an unfortunate change in genre

Part 41

Being a truly calculated being can lead to a certain amount of pressure upon a given individual. The weight that comes with knowing how others around one would respond to any given stimuli can lead to the endless headache of how much is sincere and how much is a facade.

There were choice few people where those complicated and wretched thoughts quieted down for Cale.

Choi Han was, strangely, one of those people. But that was mostly due to the amount of unsolicited irritation that Choi Han was so good at seamlessly eliciting from him.

Like this particular moment in time.

The way that Choi Han stared after where Roksu and Alberu had disappeared like an abandoned puppy made his skin just itch with irritation. In fact, the way that Choi Han insistently clung to Roksu's side like a malignant growth was also rather bothersome as well. While he had, reluctantly, accepted Roksu's assurances that Choi Han really wasn't a suspicious person he still chose to maintain his reservations about the punk.

Choi Han had a charisma to him that could draw people in and make them really grow to love and appreciate him. Whether it's his reliable strength, his innocent smile, or his amiable nature, Choi Han had a lot of reasons to be considered likable.

Cale still hated him though. Strength? Who cares? Plenty of strong people were garbage. Innocent smile? The sight of it make Cale nauseous. Amiable nature? If Cale could trust the punk as far as he could throw him then perhaps that would mean anything to him but as it was, it was just a shallow affect that anyone could manage with any knowledge of how to be decently friendly.

And this unpleasant leach was always at Roksu's side of late. He thought it was awful when Choi Han's friendship with Alberu had been growing but it was all the more revolting to see him become so effortlessly close to Cale's stupidly selfless dongsaeng.

Like or hate Choi Han, anyone could acknowledge that the swordmaster was practically a danger magnet. He absolutely shuddered to think about the combination of Choi Han's dangerous magnetism and Roksu's penchant for jumping headfirst into certain death.

"I wonder what was so urgent."

Rosalyn's voice cut in softly and Cale's mouth snapped shut, realizing he was only seconds away from breaking his half hearted promise to Roksu not to say anything foul to Choi Han. Choi Han seemed to have sensed his malice well enough though and gave him an unimpressed stare.

That was the other unlikable thing about Choi Han. He was like a lost puppy around Roksu but around everyone else he was an ill-mannered punk who deserved a good smack over the head.

Cale deemed him unworthy of his time and gave Rosalyn a helpless smile. "Who knows? With those two, it really could be anything."

It really was quite dangerous to let those two schemers alone. They could start a conversation about tea cookies and end it with a plan to overthrow a small kingdom.

Rosalyn didn't look all that interested in his answer though and he wondered if she'd interjected on purpose to stop him from picking a fight with Choi Han.

Not for the first time and not for the last time he was impressed by her effortless tact. She was definitely capable and willing to turn a situation on its head and leave all etiquette at the wayside in favor of having her way. But she was also skillful with her words.

She was similar to Alberu in that way although she was freer. She wasn't strapped down to the desire to rule and instead she sought out her ambitions with a clear and passionate look in her eyes that made the prospect of standing in her way sound rather suicidal.