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“You’re beautiful”
There was slight movement under his fingertips where he had settled them lightly at Doyoung’s temples. At that indication of a frown, he moved to curve his slender fingers under the disciple’s jaw instead, the soft touch quick to unravel the tension that had clenched itself in the slim jaw of his counterpart.
“Are you doubting my words again, Doie?” Jaehyun asked quietly, “Would this be the first curve of potential crossroads in our friendship?”
The words were said with an air of teasing laughter. Much to his delight, the boy inclined his head ever so slightly to hide the thin lipped smile spreading on his face. Sighing, Jaehyun leaned back to continue unravelling the knots in Doyoung’s long hair with a wooden comb carefully carved into the shape of a peculiar winged butterfly.
“Jae, what were the lanterns they spoke of during the conference?”
Jaehyun shook his head, even if Doyoung couldn’t see him. It was a force of habit, as Doyoung would always turn his head at the slightest indication of being spoken to. However, that was a past they had to move on from, as being watched by a blindfolded boy did not give the same comfort as to that of a peer who could see.
“It seems a custom in this village is that they make a wish at a lake that meets the edge of the sea. Do you wish to go, although I wouldn’t be certain if we’d have a good time,” he replied, voice as gentle as his movements in braiding his closest friend’s hair, carefully tying it up in a bun. Such importance was held in the accessories of his blind friend, mainly because he could not bear the thought of him being looked down upon.
Kim Doyoung, who spoke barely above a whisper and held himself with elegance and serenity, should not be seen as anything less than who he was before just because his beautiful dark eyes were now covered with white cloth tied around his head that fell loosely to his waist. The hollow words of others would never be able to erase the fact it was Jaehyun who had witnessed the blossoming of that beauty first-hand.
“Should we have brought along the paper flowers Taeyong had crafted back home? I would hate to ruin the celebration with our presence, bloody and battered – “
“We are not bloody, nor battered, Doie” Jaehyun interrupted, his voice muffled with the pin between his lips. “We were given new clothes this morning by the inn keeper. The fabric feels the same, doesn’t it?”
He watched endearingly as Doyoung scrunched the edges of his new cultivator robes, the tips of his fingers tracing the embroidery in search for any difference from his previous robes. True, the village folk had not sold the usual robes they adorned as it seemed the village celebrated their wealth with patterns and bright colours, not bland black and white.
Their new attire still maintained their respective clan colours, Jaehyun in black and Doyoung in white, with the few additions of flowers and butterflies at their waists and rising to their shoulders. Thankfully, both of them were of the same build and it was easy for Jaehyun to find the right fit. He had also been slightly nervous being away from his counterpart, especially within a foreign village.
“Do I look good?”
Jaehyun smiled, letting out breathy laughter as he tied the last ribbon into Doyoung’s hair. He crawled in front of his friend, taking his hands within his own and squeezing. “You look ethereal. Now, do not let any negative emotions near you tonight. We can’t have your blindfold having red stains, right?”
“Surely they would mistake me for a vengeful spirit and draw swords if I ever dared to cry,” came the response, light-hearted. Doyoung raised his hands with his palms forward in search for purchase before resting on Jaehyun’s cheeks. They then wandered over to his temples, his combed back hair, and down his ponytail. He frowned.
“Are you not going to wear anything else?” he huffed, retracting his left hand to rummage within his robe before taking out a clip. It had white flowers attached, flecks of gold paint glimmering within the carefully crafted petals. “Bow down for a moment.”
Not able to deny any requests from Doyoung, he did as so and allowed the clip to be placed at his hairband.
“Did you buy it without me knowing?”
“It was a gift from the children of the village. I don’t know what colour it is, but hopefully it matches.”
It does, but it would look much better if you wore it. Accepting gifts is not of your clan’s teachings, though you cannot deny the sincere feelings of children. I know you too well.
Doyoung leaned back and made a face of worry, head moving as if inspecting his work – which was a strange sight as Doyoung could not, in fact, see. Nodding in approval, Doyoung reached for his sword to assist him in standing which was useless as Jaehyun quickly supported him to his feet, grabbing his own sword and strapping it to his back before doing the same for Doyoung.
He could feel the stiffness of Doyoung’s shoulders under his touch, no doubt feeling rather useless in doing such a simple task. Still, it wasn’t like they weren’t always reliant towards each other, whether it being fighting a local evil spirit or scrubbing each other’s backs. They were wandering cultivators, detached from their clans. The world was cold, and it was within each other that they sought for warmth.
“The sound of guqin’s has faded. There’s the pounding of drums” there was no thrill in Doyoung’s words. “Don’t let go of me.”
“Never. We can avoid anything that will cause you distress. Perhaps away from the stalls, there would be more space for us to cast our lanterns to the sky.”
Later, he had realized that the concoction of dizzying noises and hollering people could not be avoided. The crowd was not tightly packed, but still bustling with life. Children ran past their feet, almost making Doyoung stumble as he grasped Jaehyun’s hand with both his own. However, there was much beauty within the village with their bright yellow lights and glowing talismans hanging from suspended ropes.
“What does it look like Jae?”
“Like the very core of the village has illuminated the night with golden warmth. The sky is starless, shadowed by the lights of the lanterns that glow like fireflies. The stalls are carts, pinwheels and fans hanging off the edges and attracting children like bees to honey. People wear colours, matching in pairs and families, and seek out objects that are of the same symbol.”
“Then what of us? What should we seek for?”
“Butterflies and flowers. I could attempt to haggle, though that would not look kind on our part. We are short on money, though” Jaehyun looked down sadly at the pouch in his hand. “If we are to indulge tonight, breakfast tomorrow must be caught!”
Doyoung nodded, lifting his chin slightly as he caught scent of something. Almost instantly, a smile appeared on his face, one of childish delight. “I smell fish balls dipped in sweet sauce! How long has it been!”
And with that, the blind boy was the one dragging the other through the crowd, one hand outstretched to avoid bumping anyone. Jaehyun dazedly apologized as the sea of people parted to allow the mini hurricane of white robes to pass by. Whispers followed them, though Jaehyun could guess that they were more to ones of fondness than resent.
“Such a young soul, blind! How could such a thing happen?”
“Ah, I remember the good old days when I had a friend to journey with…”
“Were they not the young cultivators who helped out at the cemetery this morning? Oh, glad to see them well and happy!”
“Darling, do you think we have spare change?”
“Here!” Doyoung stopped abruptly once the area in front of him was empty. He had managed to lead the both of them to the edge of the street where a lonely seller stood, cooking fish balls on sticks over coal on a metal contraption situated on his cart. Doyoung’s voice caught his attention immediately and he coaxed them forward.
“You seem like a bright young couple. Just yesterday I thought this village would have to skip the event.” He pointed to Jaehyun’s sword, nodding his head. “Very rare to see cultivators of different clans around.”
Suddenly aware of their lack of courtesy, Doyoung hurriedly bowed in greeting with Jaehyun following suit. He wasn’t sure on how to ask for some, especially with since he wasn’t used to the etiquette of the village folk. “Could we have – “
He broke off, turning to Jaehyun who had pulled out his pouch to count the money they had. Chuckling, the seller shook his head.
“Oh, spare me the coins. That’s the least I could do for you two. Call me Johnny, by the way.” His face was an open one, like someone who had seen various despicable presentations of the world but treated it kindly, nonetheless. There was sincerity in his actions, whether it be a smile or flipping over the fish balls. “Now, as a payment, how about you tell me a story? I regard myself as a somewhat collector of tales. It seems you two have plenty?”
His last sentence was said in a tone of a question, Jaehyun instantly realizing that they’d been cued. Sure, they had their fair share of stories and tales, though not many were worth retelling. Would a finished job be regarded as a good ending? While Jaehyun was pondering, Doyoung had taken a step forward.
“Then let me tell you how I lost my eyes.”
Jaehyun blanched, looking over at his friend worriedly. Sensing this, Doyoung held up his hand to dismiss the concern. Johnny, not expecting such a sudden suggestion, leaned forward in anticipation. The gentle sounds of a pipa sounded nearby, bringing forth a solemn beginning to the tale.
“I was born with sight at birth, a single boy among my six sisters. They had always been fond of the arts, whether it be music or flower arranging or singing. Have you ever heard of the Kim clan? They were a dainty few, with loose education and found importance in self-discovery.”
Johnny nodded, now reaching for a bag to place the fish ball sticks in. “No wonder you are no less than a being walking on clouds among the familiar faces of the villagers. Upon the raze of your clan, I had thought we would no longer be able to witness the gentle glow of the Kim’s.”
With that statement, Doyoung smiled into his hand. The sight brought no negative emotions within Jaehyun. This exact scene had played out countless times, especially when he took the time to properly dress up Doyoung in the right wear. While Jaehyun was rather clumsy and insistent in his haggling, Doyoung’s smile had money spilling into their hands in split seconds. Which was also a reason Doyoung – with his strict reliance on his clan rules promoting benevolence and kindness – had worn a thin cloth over his nose and mouth to hide him face from being seen.
Jaehyun was more than happy to see him free on such constraints on his beauty. It was a blessing to witness, and he shouldn’t be selfish as to keep Doyoung to himself.
“You think highly of us, and sadly there are only few left after the…massacre. The Lee’s had taken many of us hostage, a barter to gain more profit after reducing our homes to ashes. But I was already progressively losing my sight due to illness, and had been deemed as unworthy of being sold. After further damaging my eyes, they left me behind among the wreckage to seek shelter for myself, the rest of my clan sent away on a carriage. The few who survived, that is. Mainly children.”
Sensing a presence, Jaheyun whipper around and found that a small group of people had gathered around to listen. The village must have great hearing within their genes for them to pick up such a soft-spoken conversation. Or maybe, they had been waiting for him to finish buying in the first place. Someone must have cast a talisman because the surrounding noises had suddenly become muffled.
“And you?” Johnny wondered, eyes travelling from Doyoung’s covered eyes to the edges of his lips. “What of you?”
“I was not completely blinded by then, and navigated my way with a long stick through a blurry world of barely distinguishable shapes and blobs of colours. When I finally arrived at a clan, the Jung clan, I was taken in by the side branch of the main family, one who learnt medicine. They found out about my illness and had to remove my eyes when the infection spread” with those words he reached out to Jaehyun who was by his side in a second, taking his hand gently. “So I grew up blind and became a cultivator once we were allowed to take classes in the Huang clan. Funny thing is that I met Jaehyun only after I started learning at the Rain Temple.”
Because I was afraid to approach you, Jaehyun thought fondly as he turned to collect the bags of goodies the villagers had collected for them, you were stubborn as a child, almost inconsolable but I had to follow you wherever you went, especially when you went out at night. Day and night look the same to you, and I was the one afraid.
“Such a story I could tell my children when I return. Perhaps I could also tell them the story of a deity that roamed the words with a quiet shadow trailing behind” Johnny gave a quick wink to Jaehyun before handing the bag of food to Doyoung. “May your path be easier, though I’m sure you’ll have nothing to worry about.”
There was a distant crackling, making Doyoung jump slightly before a wide smile spread on his face.
“Are those fireworks? Jaehyun, let’s go!”
With that, Jaehyun was dragged once again and the small crowd parted for them. It only lasted for a second before Jaehyun took the lead, pulling him to the side of the lake where lanterns already floated on the surface and in the sky. Rummaging through the bag, he brought out a lantern with a butterfly pattern, setting it between them.
“Where did you get it?” Doyoung asked, tone suddenly serious. Jaehyun let out a burst of laughter, shaking his head before expanding the lantern.
“The villagers are grateful, and today is a day of appreciation.” There was whistling and the night lit up with colours, the sound making a small tremor pass through them. “The fireworks!”
“What do they look like?”
“Bursts of colours in the sky, brighter than porcelain and the shiniest riches. Like flowers, opening their thin petals outwards before dissolving into sparkling dust.”
“And the lanterns?”
“Boats that carry hopes and dreams, travelling downstream until they are nothing more than specks of light. Drawings on the paper illuminated by the firelight. The ones in the sky are like faraway stars, the ones that are large and barely twinkle because they shine brighter than the others. Overlapping and sending wishes to the stars.”
“Beautiful?”
“As beautiful as a view can be” Jaehyun responded, his eyes not tearing themselves away from Doyoung even when he had spoken of their surroundings. “An ethereal view I wish would last forever.”
With that, they released their lantern with their wishes, earnest and full of hope. There were many things Jaehyun could wish for. Hope that Doyoung would meet someone from his clan one day, revenge for the downfall of the most peaceful clan or even the hope that Doyoung could see one day and wouldn’t have to rely on Jaehyun’s terrible narrations.
In the end, he wished for one thing more than the rest.
May myself, Jaehyun of the Jung clan and the bearer of the Nightingale’s Sword, forever remain as the close partner in combat and in life for Doyoung, survivor from the Kim clan.