Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

40 |2| Tradition

Jongho jumps to the side as the sword is aimed at him, barely missing the pointed tip from grazing his face. He takes a few steps back to steady himself before striking forward, giving no chance to his opponent to offend again. He uses the handle of his sword to knock his opponent's back, causing the latter to fall flat on the grassy field and putting up a hand in surrender. He smirks when he sees the blacksmith has given up and their duel has finally come to.an end. The four-people audience - Yeosang, Seonghwa, Wooyoung and San - clap when they see Jongho taking on the lead.

"Choi Jongho, you're making our poor blacksmith weak," Seonghwa comments as he goes over to Hongjoong to help him take off his body shield.

Hongjoong waves a silent thank you before wiping off the sweat on his forehead and lying on his back on the ground. He makes no effort to get up. He had agreed to a duel with the youngest because the latter had wanted to 'exercise' as he had put it, but so far he has been losing all the rounds and now he has reached his limit; the youngest is simply too strong for him. The others only wanted to look on because they had nothing else to do, and the two of them had been spending their time under the morning sun duelling. Mingi is nowhere to be found, and Wooyoung had mumbled something about him being busy bargaining his goods in town. Akira and Yunho had went off together early in the morning, saying that they're planning to spend some time in town. The rest only decided to stay back at the palace.

"Aren't you jealous of Akira and Yunho spending time together?" Yeosang asks as he leans back and presses his palms on the ground. "Your eyes were as green as they could get when you see them together."

"Why should I be?" Seonghwa shrugs as he plops down next to him. "They've been friends since they're children and they've spent so much time together. I'm not jealous."

Yeosang narrows his eyes as he listens to the gardener's answer. "That sounds weird coming from you. I thought you'd be since you're not the best when it comes to relationships."

"Says someone who's engaged to someone you don't even talk to."

"Okay, that slightly hurt so I'm just going to keep quiet."

"Might as well."

"Where's Mingi by the way?" Hongjoong asks, specifically to Wooyoung as he joins them. "He didn't even join us for tea yesterday. You met him at the central forest, didn't you?"

"I told you he's busy," Wooyoung mumbles, clearly trying to avoid their questions about him. He finds it hard to hide what had happened when all they've been asking is his whereabouts. He fears that he might spill yesterday's incident when Mingi had made him promise to keep quiet about it. "He found some rare golden mangoes so he's trying to sell them in town."

Hongjoong shrugs as he accepts his answer, turning to the rest and chugging down a whole bottle of plain water.

"If there's something you need to tell us, you better tell us now," San whispers to Wooyoung when the rest are absorbed in a conversation among themselves. "I've known you since we're practically babies and it's obvious you're acting really suspicious right now."

Wooyoung shakes his head. "It's nothing, really."

"I don't believe you."

Wooyoung rubs his nose before turning away his head. "I will tell you when it's due."

"Did something happen when you met Mingi yesterday?" his voice starts to get panicky, but he still keeps it low. "Is he okay-"

"He's fine." He stares at the servant and then to the rest. When he's completely sure they're oblivious to their conversation, he states, "I'm... going to ask something that is difficult for you but there... seems to be no other way."