Scars
Having left the pavilion, Cheong-wol and Ak Seo-a strolled the streets of Geumdang, partly to settle their full stomachs, taking in the sights along the way.
Nothing particularly remarkable caught the eye, yet the savory aroma of oil-fried sweets brought Cheong-wol to a halt.
"Seo-a, shall we buy some?"
She had just finished saying they needed to save room for dinner, and now she wanted snacks.
But since Cheong-wol had already agreed to dine with her at the pavilion, Ak Seo-a simply nodded without a word of protest.
"This humble one will take those."
A short while later, the two of them were walking the streets again, cheeks stuffed full of sweets as they chewed.
The treats were just greasy enough and had a satisfying chew, so even though they had only just finished a meal, the sweets kept finding their way into their mouths without pause.
By the time the last of the sweets in their hands had vanished, Ak Seo-a looked at Cheong-wol and carefully spoke up.
"Miss Cheong-wol."
"Hm?"
"Since the young lady came to Sichuan to visit the Tang Clan, we shall have to part ways tomorrow. Chengdu lies right beside Geumdang, after all."
"...That's right."
She was bound for the Tang Clan, Ak Seo-a for the Emei Sect.
They had both known they would have to separate once they reached Sichuan, yet hearing it spoken aloud left them both feeling wistful and reluctant.
"The time we spent together was truly delightful. I only hope... that Miss Cheong-wol felt the same as this humble one."
"...Seo-a."
Seeing the usually spirited Ak Seo-a look a little downcast, Cheong-wol felt a lump rise in her throat. She took Seo-a's hand and nodded.
"Yeah. I felt the same. Enough that I'd want to travel together a little longer."
"Miss Cheong-wol..."
The warmth of the moment was a touch awkward, but they were companions who would walk their own paths starting tomorrow. Cheong-wol was more than willing to share a farewell of this degree.
But as always, Ak Seo-a's eyes suddenly sparkled, and she began shaking Cheong-wol's hand with vigorous enthusiasm.
"Then this is truly wonderful! Miss Cheong-wol! How about we go to the Emei Sect together!"
Whatever had become of the melancholy she had shown mere moments before was anyone's guess.
"Why would I go there?"
With a bewildered look she tried to free her captured hand, but it was already too late.
"Did you not just say you did not wish to part from this humble one? Therefore, let us go to the Emei Sect first. If you do so, this humble one shall finish her family business and then aid Miss Cheong-wol."
"Aid me...?"
Cheong-wol asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Wait just a moment... Ah, found it."
Ak Seo-a rummaged through her robes for quite some time before finally producing a gleaming gold token.
Despite its ornate exterior, the center of the token bore no pattern or decoration—only red characters carved with forceful strokes.
Shandong Ak Clan.
"The Clan Head Token of the Shandong Ak Clan! Father meant to entrust it to my younger sibling, but this humble one begged him to trust me just once and obtained it!"
She held out the token with pride, yet Cheong-wol's heart filled only with suspicion.
...Looks like a fake.
Barely suppressing the doubt that had surged up to her throat, Cheong-wol asked,
"I get that you have the Clan Head Token. But how exactly are you going to help me with this?"
"Does Miss Cheong-wol know what manner of place the Tang Clan is?"
"Roughly. They use poison and hidden weapons, and give off a somewhat closed-off atmosphere. For an orthodox sect, their methods are rather—"
"Enough! That is quite sufficient!"
Sensing that increasingly unflattering remarks were about to spill forth, Ak Seo-a hastily cut her off.
Of all places, to casually badmouth the Tang Clan on Sichuan soil itself.
Only after hurriedly scanning the surroundings and confirming no one had overheard did a sigh of relief escape her lips.
"Miss Cheong-wol. I say this just in case, but you must never speak such words where people can hear. At least not within Sichuan."
"I won't."
Only after hearing Cheong-wol's firm assurance did Ak Seo-a continue.
"In any case, beyond what the young lady has said, there is something you must know. Namely, that the Tang Clan is an enormous great family."
"I know. They're one of the Six Great Clans, after all."
"Exactly so! If Miss Cheong-wol were to visit such a place alone, what reaction do you think they would show?"
"Uh... I don't know?"
"Hundreds of people cross the Tang Clan's threshold every day! Without special business, should fortune not favor you, you might be turned away at the gate for over a year!"
Ak Seo-a spread both arms wide and raised her voice as if delivering a passionate oration.
"But worry not! This humble one is also the eldest daughter of the Shandong Ak Clan, which stands equal to the Six Great Clans! With this Clan Head Token alone, we shall cross that threshold in a single stroke!"
"Oh..."
The more she listened, the more plausible it sounded, and Cheong-wol found herself nodding without realizing it.
Certainly, rather than going to the Tang Clan alone and waiting indefinitely, spending a few days at the Emei Sect and then visiting the Tang Clan together with Ak Seo-a seemed the better option.
"Right. Seo-a, you were the child of a prestigious family."
"Ahem. It is nothing to boast of, but yes! This humble one is none other than Ak Seo-a, eldest daughter of the Shandong Ak Clan!"
Deliberately restating that she was the eldest daughter of the Shandong Ak Clan, she squared her shoulders with pride.
Watching her, Cheong-wol finally let out a snort of laughter.
"Alright. But once you're done with your business at the Emei Sect, you have to help me, okay?"
"Of course! There are two things this humble one hates most in this world: first is falsehood, and second is those who speak falsehoods!"
"...Is that so?"
"Indeed!"
Cheong-wol pinched the cheek of the confidently smiling Ak Seo-a and asked,
"Then tell me now. Why you really suggested we go to the Emei Sect together."
"...?"
Ak Seo-a averted her gaze as if she had no idea what Cheong-wol meant, but it did not work on someone who had already seen through her thoroughly despite their short time together.
"Of course you'd be sad to part from me. But you wouldn't have pulled out the Clan Head Token for that reason alone, would you? From what I know, that Clan Head Token isn't something you're supposed to use just anywhere."
"That is..."
"It's fine, just tell me. I need to know the reason so I can feel at ease too."
At Cheong-wol's gentle prodding—as if she already saw through everything—Ak Seo-a hesitated for a moment before finally letting out a deep sigh.
Then, wearing a serious expression unlike her usual self, she wrapped one hand around her other arm.
"...As expected, this humble one cannot deceive Miss Cheong-wol's eyes. Yes. In truth, there is another reason..."
Ak Seo-a hung her head low and stared at her toes, her eyes dimmed and trembling.
"When this humble one left her family, she said she was not alone... Do you perchance remember?"
Recalling the incident when they had encountered the bandits, Cheong-wol gave a slight nod.
"I remember. You said you'd gotten separated from your party because of some business?"
"Correct. You remembered. But that 'business'... in truth, this humble one abandoned her party and ran off of her own accord."
She could tell it had taken great resolve for Seo-a to say this, yet to Cheong-wol it was nothing particularly surprising. Honestly speaking, she had already privately concluded that was the case.
"Why?"
But as a friend, she asked out of courtesy—and this time, words she had never expected came spilling from Seo-a's lips.
"Because my younger sibling despises this humble one terribly."
"Wait a moment."
Instinctively sensing that more than ordinary words were about to follow, Cheong-wol cut her off for the moment.
"Despises you how much? Like arguing a bit harshly?"
She asked carefully, but Ak Seo-a's expression grew even darker.
"Worthless trash, half-wit, maggot... All words this humble one has heard from her sibling."
Every insult she listed was so severe it was hard to believe they had come from family, and Cheong-wol's expression grew grave as well.
"This humble one fled the party because she could endure no longer. Hearing insults before others was bearable enough, but at every turn, under the pretext of sparring..."
As if the memory of that day had resurfaced, Ak Seo-a could not continue, her eyes growing wet.
"My sibling and the others have likely already reached the Emei Sect. The others are fine, but my sibling will surely be furious beyond measure... This humble one is too afraid to enter that place alone. So please..."
"Seo-a."
Before the pleading request could leave her lips, Cheong-wol gently pulled her into an embrace.
"It's okay. You don't have to say more."
"Miss Cheong-wol..."
"And I'm sorry. I asked something I shouldn't have. It must have been hard to talk about."
"...This humble one did not wish to deceive you. Are we not friends?"
"I know. Thank you. For being honest with me."
"Then..."
"How could I send you alone now? Don't worry. I'll go with you."
"Thank you. Truly..."
At last, Ak Seo-a buried her face in Cheong-wol's shoulder and sobbed, and Cheong-wol gently patted her back.
"No need for thanks. This is only natural between friends."
When she opened the eyes she had briefly closed, emotions she had tried not to reveal until now seeped into Cheong-wol's gaze.
They were feelings she had originally reserved for the sake of revenge, yet Ak Seo-a had also become a precious bond she could no longer do without.
And so Cheong-wol intended to reveal, just a little, the emotions she had been suppressing.
The ones who have it all are worse, they say.
Unlike herself, who no longer had anyone left to call family, the thought of someone who trampled even the bonds they had been given made the corners of Cheong-wol's mouth harden.