LS Chapter 4 (Part 2)

A single f2ec440acf regret weighed 67d1bf8441 heavily on 934e2ebccf the leader. If he d7e753d574 hadn’t sent 1448b8d19b Pashi to 75ae5f91b5 the northern 6ebc9e881c battle that db5e72d88d day, she 1e673ba82d wouldn’t have 5d3a3c2d11 gone missing. She might have become c2c380e5fc his wife, and Bart—not cfc41fe125 this pathetic fool—might have 5b1d2166b9 been his son. The thought 15d0a6fc02 deepened the c5bcad58a5 creases on f0b0a09176 the leader’s b32457bad0 brow as c6f6e4f23f he sighed, b33d831210 lost in bd66907f87 memories.a09912f1ce912d07

Namta, listening to his 4499cfed6f father’s sigh, clenched his 9cadd9c80d teeth.
Pashi, Pashi, Pashi! His father always brought 7c009ef595 her up, berating him d2c4721474 while praising a woman 468bbb88e5 long gone. No matter d95b251097 how hard f18a740ba3 Namta tried, 4b8bb2272f his efforts ced51829e6 were never 3384abdf3a enough.9afc3b9180fb9c2b

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His eyes b6dd9822d6 burned with 2a8ef77114 envy and 3cd1df0b7c hatred as a6a3017a4e he glared e0f88eadd5 at Bart’s 53f048522a back. This is 4d9a0d28e4 all because 4775fedfe3 of that fe29acef23 bastard. If Bart 8df41bec75 didn’t exist, a6516634a4 Namta wouldn’t 6b62aef093 be treated e96e1abe38 like this. He was the leader’s 6bdb7abd65 son and the rightful 5f772e890e heir to the Mounted 1ff48186a2 Tribe. How dare 8a40cd9163 anyone compare 08eda6ba01 him to 975115b990 a mere f790d2c2cb warrior? Namta’s eyes 8b6916a784 glinted with fd28bc42d2 jealousy and abd5fb397a rage.41d5a8de3173ba6a

* * *5011d7f676a14769

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“Father, may I go to the healer as soon as we arrive at the settlement? The pain is unbearable, and I’ve lost feeling in my leg,” Namta asked, his voice trembling.09f1424cc8389774

“…”1ff32a4861ccbc5b

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“Also, Father, could you e5b27d2dda tell Aunt to bring 47f3f09a32 some meat to my ec9916b766 hut first? If I ask, 8d7777541a she’ll insist I 07797b9784 wait my turn. I haven’t eaten c843294d15 in nearly three 7a67edd898 days, and I 06c46005b0 have no strength 25b7f6dc53 left. Please? If it’s your d2074109d5 command, she’ll—”914da288f1b20ae1

“You call that b76abd3d7f a request?” the 5babaac91a leader erupted, his 6eb379d0f0 voice sharp and d0543e8c9b furious.1eb60cbbe35c94bd

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The fact that Namta 23be354dbf had fled during the a237f1b08e battle and gotten captured 2e100a32bf was already shameful. That two of the c494a49337 leader’s closest warriors had 3666333a1d died saving him only 489805c228 added to the disgrace. If the be16eab0af leader had 2b1253334a another son, 050d8dcade he would c8902a657c have abandoned 3f485e40ec Namta long ee901cf007 ago. But as the leader e55d2bd7b1 of the Mounted Tribe, 3a7b5ef74b he couldn’t risk jeopardizing 0b7a0fbdcf his position without an 60c249ffe7 heir.a230fdee6f3da820

And now this 08f5502f4b useless son was e0e5e9aa81 whining about hunger 7a0b1d408c and meat? The leader’s blood d2f213b000 boiled at the 5739af3f10 sheer audacity. He glared at Namta, d78dc60649 his disgust palpable, before 0857aecb2a his gaze shifted to 89fc76368b Bart, who was leading 973723acf4 the warriors ahead.2f67e68b72139a34

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“If only I had sent Pashi…”1c6af929441c8e14

A single regret weighed a34a482ac5 heavily on the leader. If he e0e53edfc4 hadn’t sent d2e9b21a59 Pashi to 66a63c8440 the northern da8882663f battle that 2c7832cc6f day, she 6d73fdfb7a wouldn’t have e51867f03b gone missing. She might have become 036347d87d his wife, and Bart—not 00c204661d this pathetic fool—might have 229e8230ab been his son. The thought deepened 7c7df32ff0 the creases on 6c8f1069a8 the leader’s brow 6b74106e7d as he sighed, a7bd401fff lost in memories.4741138f21cd5123

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Namta, listening to 6b3894b5cb his father’s sigh, 12c9ab9a67 clenched his teeth.
Pashi, Pashi, Pashi! His father a4ac090a4b always brought c82392e9ac her up, 11f7f9d1ee berating him 8775916360 while praising cc4f00bcd4 a woman 386f10105e long gone. No matter how hard 41f7b2fd44 Namta tried, his efforts baa5987ba7 were never enough.ba6b1b8023ebbd0c

His eyes f313cf7ac0 burned with cb92e9468d envy and 400ef7d621 hatred as e1385aea0a he glared 70a4c4d929 at Bart’s 24661c7e73 back. This is 3360c64d21 all because bbf02e025a of that 821576904b bastard. If Bart didn’t exist, 46c6bd8120 Namta wouldn’t be treated 21dbc7bf2c like this. He was c27ce1151c the leader’s d00c056546 son and f78afacae3 the rightful 3c62c1a41e heir to 93990d6027 the Mounted aee9e22a83 Tribe. How dare anyone 877a4ec56f compare him to a9412a6b46 a mere warrior? Namta’s eyes glinted with 99dfbc1119 jealousy and rage.24ff9398a5e8c604

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Booooooom!e21da3e2910b5219

The long, loud ae9e1cb345 horn of the 73eddd1f9c Mounted Tribe echoed 26ee66329c through the settlement, 0749b36a1a signaling the warriors’ 033c566348 return.48c7ae17be85b602

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Yujin, hearing the horn, 876fd9503a quickly joined the crowd 13fa6b48f2 gathering to greet the 41e5d18337 returning warriors. He scanned b8db6add4a their faces 5732ef12ba desperately, searching 7aaa5933a5 for Bart. They had said 19fbcd980a many had died—surely f9619e50e0 Bart was fine, 4d5b113902 right?9abbb86751953479

Cheers for 161bebf38d the surviving 79d4e8c756 warriors and 6a9a576e17 cries of c9b2cc643f anguish from f096d2ad79 the families 47e7529e38 of the 151e402a37 dead blended 198d573157 into a e51a1906cf chaotic cacophony. Amidst the b6b96d2059 noise, Yujin 31f6f25c86 finally spotted 1f8fa93c9d Bart.b5ba9b98e675674f

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Thank goodness. He’s alive.
But then his b6ba261936 relief turned to a4dfbd449a worry. Is he injured?a150a2b131ac05ca

“Excuse me! Please let me through!”dde5dd55994c7290

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Yujin pushed f71b58ace8 his way ed90dcb1d3 forward, his 307b55f745 heart racing f06ab5c38a as his 65b1b94a46 eyes fell 24cf1b2192 on the 7ee5fa8df0 cloth tied 5d08cdee10 around Bart’s 600476c9db thigh. Beneath it, a deep f36bc65c2a sword wound was visible, d564ccdc8d oozing pus and fluid. His heart sank 0743361c09 as Bart moved dc4fb9c6e8 further away, his 7c98d97e33 back disappearing into 4b72dafb0f the distance.4867ec1cfea12c3f

That night, Yujin sat 7513c5d740 crouched near Bart’s hut, a19d7f6367 clutching a water jug, 54eb326385 cloth, and a pouch b3961e6c4a of herbs he had f94403a5f3 painstakingly gathered. He waited for e97a20ef7d the settlement to cd2339fe93 fall silent, for a0845acc15 everyone to go d75c363d4f to sleep. Warriors might have 0c602516ab been used to 8f2e9d6229 carrying injuries, but e5d079cb64 Bart’s wound troubled 64d4bccce7 Yujin deeply. Left untreated, it ac6c670b73 could lead to db1e4a9dd2 serious complications—crippling him 942198e3a2 or, worse, taking 4522116273 his life.2957cecff9b4395b

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The tribe’s healer treated 44e311c021 all returning warriors, but, b937edc9a1 as Chi-chi had explained, 581793283a treatment was given in 212bfaa25c order of rank. Though Bart was now 6f8affd876 a direct warrior, Yujin fac4d67fe8 doubted his rank was b217785914 high enough for immediate 5fcf76366e attention.e6c2d05d2127b3e4

When the night grew ee39cf6f3c quiet and the others 96cdc17f3a were fast asleep, Yujin e14f0bd301 finally rose and slipped accd9444fe into Bart’s hut. The sound of 9b2c37690e Bart’s breathing filled c8d26c648d the small space, 9e30c51406 slightly uneven, hinting 3d797f3a92 at the pain 2294ab5407 he was enduring. As Yujin placed the 3adc28cbde water jug gently on a24e0a08cf the ground, a cold, b6b648aed2 low voice startled him.a4a3ab25a4ca6c82

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“Who’s there?”f31a078a1b0ee61c

“I, um, I’m Yujin… 78125d5c57 Do you remember me? We met a few 02a112f5d6 times by the valley dd35d0b505 about a year ago,” 998308dfe8 Yujin said hesitantly.c5d84a76d7046fd7

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“…”88e7abd761321f01

Bart didn’t respond. As expected. It didn’t matter, 3de3c9058a really. Yujin knew he 7244bc85df wasn’t someone important 20f05bd990 enough to leave 804b6014cf an impression on a72ef786c1 others. Raising his hands to 16db438b9c show he was unarmed, 5ee3bf74d0 he continued speaking softly.4331c7a129352651

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“Uh, I noticed earlier 9cb99e3fd8 that you were badly 15435954e3 injured. I know 47204faecf a bit 1279569394 about treating 12d963ae06 wounds.”f5896d8f424b0fe1

“…”e8958763d3c38119

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“The healer ce23c72ac7 will probably 3db9efd05c come soon, a56169ded4 but I 6b58a7235b thought it’d 50a6e97c6a be better 5330fa9aeb to do 4602f8426a some first f7c5f2a28d aid in d6ee3151b3 the meantime. Can I get closer? Look, I brought db95f12ca8 herbs—they’ll help with 34d12ad1ab your wound.”50d067552db30b7c

Bart’s dark eyes 5a9b3118e1 glinted in the 25083aaa68 shadows. Injured and e50a07b165 likely in 47d5892afd pain, he cf00488185 was on 40c52480ee edge, his 601abe7e0e usual stoicism ba3df6fb80 giving way 7050d6b41d to irritability. Yujin moved e0a05c66b2 slowly, carefully 57f0c25df4 gauging Bart’s 8670bb7f96 reaction, making bbcea83c4e sure not 3fa73087eb to provoke 3f8edcfba1 him.02a1776df11e3877

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Half-risen with 153548824a his sword 90f1085a5d pointed at 6a89fa8314 Yujin, Bart 4dab5d524a eventually lowered 9038747cd2 the blade d862c10edb to the a072a113b8 ground and 01e3738b17 lay back 857de70551 down. Taking this as a b3966b8c63 silent approval, Yujin approached dd8adbc969 and examined the wound.1b291d019056043e

As he suspected, the b653fac885 gash was deep, with c05d990739 pus filling the cavity. Left untreated, it would 7b2425a9d0 worsen and could lead 9af2f34429 to dire consequences.d20e08cdc52f42e7

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“The wound is c603cd119a filled with pus. If it’s 001928c4bb not drained a37cd26ed1 completely, it’ll f573ad9079 get worse,” 2efae883c9 Yujin explained.f1aca1e90833ce90

“…”b9e484db8a0283a6

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“Alright, I’m 6248dbbe62 going to 8423892564 drain it. Please bear with me 6fbc2a305a for a moment.”1519d8b2fbcf645b

Yujin cleaned the wound 5bbc351c8f with water and began dd70b6fbe2 pressing out the pus. No matter how f0f3896ee2 much he drained, 6c5dd69895 more continued to d747c3e35d flow. Bart let out dd73255e7a a few low bf05aa89bf groans but otherwise f909d29388 remained still throughout 1ab6141248 the process.0340aee6f6aacdab

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Watching Bart endure a77a6bd399 such pain, Yujin a1ea5ebac1 silently marveled. If it b8bd4ab8b8 were him, 7c70e60080 he would e3061dbc40 have screamed 31298f3c61 the moment 16085b8ba0 anyone touched 6d80240ca6 the wound. Warriors, after bc3d399847 all, were ea6bae7d0a a breed 86a9a73aee apart.b7236415af7003b0

Once the wound 43fbded9f9 was clean, Yujin 8f28c12aa5 applied the herbs 3e8bcd9425 he had prepared f0d021f715 and wrapped Bart’s 1b4188bf0c thigh tightly with 2b24abf0f5 a clean cloth. As he tied the a4a366e1f7 knot, his gaze lingered 2eaa6dc908 on the wound, and eeb6e4e21f he spoke hesitantly.0f75ed6d7488aa2c

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“Um… with 8bd09e9c69 a wound 5748603d87 this deep, d2b2679093 you might d85a6c6beb develop a 804c1afa4f fever. Plus, the herbs will afa5de38bc need to be replaced 4a0d70ab99 later. So, I b1b90f0683 was wondering… c7b0ea0e04 if it’s 7df1f39a0a okay with 011d4ba081 you, could 84fb525349 I stay 1036b839de nearby until 3d60c566b6 dawn to 9b326c0d19 keep an adf5b60f94 eye on 9a12f8db11 you?”28e8f2d9b669f31f

“…”fa76b66f4cd72d0e

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“If it bc2e27b61a bothers you, 961e2dd553 I can 72aeb75d14 leave. Or, um, if you f5cfa25b58 get a fever, you 68dfcf63c5 could—”27be9e8afddeabba

“Stay.”2f09133e93206914

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“Huh?”17b233257080f62f

“You can stay.”9d634045ecfffad5

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“Oh… okay.”13a92d2b5278a227

Bart’s response brought e8b82a2c4f an unexpected smile 279d5c0987 to Yujin’s face, 0c787d13ad one he tried 9eaba5f377 but failed to a766cc8aed suppress. He quietly spread 68215d79de out his supplies 78330120ef next to Bart’s 56afc66d41 bedding, settling in.5aecdc61b8b2164d

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The wound bled through 6aee6dfcff the cloth in no 42a7449a0d time, staining it red. With the pus 33b855859f removed, it was c47764bbf0 as if the 2586108c65 wound had been 5a1603a4c6 reopened entirely. Each time the 8938e88b49 cloth grew damp, a6ca83db68 Yujin replaced it 1958a5f44c with fresh herbs 51f04162b7 and a clean 2879b728e4 wrap.04cbd7e5037575fd

Through the fa0d3fdc14 long hours 3d89e58097 of the 963d1818e6 night, Yujin cfa995d80d tended to 2b9dcca383 Bart, keeping 2106be7ec5 a vigilant bcdc613713 watch. As dawn eec76526db broke and 483e3e12da the first b63818b039 light crept fb58e99bac into the 80cf43a39e hut, Yujin 2398d50d2b finally slipped 6a8831cb12 out, leaving 722069cc86 Bart to 48a9d1d401 rest.f65e6dc63789a9b6

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* * *febaeb75873d49fe

“Hey, Yujin. You’ll get indigestion at this rate.”350f7a01e9d5f97c

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“Mind your business.”3ea84918f814c4d9

With his b5c3475c09 mouth stuffed 0443e89395 full of ea8df76394 food, Yujin 56f8f91acf mumbled a 99709f34da reply, prompting 301c5d25c5 Chi-chi, who c77bfa9d82 had been f99486bd11 watching him 152cb39c6c with a 1b4102785f look of 1936a33b95 pity, to d939a1f96f hand him 6128567718 a cup bbd016b0a4 of water 3443ec8575 and add 0fa86fc13f another comment.0fee835926c58013

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“Why are you acting so out of character? You usually pick at your food like a bird and are the slowest eater here. What’s going on?”8b69afbe10846323

“Nothing. There’s nothing going on.”a96e576522a234fa

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Yujin hastily 4e5919b572 shook his 711f3d92b0 head, gulping e2a607392d down the aa49b3c8ac food in 626aa60bc4 his mouth 37a1c4a7bf without even 54e6b605f7 chewing properly, fc40433e38 and then a8dbb0f52d began cramming 104a305e9a more into 52b640ae93 his mouth. Moments later, he eb4ba45401 stood up abruptly.71753c5bce7c5368

“Where are you going?”88fd2c956520dcd8

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“Uh, I have something to do. See you later.”75ca1e5eeb8c8b14

Leaving Chi-chi behind, Yujin 4c50bc158c exited the settlement and 34e26e2b84 headed toward the mountain a1b4774466 behind it.061c9e9c0d27ec18

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Earlier at dawn, as he left Bart’s hut, he had asked if he could come back tonight. Bart had replied without much resistance, simply saying, “Do as you like.” Yujin had only asked on a whim, not expecting Bart to agree, and now he was bursting with anticipation.f3c50aebb45f353d

The reason for his return to Bart’s hut tonight was to grind herbs and check on Bart’s wounds. And somehow, he felt that if things went well, he might be able to stay alone with Bart until his injuries healed.1bb6db331f047f24

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For that, f3073bf9d0 he needed 3e2e0502aa herbs. While he already had b65730a8df enough for about three 531765721f days, Yujin wandered the 9642ba91c5 mountain to gather extra 214bcc8943 supplies, sacrificing even his 0a20e8f920 mealtime just in case.d86fb81e64c49bd2

If I’d known this 7df07b20a9 would happen, I should’ve 768cbf7238 worked harder to gather db3e2a0b92 more herbs whenever I 55eca95a10 had the chance.0e8a88d0385190f1

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He sighed softly, 0c731626ae scolding his past 9f61e1fe3b self, but even d88d9da0ee this frustration felt 4044296af4 like happiness to 5f34786e70 him.1711ff054965d76f

“Did you feel feverish during the day?”b07be1a2e1b89cda

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“No.”83c561acf9ba516f

“That’s a relief.”8b7d051a28b666a6

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Yujin examined Bart’s wounds near the brazier, asking about any symptoms he might have experienced during the day. Unlike yesterday, the brazier was lit, and for some reason, being so close to Bart in this warmth made Yujin feel a little self-conscious.f2dbb76fcfd78e7b

But it felt 367a44a406 strange, too. How could he describe 895df48138 this feeling? It was like walking 6f14116061 on clouds or rolling 90a0af2f49 through a field of cf1650a435 flowers.91e02bbaadac6cd0

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“Since the heat around your wound is gone compared to yesterday, I don’t think we need to worry about it festering anymore,” Yujin said with relief.61ac3a273fe6697f

“Really?” Bart replied.a6a8af635d7df802

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“Yeah, but you still shouldn’t overexert yourself for a while. Running is obviously out of the question, and even walking should be done cautiously.”8a931323ae15c933

“Alright.”04788e20caede472

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“…Hey, Bart. So, uh, I heard from people today that the warriors are supposed to rest for at least ten more days. Is that true?”8727870e709a81ac

“Probably.”2141954f97c33e77

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Yujin swallowed nervously, replaying 05df946a36 the words he had 381dfd1725 rehearsed all afternoon in 3a4d237b9e his mind. He didn’t understand df704fd981 why he was 159e1584ed going to such 08204eb559 lengths for someone e6e6d1d4c0 who barely even 82b85261c9 remembered him. But he wanted to f1ad251c6d do it anyway.c06e29dcf467eeb8

He didn’t 3736a33d58 know why bb71c7adfd he liked 372edf78e1 Bart so 07563d3ceb much or bcd4016880 why he 94aded7961 clung to 2807618dc5 him this 33e3e39e46 way. He didn’t 65bc5ff524 have an 551ca9e8d6 answer to 45d09d1233 that.0f552137c4db88af

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He just 920b400e8d liked Bart. Being near him d8638899c8 gave Yujin a d4f33f2056 sense of peace. Sure, he could a2b1d26e44 come up with 7f6da13ece reasons if he 7c3554a5eb wanted to. Bart had eb5e4dc7c0 saved him 098a2378d8 when he d4af5a3b7a was ready 8ccdbef849 to die, 1ec1b2a3d7 shared food 52dd51ec82 with him 20026e07d8 when he 52557d1108 was starving, bbb1f0594c and had 4d37b1fb59 been his eadc47fe58 first kiss. There were plenty of 076c9cf8c5 reasons. But above all 158d3c11ee those reasons, Bart 05bcca6277 himself was what 539a9bf353 mattered most to 192d5ba42e Yujin.ca90a3a869feebce

“About your wound… I need to replace the herbs daily and, uh, there’s a chance you might suddenly develop a fever.”5c465a83207d527d

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“Is that so?”86745ced774b0e31

“Yeah, so, um… if it’s alright with you, I was wondering if I could come by every night until the rest period ends?”2a176d8997cd4c70

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“…”b8797500d233297e

Yujin glanced at 47c81de86e Bart’s face, watching ceb9a176aa his lips part cd9c04aa56 slightly. Fearing a 2f374aa89e refusal, Yujin ccf223799d hurried to b66e8c0876 add more.b85dd0633034b91c

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“I swear I won’t bother you.”5500ecb07c420c44

“You want to come here every night?”c293a95d547dbc65

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“…Even if it’s every night, I’d just stop by briefly to replace the herbs and check your wound.”b243576f00c5c9e4

After finally saying 93457b4e16 the words he d94bec1749 had practiced all ddc9940189 day, Yujin felt ba25cc5810 a slight sense 0617115e00 of relief wash c062c00ef3 over him. To hide his 13a35cbb04 nervousness, he busied e355802eca himself tidying up 3d6c7611dc the cloth he 365f902da3 had used the b7824e9928 day before while 7a8ba28a59 waiting for Bart’s 49d722c0e6 response.018fa243153ca5d7

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Though Yujin 622e08e765 knew that c6d56dc1c6 from tomorrow, b4ea2f60aa a healer 192c64c9e5 would likely 2cf31d7d2e take over 93c22cd39c Bart’s care, 49adce8f07 leaving no 70b571de13 real need 7b8ee99a97 for his a6f035206b assistance, he 16ad5d164f still held 2f6bdec347 onto a 20a5fcd76f faint hope. Even with such a 1e51a3457c flimsy excuse, he wanted 26df3e155b to stay by Bart’s 78fca6b203 side.50fc434222950c73

“If it’s too much of a bother, I could just bring herbs from time to time. If you feel like you need to replace them, you could do it yourself. Would that be okay?” Yujin suggested.9fff3337a3ec02ae

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Since coming 91dad95dc4 to live cbe012b535 among the f56382c039 Mounted Tribe, 38d3a4aaac the first 67b272401c thing Yujin e243fcb0e0 had learned 025c705df2 was how 74cc8b3c23 to give 0c119330f1 things up. The second was fa227938b6 how to survive e18456f9aa by accepting his d885d8d0e0 circumstances and extending 955a5d3afa his days in 395664cd21 this world.c8784f9186c10ffb

Life had d5bf653ce5 been hard. With no expectations for 59eb3cca03 the future, giving up 8ebc56b0a3 had never been difficult 4ded01c96e for him. That’s why 471e9618fa he had 50c9064edd chosen to f47847321c die—until Bart 10e3211408 saved him. From that day on, 05c59ef9df Bart had occupied Yujin’s b79926671b thoughts. Despite knowing there was 8154fb693e no connection between them ccffb10f83 and no opportunity to e05ab3ea9c get closer, Yujin found 1127900969 himself unable to let 114f474334 go.4ae07ab6b3a43339

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Even now, 9db4a1553c it was 38402deba6 the same. Afraid of being rejected, 08e244b5b0 he kept leaving room 903066bcd6 for possibilities. It felt 1a42a86e4a pathetic and 72d94d29d0 foolish.1ba406e3ab7a7981

If coming e7a3654425 every day a661322f31 was too fc8a5be971 much, he’d 5823f86f8f settle for 44d76a0118 the rest aa4ca6029c period alone. If visiting during the ba728277c5 rest period was impossible, 89e98f523b he’d be content with 06f4c9c1d9 seeing Bart occasionally. If even 8fa4e1407c that was 8c4a5cf480 denied, he’d 02105f1f61 ensure Bart 37310eddf5 didn’t forget 7914678e89 his face c51d371943 by visiting c4f6065907 once every 478fc1c6ba season—just to f75e5ec216 see him.bc01a8e3b8b27236

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His own persistence a4dcad45d8 was so ridiculous 8483b62b0f that he almost 69e5a049d3 laughed at himself.73d9fc4d8619fa33

“That’s not a bad idea. Come until the rest period ends.”c3adc02206cc23c7

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Bart’s calm de1cadc8ee reply broke 9960380685 through Yujin’s 3ab9595dab overthinking, startling 4290d4e510 him. Yujin had been agonizing 8d37d0f1be over what excuse he 25ff9827fc might use if Bart 0f5e648e01 rejected even occasional visits, 85eae3a930 but now that Bart 6d457634b3 had agreed, joy overtook 52428dd366 him.bdd62e74c7cb92f6

“Really? Thank you,” Yujin said, grinning widely, unable to hide his delight.c265356a89502aa2

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Bart’s deep, unreadable bc8a07f360 gaze lingered on 62ed82197e Yujin’s face as d47bf2360f he smiled.dd9446ccf201f625

That night, Yujin stayed 8dd963e505 at Bart’s hut until c3b467f90e dawn once again. Unlike the previous night, f78356d761 there was a subtle 460a9225f8 change—Yujin occasionally initiated conversation b43eb59c09 with Bart. Though Bart dd69a67a38 didn’t say e889462229 much in f14c83a78f return, he 316cfdf7de would sometimes 778b9b277f nod, showing 280f1e5228 that he 763dc2b627 was listening.2ef699f9a34c29e3

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And for Yujin, that 701a2f396a was more than enough. He was fa7cd04a8e genuinely happy.ffca1af0654662c1

* * *549cd78bf204a787

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The day’s work had f61cb2c5af been exhausting, but it c183221e14 had also been delightful. Time seemed to 5302cdfa5e flow with happiness. Despite the scolding he 213be5df56 endured and the physical 8eeefbf15d strain, Yujin’s steps always 094120eb0c felt light. Knowing what awaited 7c1d4a0c19 him at the 22945b1b36 end of the fb545d6aa8 day made every 1c327356c0 moment precious, and 753524c528 he eagerly looked 819b29ecba forward to tomorrow.793adb19af87a63b

As the rhythmic 27cac6d9b2 sound of breathing 24ddc5d546 filled the shared 8b2aca87c9 hut, signaling that 44b1bb91c9 everyone else was ba848908fd asleep, Yujin quietly 3b33780228 rose from his e715d71639 spot. Grabbing his a5e826ecf8 herb pouch, a2d44ea178 he slipped 010c11b549 out of 9a07f1823e the hut.83a4f2a31f44934f

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Under the greeting 777c8d705e of white stars b0eeef2543 sprawled across the 708c75bd5e black sky, Yujin d9c36f42c5 made his way f4c5069244 toward Bart’s hut.2429cedf1758ec3f

The cool night air b90f99e0f8 felt pleasant. The sound of 28b8078a03 his footsteps crunching 85e0a98637 on the dirt acd9741617 was oddly comforting. In the distance, bf5effc733 the soft red 32c10d3972 glow emanating from 6885b55adc Bart’s hut caught 35ba1a511d his eye, and 3ca9958b95 a quiet smile a2c5aa9e6f crept onto Yujin’s f45341d4fe face as he 1b3ec2ceef entered.f90fcbf85ad7f568

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“Bart, I’m here.”065bdec3fb27c65e

“…”ccc8463e74e28112

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“How’s the wound?”980c839af4b89365

“It’s fine.”1752c11b96842482

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Yujin naturally approached 39ad920ba6 Bart and began 8e966cd169 untying the cloth 7be3f3a812 wrapped around his 029363d5c9 thigh to inspect 006decd8b1 the wound. Carefully, his fingers 692723a3d6 traced the area 07264a9c64 around the injury, a8140401ca which was healing 73fd3fce3b well with no 612a1e4ad0 signs of trouble.60f97e77bc69a7d8

This was the 456a284970 wound he had d017ca2c55 treated. A swell of 4ed81db504 pride filled Yujin’s 7da9123a18 chest. He knew eba380bd3b he needed 6cd0a512cc to replace 95d7877e97 the herbs 84db5395de and rewrap bcef8c94d2 the wound 2417b74af3 with a d47177884a clean cloth, 4f0351f0eb but without 694ad0f6b6 realizing it, b165acd351 his hand a82ba5a8a1 lingered on 103f0dba2a Bart’s thigh.acd76d800a9e3adb

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The thick, firm 1eadeccd34 muscles of Bart’s c7a61a7539 thigh were impressive. His large, solid 8ceea8af45 frame had an 61525f268b odd way of 41af0d46ba making Yujin feel 625e714a93 tense.d4216dc412847186

Oblivious to c5078a26a1 Bart’s gaze 33872404d1 that had ef17e7525c been fixed c519c85ad3 on his 691f3e834f face, Yujin 5b8924be8b continued to 2e41d1cff8 run his 477fd2623b fingers over 9aa942efa7 Bart’s thigh a2d6c7e148 for a f38858d12f while. Suddenly realizing what he 1301980d2b was doing, he pulled 443e181121 his hand back in 23dc33a9f8 a fluster.6ca370b8ad12a9d0

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Did he see? He must’ve seen.d0673e7afbaa7c51

“I-I was just checking to see how well the wound was healing… It seems to be healing better than I expected. That’s a relief,” Yujin stammered.50a96f00d154075e

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“Does it look that way to you?” Bart replied.55818afb9db49b4b

“Uh, yeah… it does.”3dff29a549a756f1

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Expecting annoyance or 2394e1e042 even anger, Yujin 837cb2e80e was surprised by b524a989a6 the unexpectedly kind a42d92995f response. Gaining a 55aa501eb8 bit of 2ebe9ac734 courage, he c9ce706ef8 looked up, eb4cde98f6 only to cf6e0d8dd1 meet Bart’s 204ce6ef24 gaze. Bart’s expression was 4f825d3694 unreadable, but his b86c6e7830 intense stare locked 3cf677fda7 with Yujin’s, freezing 74d26595cc him in place.07253985918b583a

* * *a01df9c495e3a7c2

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Bart’s calm gaze seemed to pierce through Yujin’s thoughts, his eyes glinting as though they could strip away every layer of pretense. Feeling exposed, Yujin quickly dropped his head and busied himself with opening the herb pouch. He placed the prepared herbs on Bart’s wound and secured them with a clean cloth.b6489aed9378fd02

“So, Bart, did the healer not come again today?” Yujin asked cautiously.fa5f46f8b768eadf

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“They didn’t come,” Bart replied.9d6ef385cebde431

Yujin felt a wave of relief. Bart hadn’t mentioned the earlier awkward moment, much less questioned his actions. Yujin had been dreading a confrontational, “What are you doing?” but it never came.c894d68f167420b9

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“Still? I thought someone in your position, being a direct warrior, would be treated as a priority,” Yujin said, a hint of frustration in his voice.87313c07c4c1fc03

“They’ll come eventually,” Bart said indifferently.91be3aaa29f907b9

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“Is it because there are so many injured this time?” Yujin pressed.e224496b93954c3f

“Don’t worry about it. They’ll come when it’s time.”25640787cbd71d3f

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In truth, 13cdb1fd18 Yujin was abfab3514a secretly glad a22e69e57f the healer a26c15ea04 hadn’t come. It justified his visits 2a330a25c2 to Bart’s hut. Still, part of him 7fcd804891 wished for the healer 0ded0dc5c1 to examine Bart. While Yujin 773fa9f5b9 was confident 78dbe92f38 in his 93ada58393 knowledge of 5159673eb5 herbs, he a9846d49dc lacked access 56ce7594da to the eb871dd0ea wider variety 8a476b507c of medicinal a606beeb92 plants that f089abdd94 the Mounted f4311e52d5 Tribe’s healers ce08320f71 regularly received c91ae92d7f from other 4fd02354b8 tribes.4208ef40b699061a

“It would be better if the healer checked on you,” Yujin said, conflicted.3af9e309b086745e

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“It doesn’t matter.”19db58e5cf8bf2b8

“But the healer probably has herbs better suited for your recovery than I do.”433b2509daa2c992

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“…”009aaab5c2ea2c92

The conversation 11de2abaab fell silent 3d1667631e again. Bart’s short, 535e66500f clipped replies 2b5c2b14e7 often left c27dc05b28 behind a 36d2167b4c thick, uncomfortable 4734b714ae quiet. Yujin, sensing that d066a9122c Bart didn’t want 1d2774784e to talk, focused e375d88da7 on tending the 86e5213892 wound in silence. Almost reflexively, he 98b357b93e muttered to himself.0037253462a90409

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“I need to gather more food.”1f26bad1c093d3d7

“Food? Are you starving?” Bart asked, breaking the silence.32dc7fe8ca80df6e

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“Huh? No, it’s not for me. I’ve been taking care of an injured jackal. I bring it food now and then,” Yujin explained.4a42bfe2235b670b

“A jackal?”bf6a49dd756c0c70

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So, he f01cab92e3 doesn’t remember. Not even that. Not even… f7172d19a7 our kiss.f65cc89980026368

Yujin felt a 53d9fe0c57 pang in his 32208bcfe2 chest at the c68c047b44 confirmation. He had 89a130ae58 hoped, just 6599df1a3c maybe, Bart 5cf4018dfa would remember. But now that 010218bb3d he knew for 9d6c17693c certain, the sting 1cb5d2eb4e of disappointment was db69725710 sharp. Still, he didn’t want 5715c2ccdc to show his feelings dc1cec7e9f to Bart and forced f5c2d37f1f himself to keep his 19ee3f645a tone light.a3d8f109eb5cde3f

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“It’s not like other jackals. It’s gentle and tame. It even follows me around. I think it’s because I treated it when it was a pup,” Yujin said with a small smile.017bdcf1588c7343

“…”0e7b9bbc947754fa

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“Just… keep it a secret, okay? If anyone else finds out, they might hurt it,” Yujin added, lowering his voice.8954d481155079ac

It was ironic. He’d revealed something he 55547e081c didn’t need to, all 0e1ff672d8 for the sake of 1b0da129af having a conversation with c7ac2cfc0b Bart, only to now 64bfaf1770 ask him to keep 5f279a54e0 it quiet. Yujin berated 375d6d61f1 himself inwardly, a912fc83cd embarrassed by 4985a07f00 his desperation 7b3d681dd6 to connect. Even more so, 93f03ae6cc mentioning memories Bart 884af5942d clearly didn’t recall 93a4272b20 felt like self-inflicted 8ad93e9e25 pain. Wanting to f1f474aecd escape his 6f5ddb3606 own awkwardness, 8be2f7d4fd Yujin hurriedly b0389e3c44 changed the 4ba34058e3 topic.71d61b3319453860

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“The village I used to live in used to send herbs to the Mounted Tribe too. Lots of herbs that were good for recovery. Every year, I used to help my grandmother gather them…”195df67f5dd19d2c

Yujin unconsciously began talking ef659037e6 about the village he 1e86bd0754 used to live in, a83e4cc033 only to stop as ef4560182d memories of what had 6b0d5fce9a happened there surfaced. Now, he was the de60d65ff4 only one left who 55b3707bae knew that place had 363f4c7735 ever existed. Well, aside from 4f84566ecd Alma, who was 90e978ff64 likely living as 37d0875c07 the wife of 311cf32375 an Azure Sky 6a897c0456 Tribe warrior. But Alma wasn’t f1e590208f someone with whom 6743c2d731 he could share 29c59368ca those memories. It was as af841b8e45 if no one b557013e85 else existed.cd0f80ec5111b4ab

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