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

XIV : Peculiar

Y/N sat in the open courtyard, the cheers and jeers from the soccer match filling the air. The game between Suho's and Banryu's teams was in full swing, and though the crowd around him was enthralled, Y/N's mind was elsewhere. He barely registered Suho's swift movements or Banryu's calculated strikes. The match itself felt like background noise to the growing unease that gnawed at him.

He shifted on the stone bench, casting a glance around. The nobles and soldiers alike were watching the game intently, unaware of the storm brewing within Y/N's mind. He couldn't stop thinking about Ah-Ro's meeting with Hwagong and Jooki. Had she already mentioned my name? The thought alone made him anxious. Y/N had tried his best to stay out of the political machinations and dangerous games the Queen and her advisors played. Yet, somehow, he had been pulled into their orbit, closer than he ever intended.

If they knew who I really was, or more accurately, who I wasn't...

Y/N's gaze drifted back to the game, though he still wasn't focused on it. Suho had taken a decisive shot, but Banryu's team was quick to retaliate. The tension between them mirrored the tension in Y/N's heart. Both men were key players in the Hwarang story, each with their own role in shaping Silla's future. And Y/N, who had once been content watching these stories unfold from a distance, was now stuck in the middle of it all.

"Y/N!" Suho called out, waving at him from the field after a particularly heated exchange with Banryu. "Enjoying the match?"

Y/N forced a smile, raising a hand in acknowledgment. He didn't have the energy to engage with Suho's playful banter, and Suho seemed to sense it. With a wink, Suho returned his attention to Banryu, likely plotting his next move.

But Y/N's smile quickly faded as his thoughts returned to Ah-Ro. He imagined her seated in a quiet chamber, her soft voice mentioning his name to Hwagong. He knew how cautious she was, how she would have chosen her words carefully, but even so, the mere idea of being discussed made his skin crawl.

---

Ah-Ro's meeting with Hwagong and Jooki had been tense.

Sitting across from the two influential figures, Ah-Ro had hesitated before speaking Y/N's name. The conversation had started as expected: Hwagong and Jooki had discussed the potential candidates for the Hwarang, those who came from noble families and wielded influence within the court. But when the topic turned to unaligned warriors, men whose names weren't tied to established houses, Ah-Ro knew she had to speak.

"There's someone else," she had said, her voice steady but careful. "His name is Y/N."

Jooki raised an eyebrow, glancing at Hwagong, who remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"He's not from one of the noble families," she continued, "at least, not that I know of. He works at Merchant Jongki's gambling den."

Hwagong's expression shifted slightly. "Jongki's nephew?"

"Yes," Ah-Ro nodded. "He... he doesn't talk much about his past. Claims he's lost his memory."

The room grew still for a moment, Hwagong leaning forward slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on her. "Y/N, you say?"

Ah-Ro swallowed, suddenly feeling as though she had crossed a line she didn't fully understand. "Yes."

Hwagong's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "An odd choice, for sure. A man with no clear lineage, yet he's found himself involved in our discussions."

Jooki's eyes flicked between the two. "If he's as unknown as you say, why mention him?"

Ah-Ro hesitated again. "Because... because I think he could be useful. He's different. Observant, cautious. But there's more to him than he lets on. He doesn't belong in the gambling den."

Hwagong steepled his fingers, contemplating the situation. "You might be right, Ah-Ro," he said, his voice low and thoughtful. "There's something strange about Joongki's nephew of his. I've heard whispers about him. People say there's a peculiar air around him, as if he doesn't quite fit into this world."

Jooki raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "Or perhaps he's just what he seems. A man who's from a simple family whose aim to be a warrior for Silla."

But Hwagong wasn't convinced. "Perhaps. But there's something else," he muttered, more to himself than to them.

"What is it?" Ah-Ro asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Hwagong's eyes flickered with something close to recognition. "There was once a family in Silla, long before our time, that bore the same surname as this Y/N. A noble house that rebelled against the Crown, a line wiped out for their treachery. It's likely a coincidence, but it's peculiar all the same."

Jooki frowned. "A name alone is hardly enough to tie him to an old rebellion."

"True," Hwagong agreed. "But then there's the matter of Lord Manseok's involvement. A family like Manseok's doesn't take in wards without a good reason, and yet they've done just that for a common person like him."

Ah-Ro's eyes widened. "Lord Manseok's family is sponsoring Y/N?"

Hwagong nodded slowly. "Yes, I was made aware even before I hired you to get a list of potential candidates. This was a curious choice of Manseok, considering their reputation for staying out of the Queen's affairs. They've always maintained neutrality, yet they've taken in Jongki's nephew."

Ah-Ro's mind raced, her confusion deepening. "Do you think they know something about him? Something we don't?"

Hwagong's gaze hardened. "Perhaps. Or maybe they see something in him that we've even missed."

The silence that followed was heavy, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Hwagong finally broke the stillness with a sigh. "For now, we'll observe him. But make no mistake, Ah-Ro-this Y/N may be more than he appears. Keep an eye on him. If his name is to enter the Hwarang ranks, we must know what we're dealing with."

Ah-Ro nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on her shoulders. She hadn't expected this level of suspicion or intrigue surrounding Y/N, and now that she had spoken his name, she realized just how deep he might be pulled into this dangerous world.

---

Back at the courtyard, Y/N stood, his heart pounding with an unease he couldn't shake. The crowd was beginning to disperse, the game over and the tension fading, but Y/N's mind was still caught in a web of uncertainty.

He glanced toward the palace, where the Queen's power loomed over everything, and then back at the field, where Suho, and Banryu were exchanging a few final words before parting ways after the game. His pulse quickened as he realized that this world-the politics, the plots, the power struggles-it was closing in on him.

With a heavy sigh, he started to walk away from the crowd, knowing deep down that his time on the sidelines was coming to an end.

Running isn't an option anymore, he thought grimly. I just hope I can survive whatever comes next.