TL: SHW
"Han Tae-kyung ssi!"
I hurriedly ran toward Han Tae-kyung.
Daeyeon doesn't put artificial rocks in their garden. Of course, soone like Han Tae-kyung wouldn’t get injured just from hitting a rock... but you never know. The current Han Tae-kyung is much weaker than the one I know. If he hit it the wrong way, he could have dislocated sothing.
Please, just let his head be fine. If he loses his mind any more than he already has, I won’t be able to handle it.
…No, wait. Maybe if he turns 180 degrees, he might actually return to normal.
"Han Tae-kyung ssi, are you okay?"
His leg, which was sticking out, flinched.
Then, with a small groan, Han Tae-kyung suddenly sprang up.
"Wow."
His sunglasses were still hanging on the tip of his nose, though slightly askew. He adjusted them, even though they were covered in dust… He probably couldn’t even see through them, right? Anyway, he straightened his sunglasses. For a brief mont, I caught a glimpse of his eyes widening in surprise.
"That was insane."
With that one remark, Han Tae-kyung shot up to his feet.
"Wow, even I lost track of it at the end. Sunbae-nim, how did you do that?"
He grinned shalessly as he walked toward . In that short span of ti, he had already started calling sunbae.
…Is that a good thing? I don’t know. From my experience, whether Han Tae-kyung took a liking to you or disliked you, life was exhausting either way.
The best outco was to have nothing to do with Han Tae-kyung at all.
"My hyung is the best!!"
From the side, Mini- suddenly let out a loud shout.
That kid… What’s his deal? Why is he even getting involved? He should just stay quietly in his room like usual.
Han Tae-kyung’s gaze shifted to Mini-.
For a mont, he seed to hesitate, but then the smile on his lips turned sly.
"Are you sunbae-nim's little brother?"
His smooth, playful tone sent chills down my spine.
"You look just like sunbae-nim!"
The best course of action is to avoid getting involved with Han Tae-kyung at all costs.
Mini-’s growth process is already challenging enough, he doesn’t need a bigger trial than this.
"Hi, I-rok. Did you co to see the teacher?"
Fortunately, Kang Tae-woo, who knew Mini-, spoke to him. Mini- flinched and tried to back away, but by then, he was already surrounded by other kids.
"What? Kang Tae-woo! You know the teacher’s little brother?"
Lee Seung-yeon wailed at Kang Tae-woo. He responded nonchalantly.
"Yeah, I saw him when he first arrived."
"That’s so unfair. What’s his na? I-rok? Woo I-rok? Hey, kiddo, how old are you?"
"I'm not a kiddo!"
"The ones who say they’re not kids are usually kids. How old are you? You really do look like Woo teacher."
"Ugh…!"
Mini-’s eyes t mine. A desperate look pleading for to get him out of there.
I ignored it. His eyes widened in shock. I gave him a bright smile and nodded. His slightly open lips trembled with betrayal.
I don’t know where he picked up such dramatic reactions, but this is exactly why you shouldn’t let kids watch too much TV. They pick up all the bad habits.
Mini- kept sending distress signals, but I pretended not to see.
The kids weren’t the type to be an, anyway. Since he wasn’t in a situation where he could naturally interact with peers, this was actually a good chance for him to socialize.
I was already planning to drag him out soon, worried that his isolation would last too long.
And as more kids gathered around Mini-, Han Tae-kyung lost interest in him. That was the important part.
I never expected Han Tae-kyung to be considerate like that… No, he wouldn’t be. So what’s his angle? Why is he backing off so easily?
"Ah, I didn’t see that coming."
Han Tae-kyung casually tossed his broken wooden sword to the ground and strolled over to Hong Seok-young. I also moved toward them.
Hong Seok-young grinned and spoke.
"You got taken down without even getting a hit in."
"It wasn’t that bad, sunbae-nim."
"I told you, I’m the principal now."
"Ah, right. But still, it’s not like I couldn’t do anything."
"Tsk. The loser sure talks a lot."
Han Tae-kyung scratched his head. Then he turned his gaze toward .
"Isn’t that right, sunbae-nim?"
"…Huh?"
Was this really the sa guy who, just a mont ago, had that annoyed expression and insisted he wouldn't listen to soone weaker than him?
Well, thinking about it, Han Tae-kyung wasn’t the type to go back on his own words. When he said he would sue, he did it diligently. And other things… were similar. Even though I kept saying I didn’t want to, he still used the settlent money he wrung out to buy a al.
"Didn’t I block it well?"
"……."
"Look! Even sunbae-nim agrees!"
"He just nodded because you asked him. You’ve still got a long way to go."
"That’s fine. I, Han Tae-kyung, am going to be the strongest in the world one day. Just don’t end up crying when I beat you later."
His ambition was big. Unfortunately, even twenty years from now, Han Tae-kyung would still never win against his father.
"And sunbae- no, Principal, you’re really unfair."
"Hm? How so?"
Han Tae-kyung grumbled as he pushed up his slipping sunglasses.
"Didn’t you say before that you don’t teach people?"
"So?"
"But you taught them properly."
"Those kids? Yeah, I taught them. But right now, it’s just at the level of showing them how to move their arms and legs."
"No, not that."
Han Tae-kyung pointed at . I should have twisted that finger earlier, pretending it was an accident.
"He moved like he was your personal disciple."
My mind went blank.
"I got tricked because you said he was D-rank. If you had just said he was at least S-rank, I wouldn’t have picked a fight."
I couldn’t bring myself to look at Hong Seok-young. I didn’t have the courage.
"Hmm."
Hong Seok-young let out a short hum. I couldn’t guess what he ant by it.
"That’s why you need to be more perceptive."
"I’ve never been told I lack awareness."
"People probably told you; you just didn’t hear it."
"Is that so?"
"At the very least, Eun-young must have told you hundreds of tis."
"…That does sound familiar."
Han Tae-kyung tilted his head to the side.
"Anyway. If you're teaching, then teach too. I’ve been pestering you for years… Why do you teach sunbae-nim but not ?"
"Your movents don’t match mine."
"Ha… If you put it that way, I can’t argue."
Hong Seok-young continued speaking.
"Besides, I didn’t seriously teach Teacher Woo either. I just gave him a few pointers."
Both Hong Seok-young and I knew that wasn’t true.
My mouth went dry.
Hong Seok-young continued in a completely nonchalant tone.
"It’s impressive that Teacher Woo got this far with just that."
***
A sword.
The weapon most commonly used by modern Hunters.
It made sense, after all, it was a weapon that had been widely used even before dungeons existed.
Weapons with long histories had been extensively studied to determine how to wield them efficiently. This applied not only to swords but also to spears and bows. However, swords had one unique advantage.
Even non-Awakened individuals could learn to use them if they wanted to.
There was even a saying that the first thing an aspiring Hunter should do is sign up at a nearby kendo dojo.
Of course, just because swords were the most commonly used didn’t an all Hunters used them. So, like Oh Hyun-wook, preferred hand-to-hand combat, while others, like my father, wielded spears. Many used a variety of weapons according to their preferences.
Father always emphasized:
'Hwijae, I’ve always told you, a person needs to learn skills.'
'I’ve already learned plenty.'
I said, showing him the lock I had easily picked. My father roughly ruffled my hair as if praising , then continued.
'When you fight monsters, sotis your weapon might break.'
'Ah… So we’re done with locks? We’re moving straight to this now?'
'I already taught you how to fight with a spear, didn’t I?'
'If you can call that ‘teaching’….'
'Of course, there’s no end to learning. If you want to use a spear like I do, you need to practice more.'
'Can’t I just keep picking locks instead?'
'But like I said, sotis weapons break in battle. Rarely, they might get lost… or beco unusable.'
At that ti, I hadn’t yet decided whether or not I would beco a Hunter.
There was no harm in knowing how to get stronger. So, I listened to my father’s words.
"That’s why you need to know how to handle all kinds of weapons."
That day, my father taught how to hold a sword.
Looking back later, I really had no idea what he was trying to raise into.
Honestly, if that was his goal, wouldn’t it have been enough to just teach common weapons? Like the sword I ntioned earlier.
But my father taught how to wield every weapon he knew.
The first thing I learned from him was the spear. But that wasn’t all, I learned many things from my father. No, I learned everything from him. Swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, archery, shield techniques, stone throwing, javelin throwing, and more.
On top of that, he taught about monster weak points, dungeon raiding strategies, how to respond to a dungeon break. He even taught how to form a raid party, the mindset to maintain inside a dungeon, and down to the details of how to walk, how to exhale, how to endure, and how to inhale.
My father passed on every bit of knowledge he had to .
Even when I said I wouldn’t beco a Hunter, he didn’t back down. Unless he was in a dungeon or dealing with an urgent matter, he would take up the mountain every morning at dawn.
That morning, when I was about to take my leave and head down to Busan for vacation, was no exception.
'Hwijae, I didn’t raise you to be soone who doesn’t know how to spend money. Are you short on allowance?'
'What nonsense are you talking about? If you're going senile, retire and rest.'
'No, but you're just going to Busan! I gave you a long vacation, you should go abroad or sothing.'
'I’ve traveled plenty.'
'For work trips? That’s not a vacation.'
'I saw everything I wanted to see, so what does it matter whether it was a vacation or a work trip? I’m not the type to visit the sa place twice.'
'Who raised you to beco such a dry person....'
'Obviously, you did.'
'Well, yeah, that’s true!'
My father laughed heartily. Despite being close to seventy, he didn’t look his age at all.
'Right. Better our country than going abroad and struggling in places where you can't communicate.'
'I'm good at foreign languages though.'
'Of course you are. Whose son do you think you are? Of course, you’d be good.'
My father tossed a sword. It was a plain, featureless one made for sparring. He picked up an identical one for himself.
'Go et so people.... But Hwijae. Have you ever talked with civilians? You shouldn't treat them like you do at the Agency during your vacation.'
'What do you an? What did I do?'
'Well, that... Right. Smile like you do with those stubborn folks at the Magic Society. But don't be as rough as you are with mages.'
'What exactly are you asking to do?'
'Tell them you're on vacation after getting promoted. Show off your watch too.'
'That's confidential though.'
'It’ll be on the news next week anyway, so who cares? Anyway, while you’re at it, bring ho a daughter-in-law too.'
'There you go talking nonsense again. I told you to retire.'
'I have to see my son get married. Aren't you seeing anyone?'
That smirking face was as irritating as ever.
I had no intention of eting anyone under this na. But I couldn’t bring myself to say that out loud.
I had vaguely wondered before- would things have been different if, back at the orphanage, I had told him my real na when he asked?
'If I were seeing soone, would I be here with you like this?!'
Clang!
The swords clashed with a tallic ring. My father burst into laughter.
'That's true.'
Father stepped forward with his left foot. I mirrored the movent, stepping forward with my left foot as well.
Right hand gripping the sword. The shape of my fingers around the hilt, the angle at which I adjusted the blade, the timing of my inhale and exhale
Everything was identical, like looking into a mirror.
I suddenly rembered what Yoo Ji-eun, the older, much paler, and darker Yoo Ji-eun compared to the younger one, had said when we first sparred.
‘Teacher! Isn’t this really funny?’
Why had I only ever thought I resembled my father when using a spear?
'He moves exactly like you, Teacher!'
'Well, of course. I was the one who taught him.'
'Even so, this is too much. He's completely a mini version of you!'
***
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