Body & Soul 🇰🇷 Part 1

Chapter 175: Seon-Ho

I was indeed an army general in the village where the palace lay; I had people who once spit on my existence as a half-breed between noble and slave, now try to curry me with favours, or they feared me...or they respected me. But it took a lot of hard work to get to where I am, I hate to admit it; but despite how close I was to my goals, a part of me was tired of the image I had to constantly put on. I was only free when I was at home with my wife and children. But none of this would have been possible without the help of the one person who had loved me constantly since the day we met. I wouldn't have anyone besides her, even though yet again she sacrificed her freedom for me as she held me down in the once place she had always despised since her father's unjust death.

But since my first day here in her father's village, I had been treated as an equal by everyone here with real kindness and care; with genuine feeling that I had only ever seen in the Seo's, especially my wife. I especially seemed to have some sort of effect on the younger people, especially teenagers. I had a crowd of them following me wherever I went and a lot of children wanted to play with me. Chief Park trained them but it look like I was the one they wanted advise and career talks on. No more than a few days later I felt like I was the father of the entire village youth. Even Chief Park had no choice but to reel me in for some training lessons as we started to draw a bugger crowd since my arrival. I had never been the centre of attain before and I had to admit I found it a little hard to adjust to it all at first, it was like everyone wanted my attention. I felt a little shy talking about this with the other men for the first time so I turned to my wife who was putting our children down for a nap. As soon as they had their meals and they were bathed they ran outside as fast as their little feet would take them for hours on end until they came back all tired out. We trusted in the safety and the anonymity of the village but I still brought out a handful of middle-aged men who were unemployed to guard the village and our children since we were the only ones who could and were refurbishing the village. Hwi had already done a good amount but I wanted to continue the rest with my family.

I looked at my wife who was half-naked in her room; she looked like she hadn't aged a day over her teenage years. She was still beautiful, radiant and ever youthful despite being a mother of 3 now. God know's how she had managed to retain her figure but I was thankful every night. I took the bath that she had already drawn for me without even waiting for me to ask and had new clothes laid aside for me. But I decided to take a nap with the children before setting out again to make final plans on the school I wanted to open up before laying down the first brick.

Once I showered I scooped my wife into my arms before collapsing onto the bed to talk all about it "in all my years of knowing you I have never seen you so shy before" she teased me before sitting on my lap. "Well, you the the youngest army general in history, not only that; but you have he King's ear. Who doesn't know this? I know you have personal goals to work towards but you don't seem to think about the perspective of the youths in our country, especially this village. The boys who trail after you are not really that much younger than you. Maybe about 10 years? They look up to you; your story has given them motivation to follow their own paths apart fro just providing for their families. As well as the girls who like to follow you around as well" she added with a bittersweet tone. I savoured her jealousy with a snicker and a mouthful of dinner she had made to shut me up. "What have the kids been up to these days? I only see them at meal times?" I couldn't help but stroke their hair and take in their scents now that they were finally home at the same time. "Hana is the leader of a little friendship group she's got going on despite being the youngest" she just rolled her eyes whilst I could only laugh and look at her fondly "it may have to do with who her father is" she chided "but she's not the bossy type thank goodness. They either do her arts and crafts or they play in the children's building you set up. And this one..." her eyes fell fondly onto Hyuk "you know how inseparable he is with his cousin's even though some children follow them around and they play together." "So my nephews haven't landed him into any trouble yet?" I asked as I took his small rough hands full of dirt into mine. "Not yet even though you know it's bound to happen. But they've actually been taking training a lot more seriously; they're with Chief Park most of the time...don't you worry" she noticed the look on my face "he doesn't want to train under you because you have a big name and reputation. He wants to surprise you, like I did, so let him" I sighed, having no choice but to trust her judgment as my soon as I lay in between my children who had started holding onto me in their sleep. I was really growing fond of this place and I dreaded leaving to be honest. So I tried to distract my thoughts by once again by looking at my wife who had finally finished her 100 errands and had joined me at my side. She looked at me and only me when she reached over to stroke my hair. I closed my eyes and I remembered the scenario I had wished for in my father's mansion come true before my very eyes as she held me and only me in her eyes as she tended to me and my children effortlessly, she made as much time for us as she could when she wasn't helping others and always landed right by my side, holding me, touching me and surrendering to me whenever I wished...to her I was a real man, more than anybody thought I was, even my own parents...