The Innocent: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #3

Chapter 12: The Fencing Master

Whatever it was, it made her nervous.

So she jumped up. "I must be off. School starts soon."

"Wait for me," he called after her as he too gained his feet and trotted after her rapidly departing figure. "Has anyone ever told you that you walk ridiculously fast for a woman?"

She turned her disbelieving gaze upon him and queried, "And just how fast is a woman supposed to walk?" Her lips were twitching, but she finally got them under control, managing to seal up any smile attempting to escape.

He had no such qualms. He loosed his engaging grin on her. "Like this." He began to mince delicately down the street.

And she dissolved into a bevy of giggles. "You are absolutely absurd! No woman walks like that. What you just demonstrated was a duck. Waddling."

It was his turn to burst out laughing. "Fine," he sniffed after a moment. "I shall cease criticizing the way you walk." He cocked one dark eyebrow at her. "But be prepared for me to critique your footwork tonight. Footwork is very important when you're fencing."

"Oh, ho. Is it?" she asked with a quirk of her own eyebrows. "I promise to be all ears."

"No," he shook his head. "I would definitely not want you to be all ears." His gaze slid down her slender frame before his eyes found hers again. "I like all your parts."

He had the pleasure of watching her flush a very pretty shade of pink. But then she turned her face away from his, and he frowned.

"Please don't hide from me," he murmured. "I want to see your face." He refrained from using the word pretty on purpose. Instinctively knowing that she wouldn't like it. He wished to avoid an argument today. At all costs.

She glanced his way. "Where are we meeting tonight?"

"Isn't there an open field behind the school?"

She bobbed her head.

"Then I shall meet you at your school. You just tell me what time. I'll bring two swords. We can practice in the field behind your school."

"All right. Hmm. Seven?"

He nodded. "Will you have eaten dinner by then?"

She shook her head. "I don't eat dinner till I get home."

"Hmm. Then I shall bring you dinner too."

Surprised, she opened her eyes wider. "You will?"

"Mm-hmm."

A smile crowned her face in pleasure. "I shall look forward to it. Thank you."

"You are welcome, my fair lady." He bowed his head and shoulders to her before falling into step beside her once more.

They accomplished the remainder of their walk peacefully, both of them smiling when he headed back the way they had come.

She hadn't admitted it to him. But she was looking forward to seeing him tonight. Much to her own surprise.

––

He encountered a problem. And missed their seven o'clock deadline. When it became apparent to him that he was going to be late, he pressed Ban Ryu to help him escape the hwarang house.

"Fake an illness," Ban Ryu suggested. "I'll have them call Ah Ro for help. And you can convince her to assist you in leaving the premises."

"Not a bad idea. I'm not sure why I didn't think of that." Soo Ho narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Are you becoming me? And am I becoming you?"