The night was as ordinary as any other. Min Jun, slowly recovering, decided to resume his usual habit—pacing in front of Uk's quarters.
Receiving Uk's note had instilled a newfound hope in Min Jun, making him feel much better. Knowing Uk was watching from afar brought a sense of security not just to him but to the entire Red Ruby household.
Min Jun donned his slippers, the ones that didn't make a sound while walking. He didn't want to wake the house with his pacing. He preferred solitude for this seemingly nonsensical activity. Besides, he wasn't entirely alone—the guards were always on duty around the Red Ruby, so there was nothing to fear.
As Min Jun arrived at the compound of Uk's quarters, he smiled at the empty room. The balcony in front of the room reminded him of memories with Uk.
***
"So, what will we make today?" Min Jun asked. Uk, stepping out from the room, handed him a chunk of clay. Min Jun took it carefully.
"Let's revise the previous lesson..."
"Oho, let's make something new, please! I'm bored!" Min Jun whined like a little boy, his lips pouting like a goldfish. Uk sneered a bit.
"Daegum, you can't even control your hands yet. How can we proceed to the next step?"
"But I'm bored! We're only making cups! The whole Red Ruby will be filled with cups by the time I master the skill!" Min Jun's childish act made Uk laugh, along with two stewards who were also part of the pottery lesson.
"Daegun jaga, it's fine. We can give them out as your birthday presents," said one steward. Min Jun shot him a sassy glare, causing laughter to spread.
"While making pottery, there are two things to bear in mind: patience and not being greedy. It takes time to master, but it's worth it," Uk said. All of them nodded, except Min Jun.
"Shall we start now? You two can revise the previous lesson. As for you, daegum... let's practice the technique again," Uk's soft voice melted Min Jun's frustration. He nodded, albeit reluctantly, and slapped the bulk of clay onto his rotation machine.
With both hands, Min Jun started molding the clay into a high tower.
"Daegum, don't make it too high. It will crash down. Start making a hole now," Uk, sitting next to him, gave instructions. Min Jun slowly pushed down the clay and began making a hole, but his hands were stiff, and the hole didn't look promising.
"Hyung-nim, I don't know how much is too much!" Min Jun whined. Uk shook his head slightly.
"Allow me, daegum..." Uk stood up, brought his stool behind Min Jun, and sat down, guiding Min Jun's hands from behind.
Min Jun couldn't hide his flustered face, his cheeks turning rose pink. Though his heart stirred like crazy, he tried to stay calm and composed, though he was far from it.
"Got it, daegum?" Uk asked softly, still behind him, guiding his hands. Min Jun winced in mixed feelings.
When Uk saw the two stewards grinning, he frowned.
"What's wrong with you two?" he asked.
"Ahem... go grab me some water! Hurry!" Min Jun forced them to leave after noticing their smirks. They quickly dashed away, not looking back.
Guess the water will not arrive at the time soon, Min Jun giggled to himself.
"Let's continue, shall we?" Min Jun asked Uk. The poor man, clueless about what had happened, continued guiding Min Jun's hands.
***
Min Jun let out a faint laugh, remembering that good day. How he missed those sweet moments with Uk! Especially Uk's clueless reactions that made those moments even funnier.
Min Jun saw the pottery rotation machine on the balcony outside the room. He approached it, brushing his fingers along the plate and smiling.
Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation.
Min Jun took a deep breath and remained composed. He slowly slipped his hand to the side, reaching for a dagger at his waist—just in case. He wasn't keen on carrying weapons, but tonight, he was glad he did.
"Daegum jaga! Watch out!"
A guard's shout jolted him. Min Jun swung the dagger forward, and as expected, someone was too close. The swing was powerful enough to injure the intruder.
Min Jun jumped down from the balcony, ready to face any threats. He could hear the guards fighting to protect the house. When he saw a guard approaching to protect him, he grabbed the man's sleeve.
"Warn the steward! Lock the doors from the inside! Don't let anyone out. Stay in the rooms!"
"But daegum, what about you?!"
"Just do what I said!" Min Jun pushed the guard away. The man ducked his way out of Uk's quarters and disappeared into the back alley.
An intruder charged forward, swinging his sword vigorously. Min Jun dodged the attack, but it was dark, limiting his vision. He tried his best to protect the quarters and his life.
But how much could he do alone?
Knowing he would lose the fight, Min Jun dashed towards the back alley. He used his knowledge of the house to escape to the forest, thanks to his constant training to avoid physician visits.
Once he reached the final route, he turned left and ran straight into the forest.
***
It was dark, and if anyone said it wasn't scary, they were lying.
It was indeed scary and dangerous.
But Min Jun had no choice. He had almost lost the fight with the intruders and was injured. One intruder managed to slash his bicep with a sword, the sting spreading through his body.
He felt like a stray dog—wounded, wet, and scared.
"Now where?" Min Jun paused. The trees looked the same at night, and he had lost his way. It was still the same forest, but with his messed-up mind and painful body, he lost his sense of direction.
Suddenly, a man appeared from behind a tree and attacked. Min Jun, unprepared, received another slash on his abdomen. He screamed in pain but managed to stand and face the intruder.
Min Jun bravely swung his dagger, launching a counterattack with his remaining energy. He refused to back down or die without a fight.
"Come on!" Min Jun yelled. The man, provoked, stared at him with angry eyes, ready to kill.
However, things were not good for Min Jun. The abdominal attack caused significant blood loss. His vision deteriorated, and his heartbeat weakened.
So, this is it? Am I going to die?
Min Jun slowly lost his senses. He felt his body flying and crashing down, but the pain desensitized him.
As his death approached, tears rolled from his eyes.
Hyung-nim, I'm sorry I can't wait for you...