Childhood Friend of the Zenith - Chapter 164

༺ The Thing I Wish To Show (4) ༻

Back when I first met the bastard, it was around the time when I just became the Young Lord of the clan.

And it was the first time I made an appearance in the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament.

Though these events took place a few years after, unlike my current life after regression.

Usually, upon becoming the Young Lord of one’s clan, the treatment shifts from being viewed as a young prodigy to being seen as a prominent member of the world with considerable influence.

And because of this useless pride I had, I was stubborn and didn’t attend any young prodigy meetings.

But me becoming the Young Lord of the clan was unofficial to begin with,

And since I was never one to leave the clan, I had to start making connections.

One might wonder how I could meet people and become friends with them with my shitty personality back then.

But what else could I do? That was what the clan ordered me to do.

I may have had a better physique back then, but my mindset was far from ideal.

My stupid pride and the weight of the responsibilities that would eventually fall on my shoulders were enough to cause turmoil for a young man like me.

Around this point in time, I was only regarded as a troublemaker, but the rumors about me when I approached my twenties were quite different.

Shanxi’s Evil Spirit.

Gu Clan’s Disgrace.

I became known by such names, so it was a completely different situation from now.

This was why I couldn’t have a normal time at the banquet meeting.

Honestly, I have vague recollections of that day.

I wasn’t even sure if Wi Seol-Ah, Tang Soyeol, or Moyong Hi-ah were even there.

And Yung Pung, the Water Dragon... What about the Lightning Dragon?

I honestly couldn’t even remember if there were any familiar faces there.

It really showed that my state of mind wasn’t quite right at the time.

However, there was one thing I clearly remembered.

– Nice to meet you, Young Master Gu.

That bastard’s hand.

His eyes that formed crescents, creasing into a smile.

And his voice that pretended to be kind and righteous.

I remembered all of those clearly.

– My name is Jang Seonyeon.

It wasn’t because I felt anything special.

And it definitely wasn’t because I was moved by a guy approaching me who was all alone.

No way I’d be touched just because a guy came up to me.

There was only one reason why that ordinary situation never left my memory.

– Undeservingly, I am called the Rising Star.

That was what made me hate him.

******************

The day of the tournament finals had arrived.

The time was around sunset.

One might wonder why the fight was scheduled for such a late hour, but the reason for it was because that was when the people of Hanam were most energized.

And thanks to that, I was able to have a good meal and a nap before heading to the fight, which I welcomed.

“Give it your all, Young Master!”

Wi Seol-Ah shouted energetically.

I didn’t know if it was because she had a good lunch, but she seemed brighter than usual.

I stared at Wi Seol-Ah for a bit, then patted her head.

“Oough...”

“I’ll try.”

I didn’t know about giving it my all.

I wasn’t even sure if he was worth my full effort.

“And why would you come to see me in such cold weather like this?”

Because it was the middle of winter, the cold air was intense.

Just leaving my hand out of my pocket sent a sharp sting through my fingertips.

“But...”

“What do you mean, but?”

Wi Seol-Ah looked at me with those eyes from time to time.

It felt like I was staring into the eyes of a mother who just sent her child away to school.

She seemed younger and more carefree to anyone’s eyes, so why was she looking at me like that?

I knew that we didn’t have a conventional master-servant relationship, and she was merely maintaining formality with me, but it still felt strange to see her like this.

“I almost thought you were my mom for a second.”

“...Wha?”

After hearing her respond with confusion, I smirked.

‘Oh wait, I talked about Mother.’

Then I was surprised by what had just escaped my lips.

It was because I spoke about my mother with my own mouth.

Perhaps, I forgot about it now?

‘No, I will never forget it.’

That wasn’t the case.

Because it was something I couldn’t afford to forget.

As this was something I needed to ask Father about in the not-so-distant future and a story that I wanted to see the end of.

Despite being windy out, I stared at Wi Seol-Ah’s face.

Then I moved my hand from patting her head to her hair accessory.

Due to the cheap material of the item, the texture wasn’t the most pleasing.

As I fidgeted with it, Wi Seol-Ah quickly stepped back, creating some distance between us.

“Hmm?”

When I looked at her, wondering why she was acting that way, Wi Seol-Ah hurriedly covered her head with her hand.

Especially the part where the hair accessory was located.

“What’s wrong?”

“I... I’m not going to give it...”

“Give what?”

“It’s mine...! The thing Young Master gave me... it’s mine.”

Did she think that I was going to take back the hair accessory I had gifted her?

Wi Seol-Ah glared at me fiercely, which seemed out of character for her.

I responded while looking at her.

“I’m not taking it. Where would I even use that?”

“Y-You could give it to another person.”

“...Do you think I would give a used hair accessory to another person?”

What kind of cheap action was that?

“It’s important to me...”

I had nothing to say after watching her protect the hair accessory with everything she got so that it didn’t get taken away.

What was it to her anyway?

It was just some random gift I got her back in the streets.

I wasn’t sure if it was Wi Seol-Ah’s reaction that made me feel this way, but it was hard for me to meet her gaze.

I was going to let out a fake cough, but a voice interfered.

“...Me too.”

Namgung Bi-ah said with tired eyes, looking as if she had been lost in thought.

Upon seeing her, I spoke after letting out a sigh.

“I told you to go sit down and rest.”

“...I am resting.”

“Who would think you’re resting right now, idiot?”

Why did she come all the way here when she had a perfectly fine spectator seat?

Especially when she was a patient.

“It’s fine...”

“Well, then is there something that isn’t fine?”

“...”

After hearing my question, Namgung Bi-ah started to think hard.

“May I ask for a reason?”

Jang Seonyeon asked.

“What reason? About how I’m so certain?”

“No.”

“Then what.”

“Why does Young Master Gu harbor such hostility toward me?”

It was an extremely chilly question.

And even during this, he didn’t erase the smile off of his face, which was really annoying.

“I didn’t do anything for Young Master Gu to have any hostility toward me.”

“Right. You didn’t.”

“Then, I can’t help but wonder why Young Master Gu despises me. I really don’t understand.”

It was the truth.

The bastard didn’t do anything to me.

At least not yet.

I suppressed the killing intent that kept trying to escape my body and spoke.

“Am I not allowed to hate you?”

“I can’t really do much about someone else’s feelings, but it’s just a little sad for m- “

“You hate me too.”

Jang Seonyeon shut his mouth when I cut him off.

He probably fell silent not because I cut him off, but because of what I said.

“Am I wrong?”

“...How come you think that way?”

I noticed a crack in Jang Seonyeon’s smile.

Why did I think that way, you asked?

It was simple.

No matter how much I looked at it, it was obvious that I was the one he despised the most.

I could discern his thoughts and actions by recollecting my memories of my past life.

The Abyss Transportation Incident that occurred in my past life.

When the young prodigies who had come to participate in the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament were taken away into the Abyss, this was widely acknowledged to be a natural disaster...

But that wasn’t really the case.

The one responsible for this occurrence was Jang Seonyeon.

His goal was likely the Water Dragon.

The bastard hated the Water Dragon with a burning passion.

His intense hatred had driven him to cause such a massive catastrophe.

Unfortunately, by the time I had pieced together the truth about what had transpired in the future...

It was already too late.

“Stop trying to be nice, it makes me sick. Let’s just stop talking.”

“Hm.”

“I tried my best to accept you, but it really wasn’t easy. So you should stop as well.”

I did try.

I tried to hold back and even tried to ignore him,

But when I thought about it, I really didn’t have to.

It simply wasn’t in my nature to do so.

I felt like I could only endure if I talked shit to him.

“Young Master Gu.”

It seemed like maintaining his composed facade was becoming increasingly challenging, as his smile gradually disappeared.

He seemed fine at first, but it seemed like he had reached his limit now.

“Nice expression. Live with that expression. It’s more comfortable for me too.”

“...How could a bloodline member of a noble clan make such a mistake?”

“I’m actually gonna make an even bigger mistake right now. Hey, I came here with approval; the approval that I can cause as much trouble as I want.”

Oh, of course, Father didn’t give me the approval.

But it should be fine. The Second Elder would take responsibility for it.

Due to my persistent arguments, Jang Seonyeon let out a sigh in the end and adjusted his posture.

“I admit it, Young Master Gu. You have great talent as a martial artist.”

“Many do say that.”

I was a little embarrassed saying it with my own mouth.

But it seemed like he didn’t care about what I just said, because that bastard didn’t stop talking.

In proof of the current cold weather, steam billowed from his mouth.

“You may have outstanding talent, but your humbleness seems to be quite lacking in comparison.”

What he was saying was true, but was it because those words came out of that bastard’s mouth?

A smile involuntarily formed on my lips.

It almost felt like I was watching someone’s embarrassing past.

“And?”

“The humbleness you lack, I pray that you find it in this fight.”

What he meant just now was that he would teach me it.

I had many things to say in response, but I chose not to bother.

Just by looking at the blatant, sickening mindset that was infused in his eyes, it was enough.

I actually preferred it this way.

“I’m glad.”

“...?”

Jang Seonyeon became confused by my sudden remark, but he didn’t flinch.

It seemed like he had learned something from his fight against Namgung Bi-ah.

“I was a little worried, you see.”

As I was speaking, I heard the voice of the judge announcing that it was time for the fight to begin.

– Finals, Gu Clan’s Gu Yangcheon versus...

“I was worried about what I would do if you were a nice guy at this point in time.”

“What are you suddenly... “

“It’s nothing, I just had something on my mind. But I met you and it all cleared up nicely.”

– Taeryung Clan’s Jang Seonyeon.

“Oh, I’m going to say this now, just in case, but...”

– Begin.

“I have no intention of holding back, so you should use everything you can from the start. Don’t try to do something pointless like feeling me out first.”

“What are you trying to say...!”

Pow!

“Ughh...!”

As Jang Seonyeon was in the middle of speaking, he let out a groan due to the sudden impact he felt.

At the same time, Jang Seonyeon’s vision started to change.

Along with the sensation of his body being lifted into the air, he felt intense heat surrounding him.

He didn’t even have the time to register the pain in his chest.

Because it wasn’t just a single impact.

Slam-!

The second impact followed and Jang Seonyeon’s face planted into the arena stage.

One could gauge the magnitude of the impact from the rocks flying through the air and the cracks forming on the arena stage.

In the midst of all this, Jang Seonyeon was utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend what kind of movement I made for him to end up this way.

After all, it all happened in an instant.

He put aside the pain and tried to force his shaky body to get up...

But he heard a voice right in front of his nose.

“First...”

The voice echoed as if it was inside a cavern.

And the rough and brutal emotions it carried left Jang Seonyeon utterly perplexed.

“Should I start with the arm first?”

When I calmly uttered these words...

Jang Seonyeon was confused as to why he suddenly felt a chill running down his spine.

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