"Young Lord!" they kept shouting, "Where are you?!"
Han Dae immediately faced him and is about to ask who he was when he pulled him, locking him in an embrace. His long wide crimson sleeve covered Han Dae's entire body.
With eyes wide open in shock, Han Dae flinched when he heard footsteps approaching them and a low voice saying, "Young lord!"
The boy answered loudly with a kind voice, "I am here!"
The guards faced him sighing in relief and running towards him, "Where have you been?"
"Her Ladyship Han Freia is looking everywhere for you! She ordered a lot of us too find you immediately!"
"Mother is?" he asked.
"After the dance, Young Lord Han, disappeared so she is deeply worried."
"My, my..." Han Zeno answered. He felt Han Dae jolted so he embraced him tightly.
Han Dae's heartbeat is getting faster and louder, 'Fuck! This person is the young lord?! The one who killed a Hashi-level monster?! The one who the moon respects?! The cause of the celebration?! Don't fuck with me!'
Han Zeno felt his rapid heartbeat. Smiling, he faced the guards and laughed, "Mother is such a worrywart! Worry not, I will go back immediately."
"That's great!" the guard answered. One of them noticed Han Zeno's hand, when the clouds moved away from the moon, as if he is hiding something.
"Young lord..." he uttered, "That's...?"
Han Dae's hands tighten its grip on the Young Lord's robe, trembling.
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I'm so screwed!'
Han Zeno gave them a quiet chuckle, "It's something for my eyes only." he said briefly for them not to ask further.
The guard lowered his head, "I understood."
Han Dae once again flinched, 'He didn't expose me?'
Asher thought, 'What? You want a punishment?'
"Then, please young lord, go over there quickly— "
Han Zeno laughed, "I will! I will! Who are you now? My mother?"
Other guards laughed as well and is about to take their leave. Then Han Zeno asked, "Where are you going?"
One of them answered, "Back to our post. We are from the gates, and these two are from the bridge."
Han Zeno smiled at them, "You all should have fun too. Go get your food over there and eat, afterwards, you can go back to your duties again."
"For real?!" All of them exclaimed and Han Zeno nodded. They rejoiced and chatted among themselves before facing him once again.
"Alright! I will take some for my family!"
"Can we drink some liquor too?!"
Han Zeno, "As long as you don't get tipsy."
"Whoo!" one of the guards exclaimed, "Our young lord is the best!"
"All hail Young Lord Han Zeno!"
Han Zeno blushed, still keeping his composure, "T-that's embarrassing!"
After a while, the guards left giving Han Dae a time to sigh in relief. Trying to push Han Zeno to escape his embrace, Han Zeno tightened it that made him nervous once again.
"When did you arrive in Fushi?" Han Zeno asked with a serious tone.
"J-Just this morning..." Han Dae uttered. His nervousness is getting intense, especially now that he cannot he the face of the person he is talking to.
Han Zeno immediately let go of him to see his face. Looking at each other in the eyes, Han Dae didn't dare to say a word so Han Zeno decided to speak, "Are you one of those who got selected by Old Han Wanda?"
Han Dae immediately nodded.
Asher wondered, 'Now he's a good boy?'
Han Zeno laughed in both excitement and awe, "That's so amazing! It must be tough for you, she is not the type to let anyone pass easily!"
Han Dae nodded once again.
Han Zeno smiled warmly, "You must be tired. Have you eaten anything?"
Han Dae shyly nodded, "Mnn... from the... b-banquet..."
"That's good to hear." Han Zeno faced him, with a smile still, "But don't do this again okay? If you got caught sneaking around by someone else I could not help you."
Han Dae immediately knelt in front of him, "Forgive me Young Lord Han! It's true that I broke the rules but I didn't mean to offend you!" he lowered his head and said, "I never knew Young Lord Han Zeno's face and physique! My ignorance is intolerable!"
Han Dae thought, 'C'mon! C'mon! Have pity on me! Aren't I too handsome for punishment? And if you punish a child like me, won't you feel guilty? Look at how pretty this face is! You'd be damned if you hurt a child with a pretty face like me!'
Asher gulped, "This guy's acting skills are top-notch! If he's seen as a child, he'd pretend an adult and if he's seen as an adult, he'd rather be a child!"
Han Zeno blinked, "N-no! It is fine! I understand." He continued saying, "You should go back now before the guards go back to their posts."
Han Dae stood rejoicing and said, "Many thanks Young Lord Han Zeno!"
Han Zeno nodded with a smile and is about to leave when Han Dae rushed to him holding his sleeve, "Will I..."
Han Zeno faced him in surprise.
"Will I see young lord again?" he asked.
Han Zeno smiled, "You will. I'm sure you will."
Han Dae's eyes sparkled, "Can I... become like young lord too?"
Han Zeno smiled once again, "You can."
"Then..." Han Dae lowered his head with a smile, "This servant will do his best to make Young Lord Han proud of him!"
Han Zeno nodded, "Mnn." Removing his crimson ribbon, his half bun hair slide down to his shoulders. Holding Han Dae's hand, he gave it to him saying, "A good luck charm."
Han Dae is astonished, "I-I couldn't—"
"Your ribbon does not match your robe." Han Zeno smiled, "Accept it."
Bowing, he answered, "T-thank you very much!"
With that, Han Dae went back to Fushi happily. While tiptoeing once again, his smile faded when he heard footsteps of the patrolling guards. He immediately turned left to run away from them when he heard another footsteps from there too.
Asher, "Shit! Turn right! Right!"
Han Dae turned right as if he is hearing Asher but before even turning right, he saw the guards walking to his direction.
"Go back! Go back! There!" Asher shouted while pointing at the boxes on a corner of a wall, "Hide! Go hide!"
Han Dae went back and hid. Chasing his every breath, a hand from behind covered his mouth that surprised him. Trying to remove it with all his might, he heard, "Sshh! Be still!"
Asher and Han Dae recognized the voice.
Asher, "It's Han-ni!" the guy who told them about the young lord.
Han Dae immediately nodded and the guards passed through their way saying,
"The young lord doesn't seem to be here."
"Yeah, maybe they found him already."
"C'mon, let us go back and ask."
The moment they left, Han Dae sighed in relief. The guy pulled him up saying, "Come." And he followed. They went inside his room and closed the doors.
"Thanks a lot Han-ni! You saved me there!" Han Dae smiled after sighing.
After closing the window of his room, he asked, "So? What did you see in there?"
"Huh?" Han Dae asked.
The guy smiled at him and said, "You went to Nagafushi didn't you?"
Han Dae freaked, "Ack! How did you know?!"
"Sshh!" he ordered putting his finger on his mouth. Han Dae immediately copied him, putting his finger on his lips, he nodded.
"I saw you jumping on the roof earlier." He said.
"Please don't report me..." Han Dae begged putting his hands together.
The guy laughed, "I won't! I promise!" pulling him on the wooden bed, he asked, "What does Nagafushi look like?"
Han Dae blinked and gasped in excitement, "There are lots of delicious food! Many pretty girls and lanterns are everywhere!"
"Sounds like fun!" he answered.
"Oh! Han-ni!" Han Dae exclaimed, "I also saw Young Lord Han Zeno!"
"You did?!" he asked in surprise. Nodding, Han Dae continued, "I saw him dancing and his flute playing is amazing!"
"Right?!" his ni said, "He truly is! He is one of a kind! You are so lucky to have met him! I am so envious!"
"Han-ni," Han Dae called, "do you idolize him?"
He nodded shyly, "A-jins can never be as strong as him but he never look down on us." Continuing, he said, "I saw him by chance when he finished hunting. With Jinji guards behind him, we all lowered our heads."
"But I am really hungry that time that I fell on my knees. I feel like passing out. One of the guards approached and scolded me but he stopped him saying,"
"That isn't necessary. Han-ni, can you stand up? Are you in pain?" grabbing his pouch, he gave his money to him and the leftover food that he brought before hunting. He also gave him his water. "Sorry, this is all I have in me right now. I hope it could still help you."
"Young lord's kindness is overwhelming!" he smiled.
"I couldn't agree more!" Han Dae answered, "He caught me sneaking but he let me go!"
"Then! Then! Did you talk to him?!" he asked enthusiastically.
"You bet!" Han Dae smiled showing the ribbon, "He even gave me this!"
"Waah! How pretty!" he said. "Oh right! What is your name?"
Han Dae realized that they are still clueless about each other's name.
"My name is Han Dae, and Han-ni is?"
"Han Zenzen!" he exclaimed.
Han Dae smiled, "It's like Young Lord's 'Zeno'!"
"Let's do our best to move up our ranks!" Han Zenzen encouraged and they conversed like long lost siblings.
"I'll work hard to get a privilege to be an apprentice!" Han Dae uttered, "I promised young lord to make him proud!"
"Me too! I want to serve him with everything I am!" Han Zenzen said.
Two years passed with the both of them working hard. Han Dae received a lot of punishments while working in Fushi because of his sharp tongue and attitude.
Han Zoraida always scolds him, but in the end of the day, they spoil each other like mother and son. Han Dae managed to read her temper and she understood him so they became close with each other and the whole Fushi community.
"Han-jia! Han-jia!" Han Dae exclaimed.
"What do you want?" she asked with a brow raised.
"Can I take rest for a while?" he asked.
She threw him the fan she is holding but he dodged it. "You ungrateful child! You always ask for breaks!"
Han Dae giggled while picking up her fan. Opening it and fanning himself, he said, "Then Han-jia... if I doubled my work, could you teach me how to control my spiritual energy properly?"
"Oh?" she asked grabbing her fan from Han Dae's hands, "You've got money on you? If you can pay me I will teach you what I know."
"Psshh... is doubling my chores not enough?" Han Dae pouted.
"Give and take! I'm lending you my knowledge and time but you're only lending me your body." She said.
"Then!" Han Dae said exclaimed, "Just lend me your books! I'll learn by myself!"
"I could but..." she said, "...do you know how to read?"
"Ack!" Han Dae felt as if he was stabbed through the chest, "I-I can! S-somehow I can! Han Zen-ni is teaching me every night!"
She smirked, "Alright, double your work then."
"Yes! Han-jia I love you!" Han Dae happily said and went back to work.
Years once again passed and the thirteen year-old Han Dae is learning bit by bit, both reading and cultivating, while working himself to the bone. By the time he reached ten, he started learning martial arts with other servants. Successfully learning all the tricks in the book, he is now using his spiritual energy to do things easier even if he is constantly being scolded by Han Zoraida not to use it in such a manner for it'd only be a waste of spiritual energy.
While he and Han Zenzen is fetching some water in the river inside Fushi, a person approached them saying, "Han Dae! Han Dae! Good news!"
"What is it Han-ni?" Han Dae said while both of them started walking towards the one who's calling him as they carry the buckets of water in each hands.
"Han Zoraida-jia is calling you!" he smiled, "You better get going!"
Han Zenzen and Han Dae looked at each other and went back to where their Han-jia is.
"There you are!" she exclaimed.
"It is my turn to fetch the water right?" he asked worrying that he might have done the wrong work.
She smiled saying, "Pack up. You're going to Nagafushi."
Han Zenzen and Han Dae's eyes widened in surprise.
Asher smiled, "Would you look at that?"
"Finally!" Han Dae exclaimed rushing to his room to pack up his things and clothes. Passing by the mirror, he stepped back and removed his hair ribbon leaving it on the table. Grabbing the crimson ribbon he received from Han Zeno, he tied it to his hair. Flipping his long smooth hair, he left his room.
Han Zenzen is waiting for him outside, seeing him wearing the ribbon, he complimented, "That's much better."
"Would you be alright here Han-ni?" Han Dae asked.
Han Zenzen nodded, "Han-jia is like a mother to us all and it is fun in here. Besides, I'm already second ranker! We will meet again soon enough!"
Han Dae grinned, "Then I'll wait for you." Han Zenzen nodded.
Asher sighed in a wonder, "Me too, I'll wait for this dream to end..."