Chapter 5
My brother and I put on the Hwarang uniforms. It felt real this time. We're finally able to get back at the Queen for all those years she hid us for. My brother and I were going through the town, waiting for the ceremony to begin. But I swear, I turned my back for one second and he was gone. "Jidwi!!!" I called for him. Yes, I didn't use his real name because I was cautious of people around us. "Ugh. Where is he?" I muttered to myself. But I couldn't spend time looking for him. I had to go to the ceremony. So I did.
While I was waiting for us to the let into where the ceremony, I recognised Suho and his friends. He saw me and waved. Then we were all let in and found the podiums with our names, mine being Kim Harin. I took my spot and looked up at all of the officials. I knew my life was going to change drastically by doing this. But I was okay with it. Anything was better than what I've gone through already. Then someone spoke up and mentioned a name I didn't expect. "I guess even the great Banryu had no choice." Banryu is here? "You said you wouldn't be the Queen's dog." Banryu was in front of the boy standing to my right. "You look good today, for a puppy." Suho told him. "That little." The boy beside me said, stepping forward. Ah, he's one of Banryu's friend. "Be quiet." Banryu ordered to him. He didn't sound too happy. The kid beside me leaned forward to Banryu to talk to him. "Just say the word. We'll drag him out and beat him up."
"Shut your mouth. And be quiet." Banryu snapped through gritted teeth. He sounded like he was becoming too fed up of the boys trying to fight his battles. And honestly, if I was to speak up on it, he seems like he can fight them himself, he doesn't need them to do it for him. Although, he is easily provoked. I don't want to be on the receiving end of that.
"So here are two factions, one for and one against the Queen. What a joke." A boy spoke up. I looked around. I looked around and noticed he was 100% right.
The Queen entered and I could feel nerves. Seeing her again has made me slightly sick to my stomach. Her eyes glanced over all of us. She hadn't seen me properly yet. I think we have to go up individually at some point to collect our own swords, so there's no doubt she'll see me when I get it.
My brother was still not here though. Where the hell is he?
One of the boys spoke up. "Who are we waiting for? Why aren't we starting?"
The same boy who noticed it was Pro Queen and Against Queen spoke up again. "I guess they're just making us stand here to make a fool out of us." I hope not. But I also doubt it, my brother is not with us and there's an empty space the other side too.
Suho was staring at the Queen and his friend spoke up. "That kind of romance only exists in fairy tales."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Suho responded. We were getting restless. And I was getting worried about him at this point.
Suddenly a man spoke up. Wihwa looked at me from afar, raising his eyebrows and I shrugged my shoulders. "Begin the appointment ceremony." If he didn't make it, I swear I was going to kill him when I saw him.
They called Master Wihwa up first. "Kim Wihwa is appointed as the leader of Hwarang!" A voice said. "I, Wihwa will follow the Queen's order and become the Poongwolju!" He responded. Then they started calling us up one by one.
Almost half of the boys went up, and then Banryu was next. Wihwa held the sword horizontally out in front of him. "I appoint Banryu as this Kingdom's Hwarang." Banryu bowed, took the sword and held it the same way as Wihwa did and spoke the line we were told to say. "I, Hwarang Banryu, accept the order." He bowed again and turned to go back to his place. He nearly stopped when he saw me but we exchanged small smiles before he turned back forward, his shy smile still a little evident.
Suho got his sword next, and a few more went before me. I walked up to Wihwa. "Where's Jidwi." Wihwa whispered. "I don't know. He disappeared on me this morning and I haven't seen him since." I looked up at the Queen and had to stop a smirk from rising on my face as I looked at her. She looked like she had seen a ghost. I could feel Banryu looking at me as I passed by. "Stop staring you'll catch flies." Suho told him. Instead of snapping at Suho, Banryu looked down at the ground, embarrassed. He had many sides to him huh...
All of us had received swords at this point. I'm actually going to kill my brother when I see him. He said he'd be here. He was with me this morning damnit. Where the hell is he. I'm getting so worried.
The must have thought the two missing boys decided to bail on it completely because they decided to finish the ceremony. The Queen stood up holding her own sword, "The ones who have received their Hwarang's swords here today are-" she was cut off by the entrance door opening and everyone stepping aside to let whoever it was in. It was the man we helped rescue the girl from the horse with, and my brother followed behind him. I was still going to kill him. I looked at the Queen and once again, she looked like she had seen a ghost.
My brother collected his sword first and came back to the spot next to me that had been empty for this entire thing. "I'm going to kill you. Do you have any idea how worried I was? I thought you bailed." I said. "I'm sorry. I'll explain later." He responded looking at me, and put a comforting hand on my shoulder.
The man got his sword too, and his name was Seonu. Finally I could call him something other than the man.
The Queen removed her sword from the case, "The Hwarang has become the Kingdom's new spirit now. The Kingdom is no longer a small nation. Also, it will become the strongest nation of the three Kingdom's." She raised her sword. "Hwarang, pledge your loyalty for the Kingdom and the Queen." We took our swords out in sync and held them in our right hand, crossing the blade over to our left shoulder. "I, as the Kingdom's servant for the Queen, pledge my loyalty." We all said in unison. We moved our swords back to our right side, pointing the tip of the blade at the ground. Everyone clapped.
Now tomorrow we were going to the Hwarang House.
Later that night, I found my brother sitting by himself. "Hey, you okay?" I asked, sitting cross-legged beside him, but facing him. "I got what I wanted, but why do I feel this way?" He asked. And I knew how he felt. "You're human. That's why. But trust me. This is going to be the best thing you've ever done." I reassured him. He smiled.
I raised my hand and slapped him on the back of the head then. "Ahh!!! What in the world was that for?" He whined, holding the back of his head. "For being stupid!! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? You just took off without telling me so when I turned around you were gone! Where did you go!!!" I asked annoyed. "Aro got taken. Seonu and I went to get her back." He answered.
"Okay. You're lucky you came out of there alive. If you didn't I would kill you." I said, looking at him, my eyes narrowed. "That doesn't make any sense." He corrected. I raised my hand again and he flinched. "Okay okay, sorry I won't do it again. Promise." He said, holding his hands up in defence.
I guess that's where I get my fearlessness from.
The walk through the town to the Hwarang House was this morning. My brother wasn't participating in it. Which means, once again he's leaving me by myself. I'm going to get him back for this. He keeps leaving me by myself. As I was walking, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I looked and it was Banryu. I was a small bit confused, but happy at the same time. "Hey." I smiled. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way, because I'm genuinely curious, and you must have some serious skill if you got in, but how did you manage to convince them to let you into Hwarang, as a woman?" He asked. I smiled, I understood the curiosity. I was still amazed at the fact that the skills I showed were enough for them to let me in. They could have easily said no even after all that. I'm not sure why they would, but they could use the excuse of me being a woman to do it. "I bullseyed some knives and arrows into a target and beat a guy twice my size in a sword fight." I replied, looking at him and smiled. "You must be talented.." He said, making me nod a bit. "Yeah, I guess I am. I learned from my brother." I replied. He smiled at my response.
We arrived at the Hwarang House. "These Hwarangs will participate in the training with a fresh mind and body and we wish them a bright future. I am Kim Wihwa, the leader of the Hwarang. A Poongwolju, I command, open the gate." Wihwa commanded. My brother had joined us eventually at the house and we walked inside together. It was pretty cool, I had to admit. There was a big courtyard in the middle, and the building went all around.
We were directed to stand at a table each. So we did. Some guy yelled "Samjanilgeol", which meant we had to drink a ridiculous amount of alcohol. I don't mean to brag, but this will be easy for my brother and I.
But they weren't glasses on the table they were like mini chalices, so there was 9 of them. We had to drink all of this then. "The first round." Wihwa yelled and we drank the first three. Some of the boys were struggling to drink it, Banryu and Suho especially. I mean, it was strong but it was fine.
My brother and I kind of looked at each other, knowing the two of us would be the only ones making it out of here on our two feet. I had a feeling the rest of them may have to be guided or dragged.
Seonu was almost on the ground by the third round, Suho and Banryu were struggling a little to stand straight.
It was quit entertaining if I'm honest. "These are doorplates." Wi Hwa announced, holding up a coloured rectangle with a string hanging off it. "The ones who draw the same colour doorplates will be roommates. Come on up and draw one each." We all went up one by one and took one. Mine was grey.
"There are no rules or order here. If you don't like your room, take someone else's. And you can take someone else's roommate. You have until sunrise tomorrow. Only the strong ones will get the room and the roommate they want." My brother and I looked at each other, both holding a grey doorplate. Yes.
Banryu and Suho have grey too. I was excited about being in a room with people I kind of knew already. It made this a little easier. All I will say is, they better let me sleep. Or I will fight someone. Only my brother knows not to wake me up. Hopefully the rest of them find out just by me telling them. I don't want them to find out why after they wake me up. It won't be pretty.
Later, when it was night time, the boys were still struggling to stand and my brother and I were looking at them all, nearly laughing. How strong was that liquor for them. Weak. I had fun watching them though. Some of them were trying to fight each other, and throwing punches but completely missing.
After some wandering around, I went to my room. There was a boy sitting on the steps of the room. The were two bunkbeds and two beds where the boy was sitting. There was someone passed out on the bed and another passed out at the leg of it on the floor. After walking further into the room I realised who they were. Suho was the one on the bed and Ban-Ryu was the one on the floor. "Hi there." The boy on the steps said, making me jump after the silence. "Hi. I'm Harin. What's your name?" I asked. "Yeoul." He replied. He was beautiful. The door of the room opened again and my brother came in, struggling because Seonu was passed out on his back. "What happened?" I asked. "Found some kids who beat him and threw him into a hole." He said, annoyed. What the...My brother looked past me and to Yeoul, and was a little taken aback. I mean, so was I when I saw him first. For a man, he was unbelievably beautiful. Like, not the beautiful I thought Banryu was, but different. It was strange. It was almost feminine. He was stunning. "What?" He asked my brother. "You've never seen a beautiful man before?" He asked, ha. I liked his confidence. We were definitely going to be friends.
My brother was staring and then snapped out of it quickly, carrying Seonu over to a bed, putting him down, and then he got up, stretching after being bent over for so long from carrying Seonu.
"Just a minute. It's grey. Does that make 6 of us? Master Kim Seub's son, Suho, Master Ho's son and Master Youngshil's stepson Banryu, Master Ahnji's son, Seonu, I am Yeoul, and you two, from nowhere, without an origin. 6....This is going to be fun. Don't you agree?"
Something about the way he said that made me think he knew something I didn't. It was going to be an eventful time in the Hwarang House, wasn't it?