Taesung
I stand on the tatami mat, clutching the sword in my hands rather clumsily. Hyunjin approaches me from behind, his breath tickling my neck.
„Strengthen your legs. Relax your shoulders or the first blow will knock the sword out of your hand." He gently presses his palms against my hips and adjusts my stance. „That's better now."
My heart pounds wildly in my chest and my cheeks flush red, for fear that Hyunjin might hear it beating so loudly.
I move, and so does the blade, but not as it should. Hyunjin laughs, puts his hands on mine and guides me through each movement.
„You're not bad, but you have to listen to the body of the sword. It will tell you where to go." Unfortunately, unlike him, I feel no connection with the weapon. But I enjoy the training — I'm learning something new.
He guides me through a series of moves he has done before, breathing down my neck the whole time. His warm breath gives me goosebumps all over my body. My hands start to sweat because I'm nervous about his closeness, and my heartbeat still hasn't slowed down to normal.
„I need you to be ready tomorrow. Mishimoto is not a man who is satisfied with a greeting and a handshake. With him, you never know what he's going to do next." He suddenly breaks the silence, sounding very serious.
„Why are you telling me this so seriously?"
„It's important for you to know who this person is. Maybe you should also know the truth about why we're fighting each other." As we continue to practise individual sword movements, he tells me about the past and about his friend, whom Mishimoto killed before his eyes. I try to concentrate, but Hyunjin's story draws me in. At least now I understand why he wants to kill Mishimoto so badly — he has a reason. I want to say something to him. I want to tell him that I'm sorry, but I don't get the chance.
„There's one more thing you should know," he begins, taking a deep breath before continuing as if considering how I will react. „Mishimoto's people were at Harris place a few days before I sent Hanil there." I turn my head towards him, but I can't see his face. I exhale, not so much in surprise — I suspected it from the beginning — but because he has confessed to me here. „I wanted you to hear it from me before you heard it from Mishimoto. So you wouldn't think I lied to you." He indicates that he wants us to be able to trust each other.
„So you had him killed after all," I say, somewhere between a question and a statement.
„Yes. He deserved it." I feel his breath brush the back of my neck.
„Harris was never a father to me. The fact that he's dead is actually a relief to me." I admit my feelings about his death to him. But I'm still tormented by the one question I long to ask him. So I'll try. „Why did you do that?" I whisper, waiting for his answer. He takes his time.
„For you." At that moment, he gets too close. As he adjusts my posture, he leans down, brushes my ear with the corner of his mouth and whispers those words to me. Maybe it was an accident, maybe it was intentional. My breathing quickens and my brain floods with a mix of dopamine and adrenaline, causing me to act and speak without thinking.
„I didn't believe that someone who kills could look as graceful as you," I say, not realising that I've said it out loud. Hyunjin laughs, taking the words as a confession. I turn to look at his face, hesitate for a moment, and then... I press a quick kiss on his cheek.
At that moment, I realise what has just happened, as if struck by lightning. I flinch and take a step back. I can't describe the look on his face. Is he shocked? I'm definitely shocked. Why did I do that? What made me do it? Hyunjin has set off a strong chemical reaction in me and I'm acting impulsively. I have to break this awkward silence somehow.
„Thank you for being honest," I mumble. Before I can slip out of the room, I notice the corners of his mouth slightly raised in a smile.
... ༺༻ ...
BLOOD DEBT (피의 빚)