Hwarang: Past Memories

Chapter 1: A Letter

The arrow pierced through the air and target with ease. 

I let out the breath I had been holding during my shot and smiled as it hit its mark again. 

"Perfect yet again my beloved niece. Not surprising at all." 

I turned around to see the woman who had helped me more than words could explain these past few years.

"Only because of you Auntie," I said with a smile as she handed me a cloth to clean my hands with. 

She breathed in deeply, "Psh we've been through this. I was just on the sidelines. That was all you Yu-ri. All your own strength." 

"Aniyo, you have been like a mother to me and you know that," I said smiling widely and pulling her into a hug. 

Despite her protests, she ended up hugging me back tightly and I couldn't help but feel grateful. 

"I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for you."

-

I stared out at the small pond in the back. It had quickly become one of my favorite spots to sit and reminisce over the past 3 years...   

I had changed for sure since then. Back then I had been just a naive, lovestruck child without a care in the world until I was forced to grow up and face the harshness of reality. It wasn't pretty. 

Sometimes however I was guilty of letting my mind linger... 

Did my friends still think of me? Did they wonder what happened to me? Was my brother doing well? Did Soo-ho...

"Excuse me, my lady, there is a letter that has arrived addressed to you." 

I turned toward the soft voice and saw an envelope outstretched to me, making my eyes narrow. 

"Thank you Soon-ri." I said with a small bow that she returned. 

The envelope was wrapped in a silky blue fabric and as I unfolded it, I was met the familiar handwriting of my brother. 

"Yu-ri. I hope you have been well since I last wrote. I'm sorry for the lack of letters sister, much has changed. Don't worry about your older brother however, I am always well of course! I do have to inform you however that I can't say the same for our family... Our father has passed. I know you have been unwell for a while now, but it would be nice to have you back during this time... I miss you, especially now. I hope to see you again, Yeo-wool." 

I dropped the letter next to me. 

So. Father was dead. 

I tried to cry... My own father had died after all, but no tears came. 

My last encounter with him was anything but kind and true to his word, he hadn't written to me once or even asked for me. It was as if I disappeared from his life. Or like I never even existed. 

We hadn't ever had a close relationship, but I know that Yeo-wool and he had been closer. Despite my brother's insistence that he was always well, I knew he must be hurting at least some right now. He would now be the head of our house and he'd have to take on those responsibilities on top of the ones he already had within the King's Hwarang. And he was doing it all alone.  

I hadn't even ever seen him in his Hwarang uniform. After he told me about that, I had tried to picture my handsome brother in a noble uniform riding horseback protecting the people... I had no doubt, despite his sometimes strange vanity, that he would be a wonderful Hwarang... And as much as I had wanted to go and see him, I had the strongest reason not to.