Chapter 152: Festival Sightseeing-4
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 152: Festival Sightseeing-4
Avoiding the eyes of the people in the pavilion and climbing onto the roof was not a difficult task.
So-yu leaped onto the roof, her movements as light and graceful as if she were walking on flat ground.
In-ho followed his master, and though he was a bit unstable, he managed to reach the top without being noticed.
"Your Light Body Technique has improved significantly, but you still need more training."
"I suppose so. I guess I’m still not used to the sensation."
For someone who had lived a strictly modern life, adapting to the feeling of flying through the air was a distant goal.
"Now, this is a good spot."
So-yu checked the sloped roof for any dirt before carefully sitting down.
In-ho sat beside her, perhaps a bit closer than expected, as So-yu stole a glance at him.
"Here’s the liquor and some snacks."
In-ho pulled out the alcohol and side dishes he had bought from a street stall before they climbed up.
"Are you possessed by the ghost of a glutton?"
"Poets say they drink while watching the moon. Let’s try to follow their lead."
As So-yu laughed, seemingly fed up with his appetite, In-ho spoke while pouring the liquor into a cup.
"An illiterate man trying to imitate a poet..."
So-yu clicked her tongue as if annoyed, but her eyes curved into a soft, gentle arc.
She held up the cup In-ho handed her, and he poured the liquor with practiced ease.
"Now, shall we clink?"
In-ho, having filled his own cup, raised it slightly.
"Clink?"
"It’s when you bump the cups together like this."
In-ho’s cup lightly tapped against So-yu’s before pulling away.
So-yu watched blankly as In-ho drained his drink.
"What is it? I didn't put poison in it."
Having finished his drink, In-ho spoke as he looked at So-yu’s still-full cup.
"I’m going to drink it."
So-yu raised the cup to her eye level.
The pale blue light of the moon descended subtly into the cup.
Soon, the moonlight seemed to seep into and float upon the surface of the shimmering liquor.
"If you do this, it feels like you’re drinking the moon. You should try it too."
Having taken a sip, So-yu spoke as if teaching him a lesson.
In-ho looked skeptical, but he followed his master’s lead and raised his cup to his eyes.
After a brief pause, he closed his eyes and downed the drink.
"How was it?"
"It tastes the same."
"Good grief, you have no soul for romance."
Namgung So-yu chuckled at his blunt, unadorned honesty.
*
So-yu and In-ho’s drinking session did not end quickly.
The beautiful moonlight hanging in the sky and the scenery of the night market, which had yet to dim, held them captive.
Over their drinks, they shared many stories.
In-ho spoke of the emotions he felt when he first achieved Ignition, and So-yu spoke of the bitterness she felt when she lost to Cheong-yeon.
And so, another round of drinks passed.
So-yu brought up the story of when she first saw In-ho, and In-ho brought up the story of when he first learned the Internal Energy Cultivation Method.
And so, yet another round passed.
"...So, what were you doing before you met me?"
So-yu, now pleasantly tipsy, asked In-ho with half-lidded eyes.
"......"
In-ho, who had been talking without hesitation until a moment ago, shifted his gaze from the moon to the night market.
"I wonder. What was I doing?"
In-ho muttered as if dreaming.
"You said you were a farmer."
So-yu pressed him, noting her disciple’s strangely hesitant reaction.
"I was thinking about the time before that."
In-ho’s eyes traced over experiences and memories that had grown faint and distant.
"Oh... and what did you do then?"
So-yu’s ears perked up at the prospect of a story about her disciple that she didn't know.
"Well. I wonder what I did."
Suddenly, thinking he might be teasing her, So-yu narrowed her eyes sharply. However, seeing that In-ho’s somber expression was not a joke, she watched him in silence.
Twice today already, In-ho had shown a serious side she hadn't seen before.
This wasn't the playful disciple she knew; this infinitely serious version of In-ho felt fresh to So-yu.
— Thump-thump.
To make matters worse, her heart began to beat faster.
"I don't even remember that well anymore. There were so many incidents and accidents."
"Is that so?"
So-yu grabbed the bottle and poured more liquor into the cup.
"I did a lot of different things. Then one day, I got caught up in an accident and ended up drifting all the way here."
"An accident?"
"It’s hard to explain. I don't think you’d believe me even if I told you."
In-ho let out a dry laugh.
"I can't help but think that if I hadn't gotten angry back then, things might have turned out differently."
"Hmm. As a rule, a martial artist must never lose their composure."
"I don't think you're one to talk, Master. Especially after seeing today's match..."
"Be quiet."
"Yes, ma'am."
An awkward silence fell between them.
Noisy sounds drifted up from beneath the roof. It seemed like a group of wealthy people had gathered to drink and sing to their hearts' content.
Despite the commotion happening right below them, the man and woman on the roof remained surrendered to the stillness.
"...So."
It was So-yu who broke the silence.
"Do you regret it? Not holding back your anger back then."
So-yu asked cautiously as she downed her drink.
"Well..."
So-yu poured liquor into In-ho’s empty cup, and he chose his words carefully as he accepted it with both hands.
"I’ve realized that you can't always categorize life's events as simply good or bad."
He downed the drink in one go before continuing.
"I mean, I do have regrets."
"...I see."
"But, but... when I think about how I wouldn't be sitting here drinking with you if I hadn't gotten angry then, I also think I did the right thing."
"Wh-what!"
As In-ho gave a bright smile, So-yu’s face flushed a deep red.
"That’s just how it is. You lose some, you gain some."
"Y-you certainly have a silver tongue," So-yu muttered, turning her bright red face away.
"Oh, right. Master, here."
In-ho made a rustling sound and placed something in her hand.
She felt something cold and jingling against her palm.
So-yu looked at what he had given her.
It was something long and sparkling.
An earring.
"This is?"
"I bought it on my way back with the liquor. I thought it would look good on you."
"But why is there only one?"
"I dunno. Maybe that’s just how it’s designed? They were only selling one."
"Hmm..."
She picked up the earring. It sparkled in the moonlight.
"I’ve never worn something like this before."
"Why? Because it’s not like a martial artist?"
"......."
Silence was her affirmation. In-ho chuckled.
"Is your internal energy going to drop just because you put this in your ear? Is your body going to get so heavy that you can't use the Light Body Technique? Don't be so hard on yourself. There are so many fun things in the world. You should enjoy things like this. If you only focus on one thing, your mind will wither."
"Hah, are you trying to lecture your master?"
"I might not look it, but I’m actually older than you, you know? I might not know much about martial arts, but I probably know more about living in the world than you do."
"If only you weren't so talkative, you wouldn't be so annoying."
So-yu clicked her tongue as if in pity at her disciple, who refused to lose even a single word.
Even so, she dangled the earring In-ho had given her before her eyes.
"Fine. I’ll give in to your words just for today."
She clipped the earring onto her ear. She felt a bit of pressure, but it wasn't unbearable.
"Is this how you do it?"
So-yu asked awkwardly, showing off the dangling earring.
In-ho watched her for a moment before breaking into a deep smile.
"You’re more beautiful than the moon."
At his completely unadorned words, So-yu’s face turned as red as a drunkard who had downed an entire jar of wine.
— Thump-thump.
"Are you drunk?"
"Be quiet."
So-yu raised her index finger to cover In-ho’s mouth.
She wanted to remember this moment quietly for a long, long time.
— Thump-thump.
Feeling an unknown warmth flooding her chest, So-yu slowly closed her eyes and basked in the moonlight.
Her heart beat like a drum.
And so, the festival deepened.
Fan art of Grandmaster Yeom-jin.