LOSE MY BREATH

LMB 12

12: The great bachelor!

“Senior Han!” greeted the little disciplines once he got up, loudly chirping like it wasn’t six o’clock in the damn morning.

Jisung had promised Minho he’d follow the Lee clan sleeping schedule while on the night-hunt so as to not inconvenience them. He hadn’t promised to enjoy it.

Minho had woken him up at five-thirty, told him to bathe again and then meet the rest of them downstairs. Jisung figured he smelled like a sewer. He felt like it, at least. He wasn’t entirely sure he remembered every detail of last night, but he had the general overview.

He’d gone drinking, gotten a few cups down before getting dragged up by Master Minho, who tucked him in… nice.

Minho didn’t seem very mad today. In fact, he couldn’t remember Minho being mad yesterday, either. That must’ve not been right. Minho didn’t seem like the kind of person who wouldn’t get mad at people who bought liquor with his pure and holy Lee residence money.

Despite this, all the evidence showed the contrary. Minho paid their bill without ever chastising Jisung for his terrible wine-drinking ways. He didn’t even mention how the men had talked shit about cultivators for an hour.

None of the little disciplines were aware about their Senior Han’s wild night. Maybe the slight headache was considered enough of a punishment for Jisung.

When they made their way through Silla town, he was excited about everything. It was like some kind of ancient Korean cosplay event, except it was very real and very cool.

Jisung wanted to stop at every shop, and he kind of did, running around the street from one vendor to another, asking questions, and looking through products with endless interest. It was all artisan work, handcrafted. 

Minho bought him everything he asked; Jisung confirmed Minho surely was a madam. Jisung didn’t know if he was just that rich that it didn’t cross his mind to say no, or if he was so intent on keeping his word that he was prepared to go into bankruptcy over it.

By the time they were out of the town, Jisung’s bag was full of all kinds of great things and his favourite was the perfume pouch or scent pouch.

“But what do you do with a perfume pouch like that, Master Han? Those are for women,” said one of the disciples after seeing him fiddle with it.

Jisung raised his eyebrows, shaking the little prettily embroidered bag at him. “What do you mean ‘for women’? Do I not have a nose? Can I not smell good things?”

“I-- I didn’t mean it like that, Senior,” the disciple immediately bowed. “This one apologises for the offence.”

“Hush, nonsense.” Jisung said to the disciple, before turning to Minho. “Doesn’t it smell good, Minho? Like lotus flowers!”

“Mn,” Minho said.

Pleased, Jisung tied the pouch onto his belt, where it swung gently in rhythm with his steps.

It wasn’t quite adventurous through the woods as he’d first thought. Sure, the nature was pleasant, and the forest must have looked like little magical props for his fantasy adventure. He himself, in his newly acquired black robes, even stood out as the protagonist.

Still, walking through the forest was, in essence, really just walking through the forest.

The Lees weren’t an especially talkative bunch. They silently glided through the trees, while Jisung bounced around them, much like in the Silla town. Sometimes the juniors asked questions, and where Jisung had no answer, Minho would always provide one. It was good teamwork.