The sun seemed to dangle across the sky faster than ever. It didn't allow y/n or Hae Won to entirely brace themselves for what was to come. Although they knew how greatly and wrongly the situation could go, neither of them saw an escapable rat hole in which they could sneak off into.
There was only one thing holding y/n back and that was Master Hak Kun. In the short span of time he had welcomed her into his home, he had done so much more than her family had her entire life. It was mesmerizing and so kind from his heart to hers. It was wrong from her part to do that to him, but there was going to be serious consequences if she didn't go.
If she didn't go, Ban Ryu's suspicions would be confirmed and her life and Master Hak Kun's would be endangered.
"Remember," Hae Won said adjusting a headband over y/n's forehead, "all you have to do is show up and be with Areum."
"I know." Y/n said trying to swallow down the nerves that were eating her alive.
Both of the girls nodded at each other and left through the back of the house. Y/n nearly landed over Areum as they rushed out. He was standing outside. Hae Won came right behind y/n and immediately regretted it. Areum looked from Hae Won to y/n with a stunned expression that very much conveyed how surprised he was.
Y/n pointed at Hae Won and laughed. "Areum, this is Hae Won." However, Areum's expression turned from confused to his usual sour, tight face. "I know who she is. Her and my sister are really close." Y/n swallowed hard. After so many days of pretending to be Hyo, she could never truly fake it in front of Areum. "I thought you knew that I knew her." Areum said raising an eyebrow. Y/n bit the inside of her cheek and blinked, pretending to be thoughtful.
"I've been away for so long it's messing with my head. Ah," y/n said turning her back to Areum and facing Hae Won completely, "I won't be able to walk you home, Hae Won. Sorry for my disrespect." Y/n said bowing and making her a face to disappear quickly. Hae Won smiled and shook her head.
"No worries, Hyo. I'll take my leave then," she said bowing at Hyo. "Areum, before I leave, is there...is there any news from her?" Hae Won said making her eyes teary and her expression hurt. Areum pressed his lips into a thin line and shook his head. Although the other day he had looked lifeless, in that very moment he seemed like he had been swapped with a shiner, healthier, and more human-version of himself. The bags under his eyes had been treated and his hair wasn't a bird's nest anymore. Areum had returned to being his old, blunt self.
Hae Won bowed and turned around. Watching her go made y/n worried, but she knew her home was close to Master Hak Kun's. With her hands behind her back, a detail Master Hak Kun suggested, y/n turned to look at Areum and shook her head.
"Are you sure we should go?" Y/n asked, testing Areum's thoughts. Areum immediately nodded. "We must go."
Y/n nodded and together, they began making their way to Najeong. Before they could entirely dissapear into the dark path to Najeong, y/n turned around and faced Master Hak Kun's home. She deeply bowed and whispered the words, "I'm sorry."
The way to Najeong was dark but neither y/n or Areum were afraid. They had each other, even if Areum was oblivious to her true identity. In a way, she felt guilty for tricking Areum like that. He trusted it was Hyo beside him, his childhood bestfriend, but in reality, it was his lost sister whom he had looked lifeless for.
"Hyo, where exactly did you go all those years ago?"
Y/n tensed up yet didn't allow for the tension to reach her face. She kept her eyes straight ahead and stretched the silence after Areum's question. Master Hak Kun had sent his son Kang Hyo away because he was afraid the Empress would harm him because of his Sacred Bone status. Hyo was never sick or sent to train anywhere outside of Silla. Nor had he been sent with other family members.
"Father wanted me to grow away from Silla for the rest of my childhood because he didn't want for me to be affected by my mother's death."
Areum stopped walking and turned to look at y/n with hurt eyes. Of course, the entire Capital had heard about Master Hak Kun's wife passing away. The Kang residency had been a deep sorrow since then. It made sense for Master Hak Kun to send Hyo away to grow up away from all that suffering.
Y/n stopped walking and turned to look at Areum. She smiled at him.
"Areum, don't look at me with pity. I'm fine now. Father found a good place for me. I trained and played ball. Although I was alone, it wasn't so bad. I'm here now and I can see all of you again."
Areum nodded and strolled beside y/n. For the first time in a long time, Areum laughed and shook his head.
"You know, there is something that I have been wanting to tell you, Hyo."
A knot tangled in the center of y/n's stomach.
"Think all you want, but I think the universe is toying with me. One day my sister is here and you're lost, and the next she's gone and you're here." Areum says letting out a laugh that echoed with pain. He looked no different than a mentally exhausted person.
"And I don't if it's because I've been looking for her in every passing face in the street or because I miss her, but every time I look at you, you remind me so much of her. In a way, you look terrifyingly similar to my sister."
Y/n choked up a laugh and shook her head.
"You really do miss your sister, pal. That's okay. After this Najeong thing, I promise we'll find her together, alright?"
Areum nodded in agreement. Y/n nodded as well and began to walk ahead. Seeing her cruel brother turn to soft clay before her was abnormal and insightful. It tug at the tissues of her heart and made her bleed out. She never knew she meant that much to him. All her life she had been treated as burden and insignificant sibling, but seeing Areum hitting a breaking point because of her disappearance was petrifying and conscience eating.
As they both walked closer to Najeong, y/n saw a bunch of figures shuffling in the dark ahead of them. Areum spotted them as well. Y/n and him exchanged a look and approached the place with caution and stealth steps. The closer they got, the more they were able to tell what the figures were.
It was none other than Soo Ho, Dan Se, and his brother Han Sung. They were all standing near on the side of the dirt road. Soo Ho was pacing back in forth with his arms crossed. Every bit of nerves clearly being displayed.
"It's them," Areum said beginning to make his way to them.
Y/n clenched her fists and hesitated to move forward. Was she really going to do it? Najeong...at night? Was that really the wise thing to do? Was there any other way to protect her identity and not raise suspicions? Even as she asked herself the questions, she knew that even if there was another way, there was no time to conjure up one.
She quickly caught up to Areum and the others. When Soo Ho saw her, his eyes lit up with surprise and a grin crumbled his concern.
"Hyo! I didn't you'd actually come considering how restrained you normally are." Soo Ho commented.
"Are you really going to do this?" Y/n asked with a friendly smirk.
Soo Ho lifted his chin and broadened his shoulders making him seem more masculine.
"I won't tolerate anyone stepping over me. Ban Ryu has asked for my fist and I should give it to him."
He turned to the direction that would led them to Najeong and began making his way there. They all began to follow him to the temple. As they walked there, Han Sung approached y/n and chuckled. His aura was unique from the rest. It was soft and innocent, like a mindless child. Y/n looked at him and smiled with a nod.
"Hyo, I know you probably don't remember me much since you we never really met when we were kids, but I did meet your mom often. Your mom and my mom were really close, so I would often be at your house."
Y/n blinked surprised at the information. It seemed that the more she spent time with the boys, the more she learned about Hyo. Everyone's experience with Hyo was different. Ban Ryu disliked him to death. Soo Ho loved him. Areum appreciated and trusted him.
"Anyway, I'm sorry about your mom. I really missed going to your house. I stop by often to see Master Hak Kun. It really surprised me to hear you were back. One day you were gone and the next, bam! You came back."
Dan Se, who walks ahead of y/n and Han Sung, turns around and hisses at him. Han Sung nods understanding while holding in a bubbly laugh.
"He's my brother, Dan Se."
"You two are very close. Everywhere he goes, he takes you with him."
"He's very overprotective of me. He doesn't let me go alone anywhere." Han Sung says crossing his arms, however, the soft smile remains on his face.
Y/n definitely understood what he meant. Areum was always like that with her.
Once they reached Najeong, everything went silent. Everyone followed each other's steps. Soo Ho led all of them followed by Areum and Danse; leaving y/n and Han Sung at the end.
"Keep your eyes sharp," Soo Ho whispered.
"Do you think it was a good idea to come out first?" Dan Se asked.
Soo Ho stopped in his tracks and stomped his foot on the porch of the temple.
"Ugh. You're right. Why didn't I ask him to come first? How annoying."
"That's not the only thing you did wrong. You asked to come to Najeong, out of all places, at night." Areum said with his flat voice and crossed arms.
"He invited me, but you're right. " Soo Ho said rolling his eyes.
When they all faced the front yard of the temple, they saw that Ban Ryu and his group were making their way to the temple. Soo Ho scoffed and approached them. Everyone trailed after him. Y/n had to pull Han Sung along in the process.
The two groups of young men faced each other. Ban Ryu, like always, looked stern and as stiff as a log. Whilst Soo Ho looked relaxed and filled with charisma. Two opposing personalities.
"You're late." Ban Ryu said.
"You were early," Soo Ho remarked.
"I am surprised you have the nerve to com here."
"Ha. You stole the words from my mouth. Make sure you clench your teeth." Soo Ho said with a minor growl.
"You're handwriting is terrible but you're so confident about your fist?" Ban Ryu said with a snort.
Everyone on his side began to laugh.
"How dare you insult my handwriting? Look at your hand, it's shaking." Soo Ho said with a smirk.
"What?"
"Let's make this short and sweet." Soo Ho said shaking his arms and rolling his neck.
Y/n's blood dropped to her feet. Areum and Dan Se rolled their wrists as well preparing for the inevitable fight. Y/n bit her lip nervously and turned to look at Han Sung. His gaze was focused on the other group and his eyebrows were drawn, yet y/n couldn't take him serious.
Was she really going to fight against the boys on the other side? There was no way out. Soo Ho and Ban Ryu launched at each other leading the other boys to do the same. One boy on the other side quickly approached y/n. He threw a punch as her which she easily avoided. All those years of watching Areum train really came in handy. Not to mention her constant training with Master Hak Kun.
Each of the moves the other boy tried on her were predictable. He aimed for easy targets such as the face which were easy to avoid. Y/n tried not to hurt him and only aimed for defense. As she battled her duel, she turned to look at Han Sung. The poor thing was being torn to piesces. Y/n centered all her energy on one of her legs and kicked the other boy in the center. The boy flew six feet away from her and landed harshly on his back.
Y/n then ran to help Han Sung. Just as Han Sung was about to receive another punch on his face. Y/n kicked the other boy's and with her body, she shielded Han Sung away. Just as they were about to resume the duel, flaming torches held by men in soldier suits surrounded all of them. All of the boys froze in place staring the soldiers with wide eyes.
A cold shiver ran down y/n's spine. It was about to be a chaos.
"You have insulted the sacred Najeong. Arrest the law-breakers!" One of the commanded allowing for all the soldiers to run to the boys.
Y/n and Han Sung exchanged looks before being grabbed ruthlessly. All of the boys, including y/n were captured.
Her heart crushed against her chest. Her hands shook with fear. All she could think of was Master Hak Kun and his heavy disappointment. She had messed up and there was no turning back.