HIF 46

So That’s Where It All Began

Min Joo-hyuk tousled my hair and continued in a bright voice.

“I was waiting for you to say that.”

Before I knew it, a paper bag was in my hand. Min Joo-hyuk wrapped his hand around my wrist and slowly pulled me along.

“Come on. Let’s go to the first floor.”

It wasn’t so much following as being dragged along. I looked down at my wrist, dangling loosely in Min Joo-hyuk’s firm grip. Maybe Min Joo-hyuk was stronger than I thought. It wasn’t that I was weak.

Min Joo-hyuk went down the stairs and stopped in front of a door in the corner of the first-floor hallway.

“There was a place like this here?”

“You didn’t know? Well, it is a small room.”

Min Joo-hyuk clicked the door open.

Blue sunlight was pouring in through a small window. In the center of the room stood a large easel. In front of it was a round wooden chair with no backrest.

A strange scent lingered. It smelled like touching old books, or walking on damp earthen paths.

Min Joo-hyuk stepped inside and continued speaking.

“Does it smell a lot like paint? I aired it out a bit.”

“No, not really. And it’s fine.”

“Yeah? That’s good then.”

The window rattled open. A breeze wafted gently toward us. The hem of my clothes fluttered slightly, brushing against my body. Min Joo-hyuk gently took the paper bag from my hand and spoke.

“It’s already spring. The weather’s cool.”

Min Joo-hyuk was right. Before I knew it, it was spring. The snow that seemed like it would never melt had vanished in an instant. The cold that seemed like it would never fade was gradually easing.

“Time feels like it’s passing too fast, Min Joo-hyuk.”

“Time has always been fast.”

“Not for me.”

The passing time seemed to melt into my skin, each moment leaving its mark. All those times that flowed slowly, feeling longer, or just dully passing by.

Well, looking back now, it was nothing much. There were times when it was a bit boring, but it wasn’t bad, I guess.

It’s just that sometimes I think of those times. I marvel at how differently the speed of time can be perceived.

“It feels strange. Everything passes by so quickly.”

“I see.”

Min Joo-hyuk opened his mouth as if to say something more, then closed it again. His eyes gazing at me seemed somehow subdued.

Min Joo-hyuk continued in a calm voice.

“Aren’t you sorry that time is so fast?”

“Not really.”

“…Is that so?”

Min Joo-hyuk silently looked at my face. Then he took a large step toward me.

“I am sorry.”

Min Joo-hyuk lightly grasped my chin with one hand and tilted my head up slightly. Our eyes met perfectly. My face was clearly reflected in his unwavering eyes.

Min Joo-hyuk applied a little pressure with his hand. My head turned to the side. Min Joo-hyuk’s voice continued more slowly than usual.

“See, we’ve both already aged a year. What’s in front of me now is the eighteen-year-old Seon Yi-han….”

A calm arc formed at the corner of Min Joo-hyuk’s mouth. With a slightly regretful smile, he finished his sentence.

“The seventeen-year-old Seon Yi-han is gone now.”

I got unnecessarily tense. I thought he was going to say something profound. I grabbed his hand and pulled it down, continuing.

“You regret that?”

“Of course I regret it. Because now I won’t be able to draw the seventeen-year-old Seon Yi-han.”

“…Me?”

“Yeah. I was going to draw you, but if you don’t want it, forget it.”

I didn’t dislike the idea. I quickly shook my head. Min Joo-hyuk placed his hand on top of my head, stopping my vigorously shaking head.

“I’ll be leaving again in about a week, so I have a little time until then.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m still deciding. I have a few places in mind…. Oh, do you want to discuss it together?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Since I don’t know any places anyway, even if we discussed it, I wouldn’t be of any help. Min Joo-hyuk, who had been quietly thinking, continued.

“Alright. I’ll tell you as soon as it’s decided. Then I should start drawing tomorrow.”

“What about today?”

“Today…. An introduction to the paintings. It’s nothing much, though.”

Min Joo-hyuk walked to the other side of the room. There were three or four paintings covered with cloth. Min Joo-hyuk lightly waved his hand, and the pure white cloths shot upward in an instant.

“Wow. Min Joo-hyuk, did you paint all of these?”

I approached and crouched down. They were landscape paintings. The brushstrokes were vivid over the thickly applied paint. It felt so lifelike, as if the places were right before my eyes.

“You painted them well….”

“What’s this. You’re being honest today.”

Min Joo-hyuk patted my back. I had never been dishonest. I gave him a slight sidelong glance before turning my head back to the paintings.

“When did you start painting?”

“I started properly about three years ago?”

“That’s after you made the Hero’s Oath.”

“…That’s right.”

I quietly gazed at the painting before me. It depicted a forest.

A forest entirely green. The sky spread directly above had a light blue hue. In the distant corner, I could faintly see what looked like grayish clouds.

“Come to think of it, why did you make the Hero’s Oath?”

No answer came. I lifted my gaze from the painting and looked up at Min Joo-hyuk’s face. Before I could even properly examine his expression, a hand plopped onto my head. His arm blocked my view of his face.

“Seon Yi-han. Why did you join us?”

“Uh….”

What should I say? I could answer immediately why I’m with everyone now. But if he was asking how I ended up joining in the first place, that was a bit tricky.

Because a System appeared before my eyes? Or because Teacher said he saw the future? Neither was a particularly good answer. While I hesitated, Min Joo-hyuk continued.

“No need to force yourself to think about it. Tell me later.”

Min Joo-hyuk removed his hand from my head. Then he stretched both hands toward me. It seemed like he wanted me to take them.

I placed my hands over his. Min Joo-hyuk gently pressed the back of my hands and spoke.

“I don’t have any particular reason. It just happened that way?”

“What do you mean?”

“The moment I heard about making the Hero’s Oath, I decided right then and there. But thinking back, that’s not it. How could I make a decision in an instant?”

Min Joo-hyuk gently pulled me. My body lifted as if floating, and I stood up from my spot.

“It’s just hard to pinpoint a clear-cut reason. Things that could be reasons had probably been piling up steadily for a long time before that.”

Min Joo-hyuk met my gaze. Then he grinned and said.

“It’s only afterward that you realize, ‘Ah, so that’s where it all began.’”

From the still-open window, a subtle breeze blew, caught between winter and spring. Min Joo-hyuk’s brown hair swayed in the wind.

“Let’s go up now. When you wake up tomorrow, come to my room.”

“What if you’re not in your room?”

“Then I’ll probably be in the Defense magic training room next door. Never open that door first; always knock. Got it?”

After confirming my nod, Min Joo-hyuk slowly pushed my back, and we left the studio.

Click, the door closed. The faint, unique scent I felt in the studio’s air abruptly cut off.

All that remained vividly was the firm touch of Min Joo-hyuk’s hand on my back.

◇

Six days had passed since Min Joo-hyuk started painting.

That meant tomorrow would mark a week, and soon it would be time to move to a new location.

It was only natural that Min Joo-hyuk would be busy and couldn’t spare much time. Yet, during this period, he made time for me every single day without fail. Of course, Min Joo-hyuk didn’t forget to tease me during those times either.

-When are you going to show me the painting?

-I never said I’d show it to you.

Looking at his face as he said that so boldly, I was left speechless. What Min Joo-hyuk said wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t exactly something I could agree with either.

-No, Seon Yi-han. Why that expression? Of course, I was joking.

-Oh. I see.

-But it wasn’t entirely without sincerity. I want to show you a properly finished piece later.

Hearing that answer, it wasn’t that I couldn’t understand. He said he didn’t have time to even use paint.

-It’s not that I want a properly finished painting; I like it because it’s your painting. Well, do as you please.

When I said that, Min Joo-hyuk made an unreadable face.

He looked both proud and troubled. Then, he lifted the corner of his mouth into a smile and said he’d think about it.

It was a painting someone was drawing for me; there was no way I’d dislike it. Still, the decision was Min Joo-hyuk’s to make.

Anyway, so now I had to do my part. That meant checking if I had packed my belongings properly for tomorrow’s departure. I rummaged through my loose bag once more. Perfect.

Knock knock.

A knocking sound came from the door. When I said to come in, the door opened slightly. It was Raen.

“Yi-han. Were you packing?”

“Yes. I’m all done now.”

Raen gently took the bag from my hand. The bag vanished from Raen’s hand in an instant. It seemed he stored it away with magic.

“Thank you, hyung.”

Raen, who had lightly shaken his head, plopped down on the bed beside where I was sitting. Then he stayed still without saying a word.

“Raen hyung. What brings you here?”

“Hmm…, I came to see if the magic I gave you had run out.”

“Didn’t you give me new ones a few days ago?”

My arms were currently full of the magic casting paper Raen had given me. Had he forgotten for a moment?

Raen looked at me quietly. He blinked rapidly, as if flustered. He probably never imagined he would forget about it in the meantime.

“Oh… right.”

“Yes. Thank you anyway.”

After a brief moment of thought, Raen continued in a composed voice.

“Ah, I came to tell you where we’re going tomorrow.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re moving to the central region of this land. It’s a vast plain.”

“If it’s the central region, are there many people?”

“No. Not a single person lives there. There, flowers fall like rain….”

Raen’s voice grew increasingly faint. My vision spun. It felt like my consciousness was being sucked away. This sensation… I’ve felt it before….

I urgently grabbed Raen’s arm. My hand, clutching his forearm, trembled violently as I couldn’t muster any strength. I managed a desperate voice.

“Raen hyung…. I, just a moment….”

As I spoke, my vision went completely dark.