LOSE MY BREATH

LMB 17

17: Adventure.

Winter arrived in the Geumgangsan like its own disciples; slowly, gracefully and very pure in its whiteness. Jisung, who had only seen significant amounts of snow, felt as if the world had become even more fantastical than before.

Who would have thought that, among cultivators flying on swords and monster serpents killing villagers, a simple snowfall would cause his eyes to widen the most?

"Minho, do you think it will melt?"

"Mn. It will not melt," Minho said.

"That's what I thought." Jisung pressed his nose into the round window, excitedly. "I'm going to hit old man Jinyoung with a snowball."

Minho sighed. "Please refrain."

Chan, clearly more amused than his brother, cleared his throat. "Jisung, if you would take a seat."

He leaped from the window to his seat, still excited about the tricks he could perform with his spiritual energy. Minho obviously thought it was very improper to jump around in the residence, but he rarely chastised him about it.

"Hyung." Minho said, and then didn't continue, because most of the time the two could silently communicate whole conversations with one or two looks.

Jisung thought about the idea on glancing at Hyunjin meaningfully to relay a message. He would probably gasp and check Jisung's temperature before hysterically running around with a loud scream for no apparent reason, which was a kind of message back, but perhaps not comparable.

Chan pulled out a scroll from his sleeve, spreading it onto the table. "This is a formal invitation from the Wjin. It seems the sect leader's wife is pregnant, and they're planning to hold celebrations soon."

"Oh, I love this world." Jisung said immediately, clasping his hands together. "I bet they just make up reasons to throw a party so that they can spend their money, right?"

Chan looked amused. "The Wjins are certainly wealthy. They frequently host banquets where cultivators from various sects can meet.

"Ha... banquets, I see." Jisung repeated, unimpressed.

Jisung was overjoyed when the Lee clan hosted a banquet a few weeks ago. Sadly, he had overlooked the fact that he had wandered into the most absurdly rigid sect in existence. There was no alcohol, no conversation, and the food was terrible.

It lasted several hours. Thankfully, Minho caught Jisung's entire facial journey and sensed his distress. After a hint of chili from Minho's spices pouch -which Jisung doesn't why a person who is not intereted in spicy food- would carry around. Thank to him, the food wasn't so bad anymore, bu the rest of it absolutely was.

"Not like ours," Minho said, instantly cheering up Jisung.

"Banquets! How extravagant or how understated are the Wjins?"

"Ah... well. Their style tends to lean rather...excessive." This coming from Chan, politeness personified, told Jisung everything he needed to know.

"Ha, knew it. There are only two types of rich people." Jisung stated. "So, there's going to be a party at the Wjins' house? Sounds amazing! Minho, can we go?"

Minho, who would rather cut off his own legs than spend any additional time socializing with his peers, gave Jisung a desert-dry look.

"This is what I meant to ask of you, actually." Chan said. His brother turned to him, betrayed. "A sect leader from Kim clan is visiting here during the time of the celebrations, so I cannot leave myself. Uncle despises these banquets, and sending anyone of lower rank would seem insulting."

"Yes!" Jisung said, grinning brightly. "We'll do it, absolutely!"

Minho sighed, ever-enduring. "Mn."

"This is going to be so great, Minho! Rich people parties are so bad! I had to attend so many of them as a child, and it was so boring I inevitably did something bad." Jisung said. "One time I melted an ice sculpture that cost more than the house."

"Ice sculpture?" said Chan, who seemed to find the thought fascinating.

"Well, you have no idea what kind of nonsense people who are not bound by three thousand rules like you guys spend their money on."

Jisung recalled the occasion when his foster mother had changed all of the doorknobs in the home rather than just the one that had been damaged. He had been somewhat resentful since that one month in college when there was only one week until his paycheck and there was nothing in his bank account.

"Anyway, I used to hate rich people's parties, but now that I am an adult, I love them so much!" Jisung grinned. "You can do so many things there. Like, drink the free alcohol. Act as though you know someone, then watch them wince because they cannot bring themselves to ask you by not knowing your name. Cause a scene. That kind of stuff."

"While I am sure those are all, ah, perfectly entertaining things to do..." Chan started.

Minho cut in; "Jisung. Do not cause a scene."

"Of course not! I'm not going to embarrass your clan by association." he said. "It's about the free alcohol, Minho. It's expensive in the modern world. Less expensive than therapy, though, ha!"

"What is therapy?"

"Uuh, you talk to a professional...mind...expert, who tells you what's wrong with your head and how to fix it. Or, like, deal with it.

Yeji had tried to get Jisung to go as she beleived in it, but as established, it wasn't cheap. Besides, Jisung was doing good.

He made an effort to ignore the final few weeks leading up to his impromptu reality trip. How tense he had been; to the extent of nearly losing it.

Here, in the Geumgangsan, he was surrounded by snowfall and Minho's sandalwood scent. Here, his soul had started to piece itself together, a little.

"Ah. I see." said Chan, like the polite person he was. "Therapy helps with sorrows like alcohol numbs them?"

"Exactly! But enough of that, we were talking about the party. At the Wjins'."

"Yes. You should leave in a few days to Yangling," Chan said. "Jisung should order some tailor-made new robes as soon as possible ah..."

They all looked at the tattered edges of Jisung's robes, which were clearly stained with dirt. That seemed a little unfair to him because, on most days, he looked just as sharp as the others. Only that morning he'd practiced levitating with the sword, with a slightly irregular success rate.

He had only fallen a few times before it began to snow, and he needed to find Minho to ensure he was aware of what was going on.

"It's your money." Jisung said, shrugging.

"Mn," Minho affirmed.

"Then it is settled." Chan said. "I would encourage Jisung to touch up on the etiquette in these banquets as to avoid any kind of misunderstandings. Minho, please consider de-escalating the situation in case something happens."

Jisung laughed. "We're the worst combination for the upkeep of good relations, aren't we? Don't worry, hyung. We'll keep each other in line."

Chan nodded while standing up from the table. "I have faith in you both."

They stood up with him and bowed their goodbye, then stood there watching him go. Jisung turned around to face Minho after his back had vanished into the woods, only to find the golden eyes already on him.

"So, do you want to teach me some manners?" he asked, grinning. Minho had a very amused, slightly tender expression in his eyes.

"If Jisung feels he needs it."

"It wouldn't do to offend rich people. Alright, Minho, let us begin with the bows. I know nothing about those. You also need to whisper everyone's names and titles to me, you know. The success of this entire banquet is on your shoulders. Thankfully---Minho where are you going!? Hey Minho, don't ignore me!"