YEON HWANG

"Remember to be very respectful. She isn't someone that people like us can risk offending," said my teacher who looked like he was about to shit his pants.

He was pacing back and forth in the room.

I've only known him for a while so it wasn't that he was worried about me.

It was more so that he was worried about how my action was going to reflect on him.

He was worried that if I offended the sect leader's granddaughter, he would also be punished because he's my teacher.

"Understood," I responded.

"If... if they you do make a mistake, just apologize immediately. A-and don't bring my name up," he said. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

This man was a big wuss. No wonder why he ended up becoming a teacher.

No offense to anyone who is a teacher or who wants to be a teacher. I respect the hell out of the profession in the real world.

But this dude came to a sect where everyone wanted to become stronger for their own reasons and ended up becoming a teacher because he wasn't talented or brave enough to take a risk.

What if he just likes teaching?

I highly doubt someone who likes teaching would throw his student under the bus like this.

Two men who were dressed like they were ready for war at any moment escorted me.

As I made my way over to her home, I entered the inner section of the sect which you had to pass through these giant gates guarded by powerful men to enter.

It felt like I had entered a new world. Everything around me just screamed luxury from the architecture, the clothes the residents wore in her, the smell of the foods wafting through the air — everything.

Unlike the outer section where the outer disciples resided, the inner section was part of the sect but also a place where citizens lived in. 

It was like a mini-city.

As I made my way to the center of the section, the luxury dial was turned up to max.

Pillars here were made of pure gold, jade, diamonds, etc.

When we reached the destination, however, it was like all the luxury had been dialed down. The fence in front of me was simple and the bamboo gate didn't even have a lock. 

One of the guards escorting me pushed the gate open and said, "Just follow the path. We can no longer follow you inside."

I walked inside and saw a picturesque garden that seemed to have come to life straight out of a storybook.

There was a vibrant tapestry of colors and scents.

Tall trees provided dappled shades around the area. Ivy and climbing roses partially concealed the fence that enclosed this area.

The dirt pavement then turned into this smooth gray cobblestone bridge as it crossed through this little stream that had orange, black, and white kois swimming in it.

Moss and tiny wildflowers sprouted between the cracks, adding this touch of nature even in places that were man-made.

As I continued down the path, I came across this crystal-clear pond which was framed by delicate water lilies of various shades of pink and white.

A white-colored deer with antlers that glimmered like jewelry was resting at the pond.

Finally, at the end of the path was the location of the person whom I needed to tutor.

It was a quaint little house with the same architecture as the buildings in the outer section of the sect.

She chose this design for her home because it reminded her of the home that she and her parents used to live in before they were killed.

Well, she doesn't know that they're killed yet.

Everyone still believes that they both contracted this disease that took their lives. The reality is that they were poisoned by the villain's father which ends up becoming a topic that not only causes the couple to bond in arguments but ultimately brings them closer when the villain kills his father for the female lead.

Before I could announce that I had arrived, the voice of a girl spoke, "Come inside."

She had a lot of gi and could use it to sense other people's presence.

I opened the door and there she was, wearing a hanbok that spread on the floor like an upside-down flower. Her hair was tied up and surrounding her were a bunch of ancient scrolls that her eyes were constantly scanning.

"Come closer. Don't be shy. I'm not going I'm not going to bite," she said, turning to look at me with this beautiful smile.

I nodded my head and after taking off my shoes, I sat down just outside of where the scrolls were laid out.

"Greetings, Miss Hwang. I am Son Youngho, the outer disciple who was called over to help tutor you," I introduced myself.

She returned the bow and I could see in her eyes that she was intrigued by the fact that I wasn't intimidated by her identity.

"Hello, Son Youngho. Thank you for coming."

I smiled warmly and replied, "It's my honor, Miss Hwang."

"Ah no," she shook her head. "There's no need to call me that. As my tutor, I permit you to simply refer to me as Yeon Hwang," she winked.

I could tell that although she said that, she didn't expect me to take her up on the offer.

"Alright then Yeon Hwang, shall we begin?" I asked.

There was no need to waste time beating around the bush.

She was a little in awe at my audacity and couldn't help but smile. "Yes. Surrounding me are a bunch of ancient texts that I've been struggling to understand. Can you help me decipher the words as well as what they mean?"

This was actually a difficult request she was giving me straight off the bat.

"Could I get the transcription paper for the language?" I asked.

She handed it over to me. I didn't know whether or not she had high expectations for me but knowing what kind of person she was, I knew that she liked those who were competent.

I looked over it and asked, "Can I get a few minutes to learn this?"

"Take as long as you need."

During those few minutes of silence, she was watching me closely, observing my fingers, and the speed at which my pupils moved.

The rest of her body was very still, almost like a statue.

There were a lot of symbols used in the ancient scrolls and the language was almost lost to time except for a transcribing paper that transcribed the language to another language.

You would have to take that language and translate that to three other languages before you finally reach the language we use today.

Thankfully, I knew this was the task that was going to be requested of me so I had been researching the language since yesterday when I was first told about the meeting I was going to have with the female lead.

I placed the paper back down on the floor and asked, "Which one of these scrolls would you like help with first?"

She picked one off the ground and said, "This one."

As I read what was on the paper, translating it into the common language, her eyes widened in shock.

"I... I was only able to translate half of the paper even though I've been working on this one for weeks. Very impressive," she said, nodding her head, clapping her hands even though her grandfather had taught her not to do such a thing.

"Thank you," I said, bowing my head.

Noticing that I didn't try to be humble and downplay what I did, she nodded her head again, satisfied with the confidence and pride I had in myself.

"Are there any lines that you'd like an explanation about?" I asked.

"Yes. That one about the horse."

"The horse in this text is a metaphor for—"

Blah blah blah.

You don't want to hear this.

Basically, all you need to know is that we went over the other ancient scrolls she had and I translated them all for her and then she would proceed to ask me questions about certain phrases she was confused about.

I answered them as best as I could.

After we finished, she said out loud, "I feel stupid."

"Why would you feel such a thing?" I asked.

"Because you came in and within a few hours, you did what I wasn't able to do for months," she sighed.

"But didn't everyone else hand this over to you because they weren't able to accomplish it?" I asked.

She nodded her head.

"Then that doesn't make you stupid if everyone else can't do it either. You're not stupid," I shook my head. "I'm just extraordinarily smart."

At my response, she smirked and let out a soft chuckle.

"When did you join the sect?" she asked.

"Two months ago," I answered.

"Where were you before joining?" she asked.

I reckoned she already knew all this information but was asking me to test whether or not I was ashamed of my upbringing. She had a similar upbringing to Son Youngho but was proud of it so if I wasn't proud of my past, her opinions of me would lower.

"I was a support staff for Mount Hua Sect as a matter of fact. I worked in the fields right outside the sect itself, taking care of the herbs and plants. Making sure that they grow properly and don't die."

"What would you say about those days working in the field, living in a small wooden box that you can barely fit in? You hate those days?" she asked, confirming that she already knew about my past.

I sat for a moment contemplating my answer.

"Somedays, I would walk towards the sect during my free time and look as other kids my age were laughing, learning, training, and spending time being children. I would see them eating enough meat to fill up an entire pot then I'd come home and imagine that my bread was meat. I'd wake up during the rainy season, placing wooden bowls on the floor to catch the rain that was leaking in. I'd sometimes struggle to sleep as I thought about my parents who are no longer here with me."

Yeon Hwang was listening extremely closely to what I was saying. Taking in every word, she nodded her head along as if she were relating it to her own story.

"I would sometimes cry, thinking about what my life would be like if they were still around. I'd sometimes feel like quitting as I worked in the fields while the sun scorched my skin."

"So... you hate your past?" she asked.

I shook my head. 

"No. I can't hate on my past because no matter the hardships I went through, I continued to make it to another day. Every struggle, every pain, every tear I shed... all of them helped make me who I am today. I'm proud of myself now and I'm proud of the person I was just a year ago."

Satisfied with the answer, Yeon Hwang smiled and said, "That's a beautiful mindset to live your life by."

"Thank you." I looked out of the window and said, "It's getting late. Would you like my help with anything else before I leave?"

"No," she shook her head. "That'll be all today."

As I was standing up, she interrupted me.

"Wait, one last thing."

"Yes?"

She hesitated for a second before inquiring, "How do I get better at learning? Is there a trick you can teach me? It feels like you're capable of running while I can only crawl."

"Yeon Hwang, don't use me to compare yourself. That's not fair to you. It's perfectly normal to go at your own pace. Everyone progresses in their own unique ways."

She didn't look satisfied with my answer although she knew I was speaking the truth.

"But if you feel like you're stuck and stressed, I do have a little trick. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine this warm glowing light at the center of your body. Focus on that light and let it spread slowly to your fingertips and toes."

Yeon Hwang closed my eyes and followed my instructions.

After a minute of the room being filled with nothing but silence, she opened her eyes and said, "Thank you, Son Youngho. I appreciate your help."

I responded, "You're very welcome. Remember, learning is a journey for everyone. No one stops learning. You're already on the right path and I'll be here to assist you if you need it."

"Tomorrow then."