. By some miracle, you dodged and landed a punch on his face, but he shrugged it off. A bloody nose wasn't enough to deter him. That's when an arrow pierced your leg.

The pain took a second to process, but when the sensation hit, it brought you to your knees. Everything around you started to blur into the flurry of snow. A figure approached with what seemed to be a sword, so with the last bit of strength in your body, you ripped the arrow out of your leg and slammed it into their body. They slumped over, presumably dead. There were still several other bandits, though. In your woozy state, they would have no trouble ending your life.

The crunch of snow nearing signified that the end of your life was near. Just as you'd given up, a sharp whistle cut through the air. Soon after, the sound of bodies dropping followed. As your eyes fluttered shut from exhaustion, you saw a man with two red swords.

Days later, you regained consciousness. Ellis, ever a loyal friend, was sleeping next to your bed. But wait, whose room was it? This was far too luxurious. You shifted, trying to get up, but there was no strength in your limbs to support you. All your rustling did succeed in waking Ellis, though.

"(Y/N), you're awake," he beamed. It was clear Ellis wasn't taking care of himself from his deep eyebags and disheveled appearance. He'd probably been run ragged trying to take care of everyone.

"Ellis, you've been losing sleep for others again," you scolded. The man suddenly couldn't meet your eyes. "While I appreciate you, it's okay to be selfish."

"Shhh. I'm fine. And isn't it hypocritical to say that, considering you almost…" Ellis trailed off, his attention taken by the man who had just entered the room. Everything fell silent.

It was the man with two swords.

Grey hair brushed his shoulders, yet he was more acute than any youth you'd seen. Confidence and power radiated from him as his gaze fell upon you. His eyes were piercing, as if he could see right through anyone. A shiver ran through your spine despite the well-insulated room.

"I see you're awake. Feel free to recover as long as needed," the man spoke before leaving as abruptly as he came.

Both you and Ellis released the breaths you didn't know you were holding. The pressure exuding from the swordsman was suffocating. But wait, you didn't thank him for saving your life yet.

"Ellis," you whispered, "could you take me to that swordsman? I need to speak with him." The man opened his mouth to protest, but you cut him off. "Never mind, I'll do it myself."

With a wave of your hands, you began to levitate. Rushing out the door, you tried to catch up with the mysterious man. He was already far away, but that wasn't a deterrent.

"Excuse me, sir," you shouted. The man stopped and turned, giving you enough time to catch up. "My name is (Y/N). I just wanted to say thank you for saving me and the rest of my village."

As you spoke, a wave of nausea overtook you. It broke your focus, causing your gift to fail. Since it was the only thing keeping you upright, you started to fall towards the ground. You braced for an impact that never came. Instead, the swordsman had caught you in his arms. Ellis rushed over to help.

"I can carry (Y/N) back, sir." The grey-haired man shook his head and started towards the room you were just in. Despite the relatively short distance to the room, your poor condition caused you to drift to sleep. As he laid you on the bed, you murmured a quiet "thank you."

The next day, Ellis gave you a recap of what had happened. Heat flooded your face. How embarrassing.

"Oh, and I couldn't mention this yesterday, but that man who saved us is the ruler of Yerim, Yushin." You blinked at the information. You'd been carried by an Elder.

"Oh gosh," you cried into the pillow. "I don't know if I can ever show my face again."

Ellis patted your back soothingly. "It's okay, (Y/N). Once we get settled, it's not as if we'll see an Elder on the streets."

That gave you some peace of mind.

Two days later, you trudged grumpily through Yerim's snow-covered roads. The damned snow made it near impossible to conduct business. Blacksmiths were low on coal and lumber because of the frigid conditions, mines collapsed due to the weight of snow, and god knows where wool could be bought. It was a wonder that people sustained themselves like this.

During your internal grumbling session, a loud noise crashed through the town. Swinging your head towards the source, you saw it most likely came from the forest. Was it a fight, more bandits, or an avalanche? Curiosity overtook you, causing you to dash toward the source. Strangely enough, none of the townspeople seemed perturbed by the noise.

Once you arrived at the origin of the sound, you realized why none of the residents were bothered by the racket. Right in the middle of the snow-covered field was Yushin practicing his swordsmanship. It was stunning. The glint of the two blades as they sliced through the air, the contrast of the red hilt against the snow--absolutely gorgeous. You watched the sword dance, entranced. Before you realized it, he was done.

"Beautiful," you breathed out. Never before had you seen something so exquisite in your life.

"Is that so?" Yushin, who was now behind you, questioned. Your heart leapt as you jumped away from the Elder. How did he get there so fast?

Not knowing how to respond, you crouched and covered your face with your hands. This was so embarrassing. Yushin merely chuckled at your awkwardness.

"What brings you here, (Y/N)?"

You took a second to compose yourself (as best as someone socially inept could) before answering, "I was trying to do errands when I heard a loud noise and wanted to check it out. Sorry to disturb you, sir."

"It's of no issue. I was finishing anyway. However, your hands are quite empty for someone running errands."

The mere mention of errands brought a tic to your eye as you remembered your multitude of hindrances. "Well," you started, "there have been a few roadblocks."

Yushin escorted you back to the small cottage you shared with other villagers while listening to your passionate ramblings about issues in Yerim. Considering how meek you tended to be, this was an intriguing side of you. It was also interesting to hear about matters regarding his land from the perspective of a new resident.

By the time you finished your tirade, you'd arrived back home. The realization that you just spent half an hour complaining to an Elder of all people dawned on you. Warmth flooded your face as you quickly amended your rant. "Not that Yerim is a bad place to be or anything. I only think some small problems need fixing, my lord."

Yushin resisted the urge to laugh at your sudden change in tone. Instead, he said, "I'd be interested in what approach you'd take to solving these issues, (Y/N). Would you care to discuss it in further detail later?"

All you could do was nod dumbly at the invitation.

"I'll see you soon, then." With that, the swordsman left. Ellis rushed out to ask what just happened, but he couldn't elicit a response--your brain was malfunctioning.

One week after the encounter, you found yourself in Yushin's office with a plethora of material you'd compiled. In your arms were testimonials from townsfolk, copies of public records, and diagrams. After exchanging greetings, you got straight to the point: the snow made it too difficult to live during the winter. There weren't enough wool-producing animals to meet the demand, so people had to rely on merchants. The merchants were aware of this, so they raised prices, knowing that the people of Yerim would have to pay or freeze. Scarce and expensive winter clothing meant that outdoor laborers such as lumberers struggled. Miners were the only people to benefit from the frozen ground but were over reliant on the presumed stability, causing the mine to collapse when it warmed up.

As you explained all of this and provided potential reforms, Yushin listened to your words attentively. You were amazing. In a short period, you came up with practical solutions for the problems plaguing Yerim. Perhaps it was selfish, but he wanted your prowess.

"(Y/N)," Yushin said after you finished presenting, "what would you think about becoming my advisor? You-"

"I'd love that! When do I start, my lord?"

And that was how you became Yushin's trusted advisor. For every annoyance the Elder faced, you were there to fix it. Nothing was too large of a challenge to take on for the man who saved your life. Slowly but surely, Yerim was transformed. It was still frigid, but it felt warmer.

On a particularly restless night, you wandered into the training grounds allocated for Yerim's guards. Moonlight bathed the cold soil in its pale glow. A wall full of swords caught your attention. Perhaps it was the way the light reflected off them or the memory of Yushin's sword dance, but you were drawn to the gleaming blades.

An experimental lift of a sword proved to be effortless; the physical strength from being a gift user was beneficial. Swinging the sword, though, was an entirely different task. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't recreate a fraction of the grace you'd seen on that snowy field.

"Adjust your grip and stance like this," a voice from behind spoke. Panic surged through your body before you recognized the voice. Rather than question what Yushin was doing here at this time, you nodded and tried to emulate his form as instructed.

"Close, but not quite." He carefully adjusted your posture by moving your limbs manually. You hoped he couldn't feel the heat radiating off your body.

"Are you interested in learning swordsmanship (Y/N)?"

"I'd love to, but--"

"Then let's begin."

Shock covered your face before it morphed into a bright smile. That smile was dangerous. The unfamiliar feeling it gave Yushin compelled him to fulfill your every whim. Even if you knew you had an Elder at your beck and call, you'd never ask anything of him, and it made him favor you all the same. Shaking his head, Yushin buried the intrusive thoughts and continued to teach you.

Years flew by in Yerim. During this time, your proficiency with the blade increased exponentially. Paired with your telekinesis, it was clear that Yushin's close tutelage had paid off. He'd even given you your own sword. Besides the growth in strength, you'd also grown feelings for the feelings for the grey-haired man. How could you not? Not once had he undermined your ideas when it came to reform. He was flexible and willing to discuss things rationally. Despite being an Elder, he diligently taught you swordsmanship. Most of all, he was easy to be around. As someone who suffered in social situations, Yushin never made you uncomfortable. Sure, you'd get embarrassed when he got close, but it wasn't his fault for being handsome.

A poke to your side broke you from your thoughts. It was Ellis. He looked concerned. Understandably so, considering this was the fourth time you'd spaced out within an hour.

"Are you okay, (Y/N)? You've been out of it for the past week."

You muttered something unintelligible into your hands. The only word Ellis could make out was Yushin.

"What was that? What about him? Is he bothering you?"

"It's nothing like that. I just," you paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "I think I love Yushin."

It was Ellis' turn to be gobsmacked. In retrospect, he should have foreseen this outcome, but he'd never put too much thought into it. All the time spent with the Elder outside of work, the private training, and the fondness of which you spoke of him. Everything pointed toward your adoration of the swordsman. Yushin's heavy favoritism toward you was rather evident, as well.

"I think you should just tell him. Knowing you, you'll continue to internalize your feelings until they eat you from the inside. Honestly, it's probably started to happen already. You're a damn good person (Y/N). If you confess and it goes wrong, you can always come back here to live with me and the rest of the villagers. There'll never be an occasion where you're not welcome."

Tears pricked at your eyes at Ellis' kind words. For years, you'd been far removed from the daily activities of your people--only visiting occasionally to make sure they were healthy and safe. They were your motivation to improve Yerim and grow stronger. Knowing you'd be accepted with open arms made your heart feel full.

"Thank you," you choked out. Unshed tears were blinked back. Ellis smiled and hugged you gently. A comfortable silence filled the room before it was broken by a knock on the door. You dashed over to open it and saw Yushin. Before you could question what he was doing here, he spoke.

"You're late for training." A quick glance at the position of the sun confirmed this. Adrenaline coursed through you as you scrambled to collect your things. How could you have lost track of time? As you flew out the door, you quickly bid farewell to your friend with a hug.

"Sorry for being late, my lord," you said anxiously. In your panic and haste to get to the training grounds, you unconsciously grabbed Yushin's hand and began to drag him with you.

The Elder frowned slightly and stopped, forcing you to stop as well. His sudden action made you realize his fingers were intertwined with yours. You tried to pull away before your heart exploded, but Yushin gently yanked you toward him.

"I thought I told you to call me by my name." After that, it was honestly a miracle you were still alive. Your palms felt clammy, and your heart was beating abnormally fast. Yushin took notice of your condition and asked, "Are you alright, (Y/N)? If you're unwell, you don't have to train today. Just rest."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

You took a deep breath and steeled your nerves before half-shouting, "It's because I lo--"

Before you could finish, your blood suddenly ran cold. A man with long white hair was nearing, and his aura was as suffocating as Yushin's, if not more. To make things worse, he held a sword. It was apparent that he was the swordsman from the rumors who'd been killing District Lords. Seemingly out of lords to kill, he'd come looking for stronger prey.

Yushin's face hardened, and he released his grip on your hand. "Go and evacuate the civilians," he ordered.

"But--"

"Go!" His demand left no room for questions. You grit your teeth but heed his command. A clash between the two would devastate much of the territory and any souls unlucky enough to be nearby. Civilians had to vacate the premises no matter what.

One flick of your wrist, and you shot into the sky. "By order of the Elder, Yushin, all civilians evacuate your homes and seek shelter far from the east outskirts." Your voice ripped through the territory as you used your gift to manipulate the sound waves. "Bring what you need only."

Confusion filled the streets as people rushed to vacate their homes. It was utter chaos. There was no choice but to intervene and provide assistance. You wanted to go back and help Yushin, but he could hold his own… hopefully.

Pushing the doubt out of your head, you swooped down in time to stop a man from accidentally trampling a child. The sight of Yushin's advisor helped the crowd settle down. Good. That made it easier to give instructions. Once that was settled, you moved on to a different area that needed assistance. After repeating this process several times, you came across Ellis and the other villagers trying to evacuate.

Using your gift, you brought Ellis toward you to explain the situation. His face looked grim as he processed the information given. It'd been years since the village moved to settle in Yerim. Should anything happen to Yushin, there was no guarantee that the new ruler would be as good as him.

"There isn't much we can do in this situation," Ellis concluded. "If that swordsman is as strong as he seemed, we won't be able to help in any way. For now, let's focus on the evacuation. Once everyone is safe, he won't have to worry about going all out."

You nodded and directed your focus back to the people below. Children were crying, and adults were screaming. The sight burned into your eyes and strengthened your will to protect everyone.

"Let's go."

Even with your gift and the assistance of others, setting up accommodations was a challenge. Making sure they had food was also demanding, but preparations you'd made beforehand in case of an emergency made things easier. Overall, it took five days to complete. And each of those days, you worried about Yushin's health. The only thing that reassured you was the tumultuous noises from the battle.

Ellis caught you staring in the direction of the battle the morning after everything was complete. He knew you wanted to be there but were held back by your responsibility of caring for the civilians.

"Go to him. I'll take care of everything. Don't feel burdened for once. All that I ask is that you stay safe… please."

You found yourself choking back tears again as you spoke. "There's a vault that contains my assets. Should anything go wrong, you should be able to access it. Thank you for everything, Ellis. You're the greatest friend I could ask for."

With those words and a hug, you steeled your heart and flicked your wrist to activate your gift. The wind slashed at your face as you pushed yourself to fly faster than ever. Every second felt like an eternity. Every small period of silence gave rise to anxiety. Your heart fought to escape your chest.

Finally, you arrived. Relief filled your body when you saw a figure in brown dart across the snow. Yushin was alive. Alarm slowly replaced your temporary solace when you noticed Yushin no longer had his dual swords. Instead, he was wielding his Elder Star. Just how strong was the white-haired man to force Yushin into this position? Your question was soon answered when you saw the two cross blades. The challenger was insanely powerful.

There was no place for you in this battle. Trying to intervene would only result in death. So you watched and prayed to whatever universal power might exist--hoping they would smile upon the man you loved and grant him victory.

On the seventh day of the vicious fight, when the sun was at its peak, your heart sank to the bottom of your feet. Yushin's blood painted the snow as he knelt supported by his sword. Assured of his imminent victory, the white-haired man walked over slowly, preparing to land the final blow.

Time slowed down to a crawl. Yushin was going to die. No. No, no, no. Over your cold, dead body.

Using your gift, you surpassed any speed you'd previously reached. With the sword Yushin bestowed upon you, you swung upwards with all your might. The impact rang through your body, but you stood firm until the assailant relented.

"So your loyal little lapdog has finally revealed itself, Yushin." The condescending tone of the swordsman irked you. It also irritated Yushin, who growled at the way he insulted you. "Tell them to step aside, or they shall perish, too."

"I will not stand down. If you want my lord's head, mine must roll on the ground first."

"So be it."

Your life flashed before your eyes as the man swung with the intent to sever your head. Every happy memory with the villagers, Ellis, and Yushin gave you the resilience to ignore the scream of your body as it surpassed its limits. Just as your swords were about to clash, Yushin's voice rang through the clearing. The descending blade stopped millimeters from yours.

"You want my Elder Star, correct? Then take it. Don't touch (Y/N)."

The sword was thrown at the feet of the challenger, who seemed to contemplate the deal. That moment of hesitation was all you needed to flick your wrist and escape into the forest with Yushin in tow.

Hours passed as you hurled through the thick snow-covered trees. Only then did you feel secure enough to stop at a stream and rest your body. Sweat dripped down your forehead and into your eyes. Your chest felt like it was filled with burning coal. And to top it off, blood poured out of your nose from overexertion of your gift.

Yushin was placed on a tree he could lean on. Blood stained his clothing from wounds he'd sustained during battle. Noticing this, you ripped strips of cloth from your garments and attempted to bandage his injuries. All of this was done in silence. Only nature dared to make noise in the solemn aftermath of the battle.

Soon, you joined Yushin in leaning on the tree. Exhaustion was about to take over, but the wounded man beside you spoke.

"Why, (Y/N)? You could have lived a happy life with your people had you not interfered. You should have left me to die."

That certainly woke you up.

"Left you to die?" you sputtered. "How could you even suggest that? In what world would I have been able to live a happy life in which you died? I'd have spent every day regretting that decision."

"And why is that?"

"Because I love you," you exploded. The echo of your words hung in the air like drifting snow. Yushin looked at you in surprise. You loved him. You sincerely loved him.

Using what little strength he had in his body, Yushin cupped your face and pressed his lips to yours. His hair tickled your nose, and his mouth tasted of blood, but you could've lived in that moment for eternity.

"Will you stay by my side, my loyal advisor?"

You pecked his lips softly and replied, "Through every trial, I'll be there. For every mistake, I'll have a solution. I'll stay with you forever, Yushin."

"And I shall do the same for you."

There, a promise was made that could not be broken by sword or time. The two would be together evermore.