The Heyday Comes with the First Snow (3)
Cheon-geuk was reviewing the stack of documents on her desk in the room prepared for her on the second floor of Daroo Tea House.
"Approve the Shandong matter, but have their person in charge come see me once."
"Yes, understood."
The one who received her order was Buk-seong, the North Star among her four guardians. With his sharp analytical skills and judgment, he mainly handled intelligence-related tasks and served as the messenger conveying Cheon-geuk's commands to those managing the alliance's operations.
She examined another document carefully, stamped it with her seal, and handed it to him.
"Approve this one too. Next?"
"Why don't you take a short break, Lord? I'll prepare some tea."
"Maybe I will."
Cheon-geuk stretched and rose from her seat.
She had been handling Sal-su Yeon-maeng's affairs more diligently than usual. No one knew that the owner of this small tea house right in front of the Murim Alliance headquarters was the leader of the Assassin Alliance.
She had always moved around the Central Plains without staying in one place, managing things from safe houses, so working from here raised no issues at all.
Though she was here partly because of Baek So-cheon, that wasn't the only reason.
In the current situation, she judged it the safest and wisest choice to stay here.
She could grasp the movements of the Black Heaven Alliance and Murim Alliance the fastest this way—and above all, she was under the Murim Alliance's protection.
Grand Strategist Je-gal Hyeon knew she was running Daroo Tea House right out front. Normally, he would never allow it, but this time he turned a blind eye—for the sake of how she and Na-sa-rin had once saved the Alliance Lord's life.
Cheon-geuk went to the window and flung the doors wide open.
The moment she looked outside, she cried out in surprise.
"It's snowing!"
Sure enough, snowflakes had begun drifting down from the sky.
"Everyone, come see!"
The rest of her four guardians appeared.
"It's the first snow!"
Behind the delighted Cheon-geuk, the four guardians exchanged glances. They knew exactly why she was so thrilled.
Telepathic messages flew between the guardians.
—Looks like she's been waiting for today.
—Checking every day if it snowed or not.
—What if Captain Baek forgets?
—We'll just have to go kill him!
—This isn't the time for jokes. Should I go remind him?
—We can't interfere in the Lord's private life.
—She'll be pretty disappointed if Captain Baek doesn't show.
…….
At that moment, Cheon-geuk spoke without turning around.
"I said look at the snow—what are you whispering about!"
Of course, she had no eyes on the back of her head; it was just a good guess.
"Nothing, my Lord."
"You were talking about him, right?"
The strait-laced Dong-seong answered honestly.
"……Yes."
"Think he forgot our date for today?"
"He'll remember."
"Men always forget promises like this."
"That's true, but…"
Cheon-geuk gazed at the falling snow for a moment, then turned to her guardians.
"Well, if he forgot, we can just drink together ourselves. Right?"
"Of course."
It was right then. A cheerful voice rang out from outside the window.
"It's snowing!"
Cheon-geuk whirled around with a radiant smile.
Baek So-cheon stood below the window, waving up at her.
"What're you doing? Come down."
As she moved to leap down lightly, Seo-seong—the only woman among the guardians—grabbed her.
"My Lord!"
"What?"
"Do your makeup today, and dress nicely before you go."
"He's waiting for me?"
"It'll be worth the wait."
Cheon-geuk called out the window.
"Wait for me downstairs just a bit."
Half a shichen later, she descended to the first floor.
Baek So-cheon was startled when he saw her. She had done her makeup, and wore a red palace dress that hugged her figure perfectly, topped with a white-furred outer robe.
She was beautiful to begin with, but dressed up like this, she was truly stunning. She looked like a completely different woman.
Unexpectedly, Seo-seong was skilled at makeup. While she applied it to Cheon-geuk, the other guardians had scoured the market's clothing shops to find outfits that suited her.
Cheon-geuk smiled awkwardly.
"How do I look? It's been ages since I did makeup."
"Beautiful."
She really was. He could introduce her as the most beautiful woman under heaven, and everyone would nod in agreement.
"Let's go. We'll watch the snow together."
"Sure."
The two stepped outside. Instead of her usual veiled hat, she wore only a thin silk veil over her face, exposing her eyes—which added an air of mystery to her beauty.
The drifting snow had turned into a full blizzard.
"Ah! This is great."
Cheon-geuk beamed like a child.
Baek So-cheon felt good too. When was the last time he'd been happy about snow? Excluding his childhood, never.
Snow brought to mind his subordinates shivering in the cold, long tracks in the snowfields, and the red blood splattered on the pristine white. Nothing else.
"This is our first outing together."
"Is it?"
"Shall we grab a drink later?"
"Sounds good."
"Great!"
They walked side by side. The handsome Baek So-cheon and the glamorous woman drew stares from passersby.
"You know what? We assassins hate drawing attention the most."
It was their lifeline to stay invisible.
"You okay with this?"
"Yeah."
She really was. Anyone else might not endure the gazes, but with Baek So-cheon beside her, they felt rather pleasant.
"Ah, check this out before we go."
She browsed the accessories at a roadside stall. Baek So-cheon waited patiently beside her. Just watching her beautiful form was a delightful moment for him as a man.
Because of that war that had devoured his entire life… Even as the supreme under heaven, he'd never enjoyed such simple pleasures.
"What do you think?"
"That one up front looks prettier."
"I think so too. You seem to know women pretty well."
"Does that bother you?"
"Not really…"
"Then?"
"I told you before, right? I've never dated a guy."
"So you feel like you're missing out?"
"A little."
"Hahaha. No need to regret it. I've spent my life bouncing between battlefields—how much dating could I have done anyway? And a guy who knows nothing about women would be boring."
"Fair point."
She started walking again.
"Not buying any?"
"We just got our first house."
"Gasp."
She burst into giggles at his exaggerated reaction.
They bought street food, watched barkers at work. Laughing and chatting together, the winter wind didn't feel cold at all.
She sent him a transmission.
—How's your martial arts training going?
—Recovered to the level you saw me at before.
—Really?
She was shocked.
Baek So-cheon nodded as he looked at her.
—You're amazing! To recover fully in such a short time?
—Nothing amazing about it. The Alliance Lord gave me a huge push. You helped a lot too.
—Congratulations. Really, congrats.
—Thanks.
—Let's go catch Yeom Hwa-sin right now!
—Hahaha, sure. Let's go!
He'd wanted to brag childishly to someone like this. To say how hard he'd trained. But there was no one worthy.
Yet receiving her congratulations today made him feel rewarded for all his efforts.
She pretended to scan the surroundings.
"No villains around to pick a fight?"
Of course, none appeared on cue.
"Even dog shit shows up when you need it for medicine, huh?"
"Haha, can't reveal it yet."
Cheon-geuk stopped and stared at Baek So-cheon. Her eyes deepened through the veil.
"Why stare like that?"
"You're really going to fight, right?"
The omitted "who" was obvious.
"Have to."
"You could hide now, and no one would find you. Live under another identity?"
"Why do you keep trying to send me away?"
"Well…"
"Scared I'll die?"
Exactly. Why? Why did she always want to push him far away whenever she saw him?
Honestly, she didn't fully understand her own heart.
She changed the subject.
"Let's go for drinks."
"Where to?"
"There's a place I love. Wanna go?"
"Sure."
Half a shichen later, they were on a boat.
They'd bought food and liquor from a famous inn in the market known for its master chef.
When she wanted to drink, she did it like this—adrift on a small boat on the river. Her favorite kind of drinking spot. Normally, her guardians would stand guard fore and aft, but today it was just Baek So-cheon.
"Being here relaxes me. Maybe because my life's like floating duckweed? I love not knowing where the current will take me."
Baek So-cheon sensed her fundamental loneliness too. Yeom Hwa-sin was the same, but Cheon-geuk carried the isolation unique to alliance leaders.
Unable to speak freely to anyone.
He suspected even Murim Alliance Lord Ak So-gun felt the same.
His affection ran deeper than anyone's, but they couldn't converse this openly. Someday, he hoped to drop everything and chat casually with him too.
"I like it here too."
"Really?"
Baek So-cheon nodded.
"What're you gonna do now?"
"Get stronger."
"To what end?"
"Guess I do have some bravado."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I want back at the top of the Murim Seol-yeol-log. Gotta leave in style if I leave."
Cheon-geuk grinned widely.
"Why the smile?"
"You're so childish."
Baek So-cheon laughed along.
He didn't know what their relationship would become. But at least with her, he felt more at ease than with anyone.
Still, Baek So-cheon kept one step back from her.
Not looking to the future.
It wasn't because she was an assassin.
Because he'd never truly liked someone enough to think of building a family.
Just meet lonely souls, part on good terms. If no one, go alone. That had been his view on love so far.
"Call me So-cheon from now on."
"Huh?"
"You always go 'you' or whatever. Call me by name, casually."
"For real?"
"We're close enough now, right?"
"Of course."
Cheon-geuk beamed.
"Try it?"
"Go ahead."
"Hey, So-cheon."
"That's not it."
"Hehehe."
She laughed like a kid. Who'd think her the king of assassins from that?
"So-cheon."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"No need. Let's drink."
Baek So-cheon raised his cup; she clinked hers against it.
As they set down their cups, their eyes met.
Captivated by her beauty, Baek So-cheon blurted without thinking.
"……Should I fetch a hundred thousand nyang?"
"……Brothel's probably closed by now."
'Too bad.'
'Wanna borrow some?'
Hiding such thoughts, they emptied their cups again.
As she set down her empty cup and lay back.
"Ahh, this is the life. Forget the alliance work—just drink and play!"
Baek So-cheon lay beside her, mimicking her.
"Ahh, this is the life. Forget the great war and all—just drink and play!"
"You know what?"
"What?"
"Read in a book that four parts of our worries never happen. Like fretting the sky might fall. Three parts are over past events, spilled water. One part's trivial stuff not worth worrying. The real worries worth it are less than one part, but we waste nine parts on useless ones and miss the important."
"Sounds right."
"Right?"
Lying down, they looked at each other. Cheon-geuk from this angle had a different allure—sensual, stirring instincts. She had the charm of eight colors.
But with the great war looming, could someone in his position love? Where did this worry fit in her categories?
Then the snow resumed falling.
"Ah! Snow again!"
Lying on the drifting boat, gazing at snowflakes from the night sky—it was more beautiful than any snow they'd seen before.
At least for this moment, the boat carrying these two drifted into a world free of worries.