Night Rendezvous
On a night when the moon rose at the center of the sky, smiling like a lovely maiden, Seomun Hwi woke from his light sleep and slowly sat up.
Beside him, Cheongwol was breathing softly in her sleep. When he poked her cheek, she frowned faintly.
"Mnn..."
She looked so adorable that he teased her a few more times, and when a sleepy little murmur slipped past her lips, he hurriedly drew his hand back.
He had tormented her so much that she had fallen asleep as though knocked out; if he woke her now, he would doubtless hear nothing pleasant.
"..."
Seomun Hwi stared blankly at Cheongwol’s face for a moment, then carefully climbed down from the bed.
It seemed unlikely he would fall asleep again, so he decided to take a brief walk under the moon.
When he stepped out over the threshold, cool night air greeted him. The world was quiet, without even the sound of crickets.
He was not one to indulge in idle reflection, yet tonight he walked with the moonlight as his companion. Each time the wind brushed his robes, the events of the past days passed through his mind in order, and before long, Cheongwol came to him.
“I’m really glad you were the first person in the Central Plains to speak to me. I’m sorry I’m only telling you now.”
A faint smile touched Seomun Hwi’s lips.
Did Cheongwol know?
That sometimes, in dreams, he traced back to that day.
A wretched figure caked in dust and grime. Hair hanging in disarray, limp and heavy, drooping toward the ground.
She had looked exactly like a ghost, and yet Seomun Hwi had met the eyes hidden through those strands of hair.
Her eyes, so clear and innocent-seeming, had stirred his heart in ways he had never expected.
He had stained those eyes with desire; there was no question that his sins were many.
He had not expected to be paying for them so soon.
"Have you also been unable to sleep?"
On the bridge over the pond, where yet another moon seemed to rise, Namgung Cheon had stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing up at the night sky. Slowly, he turned his head toward Seomun Hwi.
"I am the same."
Though he had received a kindness difficult to repay, it was still awkward for the two of them to converse alone.
"I was walking without any particular thought and ended up here. I apologize for the intrusion."
As Seomun Hwi spoke with proper courtesy, embarrassment visible on his face, Namgung Cheon gave a short reply.
"There is no intrusion. In this place, we are both only guests."
"Thank you for saying so."
Seomun Hwi glanced at him cautiously, surprised by how gentle Namgung Cheon’s answer was.
"It is late. If you have nothing further to say, I will take my leave."
When Namgung Cheon remained silent, Seomun Hwi took that as assent and was just about to turn away when—
"...Has the child fallen asleep well?"
The unexpected words struck his ear like a dart.
His heart lurched, but Seomun Hwi steadied himself and asked with a calm face, "I do not know what you mean."
"There is no need to pretend ignorance. I saw the child go into your room and not come out."
At that, Seomun Hwi’s brow drew tight. Now that it was clear the “child” Namgung Cheon spoke of was Cheongwol, his voice sharpened at once.
"Were you watching over Cheongwol? No matter that you are the clan leader, you have no right to do that."
His tone had risen enough to sound almost insulting, though he clearly believed he had cause.
Yet Namgung Cheon only wore a bitter smile.
"Right... yes, you are correct. Perhaps I do not have the right to worry."
He looked down at the pond for a long time, then continued in an even voice.
"Are you in love with her?"
"...Pardon?"
The question was so abrupt, so out of place, that Seomun Hwi let out a baffled sound before he could stop himself.
"Cheongwol. I am asking whether you are in love with that child."
He might have blinked once.
"I am. Enough that I would gladly give my life for her."
Seomun Hwi answered at once, and a complicated emotion entered Namgung Cheon’s eyes.
"I cannot make sense of this at all."
Perhaps misunderstanding something, Seomun Hwi drew himself up with determination.
"Cheongwol is far too good for me. She makes the position of Seomun Clan’s young clan leader feel insignificant."
This time, even Namgung Cheon gave a dry, incredulous laugh.
"If your father heard that, he would be very pleased."
It was not an incorrect statement, which only made Seomun Hwi a little embarrassed.
"I do feel sorry for my family and the people of the clan, but there is nothing I can do. It is simply the truth."
He had said it prepared to be scolded, yet Namgung Cheon somehow looked satisfied.
"I see."
There was clearly no connection at all between Namgung Cheon and Cheongwol, and yet Seomun Hwi could not understand why he felt so recognized by a mere sentence or two.
"Yes."
It would have been nice to leave it there.
"I understand how you feel, but I still cannot understand this at all."
Namgung Cheon froze the warm mood once again.
"That child. Even if she is a woman now, her true form is a man, is it not?"
Seomun Hwi’s gaze wavered like trembling leaves.
"How could you possibly know that, Clan Leader..."
Aside from So Gayul, Unhak, and himself, no one should have known that Cheongwol had once been male.
"This will be a long story."
When Namgung Cheon cut himself off there, Seomun Hwi unconsciously moved closer to him.
"It does not matter. If you know something about Cheongwol..."
Before he could finish, Namgung Cheon shook his head.
"Is the order not reversed?"
Seomun Hwi only blinked, not understanding, and Namgung Cheon took a slow step forward.
"If you wish to ask something of another person, should you not be the one to answer first? Would that not be proper?"
Seomun Hwi hastily called after him, trying to catch his retreating steps. "What would you like to know?"
As though he had been waiting for it, Namgung Cheon gave his answer.
"I would like to hear how you and Cheongwol first came to know each other."
It was not a difficult question, so Seomun Hwi felt some relief and followed behind him.
"We first met on a mountain somewhere in Gansu."
When Seomun Hwi finished speaking, Namgung Cheon stopped walking and looked at him intently.
Then he let out a deep sigh.
"Just as you must have suspected, that child probably did come from the Tianshan Mountains."
When the head of the Ming Cult’s stronghold was mentioned from Namgung Cheon’s own lips, Seomun Hwi looked startled and quickly glanced around.
If anyone had overheard, matters could become complicated.
"Do not worry. No one is here."
Whether he sensed Seomun Hwi’s unease or not, Namgung Cheon gave a small, reassuring smile.
"Of course, it may also be that the child truly came from Qinghai, as she said, but that is likely a lie. The only place she could have hidden from the righteous sects is within the Cult’s territory."
While the orthodox martial artists shuddered at the thought of the Ming Cult and called it the Demonic Sect, Namgung Cheon showed no particular reaction.
It was a little strange, but Seomun Hwi was too caught up in thought to notice.
He had heard that Cheongwol had spent her childhood with her grandfather.
And yet, to say she had hidden herself from the eyes of the righteous sects?
Namgung Cheon’s words were no different from saying that Cheongwol’s grandfather had been a criminal.
In the end, Seomun Hwi called up the question that had lingered in his heart before.
"Clan Leader. I dare to ask, so please forgive my rudeness."
The question that might answer everything he had wondered about countless times while lying in bed.
Now that he was about to ask it, his throat went dry and he swallowed hard on instinct.
Still, he gathered a little more courage and forced the words out.
"...What on earth is your relationship with Cheongwol? What sort of bond do you have to care for her so much?"
Namgung Cheon did not avoid either Seomun Hwi’s gaze or his question.
He simply stood where he was, looking at Seomun Hwi with a face that seemed somehow sorrowful.
A moment later.
From Namgung Cheon’s mouth came words so heavy they were almost impossible to bear.
"...That child. The child you call Cheongwol is..."
The cloud hanging at the edge of the night sky drifted over and covered the moon.
As the faint moonlight was swallowed, darkness as black as ink settled over the world.
"My son."
Seeing the empty space beside her, Cheongwol’s face hardened at once.
So that was why—no matter how much she had groped around—she had found no warmth there.
It had grown cold long ago, which meant he must have left the room some time ago.
He had acted as though he would pluck even the moon from the sky for her, and yet he could not even stay beside her when she woke.
She knew men’s hearts cooled faster than women’s.
Of course, she also knew Seomun Hwi was not that kind of man.
And yet, why?
A wave of hurt rose in her chest, and she bit lightly at her lower lip.
She had only wanted to greet the morning in someone’s company—was that such an impossible wish?
The more miserable she felt, the more foolish she thought herself.
Just because she had given her body to him did not mean she had become a woman in spirit as well.
As she tugged at the blanket with her fingertips, trying to calm her tangled thoughts, she heard the sound of a door opening, very carefully.
She lifted her head in a hurry and met the eyes of Seomun Hwi, who wore a startled expression.
"..."
"..."
They looked at each other in silence, and when Seomun Hwi caught the unusual mood on her face, he spoke first.
"...You are awake already? Why not sleep a little longer?"
He gave an awkward smile, trying to ease the atmosphere, but the only thing that flew toward his face was a soft pillow.