HWARANG Rewritten✅

3. Seonmoon's black room

Chapter 3.
Seonmoon's black room.

 Sa-do was up early the following morning. She started to get ready for the day. Today was her last day here in this imprisoned room. She would avoid stepping foot in this place ever again if she could help it. After a quick breakfast which Jang-sik brought, she dressed up in her new Hwarang uniform.

She felt inexplicably nervous. Hwarang was for boys. Getting caught there would have repercussions. It would probably get her kicked out. She had to try and avoid that at all costs. She wasn't sure what Seonmoon held for her, but it surely had to be better than this.

Jang-sik returned after some time. "Your father will be at home today. You won't meet him during the march so don't worry," he assured her soothingly. Glancing at the warrior before him, his heart rose with pride. "You will be great. You already survived here. You can definitely endure Hwarang."

Sa-do nodded with a smile. She sure hoped so too. When it was time to leave, Sa-do gave Jang-sik a tight hug. "I am going to miss you Ahjussi."

The head servant smiled. "Look after yourself. I am so proud of you," he sniffed as he placed a kiss atop her head.

"I will." That admission oozed with so much determination, it sounded like a vow. Sa-do peeked out through her window. When the guards passed, she jumped down and ran across the grass before vaulting across the fence. She turned back to find Jang-sik partially hidden behind the curtains of her room's window and waving goodbye to her. She gave a small smile and returned the gesture before quickly leaving the place that had been imprisoning for years.

Sa-do headed towards the capital as there was a procession of Hwarang through there that day. She was near the front, next to Ban-ryu. She sighed at the irony that though he was Park Young-shil's adopted son, the two were yet strangers. It might be nice to have a brother.

When they reached the main gates of Seonmoon, Lord Wih-wa gave a short prayer before calling out, "I, the head of Hwarang, Kim Wih-wa, order you as Poong Wol Joo to open the gates." The large wooden gates were drawn back admitting all the Hwarangs inside the expansive campus. They collected in the courtyard.

Unconsciously, Sa-do occupied the table next to Han-seong so she could keep an eye on the younger Hwarang. Bu-jae announced their first assignment: to drink the alcohol kept before them in three glasses. The gong was sounded, indicating the start of their first task as Hwarang.

Sa-do downed the first two shots of the strong bitter liquor with ease. She suppressed a giggle when she saw Han-seong order his glass to stop moving from beside her. Dan-se had not been exaggerating when he had said his brother was still a kid. She slowed down a bit and by the time she was done she felt slightly disoriented but alert and sober for the most part. She was glad that her body was strong enough to hold the alcohol. It would be a disaster if she actually got drunk here. Her disguise and secret would all be outed.

The others were all drunk on varying levels. Well all, except Ji-dwi it seemed. He looked completely sober and unaffected. A box was placed before Poong Wol Joo. He picked up a colored wooden block from within its depths. "This is the doorplate. Those who draw a doorplate of the same colour will share the same room."

Sa-do watched many Hwarangs stumble their way to the front and pick out their rooms. She too followed when it was her turn and put her hand inside and pulled one out. She flashed the black doorplate to Lord Wih-wa before heading back towards her table.

When the elders left them for the day announcing that there were no rules for tonight, there was silence for a few moments before chaos ensued. Sa-do gulped. There was a lot of fighting going on around her. Soo-ho and Ban-ryu were caught in a stalemate. Seon-woo was beating up numerous Hwarangs with ease. Everyone was brawling across the spacious courtyard.

Not wanting to get caught in the middle of it all and risk exposing her identity, Sa-do warily headed out of the courtyard. She found a secluded spot near the bridge. She sat herself down and decided to wait it out before heading to her room to avoid people. She also made a mental note to avoid Ji-dwi as he was the only one here at Hwarang who had met her before. And he had already greeted her during the appointment ceremony. Surely, it was just a coincidence. He couldn't possibly know that it was her.

When it started to get late into the night and there were less screams coming from the courtyard, Sa-do decided it was time to head inside. She entered the allotted room. It was already full. And the number of familiar faces stunned her momentarily.

Soo-ho was passed out on the lower bunk bed to her left as was Ban-ryu, at the foot of the bed. Seon-woo was fast asleep on the bed to the right. Yeo-wool was standing in the center, talking to the last person in the room. Sa-do took a few steps to try and get a glimpse of that person's face and her breath caught in her throat.

It was Kim Ji-dwi.

Of course, it had to be him out of so many people. So much for avoiding him.

Yeo-wool appeared in front of her suddenly and grabbed the doorplate, which was clutched in her left hand, looked at it and smiled. "Then it is six of us. Kim Seub's son, Soo-ho. Ho-gong's son and Park Young-shil's godson, Ban-ryu. Ahn-ji Gong's son, Seon-woo. Me, Yeo-wool. And two people who nobody knows anything about. Unknown people. You two," Yeo-wool counted, ticking off all the points and all the people in the room and looking at Sa-do and Ji-dwi with a smile. "Six," he chimed, glancing around the room at all the members. "We are going to have fun," he turned to his two conscious roommates, "don't you think?"

Sa-do threw a sideways glance at Ji-dwi who seemed to have no intentions of answering back. She forced a smile mumbling a, "sure," in an altered voice that she hoped didn't sound too girly. Yeo-wool seemed satisfied with her answer and nodded before climbing onto the bunk bed above Seon-woo's. That just left two options. The two bunk beds on the farthest wall. Sa-do turned slightly to find Ji-dwi already staring at her.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked as he folded his arms and scrutinized her. This Jae-won definitely looked familiar but Ji-dwi couldn't place a name or a face to him. Jae-won looked away, struggling to meet his gaze. Well, that was interesting.

"Uhh... I'm going to take the top bunk then," Jae-won announced before quickly climbing up on the bed above his own. Ji-dwi scoffed. He had never seen a more blatantly miserable liar. But what was Jae-won hiding? Pushing those thoughts aside he blew out the candles and headed for bed.