Black and White Untitled

Episode 2.
The Return of the Prodigal Son (1)

“I’m going crazy.”

Yeonho Jeong, who was locked in the Josadang, grumbled.

“You still have no mercy.”

After the ceremony, my father came to his office and decided on the punishment with just one word.

‘Go to the investigation center for three days and have time to apologize to your ancestors.’

After saying those words, my father went straight to work, not even making eye contact with Yeonhojeong.

Rather, I was more pleased to see that. As time passes, memories tend to shrink or expand, but my father was just as I remembered him.

So it felt real and I was sure I was back in the past.

… … I didn’t like the idea of ​​being locked up for three days.

A question appeared again on Yeonhojeong’s face as she leaned her head against the wall.

‘How is this possible?’

That was the part that I worried about the most during the half day I was locked up in the investigation room.

I don’t know if there is an afterlife, but at least I know for sure that I won’t go back to the past. If everyone went back to the past after they died, the world would be in chaos.

That is, his regression was anything but ordinary.

‘You have to know the reason. An unknown phenomenon will definitely cause problems later on.’

The same goes for martial arts. There is always a reason for achievements that go beyond effort, and if you don’t know about it, your life will be in danger.

That was the reason why I couldn’t be completely happy even though I had returned to the past.

After being lost in thought for a while, he sighed.

“Damn, this isn’t a problem that can be solved by thinking about it.”

If you have basic knowledge, you can at least make an inference.

Yeonho Jeong, who thought about it a little more, eventually gave up on his worries.

“Anyway, there’s no suspicious sign, so we’ll have to be satisfied with that for now.”

Since he returned to the past, of course his body is also from the past.

However, his trained soul was still that of the Black Emperor, the Black Master, the Dark Emperor.

My sixth sense, which had surpassed human limitations, was telling me that it was okay. It wasn’t an answer that would come from worrying about it, so I should just forget about it for now.

I felt a lot better after letting go of my worries.

‘I can live the life that has passed once again… … I can shake off the regrets and sorrows of the past.’

My heart was pounding.

He made many mistakes as a child. In fact, his words and actions were more like the outbursts of a timid person who could not adapt to his environment than mistakes.

So I had a lot of regrets.

If only I had been a little calmer, a little more careful, a little more courageous.

If that had been the case, his past would have been very different.

Yeonhojeong, who had been complaining about the bitterness, suddenly opened her eyes.

“Wait a minute, if you think about it, this isn’t an ordinary thing.”

It wasn’t simply a question of regression.

Yeonhojeong sat up without realizing it.

“How old am I now?”

It must be at least twenty-six years ago, when the family was still intact and peaceful.

So does that mean I’m not even twenty yet?

‘When I look at the horizon, I’m about fifteen or sixteen. So does that mean I’m eighteen or nineteen?’

No matter how great his martial arts achievements were, it was such a long time ago. It was hard to recall when it was just by looking at his father and younger brother’s faces.

Because the years of running forward without looking back have been so long.

‘then……?’

Looking at the weather, it’s fall now.

If that was the case, it meant that there was only half a year left until the family was destroyed, and at most a year and a half left.

‘Fuck!’

I was getting anxious. It was not the time to be working, sleeping, or sitting comfortably.

Yeonhojeong hurriedly opened the door to the investigation room.

Rattling!

“uh?!”

Yeonhojeong looked at the boy standing outside the door with surprised eyes.

Pure white skin. Although he was quite tall, his clear eyes and cute appearance made him look very young.

“Horizon?”

“Brother? Where are you going?”

“Huh? Uh… … That’s… … .”

When I think about it, I had nowhere to go even if I tried to go. I just realized that time was running out and reacted without realizing it.

Yeon Ji-pyeong blinked her eyes repeatedly.

“You can’t leave the investigation room, right? Didn’t your father punish you for three days?”

“… … That’s right.”

“Oh my! No! There’s a hawk squad patrolling around here. If you get caught, tell your father right away. This is it.”

Yeon Ji-pyeong pretended to cut his own neck with the blade of his hand. It was a rather gruesome imitation, but his expression was so innocent that it made me laugh.

“By the way, why are you here?”

“Hehe, there’s a shortcut from my place to the forest behind the investigation room. I dug a hole.”

“A dog hole?”

“yes.”

“What are you doing… … ?”

Yeon Ji-pyeong proudly held out a thick bundle from her bosom.

“Yoit!”

“… … ?”

“… … .”

“What is it?”

Yeon Ji-pyeong scratched his head as if embarrassed.

“It’s a rice ball.”

“Rice ball?”

“No matter how much you earn, starving yourself is a bit harsh. Asking someone to drink only water for three days is not right.”

“What if I get scolded by my father?”

“Hey, you’re not going to scold me for something like this.”

He is someone who is fully capable of doing that.

In any case, it was something I couldn’t just throw away since he had even brought rice balls.

“Come in.”

“yes!”

Yeon Ji-pyeong, who entered the investigation room cheerfully, quickly opened the bundle. Then, three rice balls with a faint steam came out.

Yeonhojeong picked up a rice ball. It was almost as big as his face.

“Are you hungry? Eat plenty. I’ll bring some more tomorrow.”

Yeonhojeong, who had been staring blankly at his rice ball, turned his gaze to Yeonjipyeong.

Yeon Ji-pyeong had a constantly smiling face, but Yeon Ho-jeong could feel a strange sense of impatience behind her younger brother’s smiling face.

And he knew better than anyone what that impatience was all about.

“Peace.”

“yes?”

Yeonhojeong paused for a moment.

I was worried about what to say first.

When he faced him like this, his past mistakes came back to him more vividly. Where can you live without regrets, but what he regrets the most is what happened to his younger brother.

And it wasn’t something to waste time on.

Yeonhojeong, who had been struggling, spoke honestly.

“I’m sorry for everything.”

It was an unexpected apology. Yeonhojeong was embarrassed.

“Huh? What is it?”

“I am a loser. I am a petty person who is jealous of my younger brother because of my pride that is not even worthy of being called a country boy. I should have supported my younger brother’s growth, but I could not do that.”

Yeonhojeong bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Tongue, bro! Why are you suddenly like this?”

“I’m not apologizing to get forgiveness. I just want to admit my mistake and tell you that I won’t do it again. That’s all.”

In the past, before the Yeonga clan was destroyed.

Yeonhojeong hated Yeonjipyeong extremely.

It was not for any other reason. Yeon Ji-pyeong’s talent was so outstanding that it was unprecedented in the history of the family.

Yeonhojeong’s talent was not lacking, but it was nothing compared to his younger brother. Yeonjipyeong was able to build the tower that Yeonhojeong had built with blood, sweat, and tears for five years in less than three years.

However, the two of them did not have a bad relationship during their childhood. In fact, they were closer than most brothers.

However, Yeonhojeong was fifteen years old.

When there was talk in the family that they didn’t know which of their brothers should take the position of head of the household.

At that very moment, Yeonhojeong closed her heart. She was jealous of her younger brother, hated him, and even treated him like he did not exist.

‘Idiot.’

What is the title of that bastard Sogaju?

After my family fell apart and my blood relatives died, I realized that there is nothing more pathetic than placing importance on the positions held by each family member.

And then I realized again.

In his unconsciousness, which he could not look back on, he still loved his father and younger brother.

It was the truth that he realized too late. However, regret always comes too late, and he missed the moment to apologize to his family.

It was a sincere feeling that I kept in my heart my whole life.

“I won’t go into a long story. I’m just sorry, and I’m sorry again. Even if you hate me until the day you die, I won’t feel sorry or resent it.”

“older brother.”

Yeon Ji-pyeong’s eyes turned red.

The reason I mustered up the courage to bring rice balls was because I felt that the look in my brother’s eyes when he looked at me during the ancestral rites had changed. I came here with a pounding heart, wondering if my brother had forgiven me.

Fortunately, my brother no longer hated or loathed me.

“Ugh.”

Yeon Ji-pyeong burst into tears as if she was overcome with emotion.

Yeonhojeong felt sorry for Yeonjipyeong’s tears, but also felt embarrassed.

My brother was a good guy. This kind of reaction was expected.

However, this kind of reaction was extremely rare for Yeonhojeong, who had lived as the ruler of the Black Sea.

The weak get sympathy? Nonsense.

The survival principle of the Black Swordsmanship was to step on, kill, and exploit the weak to increase their power. They were not objects of pity, but merely prey.

In that unfillable gap of time and emotion, Yeonhojeong was once again convinced that she had returned to the past.

After a while, Yeon Ji-pyeong collected her emotions.

“I’m sorry. I embarrassed myself in front of you.”

“What are you embarrassed about? I said I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s all my fault. Why are you apologizing?”

I know it wasn’t an empty promise. That’s why I felt even more sorry and grateful.

Yeon Ji-pyeong, who had calmed down considerably, smiled broadly. No matter how the process was, he felt good that his friendship had been restored.

Yeonhojeong said it without realizing it.

“They say that if you laugh after crying, hair grows on your butt.”

“yes?”

“… … .”

“… … ?”

Yeonhojeong had no talent for jokes.

As expected, one shouldn’t do things one has never done before. He had been coughing awkwardly, but his expression hardened for a moment.

Just the change in facial expression made Yeon Ji-pyeong nervous.

“Horizon.”

“yes?”

“How old are you now?”

Why age all of a sudden?

Although he was taken aback, Yeon Ji-pyeong answered obediently.

“Fifteen.”

“So I’m eighteen?”

“Yes? That, that’s right?”

I felt a little bit of relief. There was still one and a half years left, not half a year.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I had any free time.

“You, how much have you learned the Flying Swallow Heart Method… .”

At that moment, a noise was heard outside the investigation room.

“Your Majesty.”

It was a businesslike and stiff voice. Yeon Ji-pyeong’s face quickly turned pale.

“I know you’re inside. I’ll go in.”

Squeak.

The door to the investigation room opened, and a sturdy man appeared.

It was a man with a long sword on his left belt and a heavy sword on his back. His eyes were sharp and the military discipline that filled his body was strict.

It was Kang Yun, the leader of the Flying Hawk Squad.

“Please come out now.”

Kang Yoon didn’t even glance at Yeon Ho Jeong.

Yeonhojeong nodded.

“good.”

“… … I’ll see you in three days, brother.”

“I get it.”

Yeon Ji-pyeong got up from her seat.

Kang Yoon said.

“You must stand up and carry all the luggage you brought with you.”

“yes?”

Kang Yoon didn’t say anything else. He just stared at Yeon Ji-pyeong with unwavering eyes.

Yeon Ji-pyeong bit her lip.

“It’s a rice ball that I worked hard to bring. Don’t you need stamina to apologize?”

“I don’t know about that. I just know that the law of reward and punishment for good deeds applies equally to blood relatives. Since it is an order given directly by the head of the household, it should be carried out as is.”

It was a hard voice that did not tolerate dissent.

Yeonhojeong wrapped up all the rice balls and handed them to Yeonjipyeong. Yeonjipyeong bowed her head.

“I’ll buy you something delicious in three days.”

“I get it.”

Kang Yoon’s eyes sparkled.

Everyone in Yeon-ga knew that the brothers were not on good terms. But today seemed a little different.

“Go.”

“all right.”

Yeon Ji-pyeong’s steps were slow, as if her feet would not move.

It was when Kang Yoon was about to close the door to the investigation room.

“Kang Dae-ju.”

“Do you have anything to say?”

“I asked you to bring me the rice balls. Please refer to that part when you report.”

Kang Yoon’s eyes lit up once again.

“I will keep that in mind.”

thud.

The door to the investigation room was closed.

Yeonhojeong smiled.

“I didn’t know that such an extremely stiff atmosphere could be this exciting.”