Chapter 6 - [1790-1800]

Under the inaudible clear sky, an unknown man admired the sun as he stood under the shadow of a tree’s body just outside his house. He couldn’t see the sun but he knew which direction the sun was at. A gust of wind danced through the front then towards the back of his home, carrying with it the smell of his students’ sweat. The lad studied the movements of his ten students, all formally dressed in dark blue uniforms, participating in a martial art training session.

“Dear husband.” The man’s focused eyes were broken by the voice of a woman who approached him casually. The lady was definitely around the same age as him, mid-twenties, however her skin was much healthier hence giving her a youthful complexed.

“Oh, dear wife.” He greeted her as she came to stand beside him, there he indirectly noticed the basket of bread she was carrying around her wrist. The woven basket’s handle could be seen leaving behind traces against her fragile skin, but it didn’t bother him to the point where he thought to take it from her, afraid she’d be hurt. Rather he didn’t question her intention with the basket but assume he already knew what or who they were for.

“I came to deliver these for the children.” She spoke. Obviously she was not much older than the students she referred to as children, but it goes to reveal her motherly side. The side that stole the man’s heart two years ago. The husband then eyeballed the contents in the basket and breathed a drone.  

“I will pass it out soon, set it down and go in. You shouldn’t be out here. Especially when Changwoo is ill.” The man’s words sparked a bundle of mixed feelings within her.

“I understand, so take these,” she said, the look on her face drowned by a darker expression, before passing the basket into the rough hands of her partner. Then she quitted the outdoor and disappeared around the corner to the construction of his home. The minute the man diverted his attention from his students, the group of wild men has taken the advantage to gather and stampede his direction.

“Madam’s bread!” They uttered with excitement. Non-picky fast hands reached in and out of the basket with great force, and in a matter of hands, all loaves of bread were taken from the carrier. The man inhaled all of his energy and hormones to yell at the lively group.

“You sneaky kids!”

Laughter from the fatigue fellows lighten up the atmosphere and the men chomped down their loaves with their arms flung around one another. When the wild crowd was excused from practice for the day, the occupant was the last to leave his backyard grounds. Before entering his home he was stopped by one of his students with an undertone “Master Oh.” The older smiled and placed a hand on the bony shoulder of the younger. The youth had a longer face and would be considered unattractive at first glance. “Well done today, Geukjin. I see you have been practicing and improved quite a bit,”

“Thank you master,” the younger thanked with a soft smile, grateful for his teacher’s praise. Before the older could take any steps farther away from the latter, he stopped him with a proposal, “Master, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?” The older asked gently, both hands clapped behind his back.

Geukjin’s eyes waver as he wasn’t sure if the question would sound pretty to the ears, and if the older would grant him the answer he wanted. “Master, I...As a warrior student of yours, I would like it if you can transfer me into the palace. I want to train at the palace and become a royal guard, master.” The eyes of his master flatten a little.

“Geukjin, a royal palace guard is required to hold and carry swords. You have always learned the ways of the spear as you are my student here—”

“Which is why I wish you would help me master. I beg you.” Geukjin lowered his head in hope that his master would agree. But the older’s words made his heart sink and legs weak.

“The palace is a serious place with vital consequences Geukjin. Also before your parents passed they asked that I only keep you here. They didn’t want you to learn the ways of the sword. I’m afraid I cannot break the promise I have given them in order for them to rest peacefully. Do you understand, Geukjin?”

The lad rolled his teary eyes and sigh, “I understand, master.” He then lifted his head some more but hid his eyes from the older.

“I’m glad.” The man pat Geukjin’s shoulder once more, “Go home and rest. I will see you again for practice tomorrow.” With a nod from Geukjin, the older proceed to enter his home through an open pathway. The younger then left with disappointed, draggy footsteps.

Soon after, when the man entered the bedroom he saw his wife playing with their son, one-year-old Oh Changwoo. Changwoo was a stubby toddler. A child who gets sick easily but also recovers quickly. The man ambled toward the drawer and relieve himself of his multiple layers of clothings and armor. His wife noticed him shortly after, she leave Changwoo’s side to approach and help him remove any more fabrics he wished to take off.

“How is the palace doing with the recent passing of his majesty?” The wife asked as she folded the man’s worn out robe over one of her arms.

“Well, the news shook the people, it shook everyone. But I suppose it’s safe to say we’re blessed to have a heir such as the Crown Prince, Minho. He’s young but he is managing well.”

“And how about the man who killed the king? I heard he was beheaded today?”

The man became flustered at the question. In the palace and between officials, the truth of what happened to Inpyo was only to stay within the palace walls. He could feel the sweat that has formed on his head and was ready to slide down his face. Thankfully his uncomfortableness was saved by his child.

“Father.” The child said from the bed, catching the eyes of his parents. The man couldn’t hide a smile as he moved toward his small child to pick him up.

“Changwoo.” The man spoke gently as he embraced the child in his arms, soon his wife came to him and lean against his arm, with her arms wrapped around him and their child.

“Jaejung, when our son enters the palace. Please, you must watch over him and do not leave our side.” She said, referring to the heart-racing punishment that may fall just onto anyone in a matter of no time in the palace.

“I won’t do anything where his highness would punish and take me away from you and Changwoo. I promise you that, dear wife,” the man said before exchanging a glance with his wife, who was a head shorter than him. He was fully aware of her concerns as the palace was no safe place, even for its homeowners, let alone its workers. A small mistake and one could easily be labeled as a traitor and loathed by the people all around the nation.

With that knowledge in mind Jaejung still rose to become the Minister of Defense and led the army of soldiers in training at the palace, in the span of ten years. His only biological child, Changwoo grew to be a great fan of swords and has been playing with sword sticks since age six. At around the same time Changwoo gained himself a sister when his parents took in a girl three years junior of Changwoo. The girl came from a maid of Jaejung’s, who has died given birth to a beautiful daughter. The newborn was born with the name Jang Eunmi, but quickly renamed Oh Eunmi to fit into Jaejung’s family.

Eleven years old Changwoo was practicing with a stick, pretending it was a real sword, a sword he doesn’t have the muscles to carry yet, but it was a sword to him. His practice was held at a location where very little people traveled and could be seen, to one side of him was a running swallowed river, while on the opposite was a row of bushes just about his height.

Changwoo was enrolled as a student at Myeongsik Academy, but he would always skip class to entertain himself with swordplay. Mainly for the reason that he believed he’s too good for school.

Changwoo swung the stick in all directions, imagining himself being surrounded by his enemies. All of his energy and focused was applied to his imagination as he has missed out on the eyes that were watching him from behind a bush. A boy, Changwoo’s age, was the first watcher. He was dressed in dirty rags and even his face was smeared with dirt, revealing his poor hygiene. In his hand was an apple he had stolen from a market stall and has been consuming as he examined Changwoo’s moves with ultimate interests. The boy has never seen a child his age play with a stick the way Changwoo did. Changwoo’s efforts wasn’t just for show and games, even the expression of the child was surreal.

On both sides of him, two older and bigger boys slid in and together joined the boy in the watching of Changwoo. “What are you doing here, Chuho?” One of the two boys, the skinnier one, asked.

“What do you mean what am I doing here? Can’t you see what I’m looking at?” Chuho said while munching down his juicy apple. Chuho hated water as it was too bland so to keep himself hydrate he would eat and on apple's juice. The sound of the fruit's fluid could be heard being swissed and thrown around in Chuho’s mouth before he swallow it. His two friends peeked through the bush once more to view the sight of Changwoo bouncing around with his stick.

“Master was looking for us Chuho.” The chubbier boy of the group said after breaking his observation from the scene. The boy in the center ignored his words and continued to stare at the boy on the other side of them. Chuho noticed how the stranger had curly black hair that was tied up into a small bun on the top of his head, just like a stem on an apple.

Finally the silence between them was broken by a click of Chuho’s tongue, “Watch this,” the two boys did as they were told and kept their curious eyes on Chuho, awaiting what he was intending to do. Chuho focused his aim at Changwoo before throwing his half-eaten apple straight up into midair just to catch it in his palm again. Then with a growing smirk, Chuho held the apple out before him, “Watch carefully.”

“Chuho, don’t—!” His chubby friend tried to stop him but Chuho had already made his move by getting up and coming out from behind the bush to throw the apple at Changwoo's direction. In just seconds the jaws of the three plopped groundward when Changwoo has made a perfect counter hit to the apple and succeed to smacking it onto the grass and away from him.

“Who is it?!” Changwoo asked, Chuho quickly retreated back into the bush and along with his friends they took off running before Changwoo could chase them.

Changwoo frowned as he noticed the three that took off, “Hmph.”  

Though the two boys were taller than Chuho, the shorter still managed to outrun them and led them from their run from guilt. “Hurry slowpokes!” Chuho called.

“Ah! Did you really have to do that?!” His chubby friend asked, mainly angry at the fact that they were now running for their lives because of Chuho’s solo action.

“Hey Kim Jin!” Chuho called to the chubby boy as he came to a stop ahead of them, “And Soh Taeyong!” He eyeballed the skinny fellow, “Let’s see who can get home first!” Chuho smiled as the other two came to a stop to listen to him. “I will give you two a head start. If one of you win against me, I will give that one ten coins.” The prize was tempting thus the two shared a quick glance and then look at Chuho.

“Fine. Should we start now?” The one referred to as Taeyong asked, earning a nod from Chuho.

“I will count to ten, then I will follow. Run as fast as you can and don’t let me catch you.” Chuho said with a growing, prideful smile. Following after, a smirk grew on Taeyong’s face.

“Let’s go, Jin!” Taeyong ordered and instantly the two rushed toward Chuho. Chuho was taken by surprised when Jin came up to him just to wrap his meaty arms around him, meanwhile Taeyong sprinted off first.

“H-hey! J-jin!” Chuho struggled as Jin locked his hands together at Chuho’s stomach and tried to drag him to the ground. As Jin pulled half of Chuho down with him, Taeyong’s free steps soon led to his disappearance around the corner of road. “Jin! This-this is cheating!” Chuho hollered but the chubby only laughed and fought to constrain Chuho.

“You lost this time Chuho!” Jin uttered an evil chuckle in between his statement. Chuho made countless groans as he continued to fight the strength and weight of Jin. But there was no use, the boy who weighs less than 100 pounds cannot win against the boy over 100 pounds.

The saying one can carry twice its weight was purely a lie.

“Ah seriously!” Chuho screamed in frustration.

Changwoo was on his way home and when he came to the front of his house, he was forced to come to an abrupt stop. Waiting for him at the front was an old man, most likely his grandfather by the name of Oh Guksoo, with a stick over his shoulder. His jawline was an establishment of a sharp jaw, and wrinkles rested on his once young and good looking face. “Changwoo.” The elder begin. Coming from a long history as a general of soldiers, the male’s voice held power and age. “You dare skip your studies again?!” The man growled, causing Changwoo to totter in his stand. The older eyeballed his next target, the stick Changwoo was trying to hide behind his back. “You snuck out to play again?”

“I wasn’t playing grandfather. I was practicing my swordsmanship—” Changwoo whine.

“Silence! You call it practicing at your age? Were you planning to kill someone, for that you’re practicing for it at your age? Why don’t you listen when I said your hands should be used to a brush before you do a sword?!”

Changwoo flinched at every question the elder present. “I’m not planning to kill anyone grandfather. I just want to become like father and be a man who can protect the people I care for from any bad people!”

“What can you do at your age?" The elder propose, "Practicing at an early age will do you no good. You’re only wasting your time." He heaved a heavy sigh before continuing, "To become a man of justice you must only learn and practice when you’re physically and mentally prepared. Before you can protect anyone, you have to overcome your own fears. But before you do that, you must be educated!" The tired old man paused to calm himself down before adding, "You must know the laws of the land for you to protect people, you must obtain morals. That’s what a man of justice must learn and do before racing to hold a sword against his enemies who he doesn’t even know of yet!” The elder stated. They shared a moment of silence before the elder conclude his lecture. “Changwoo. Your enemies may come in all different shapes and sizes. But they also come in all rank of power as well as connections. If you choose the wrong enemies and do not understand the laws you will be label as a traitor, a law-breaker and you will die not understanding why you died. Don’t be reckless. Holding a sword does not make you any more powerful than a mere scholar who draws with a brush. Only a scholar who has the skills to a sword can be considered a man of true power. Do not forget that.”

End of Chapter Six.