When Byung-yeon suddenly found out that Master Han was dead, he couldn’t process the information. He couldn’t believe, he didn’t want to belive. He was a man who had always kept emotions far away from himself, being taught at a young age that emotions and attachments can only hurt him in the end. He didn’t even realise how strongly he got attached to this old man, to the one, who had saved his life and was like a father to him through all those years.

He wanted to supress his feelings, the hopeless despair, the raging anger but everything suddenly felt so intense. Too intense for someone, who thought that he had buried emotions in his life a long time ago. Unfortunatelly, he was still a human being and his weakness, which he realised when he felt a single tear rolling down his cheek, made the anger inside him boil even hotter.

As much as he hated it, it was his duty to report this to Master Choi, since he was the first one who found out about the tragic fact from the people in village, who said they had seen some mysterious men dressed in red killing him on the street. He was the first one and probably the only one from Baekwoon Group, who has seen his blood-covered body, and underneath it all the man, choking through the last minutes of his life, until there was no more struggle, no more fight to fight, no more revolution to be won, just oblivious peace.

He didn’t talk to him though. He only observed him from the distance, he looked at the village people trying to help him, yet he didn’t go to him close enough to enable the dying man to say his last words to him. And now he hated himself for it. Maybe he could provide him with some comfort, even though he had no idea about how to do such things but maybe just his presence would be enough to make Han Eun-jung’s last moments easier. And yet, he let the emotions get the better of him, becoming a coward and turning his face away.

After entering the building, which was the secret main camp of the Baekwoon Group, he went straight to Choi Haneul’s private room. Even though Choi Haneul would never be the person, whom he would first tell what had happened if it was up to him, he had to. It was a rule. If something had happened to the leader of the Baekwoon Group, everyone who knew something about it would have had to tell Choi Haneul before they told anyone else, as he was the second most important and powerful man of their organisation.

Byung-yeon though was certain that their conversation was not going to end well. Normally he was the one to balance his Master’s temper, yet now he was feeling more anger inside him than he was sure his stoic side could handle.

When he opened the door, he wasn’t really surprised by what he saw, it still made him feel uncomfortable though. He saw Master Choi sitting on his bed with two kisaeng’s around him, one sitting in his lap and the other one hugging him around the waist from behind with her head on his shoulder. Byung-yeon was well aware of his Master’s weakness for beautiful women, yet he had never seen him like this.

Everyone looked quite taken aback by his sudden appearance, not knowing what to say nor what to do. Byung-yeon didn’t even realise he forgot to knock and ask, whether he could come in. His mind was too distracted, he wasn’t thinking at all.

Suddenly his eyes met the eyes of the girl with her head laid on Choi Haneul’s shoulder for a second. He knew her not only by sight, he knew her name as well. It was Yu Hye-jin, Choi Haneul’s most favoured kisaeng, probably the only person in the whole world, who could calm him down even in his angriest outbursts and on some days, make him show a rare smile. It was probably because she herself was a gentle creature with a pure and good heart, the complete opposite of the man, who was unfortunately the main source of her income. Byung-yeon had always felt pity for her, he almost didn’t know her at all, yet he wouldn’t wish anyone to be in her shoes. Especially not a girl like her.

,,Kim Byung-yeon!” Choi Haneul shouted after the initial shock wore off, ,,now you’ve really crossed the line! What makes you think that you can just storm in my room like it’s yours?!”

,,I’m sorry, Master Choi,” he said in his typical expresionless voice. He didn’t want to let Choi Haneul know, that he actually admited to himself on the inside that he had made a mistake.

,,I didn’t mean to interrupt but I have urgent news.”

,,Well, then spit them out, boy. And pray that they are really that important.”

,,Master Han is dead.”

,,What?” asked Choi Haneul, completely taken aback by