Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 362 (Part 2)



362 (Part 2)

The more I listened the more my throat tightened.

My stomach churned and my eyebrows instinctively furrowed.

I was not someone who should be hearing such words from the young man in front of me.

“It seems some strange rumors have spread… I haven’t really done much.”

Rather I thought I was the one who had created this situation.

If a situation that should not have occurred in my past life was unfolding now.

That was my sin.

The young man simply smiled perhaps interpreting my words as humility.

Only then did I understand why the gazes that followed me every time I walked around the area after the attack felt strange.

The people who looked at me in fear.

Could this be the reason their eyes had changed?

It was not good.

‘…Don’t hold me in such high regard.’

I was not someone who should be in that position.

My head throbbed again.

“…Thank you.”

“…”

With another apology.

I did not utter a single word.

I simply accepted the food and turned my back.

That young man would no longer live as a martial artist.

The heat had died down so it wouldn’t reignite.

His expression of gratitude with that gaze was bothersome.

I could no longer bear to look.

I didn’t want to hear it.

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

I accepted the food and moved on.

Even though I hadn’t eaten anything I already felt bloated.

The gazes that glanced at me felt particularly pronounced.

I ignored them. I passed by the people and searched for someone.

Fortunately I found them quickly.

After all they were quite noticeable.

Amidst the crowd I spotted a woman sitting on a rock with her eyes closed.

It was Wi Seol-ah.

“What are you doing?”

As I approached slowly Wi Seol-ah seemed to sense my presence.

She shifted slightly to make room for me.

It was a sign for me to sit beside her.

I naturally sat next to her.

“How’s your body?”

“…I’m okay.”

Her voice was a bit tired.

Wi Seol-ah opened her eyes and looked at me as she answered.

“And you Young Master…?”

“I’m fine.”

As I replied I took a bite of the food.

As expected I felt no taste at all.

And I handed over another piece of food to Wi Seol-ah.

“Ah….”

“Eat you probably haven’t had any.”

“…”

Wi Seol-ah who seemed to hesitate to refuse eventually accepted the wall rice cake-like thing I offered.

She cautiously took a bite.

But soon her brows furrowed.

It seemed it was quite tasteless.

“I see you still like sweet things. Is it that bad?”

“Ah no… I was just a bit surprised.”

Her flustered expression was cute and I stifled a laugh.

“I’m sorry.”

Then suddenly she offered an apology.

“What?”

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone back then. I feel bad about that.”

“…”

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

Even though it wasn’t a situation where I could do anything especially with the Demon King crashing in.

‘That’s an excuse too.’

If I had wanted to I could have gone to Wi Seol-ah at any time.

Not just after a day had passed.

“…It’s okay.”

Wi Seol-ah accepted my apology and took another bite.

Her brows furrowed again.

Why does she keep eating even though she finds it so bad… wait a minute.

“When did you finish it all?”

“What? What do you mean… Oh! Where did it go?”

It seemed she had only taken two bites but the food Wi Seol-ah was holding had disappeared.

It wasn’t small so I should have had to take a few bites too.

Fortunately it seemed her appetite remained unchanged even in this situation.

It wasn’t normal for me to feel relieved seeing that.

I suppressed a laugh that was about to burst out.

If I laughed now Wi Seol-ah would really get angry.

Trying to hide my flushed ears Wi Seol-ah who had swallowed all the food in her mouth suddenly spoke to me.

“Did Unnie… go comfortably?”

“…”

I smiled bitterly at those words. I wondered how long she had hesitated to ask that.

I silently questioned her in my mind.

How much do you know?

What has she said until now?

“Comfortably… well I don’t know.”

I couldn’t bring myself to ask that.

Hearing my answer Wi Seol-ah lowered her head deeply.

“Do you… know who she is?”

“…I have a vague idea.”

The term “vague” implies that I don’t know everything.

“Then do you know about me…?”

“Not in detail… I don’t know.”

Had she not mentioned it? That could be the case.

It wouldn’t be good to know unnecessarily.

“Should I tell you?”

That was a statement filled with many meanings.

About my secrets. About my story with her.

If the current Wi Seol-ah was curious I could tell her.

But upon hearing my words Wi Seol-ah shook her head.

That was unexpected. I thought she would be curious.

“Young Master doesn’t want that.”

“…”

“If it were Unnie she would have said it that way.”

“You’re not her. You can do as you please…”

“That’s right. I’m not Unnie. But since Young Master doesn’t want it I won’t ask. That’s also my heart.”

I was surprised by her firm words that interrupted me.

“I will be different from Unnie.”

“…”

That was a statement that stirred up complex thoughts in many ways.

I had hoped for that yet I wondered if it was even possible to be different.

“Unnie wished for that and I hope for it too.”

The fact that the Divine Sword wished for that felt somehow heavy.

“But if there’s something the same it’s that… both Unnie and I will have the same feelings towards Young Master.”

Though there was sadness in Wi Seol-ah’s expression.

She wore a proud face as if she had overcome something.

“Thank you Young Master. For coming to find me.”

It was almost funny.

Faced with that smile I couldn’t bring myself to laugh.

I simply stuffed the food I was holding into my mouth.

“Will I be able to see Unnie again?”

“Yeah. You’ll be able to see her again.”

I answered without hesitation to Wi Seol-ah’s words which seemed like a fantasy.

This time Wi Seol-ah looked at me with surprise.

“I’ll make it happen.”

I stood up from the rock and took Wi Seol-ah’s hand.

Wi Seol-ah flinched at having her hand held.

Seeing that I said.

“Let’s go.”

“Uh… where to?”

She seemed to have some expectations and I vaguely understood what Wi Seol-ah was hoping for.

But unfortunately the schedule ahead was not that kind.

“Now we have to go see the kids.”

Upon hearing my words Wi Seol-ah’s expression crumpled in a rare way.

******************

The place I led Wi Seol-ah to was the treatment center we had visited last time.

As far as I knew Namgung Bia still needed a few more days of treatment.

Though her regenerative abilities were quite good her condition was said to be very poor.

The only good news was that she wouldn’t have any scars.

The same went for Dang So-yeol.

From my perspective I thought it was right to go see their faces at least once a day.

Even though I couldn’t go yesterday.

Wi Seol-ah had a displeased expression but she didn’t say anything.

It seemed she was aware of the situation.

“Hmm?”

Upon arrival I felt something unusual.

The inside of the treatment center felt like it was buzzing unknowingly.

What is it?

I was curious but I ignored it for now and moved forward.

As I reached my destination.

“Why is everyone gathered here?”

For some reason not just Dang So-yeol and Namgung Bia but also Peng Ah-hee.

Even Mo Yong-hee was gathered all wearing serious expressions.

As I approached raising my voice the kids flinched simultaneously.

What’s going on? Why are they acting like that?

As I looked at them with a face full of questions.

The only one who seemed somewhat normal Peng Ah-hee spoke to me.

The three of them wore inscrutable expressions but Peng Ah-hee in contrast looked quite excited.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re in big trouble.”

“What?”

At my question Peng Ah-hee smiled and said.

“I think all our fathers are coming here.”

“…What did you say?”

“Do you want to run away right now?”

I frowned at Peng Ah-hee’s words.

What she meant was.

That all the Clan Heads of the Four Great Families would be coming here.