Hwarang: Past Memories

Chapter 14: Truth

Soo-ho was in a strange state of fuming anger and almost peaceful bliss at their encounter. 

On one hand, his mind kept replaying the sight of the marred bruise on Yu-ri's arm over and over again.

The bruise, no doubt ugly in color now, which was the size of someone's hand, really shook him up. 

He had some concerns when she was announced the Hwarang archery tutor but she was supposed to be safe within these walls; she was supposed to be safe and guarded amongst Hwarang. Who in their right mind would hurt a woman? Who would hurt her?

He briefly flashed to the words of the one man he had attacked. He had said some nasty things about Yu-ri, but words were one thing and actions were another...

He huffed angrily. He made a mental note to keep a closer eye on him just in case his suspicions were rooted in some truth. But he knew one thing, this would not repeat itself. Even if he had to go through every single Hwarang soldier and guard to interrogate them, he would. To protect Yu-ri he would. 

He couldn't protect her from his careless and hurtful actions before, but he could damn well protect her from others now, even if from afar. 

On the other hand, he thought of her words. Her thanks had soothed him in ways he didn't think possible. There was no cruelty or bite to her words that time... He thought of the way she nervously stood and how her lovely eyes moved about... For a second she looked like she did when they were younger, nervous and bashful under his stare... The sight alone sent a strange fluttering feeling in his stomach. 

Perhaps they were slowly making peace with each other. Could he dare hope they'd become cordial? Even friendly? He wouldn't dare dream of further, however. He wasn't dumb or blind. He knew time healed wounds, but it couldn't erase scars. 

Right now what matter was Yu-ri, what she wanted, and keeping her safe. 

He prayed she listened to his words and decided to let someone who hurt her... This was one incident and hopefully the only one, but what if something worst happened? 

He wouldn't let it.

-

I could feel Ah-ro's eyes questioning looks from behind me. 

Once Soo-ho had retreated I could barely breathe. I went on autopilot and began to just fiddle around with cleaning Jin-a's toys. Truthfully, they weren't even messy much but I just had to distract myself. 

What was that?! 

Soo-ho's eyes had been burning when he confronted me on the wound I received. I could still recall their intensity, it could've given fire a competition... His eyes were firey, his nostrils flaring, I knew that expression. I had only seen it a handful of times over the years but he was very upset; murderous almost. 

Had seeing someone hurt made him that mad? Why? Because I was a woman? A mother? Someone he knew? Yeo-wool's sister? Or... because I was Yu-ri? 

My head shook violently. 

Nope. No. We are not entertaining that last thought. Nope. 

The motivation behind his actions had little care in my mind... I should be focusing on what had happened earlier before. That jerk. I didn't want to make a big scene, but I knew that I should tell someone... But my stubborn pride was high. I didn't want to seem weak or in need of protection. I had spent so much of my life protected behind my True Bone family and the safety of the Capital, catered to and cared for carefully... Then I was forced out into the cruel world to fend for myself; no immediate family, no home in the capital anymore. It nearly destroyed me but it also made me realize how naive and fragile I had been.