When Seungri woke up, he felt for the spot beside him as he wont to, and as usual it was empty. He opened his eyes and the sky was already pink. Scratching his head, he rolled off the bed to get dressed. Kwon Jiyong, how skillful are you… Since young Seungri had been very sensitive to any motion around him but Jiyong had already managed to sneak away without him realising. Seungri kicked the bed in annoyance. Jiyong was only 2 years older, but his martial arts skills seemed to be miles above his.

 

He took out the Ruanjinsan* made by Master from his bag. It was given to him by Daesung before he left. Daesung also instructed that once he’d gotten close to Jiyong, he was to put some of this powder into his food daily. It had no smell nor taste and was considered a slow-release type of medicine, even a highly trained man would not be able to detect it. However it was really potent and the effects would manifest after a few days, rendering one’s martial arts unusable. Then, Seungri would be able to kill him and throw the evil sect into chaos.

 

Seungri grabbed the packed of powder tightly, his mind whirling for a long time before he finally placed it back into his bag and left the room.

 

Didn’t they promise each other 2 weeks?

He would wait, wait for a few more days, after Kwon Jiyong had trusted him fully, before poisoning him.

 

It’s just, killing someone with a poison, it wasn’t something Seungri was keen on. To do that was an injury to his pride, to go against his values. How would he be any different from a despicable person who didn’t care about the means he used to achieve his ends?

 

But he knew that he couldn’t rely on his own faith to carry out this mission any longer. Everyday, unbidden, his mind would conjure up the image of when Daeseung caught sight of the dragon pendent he wore, and when Daesung told him about the numerous of people Jiyong had murdered in cold blood…

 

Yet Jiyong’s smiles made him forget, forget that he was the reason for the broken families and broken dreams.

 

Everyday he told himself, just a bit more time, just a few more days, he would take action and kill him.

 

Yet, he hadn’t been able to do it.

 

This uncertain feeling was making him abandoned the beliefs he grew up with. Who knows, maybe one day he might even be killed by Kwon Jiyong… It was no wonder Jiyong often teased Seungri that he could never become somebody. But, would he? Would Jiyong be able to kill him?

 

Seemingly to have come to a conclusion, Seungri walked back to his bag and took out the poison, burying it in the flower pot in their room.

 

If he had to kill, he might as well do it above board.

 

If he loved, he might as well give it his all.

 

For the next 2 weeks, as promised, he would set everything aside and treat Jiyong sincerely.

 

He was no saint and could not sacrifice for the greater good…

 

Helplessly, Seungri pulled at his hair, before sighing deeply and exiting the room.

 

By the time he was done washing up, Kwon Jiyong had already set up shop, the goods and tables set out neatly, and he was chewing at a bun, looking bored. When he saw Seungri, he smiled widely and quickly passed Seungri a bun, ‘Here, you finally deign to get out of bed huh?’

 

‘Hmm,’ Seungri answered before wolfing down the bun furiously, ‘Why didn’t you wake me up!’

 

Jiyong chuckled, and lowered his voice suggestively, ‘Well I figured you must be bushed from last night’s activities...’

 

‘Shut up!’ Seungri stuffed a bun into Jiyong’s mouth, red creeping up his ears.

 

Jiyong threw a broom to Seungri, who looked at him blankly.

 

‘Well, shopowner, you have to at least do some work?’ Jiyong said through his mouthful of bun. ‘If you can’t even sweep a shop, how could you run the world?’

 

Seungri looked disgruntledly at Jiyong, shaking his leg and slouching on the chair. ‘Hrumph, who said anything about running the world? Why don’t you go for it? Make sure you do a thorough job of ‘sweeping’ all corners in the world, I will be sure to commend you in front of the Emperor and then you can earn the title of ‘General Broom,’ Seungri grumbled while sweeping as instructed.

 

Jiyong didn’t retort back, instead smiled pensively. Suddenly he walked over to Seungri and took over the broom, ‘Let me do it, you go serve the customers.’

 

Seungri looked at the serious look on Jiyong’s face and quietly handed over the broom. A few people entered the shop and Seungri put a smile on his face as he went over to attend to them.

There were hardly any customers, and they passed the time leisurely. Jiyong seemed a little off, and Seungri tried to make him laugh. Walking to Jiyong, he drew circles on Jiyong’s chest with his finger, mumbling, ‘Red braised pork ribs, steamed pork ribs, vinegar sauce ribs….’

 

It worked and Jiyong chuckled, ‘I will cook for you tonight.’

 

‘You cook?!’ Seungri was astonished.

 

‘I can’t, but I can learn from the lady at the corner of the street,’ Jiyong thought a bit, ‘I’m a fast learner, cooking shouldn’t be that hard.’

 

Seungri raised a brow, ‘Then I will await my wife’s cooking in anticipation.’

 

Jiyong uttered a curse under his breath and was going to drag Seungri into their bedroom, when 2 customers came in.

At one glance he could tell the two of them were no normal citizens, decked head to toe in expensive items, both carrying swords.

 

Martial artists? Under the cover of sweeping, Jiyong moved to the entrance and carefully checked that they had no one else with them.

 

Seungri also noticed something was going on with them and side-eyed Jiyong, who nodded imperceptibly at him. Reassured, Seungri walked over to them.

 

‘Sirs, can I help you?’

 

‘Give us your best wine, we are going to drink till we are dead drunk!’ One of them declared.

 

‘Sure, I will go get them for you,’ Seungri looked at the numerous wine flasks, and couldn’t tell which was ‘the best’ and had to look to Jiyong for help.

 

Jiyong guffawed, Lee Seunghyun, why are you even the shopowner…

He retrieved the flasks from the stack he’d arranged early that morning, ‘Dear sirs, our humble shop doesn’t have much to offer, here’s our best.’

 

They took over the flasks and looked curiously at Kwon Jiyong and Lee Seunghyun, ‘Where are you guys from, you don’t sound local.’

 

Jiyong kept eye contact and said blandly, ‘Indeed we are not locals, and have merely settled here to make a living.’

‘Both of you have uncommon airs, are you both martial artists?’  The other asked.

 

Jiyong laughed but didn’t answer, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

 

Seungri noticed the weird atmosphere and rushed in front of Jiyong, shielding him. ‘Sir, you are right, we are disciples who trained together since young, but we have no talent and so had to leave and set up shop for a living.’

 

Face falling, one of them said harshly, ‘At this time when the evil sect is spreading chaos, instead of helping others, you are hiding here, playing house. What a waste of your master’s efforts!’

 

The other guy quickly tried to placate them, ‘Please allow me to apologise on behalf. My older cousin has always detested evildoers and spends most of his efforts trying to eliminate them. Please forgive his brash words.’

 

‘Instead of hating evildoers, wouldn't it be better to give some of your money to the poor,’ Jiyong scoffed. ‘Look at your outfit, the cost is probably enough to feed a family for a year. Trying to be a ‘hero’ is probably what you rich people do to pass time and have people look up to you to satisfy your own sense of self-esteem.’

 

Jiyong’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word was meant to strike and the man’s face paled. ‘‘What did you say!?’

 

Seungri quickly pulled Jiyong behind him, ‘I’m very sorry sir. Please let me treat you to this wine. Our shop is humble and we try to avoid martial arts stuff here, please understand.’ He gestured for the guests to see themselves out.

 

‘I won’t leave! Not until we settle this! Who is your master for you guys to be so rude!’

 

As Seungri worried about how to get rid of them, Jiyong suddenly stepped forward and bowed deeply, ‘Please accept my apologies for offending you.’

 

At his bow, the guests stood silently in surprise.

 

‘I was agitated just now as we try to steer clear of such matters, please forgive me.’

 

‘No, no it was our fault in the first place. Here, take this payment,’ the younger man placed the money on the counter and smiled embarrassedly at them, pulling the other guy with me. Yet, his eyes were even more cautiously analyzing them.

 

Seungri reached out for Jiyong’s hand and watched as the 2 guests left hurriedly. ‘Why did you suddenly apologize? I thought you were going to fight them.’

 

Jiyong turned and smiled, ‘Yeah i was going to, but aren’t we supposed to be common citizens now? I didn’t wanna get us into any trouble.’

 

Seungri smiled back at him, ‘Well, why don’t we close shop for the day? Let’s go shopping for groceries, so you can cook like you promised to.’

They quickly tidied up and left the shop. Neither had much chance to shop at the markets thus it was an eye-opening experience for both. Chatting with the stall-owners, asking about various vegetables and how to cook them. They finally bought a fish and some ribs, initially Seungri wanted to buy some veggies as well, but was stopped by Jiyong, ‘Better not buy them since you can’t cook them well at all. In the end I'm the one forced to finish them.’

 

Seungri allowed himself to be dragged away from the vegetable stall by Jiyong and asked huffily, ‘Was it really that bad?’ ‘Yeah, it was.’

 

‘You! hmmph, if your food tastes bad, you finish them yourself!’ Seungri said in annoyance. Jiyong chuckled and pulled Seungri back in the direction of their house.

 

Back at home, Jiyong shoved a bundle of clothes into Seungri’s arms, ‘I bought these just now, go take a bath and when you are done, the food will be ready. Don’t come into the kitchen! Take your time to wash yourself cleanly. If not, you’ll sleep in the kitchen tonight.’ Jiyong threw a suggestive look at him before leaving the room.

 

‘ert!’ Seungri looked at the new clothes and felt a burst of warmth in his heart. Smiling widely, he took off his thick outercoat and held up the new clothes against his body. He put them aside carefully and walked over to the tub before realising that he didn’t have any hot water for his bath.

 

He headed for the kitchen to boil some water and saw that the doors were closed. His sense of danger heightened and quietly he crept closer and peep in from the side window, only to see Jiyong preparing the fish under the instructions of an older woman. No wonder he instructed him to stay away! Seungri shook his head in disbelief that Jiyong even hired help. Looking at the sweat dotting Jiyong’s forehead in this cold weather, Seungri felt that it was too bad of him to be sniggering outside and sneaked back to the room again.

 

Looks like he wouldn’t be getting any hot water, Seungri thought of gritting his teeth and suffer a cold water bath. But thinking about the cold, he shook his head, there was no way! He opened the room doors and shouted, ‘Kwon Jiyong, do you need my help! We can bathe together after dinner!’

 

The kitchen doors swung open and Jiyong’s head appeared. His brows furrowed in consideration, but in the end he shook his head, ‘You bathe first, don’t come in!’

 

‘Alright, then I will take a nap first,’ Seungri grinned. ‘Wake me when you are done. I will bathe after dinner and also do the laundry,’ he turned to close the door.

 

‘Lee Seunghyun!’ Seungri turned back to look questioningly at Jiyong who said, ‘Ok, you nap first, we’ll bathe together after dinner.’

 

Seungri rolled his eyes and waved at Jiyong to go back to the kitchen, ‘You better focus on cooking and wake me up only when you are done.’

 

Jiyong glared at Seungri’s back and bit his lips, Seungri you better watch out tonight!

 

‘You brothers sure have a good relationship!’ The aunty commented as she dished up the cooked fish. She continued, ‘Are you both married? There are a few young ladies in town here, of marriageable age. Shall I help you matchmake?’

 

Jiyong shook his head and smiled, keeping silent, and started to work on the ribs.

 

The aunty didn’t speak of it further and just watched Jiyong handling the ribs carefully.

By the time Seungri woke up, Jiyong still hadn’t came to wake him. He grabbed his coat and went to the kitchen. The kitchen doors were already opened; looks like the cooking lady had left.

 

The smell of delicious meat hit him once he stepped into the kitchen. Jiyong knelt by the stove, tending to the fire, as soup boil in a pot. He smiled when he saw Seungri, ‘Dinner will be ready in a while, the ribs are done and the soup will just be a few minutes.’

 

Seungri breathed in deeply, ‘It smells so good! I’ll go and set the table first!’

‘This is so yummy!!’ Seungri exclaimed as he stuffed his face with the ribs, ‘You ain’t bad at cooking.’

 

‘Told you I learn fast,’ Jiyong preened.

 

‘Yes yes, you learn fast,’ Seungri burst out laughing. ‘Who wouldn’t with the chef hovering over their shoulder?’

‘You peeped!!’ Jiyong accused, glaring at Seungri.

 

‘Well, those closed doors invite suspicions. ‘There are no three hundred taels here’**, you know this proverb right!’

 

‘Now that you know of my secret, I will have to silence you!’ Jiyong grabbed Seungri into a headlock, ‘But if you bathe with me tonight, I will spare you...’

 

Overcome with giggles, Seungri nodded breathlessly, ‘Of course, madam wife you will have to scrub my back for me.’

 

Jiyong released Seungri in satisfaction and the two of them shared a warm look. As Seungri picked up his chopsticks to resume eating, Jiyong scooted to the side and brought back a flask of wine, ‘Let’s have some tonight.’

 

‘Let’s get smashed!’ Seungri agreed.

 

*A poison which will cause the body to become unable to use any qi power (ie lose internal power and not be able to use martial arts anymore).

 

**This is a widely used proverb, read about it here!

 

A/N: Again, thanks to everyone who commented, subscribed and upvoted!! ^^ Thanks for all your encouragement and interest in the story!! I'm getting lazier and lazier and haven't bothered to reread my trans this time haha...please forgive any glaring errors...

The 2 new characters are not from bb, though they will have contributions to the story... besides them there will also be other Kpop idols... should I translate their side stories? Maybe I will do a voting when the characters are introduced...