"Seems they're gone," Seo Reun muttered to no one in particular. He was alone, just as he had been for nearly a day since parting ways with Ah Li. Yet, an uneasy feeling clung to him, a sense that someone or something was trailing him. He had ignored it at first, brushing it off as paranoia, but then he had heard it.
A faint voice. A boy calling out.
He knew that voice instantly. Ah Li.
Seo Reun didn't stop to question whether it was real or just his mind playing tricks on him. He had taken it as a joke when Ah Li told him he would come back for him and now he didn't stay to see if Ah Li was searching for him after reuniting with his companions. He simply ran. He ran through the trees, pushing forward until darkness swallowed the forest. Even then, he didn't dare stop. The worst thing that could happen was Ah Li appearing with strangers in tow.
That chapter was closed. He had left the boy behind, and he would never see him again.
Now, morning had come, and Seo Reun could feel the exhaustion weighing down his body. His eyes burned from the lack of sleep, and his legs threatened to give out with each step. But there was relief, he had traveled through the night while his pursuers had likely slept. That meant he had put enough distance between them.
He would never see them again.
The thought should have reassured him, but just as his body threatened to collapse, he heard something.
At first, it was barely there, a distant murmur carried by the wind, so faint it could have been mistaken for rustling leaves. He took a step forward, his mind focused on the steady rhythm of his footsteps. But as he walked, something changed.
The hush of the forest thinned, replaced by a low, rhythmic pulse. It wasn't just a whisper, it was something alive, something moving. Water. Crashing. Falling.
A waterfall.
Seo Reun's heart leaped, and without thinking, he broke into a run, his exhaustion forgotten in an instant. The sound grew stronger with every step, guiding him through the dense trees. His breath hitched as cool air wrapped around him, carrying the scent of damp earth and moss. Though he couldn't see it yet, he could feel the presence of the waterfall ahead, vast and undeniable.
His dry mouth grew even drier, if that was possible, as anticipation tightened his throat, leaving it parched and aching for the water he was about to drink.
And then he saw it.
Breaking through the canopy, he stumbled to a stop, his breath catching in his throat. The waterfall loomed before him, a towering cascade of silver rushing down jagged cliffs. Mist danced in the sunlight, and the deafening roar of water crashing into the river below filled the air.
A grin spread across his face, unstoppable. Laughter bubbled up from deep within him, wild and free. He stepped closer, letting the cool mist kiss his skin, inhaling the fresh, untamed scent of the water.
Without hesitation, he let the box he had been carrying slide off his back. His tightly wrapped sword followed, landing with a dull thud on the damp ground. One by one, he stripped off his clothes until only his loincloth remained.
Still laughing, he sprinted forward and plunged into the water.
The moment he hit the river, his body welcomed it like an old friend. The water was fresh, clear, and cold in the most invigorating way. He let himself sink for a moment, opening his mouth to drink, allowing the river to rush in freely. He made no effort to scoop it with his hands. He simply let it flow, he had been starved for it.
The sound of the waterfall was all around him, a symphony of endless motion, filling his ears like music. He let himself float, arms spread wide, his hair fanning out around him. The dirt of travel washed away, the weight of exhaustion lightened. His dry mouth was no longer a problem now, only hunger gnawed at him. He would need to catch a fish soon. He could eat it raw if he had to.
But for now, he simply enjoyed the water.
Eyes half-lidded as a A profound sense of peace washed over him, settling deep within his bones, he let a hum escape his lips, soft and steady. The melody rose and fell with his breath, vibrating through his chest like a secret only he knew. It was a familiar song, one he had heard countless times, one he would never forget.
The water carried him, making his head sway slightly to the rhythm. The hum deepened, rich and warm, filling the space around him with unspoken emotion. No words were needed, just the steady, soothing harmony.
He was on the verge of sleep when something caught his eye.
His senses snapped back. His eyes flew open, sharp and alert. Turning his head toward the riverbank, his breath hitched at what he saw.
Two boys.
They stood by his belongings, not much younger than himself. One clutched the clothes he had discarded, he even wore his hat, his grin smug. The other had his tightly wrapped sword in one hand and the box strapped onto his back.
Thieves.
Seo Reun flipped in the water, his body now vertical, his muscles tensing. How had he been so careless? The waterfall's roar had deafened him to his surroundings, making him oblivious to lurking threats. And now, he was being robbed.
"Do not touch those!" His voice rang out, sharp and commanding. He didn't care if his accent gave him away, his anger overpowered everything else.
He didn't care about himself, only what was inside his box and the sword. They were the last things his father had left him before passing away, his only true possessions. He knew the value of what lay inside that box, the chaos it could unleash if the wrong person saw its contents, and how it could change his life forever. That was why he guarded it so fiercely.
Anyone who stole the box would likely never be able to open it but likely wasn't impossible. He could open it with ease, which meant there was a chance however small that someone else out there could too. And that was a risk he couldn't afford to take.
When he left home, he had chosen freedom over certainty. He had no clear direction, only the belief that one day he would find his place, perhaps among people who welcomed him, where he could live a simple life, never needing to draw his sword or reveal what lay hidden within the box. He had even considered becoming an apothecary or perhaps a farmer maybe, if luck was on his side, he might even marry someday. That was what his aunt had told him life outside was all about, a path of work, companionship, and stability. But when he left, he hadn't expected to find himself wandering through untamed lands, spending so much time in the wilderness, far from civilization. Still, he had held onto the hope that, as he traveled, he would come to see the beauty in life and now the most important possession he had was about to be taken away.
The boys locked eyes with him for only a second. Then, just as he had expected, they bolted.
Seo Reun didn't think as he slammed his body in the water, he surged forward, tearing through the water like a blade. Every stroke was a burst of power, every kick sending him surging ahead. The river rushed past his skin, cool and fast, but he moved faster.
Lifting his head just enough to see, he locked onto them, two figures darting along the riverbank, their laughter ringing out in wild amusement. Their bare feet pounded against the damp earth, kicking up sand and grass. They kept glancing back, watching him, teasing him probably thinking he could never catch them.
They thought they could outrun him.
Seo Reun smirked. This was his domain, he could clearly remember how his father kept throwing him into the river until he mastered the act of swimming.
The river had always been his playground, his second home. He knew its depths, its hidden currents, and the tricks that could either hinder or help. And right now, it was helping him.
He pushed off the riverbed with a powerful kick, propelling himself forward with renewed force. The water splashed up around him, glittering under the sun as he closed the distance between them.
They wouldn't get away.
If they had bolted into the forest and disappeared, things would have been much more difficult. Chasing after them in nothing but a loincloth would have been both impractical and humiliating, something he couldn't even imagine himself doing. But at least, here in the cool embrace of the river, the water shielded his bare skin, offering some sense of dignity.