HWARANG Rewritten✅

38. I need your help

Chapter 38.
I need your help.

Ji-dwi was walking across the wooden bridge when he noticed Seon-woo. Not being in the right mindset to deal with the other, he walked past him but Seon-woo pulled him back roughly, not willing to let him leave peacefully. "Until when are you going to run away?" he accused though there was a hint of concern too. "You. Don't you have something to tell me?"

Ji-dwi had no clue what the other man was talking about. Was it the assassination attempt? He was already worried enough as it was and bit back, rather bitterly, "how does it feel, pretending to be King?" It was funny. Ji-dwi didn't sincerely mean it, because he knew best just how troublesome it actually was.

Seon-woo threw a punch before he could react before sneering, "you should know what that feels like."

Feeling his anger bubble, Ji-dwi too punched Seon-woo, knocking him to the floor. "I have never pretended to be King."

Seon-woo stood up before announcing rather blankly, "you have never been a real one either."

Ji-dwi felt exposed and attacked. His birth has been leading up to the moment he became the King. That was his only purpose. "Don't think you know everything because I am also doing everything I can. I am also fighting as well," he said, sounding more vulnerable than he would have liked and judging by the slight softening of Seon-woo's eyes, he had noticed it too.

But it hardened as he scoffed, "fight? Is that what your fight is about? Running away, hiding, avoiding things?"

The accusation was not as harsh as earlier and Ji-dwi imagined that his friend was angry at himself about something else and just happened to be taking it out on him. But he still couldn't fully hold in his fury, as he exclaimed, "it's a fight hoping that Silla would become better. A fight hoping that the subjects won't die because of Silla's bone rank system. Never again will ordinary citizens become robbers. A fight that protects." He was breathing heavily by the end of the rant. That had taken a lot, but it had been true.

Seon-woo looked at him wide eyed like he hadn't expected him to actually have a game plan. Ji-dwi looked down at his feet. "I believe in you." Ji-dwi's jaw dropped. Seon-woo just patted his shoulder, ignoring his flabbergasted expression.

Deciding to take his chances the King said in a hushed whisper, "I need your help." On receiving a nod to continue he built up his courage and said quickly in a single breath, "keep an eye out for Sa-do."

Seon-woo was taken aback, not having anticipated Ji-dwi asking for his help, much less that it would concern Sa-do. Ji-dwi elaborated, his tone laced with paranoid anxiety and fear, "my mother and enemies don't know about her yet but if they do, they will target her. I will do my best to keep her safe, but can you help out in case I fail?"

Seon-woo swallowed. He was not oblivious to how important his sister was to Ji-dwi. And he had no doubt that his friend would do anything in his power to ensure her safety and happiness. But he was touched by the fact that, out of everyone, Ji-dwi was willing to trust him with Sa-do's life.

"Don't be stupid." Ji-dwi met his gaze questioningly. Seon-woo grinned and said, "she is my sister. Of course, I will protect her." Ji-dwi nodded gratefully, looking like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

...

Later on, Poong Wol Joo had called both, Seon-woo and Ji-dwi, to come up with a solution to a problem regarding Park Young-shil. The plague was spreading through Makmang village, Seon-woo's old home, like wildfire, taking numerous lives in its path. The official was hoarding all the medical supplies however, letting those people die to instill fear in the others so he could later charge exorbitant prices for a magical cure.

All of Seon-woo's hatred for the upper class came crashing back. Here was a man who truly deserved to die. Amazingly, Ji-dwi agreed, though he coolly pointed out that killing Park Young-shil was not an option. Instead, they would ransack his store house, steal all the medicine and distribute it for free.

That evening the two revealed their plans to Soo-ho and Yeo-wool. "You are doing what?" Soo-ho incredulously asked, looking between the two.

"No way! Really?" Yeo-wool followed, finding it hard to believe, himself.

Sighing at their dramatic antics, Ji-dwi urged, "are you going to come with us or not?"

"I am not sure," Yeo-wool sighed worriedly, looking thoughtful.

"I have reasons to do it. But you guys don't have to. I can't take responsibility for it, so think it over carefully," Seon-woo admitted honestly.

"I will do it." Noticing the skeptical looks from the others Soo-ho hurriedly assured them with a smile, "I am doing it for me because it sounds like something that should be done. After hearing about this, do you think I will be able to sleep?"

Ji-dwi grinned before turning to his other roommate and raising a questioning eyebrow. "Fine, well," Yeo-wool sighed, "although the Gakan may be my father."

"Don't you have too many fathers in the capital?" Soo-ho mocked jokingly.

"By the way, what are you going to do about Ban-ryu and Sa-do?" Yeo-wool asked Seon-woo and Ji-dwi. Ban-ryu, who had been about to enter the room, stopped outside on hearing his name being mentioned.

Soo-ho immediately threw down the suggestion with a strong, "Ban-ryu can't."

Sa-do reached her room and noticed Ban-ryu standing there, his hand frozen on the door handle. Worriedly, she approached him and was about to speak when she heard the conversation from inside the room.

 
"Naturally, he wouldn't be able to. It's emptying the Gakan's storage house. He would expose all our plans." That sounded like Yeo-wool. Sa-do was confused. They were stealing from her father's storage?

"It's not like that," she heard Soo-ho say, "it's something that can hold him back. We can't do that to him. Same with Sa-do. We have to do it without them knowing."

Ban-ryu left quietly, not even noticing or acknowledging her presence.

Sa-do waited a little longer, eavesdropping on the conversation going on between her roommates. "Agreed," Ji-dwi's voice said. "Involving them won't be right. We will be putting them in an unnecessary dilemma and risk if we do so."