Hwarang: The Second Beginning

Pt. 6: Day off

I remained on Ban Ryu, my fist aiming for his jaw but an inch away from it, I hovered it over his face and stared down at him. 'Despite how much of a jerk he is, don't hurt him.'  I thought to myself, 'It's bad enough you have to act like one of them..You're nothing like it, let him go.' I told myself, pulling my fist away from him and standing up, I held my hand out instead. "I won't hurt you. You can hurt me as much as you like, after all I did come into your territory acting high and mighty." I said, he got up by himself and went to punch me, but I didn't even bother to avoid it, I let it happen. His fist contacting my cheek and I turned on my feet to face whoever was behind me. That being Ah-ro, she stared at me and shook her head. 

"Whatever." I said and turned back to Ban Ryu. "Let's make a deal, we won't bother each other anymore, but if we do it's only for missions or something." Ban Ryu said, I just nodded at him before walking off to be on my own, I walked to the lake we wash our robes, sitting on the rocks and staring at the water. 'This is no time to go soft, Arreum, you've got to keep the hard act on. Man up! Don't woman up!' I closed my eyes and smiled a bit. "Was I right to let him off like that? After all, he punched royalty..." I mumbled. "You should of punched him back." I opened my eyes to see Sunwoo crouching down in front of me, I stared at him and frowned, "Why are you here?" I asked and he smiled a bit, "I know that we're not friends, we're just complete strangers....But, don't let Ban Ryu get to you, he used to pick on me as well since I am a half-breed, he was getting better until you came along.  But, he'll recover soon." He said softly, "Listen, I just want to be on my own right now, so can you leave?" I glared up at him and he stood up to walk away. 

"There is no way he would be my brother. I wonder who it is that  is his brother...or sister." I furrowed my brows and thought about the necklace, he still had it. I got up and walked behind him, "Sunwoo! Where is my necklace?" I ran to catch up to him, he looked at me and pulled the necklace out of his pocket, he handed it to me and continued walking on. "Thanks." I said quietly and looked down at it, I walked back to the house behind Sunwoo, my eyes focused on where I stepped as I held the necklace in my right hand. 

"You all have a day off today, yes even you Kim Sungmin." The teacher said as soon as we entered, I looked up and nodded at him. I walked away from Sunwoo after saying, "I'll do whatever it takes to win." I made sure he heard it, I rushed towards the clinic and sat down on the chair, staring at Ah-ro. "Please check my wound." I pulled my robe apart but kept my chest part hidden, she kept her eyes on my stomach and unwrapped the bandage, she cleaned the herbs off and checked the wound,  she smiled and dabbed her cloth over it to clean it. Then she placed new herbs on and wrapped a new bandage around my waist. "It is healing, slowly. But, you have to avoid getting hit in the stomach, okay?" She said, whilst I was tying my robe back around me, Ji Dwi entered, he looked to Ah-ro and kept his eyes on her. 

"I need you to check me up, I feel a bit unwell." He said, completely ignoring my existence, I stood up and smiled to Ah-ro. "Thank you for helping me, Miss Ah-ro." I walked out of the clinic and walked down the steps, peacefully enjoying the quiet time I am getting away from work. 

I focused on walking down the path towards the bridge as I headed back to the others slowly, I pass by Sunwoo and look him over, my eyes stopping on a bracelet that hugged his wrist. 'The kings bracelet....Wait...he..' I looked up at Sunwoo and he looked at me, he eyed me up and down and noticed my unusual behaviour. I had my eyes widened and I stared at the bracelet he wore, "What is goi--" Ji Dwi approached and noticed where I was looking. 

"You.." I pointed to Sunwoo, "You're..." I furrowed my brow and looked up at Sunwoo, he had one eyebrow risen due to confusion. Ji Dwi rushed to me and held onto my arm, pulling me away from Sunwoo. "Don't think too much on it, he wears it because the King apparently killed his friend...He's not the king. He found that and wears it to remind him of his friend." Ji Dwi explained, "But anyone would mistake him for the king if he lets it show like that." I responded, "He's more stupid than I thought." I pulled my arm away from Ji Dwi and walked away, 'So he's not the King, okay...I nearly had a mini heart attack, I wonder where the actual king is and why isn't he here to protect his Silla.'  I walked away from the two and rushed to the others, bumping into Yeo Woo Rang, he turned and smiled at me. "Oh hello, beautiful man number two! How is it being the dogs hell hound?" He smiled innocently.