By Zephyria 
30
“Umm……”
Ho-eun, who had been standing blankly under the tree, covered his mouth with his sleeve and yawned softly.
His body felt languid. A pleasant languor. He had slept in Tae-muk’s arms all the way since morning, so his fatigue and pain had subsided considerably.
Sleeping while riding a horse. And in Tae-muk’s arms, no less. It was unbelievable, but he had really slept like a log. It was a wonder he hadn’t fallen off the horse.
……Surely he hadn’t snored without any decorum, had he?
Ho-eun frowned and then unfurrowed his brow. He saw Tae-muk coming from afar.
The Crimson Rain Brigade had decided to have lunch earlier than usual. It was to replenish the energy they had exhausted in the battle that had lasted all night. The cooks had started cooking, some of the soldiers were guarding the perimeter, and the rest were sprawled out on the grass, resting.
Tae-muk disappeared somewhere again and then returned. He strode through the soldiers and sat down on a rock of moderate size.
Ho-eun, afraid that someone might sit next to him, scurried over and quickly plopped down next to him. The ‘sticking together operation’ was still in progress. He had to stay by his side as much as possible.
“……”
Tae-muk looked at Ho-eun as if he were a nuisance. But Ho-eun pretended not to notice and looked elsewhere. Even so, he swallowed hard.
In truth, he was still awkward and scared of Tae-muk. How could he not be scared after experiencing such things every night? Moreover, Ho-eun couldn’t possibly feel comfortable being next to someone who was so openly showing his dislike for him, both physically and verbally.
However, Ho-eun might have a weak body, but his spirit was not. He was confident that he would not give up, no matter how many times he was rejected. He had left home prepared to be torn apart and killed by a Devouring Ghoul, so how could he not handle this much? No matter how much Tae-muk disliked him, he wouldn’t tear him apart and eat him like a Devouring Ghoul, so he felt he could endure it somehow.
Thinking such thoughts, he inched his butt closer to Tae-muk. Tae-muk, whether he knew it or pretended not to see it, took out a cigarette and lit it.
At that moment, a man and a woman slammed their heavy spears and swords onto the ground and sprawled out near Tae-muk.
“Ugh, I’m tired.”
“Haaaah……”
The two yawned wide enough to tear their mouths. They were all familiar faces. Those who always stayed near Tae-muk. They were high-ranking and were like Tae-muk’s left or right arms. They were also the ones who had been at Tae-muk’s table when he had eaten at the Korean restaurant in the hotel.
Gil-sang also quietly appeared and took a seat next to them. The three of them seemed tired and were sprawled out without saying much. And for good reason. They had all fought Devouring Ghouls all night without sleep and had been traveling ever since.
Perhaps the most energetic person here right now was Ho-eun, who had been sleeping straight from yesterday to today.
Ho-eun wiggled his fingers and rolled his eyes around, then looked at Tae-muk. His cheeks still had specks of Devouring Ghoul blood on them. Seeing this, Ho-eun took out a handkerchief from his pocket. And after hesitating for a moment, he timidly held it out to Tae-muk.
“Here, General, you have blood on your face.”
It was that handkerchief from before. The handkerchief he had offered and been rejected when Tae-muk had appeared covered in blood. A white, clean handkerchief with a flower embroidered on one corner.
“No need.”
Tae-muk spat out the rejection again today without fail. Ho-eun sadly withdrew the handkerchief. But then he felt a gaze. He lifted his head and saw the soldiers sitting in front of him quickly averting their eyes.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Ho-eun pulled his knees up to his chest. He repeatedly folded and unfolded the innocent handkerchief in his hands. It hadn’t been long since he had decided to be brazen, but he suddenly wanted to leave. He felt like the soldiers sitting with him were also uncomfortable with him.
Would it be better for him to leave? Wouldn’t that be more comfortable for everyone? Just as he was thinking that.
“Captain, everyone, please eat.”
Chilbok appeared. He was carrying a wide tray, and on it were a dozen or so large bowls. Spoons were stuck in the bowls.
Chilbok scanned the tray for a moment, then handed one of them to Tae-muk. Tae-muk extinguished the cigarette he was smoking without a word and accepted it.
After that, Chilbok handed a bowl each to the woman, the man, and Gil-sang, and finally gave one to Ho-eun as well.
“Thank you, Chilbok.”
Ho-eun received the bowl with both hands. The heavy bowl was filled with several kinds of seasoned vegetables and rice. It seemed to be bibimbap.
But at that moment, the woman sitting across from him suddenly craned her neck and glared at Chilbok.
“Chilbok, you put meat only in the Captain’s rice again, didn’t you? Huh?”
Her hair was short enough to dangle below her ears, her skin was fair but had many freckles on her cheeks, and she had no double eyelids, but her eyelids were thin, making her eyes quite large. She was also quite plump and much taller than Ho-eun, a person who declared with her whole body, ‘I am the God of War.’
“No, I didn’t!”
Chilbok frowned and denied it. Then the woman narrowed her eyes and glared at Chilbok.
“Then? You put buchim in? Egg buchim?”
“……”
Chilbok pursed his lips. At that, the woman’s eyes rolled even more wildly.
“This punk always discriminates in favor of the Captain……”
“Oh, what? Then you be the Captain, Sister.”
“Hey!”
The woman shouted, and Chilbok, with an expression of utter annoyance, scooped a large spoonful of rice from another rice bowl on the tray and transferred it to the woman’s bowl.
“Oh, I’ll give you more rice. I’m giving you extra because you’re my sister, me.”
At Chilbok’s glib words, the woman looked at the rice bowl with a sulky expression, then nodded as if she was satisfied. Chilbok fairly gave more rice to the man and Gil-sang next to her as well. Then he tried to give more to Ho-eun as well.
At that, Ho-eun pulled the bowl toward himself.
“This is enough for me.”
“Why? Have some more.”
“It’s okay.”
At Ho-eun’s refusal, Chilbok looked somewhat disappointed, then bowed and headed to the other soldiers.
“……”
Ho-eun stared blankly down at his bowl. The abundant rice and vegetables looked very appetizing, but he couldn’t bring himself to eat it. It felt like the rice ball he had forced down was still stuck in his throat.
The image of himself burying his face in a brazier full of black charcoal and vomiting flashed before his eyes. His stomach began to churn. He felt like he was going to throw up even though he hadn’t eaten anything.
But if he left it, Tae-muk might misunderstand. Then he would act badly again at night. What should he do? Should he eat it first and then secretly throw it up later?
While Ho-eun was caressing the innocent bowl, the others began to eat. Ho-eun was watching their reactions, especially Tae-muk’s, and was just fiddling with his spoon.
Ah, forget the sticking together operation, he should have just been alone. If he had been holed up in some corner, he could have somehow dealt with the rice. Why did he have to sit so close……
Ho-eun’s face gradually turned white. Anyone would think he was holding poison instead of bibimbap. As time passed and passed.
“Hey, young master, are you not going to eat that by any chance?”
The female soldier sitting across from him suddenly spoke. Her rice bowl was already empty. Ho-eun’s shoulders twitched at the sudden voice.
“Oh, ah……”
He mumbled, looking at Tae-muk’s reaction. Sure enough. Tae-muk was staring intently at him. As if he was monitoring him. But Ho-eun couldn’t bring himself to say that he would eat it. After hesitating for a moment, he gave the bowl to the woman.
“W-Would you like to eat it?”
“Of course!”
She received it with a face that said, ‘What luck!’ Then she asked, as if puzzled.
“Why aren’t you eating it? It’s delicious. Does a nobleman not eat such things?”
“……”
Ho-eun was a little taken aback by the words that came out so naturally. Tae-muk had said something similar before.
Had he ever shown such a thing? Had he unknowingly looked down on them or acted picky? But all he had eaten was scorched rice water, Herbal medicine, and the rice ball that he had thrown up, so he had no chance to do so even if he wanted to.
Ho-eun was about to tell her about his condition. But Tae-muk threw another question.
“You still don’t like the food here?”
At those words, Ho-eun looked at Tae-muk. His dark eyes were coldly frozen. He looked like he was about to grab Ho-eun by the hair and shove his face into the bowl.
Ho-eun swallowed hard and slowly shook his head.
“I-I’m still not fully recovered from the fever. I have no appetite. And my mouth……hurts too……”
Ho-eun groped around his mouth. The wound he had gotten while receiving Tae-muk’s thing had finally scabbed over. If he opened his mouth wrong again, it might burst and bleed.
Seeing that, just as Tae-muk was about to say something, Gil-sang, who was moving his spoon slowly unlike the other soldiers, said in passing.
“I heard you were hurt somewhere, and the other day you were bleeding from your lips. I was very surprised when you suddenly started bleeding.”
“……”
Tae-muk closed his mouth again. His gaze was on Ho-eun, or rather, on the red and black wounds on Ho-eun’s mouth.