Tadak, tadak.

The embers flared up and scattered in the air.

"Ugh."

Gwak Wolhyeop opens his eyes with a groan that breaks the quiet atmosphere.

Where... am I?

His mind was hazy for a moment.

It was strange. He was clearly exchanging pleasantries with Lee Cheongik, but he couldn't remember what happened after that. Why was he lying here?

"Ugh!"

Gwak Wolhyeop, who was slowly sitting up, groans at the tremendous pain he feels in his face.

A throbbing and swelling as if something were about to burst.

What on earth?

"Oh? You're awake?"

Gwak Wolhyeop turns his head at the voice of the person who greets him cheerfully.

"It's already night."

"..."

"Want to have a drink together?"

A drink? Is he talking about alcohol?

It was a voice full of familiarity. It wasn't Lee Cheongik, so who was it?

The figure in his blurry vision gradually becomes clear.

Long, untied hair, a faint smile on his lips, a very handsome young man who looked to be about twenty.

Who on earth is this?

And at that moment, several memories pierce his mind.

This face is definitely.

"Ugh!"

The memory of being hit and momentarily blacking out is imprinted in his mind, and at the same time, Gwak Wolhyeop's eyes, though swollen, shoot open.

"S-Sicheon Flo..." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Teop!

Before the startled Gwak Wolhyeop could finish his words, someone covers his mouth.

"B-brother. You're finally awake. Ha ha ha!"

It was the Short Breaking Spear, Go Yeonggil.

"Y-you must have had a bad dream."

The Chungyeong Saber, Lee Saek, was also there.

But Go Yeonggil's hand, which was covering his mouth, was drenched in sweat. In the meantime, both of them were constantly glancing at Cheonyeong.

More than anything, he couldn't... breathe!

"Huk, huk, damn it! I almost suffocated to death."

Gwak Wolhyeop pushes away Go Yeonggil's hand with all his might and gasps for breath.

"Are you okay?"

Gwak Wolhyeop, startled, steps back without realizing it as Cheonyeong holds out something to him.

"Don't be surprised. It's medicinal wine, drink it."

"..."

"What are you staring at? My arm is falling off."

Gwak Wolhyeop, who had been tense, rolls his eyes as Cheonyeong offers it again.

"Want to get hit more? Should I make you sober up?"

"N-no!"

Gwak Wolhyeop, without realizing it, speaks formally and quickly takes the wine cup from Cheonyeong's hand.

Of course, it was with both hands, and even politely.

"The pain will go away."

Gwak Wolhyeop looks at the shimmering wine cup at Cheonyeong's gentle voice.

"Don't worry. It's not poison. Since it's an external injury, you won't need a strange pill, so I mixed it with medicinal herb juice that's good for wound recovery."

"That's right, brother. It was really effective."

"I hear that Family Head Tang prepared it himself. The pain relief effect is excellent."

Go Yeonggil and Lee Saek add an explanation about the wine.

But medicinal herbs and pain relief aside, Family Head Tang?

Gwak Wolhyeop just stared blankly, unable to understand what was going on.

"My, you're very suspicious. Please understand, Family Head Tang. Brother Wolhyeop's personality is originally a bit like that."

"Sometimes we doubt him too."

In the meantime, the two even speak familiarly to Tang Cheonyeong.

What on earth was going on? He only remembered being hit and losing consciousness.

"Just leave him be. If he doesn't drink, it's his loss. Everyone, come over here. The meat is cooked quite deliciously."

Lee Cheongik is the same. He glares at him and calls the others, and the four of them gather around the campfire and start eating meat and drinking.

"Family Head Tang, you're truly amazing. I never thought there would be someone who has read all thirteen classics."

"This friend, didn't he finish eleven classics when he was only eight? Eight years old. At that age, I had barely finished the Lesser Learning."

"I was six."

"Don't lie!"

"Ahem! I'm telling you the truth."

"Should I ask?"

"Ask!"

Gwak Wolhyeop was just bewildered by the current situation.

The two of them bickering, this place seemed too comfortable.

What on earth?

Lee Cheongik aside, why were the other two punks laughing and talking with that punk Tang Cheonyeong like old friends?

They were the punks who had been beaten and fainted before him. Their faces were mottled with dark bruises, so what was so good about them?

But for some reason, the four of them sitting around the campfire looked so good together.

Somehow, he was envious.

Gwak Wolhyeop, who felt as if he were the only one left out, frowns and looks at the cup in his hand.

The moon is reflected in the shimmering wine.

Gwak Wolhyeop, who had been staring for a moment, slowly empties the wine cup.

A tingling sensation goes down his throat, and in an instant, a hot energy spreads throughout his body.

It's just wine, what medicinal wine.

"Huh?"

At that moment, Gwak Wolhyeop blinks his eyes.

"Keuk keuk, see? The effect is amazing, isn't it?"

"Huh? Uh-uh."

Gwak Wolhyeop nods his head with a bewildered expression at Go Yeonggil's words.

"I didn't believe it at first either. It's really amazing, isn't it? The effect came as soon as I drank it."

"Huh?"

"His martial arts are amazing, he's well-versed in pharmacology, he's a remarkable person. A remarkable person."

"Uh-uh."

Gwak Wolhyeop nods his head with an awkward expression.

"Brother, come over here too. Cheongik has prepared a lot of meat and wine. Hurry."

Cheongik? Have they already become friends?

Gwak Wolhyeop, who had gotten up awkwardly at Go Yeonggil's words, squeezes in between the group and sits down. It was the seat opposite Cheonyeong.

As he bows his head, unable to meet his gaze, Lee Cheongik holds out the meat in his hand.

"Here."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"..."

"Speaking informally was a bit much, right?"

"No, I."

"The situation was too urgent. I was worried it might turn into a family fight."

"Hmm."

Perhaps.

What would have happened if Lee Cheongik had called his escorts then? Could he have won?

No matter how much he thought about it, he wasn't sure.

"Oh, brother. Do you know that?"

"What?"

"I hear that Family Head Tang gave Cheongik a great enlightenment."

"Huh?!"

"Well, I haven't seen it yet, but it doesn't seem like a lie. He just exuded an aura. Hoo, I didn't think I could win."

Go Yeonggil smiles and shakes his head.

"Me too."

Lee Saek, who had clicked his tongue, nudges Lee Cheongik's side and laughs. It seems they had become friends while he was unconscious. Although they had just met today, they already seemed much closer than him.

"Family Head Tang, please take a look at me too. My spear skills haven't improved at all for some time."

"Ahem! Yeonggil, this friend! Don't you know that there are waves even in muddy water?"

"What?"

"If you receive a teaching, of course I should be first."

"Why are you first?"

"Well, because my birthday is a month earlier."

"You're full of it."

"What?"

"What's the use of a teaching for a dullard like you? It has to be someone like me."

"You punk!"

As Go Yeonggil and Lee Saek bicker, Cheonyeong shakes his head and Lee Cheongik laughs.

That appearance also looked quite friendly.

But enlightenment?

Gwak Wolhyeop looks back and forth between Lee Cheongik and Tang Cheonyeong.

"You don't have to be so surprised. It was just a situation where he was ready to be enlightened, and I just added a few words."

As Tang Cheonyeong smirks and shows humility, Lee Cheongik says with an expression as if it were absurd.

"Family Head Tang, what are you talking about? My enlightenment is entirely thanks to you, Family Head. Of course. Do you know how grateful I am? My goodness, I can't even open my chest and show you."

Perhaps because he was slightly drunk, Lee Cheongik says, making a fuss.

"Then open it."

"Pardon?"

"Why? Should I cut it open for you?"

"Aish, I was just saying. Just saying. My goodness, how can you make such a murderous joke?"

"It's not a joke. I wanted to test the new sword that our great blacksmith made for me anyway."

As Cheonyeong smiles and is about to untie the cloth wrapped around his sword, Lee Cheongik turns pale and waves his hands.

"Aigoo, stop it. Just have another drink. My goodness, you're incorrigible."

Gwak Wolhyeop was just bewildered at the sight of them exchanging wine cups.

Did that person really give Lee Cheongik an enlightenment?

No, even if it was just a trigger as Tang Cheonyeong said, does it make sense? They're of a similar age and not even from the same family.

"Brother Gwak, stop staring and have a drink."

"Pardon?"

"You're the young master of the Gwak family, right?"

"..."

"I hear you're five years older than me. You're twenty-four, right?"

"Th-that's right."

"Then you're my brother. Here, drink."

Cheonyeong smiles and holds out a wine cup.

He's his brother, but he's speaking informally.

While he speaks formally to Lee Cheongik.

Gwak Wolhyeop, who had received the wine cup, pouts and mutters.

"Still, there's such a thing as seniority, but your way of speaking."

"Why, because I'm speaking informally?"

"..."

"Then you can speak informally too. I have no intention of speaking formally."

Gwak Wolhyeop frowns at Cheonyeong's grinning appearance.

But for some reason, Cheonyeong's casual way of speaking felt so natural. If he spoke formally, it would feel rather awkward.

"Ahem! Are you showing favoritism because you beat him up a lot?"

"That's right. I'll have a drink too."

"These people! I was first. I became friends with Family Head Tang first!"

The two of them, and even Lee Cheongik, were bickering.

Gwak Wolhyeop, who was watching their friendly appearance, frowns and says to Cheonyeong.

"Earlier."

"The apology is accepted."

"Pardon?"

"Well, it's a common thing for martial artists to fight when they first meet. But if you talk about the flood dragon again, I'll really kill you then."

"..."

"Drink."

Gwak Wolhyeop couldn't help but smirk at Cheonyeong's bright smile, which didn't match his words about killing.

As if he had been swept away by the atmosphere around him.

"Your face is swollen like the moon, it's funny."

"Brother, that looks really funny."

"If you have a mirror, I want to show you. Really."

Lee Cheongik, Go Yeonggil, and Lee Saek each throw a joke and giggle.

And then.

"You punks!"

Before he knew it, Gwak Wolhyeop had joined in with a mischievous expression.

The moon in the wine cup ripens. The young men of a similar age grow closer with the intoxication.

And a pair of eyes watching them from afar frowns.

"When did these punks see each other, to be acting so friendly?"

It was Yongcheon, who couldn't bring himself to join the group.

"Why don't you just go and eat with them?"

Lee Wonik, who had decided to be friends with Yongcheon, suggests, but Yongcheon shakes his head.

"That's ridiculous. I'm the escort captain, so I can't get drunk. What if someone threatens the family head?"

"Is that so?"

"Of course. I will protect the family head. In any situation."

"Ah, yes."

Lee Wonik smirks at Yongcheon's words.

It doesn't seem necessary. It seems he can protect himself well without anyone protecting him.

He had already seen him mercilessly beat up three people by himself.

Could his brother, Lee Cheongik, do it?

A question suddenly came to mind, but Lee Wonik believed in his brother.

He would be able to. If it was the state he had shown him.

"Ah, and remember."

"What?"

"The family head and I are the closest."

Yongcheon raises his thumb and points to himself, looking triumphant.

He didn't ask.

"Now, you watch the surroundings too. I'm going to go around once to make sure the Green Warrior Unit punks aren't slacking off."

"I don't really have to."

"What?"

"I just followed along. The escort is Brigade Master Jinrip's duty."

"Ah, damn it. You're lucky. You damn rich punk."

Yongcheon, who had been frowning, suddenly turns his head towards the outside of the fence at the sign of someone's presence.

"Who is it!"

At the same time, he throws his body with a speed that belies his heavy frame.

"This person, Yongcheon! It's been a long time!"

Yongcheon, who had been about to throw a punch, stops in his tracks at the familiar voice and wears a happy expression.

"Huh? Who is this?"

The one who had come to the building where the Lee family and the Tang Family's estate were staying was Baekta.

The same as Yongcheon, who was born a vagrant, a child of a poor family.

No, a natural-born beggar... raised by the streets.