When Ah Li said his brother Dong had eyes like his, Seo Reun had, for some reason, imagined frost-blue irises, sharp, cold, and distant. Only now, staring into the face of his attacker, did he realize how strange that thought had been, considering his own eyes were green.
Seo Reun didn't have to strain to see his attacker, they were nearly the same height, eye to eye. The attacker glared at Seo Reun, as if insulted by his very presence rather than angry about the earlier scuffle.
"I see it now," Seo Reun said quietly, the corners of his mouth lifting into something that hovered between a smile and a frown. "You must be Dong." His voice was flat, indifferent, not bothering to let them speak first so he could mimic their accent, he saw no reason to be careful around them.
"And you're the one who let him wander off alone?" Dong shot back, brushing a sleeve across his lip. His tone wasn't venomous, just incredulous, edged with accusation.
Seo Reun tilted his head, unbothered. "No. I'm the one who kept him safe." He felt a bit annoyed that he even replied to the most ridiculous accusation.
Dong's breath caught, and his shoulders lowered, just slightly. His fists clenched, but his gaze flickered sideways to Ah Li, now gripping the sleeve of Seo Reun's robe like it was a lifeline. The boy's small face glowed with relief, and he smiled, completely oblivious to the tension.
Before Dong could speak again, the round-faced boy that was now standing next to him stepped forward. His eyes crinkled with a grin that was half-apology, half-amusement.
"Dong Ha, hold on. Ah Li said not to fight," His voice was warm, and there was no mistaking the genuine joy in his eyes at seeing Ah Li safe, then turned to Seo Reun. "Are you Brother Sa? The one who brought him all this way."
Wasn't it obvious that he brought Ah Li? Seo Reun wanted to ask but chose to keep their interaction to a minimum. He also didn't correct the name or admit to be the brother Sa Ah Li probably told them about.
Dong Ha watching with a frown hesitated, his lips twitching as if to argue. He stared at his companion's back like he meant to bore a hole through it, but Ah Li spoke before he could.
"Brother Sa is good," he said softly. "He's strong. Like you. And he's your brother." He said, his eyes on Dong Ha, a proud expression settling over his face.
There was a pause. A long, awkward pause.
Seo Reun studied Dong Ha's face. There was no trace of familial resemblance except the colour of his eyes, almost unsettlingly so but none of the features from the blurred memories of Seo Reun's own past. Dong's face was sharp in all the wrong ways, a stranger's geometry, they shared nothing. He didn't even resemble anyone from Seo Reun's family, not in the slightest.
Seo Reun knew at once they weren't related. Not by blood and his facial expression also pointed it out clearly. And even if they were, digging into it now served no purpose. The past had buried itself. Seo Reun wasn't going to exhume it.
Seo Reun became aware of the quiet stare focused on him. He believed that the plump one was Tien, watching him, with curious eyes and a thoughtful frown. In order to see Dong Ha clearly, Seo Reun had pushed his hat back to get a better look, exposing more of his face, and for some reason, Tien's cheeks had turned slightly pink, and Dong Ha was staring at him without blinking.
Clearing his throat, Dong Ha gave Tien a gentle nudge with his shoulder. Tien finally blinked and scratched his cheek, looking nervously away.
Tien clapped his hands once. "Well! It seems we all owe a very beautiful someone a thank-you. And maybe an apology."
Seo Reun blinked. Beautiful?
He had never given much thought to his appearance. Though he'd seen his reflection in mirrors a few times, he'd never had the chance to compare himself to others. Until his journey began, he hadn't realized how diverse people could be, in looks, in presence, in personality. With no knife to trim his overgrown bangs, and rarely coming across still, clear water to glimpse his reflection, he knew he looked rough. But still, Tien's comment caught him off guard.
Tien turned to Ah Li. "We've been looking for you everywhere."
"I wasn't lost," Ah Li replied proudly. "I had Brother Sa." He pointed out, now holding on to Seo Reun sleeve.
Dong Ha snorted and nudged Tien. "Yeah, yeah, you had your Brother Sa with his very, very pretty face, eyes, hair." He said with a hint of malice laid in his voice.
Then, with an exaggerated sigh, Tien yanked Dong Ha forward and forced him into a clumsy bow by pushing his head down. "Thank you, Brother Sa, for bringing our precious Ah Li back safe and sound." He also bowed to show how sincere he was.
Seo Reun raised a brow, slightly amused despite himself. Tien, for all his easy smiles, had an air of careful mischief, like someone who hid his sharpness under warmth. It was comforting. For the first time in a long while, Seo Reun thought Ah Li might actually be in good hands but he wasn't sure about the one called Dong Ha but his business had been concluded, he felt it was unnecessary to stay longer.
He turned to leave.
But a small hand gripped his tightly now pulling at his sleeve trying to grab it securely.
"Where are you going?" Ah Li asked, voice small and panicked.
Seo Reun paused. He had no answer, no destination. His steps were always borrowed, his path a string of accidents. He stared down at the boy, whose eyes now shimmered with tears.
"Won't you stay? With your brother? And father?" Ah Li whispered.
"We are not related, Ah Li," Dong Ha cut in, his tone dry. "Let him go."
"No!" Ah Li yelled, clutching tighter. "That's not true!" He shook his head as he gave Dong Ha a hostile look.
"It is," Dong Ha said flatly, brushing dust from his neck like the entire scene bored him.
But Ah Li wasn't done. His eyes narrowed, voice rising with stubborn fire.
"Even if he's not, he promised to join our tribe!" Ah Li said with fierce conviction, as if that promise alone was enough to settle any doubt.
Seo Reun's mouth fell open slightly. When had he said that?
"I did no such thing..."
"You did too!" Ah Li insisted.
Tien stepped in smoothly, eyes twinkling. "You know, it would be nice. Our tribe is welcoming. Friendly. We have food. Fire. Laughs." He gave Seo Reun a not-so-subtle once-over. "And we could always use another strong, devastatingly attractive protector."
Seo Reun blinked slowly, puzzled. He couldn't understand why Tien's face was turning pink, faint at first, then blooming all the way to his ears.
"Tien!" Dong Ha snapped, his voice laid with warning.
Tien cleared his throat awkwardly as he ignored Dong Ha. "You'd like it, I swear. Me and Dong Ha, we're not as annoying as we look and we have another friend which I would love you to meet."
Dong Ha grunted. "Speak for yourself."
Seo Reun wanted to tell Dong Ha that he had no interest in joining their tribe. He'd only been mildly curious... wondering what kind of tribe would send a child to wander the roads with two teenagers. But after witnessing Dong Ha's hostility, he doubted he could share space with him for long without the urge to twist his head backwards and send him six feet under. Seo Reun yanked his hand free and turned away, leaving a startled Ah Li behind.
"I am the next village chief!" Ah Li suddenly screamed behind him. "And with this sacred string, I command you to come to my tribe and live with us!"
Seo Reun froze, baffled. He turned back, eyes narrowed, to see Ah Li holding up what looked like a crude string necklace. A charm dangled from it, swaying slightly in the air like it held real power. Seo Reun caught the expressions on Dong Ha and Tien's faces, both stiff, tense, as if Ah Li's command had pinned them in place, rooting them to the ground like stone. But all Seo Reun wanted was to leave.
He turned back around and took a step, then another. Just as he lifted his foot for the third, a sudden weight latched onto him.
Looking down, he saw Ah Li clinging to his leg, arms and legs wrapped around him like a determined vine.
So the charm hadn't worked. The boy had resorted to force.
"Please don't go!" Ah Li wailed, voice cracking under the weight of desperation.
Seo Reun stared at the boy in disbelief. He had never met anyone so irrational. With a tired sigh, he removed his hat and closed his eyes, letting the sunlight warm his face. He opened one eye and glanced at Tien, silently asking why no one was peeling this child off him. But Tien just stood there, mouth slightly ajar. Dong Ha too. They stared at him like he'd suddenly grown horns. Tien even gave a helpless shrug, clearly signaling he wasn't getting involved. This time, Dong Ha wore a look of resignation, like he'd already accepted how this would end.
They weren't going to help.
"Please stay," Tien said suddenly. "We searched everywhere to thank you… and now that Ah Li has invoked his 'string of command,' you have to stay or you will meet with an unfortunate accident." He took a step forward but Dong Ha moved in, blocking his path.
"What's that?" Dong asked.
Seo Reun followed his gaze to the box he carried. He raised a brow. "It contains something called mind your business," he said dryly.
Tien chuckled softly, stepping forward as if to break the thickening tension. But before he could take more than a step, Dong Ha stretched out his hand with a sharp, commanding gesture that stopped him cold.
The movement was strange, calm but firm, and Seo Reun caught it out of the corner of his eye. Something unspoken passed between the two, and though he didn't understand what, he sensed the gravity of the moment. His gaze drifted downward to Ah Li, who clung stubbornly to him, his small hands gripping tight, unwilling to let go.
Dong Ha closed the distance slowly, every step measured. Seo Reun's body instinctively tensed, just enough to brace for whatever might come next. But instead of confrontation, Dong Ha bent down until he was eye-level with Ah Li. There was a softness there now, a patience Seo Reun hadn't seen before.
Placing a steady hand on the boy's head, Dong Ha spoke gently, "Ah Li, let me talk to him. I promise you, he will come home with us."
Ah Li blinked slowly, as if weighing the promise carefully. "Swear on my sacred string," he said, voice small but resolute.
Dong Ha reached out and lightly touched the charm, the sacred string to his forehead. "I swear."
At last, Ah Li nodded, his grip loosening as he unwrapped his arms from Seo Reun. He looked between Dong Ha and Seo Reun with a face full of trust, then gave a small, sure nod.
"Now go meet Tien," Dong Ha instructed quietly. "Let me talk to him."
Ah Li hesitated only a moment before nodding again and walking off toward Tien, who waited patiently.
Once the boy was out of earshot, Dong Ha leaned closer, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "I apologize for being hostile earlier. But I know how much Ah Li wanted you to come back with us. It might sound ridiculous, but we've been searching for you for long. I never wanted us to meet and when we found you, I wanted you to leave quickly. that's why I had to act harsh."
He paused, glancing briefly at Ah Li before continuing, "That sacred string he carries, it's not the original one our tribe chief owns. It's a replica, given to Ah Li to treat as if it were the real thing. Because of that, no one can break a vow sworn with it even though it is fake but we had to carry on the act for Ah Li."
Dong Ha's eyes met Seo Reun's. "So the only way you can leave is when Ah Li is asleep. But honestly, if you don't have anywhere else to go, it's better you stay with our tribe. Because if you slip away while he sleeps, the moment he wakes, he'll be searching for you."
Seo Reun wasn't one for superstitions or tribal curses, and the sacred string meant nothing to him. Yet, when he glanced back at Ah Li, so small, so trusting, he understood why patience mattered. It was best to let the boy rest before making any decisions about leaving or staying. Dong Ha's earlier hostility now seemed less about suspicion and more about protection; the harshness had faded from his face, replaced by a quiet resolve. It was clear that both Dong Ha and their village chief carried the weight of difficult choices, likely meant to safeguard their future leader.
"Brother Dong!"
The sharp call from Ah Li pulled Seo Reun's attention. The boy's voice was bright and eager, a reminder of the promise Dong Ha had made. Seo Reun met Dong Ha's eyes and gave a subtle nod, an unspoken agreement. Ah Li's face lit up, and he began to jump with joy.