TEDNCGUH 22

Chapter : 22

“Hm?”

Yang Uijun’s eyes widened at the unexpected sight.

Soon, his cool gaze curved into a smile so beautiful anyone would be mesmerized by it.

He swung the Blood Jade in his hand widely from left to right.

Whoosh! Whish!

After doing that a couple of times—

“You….”

Across from him, Tak Musung—whose eyes had been following the movement of the Blood Jade as if spellbound—finally realized he was being toyed with, and his voice turned dark.

“Kek!”

Yang Uijun burst into a mischievous laugh, lifting his chin arrogantly as if to say, So what?

But when Tak Musung’s stiff expression didn’t soften, he clicked his tongue and adjusted the hair ornament made from the Blood Jade.

Tak. The lid of the box snapped shut, and as the red glow faded, Tak Musung let out a long breath.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he held out his hand toward Yang Uijun.

“Huh?”

Yang Uijun blinked in confusion, and Tak Musung crooked his finger.

Following the direction he pointed, Yang Uijun realized he meant the box in his hand.

“Wow—are you trying to snatch this so you can deliver it to Yeonhwa yourself and take all the credit?”

Yang Uijun asked incredulously.

Still… considering how much Tak Musung had fussed over Yeonhwa’s marriage partner—throwing a fit because he didn’t like it… and then running around like a madman stirring up trouble everywhere because he felt stifled…

Watching him even go as far as hunting down vermin in frustration made Yang Uijun wonder if maybe he should just give in.

He looked back and forth between the box and his friend, then nodded as if reaching a decision.

Tak Musung stretched his hand out further, assuming it was naturally being given to him—but Yang Uijun quickly hid the box behind his back.

“Weren’t you going to give it to me?”

Tak Musung asked.

“When did I say that?” Yang Uijun jumped. “No matter how I look at it, I think it’s better if I keep it and give it to her myself.”

Judging by the exaggerated tone, half of it sounded like a joke.

…Which meant the other half was sincere—and that much honesty was rare coming from Yang Uijun.

Seeing Tak Musung’s surprised expression, Yang Uijun explained.

“When I arrived at the Murim Alliance recently, Yeonhwa didn’t even come out to greet me. Hwan spends most of his time at the Alliance, and you—no matter how busy you are traveling between battlefronts—you always stop by to see her and spend time together.”

But since he himself disappeared for long stretches whenever he left, he felt like he’d grown distant from Yeonhwa.

“It’s not that I was upset or anything. It’s just… you know how well Yeonhwa used to follow me around? I feel bad for not taking care of her all this time. Thinking about how hurt she must’ve been… it bothers me.”

“Ha!”

Tak Musung twisted his lips.

The usual fierce look on his face softened into a mocking smile, and instead of looking threatening, his naturally handsome, masculine features stood out.

It was dangerously attractive—but there was only one person present bold enough to look at his face like that, and that person wasn’t the least bit impressed.

“What are you sneering at? As her only older brother figure, I should at least do this much for her.”

Yang Uijun jerked his chin toward Tak Musung.

The gesture seemed to carry the unspoken words, Unlike you.

Tak Musung roughly swept back his disheveled hair.

“I….”

He started to speak but glanced back at Changhee.

Already uneasy watching the two leaders of Samryeong acting like ordinary friends their age, Changhee quickly dismissed the others and disappeared himself.

Left alone together, Tak Musung asked Yang Uijun:

“Did I not treat her like a younger sister?”

Yang Uijun stroked his chin, wearing a rare, awkward expression.

His hesitation alone was practically an answer.

Tak Musung looked confused.

“Then what is she to me?”

“…….”

Yang Uijun’s silence dragged on.

If he couldn’t answer that, it was even harder to imagine what Tak Musung might be to her.

“Forget it. Let’s go inside.”

As Tak Musung shook his head and walked past, Yang Uijun held out the box.

“Want to take it?”

Tak Musung looked down at it quietly—then turned his head away.

It was too beautiful to ruin.

He walked off empty-handed.

Yang Uijun clutched the box tightly and groaned.

“Ugh.”

This was all because of Moyong Yunhwan!

“Hwan, Hwan, Yunhwan—what are you going to do now?”

Yang Uijun hated complicated headaches more than anything.

“You said you had something to tell me?”

“Yeah, you schemer!”

“Bored of picking fights with Musung now?”

Moyong Yunhwan replied lazily, and Yang Uijun pounded his chest with his fist—just for show, of course.

That was how frustrated he felt.

Understanding the hint, Moyong Yunhwan poured him a cup of cold liquor.

“What happened? I heard you ran into Musung earlier while you were out for some air.”

Given their status, even a chance meeting between friends was treated like urgent news—and since it happened in the Murim Alliance’s front yard, there was no way he wouldn’t know.

After taking a sip, Yang Uijun slammed the cup down.

“What are you going to do about this? You’re the one who kept telling Musung that Yeonhwa is just his little sister—that he’s only responsible for her as an older brother!”

“So what about it?”

“What do you mean ‘so what’?! We knew something was wrong with Musung!”

“And? Musung is doing everything just fine.”

“As a warrior, yes!”

But as a person named Tak Musung—he’s a disaster!

Yang Uijun continued anxiously.

“How is it normal that he doesn’t even realize his own feelings have changed—and thinks he’ll lose Yeonhwa if he stops playing the older brother role?”

When they first met, Tak Musung had been so socially inept he didn’t even understand that relationships required effort.

Even considering that he grew up in the brutal Lang’a Sect—formed by the roughest wanderers in the martial world—and was the only child raised there, his condition had been severe.

If Namgung Seonyu hadn’t kept approaching him without hesitation and later introduced him to her friends Moyong Yunhwan and Yang Uijun, the four of them might never have become connected.

The process of them growing into true friends had been anything but smooth.

If Namgung Seonyu had lived, perhaps one day Tak Musung would have learned to understand human emotions properly—but reality was different.

She died.

Four close friends became three.

And the empty space she left behind was filled by a young girl.

Small, fragile, stubborn despite crying easily… the first adorable being he had ever encountered.

Tak Musung met someone who needed his affection before he had even learned what emotions truly were, leaving him even more confused.

Though strong enough never to need help and contemptuous of showing weakness, he still had no choice but to seek advice.

So he turned to his closest friend—Moyong Yunhwan.

Naturally, Yunhwan’s advice had been rational.

The unpredictable variable named Tak Musung couldn’t be allowed to become consumed by Namgung Yeonhwa and forget Samryeong’s greater cause or shake the Murim Alliance’s foundation.

Moyong Yunhwan poured himself a drink and took a sip.

“At the time, that was the best option. Even if I went back, I’d do the same. The only regret is that there wasn’t a more certain method. I assumed you agreed since you stayed silent—even though I thought you probably knew.”

Yang Uijun scratched his cheek and sank back into his chair.

“Yeah… I did know. I just thought things would work themselves out. Didn’t expect it to blow up like this. Sigh.”

Yunhwan glanced at him.

“Are you going to talk to him?”

Without answering, Yang Uijun rested one arm on the chair and slowly spun his completely full cup.

Though the liquor swayed to the brim, not a drop spilled.

He downed it in one gulp and shrugged.

“I didn’t say anything back then—why would I now? But isn’t there some other way? Leaving Musung like this feels way too dangerous.”

“Let me think about it. If we interfere rashly and things go wrong, the fallout won’t just affect the Alliance—it could reach the frontline against the Demonic Cult immediately.”

Yunhwan’s face hardened, his eyes flashing with resolve.

Seeing that, a chill crept into Yang Uijun’s chest.

…Wait.

A sudden thought slipped out.

“Did Musung’s feelings start changing long before now? You knew that… and that’s why you rushed Yeonhwa’s marriage under other excuses?”

Even when restricted to the ‘older brother’ role, Musung’s obsession with Yeonhwa had been immense.

If that restraint disappeared—or his role changed—things would spiral out of control.

So Yunhwan had drawn a firm line in advance, just like before!

“I seriously hate headaches, but the two of you—my so-called friends—honestly!”

Yang Uijun grumbled, then shouted:

“Forget it! What’s the point of hearing your answer? If you say yes, it’s uncomfortable; if you say no, I’ll still be suspicious! Enough—let’s go see Yeonyeong! You’re not escaping today, Hwan! You’re hanging out with me till the end!”

At the mention of Yeonyeong, Moyong Yunhwan’s face twisted in irritation.

He was already sick of hearing that name.

Maybe he should just destroy Geumhwanru so that idiot would finally come to his senses.

Unaware of Yunhwan’s thoughts, Yang Uijun sprang to his feet, slung an arm around his shoulders, and dragged him away.