Chapter Text
"My grandmother’s sister had a huge crush on the Plum Blossom Sword Saint."
Chung Myung spat out his liquor, earning several confused and disgusted looks from the other disciples. The boy quickly wiped his mouth with his sleeves and cleared his throat, as if he really had nothing to do with it.
… But the thing is, he is The Plum Blossom Sword Saint.
The young woman shot a dubious look at her guest before her eyes turned wide, and then a sympathetic look replaced it, “I see, are you uncomfortable talking about it? I mean I get it ‘cause he’s a great master from your sect, you might–”
“No no wait!”
Chung Myung interfered abruptly, causing curiosity to stir up among the people in the gathering, his comrades, and the lady who generously let them stay inside her abode. Nonetheless, it didn’t matter to him because he wasn’t focusing on their reaction, rather, he was astonished.
… No wait a minute, he is the renowned Plum Blossom Sword Saint so having fans shouldn’t be that surprising! He fought wars, became prominent within the premises of the entire China, is one of the strongest men in the world, and was a valiant warrior from the great Mount Hua sect who defeated the Demon Cult’s leader.
Isn’t that something highly applaudable?! Chung Myung’s once confused and shocked face contorted into a smug one, and the other disciples shivered.
His red eyes shone and wore a weird facial expression just as he always do.
“Sooo…” He leaned closer to the girl who sat down across from him, “What did your grandmother say about the Plum Blossom Sword Saint?”
“U-uh…”
“Yah, don’t be shy! It’s not like we’re the Plum Blossom Sword Saint you know! Feel free to tell us about it all. Ah, your grandmother must’ve admired him right? Of course, she would be!”
He giggled, but it was nowhere near pleasant. Baek Cheon felt sorry for the lady after witnessing how creepy his Sajil must have looked in front of her.
Grinning like an idiot and giggling as if he had something terrible to do…
…
Should they just lock him up?
They were lucky enough that the girl generously helped them, tended their wounds, and gave them meals without anything in return, showing how she was truly a generous and kind person. So it was no doubt the other disciples were very much embarrassed with how shameless their youngest comrade acted.
Gobbling and hoarding the meals… Asking for wine shamelessly… Loud voice… Cursing…
Their smiles and waves of laughter were awkward, afraid that the girl would look at them with dismay.
“O-oh, alright…” She said and gently smiled, “As I said, grandma’s sister, (name), was in love with the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. I remember how grandma would ridicule her late sister’s delirious thoughts about the said swordsman.”
“Like?”
“Remember those cliches love stories? She often daydreams about it and how dreamy he’d look in her mind.”
…
Chung Myung, for once in his life, grew quiet.
… Dreamy? That was weird, he was nowhere dreamy. If anyone were to ask him, he’d look more like the villain of the story. No matter how he looks at it, he can see himself terrorizing others than making them swoon.
“... U-uh… Is your grandmother’s sister mentally ok?”
Baek Cheon stood up abruptly, making the others flinch except Chung Myung. He instantly bowed in front of the girl.
“On behalf of my Sajil, we humbly apologize for the insult he uttered!”
Yoon Jong and Jo Gul could feel the beads of sweat slowly cascading from their forehead while Yu Iseol stood up alongside Baek Cheon and bowed without a word.
They all saw the girl’s lacking supply of food, and even the first aid kit she prepared was all used on them. They knew how much of an asshole Chung Myung was but they didn’t want an innocent passerby to become a victim of it.
“Don’t worry don’t worry! Honestly, father himself, her nephew, called her out like that when he was merely 5 years old.”
“Oooooh damn.” Chung Myung reacted as if he was the one getting hurt.
“-So she would chase him around the house! Nonetheless, she loved her nephew as if it was her own son,” The girl giggled, “Honestly, Grandma’s sister was a really funny person, it’s such a shame she didn’t marry anyone.”
Jo Gul then spoke out of curiosity, “Why?”
The girl softly smiled at him, “Perhaps because she really did love that man.”
Chung Myung was momentarily taken aback before scoffing. What love? He couldn’t see anything loveable about himself back then aside from the status he gained by simply overpowering everyone. He may have no experience in romantic relationships but he knew that love wasn’t as shallow as that woman’s so-called ‘love.’
“Oh really?” Chung Myung mockingly smirked, looking down at the girl as if she was the woman herself, “What did she like about him? His body?”
He leisurely drank the bottle.
“Well– That’s part of it too but aside from that–”
Pfft–! Kuak! Cough cough!
He spat out his drink, choking too.
“E-erm, don’t worry! That wasn’t the only part she liked about him–”
“Hold on hold on!” Chung Myung stopped her by lifting his palm in front of her, “Isn’t your grandmother a bit weird!? Wasn’t she scared the Plum Blossom Sword Saint might slice off her head!? Nuts! She’s nuts!”
Baek Cheon gritted his teeth.
“H-hey that’s too much!” The girl complained, her hands on her hips, “And besides, it’s not like he knew her anyway! All she did was admire him from afar!”
‘Se-sect leader sahyung! Is that woman there!?’
He frantically calls out in his mind.
‘You don’t beat up women but at least say something to her! Say something!’