Taeyeon was sitting atop of the highest branch of a large tree in the forest. He was waiting for one of the forest dwellers to take the bait he laid out and get directly under him, making it an easy target for his wooden spear. The young man observed his surroundings carefully, staying alert for any sign of movement from the dense plantation. A relatively large wild cat caught scent of the decaying flesh of his bait and approached it. He patiently waited until the animal was in striking distance and when his eyes were set, he jumped off the branch, spear tip pointing down and impaled the wild cat. Taeyeon prayed to the Gods before finishing off his wounded quarry. He made it his sole duty to hunt in the forest when Miyoung and her mother could not afford meat from the butcher. The hunting would also help keep his skills at peak as with the current life he has, killing people was definitely out of the picture. The young man carried the freshly killed carcass back to the farm but he stopped when he heard rustling from behind the bushes. Taeyeon threw a dagger to where the noise came from.

“Reveal yourself. That is the only warning you will get.” To Taeyeon’s surprise, a familiar tanned skinned man came out of the small plants. “Yuri. How did you find me?”

“It matters not how I found you, brother. I am here to deliver a message to you.” The taller man approached his former clan member but Taeyeon, being suspicious of him, drew his blade out. “Stay your sword. Believe me when I say I am not here to harm you.”

“Really now? Then tell me, ‘brother’, how do you expect me to believe that you have not been sent here by Siwon to eliminate me?” Yuri was astounded at the fact that the armed man knew why he was there. “I have heard stories from the villagers that our fellow clan member had issued a reward to anyone who finds me, the traitor. Dead or alive.”

“Please, brother, just listen to what I have to say and then you can choose if you will kill me or not.” Taeyeon went back to his relaxed state and waited for his friend to speak. “Yes, it is true that Siwon is willing to offer a reward for you, quite a large one at that. Should no one be able to do it, he assigned me to track you down and kill you, which also led me to believe why he promoted me to leader of the hunter sect.” Yuri sat down on the forest ground and Taeyeon did the same.

“Algesseo. But it still does not explain why you were watching me from afar.” Yuri nodded slightly and began to explain. After hearing his friend’s explanation, Taeyeon fell into deep thought. “This is bad. Not only do I have to keep myself hidden from mercenaries and bounty hunters, I have a mother and daughter that have been put into danger for no reason.” Yuri’s eyes went wide after hearing the shorter man’s words.

“Since when did you have a family? I have never even seen you court a girl before and now you have wife and daughter?” Taeyeon slapped his loud friend on the head. “Aya! Why did you slap me?”

“You did not let me finish, pabo-yah! You have not changed at all, Yuri. Still as loud as ever. Anyway, since you have been following me for quite some time, you probably know that I live in a farm not too far from here.” The younger man nodded and let his friend continue. “The night Siwon betrayed our clan, I came across the same farm and the woman and her daughter that lived there helped with my injuries.”

“Ah, geuraeyo? That would explain what you said a while ago. And about that night, what really happened.” Taeyeon once again remembered the event that caused him to leave his village.

“Siwon was in league with the emperor I was tasked to eliminate. When I was about to kill the old man, he came. I thought he was there to help me but he attacked me instead.” He showed the vague scar from the left side of his body. “I tried healing it but I have not yet fully mastered the abilities Sooman-seonsaengnim bestowed upon me when I was made into a Master Assassin.”

“Well, it is good that you are alive.” Yuri gave his clan brother a tap on the shoulder. “Let me help you, brother. Ask of me and I will do it without any second thoughts. Although, my guardian duties might attest to that.”

“Guardian duties? So you are a private protector now?” Taeyeon asked the young man beside him curiously.

“More like babysitter to the most obnoxious girl in the face of the world.” Yuri voiced out his annoyance in his scoff. “She has no manners whatsoever and not a day passes by where she does not make my life miserable.”

“Sounds like the right type of girl for you, brother.” Taeyeon chuckled upon seeing his friend’s obvious frustration. “I remember you saying you like girls who have a little bit of attitude in their personality.”

“Not to the point of getting bossed around like a dog. She is the epitome of evil and there is no way I will ever like her. Not in this world or the next.” Yuri made a gesture with his hand, telling the Taeyeon how serious he was. The older man shrugged it off.

“Just be careful, Yuri. Your words may come back to bite you on your behind one day.” Taeyeon stood back up and lifted the dead animal on his shoulder. “Come, you must be hungry. Miyoung and her mother will surely give you a warm welcome knowing that you and I are bestfriends.”

“As much as I wou