Knowing he had stormed in like a typhoon, Kang-oh stepped back from Woo's residence. The words saying Woo would stay echoed in his head like someone had rung a bell inside it.
He was glad Woo had decided to stay. But he had no way of knowing why Woo had changed his mind while he was away. It was good news, yes—but not something he could fully celebrate. A lingering sense of unease sat heavily within him.
"Third Disciple, shall I prepare the bathwater?"
"Yes."
With light steps but a heavy heart, Kang-oh returned to his residence. After ordering the bathhouse to fill the tub, he briefly entered a meditative state to circulate his energy, hoping to relieve some of the fatigue from his continuous running.
Before long, the servant returned to say everything was ready. After finishing a short meditation session, Kang-oh slowly stood up and headed to the bathhouse.
At Woo's place, servants had to fetch and carry the bathwater manually. But Kang-oh's bathhouse was set up separately. This was all due to Jin-rang's influence.
The bathhouse at House of Joy wasn't as large as Jin-rang's usual tastes. That was because Kang-oh had once mentioned he preferred things cozy. Even then, Kang-oh had to stop Jin-rang from installing some contraption that would pull up water automatically.
Kang-oh took off his clothes and stepped into the water. Though the water was hot enough to redden the skin, it was just right for him. He closed his eyes and relaxed as he felt the tension in his muscles ease.
It was around this time that Woo left his room. With no power, influence, or wealth, Woo had limited ways to gather information, which is why he sought out Kang-oh. The information he could get through Yeon-jin was mostly limited to things like rumors, and Woo had no intention of making any unreasonable demands beyond that. Yeon-jin defied the First Internal Officer–who was acting on Jin-rang's command–for Woo's sake. Moreover, Mo Yong-yu-woon, the First Disciple, had recently gone so far as to bring up Yeon-jin's name while making threats.
Naturally, he had very few people he could rely on.
He had no intention of telling even Kang-oh that he was investigating the Blood Cult. He planned to ask about various unrelated topics or the outcomes of past events, hoping to pick out only the bits that mattered to him from the responses.
It would be an exhausting and difficult task. And since the vague information he could get from Kang-oh clearly had its limits, he would have to allow Mo Yong-yu-woon to approach him–at least to a certain extent.
Thinking about what he could have done in the past made it feel all the more hopeless. On top of that, this method would take a long time. Even so, Woo couldn't just turn away and pretend he didn't know.
Some things can't be abandoned just because you want to leave them behind.
Woo stood up, planning to ask Kang-oh about the bribery ledger of the Third Internal Officer. Since Yeon-jin wasn't around, he had to stop a passing maid and ask to be guided to Kang-oh.
Surprisingly, the maid nodded and led him to a location completely opposite of Kang-oh's room.
'Is he in the rear garden?'
But once again, the maid defied his expectations and brought him to a building that resembled a separate annex of the House of Joy.
"From here on, only authorized individuals may enter. If you go inside, you'll be able to meet the Third Disciple."
"Th-thank you."
Woo bowed his head politely. Hearing that only authorized people could enter made him think it might be an important archive where significant documents were stored.
Passing through the corridor, Woo stopped in front of the bathhouse doors. Kang-oh must be beyond them.
Meanwhile, Kang-oh, who had been enjoying a bath, spoke when he sensed someone near the entrance.
"Leave it there."
He assumed it was a maid bringing him a change of clothes. Normally, he would've recognized Woo from the faint sound of his footsteps, but lost in thought, he wasn't paying close attention.
Woo had entered without thinking and was now staring straight at Kang-oh's bare body, completely caught off guard. He had followed the servant without question, assuming they were headed to the rear garden, only to end up here. If he'd known Kang-oh was bathing, he would have come back later.
Unbeknownst to Woo, Kang-oh was partly responsible for the situation. He had given the servants of House of Joy instructions that if Woo ever came looking for him, they were to bring him immediately without asking for permission.
So, without realizing it was a bathhouse, Woo stepped inside. The air felt humid from the steam. His eyes widened in disbelief when he saw Kang-oh, eyes closed, enjoying a bath, and completely nude.
He didn't know whether to admire the sight or quietly slip away before Kang-oh noticed he was there.
His body was evenly built, well-proportioned all around. Despite having generous meals every day, there wasn't an ounce of excess fat. Woo's eyes were first drawn to the line from his wet nape down to his shoulders. His neck was moderately long, and the gentle slope leading to his shoulders created a natural, unforced curve. Because of the moisture, that outline looked especially captivating.
His broad chest, half submerged in the water, needed no comment. If pressed firmly with a finger, it would surely feel like a solid wall. Beyond that, the muscles that filled out his body without a single unnecessary bit showed just how much effort Kang-oh put into training.
Since he was a martial artist, it wasn't that his body was free of wounds. But rather than making him look gruesome, those marks made Kang-oh seem like a solidly forged sword. No matter how great a treasured sword is, when it clashes with an enemy's weapon on the battlefield, it inevitably gets scratched.
Woo's lips parted involuntarily. Kang-oh's unusually relaxed state made his mouth feel dry, despite the humid air inside the bathhouse.
Even though he thought he shouldn't, he strangely couldn't take his eyes off him.
"…Ah."
Whether it was because of the breath that escaped unintentionally, or the confusion over the servant's lack of reaction despite being given orders, Kang-oh slowly lifted his eyelids.
"Woo...?"
His voice was low, as if he had just woken from sleep.
Before Woo could even run away, his name had been called. He flinched like a thief caught at the scene. Wanting to get out of the situation quickly, he opened his mouth.
"I-I didn't realize you were taking a bath. I'll go wait outside."
Because the bathhouse was made of stone and filled with water, voices echoed.
Kang-oh, without realizing it, grabbed the edge of Woo's sleeve as Woo tried to leave.. Though anxious, he didn't dare grab Woo's wrist and only barely held onto the sleeve's end. Even then, if Woo pulled, it would slip free.
"Uh..."
Woo cast a puzzled glance. Kang-oh had grabbed him urgently but had no good excuse to hold him, so he just moved his lips a few times and then let go of Woo's sleeve.
"Oh, no. I was just going to say that I would be finished soon."
"I-I see."
Now, Woo truly didn't know where to look. Desperately, he fixed his gaze only on Kang-oh's face and tried not to look lower as he turned his body away.
That's when the problem happened.
Because he had stiffly fixed his head, Woo lost his balance the moment he turned around. The floor was slippery from some spilled water, which made Woo stagger. Kang-oh, focused on Woo, reflexively reached out and pulled him back towards himself. If Woo had fallen like that, he surely would have been badly hurt.
Neither of them had any idea what consequences that action might bring.
Splash!
Woo, unable to steady himself, ended up falling into the water, landing on Kang-oh's chest. One hand braced against his chest, while the other barely managed to grab his shoulder.
"Ah..."
As soon as Woo's hand touched Kang-oh's bare skin, he jerked it away like he'd touched a flame.
However, this exposed the figure that the clothes had somewhat concealed. The fabric, drenched with water, stuck to his skin. Even though his skin tone faintly showed through, the sight wasn't suggestive—it evoked sympathy more than anything. Now that Kang-oh could feel it up close, Woo's frame wasn't that small, but he was alarmingly thin, as if he barely had any flesh.
Through the strands of wet hair, Woo's eyes met Kang-oh's. As those eyes reflected only him, Kang-oh barely managed to move his lips.
"Um..."
Damn it. A huge mistake. The moment their eyes met, it suddenly hit them how close their faces were—so close they could feel each other's breath. Tension hung thick in the air.
Woo wanted to get up, but he froze when he realized he'd have to use Kang-oh's body for support. He couldn't move.
It was maddening.
If there was one small relief in this situation, it was that he hadn't gotten hurt—thanks to falling on top of Kang-oh. He even considered saying that as a joke, just to lighten the mood and get out of this awkward moment. But despite his mind racing with thoughts, his tongue felt frozen—he couldn't say a single word.
From this close, he could clearly see Kang-oh's eyelashes. In his dark, deep eyes, only Woo was reflected. In that moment, they looked like polished obsidian—or perhaps like a vast ocean reflecting the depth of a dark, endless night.
So when Woo saw his own face reflected in Kang-oh's black eyes like a mirror, he thought he had never looked so ugly. Wracked with guilt—like he'd crumpled a sheet of smooth black silk—he murmured in a voice tight with tears.
"I-I'll get up now."
"Wait a moment!"
Kang-oh's mind had gone completely blank. Without even knowing what he wanted, he wrapped his arm around Woo's waist, trying to stop him from pulling away. Woo's hands flailed in the air as he tried to back away, but they ended up landing on Kang-oh's thigh.
Half of these were because of Kang-oh's hand. The other half was because the bathhouse floor, slick with steam, made everything slippery. At least, that's what he wanted to blame.
Woo's face flared up in the increasingly embarrassing situation. No matter how hard he tried to escape, he just kept slipping back—it felt like being trapped in an antlion's pit.
He took his hand off his shoulder and tried to get up, but fell again and ended up propping himself up with his thigh. So he didn't even dare try to move again.
"I…"
"I…"
Both of them opened their mouths at the same time, then fell silent. Woo, who had his head lowered, couldn't see Kang-oh's face, but he felt Kang-oh's chest rise and fall through the skin that was in contact.
Was he swallowing a sigh?
Even if it wasn't on purpose, there was no ruder offense than this. For Kang-oh, it must have been uncomfortable. After all, a mere servant was grabbing and clinging to the Third Disciple of the Black Sky Clan like this—it would be absurd, even ridiculous.
But knowing something with your head and understanding it with your heart were two different things.
As his heart shrank for no real reason, he lowered his head deeply and avoided Kang-oh's gaze. That's when Kang-oh's voice was heard.
"I'll grab your waist and help you up. But it's awkward even for me to be bare-bodied, so I'd like it if you closed your eyes."
Please... Kang-oh muttered to himself. He really didn't want to get up. Woo's touch sliding down his thigh was far too stimulating for him. Even the tension Woo exuded with his whole body, dressed in soaked, skin-revealing clothes, heightened the stimulation. The sound of water trickling down his exposed nape as he lowered his head—everything in this space made Kang-oh tense.
His fatigued body had relaxed just enough thanks to the hot bath. But that loosened state made him hypersensitive to Woo's sudden touch.
Kang-oh clenched his teeth hard. He was trying to endure it.
He wasn't some beast in heat, and they hadn't even shared feelings with each other, so how could he possibly show his lust? Because of the steam, the surroundings were blurred, which was definitely a relief. The dimness from the medicinal bath also helped him.
Until now, whether meeting a man or a woman, he had never even felt a flicker of early romantic feelings. Even when he saw the famed portrait of the White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster, he admired it as a work of art—he did not fall for his appearance.
Until then, Kang-oh's world, which hadn't even felt the slightest stir toward others, was completely overturned with Woo's arrival.
In the relationship that began with only curiosity and a bit of sympathy, passion had already settled in before he realized. No matter how hard he tried to suppress it, the feelings refused to fade. That smoldering passion had begun to consume both his thoughts and his actions.
"Careful…"
Swallowing these emotions, Kang-oh made sure Woo's eyes were closed and stood up. The sound of water splashing and falling was strangely stimulating to Woo's ears. Could it be because Kang-oh had directly touched him and knew that the man was wearing nothing?
The eyes inside his closed eyelids rolled back and forth as if he were dreaming. Kang-oh's big, thick-jointed hand carefully covered Woo's eyes. Even though the palm was hard and calloused, he could not understand why it felt so soft, like touching a just-bloomed flower petal. Surely, it was because Kang-oh was moving so cautiously.
With his other hand, Kang-oh supported Woo's waist, helping him stand firmly on the ground. Woo staggered slightly, but Kang-oh's steady grip held him upright.
"I-It's okay now."
"Okay."
A soft breath, or perhaps a heavy sigh, mixed together and escaped from Kang-oh's mouth. As the sturdy man moved, the sound of water sloshing was heard. Kang-oh's hand, which had been covering Woo's eyes, moved away, and the tickling sensation like a flower petal left him. Kang-oh sat back down in the bath, hiding his lower body, for fear that Woo might open his eyes during that moment. As he sat back down, the bathwater rippled slightly, and then overflowed. Woo, feeling the warm water soaking the top of his foot, slowly opened his eyes.
Because of the heat, perhaps, Kang-oh's face looked slightly more flushed than before. Finding it hard to meet his eyes, Woo subtly cast his gaze past Kang-oh, and it landed on the rippling surface of the water. For some reason, that bothered him. To keep himself from showing any sign of unrest, he turned his body away entirely.
He was stiffer than usual, but neither Woo nor Kang-oh realized it because both of them are too preoccupied.
"What brings you here?"
"I-I had something I was curious about. I thought you might be out for a walk, but I was brought to a building I hadn't been to before… I didn't expect you to be in the bathhouse."
"It's fine. It's no one's fault."
"..."
No one's fault, huh? For some reason, that line lingered in his head.
"Anyway, what were you curious about?"
It was a convenient excuse to steer away from his troubled thoughts, so Kang-oh asked.
"I-It's not that I wanted to know even to the extent of disturbing your rest."
"I'll be out soon. Go ahead and say it."
"I-I just wanted to ask how the Third Internal Officer's bribery ledger was handled."
Since Woo was the one who provided the information from the start, there was no reason not to answer him. Kang-oh spoke openly.
"I delivered it to the First Internal Officer under the pretense that it came from an anonymous informant. Seo Moon-geum-ryeong is a capable person, so even with just that one ledger, she connected the circumstances such as the public funds embezzled by the Third Internal Officer and the unjust changes of business partners. Currently, it is known that the Third Internal Officer died in exile."
"A-And those whose names appear on the ledger?"
"It seems they distinguish between those who voluntarily gave bribes and those who handed them over because they had no choice. For some small merchant groups, it was confirmed that if they did not provide suitable money or hospitality, the purchase price was slashed or, in severe cases, they were excluded from their trading partners as retaliation. Truly despicable people."
Woo nodded. It was the kind of handling expected from the Third Internal Officer. Yet, this was merely a setup to make it seem like the focus was only on the Third Internal Officer and his affairs.
"W-what if…"
His lips trembled slightly. If this was a deliberate pretense, then maybe it would be different, but strangely, he felt tense.
He was a person who had deceived dozens with a kind face, and also used a humble face to charm others and draw out the results he wanted. That someone like him would be nervous at the thought of trying to manipulate Kang-oh as he wishes was truly a ridiculous matter.
"Is there anyone who might bear a grudge against me because of the Third Internal Officer's fall?"
"...Even if you investigate the informant, Seo Mun-geum-ryeong is not someone who would easily speak, and at the end of it all, you'll find me."
"A certain beauty… planted three flowers in Black Sky."
Woo parted his lips.
"The first flower is a peony with boundless spirit. The second flower is a poppy, red as blood. And the third… bloomed beyond the wall."
"..."
It was a song with a simple melody, the kind you might hear even in the marketplace, but it was fairly enjoyable and catchy. Still, its lyrics brought to mind the three disciples of the Grandmaster of the Black Sky Clan.
If you were searching for the beauty of Black Sky, who else but Ye Jin-rang would it be? The first flower, lovely to look at and with the greatest authority, would be Mo Yong Yu-woon. The red poppy, like blood, hinted at Yeom Seung-han's ruthless nature.
And the flower that bloomed beyond the wall—the third flower—was the Third Disciple, Ye Kang-oh.
Woo was speaking indirectly through the song. He was saying that the Third Disciple, who had been so indifferent to Black Sky that he wouldn't even hear about a flower blooming beyond the wall, suddenly stepping in on the Third Internal Officer's corruption would appear suspicious.
"Even if it's about the House of Joy, someone who's always been indifferent suddenly tying the Third Internal Officer and the bribery ledger together will seem strange. Since I'm the only one here connected to the Third Internal Officer, someone is bound to figure out who revealed the secret to the Third Disciple."
It was a convincing excuse—far too smooth. Anyone other than Kang-oh would've fallen for it.
But Kang-oh had already believed Woo before he even opened his mouth. There was no need for a hundred excuses or a thousand justifications.
"Did someone threaten you?"
Kang-oh asked, his voice low and heavy. It echoed off the bathhouse ceiling, rumbling like thunder closest to the ground. Woo didn't respond. The corners of his eyes trembled faintly as he turned his head away.
"Wait outside for a moment. I'll get dressed and come out shortly."
Woo gave a small nod and walked off. Only after he left did Kang-oh pick up the outer garment he'd tossed aside and drape it over his wet skin. He'd be changing again anyway, so it didn't matter.
When he stepped outside, Woo wasn't waiting by the door—he had walked farther off and was lingering in the open. His long hair, usually tied tightly back, now hung soaked, clinging to his cheeks. The sight was strikingly alluring.
The loosely draped robe left much of his chest exposed. It was just barely enough to be proper, and the way it teased at revealing more was oddly enticing. Woo, who now knew the body beneath those clothes, found his thoughts straying—his imagination running free from chest to shoulder and beyond…
It felt like the heat of the bathhouse had seeped into his head. Woo lowered his head, trying to hide his expression, ashamed by the lustful thoughts that didn't even feel like his own.
"Let's go."
Taking the lead, Kang-oh strode up to the main building of House Of Joy. Water dripped from his long hair onto the hallway as it hung down. Woo followed behind, but for some reason, he was bothered and flinched slightly. A servant coming from the opposite side caught sight of Kang-oh and the wet corridor, making a dismayed face.
She was stomping her feet as if something was bothering her.
However, for Kang-oh, explaining the situation they were returning to Woo was more urgent than noticing the servant's condition. Even as he followed behind Kang-oh, Woo glanced briefly over his shoulder.
The servant was now hurrying off somewhere.
"Is something wrong?"
Kang-oh asked, turning around when Woo didn't follow.
"No, it's nothing."
Woo briefly tilted his head and followed Kang-oh into his residence. There were new clothes and a simple meal prepared for the recently returned master. Kang-oh, with a rice cracker in his mouth, pushed a bowl toward Woo as if telling him to eat, and then sat down.
Woo looked at Kang-oh, still wet-haired and in damp clothes, then cast a quick, regretful glance toward the new clothes, which were neatly dry.
He felt uneasy, thinking he had come at an awkward time and kept Kang-oh from properly washing up. Now it seemed Kang-oh wouldn't even take the time to dry his hair.
"You asked about how the Third Internal Officer's bribery ledger was handled, right?"
"Yes."
Woo nodded as he carefully took a seat. But he showed no interest in the rice cracker Kang-oh had offered. Kang-oh glanced at Woo's pale, skinny wrist, then fell silent for a moment, troubled, before finally speaking.
"From the relevant ledger, we were able to get several names. Among those, we found Yeo Bul-hoe, Seop Gil-ji, Ya Rak-hoon, and Im Gong-jin, which were hidden by using a method of mixing the characters in the names."
Kang-oh, who had even made Il-woon, the leader of the Southern Lake Group, keep his mouth shut, was now openly sharing the information he had uncovered with Woo.
Woo paused. He didn't recognize all the names, but a few of them sounded familiar.
"Y-You mean Yeo Bul-hoe…?"
Woo cautiously brought up the name, and Kang-oh gave a small nod. As he did, droplets of water slid from his hair and dripped to the ground.
Woo's gaze, which had been focused on the conversation, wavered slightly. Water continued to run from Kang-oh's hair, soaking into his clothes. It was hard not to be concerned.
"Yeah. Seems like you've heard of him too. He was an elder of Sama Clan, and now he's one of the key figures in the Black Sky Clan who follows Master. He's in charge of the Dark Sword Hall."
Kang-oh didn't bother to mention the fact that Yeo Bul-hoe was supporting the First Disciple.
Unlike the Second or Third Disciples, who didn't seem to have strong ambitions, Mo Yong Yu-woon clearly desired power—and Yeo Bul-hoe had chosen to back him.
"Then... who is Seop Gil-ji?"
"Originally, he was a general, but after the lord he served was pushed out in a struggle for the throne, he was falsely accused and escaped while being transported. I heard he was from the Royal Guard. Since there was almost nowhere to accept him while he was being chased by the authorities, he took refuge with the Unorthodox Faction in the South Sea, and after performing well in the war with the Blood Cult, he became Master's subordinate."
Kang-oh also added explanations about Ya rak-hoon and Im Gong-jin. Ya Rak-hoon was once active as the leader of a bandit gang and was a person who played a key role in an operation cutting off the Blood Cult's supply lines. Compared to the previous three, little was known about Im Gong-jin, but according to Kang-oh's personal investigation, he was an assassin. Il-woon guessed that there was a high possibility that he was a special-grade assassin affiliated with the Mu-Young Sect.
As Kang-oh recited such high-level information one after another, Woo engraved each and every one of them into his mind.
Leader of the Dark Sword Hall, Yeo bul-hoe; leader of the Girang Hall, Seop Gil-ji; leader of the Dark Dragon Group, Ya Rak-hoon; and leader of the Demon Spirit Group, Im Gong-jin…
What kind of opening strategy are the enemies setting with these four pieces? With more hidden moves than visible ones, it was hard to tell.
"Im Gong-jin will soon step down from his position."
While watching Woo's expression, Kang-oh added a remark, and Woo's eyes widened.
"Someone has to take responsibility. Il-woon confirmed that Yeo bul-hoe has been coming and going from Im Gong-jin's quarters."
"Ah..."
"Yeo bul-hoe is a veteran who rose from an elder in Sama Clan to his current position, and Seop Gil-ji also has a lot of experience in many aspects.. Ya rak-hoon possesses tyrannical martial arts and has a fiery temper, so he's not easy to manipulate at will. That's probably why they're getting rid of the quiet Im Gong-jin, whose true intentions are hard to read, and leaving Ya Rak-hoon in place—or so I suspect."
After all, because all of them were subordinates of Ye Jin-rang, Kang-oh could not completely wipe them all out. Moreover, Yeo bul-hoe was the one who had the largest faction supporting Mo Yong Yu-woon. If you oppose him, this is no different from declaring full-scale war on Yu-woon.
Therefore, they needed to take their time.
"Having caught Im Gong-jin's weakness of not knowing who Yeo bul-hoe is and cornered him, we are carefully monitoring in order to prepare for any unexpected situations that may arise in the future. If we make a rash move, we should catch him at that time.
But is that really so?
Woo thought, deeply troubled.
The most fearsome assassin was likely someone whose existence no one knew. No matter how much effort you put in, traces inevitably remain where a person has been. If you stab a person with a blade, blood splatters and screams follow, so quietly assassinating someone is difficult. Even so, using poison was difficult as well. Because a deadly poison strong enough to kill a person can have its distribution route traced. No matter how carefully it is handled, if done by human hands, secrets inevitably leak from their mouth.
Yet Im Gong-jin's name was barely known.
His skill might be exceptional, or his mind deeply calculating, or perhaps both.
Woo had a feeling that Im Gong-jin belonged to the latter category.
"So, the only thing the four of them have in common is that they participated in the war against the Blood Cult... is that it?"
"No."
Kang-oh shook his head.
"All four of them support the First Disciple."
"Ah."
"That's why I couldn't expose them myself and handed the ledger over to the First Internal Officer."
Maybe it was because his hair was wet, but even a strangely forlorn look lingered on Kang-oh's tired face.
"H-how did the Third Internal Officer receive bribes from them?"
"The First Internal Officer discovered that they were given preferential treatment in the budget allocations. It wasn't to the point of being outrageous, but he used all sorts of excuses to secure as much additional funding as possible. Still, it doesn't seem like that's all there is to it."
Kang-oh's gaze sharpened. He had already been investigating the ties between each faction. It didn't feel like a coincidence that all four of them supported Mo Yong Yu-woon.
At that moment, Kang-oh raised one hand. It was a signal to be quiet.
Because it was a secret conversation, Kang-oh had heightened his qi senses to the fullest and sensed someone's presence.
Catching on to Kang-oh's intent, Woo quickly clamped his mouth shut and glanced around with darting eyes.
"Who's there?"
A gasp was heard from beyond the paper door. When Woo got up and opened it, a servant girl stood there, trembling. She was the one they'd run into on the way to Kang-oh's quarters.
"M-Master's hair was wet, so I…"
The girl stumbled over her words, clearly unnerved by the unusual atmosphere.
"That's enough. Leave."
Kang-oh waved his hand to dismiss her. The girl bowed her head and began to withdraw. Woo, who briefly saw her tearful expression, took the dry cloth from her. Sensing Woo's intentions, she gave him a grateful glance. Even though the Third Disciple was seen walking around with water dripping from his head, if she didn't do anything, she'd be punished later by the Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan. More precisely, the First Internal Officer under his command would read Jin-rang's intent and reprimand the ones working in the House of Joy.
As the girl left and quietly closed the door behind her, Woo turned back to Kang-oh with the cloth still in hand.
"…You should dry your hair."
"...I'm fine."
Though some of the moisture had dried, his hair was so long that it still clung damply down his back. Even while focusing on the information Kang-oh was telling him, Woo, who had been concerned about it the entire time, gathered his courage and opened his mouth again.
"Y-you might catch a cold."
"I'm a martial artist. I don't fall ill so easily. Don't worry."
In the end, he refused.
Woo knew well that a martial artist's strong body didn't easily succumb to illness, but he still bit his lip. Because he felt that Kang-oh was careless about taking care of his own body.
Feeling that this way won't do, Woo stepped forward briskly and wrapped Kang-oh's hair with the dry cloth.
"...?"
Kang-oh, with his head slightly raised, froze. Because it was very rare for Woo to make physical contact first, he couldn't understand even for a moment what Woo was trying to do.
"P-please lower your head a little."
Woo spoke in a timid voice. Kang-oh's eyelashes trembled slightly, but he slowly lowered his head as Woo instructed.
"Is this good enough?"
"Yes."
Even while being careful not to accidentally pull his hair, the hands that pressed out the moisture were quite deft. The fingertips that carefully stimulated the scalp were even somewhat refreshing.
Kang-oh, who had bowed his head so that Woo could move comfortably, only lifted his gaze upward and looked at him.
While turning to the dry part of the cloth and drying Kang-oh's hair, Woo unknowingly had a concentrated look on his face. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his lips slightly parted.
He was an unfeeling man who always acted like he could leave at any moment. When someone like that showed such affection by personally drying his hair, Kang-oh didn't know what to do. Even resting his hands on his knees felt awkward, and placing them on the floor on either side felt strange too. He would look at Woo, but whenever it seemed like their eyes might meet, he quickly looked away.
"Here. Like this—it should dry quickly, right?"
"...Yes."
Kang-oh muttered in a subdued voice. Only then did Woo realize he might've gone too far with the physical contact and began to pull back. But Kang-oh grabbed his hand before he could.
"Not yet..."
His mouth was completely dry.
"It's not all dried yet."
The hand holding Woo's hand trembled slightly.
It was an unreasonable act of clinging.
Woo was going to push him away soon anyway. He was already used to being rejected over and over.
"Hey, If you could just make me one promise."
The response was unexpected. Kang-oh became curious about what condition he was about to bring up.
"What is it?"
At the corner of Woo's mouth, as he slightly lifted his head, a faint smile hung. It was a wistful smile, one that truly looked content. Kang-oh was caught off guard by the unexpected expression on Woo's face.
At that time, Woo was recalling a matter from long ago that was now so distant it was almost hazy.
Though no one knew when he lost his guardian, the boy who had been living alone in a crumbling abandoned house was not very used to washing. When Kang-oh first arrived at the White Virtue Clan, he heard that several sturdy attendants rolled up their sleeves and washed the boy. But after that, the boy—left unattended by a servant—rolled around in the dust without concern and even ran barefoot on the dirt floor. Because of that, after Woo brought Kang-oh to the Grandmaster's residence, he had to wash him himself.
The boy didn't seem to dislike bathing—in fact, he might've thought of it like playtime—so there wasn't much trouble there. But from the beginning to now, he had always found drying his hair to be a real nuisance.
There were many times he left the boy, who wandered the room dripping water drop by drop onto documents or expensive paintings, unattended. Dan Woo-Hyo realized, a step too late, that 'a child must absolutely have their hair dried after washing.' He had learned many things, but when it came to childcare, he was a complete novice, so this was a late realization.
So after that, he called an attendant and ordered her to dry the boy's hair, but young Kang-oh firmly refused another person's touch.
In the end, drying his hair became Dan Woo-Hyo's job too. It also didn't sit right with him to just watch the boy squealing and squirming in an attendant's grip, trying desperately to wriggle away.
He was the White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster, after all.
Woo rolled up both sleeves, caught the boy who was trying to wander freely, and sat him down between his legs. Then, taking a dry cloth from the attendant, he roughly followed the recited instructions and briskly shook off the moisture from young Kang-oh's head. It felt like touching the fur of a slightly wet young animal..
At first, Woo's care was limited to just drying the boy's hair enough so water droplets wouldn't fall. But as time passed, Woo's hand movements became as skillful as an experienced master. On warm sunny days, he opened the window wide and gently dried the boy's hair. The child, who at first seemed quite unfamiliar with drying his hair and made a sulky face, later would fall asleep making soft purring breaths under Woo Hyo's touch.
So, Woo Hyo, who offered his knee as a resting place to the young Kang-oh, would sometimes stroke his forehead while attending to official duties. It was a day like any other, but strangely, that day remained vivid in his mind.
How the sensation of stroking the young boy's hair was, how the sunlight breaking in the eyes of the child who was looking at him was, how ticklish the breath of the sleeper that sometimes touched his wrist was—
The peaceful atmosphere of that day felt like it could be touched by hand.
Like this, while recalling the young boy, he suddenly met the gaze of the grown Kang-oh. With his face covered by cloth, Woo had been selfishly reminiscing about the young Kang-oh, and his heart suddenly sank. Immersed in memory, he had exposed a defenseless face.
When Woo's face froze awkwardly, Kang-oh realized he had glimpsed his secret. Even the one who silently endured the Third Internal Officer's violence and the Master's hatred, calling it his atonement, had a memory that could make him smile just by recalling it.
That fact made Kang-oh's heart ache.
"No matter when, don't forget to dry your hair."
Not wanting to show what he'd already given away, Woo opened his mouth and stated his condition to Kang-oh.
Kang-oh could've easily pressed him further, but instead he feigned ignorance and grumbled.
"... Because you're afraid that I'll catch a cold?"
"Yes."
Woo nodded.
"No way."
Kang-oh, who usually acted so mature, suddenly pouted like a child.
"Huh?"
Woo blinked in confusion, and Kang-oh continued.
"You're asking me to spend the rest of my life repaying you just because you dried my hair once? That doesn't add up."
His sideways glance made it clear he had no intention of agreeing.
Woo couldn't help it—he stifled a laugh behind his hand.
He really seems to hate it quite a bit. Well, he was like that even as a child. Whenever Woo tried to calm him down, he'd fall asleep sniffling like a baby boy. Right after washing up, he'd sneak glances and slowly back away. When Woo left him alone to see what he'd do, he would hide so well in the most outlandish places that, if Dan Woo-Hyo weren't such a skilled master, there were plenty of times we would've completely missed where Kang-oh was hiding.
"Yes. Of course, w-well, I suppose that's true."
Woo's eyes, gladly accepting the joke, curved gently and formed a smile. Kang-oh thought, 'This is cheating,' and was about to tightly shut his eyes, but opened them again and carefully engraved Woo's eye-smile into his memory.
It was a rare smile. To him, it was worth more than even a luminous pearl.
"But, if you want me to…"
"…?"
"If you want me to, then I will."
Kang-oh grinned as he said that. It was because Woo's relaxed expression had lightened his own mood as well.
"Hey, it's a promise."
Woo, perhaps worried that Kang-oh might back out, opened his mouth with the intent to make things completely clear from the start. It was because he knew that a man like Kang-oh, if he spoke of something as a promise, would never break it.
Because Woo's intentions were quite obvious, Kang-oh shook his head.
"I'm a martial artist, so you don't have to worry about me catching a cold, but you're still obsessing over it."
"That's because you don't take care of yourself."
Woo said as if whispering. Even if he skips meals for several days, even if he doesn't sleep, because Kang-oh is a martial artist, he will be fine. But Woo was still concerned about such things. Even if the day came when no one took care of Kang-oh, he wanted Kang-oh to take care of himself.
"Don't skip meals, get proper sleep, and don't just focus on work—go out and enjoy the things you like once in a while... That's what I hope for."
"Don't worry."
Kang-oh reached out his hand and ruffled Woo's hair. Woo covered his head, hesitated, and stepped back while casting a wary look toward Kang-oh. Kang-oh chuckled softly and spoke.
"You're really strange. Normally, people wouldn't care this much about a guy who's bigger than them and even a martial artist at that."
That's not all. Kang-oh was a more powerful figure than Woo and also possessed wealth. The idea that a servant was worried that the Third Disciple of the Black Sky Clan might catch a cold—if anyone heard that, they'd find it completely absurd.
"Everyone needs someone to care for them. Whether they're a royalty or a beggar living under a bridge."
That voice sounded so lonely. It was probably due to the emotion welling up in Woo's voice. If emotions had color, his would've been a sorrowful shade of blue.
"Someone who will care for you…" Kang-oh muttered as if deep in thought.
The phrasing stood out—not someone to look after you, but someone to care for you.
His sharp black eyes turned to Woo.
"Do you have someone like that?"
Woo smiled at Kang-oh's question. It was a perfectly sculpted smile, as if not even a needle could slip through.
"Well..."
He had properly fastened his mask. Now, he should just give a suitable answer. Strangely, his throat tightened. He knew more than a dozen ways to deflect a question like this. But suddenly, he couldn't seem to recall a single one.
As if he had suddenly become a dried-up well.
"..."
Kang-oh silently looked at Woo. In the end, Woo had no choice but to speak.
"I… I don't want to lie to you, Third Disciple."
But that didn't mean he could tell the truth either.
Kang-oh gave a bitter smile, as if he can read Woo's unspoken true feelings. Yes—Kang-oh had completely misunderstood the momentary closeness between them when Woo helped dry his hair. There had always been this distance between them.
"As I said, I'll keep an eye on Im Gong-jin."
"Yes."
"If I learn anything more about Yeo Bul-hoe, Seop Gil-ji, or Ya Rak-hoon, I'll let you know as well."
"Th… thank you."
Woo bowed his head.
"It's late. You should sleep now."
It was a dismissal. Even so, Woo remained calm.
"Th-Thank you for looking after me."
Woo repeatedly greeted him, but Kang-oh waved his hand dismissively.
Woo, after confirming that his hair was properly dry, stepped back beyond the folding paper door.
Kang-oh swallowed a sigh and buried his head in his hands. The more he became aware of his feelings for Woo, the more he felt like he was turning into a pathetic person.
The law of equivalent exchange does not apply to emotions. Just because he has feelings for Woo does not mean Woo has an obligation to treat Kang-oh the same way. Even so, as the relationship became one-sided, he alone fretted and anxiously stamped his feet, and resentment built up inside him.
The fact that Woo drew a line, and that he was heartless, hurts his heart. Although Kang-oh knew it wasn't Woo's fault, just as his goodwill leaned toward Woo, a bitter feeling was also directed at him.
'I need to get a grip,' Kang-oh muttered to himself.
Woo's feelings were entirely his own. No amount of whining or tantrums would make Woo return his affections. All Kang-oh could do was ask him to dry his hair.
A small chuckle escaped from the corner of his mouth as he looked at the dry cloth Woo had left behind. If someone were to see him now, they would truly be surprised.
The Third Disciple of the Black Sky Clan, a man whom many in the martial world call 'Ghost that Battles in the Underworld' for his cruel hands and mad fighting spirit, is swayed by the words and actions of a mere servant.
As Woo once said, whether you're royalty or a beggar, everyone needs someone who will take care of them. For Kang-oh, that person was Woo.
'There's still a chance.'
For now..
Woo decided to remain at the House of Joy for the time being—at least until his safety could be ensured. That meant there was still an opportunity to approach Woo.
However, since his feelings had already been rejected multiple times, any attempt going forward would have to be more cautious.
It was bound to be difficult, but giving up without even trying wasn't an option.
Kang-oh did not learn such things. Because Jin-rang was a master who, rather than making his disciple give up, taught him how he could get what he wanted.
By the time the lotus blooms, there will be a conclusion.
With that in mind, Kang-oh steeled his resolve.