Realization — Part One
When she returned to the medicine room with the unconscious No Geukmyeong slung over her shoulder, Unyeong spotted them and spoke as though he were at his wit's end.
"…You beat him up again?"
"Beat… who beat who?! This bastard just suddenly fell over…"
Dokgo Ryeong's words trailed off the moment she caught sight of Un Sohong.
"…over…"
"Is… is Young Master No all right?!"
"He's fine… probably?"
"Please set him down for a moment. Let me take a look."
When Dokgo Ryeong laid No Geukmyeong on the floor, Un Sohong clung to his side at once.
"How… how did this happen…"
"…You… he fell and cracked his head on a rock…"
"If he's only fainted for a moment, that would be a relief…"
"…"
As Un Sohong examined No Geukmyeong with a face full of worry, Dokgo Ryeong felt an unbidden twinge of guilt.
Unyeong, step outside for a moment.
When Dokgo Ryeong sent the transmission, he quietly followed her out.
Confirming that no one was nearby, Unyeong spoke first.
"…You hit him, didn't you?"
"I hit him."
"…Do you dislike him that much?"
"That bastard's old man and I don't get along for shit. And when I was weak, that little shit beat the crap out of me too."
"…No Geukmyeong is involved with my daughter, you know?"
"Aigoo, fuck. If it's Sohong, I guess I can't really say anything either."
"Haa… Mad Demon. Looking at you, you're the overprotective one, not me."
"…"
When Dokgo Ryeong fell silent, Unyeong went on.
"Come on — you're getting along just fine with Young Master Wi yourself, so why are you like this?"
"Grr…! Fuck, seriously. Why does that Wi Ilcheong keep coming up?!"
"Hmm? How could he not come up? Anyone can see that Lady Dokgo is Young Master Wi's woman."
"Hyeek?!"
When Dokgo Ryeong's face flushed scarlet, Unyeong laughed.
"Euhahat, look at that. The moment his name comes up, your face goes red…"
"You're… you're dead!"
"Please don't clench those fists, I beg you. I'm a civilian — it actually hurts like hell."
"…Fuck."
Unyeong gauged her mood, then carefully broached the subject.
"May I make a suggestion?"
"…What, you bastard."
"Is living like this really so bad?"
"No… fuck. Why does every bastard I meet go on about this shit?"
"Sounds like you've heard it from someone else too."
"You, the Hao Sect Leader, and even that old fart the Sword God — all of you spouting the same crap."
"Wouldn't anyone with a brain think the same way?"
"What?"
Unyeong's expression hardened, and he spoke with genuine seriousness.
"Mad Demon. How long have we known each other?"
"…A while."
"And what have you done in all that time?"
"…I crushed those sons of bitches."
"And?"
"…"
Dokgo Ryeong racked her brains trying to think of something else she had done, but nothing came to mind.
"Nothing, right?"
"Nothing."
"Mad Demon… an ordinary person's life isn't like that."
"I'm not ordinary, though?"
"No thought of becoming ordinary, even now?"
"None."
"Haa…"
Unyeong stepped closer and gripped Dokgo Ryeong's shoulders.
"May I say just one thing?"
"You're gonna say it anyway, so don't ask for permission — just spit it out. You know I fucking hate people dragging their feet."
"Can't you just stop now?"
"…"
"You've been at it long enough. Isn't it enough?"
"The bastards who killed my family are still alive?"
"And once those bastards are dead?"
"Then I'll live an ordinary life. For real."
"How, exactly, will you live ordinarily?"
"…Just, somehow…"
"You've lived your whole life that way — do you really think you can start living ordinarily now?"
"Ah, fuck! Then what the hell am I supposed to do?!"
As Unyeong kept circling around the point in frustration, Dokgo Ryeong shouted.
"This fucking… why is everyone always butting into my life, butting in!!"
"Because it's pitiful."
"What's pitiful about it?! Why is it pitiful?! Why are you worrying about me!!"
"…We're friends, aren't we? Of course I worry."
Unyeong put strength into his arms and pulled Dokgo Ryeong into an embrace.
"Wh… what are you…"
"Have you never thought of just running away like this?"
"Bullshit."
"There are plenty of islands down in Hainan, aren't there? Ever thought of picking one and just living out your days there? Or at the very least, how about learning medicine? I'll take you on as my disciple."
"That's insane talk."
"What about living sweetly with Young Master Wi?"
"Hiiik?!"
Dokgo Ryeong shoved Unyeong away in a panic.
"Y… y-y-y… you crazy bastard! I'm a man!"
"You're a woman."
Unyeong shot her words down without missing a beat and pressed on.
"Not Dokgo Jin — Dokgo Ryeong, aren't you?"
"N… no!"
"Until not long ago I thought the same, but… hmm… may I be honest, Mad Demon?"
"You're fucking dead, for real."
Ignoring her threat, Unyeong continued.
"From where I'm standing, anyone can see you two are involved."
"Kyaaaah!!"
"Even if you hit me, I'm saying it! Honestly — you like Young Master Wi, don't you?"
"You… youuu…!!"
When Dokgo Ryeong clenched her fists tight, Unyeong — unlike his usual self — boldly clasped his hands behind his back and thrust his belly forward.
"Go ahead and hit me. I'll take one punch and keep talking."
"You… you're really gonna get it. Shut your mouth…"
"Oh? Why aren't you hitting me? Did I hit a nerve?"
"…Hey!!"
Dokgo Ryeong's body trembled.
"You're not a child. Come on. Stop thrashing about just to hide your feelings, Mad Demon."
"Grr…!!"
"The heart tends to follow the body. Now that you have a woman's body, it's only natural that your heart would shift toward a woman's way of feeling."
"I… I'm a man!!"
"Do you really think that?"
Unyeong's finger pointed at Dokgo Ryeong's hair.
"While dyeing your hair that shade of pink?"
"Hiiik…!"
"It's not like you can hide it anyway — everyone who needs to know already knows, don't they?"
"N… nooo…!"
"Let me give you some advice, Mad Demon. No — Lady Dokgo."
Unyeong said to her:
"Spend some time apart from Young Master Wi for a while."
"…"
"Then you'll get a rough idea of what your own feelings are."
"I… I…!"
Dokgo Ryeong tried once more to force the words out.
I don't like Wi Ilcheong.
One simple, single sentence.
But she couldn't get it past her lips.
For some reason, her mouth simply would not open.
Watching Dokgo Ryeong hesitate, unable to finish what she was saying, Unyeong abruptly turned on his heel.
"That's enough. Don't say another word to me — think it over carefully on your own. You'll figure it out soon enough."
"I aam…!"
"Sleeping with Sohong for a while might not be a bad idea either. Give it some thought."
"…"
Staring at Unyeong's departing back, Dokgo Ryeong couldn't say a word.
Fuck… what the hell is this, fuck!!
Dokgo Ryeong took out her frustration on the innocent bare ground.
Left alone, she sank into thought.
I…
Her heart wavered.
One very simple sentence.
I don't like Wi Ilcheong.
Even facing the unconscious No Geukmyeong, in a place where she was the only one who could hear — she couldn't say that one simple thing.
She couldn't bring herself to say that one line to Unyeong as he turned away.
"…Fuck."
Just thinking of Wi Ilcheong made her chest feel tight.
Sometimes it ached. Sometimes her heart raced. Sometimes her face grew hot.
These unnameable feelings threw Dokgo Ryeong into confusion.
"Haa… fuck."
Unyeong's words kept circling through her mind.
If she spent some time apart, she would quickly understand her own feelings.
Given Dokgo Ryeong's temperament, she couldn't stand things that left her frustrated.
Fuck… I don't like Wi Ilcheong, you bastard.
Dokgo Ryeong wanted to prove it.
Once her thoughts settled, she ran straight to where she expected Wi Ilcheong would be.
Bang!
After kicking open the door to their quarters, Dokgo Ryeong declared:
"I'm going to live separately for a while."
"Huh?"
"Where's the Lust Demon?"
"…He went out. Gwanyeong went out too."
Baekri Sohyeon was flustered by the words Dokgo Ryeong had thrown out after barging in so suddenly.
"More importantly, Ryeong Mae, what are you talking about? Living separately?"
"Exactly what I said. I'm planning to live apart for a bit. I've already found a room."
"…Why?"
"…I've got some things to think about."
"…"
Baekri Sohyeon looked at Dokgo Ryeong and tilted her head.
"This suddenly? Ryeong Mae, is something wrong?"
"No, nothing like that."
"Then why…"
"Just! Leave me alone for a little while…"
"…"
When Dokgo Ryeong spoke almost pleadingly, Baekri Sohyeon finally nodded with reluctance.
"…All right. You're not saying you're going off somewhere alone, are you?"
"…I'm not. Just… I really need some time alone for a bit. I'm planning to stay with Sohong for a while."
"Mm, okay. It's a little sad, but it can't be helped."
"Haa… sorry."
"No, why would Ryeong Mae be sorry."
"…Anyway. See you later."
"Mm, drop by often when you're coming and going."
"…We'll see."
"Will we still eat together?"
"…We'll see about that too. I'm going. Tell the Lust Demon and the Hao Sect for me."
"Mm."
When Dokgo Ryeong closed the door and left, Baekri Sohyeon let out a sigh.
"Haa… what is this?"
Clearly something was going on between Wi Ilcheong and Dokgo Ryeong.
But both of them refused to talk about it.
Wi Ilcheong, who had never kept secrets, had created one — and Dokgo Ryeong, who had always blurted everything out honestly, was shutting her mouth and saying she needed time alone.
Just what on earth…
Not being one of the parties involved, Baekri Sohyeon could only watch.
And so, a somewhat awkward separation began.