"Argh!" A loud groan is echoing in the prison along with slashing whip sounds. Kneeling with hands chained up, Han Dae clenched his fists, preventing himself to lose his consciousness.
"Thirty-eight!" Han Lulu counted. The whip once again hit Han Dae's bloody bare back that leaves him no choice but to groan in pain.
"Thirty-nine!"
"Argh!" Han Dae shouted while trembling, holding back his tears, huffing.
"T-Time out! Time out!" Asher shouted in pain, "It hurts! Fuck!" Asher's body built is different to Han Dae's. His is bigger and stronger while Han Dae has delicate and sensitive body. Only a few lashes can already rip his skin. Do it once more and it will cut deep into his flesh.
Of course, it is Asher's first time experiencing such pain.
'Wake up bro! Wake up!' is what he is constantly thinking.
"Fifty-six!" Han Lulu continued.
Han Dae groaned louder. It is just the beginning of his everyday lashes. Tomorrow, his wounds will still be fresh. He might even die before his Hashi-ni wakes up.
Sweat mixed with blood, he faced Han Lulu who is still looking at him with disgust. Han Dae, with such delicate body, still have the nerve to grin at him, looking at him with such provoking eyes, he chuckled.
"Is that the best you can do?" Han Dae provoked while chasing his breath.
Too obvious! Han Dae, it was too obvious that you can't take the pain anymore and yet you are still provoking him?! Why don't you think your actions through?!
Asher scolded, "Just shut it! Han Dae we're already on the verge of death!"
However, it was too late for Asher. It already hit a nerve on Han Lulu. He grabbed the whip the soldier is holding and lashed Han Dae repeatedly without holding back.
Han Dae kept his mouth shut and eyes open. Sucking it up, clenching his fists. Asher is different though, he shouted as much as he wanted to, as loud as he wished to.
"Han-chou! Han-chou!" One of the soldiers said, "Han Lulu-chou! That's enough! That's enough!" while trying to hold him back.
"You filthy son of a whore! How long do you plan to stick around?!" Han Lulu shouted the moment they successfully stopped him. Han Dae faced him in a daze and still managed to mockingly smile at him.
Han Lulu felt humiliated but he composed himself and said, "Hurry up and put his ass to work!"
They removed the chains and threw him a white robe. Han Dae wrapped himself immediately while groaning quietly. The white color is immediately stained with red from his back.
Limping, he started walking through the hallway carrying a bucket with water. Kneeling down the side with his bleeding knees, he started brushing the floor. Stinging from his back, pale as a ghost, other servants who are passing through him whispers. Those who were betting last time even have the nerve to step on the floor he just wiped making it muddy. Some even hit the bucket on purpose so that it would spill on the floor and he had no choice but to redo everything.
Han Dae shut his mouth and picked up the bucket. Not a single complain, he grabbed the rug and began wiping the floor as they passed by purposely hitting or stepping on him. Why not? They hated him to begin with since they feel unfair whenever he is being openly favored by their young lord. As soon as he was left also, a female servant approached him and wiped as well with her own rug, accompanying him.
Han Dae faced her, "Han Qin-ji..." he uttered.
"Seriously," she said looking irritated, "Now that the young lord isn't with you, they have the nerve! We just got a lecture from him the other day!"
"Thanks..." Han Dae uttered, "Han Qin-ji should leave, if Han Lulu-chou saw you, he might punish you as well..."
"That's what you care about? Look at you Han-di!" she shouted, "Young Lord Han will surely lose his consciousness once again if he saw you like that!"
"Need some more rug?" a guy approached from behind. Han Dae turned to face him and saw Han Zenzen carrying a bucket of water with rugs.
"Han-ni..." Han Dae is quite surprised, "H-How'd you know? D-Does everyone in the household already knew that I'm being punished?"
Han Zenzen helped with the cleaning as he answered, "What can you do? Rumors spiral." Han Dae bit his lower lip, he feels way more terrible than when Han Lulu is lashing him. Han Zenzen continued, "But I know that you didn't do it on purpose. Han-jia even said the moment she heard of it,"
He then acted as if he is Han Zoraida, using the rug as a fan, he flipped his hair and exclaimed, "Ha! That kid of mine? Poisoning the young lord? What nonsense! He could just stab him if he really wants to!"
Han Dae was left speechless. Han Zenzen did impersonate Han Zoraida very well that it left him blinking. After some moment, Han Dae let out a 'pfft' sound and laughed.
"That's so her!" he exclaimed.
Han Zenzen smiled, "So? Who is this beautiful maiden here?" he whispered at Han Dae with a smirk, "Are you courting her? Or maybe your lover already?"
Han Dae blushed, "What makes you think that?!" he whispered back. But Han Zenzen already approached her and asked, "May I ask for your name, milady?"
Han Qin smiled, "My name is Han Qin, and you are?"
"Han Dae's brother figure, Han Zenzen!" he said while posing that made her laugh.
Han Dae looked at them while they are conversing and cleaning at the same time. Unconsciously, a thought came to his mind,
'I truly am...' his lips curved upwards. '...still lucky...'
After a bit of assistance from them, Han Dae did the rest all by himself. Even though it is difficult because of his condition, he managed to get through the day.
Twelve came and he went to the Training Ground. He saw the huge barrier, almost half the size of the entire place. Placing his palm on it, he immediately know how thick and strong it was. Inside the purple colored barrier, a stuffed doll is floating in the middle.
"That's..." he uttered, "...my target?"
'If I'm able to give that to Shihan, I will be a Zushi without a doubt!'
Taking three steps back, he used his Latigo to break the shield, but it was no use, not even a scratch. He circled the cube-shaped barrier and wrapped the strings of his weapon on it since it cannot pierce through.
Using the spiritual energy he can use, he pulled with his two hands.
Nothing happened.
He pulled harder.
The strings wrapped on his hands dug his flesh and blood began coming out his mouth. The wounds on his back bled once again.
Still, he pulled harder...
But the strings snapped.
His eyes widened. He tripped because of the force and got reminded of what Han Zeno used to tell him every monster hunt.
'Your strength determine the strength of your sacred weapon. A competent Jinji would never suffer from his own weapon now, would he?'
Clenching his fists, he stood and removed the strings on the barrier. Removing the strings that dug on his flesh, he hissed. After tying it back together, he sharpen the edges of the blades and once again stood in front of the barrier.
'Hashi-ni...' he thought, 'I will do my best!'
He ran towards it and started striking, strike after strike without rest. Three came and it slowly fades together with the doll. Han Dae fell lying on the ground. Both his arms full of cuts, his back still bleeding, he covered his eyes that are about to cry.
'Don't cry! Don't you cry! This is just the first day! You'll get through it! Do your best!'
After talking to himself, he stood and went back to his cell.
Han Lulu and some soldiers are already waiting for him. Han Lulu's grumpy face turned into shock the moment Han Dae is already near him.
Blood dripping from his hands, he smirked, "Excited much?"
Han Lulu snubbed with a 'hmph!' and ordered the soldiers to once again chain him. Removing the dirty white robe Han Dae is wearing, the cuts from the lashes are still fresh. Han Lulu touched it and he already flinched, holding back his voice.
Surely it hurts.
Surely it hurts like hell.
Asher is also suffering, with the lack of sleep and exhaustion, he tends wonder, what Han Dae's consciousness is made of? If it was him, he'd probably be dead already.
"Hit!" Han Lulu still ordered.
Just a single hit, Han Dae groaned louder than the loudest groan he made yesterday. His tears can't stop falling anymore. He looked down so that his hair would cover his face. He thinks crying is pathetic, but he cannot stop himself.
'Don't cry! Don't cry!' he repeated to himself.
"Two." Han Lulu continued.
"Argh!" Han Dae groaned. His body unconsciously tried to escape but the soldiers grabbed his shoulders to make him stay still as he received another one.
"Aaarggghhh!" He cried and trembled.
'It'll be fine... just suck it up!'
Meanwhile, Han Xu is walking outside, bathing himself under morning sun. While doing so, he passed through the training ground and saw drops of blood on the ground.
'Must be his'. He thought. Walking away to the area, he saw Han Qin and Han Zenzen who are panicking, hastily running to a dirty storage room. Getting curious as to why, he followed them and saw Han Dae sitting on the ground, terribly bleeding from behind and the arms.
He hid so that they won't take notice of him. Han Dae bites the handkerchief while Han Zenzen is carefully wiping his back as Han Qin wipes one of his arms.
"Mmmphhh!" Han Dae groaned while huffing.
Han Qin wiped his sweat while calming him down, "It's alright Han-di... it'll be alright... shhh..." she stated. Han Dae clenched his fists the moment Han Zenzen used the powdered medicine on his back.
If only Han Dae is allowed to take some Restoration Pill, he would feel better in an instant. However, he cannot even afford to buy any of it, let alone touch it. After all, only filthy rich people can buy such products from an alchemist.
Han Xu looked away. He seems to be in deep thoughts, but after a moment, he sighed and started walking away thinking, 'Not my fault. Not my business.'
After wrapping his arms and back with bandages, he stood and thanked the both of them while lowering his head.
"D-Do you want me to help you once again?" Han Qin asked.
"I can help too." Han Zenzen asked with a worried faced.
Han Dae shook his head, "I'll be fine."
With that, he went back to work. He is given random task everyday like a slave. Cleaning the garden on his own, washing the clothes without help, tending to the stocks, fetching water for other servants, cleaning their filthy rooms and such.
Things he shouldn't need to do, they forced it all on him. But he couldn't care less. All he want is to break his Shihan's barrier and successfully become a Zushi.
Day by day he tried his best. Every after lashes, he worked his butt off. And every midnight until before sunrise, he never get any sleep.
It has been two weeks.
His Hashi-ni is still sleeping. He only have a week left. But he hasn't even scratched the barrier.
"What is this thing made off?!" he exclaimed with arms bleeding once again. His string have a lot of knots already. He cannot even count how many times he broke it.
His time ran out and the barrier faded once again. He sighed in disappointment. 'There has to be some kind of trick to it...' he insisted while curing his arms before going back to the cell.
He stood after covering the wounds with bandages. He began walking to the cell slowly when his Hashi-ni's chambers caught his eyes. He suddenly have the urge to visit him.
But he knows he isn't allowed near him at the moment.
Still he wants to.
He wants to... apologize.
Tiptoeing, he managed to sneak inside his room. With only a lamplight, Han Dae can still see his sleeping face clearly. He wanted to touch him, but his hands are dirty and wounded.
He knelt in front of him and started sniffing, quietly crying. He is holding his tears every day. He wiped his faced and whispered, "Forgive me Hashi-ni..."
And left the room quietly.
Hiding on a corner, Han Lulu saw and heard Han Dae. Still angry, he asked himself, 'The hell was that?!' after watching him trying his best to break a barrier and crying in front of his young lord while kneeling.
Without knowing any of this, Han Dae is in deep shock when the lashes got rougher. But he held back himself from asking.
Han Lulu, on the other hand, keeps thinking as he hit him, 'How dare you approach Young Lord Han once again?! How dare you show your face in front of him again?! Do you think that just because of that, I will forgive you easily?! Why do you keep on hanging out with him anyway?! Why do you keep on staying here anyway?!'
He is still in denial. He doesn't want to believe in anything Han Dae says or does. He wants to keep everything the same. He definitely doesn't want to go soft on him.
After all, his hatred on him runs deep.
"Aaaarghhhh!" Han Dae groaned and thought, 'Why do you keep on hitting the same place?! My back is huge! If you keep on hitting the same spot, you might make a hole on my body!'
Han Lulu, after lashing him nonstop, he finally threw the whip elsewhere. Han Dae sighed while still trembling as the soldiers removed his chains. Wearing his white robe, he suddenly found the trick he is looking for.
His exhausted face lit up as he held Han Lulu's hand with a smile, "Hitting at the same spot! That's it!"
"Huh?!" Han Lulu exclaimed in surprise.
"I might break it when I continuously hit at the same spot without rest! Thank you so much Han Lulu-chou! You're my savior!" Han Dae exclaimed happily that left everyone in there speechless. He then fixed his robe hastily and left with a smile waving them goodbye.
"What exactly is going on Han-chou?" one of the soldiers stared at Han Lulu suspiciously.
"Huh?!" Han Lulu faced him furiously, "How would I know?!"
"Congratulations Han Lulu-chou!" another soldier said while shaking Han Lulu's hand.
Han Lulu stared at him suspiciously, "What for?"
"For completely making Han Dae a masochist, yay!" He said with a blank face.
He felt the chills running down his spine, "N-Nonsense!"
Han Qin, together with Han Zenzen, is in awe when they saw Han Dae energetically sweeping the floor with a smile while humming. They approached him and asked, "What flipped your switch?"
Han Dae faced them with a smile, "Ah! Han Qin-ji, Han Zenzen-ni, good morning!"
"Morning." Han Qin smiled back, "What about your wound?"
"Is it less painful now? Did Han Lulu-chou went easy on you today?"
Han Dae shook his head, "He has been harsher. However, I already learned how to stop the bleeding using my aura. It still hurts, but not that much anymore."
"Do you need help?" Han Qin said while grabbing a rug when Han Dae snatched it back.
"I can do it on my own." Han Dae insisted, "While doing these things, I am maintaining my spiritual energy in check. I found it on textbooks. It is said that when a Jinji keeps his aura undisturbed like a calm water, it would be the same as meditating and can help you get stronger!"
"Does that mean you won't use yours?" Han Zenzen asked.
Han Dae shook his head, "Nope, Han-ni. I will keep on using my aura on my wounds without disturbing it. Not putting too much, and not putting less."
Han Qin and Han Zenzen faced each other looking so confused, they're A-jins after all. Blinking, they raised their shoulders in a sigh.
Midnight came once again and Han Dae began hitting only one spot. What matters is that he can make a hole that is big enough for him to pass through, grab the doll and present it to his Shihan.
Wiping his sweat after hours, he continued attacking until he saw a scratch.
"It's working!" Han Dae and Asher exclaimed. Han Dae continued attacking without rest. Even if the strings are digging his arms, nothing red is dripping, even though the wound on his back is open, blood won't drip.
He feels like he can go on for days. Not because he suddenly felt so strong, but because his body cannot feel pain at the moment. His adrenaline is kicking in. He knows that if he stops or even paused a bit, he will suffer the consequences.
Unfortunately, the barrier faded before he could do more than scratches. He is about to strike from above when the clock hits three. With a cock's noise, the barrier disappeared so he fell on the ground with a loud 'thud'. Hastily sitting, he immediately gasped for air like no tomorrow.
'My lungs! My lungs aren't working!' he freaked while trying to stand up but he couldn't. Losing the control on his aura, the blood from his arms and back suddenly splashed.
"Arghh!" he groaned in pain and tried to put it back once again.
"Still it's working..." he uttered while huffing, "Finally I am making a progress!" he teared up. Putting his beaten up palms together, clenching them tight, he kissed them.
'Hashi-ni...' he thought, 'I am getting the hang of it!'
Things changed after that.
A massive change, really.
Han Lulu got so caught up on what the soldier said that he can no longer hit Han Dae that hard on the whip. Han Dae never knew the reason why but he is so glad that it hurt less and less.
Until the last midnight came. He looked at the barrier with a lot of scratches. This is the last night already but he still didn't manage to make a small crack.
Gulping, he clenched both his fist, "Well..." he grinned with a worried look as his sweat rolled down his chin, "Whoever you are, wish me luck." He whispered.
Asher felt fluffy and cozy inside. For a moment he was stunned without knowing the reason why.
He smiled softly and whispered, "Mhm, good luck."
Tonight, Han Dae has bandages on. He removed the aura on his back and arms. He is indeed ready to go all out. Fixing his hair into a bun, he sighed with eyes closed.
The moment he opened them, he started running towards the barrier and used his Latigo to try and break it.
'Break down! Break down! Break down!' is what he is thinking over and over again.
Asher put his hands together and began praying, 'Break down... break down...'
Han Dae and Asher, 'Break down!'
Inside the young lord's chambers, Han Zeno slowly moved his fingers and opened his eyes. Feeling a bit dazed, he tried his best to move his hand and removed the acupuncture pin on his forehead.
Then he sighed in relief. Closing his eyes, he is reminded of the time and day. He hastily opened them and stood only to fall, managing to lean onto something, he stood once again.
Walking outside his room, he saw his Shihan on the hallway walking towards a certain place. He wondered, "Shihan? Why is Shihan walking outside so early in the morning?"
He decided to follow him and saw Han Dae on the Training Ground still struggling to break the barrier. With arms bleeding once more, he huffed. Han Zeno approached Han Xu.
"Shihan..." he called. Han Xu faced him, quite shocked. He smiled and asked, "What is Han Dae doing so early in the morning?"
Han Xu lowered his head. Han Zeno did the same. Han Xu gave him a chuckle, "You forgot to wear your sandals, young lord." Then he faced Han Dae, "It is his training."
"Huh?" Han Zeno wondered.
"He had no spare time, young lord." His Shihan continued, "But he is still wanting to get my approval." He faced Han Zeno, "I doubt he can make it."
Han Zeno blinked but then he smiled, "How can Shihan say so?"
Han Xu smiled back, "Young lord, look at him." He said and both of them faced Han Dae, "He's been trying to break that barrier of mine for weeks, almost a month. Today is his last. Yet he hasn't been able to make a crack."
Han Zeno chuckled quietly, "But he is scratching it."
"I won't pass him just because he scratched it." Han Xu frowned.
"Oh come on." Han Zeno teased with a kind smile, "Don't be such a bummer, Shihan."
"I won't get fooled." Han Xu confidently stated as he closed his eyes. Crossing his arm, he looked at Han Dae, "One more minute..."
Han Zeno faced Han Dae who is currently aiming at the barrier nonstop.
After a while of watching him, Han Xu sighed, "Too bad, time's up."
Han Zeno walked in front of him. Facing his Shihan, he smiled and said.
"Two more hours."
"Huh?" Han Xu wondered.
"Give Han Dae until five in the morning." Han Zeno said.
Han Xu differ, "Young lord that is—!" but he saw how sincere his young lord's smile is. Suddenly being forced into a corner, even though he hates the idea, he finally sighed.
"What if he left?" Han Xu asked.
Han Zeno faced Han Dae who is still doing what he needs to do. He smiled once again and said, "I don't think he has a clue on what time it is already so... he will definitely stay."
"Fine." Han Xu agreed, "Two more hours."
Han Dae spent another hour making nothing but scratches still. He stopped midway to gasp for air. But at the same time, he feels like he is about to cry.
'It hurts. It's too painful Hashi-ni...' then his eyes lost its glow, 'Hashi-ni...? That's right... Hashi-ni is waking up today... what time is it already? Am I still able to make the cut even though I didn't make it on time? Will Hashi-ni forgive me? Will Hashi-ni still care whether I became a Zushi or not? Will Hashi-ni still accept me after what I've done?'
His mind went into a panic state. Such thing made his heart beat fast. Making him nervous and cautious by the second. What can he do? Without sleeping for weeks, his brain reached its limit.
'Hashi-ni definite doesn't want me anymore!' he gasped is shock, 'I-I'm hated... I'm hated by Hashi-ni... No! I don't want it! Hashi-ni hates me already... I'm scared! Please don't! Hashi-ni I'm scared!'
Asher groaned quietly in pain. 'It feels like my head is about to burst! It hurts a lot!'
Amidst the confusion and pain, there is one memory that came to Han Dae's troubled mind.
"Forgive me, father. But I only want him."
Han Dae flinched and gasped. He strikes the barrier again making another scratch.
'That's... right...' he thought while chasing his breath. 'I-I remember Hashi-ni saying that...'
"Can father forgive him in my stead?"
Han Dae slapped his face and began hitting the boulder again. 'Screw you Han Dae! You of all people should know him better!' All of his doubts and feelings, he puts it on every strike he made.
'Break down! Break down already!'
The sun is slowly rising as Han Dae continue his attempt to break the barrier.
"I am willing to take a hundred whips each day plus half of his!"
Han Zeno's words back then gave him hope once more. 'Hashi-ni! Just wait a little bit longer!' he thought until one of the blades finally made a small crack on the barrier.
Han Dae and Asher flinched, "There it is!" they shouted. The moment Han Dae landed on his feet, he once again flew like a jump and hit the crack over and over again.
His Hashi-ni's face flashed into his mind. That kind smiling face of his, calling his name dearly.
'Han Dae'
Han Xu, on the other hand, is mesmerized at Han Dae's stamina and strength. He feels as if he is watching a play, from the moment he met Han Dae, up until now, he never knew that Han Dae, his least favorite apprentice, can flap his wings and soar.
'Such beauty...' he thought.
He took a peek at his young lord to see what he is thinking. Probably, he is smiling, like he usually does. But no, Han Xu is quite surprised when he saw Han Zeno's wide eyes pasted on Han Dae in awe. They are glistening in awe. Seeing his star struck face, Han Xu immediately knew...
... Han Dae is definitely one of a kind.
'To make the young lord lower his guard and show such expression on his face... Han Dae sure is one in a hundred.' He thought but also, he smirked. 'Although Young Lord Han is one in a million.'
That moment, as the sun completely showed itself, Han Dae finally cracked the barrier all the way through. Like a domino, the cracks spread fast and broke it into tiny pieces like a fragile glass. Han Dae grabbed the stuffed doll when he realized that he's out of energy already and is already falling.
"Waah!" he shouted but he fell into someone else's arms.
Han Xu blinked in a surprise. The person beside him is gone already.
Han Dae gasped in shock the moment he saw the owner of those arms. Han Xu walked towards them. Stretching out his hand, he asked for the doll. Han Dae immediately gave him the doll and he smiled.
Han Xu, "Today, I declare that Han Dae is officially a Zushi."
Han Dae, still in shock, wasn't able to process everything. His brain and body is heavily exhausted. Han Xu left already and Han Dae faced Han Zeno.
"H-Hashi-ni?" he asked.
"Mnn." Han Zeno smiled, "It's me."
Han Dae immediately teared up as he utters 'Hashi-ni?' once more. Han Zeno answered the same. Han Dae sniffed and can no longer hold back his tears, "F-Forgive me... forgive me!"
He began weeping as he wipes his unending tears with his beaten up and bloody hands. He repeated the same words over and over.
"There's no need for Han Dae to feel sorry." Han Zeno smiled. Han Dae cried louder as he locked him in his embrace.
"I-I fulfilled my promise Hashi-ni..." he sniffed while hiding his face on Han Zeno's shoulders.
"Mnn." Han Zeno nodded, "I know you could do it."
"I-I did my best..." Han Dae continued.
"Mnn." Han Zeno smiled, "I know."
"H-Hashi-ni is fine right?" Han Dae asked.
"Mnn." Han Zeno nodded. "Han Dae did a great job! This young lord is truly proud!"
Han Dae flinched and gasped, "R-Really?"
"Mnn." Han Zeno nodded, "So proud that he is eager to take him with him everywhere he goes!"
Han Dae clung to him tighter.
He cried the tears he couldn't cry before... he complained everything he couldn't say before... he asked for forgiveness many times... until he fell asleep while still being carried by Han Zeno.
Han Zeno hugged him tightly whispering, "It must be too painful for you..." after kissing him on the forehead, he hooked two of his fingers and transferred Han Dae some spiritual energy for him to heal quickly.
"Don't worry..." Han Zeno uttered, "I would never let this happen again."