Metamorphosis

9.Joong-gil : I'll keep you by my side, to tame you

It was rolla coaster yesterday. Ryeon mindfully walked to the training court, arriving earlier to quieten her emotions. The clouds were fishsacles silver against the blue sky. It was soothing.

He was coming. Next to him was a woman.

Ryeon gave him bow.

"Goo Ryeon. This is your mentor, Sung MinYee."

"Ms Sung. I am new here, honestly appreciate your guidance." She turned towards her to give a bow.

MinYee's eyes, the ordinary Joseon hooked ones, expressed sceptism, but Ryeon saw them instantly turned into fancy pairs when looking at leader Park. This broke her inner sense of tranquility.

" Are you ready to show us your archery? " Joong-gil indicated.

Ryeon loaded an arrow by placing it across the middle of the bow. She held the bow at its center with one hand and pulled back the arrow and the bowstring with the other. She aimed the shot at the archery target 100 meters away. She released the draw to fly the arrow.

She was professional, Joong-gil appreciated in his heart.

"What about the dagger?"

" The distance is too far for me to hit the target." Joong-gil nodded to permit her walking towards the archery target by 60 meters. By means of spin technique, Ryeon threw the dagger to hit. It was a nice throw.

MinYee kept up the pretense by adding comment ," You could improve with more practice. "

Joong-gil walked towards Ryeon, standing at an arm distance, " Punch with your strongest fist, towards my chest." Seeing her eyebrows scrowed, he added impatiently, " I am going to show you skills of physical defenses."

Ryeon was transfixed, hypnotically voicelessly speaking to herself, "He is Leader Park! Ryeon, not your past spouse. Calm down!"

"Punch!" He uttered through clinched teeth.

MinYee was thrilled by her beauty. She was extraordinary, stunning. The little mole on her nose made her a little bit sexy. Seeing her not responding, she seized the chance, "Sir, let me demonstrate, may I?"

Joong-gil punched to MinYee 's left. She stepped back to make 90 degree turn to escape the punch. Joong-gil quickly punched with the other fist. She caught his arm to pivot his armpit on her right shoulder to flip him over.

"Have I done too much? Sorry, Sir!" MinYee showed her pride by touching her button cute nose, and sheepishly apologized.

"Good work." Joong-gil stood up, got fidgety - rubbing his ear with fingers. Ryeon noticed and startled, this same petty trick she did to her spouse whenever they rolled over on the floor.

"MinYee, I believe that Goo Ryeon can learn a lot from you. Please design a training program for her. I now entrust this novice to you."

"It's my pleasure." sound complacent.

Ryeon exhaled her sense of relief, feeling gratefully saved by MinYee.

*********
In coming schedules, Ryeon arrived at the training court in time, to wait for MinYee. She did show up, but getting increasingly late times after times. MinYee was instead interested in her life in Hell, intended to pry into her secrets. Ryeon tactfully diverted her inquiry, alleging that she did not want to revive the sadness to upset the training.

All MinYee did during the sessions was lecturing, without giving any demonstration or practices.

In the fifth session. Joong-gil secretly appeared, only to find Ryeon alone. She was wielding a wooden stick, practising long sword play. She replayed every movement she remembered her spouse taught in the past. The moments they practised together were so charming and memorable.

She looked so mesmerized that Joong-gil wanted to interrupt.

He wielded his stick at her. Her reflects drove her to defend. Having seen him clearly , she dropped hers, mouth was wide open,"Leader Park!"

"Pick it up, practised with me."

"No, Sir!" She definitely didn't want to revive those lovely moments that was easily triggered by this same face, to mistaken him as hers.

"DO it!" Joong-gil continued the menacing attack. Ryeon just retreated, using her forearms to block the strokes.

"Pick it up to counter attack, otherwise, you will get hurt." When he found his order not taken again and again, he was infuriated. I wanted to uncover you, to reveal what you are hiding from- this line was repeating itself in his mind.

His strokes were all over her arms, shoulders and waist.

Ryeon knelt, dropped her arms, whimpered, weeping heavily. MinYee ran to stop, to save them from the chaos.

Joong-gil was panting, strenuously threw, almost broke the stick, " Send her to the medic and come back to my office! Quick."

The next day, Ryeon was summoned to his office.

"Why?" Joong-gil interrogated.

"No particular reason! I think I don't deserve you practicing with me." Still feeling wretched, Ryeon equivocated.

It was her pretense. Joong-gil read it. He started to feel crammed full of energy to corner her.

He pushed towards her a book on the table, sort of instruction manual.

" I reckon you enjoy self-learning. "

When Ryeon touched the book with swollen redden fingers, Joong-gil grasped hold of her upper arm, and shoved up the sleeves to expose her forearm. There were bruises all over.

"You didn't get treatment? " He was concerned, his heart wrenched because these wounds were inflicted by him.

Ryeon flinged her arm, " Don't blame Ms Sung. I decided not to because this was not necessary."

"Not necessary? Do you know what you are saying to me?"

"I was wont to all kind of pain in Hell."

"Humm.... I think you were previlged there.!"

"That is a demeaning judgement. " Ryeon fearlessly looked into his eyes, in a way to study him, to find out the difference between the man sharing the same face with her loved one.

"Yeah! He is not HIM! Definitely not. " Her mind talked to her.

Joong-gil felt negated by her eyes, she was showing that he was not worthy. The generalized pressure this woman was giving him. He started to question about himself. First experience of self-doubt ever since he was in Jumadeung.

"Then, we are on the same page. No previlge here. "

"Absolutely! What about respect? Do you have here?" Ryeon didn't give in.

"And you have over there?"

"Even Hades won't be that arrogant!" she murmured.

Joong-gil heard her mentioned Hades, he confronted, "It appears his place is better for you!"

Ryeon moved her eyes away from him, stared at the book in her hand.

"Listen! I'll keep you by my side, to tame you." Speaking from the desire to snatch her away from Hell.