The next day, the cool evening sky stretched in breathtaking hues of purple and orange, casting a soft glow over the city.
The Han-Woo mansion stood like a grand palace at the heart of it all, a masterpiece of wealth and elegance. Towering columns framed the massive entrance, and golden chandeliers sparkled through the tall glass windows, illuminating the vast courtyard.
A long, pristine driveway led to the entrance, where luxury cars lined up, each one sleeker than the last. The sprawling estate was adorned with beautifully trimmed gardens, marble fountains, and intricate stone pathways.
Ye-rin and Ji-ho arrived fashionably late, Ye-rin had spent a questionable amount of time on her makeup. Stepping out of a sleek black limousine that fetched them from the front of the hotel. She wore a simple white dress with a wide hat. She had gone for something more exotic but one piece of advice from Ji-ho was all it took.
Ji-ho wondered why she had left this huge mansion for a hotel, heck it was a million times better than the shack he used to live in.
Cameras flashed as the press swarmed them. Imposing presence and easy charm turned heads immediately. "Miss Ye-rin , is this your new boyfriend?" a journalist called out.
Ye-rin hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding with a forced smile. "Yes he is," she replied taking Ji-ho's arm.
"Are you a model from overseas, or perhaps a top rank officer," a journalist from the back shouted. "None of the above," said Ji-ho in a low tone that was barely heard. As he tried to escape the pestering crew, someone in the crowd yanked down his hood.
Exposing only his cap which didn't do much to hide his white hair. This again threw the crowd into a frenzy, "is this your real hair sir!", one asked. "Of course, it's my real hair," Ji-ho replied with a frown. All eyes were on Ji-ho, and he wondered how he would escape this trouble.
Inside, Ji-ah wasted no time approaching them. Her saccharine smile barely masked the venom in her words. "Ye-rin! You made it. And with a friend, no less. How unexpected." Ye-rin smiled warmly but hers was equally fake. "Well, I couldn't let you steal all the attention, could I?" amidst the fake smiles the tension was palpable.
Lee Do-hyun extended a hand to Ji-ho. "Lee Do-hyun, nice to meet you." Ji-ho hesitated but reciprocated. "Seo Ji-ho," he said smoothly. His expression was unreadable as he quickly recovered from the earlier tension.
Ye-rin stood beside him, watching Do-hyun and Ji-ah with an almost sly smirk. Do-hyung finally released Ji-ho's hand, flashing a polite but smug smile.
"Nice to meet you, Ji-ho," Do-hyun said, his tone laced with a hint of condescension. Ji-ah clung to Do-hyung's arm, her lips curling into a saccharine smile that Ye-rin could only interpret as mockery.
"Likewise," Ji-ho replied flatly, slipping his hand back into his pocket. Are You a foreign model, You do have the stature," Do-hyun asked rubbing his chin. "But still i would have known given I'm a top model myself, not only in the country, and you don't seem like a fighter," as he tried to examine the 6'2 figure standing before him.
Ji-ho took a foot back from the curious man before him," well you see, I worked at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa, taking care of rescued animals, mostly injured lions or orphaned ones. Feeding them, cleaning them, and making sure they were healthy. It's not glamorous, but it is peaceful." This was the excuse Ji-ho and Ye-rin had decided to come up with, if anyone asked.
Do-hyun tried to hide his smile, amidst his jealousy. "Then I take it You must be an ascendant..."As...Ascendant, Ji-ho asked. "Well yeah, someone who awakened with abilities like me," trying to flex his aura.
"Nope, I guess it's just the risk i take in my job." He grinned. "I guess You're right, seeing i can't sense ur energy," With that, Do-hyun backed down from his numerous questions.
Ji-ho turned slightly towards Ye-rin, leaning lower as if to check on her, his piercing blue eyes meeting hers with an almost possessive intensity. Ji-ah noticing this subtle display of closeness, raised an eyebrow. "Well, Ye-rin, it's nice to see you brought someone. You know, family events can be… lonely without company," she said sweetly.
Ye-rin clenched her fists, but before she could retort, Ji-ho rested a hand lightly on her lower back, drawing her attention. His touch brought warmth to her, and it gave her just enough calmness to respond with a sly smile.
"Oh Ji-ah," Ye-rin said, tilting her head slightly, "you're absolutely right. That's why I made sure to bring someone who's more than just a friend. Ji-ho here is my… boyfriend." Despite the fact Ye-rin didn't like lying she had slowly started spreading the lie to more people.
Ji-ho blinked in surprise, momentarily thrown off by her declaration, but he adjusted quickly, his lips curving into a confident smirk.
"Ye-rin speaks too modestly," Ji-ho added, his voice low and smooth. "I wouldn't let her come to such an important event alone, Even if it means travelling from the other side of the country, a woman like her deserves someone by her side who truly values her."
Do-hyun's jaw tightened imperceptibly, his gaze flickering between Ye-rin and Ji-ho. Ji-ah's smile faltered for just a second before she regained her composure.
"Well," Ji-ah said, her voice a little sharper now, "Enjoy the party." She turned tugging Do-hyun along as she walked away, but not before Ye-rin caught the brief flash of irritation in her sister's eyes. "Why does she seem to have the best of everything," Ji-ah whispered to herself biting her lips just enough for a little blood to sip out.
As the couple disappeared into the crowd, Ye-rin exhaled sharply, feeling a rush of satisfaction. "You handled that well," she said, glancing up at Ji-ho. Ji-ho shrugged, his usual aloof demeanor intact. "It wasn't difficult. I'm starting to understand humans," he whispered.
Ye-rin rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered. "stop acting cocky, but that was some quick thinking. You really sold it back there." Ji-ho glanced down at her, his expression softening just slightly. "I'm bound to help you, aren't I? Consider it part of our deal."
The playful tension between them was interrupted by Ye-rin's mother calling out from across the room. Ye-rin, darling!" Mi-ryeong's voice rang out, carrying over the lively chatter of the party. Ye-rin turned to see her mother approaching, her father following close behind. The crowd seemed to part for them, their presence as commanding as ever.
Mi-ryeong's radiant smile widened when she reached Ye-rin. "Oh, my dear, you made it! And with a guest, no less." She glanced at Ji-ho, her sharp eyes studying him with curiosity.
"Mom," Ye-rin greeted, stepping forward to hug her mother, "of course I wouldn't miss this. You know I wouldn't hear the end of it if I did."
Her mom chuckled, squeezing her daughter tightly before stepping back. "Well, you've made your father and me very happy tonight." She turned to Ji-ho with an appraising look. "And you must be Ye-rin's…?"
Ji-ho took the cue, straightening his posture and offering his hand with a polite smile. "Seo Ji-ho, ma'am. It's an honor to meet you." Mi-ryeong raised a perfectly shaped brow but accepted the handshake. "Seo Ji-ho… quite a unique name. And you're Ye-rin's… friend?"
"Boyfriend," Ye-rin cut in confidently, looping her arm through Ji-ho's. The word rolled off her tongue more smoothly than she expected, and she was relieved when Ji-ho didn't flinch.
"Boyfriend," Mi-ryeong echoed the word to herself, a hint of surprise in her tone. "Well, it's about time my little pumpkin found someone again. Isn't that right, Geon-woo?"
Her father stepped forward. He had broad shoulders and a lot of battle scars,his grey hair matched his light skinned appearance. A broad grin on his face. "Absolutely, It seems our little Yeti has been holding out on us!" He pulled his daughter into a bear hug, lifting her off the ground briefly.
"Dad!" Ye-rin protested, her cheeks red from embarrassment, Geon-woo laughed as he set her back down. Geon-Woo turned his attention to Ji-ho, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "So, Ji-ho was it, what do you do?"
Ji-ho hesitated, and Ye-rin's heart skipped a beat, silently praying her dad buys it. "Well I work at an animal sanctuary in South Africa," he said smoothly, recovering quickly. But right now, I'm here for Ye-rin."
"Wow, that far huh, I guess you might have heard of Kabelo then," he nodded. Ji-ho hesitated for a split second, he had been doing fine so he continued relying on his luck and he said, "no sir." "Ohh really, that's odd but it's nothing to trouble yourself about," must be a tough job," he said with a loud laughter.
"It is, especially since... I don't have any special talents," Ji-ho said scratching his head but this only made the old man laugh even louder.
"I like you, you're an interesting kid you know. Let's go have a drink somewhere quiet and ditch these sophisticated people," he said.
"You better not get him drunk," his wife shouted, "I make no promises," he retorted dragging Ji-ho who could only comply.
They had ended up in a quiet balcony, where the loud sounds could barely reach them, the scene was calm and peaceful as Ji-ho gazed towards the moon. "Do you drink kid?" Geon-woo asked as he handed Ji-ho a glass of alcohol. "No sir, I don't drink," Ji-ho responded
"Well that's fine, we'll get you some apple juice later," he said adjusting his position on the railing. As they gazed at the scenery together Geon-woo brought a topic.
"You know people like to pretend they know about life or some nonsense like your foundation defines you." He took a sip from his glass. "Be it an ascendant, or a non ascendant at the end of the day we all have mana running through us. So do you know why some become awakened and the other doesn't?" He asked, his voice stern but calm.
"Luck?" Ji-ho responded, eager to know more even though he tried to suppress his emotions. "Correct," Geon-woo smiled, "Who gets to protect and who gets to be saved it all comes down to dumb luck."
At the end of the day, be it a non-ascendant or an ascendant, it doesn't mean a shit if you regret your life when you die," he said his gaze turning towards Ji-ho.
Ji-ho wanted to say something but the words refused to come out, so he simply continued listening.
"We… beings like us don't get infinite chances. All we can do is leave a mark for the future generations to remember us by."
Ji-ho couldn't explain why but everything this drunk old man said had resonated deep within him.
"Ye-rin is stubborn," he said. "Too kind for her own good. She is the type to sacrifice herself to protect her loved ones no matter the cost. If you're going to stand beside her… then you don't get to be half-hearted."
"You might be mistaken sir, but I'm not an ascendant." Ji-ho said trying to switch the topic. But Geon-woo expression never faltered. Ji-ho was expecting something cliche, but what he heard was something he never imagined. "Then forge a path through your fists,"
The wind blew across Ji-ho's face as he froze, the words sank deep in his chest. "Yeah, with my fist huh," he said unconsciously unaware he had said it aloud.
Geon-woo simply laughed and slapped Ji-ho's back. " Just think about it kid, now come on. Let's not bore ourselves there is one more surprise left."
And with that they returned to the party, Geon-woo had announced loudly that he was a decent kid before leaving to change his shirt for the main event.
"Oww," Ji-ho groaned as he was nudged my Ye-rin, "so how was it,?" She asked. "Well your dad is quite the knowledgeable man," he said shyly.
Ye-rin stifled a laugh, "I think my dad would be happy a Grim reaper thinks highly of him." she whispered winking at him. As they approached the dining area, the glimmer of candlelight reflected off the polished silverware. The party was in full swing now, with music playing softly in the background and guests mingling.
The party buzzed on, laughter and music filling the grand hall.There was a sudden pause in the music as there was going to be an announcement from a young blonde woman. As Geon-woo sat down with his wife. The officers present all stood up and saluted showing their respect. Geon-woo was a hero to everyone's eyes, A Legend who had repeatedly saved the country countless times. He had earned the nickname "the Widows' savior."
The blonde woman continued, her voice smooth and confident. "As per the events planned for tonight, there will be a short Exhibition Duel featuring a series of one-on-one matches between the new recruited soldiers of the fighting force, each competing in a single bout. Additionally, a special guest will make an appearance."
Murmurs spread through the crowd. The music resumed, and everyone continued the fun. The room was cheerful once again, it seems everyone knew what was going to happen except for one person.