LS Chapter 2 (part 3)

Was it kindness? Generosity? Maybe it was pity. Or perhaps Bart just found the sight of Yujin’s hunger pitiful. Out of all the possibilities, Yujin chose to believe it was kindness. As he beamed with a big smile, Bart’s gaze on him deepened.

The intensity of Bart’s stare made Yujin feel as though an invisible hand was tracing his face, and his shoulders instinctively drew inward.

“…What is it?”

Following Bart’s gaze, Yujin saw that it had landed on his hair. He reached up and pulled a lock of it into view.

“This? People from my old settlement had slightly wavy hair like mine. The color’s a bit lighter too, unlike the Mounted people. But it was common in the Red Settlement where I lived.”

“The Red Settlement?”

“Yeah, that’s what it was called. But… it doesn’t exist anymore…”

As Yujin hurriedly explained, he froze when Bart’s long fingers reached out to run through his hair. Bart’s hand seemed to search for something, grabbing and releasing the strands as if inspecting them.

“Why was it called that?”

The deep gaze and touch made Yujin’s throat tighten. When he didn’t respond, Bart’s grip on his hair tightened, tilting Yujin’s head back.

“T-The area around the settlement was full of red flowers. That’s why others called it that.”

“Hm…”

The pressure on Yujin’s hair disappeared as Bart let go, but the air around them felt heavier. Yujin, feeling his cheeks burn, quickly lowered his head and blurted out a rambling explanation.

“A-Around the time the fruit moons rose, the flowers would bloom everywhere, filling the settlement with their scent.”

“……”

“When the flowers bloomed, we’d pick and dry them to use for celebrations.”

“…Is that so?”

Bart opened and closed the hand that had held Yujin’s hair, his voice slow and deliberate. Emboldened by the hint of engagement, Yujin began to chatter.

It was as if a dam had broken. Yujin poured out everything he hadn’t been able to say before—mostly trivial details. He talked about his daily chores, where he planned to work tomorrow, and other mundane topics no one else would care about.

As he spoke, he kept an eye on Bart, ready to change the subject if Bart frowned or seemed annoyed. But Bart listened with the same calm expression, occasionally glancing at Yujin or gazing off toward the creek.

And so, Yujin and Bart sat side by side by the creek, talking until just before dawn.

* * *

“Bart, I’ve been looking all over for you. What are you doing here?”

Miron shouted at Bart, who was standing near the border of the commoner quarters, far from the warrior zone. Bart, who hadn’t been participating in training for a few days due to an injury, had only returned to the hut just before dawn this morning. After lying down as if to sleep, he had disappeared again before anyone noticed.

“Here, this is your share. The leader made sure you got it.”

“Thanks.”

“You should’ve seen Namta’s face. His eyes nearly popped out of his head, glaring at you. Wow… it was absolutely hilarious.”

“Really?”

Bart, who usually showed little interest in such stories and gave lukewarm reactions, seemed even more distracted today. Miron stopped mid-sentence and followed Bart’s gaze.

“What are you staring at so intently?”

“Not really.”

“You came back at dawn… don’t tell me, you’ve got a girl?”

It was strange enough that Bart was in the commoner quarters instead of the warrior zone, and his recent late returns had been suspicious. Miron wondered if he’d found some extraordinary beauty, but Bart was looking toward the laundry area.

Men were moving wet laundry, while women hung it to dry. Except for a pale-skinned man who stood out in the distance, there wasn’t anyone particularly eye-catching. Unable to suppress his curiosity, Miron was about to ask whom Bart was watching so intently when Tugan’s nervous voice came from behind.

“Tati, be careful. You’re going to trip like that.”

“You’re Bart, right?”

Ignoring Tugan’s concern, Tati marched straight up to Bart and asked in a sharp voice. Bart’s brows furrowed slightly at her question, but he didn’t bother to answer.

“People say you’re the strongest warrior among your peers. Is that true?”

It wasn’t Bart but Tugan and Miron who looked startled by her bold and straightforward question. Despite having been in the Mounted Tribe for less than three days, Tati acted as if she knew everything about everyone.

“Tati, the strongest warrior is, of course, our leader. And all Mounted warriors are strong! I’m one of the top five up-and-coming warriors myself,” Tugan interjected, raising his arm to show off his muscles, desperate to catch her attention. For all his effort, one might think he deserved at least a glance, but Tati kept her eyes fixed on Bart and continued.

“I’m Tati. From the Garin Settlement.”

“……”

Tati, renowned as one of the great beauties of the Garin Settlement, had grown up basking in the attention of everyone around her. Winning the favor of men came as naturally to her as breathing. She had been on the verge of becoming betrothed to the settlement leader’s son, but due to the interference of the leader’s wife, she was sent to the Mounted Tribe instead.

At first, she was enraged. But if this was her fate, she resolved to become the wife of the strongest warrior among the Mounted Tribe. According to the information she had gathered, the towering warrior before her was the strongest and held the leader’s trust.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? When someone speaks to you, shouldn’t you at least look at them?”

Unaccustomed to being ignored, Tati irritably grabbed Bart’s arm. Only then did Bart turn his head to glare at her, his voice cold as he responded.

“Take your hand off.”

Noticing the ugly scowl forming on Bart’s face, Tugan hurriedly intervened, pulling Tati away to diffuse the tension.

“Ta-Tati, wait a second. Bart doesn’t like being touched.”

“What?”

“No, I mean… most warriors don’t. When someone approaches them suddenly or touches them without warning, they often see it as an attack. That’s just how they are. Uh… hey, have you eaten yet? Aren’t you hungry? Miron, what about you? Let’s go to the kitchen and ask Aunt for some food.”

Tugan gestured at Bart with his chin, signaling Miron, who caught on quickly. Miron backed Tugan’s suggestion, gently pulling Tati along.

“Yeah, I’m starving too. Let’s go get something to eat. Come on, let’s go.”

Tati, her face flushed with embarrassment from the rebuff, opened her mouth as if to retort but stopped herself. Even as a renowned beauty, she knew better than to provoke a warrior’s temper—especially a Mounted warrior infamous for their ruthlessness. Though frustrated, she couldn’t argue and bit her lip, storming off toward the warrior quarters.

Meanwhile, Bart, as if brushing dirt off himself, shook his arm where Tati had touched him. His gaze returned to the laundry area. Where there had been women hanging laundry and men hauling wet clothes earlier, only one figure remained—a small, delicate man named Yujin.

Yujin struggled to hang clothes on a line strung between trees. The line was higher than his reach, forcing him onto his tiptoes to hang each piece. Occasionally, he swayed under the weight of the soaked fabric. As expected, his small frame made him weak—an easily discarded, worthless being.

Just as Bart was about to turn and leave, a breeze blew through, ruffling Yujin’s soft, fine hair. His strands moved gently like waves, accentuating his long, thick lashes, small but sharp nose, and red lips. The strangely captivating face held Bart’s gaze as his fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

After finishing the laundry, Yujin dragged the empty basket and walked away. It was only after Yujin’s figure shrank into a tiny dot and disappeared entirely that Bart finally left the spot as well.

Yujin, placing the empty basket outside the hut, spoke in a tired voice to Chi-chi.

“Chi-chi, I finished hanging the laundry. Is that all for today?”

“Yep, you’ve worked hard. Oh, and here—this is your dinner. They’re serving it early because there’s a welcome feast in the warrior quarters tonight.”

“A welcome feast?”

“It’s for the women who came from the Garin Settlement.”

“Garin Settlement?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of the Garin Settlement? It’s famous—people say only beauties are born there. They’re so renowned that some say all the great beauties of this continent come from that settlement. You really don’t know?”

In truth, Yujin knew. It was impossible not to know, given how famous the Garin Settlement was in the region. But since he had never seen anyone from there or even met someone who had interacted closely with them, he simply replied as if he didn’t.

“Not really… is it that famous?”

“Of course! Super famous. Even our leader’s wife is from the Garin Settlement. They say the women from there are all stunning, and this Tati who just arrived? She’s supposed to be exceptionally beautiful. Word is, Tati is expected to pair up with Namta, and everyone’s already in a frenzy trying to catch her attention.”

Chi-chi, with her easygoing personality and widespread connections, knew everyone in the settlement. Known as the settlement’s unofficial information hub, Chi-chi usually had the latest gossip. But unlike usual, Yujin wasn’t in the mood to indulge her stories. Cutting her off, he asked hurriedly:

“Chi-chi, how long does a warrior usually rest after getting injured? Do they not train until their wounds are fully healed?”

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“Nothing, just curious. When we get hurt while working, we’re allowed to rest until we’re somewhat healed, right? I was wondering if warriors are the same.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure about that. I guess once their wounds have healed a bit, they probably start training again?”

“Really?”

“Unless it’s a situation where they can’t ride horses, I imagine they’d train. Especially for those long-distance training trips, it seems like they all participate.”

“Long-distance training?”

“Yeah, sometimes about half the warriors go out on big hunts far from here. They hunt, train, and do other things all at once, I think. Tomorrow’s hunt is supposed to be a big one, so almost all the warriors will probably go.”

“…Tomorrow?”

“Yep.”

“How long do they usually stay out?”

“That, I don’t know. It depends on the leader and the circumstances. Why are you so curious about this?”

“Oh? No reason, really. I was just wondering if their absence might mean less work for us.”

“Well, yeah, that’s true.”

So, they’d be gone for a while… Does that mean Bart will go too?

“Yujin, what are you thinking about? Are you coming to the feast later? If you help out in the kitchen, you can grab some of the leftover food. Come with me.”

“I’m good. I’d rather rest this evening.”

“Are you still tired from work?”

“A little.”

“I thought you’d be used to it by now, but I guess not. Well, you’ll adjust eventually. Alright then, see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

Yujin waved at Chi-chi and walked slowly toward the valley. Even though he’d already woken up early this morning to gather herbs, if Bart really went on the hunt tomorrow, he wanted to prepare a little extra for him in advance.

* * *

“Alright, it’s done. Now the wound won’t fester,” Yujin said, tying the cloth around Bart’s wound slowly, almost reluctantly, as if he wasn’t quite ready to finish.

“And take this.” He placed a handful of crushed herbs into Bart’s hand. “Even if it’s a hassle, apply this to the wound until it’s completely healed. It’ll prevent any infection or festering.”

Worried Bart might refuse, Yujin quickly added, “Come on, just take it. I noticed you haven’t gotten any herbs from the healer. This is better than nothing.”

Yujin grabbed Bart’s hand, placing the herbs into his palm. He hadn’t had time to prepare a clean cloth to wrap the herbs properly, but it couldn’t be helped. He felt a pang of embarrassment as he realized how shabby it must have seemed. When he felt Bart flinch at the contact, Yujin hesitated, thinking he might have overstepped. But Bart didn’t pull away.

Seeing him accept the herbs, Yujin couldn’t help but smile, even as he tried to suppress it. He then launched into an explanation of obvious precautions, like changing the cloth daily and not reusing herbs, as though he were stating vital secrets.

“They say all the warriors are heading out tomorrow for training and hunting. You’re going too, right?”

“……”

“You’ll… come back from the hunt, right? I mean… I’ll see you again, won’t I?”

Yujin felt perplexed. Why was he saying so much to Bart? Why was he doing so much for him? And why did he feel so lighthearted when he was near him? He didn’t understand any of it, but one thing was clear—he didn’t want Bart to see him as just another useless commoner. No, more than that, he wanted Bart to see him as someone valuable.

He knew what people in the commoner quarters said about him—worthless, weak, a man who couldn’t even handle simple tasks. And the truth was, Yujin couldn’t deny it. He was small, weak by nature, and no matter how much physical labor he did, his body never built muscle like the others.

The silence stretched on. Bart gave no answer, leaving an awkward tension in the air that settled over the flowing creek like an invisible weight. Yujin’s fingers brushed the dirt nervously, his thoughts spiraling. Does he dislike me?

When no words came, Yujin sighed inwardly and decided to leave. Scratching the back of his head, he started to rise, but Bart’s firm hand pressed down on his shoulder, stopping him.

“…Why?”

“You really make it hard not to care,” Bart muttered.

For a fleeting moment, a faint smile crossed Bart’s face before vanishing as quickly as it came, like smoke dissipating in the air. That brief smile burned its way into Yujin’s chest, a sharp and unfamiliar warmth spreading through him.

It was a feeling Yujin had never experienced—something hot, something faintly bittersweet. While he fumbled with this new sensation, Bart’s face drew closer, too close for comfort. Yujin instinctively turned his head, only for Bart’s large hand to cup the back of his neck, holding him steady.

“Bart…?” Yujin whispered, his voice trembling with confusion and something he couldn’t quite name.

His thick tongue pushed roughly between Yujin’s parted lips as he gaped in shock.

Startled by the suddenness of it all, Yujin hastily tried to push Bart’s shoulders away. However, his rock-solid body didn’t budge an inch. Flustered, Yujin clenched his jaw to close his mouth, only for Bart to grasp his chin and force it back down.

As Yujin’s lips were forced wide open under Bart’s unyielding grip, a thick, lengthy tongue pushed into his mouth, writhing and exploring within. Yujin’s eyes darted about in helpless uncertainty, only to lock with Bart’s piercing gaze.

The sight of Bart staring intently at him while ravaging his mouth rendered Yujin unable to muster even a proper resistance. He could only accept the intrusion of Bart’s tongue without protest.

The wet, smacking sounds reverberated, grating against Yujin’s flushed cheeks and echoing deep in his stomach. The saliva he couldn’t manage to swallow trickled down, drenching his chin as his mouth remained wide open.

“Hah, hah…”

Yujin gasped for air, his breath hitching at the edge of his chin as though he were desperately gulping down life-giving water. He couldn’t begin to make sense of the situation anymore. His chest heaved from lack of air, and his lips and chin were slick with saliva. His heart pounded violently, as if it might burst at any moment.

A peculiar heat radiated just below his sternum, leaving his fingers and toes tingling. When Yujin finally managed to steady his breathing and lift his head, Bart’s fingertips gently traced along the damp corner of his mouth, lingering with a deliberate tenderness.

“Yujin, this time, try moving your tongue a bit more.”

Bart spoke in a commanding tone, his calm gaze making it seem as if what had just happened was the most natural thing in the world.

“If you’re not sure how to do it, you can just stick your tongue out and hold it there.”

The smoldering heat that had been flickering below Yujin’s sternum spread through every corner of his body, igniting a strange, unfamiliar warmth.

“And open your mouth wider.”

Bart’s lips curved slightly into a smile—this time, an unmistakable one. Seeing that rare expression, Yujin blinked blankly, his mind hazy, and instinctively nodded.

Bart’s eyes roamed over Yujin’s face as he let out a faint, enigmatic laugh, then leaned in slowly. Yujin, caught in the dark, flickering depths of Bart’s eyes, did as he was told, parting his lips wide.