SNF | Chapter 4.1

“By the way, where exactly are we going?” Yeon-oh subtly pulled his hand away, feeling awkward. He should have asked this earlier, but for some reason, it was only now that the question came to mind.

“Now you’re curious?” Yeshin turned back with an amused expression.

“Didn’t I say I’d take you on a tour of the Capital City?”

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“……”

“And after seeing you today, I thought that walking around Capital City might not be such a bad idea.”

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“How do I look that made you say that?”

“Hm, let’s see.” Yeshin stared at him intently.

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“You seem particularly troubled today.”

Just as the prolonged eye contact was beginning to feel uncomfortable, Yeshin made his assessment of Yeon-oh’s emotions.

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“I must always look troubled whenever I meet Uigwi.” Trying to brush off the fact that his feelings had been so easily read, Yeon-oh let out a small sigh.

“When your mind is tangled up, walking isn’t a bad solution. It helps clear unnecessary thoughts. And besides, it’s a good opportunity to take a look at the hidden corners of the city. You can’t see much when you’re just riding in a carriage. Plus, I consider myself a rather decent guide.”

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Yeshin casually boasted about himself as he spoke. Watching him, Yeon-oh found himself nodding along. The moment he agreed, Yeshin’s expression brightened slightly.

Just then, a gust of wind blew past. Since he had left on impulse, Yeon-oh hadn’t dressed in proper outerwear. He instinctively curled in against the cold, and at that moment, a light weight settled over his shoulders.

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It was a red robe cloak by Yeshin.

“There’s no need for this—”

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“You looked cold.”

“And Uigwi looks cold as well.”

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“I’m a trained warrior, so it doesn’t bother me. But you, young master, are still young and should be taken care of.”

“…You’re speaking as if I am your younger brother.”

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“Did I? But don’t misunderstand—I wouldn’t be such a kind hyung anyway.”

If he ever found out, there was no way he would be able to act this casually. So for now, it was better that Yeon-oh didn’t know. If Yeon-oh ended up entering the court, he would eventually learn the truth anyway, so Yeshin wanted to maintain just this much distance.

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Besides, Yeon-oh had already half-heartedly decided to follow his family’s wishes. And if Yeshin was truly loyal to the Crown Prince, then he was an enemy. There was no need to grow closer, no reason to get to know him. But for some reason, an impulse struck him. Yeon-oh suddenly wanted to know more about Yeshin.

“Do you have any siblings?”

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“When we exchanged letters, you never asked personal questions. But now you’re curious? Why, are you interested in me?”

“I want to know, but at the same time, I don’t.”

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Yeon-oh’s honesty made Yeshin burst into laughter. He laughed for quite a while before finally managing to stop.

“I have siblings.”

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“……”

“A younger brother and a younger sister, though they’re both half-siblings. My mother passed away when I was young. So my father remarried, and my stepmother bore children… It’s a common story, isn’t it?”

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He spoke of his complicated family circumstances with an oddly serene smile. Yeon-oh wondered if he had asked something he shouldn’t have. He found himself unable to respond.

“There’s no need for you to look so troubled, Young Master. My mother passed away so long ago that I barely even remember her.”

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That was a lie.

Unless she had died when he was still an infant, how could he possibly forget so easily?

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Just look at Hye Yeonseo. He had never been able to let go, still clinging to the past, unable to move forward, utterly consumed by his loss. Yeon-oh, unable to say anything, noticed Yeshin subtly trying to shift the mood.

And then—realization struck him. Yeshin would never betray the Crown Prince.

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It was possible that, if he needed power within the family, he might align himself with the Prime Minister and move against the Crown Prince instead. But would Yeshin, who had his own history of suffering because of a younger half-sibling, really turn his back on the Crown Prince—someone facing a similar predicament?

Yeshin wasn’t just any ordinary guard of the Crown Prince.

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He was part of the Office of the Crown Prince’s Affairs, a department whose personnel were appointed solely by the Crown Prince himself—beyond even the Emperor’s reach. The Crown Prince wouldn’t have entrusted his safety to someone he couldn’t fully trust.

Then that meant…

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We really will end up pointing our swords at each other. For the sake of our respective beliefs and convictions, we’ll turn against each other without hesitation.

When he had decided to follow his family’s will, Yeon-oh had already resolved to sever his ties with Yeshin. But if Yeshin wasn’t deeply involved with the Crown Prince, maybe—just maybe—they could have maintained some small semblance of a relationship.

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Yeshin was the only person who didn’t look at him and see the shadow of his mother. That was why he had wanted to face him a little longer.

“Young Master?”

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“……”

“Yeon-oh?”

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“Ah.”

“Oh? But you actually responded to your name. Should I start calling you by it from now on?”

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“I was simply lost in thought for a moment. And my childhood name is—”

“Yes, yes. A childhood name is reserved only for family and close relatives. I know. You just looked so serious that I was teasing you a little.”

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Yeon-oh glanced at Yeshin before striding forward.

“Young master?”

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Yeshin’s voice called from behind him, but Yeon-oh didn’t slow down, acting as if he hadn’t heard. When his strides grew longer, Yeshin called his name again and hurried after him.

“If you go that way—”

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He was probably trying to get Yeon-oh to stop. After all, Yeshin hadn’t used much force. But the moment Yeshin’s hand grabbed his shoulder, Yeon-oh’s expression twisted.

The shoulder that the Prime Minister had seized earlier throbbed painfully, as if it might shatter from just that slight touch.

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“That place is—young master?”

Noticing the pain on Yeon-oh’s face, Yeshin immediately let go.

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“Are you hurt? I didn’t think I grabbed you that hard.”

Yeshin flexed his fingers as he studied Yeon-oh’s expression. Yeon-oh, keeping a slight distance from him, mimicked his movements—clenching and unclenching his hands.

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“It’s nothing. I accidentally bumped into something earlier.”

“Oh dear. Then perhaps it’d be best if we walked side by side like this.”

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He didn’t ask how it had happened. Maybe it was consideration, or maybe it was indifference. Either way, the fact that Yeshin didn’t press the matter made Yeon-oh feel a sense of relief.

“We wouldn’t want you to bump into someone else along the way.”

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“…There aren’t even many people around.”

“Still, you never know. I’ll be careful not to let that happen.”

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Even if Yeshin’s silence had been unintentional, his current words were unmistakably an act of consideration. Yeon-oh wasn’t someone who failed to appreciate such gestures.

Acknowledging it, he gave a slight nod of gratitude, to which Yeshin simply waved a hand dismissively.

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“But why did you say I shouldn’t go this way?”

Now that the pain in his shoulder had somewhat subsided, Yeon-oh recalled why Yeshin had stopped him in the first place.

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Yeshin scratched his chin, looking slightly troubled.

“Hmm, well…”

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The street they had been walking along had been quiet, likely because of the late hour.

There was some moonlight, and a few scattered lanterns provided light, but overall, it was still rather dim. However, the place where Yeon-oh had started walking toward on his own was noticeably different. Bright red lanterns lined the streets, and compared to before, there were more people about.

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Tilting his head, Yeon-oh stared at the unfamiliar sight.

“Well, seeing is believing. Would you like to go see for yourself? I’ll accompany you.”

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Yeshin’s expression brimmed with mischief. Yeon-oh hesitated, feeling a strange sense of doubt.

“…Uigwi?”

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Just as he wavered, a firm hand clasped his. Warmth encircled his fingers. The sudden touch and the heat of Yeshin’s hand startled him.

“W-wait—!”

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Yeon-oh tried to protest, but Yeshin didn’t stop. With his long strides, he pulled Yeon-oh along effortlessly. Even when Yeon-oh attempted to shake off his grip, Yeshin’s hold was too steady.

Dragged along, Yeon-oh barely had time to match his pace before they arrived at the red lantern-lit street. The closer they got, the more Yeon-oh’s mouth clamped shut.

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Despite the chilly weather, women dressed in sheer, revealing garments laughed brightly, twirling the hems of their skirts in an enticing manner.

“W-wait a moment…!”

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Yeon-oh finally yanked his hand away. Yeshin easily let go and stopped walking, still wearing a playful smirk. Flushed with embarrassment, Yeon-oh spun on his heel and stormed off in the opposite direction.

The distant laughter of the women trailed after him.

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“Young master, are you actually embarrassed?”

Yeshin caught up and blocked Yeon-oh’s path. Yeon-oh tried to step aside, but Yeshin shifted to obstruct him again.

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“…You’re in my way.”

“If this is your first time in such a place, I can understand why you’d feel shy. It’s perfectly natural.”

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Yeon-oh bit his lip. He had heard vague mentions of places like this before. But no one had ever spoken of them in detail in his presence, nor had anyone ever tried to explain.

Whenever the topic arose, people quickly changed the subject. Of course, there was no way he could have known.

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“And Uigwi, have you walked these streets before?”

“Hmm, who knows?”

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It was a response given purely out of stubbornness, but Yeshin didn’t outright deny it.

“Well, at the very least, I think I’ve satisfied your curiosity.”

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“…I wasn’t that curious.”

Yeon-oh huffed, but the warmth lingering in his palm made it hard to be convincing.

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“I know. I just wanted to show you that such places exist, so I dragged you along without much thought.”

Yeshin grinned slyly, and for some reason, it made Yeon-oh feel even more annoyed. He was flustered like this, yet Yeshin acted like it was nothing. Perhaps that was why—Yeon-oh straightened his back on purpose and lifted his chin.

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“Regardless of whether it was unpleasant or not, it was a valuable experience. Who else would dare play such a trick on me? Thanks to Uigwi, if I ever have to walk the main street alone in the future, I’ll make sure not to step foot in that place, even by mistake. That alone makes it worthwhile, don’t you think?”

“You finally look like the young master I first met.”

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“…….”

“And this suits you much better.”

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“What are you—”

“Shall we go now? From here on, I’ll act as a proper guide.”

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It was a rather baffling turn of events. Yeon-oh couldn’t move a single step as he watched Yeshin walk away. Only when Yeshin turned back to look at him, as if urging him to follow, did he finally take a step forward.