The Night Breeze Whispers Your Name

12. Liverleaf

Another day, another drudgery...

The old guy I sent us for wood cutting again. Out of fear of me, the pest trio immediately formed a group, so Annoying was my share. Interestingly, Annoying seemed okay with it. He even directed me a smile as though he was happy to be with me.

With the axes in our hands, we went deep inside the forest. As usual, the weather was chilly yet stuffy. In a blissful silence, we walked away from the pest trio, but after a while later, I saw Annoying bending forward to pick a flower. Although the violet-blue small flower was in his hand, he kept standing there, his melancholic gaze stuck on the delicate petals.

I walked past him with loud steps to bring his wandering soul back, but he didn't even notice me. Giving up, I walked back and stood in front of him, my shadow casting on the flower.

Slowly, Annoying raised his head and looked at me with glazed eyes. "Do you know this flower?" he asked with a low-pitched voice as if he was afraid to make the flower scared.

I shook my head and he nodded absent-mindedly. Raising the flower to my eye level, he said "its name is Liverleaf, my brother... used to love it."

It was the second time he was mentioning his brother, and like the first time, his tone was woeful. I already guessed that his brother was dead, so I avoided that question. "Are you here for him?" I asked softly, unable to curb my curiosity. There was something in him that made me want to know more about him.

"Yes," Annoying answered shortly, but after a second of hesitation, he added "it was his dream to be the commander of the Five Alliance."

Feeling his need for talking, I sat on the hard ground, near the Liverleafs, "but...?" I asked with genuine curiosity which I had never shown for anyone.

After a sigh, Annoying sat in front of me, cross-legged, the flower still in his hand. "Mu Ling was very talented, he was chosen to represent Mu Clan when he was only fifteen," he said with a far-away look in his eyes. It was obvious he was thinking about the past.

"Did he win?" I asked after a while as Annoying kept his silence.

"Mnn," he mumbled, "he did... but I wish he didn't."

"When did it happen?"

"Three years ago. Do you remember the Demon Valley attack on Shui Clan?"

I nodded as even I heard about that battle when Hong people were talking about it. As it was obvious his brother died in that vicious battle, I said "it is a nice flower," changing the topic.

Annoying smiled softly while looking at the flower. "In Mu, we have Liverleaf but their petals are blue. When Mu Ling returned to the clan, he told me about violet-blue Liverleaf. He even dried one and brought it for me."

"You are here because of him, right?" I asked, but I already knew the answer. Even though we weren't close, I could see how different he was from the others. His gushing kindness, strong sense of responsibility and overwhelming wish to help everyone were too good for this place, too selfless. He didn't belong here, but he chose to be here for his brother's sake.

"I am too old for this competition, right?" Annoying answered me indirectly with a smile which didn't reach his eyes.

"No" was my resolute answer, "not too old, but too good."

Hearing my words, Annoying was flustered, a slight blush spread on his pale face. "Thank you," he mumbled at the end, "and sorry for bothering you with my personal matters."

I shook my head, hoping he would understand that I meant 'it is okay'. It was the first time someone other than my mother talked with me normally without accusing or taunting me as if I was a normal person. It felt so good that his apology was really unnecessary. With the warm feeling invading my cold heart, I stood up to do the work before I started to cry, but Annoying stopped me.

Standing in front of me, he reached me the flower he was holding, "it is good to have you here."

I stood there frozen with the flower in my hand, not knowing how to respond. Luckily, Annoying didn't wait for an answer as he grabbed his axe and moved forward. Behind him, I tucked the Liverleaf into my sleeve carefully and followed him.

With my beyond-human strength, I compensated for the time we lost easily and we even finished faster than usual. After we collected all the woods together in two bundles, I gestured at Annoying to follow me to a clearance.

"What's going on?" Annoying asked as I stopped walking.

"I will teach you the move which the old guy IV taught us," I said nonchalantly.

"What?!" he exclaimed, "are you serious?"

I nodded firmly, my hands on my waist, "I know the move better than anyone, though it is nothing special. So, do you want to learn?" I asked, contrasting my usual cold attitude. Indeed, I already crushed that attitude in front of Annoying a few times, so adding another instance didn't seem so bad.

Annoying blinked a few times with shock, but when he processed my words, he clapped his hands with a lovely smile. "Of course I want to learn," he said blithely, but then he got serious, "but is it okay with you? I am your rival, you know."

I rolled my eyes in the face of his unnecessary concern, "you can't beat me with that boring move, so no need to worry," I reassured him and he beamed.

I have to say that Annoying was quite a talent; he learnt the move only in two incense sticks of time. When we were done, he bowed his head towards me as he thanked me.

It was a nice feeling to help someone and earn his genuine appreciation. Still, keeping my cool, I just mumbled "it is nothing."

"No, it is something. Although I upset you with my careless and rude words that day, you were so nice to teach your rival. Therefore, don't say it is nothing."

Was he for real? Could I be this lucky to meet a jewel like him?