Dear readers, the next chapter to shed some mystery on the identity of Jae Su and the story behind his relationship with Choi Young. I'm happy that this turn of the plot is making you curious. Read on and comment, comment, comment.
After the master's death, Mae Hee was the only reason Choi Young could go on living. But she couldn't continue: the devastation of seeing her father die in front of her eyes and the blame she placed upon her young shoulders, believing to be the cause of his murder, led her to take her own life.
Afterwards, the world went dark.
Jae Su, who was forced to leave the brigade before, appeared out of nowhere, finding Choi Young torn by guilt and grief. They cried at her grave together and they mourned her loss together. The two boys now were both bereaved of the one love they shared.
The abandoned groom did not put a grain of rice in his mouth, and Jae Su fed him, as Choi Young's tired eyes closed and he swallowed the food, not even lifting his arms, his body, so thin, he barely looked like himself. Jae Su was patient and caring. He made sure to cover his friend with a blanket at night and slept close to him to share his warmth. As Choi Young's tears ran out, he cried for both of them.
Jae Su waited till after the required mourning period, but not a day later.
"You did not keep your promise. Fight me."
Choi Young's eyes hazed and empty, his body just a shell.
He looked through his friend with a blank stare and agreed, "Kill me, spill my blood."
He opened up his arms and closed his eyes, ready for the mortal blow.
"Choi Young, pick up your sword, you coward, fight me! A fair fight."
A cool touch of the hilt's shape under his fingers and the sharp facets of the scabbard in his other arm to support the weight of the sword.
He opened his eyes, blinking, then looked down at the weapon and carefully placed it on the ground before him.
"I won't fight you. I have no fight in me, sorry Jae Su. Do what you must." And stood waiting for his friend's judgment.
"Fight me, fight me, like we agreed! I gave her to you, and you could not protect her. The teacher was gone, I was not around. It was up to you, and you let her die. I lost her because of you!" The man was screaming, shaking Choi Young by the shoulders violently, but the grieving groom was deaf to these calls.
"Fight me, take your sword," Jae Su slapped the boy and slapped him again, and then pulled him close by the collar of his robes, screaming on top of his lungs, urging him out of the stupor, urging him to be a man and fight. Choi Young's body simply dangled lifelessly, moving as it was pushed and pulled and shaken, and slapped. Jae Su now was crying the tears of frustration and helplessness. If he can't avenge the death of his love, then what was he left with?
"You ruined everything! I blame you! You took everything away from me – my love, my dignity, my right for punishment, and my honor. I only had my pride left and you are trying to take that away also!" He let go of Choi Young, whose body found balance, but hands hung by the sides refusing to engage.
"You owe me this fight, I will come to collect this debt one day. Be ready for me. I will find you at the end of the world, if needed."
That was the last Choi Young had heard from him. The years had passed and he gave up on search for Jae Su. With time, he started to forget the debt.
. . .
"Jae Su, is it you?" Choi Young lowered his sword and came forward, stopping just a step from the assassin, who stood next to the unconscious Lee Min Ho.
"What gave me away?" Smirked the man and lifted his sword pointing at the actor's body.
"Clever trick. Who is this boy? I initially mistaken him for you. Is he so disposable that you led him right into the trap?"
Choi Young's calm expression was unexpected. "He is nobody. There is no need to harm this boy. I can see that you've come to collect."
"If he is nobody, should I get rid of him then?" And the sword poked at Min Ho's neck again.
"Let him go, it is me you want."
"You are right about that. How about a deal? Drop your sword and he lives."
"Is it your idea of a fair fight?" Inquired Choi Young with a chilly smile that irked his opponent.
"Drop it, unless you want him kidnapped and hurt." The threat was unmistakable.
Choi Young lowered his weapon to the ground and stood facing his former best friend.
"Good. I knew you'd do the honorable thing. You were always a noble idiot, Young-ah."
Choi Young continued to maintain composure, not a muscle flinched on his face.
Jae Su continued, watching the General's reaction carefully, "The main principle of protecting somebody – physical proximity – you broke the golden rule of the guard: if you cannot see your ward, you can't do anything for him. Are you losing your touch, Woodalchi?"
Choi Young was quiet, still looking the man in the eye.
"If you can't protect those who surround you, how will you protect the one you love?" He smirked darkly, "Oh, yes, you failed once already."
"What are you planning?" asked Choi Young, with a slight shake in his voice, betraying his feelings.
"The doctor is really pretty. You always get the pretty ones." The man smiled, squinting his eyes and waiting. He did not have to wait another second.
"You wouldn't", screamed Choi Young, lunging forward he kicked up the sword from the ground with his foot, and catching it mid air unsheathed it. His eyes were glaring and KI sparkled on the fingertips.
"That's your weakness, Young-ah, I found it," answered the man softly. "Don't worry. It is between us, I won't involve the woman. I just needed to make sure, that's all."
"What is it you want? Why did you come through the gate and why have not you attacked me earlier?" Choi Young's control returned and although his sword was ready for a blow, he did not attack.
"All in due time, all in due time. By the way, you picked up your sword, or did you forget the deal?"
Choi Young's eyes filled with worry and it was obvious he was torn, the hand holding the weapon, slowly lowered.
Jae Su lifted his brows as if asking, "Aren't you going to do something about this conundrum?"
If it was not Jae Su… But it was, and Choi Young made a bet that despite who he seemed to have become, his old friend was hiding somewhere under the dark robes of an assassin. Studying the man's face, Choi Young allowed the sword to fall on the ground.
Jae Su smiled, expecting this outcome from the very beginning.
"For old times sake, I'll overlook it." He put his sword away and came up to Choi Young, who stood still unsure of what to anticipate. The man placed his hand on the General's shoulder; he swallowed hard before speaking softly, not hiding the feelings, "Love forces a man to make unbearable choices, you said yourself once. I did not forget."
Choi Young could swear he saw a tear shine in the man's eye.
"I will find you. Don't disappear on me. You owe me a fight."
"Wait." Choi Young hesitated, but then asked, "What had happened to you? How have you been? I tried to find you for years."
"I have been hiding." He paused, then added, "And I know you tried."
And bitterly, resentment mixed with regret breaking through, continued, "It would have been nice if we were still friends, Young-ah."
"We still can be." Serious and honest, he looked the man in the eye, hopeful.
"Water under the bridge." And the assassin turned, walking away.
Choi Young looked at his back moving off into the distance and sighed loudly.
"Daejang?"
He turned quickly and gathered Lee Min Ho's body off the ground. The boy was conscious. Choi Young helped him up, "Min Ho-ah," forgetting all the politeness, he talked to him like a younger brother, very concerned and very guilty.
"Daejang, I'm OK. I'm sorry I did not listen to you."
"It's OK. It's my fault entirely," replied warmly Choi Young. "Forgive me."
He placed his body carefully against the tree and asked softly, "Can you walk? Are you hurt? Where? Should I call a doctor?"
"I think I bumped my head when falling. I passed out for a minute."
"I will take responsibility. I will take you to the doctor."
"No, please. If you tell anybody, you will get fired, my agency will sue you."
Choi Young was firm. "I don't care. I should not have put you in danger."
"Please, for my sake. I'm asking you. I will see the doctor on my own. I am feeling fine, see?" And Lee Min Ho got up, balancing awkwardly on his feet, till he finally steadied himself.
The General observed him carefully. Nothing was broken, there was no blood, besides the scrape on the neck. "Can you walk?"
"I think so." The actor made a few steps at first cautiously, then more confidently. He felt a bit out of sorts, but not too bad. He only had a serious injury once and was grateful that this fall did not cause him another six months stay in the hospital.
"Come on." Choi Young assisted the boy and mounted the horse, placing him in the front.
"Daejang, who is this man? It seems that you know him well."
"I knew him well once, a long, long time ago."
"I heard that you owed him a fight. Sounds like some Sageuk plot."
"Sageuk plot? " He chuckled. He already learned the meaning behind the movie lingo. His life was like that. Written by one crazy writer and played out by him. Only he has never seen the script or was aware of what's to come next.
"I guess you could say," he answered.
"The fight? Do you have to do it? He did not mean a sword fight, did he?" Lee Min Ho was too curious, forgetting his place with the master.
Maybe a fall shook something inside, or maybe this experience made him feel a little more free with Daejang.
Choi Young did not mind. He felt an obligation to this man who did not hesitate to assist him in this dangerous mission and showed that he had a strong heart. The general was never wrong about soldiers. This boy had what it took to be a man. So he talked to him like an equal.
"Ghosts of my past, they are catching up to me, and it is time I faced them."
"It is not my place to ask and we have not known each other for long, but I have a feeling that your past holds a lot of secrets, Daejang. Maybe, one day you will tell me."
"Maybe… Hold on." He pulled the reigns and turning the horse around directed her toward the gates of the studio. Min Ho's horse should have returned on his own, trained to come home.