I Am Dead, Am I? (HWARANG X Male Reader)

XIII : Prospect

Days had passed since Y/N's uncle, Jongki, had announced the news that had thrown his life into chaos. The shock of the revelation still lingered, gnawing at him like a persistent echo. His fate seemed to be sealed; Jongki had arranged for him to meet the noble family who would sponsor him as a ward, which meant he could join the Hwarang.

The meeting with the family had been pleasant enough, though nerve-wracking. They were well-respected within the court of Silla, and it was clear that Jongki had done a lot of convincing behind the scenes. The noble family consisted of Lord Manseok, his elder daughter, Lady Minseo, and their young son, Taeho.

Lady Minseo, regal and composed, had been polite and kind to Y/N. She seemed genuinely interested in his background, though he had been vague, giving answers that could fit anyone in Silla. Taeho, the boy, had been less formal-more curious than anything, asking Y/N all sorts of questions about his life. Y/N had played along, though the whole time, he felt a growing unease.

It wasn't until the end of the meeting that he realized the full extent of what his uncle had done.

"You will do our family proud, Y/N," Lord Manseok had said, clapping him on the back. "From today onward, you will carry the name of our house. You will represent us in the Hwarang."

Y/N's stomach had twisted at the words. He forced a smile and bowed respectfully, but inside, he was reeling. It wasn't just about joining the Hwarang anymore-he would be carrying the weight of this family's reputation. If he failed, he wouldn't just be disappointing his uncle; he would be dragging down a noble house with him.

As he left the family estate, the panic began to creep in. The sun was low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the streets of Silla. Y/N's footsteps were slow and heavy as he made his way back, his mind spinning with a single, overwhelming thought.

'I have to get out of this.'

Could he run away? Could he disappear before everything became official? He wasn't of this world-he didn't belong here, no matter how hard he tried to adapt. The further he walked, the more tempting the idea became. He had been thrust into the heart of a world that wasn't his, into the main storyline of a drama where he wasn't supposed to be a participant. His only chance of survival might be to avoid the Hwarang altogether.

But how? Where could he go? What would happen to his uncle if he disappeared?

Lost in thought, Y/N rounded a corner, not paying attention to where he was going, when he collided with someone. He stumbled backward, his thoughts scattered.

"Oh!" a familiar voice exclaimed. "I'm so sorry-I wasn't looking."

Y/N blinked, the voice pulling him back to reality. Standing in front of him was Ah Ro, the kind and sharp-witted woman he had met before, when his cousin Gayoung had brought him to her to consult about his "memory loss."

"Ah Ro..." Y/N muttered, his heart sinking as he realized just how close he had come to making his life even more complicated.

Ah Ro smiled, brushing off her clothes. "Y/N, right? From when your cousin brought you to me for help with your memory? It's good to see you again."

Y/N gave her a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, good to see you too. I didn't mean to bump into you like that."

"No harm done," Ah Ro replied cheerfully. "I've been running around a lot today, so I wasn't paying attention either."

That's when Y/N noticed it-Ah Ro was holding a small notebook in her hands, one that looked well-worn, with pages filled with hastily written notes. As she bent down to pick it up, something clicked in Y/N's mind.

The notebook.

'The merchant Jooki must have hired her', Y/N thought, dread filling his chest. She's been tasked with finding potential candidates for the Hwarang.

Y/N tried to keep his expression neutral, but his pulse quickened. If Ah Ro was involved in scouting for Hwarang candidates, and if his name was listed anywhere in that notebook, it would only make it harder for him to avoid his fate.

"Ah Ro... what's that?" he asked casually, nodding toward the notebook in her hand.

"Oh, this?" Ah Ro glanced down at the notebook, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Just some notes for work. You know how it is-always busy."

Y/N swallowed, trying to think of a way to steer the conversation without raising suspicion. "Busy with... what, exactly?"

"Well..." She hesitated for a moment, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. Then, she leaned in slightly, as if sharing a secret. "You might find this interesting. Hwagong, the teacher of the Hwarang, has been looking for new recruits. And I've been helping out."

Y/N's heart sank. 'Of course',he thought. 'She's directly involved with Hwagong. This is worse than I thought.'

"Oh, really?" he said, trying to sound nonchalant. "That's... interesting."

Ah Ro nodded enthusiastically, flipping through the pages of her notebook. "Yeah, I've been scouting people who might be a good fit for the Hwarang. It's not easy, though-there are a lot of criteria to meet. They need to be strong, intelligent, skilled in combat, but also have a sense of justice. It's quite the list."

Y/N's eyes flicked to the notebook again, anxiety bubbling in his chest. 'Please don't let my name be there'. He had to make sure she hadn't noticed him as a potential candidate. If his name was on that list, it would only solidify his involvement in the story.

"Sounds like a tough job," Y/N said, forcing a laugh. "But I'm sure you're doing great."

Ah Ro grinned. "Well, thanks! I'm trying my best. Actually, I've been hearing a lot about new potential recruits recently." She paused, narrowing her eyes at him playfully. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Y/N froze, his nerves spiking. "What? Me? No, not at all. I'm just... trying to keep a low profile, you know?"

"Really?" she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Because I overheard some people mentioning your name. Something about your uncle pulling strings to get you into the Hwarang. Is that true?"

Y/N felt the ground beneath him shift. She knew. Or at least, she had heard rumors. His pulse raced as he struggled to come up with an excuse. "Uh, no, that's definitely not happening. I don't even know how to hold a sword properly."

Ah Ro laughed, but her eyes were still full of curiosity. "Hmm. Well, I'll take your word for it. But if I find your name on my list, I might have to rethink that."

Y/N forced a smile, trying to keep his panic in check. "Trust me, you won't find my name there."

They chatted a little longer, though Y/N barely heard the conversation. His mind was racing, thinking of how he could avoid getting drawn deeper into this world. He had to make sure Ah Ro didn't prospect him as a potential Hwarang candidate, or he'd be swept into the main plot faster than he could blink.

As they parted ways, Y/N breathed a sigh of relief, but his relief was short-lived. The weight of the Hwarang still loomed over him, and now, with Ah Ro involved, the stakes had been raised.

"I need to stay off that list," Y/N muttered to himself as he walked away. "I need to find a way out of this."

But deep down, he knew that every step he took brought him closer to the world of the Hwarang-whether he wanted it or not.