Episode 3

Kim Tae Hyun didn't look up to acknowledge General Kim Jung Hwa, but he did stop moving his foot that he was dragging back and forth from the boredom and impatience earlier. He knew, based on the sudden heavy silence, that everyone's attention was now on him and the General.

"How have you been Taehyeon?" Junghwa softly asked his dongsaeng.

"That's a rather stupid question," Taehyeon mumbled, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear since they were anticipating his reply.

"Taehyeon," Kim Nam Kyu warned while everyone tensed up.

"I'm fine. I've been well enough, alright?" Taehyeon answered.

"Until you came back with your obvious failure to fulfill your promise," Taehyeon frowned and finally gazed up at Junghwa.

"Taehyeon, that's enough," Jeon Jun Hyun sternly interrupted as he didn't want the brunette to put himself into deeper trouble by disrespecting his acting guardian. No matter what, Taehyeon is speaking with the General, an ultimate superior.

"Look—Taehyeon, I really am sorry that I didn't come back with him—again. I didn't get to see him and—"

The General tried to explain whatever the issue was and couldn't care less that the others can see how Taehyeon actually talks and looks at him. He just get his thoughts through, but Taehyeon was not having it. As usual.

"It's always the same disappointment, hyung," Taehyeon's eyes started to tear up but he managed to hold it in for a moment.

"You apologizing to me won't bring back here the person who can truly understand me. That one person who can understand me for what I am, is still not here," Taehyeon harshly wiped a tear that escaped his eye when he glared at Junghwa.

"It wouldn't make him want to be back here even just to help me understand and get through the looks and treatment I receive from the majority here. And that's on you."

Before anyone could comfort the young warrior, Taehyeon turned his backs to everyone and rushed off. He didn't want anyone to say anything anymore.

Junghwa took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair out of frustration. His blood boiled, not because of the words and the attitude directed at him by his dongsaeng, but because of his past decisions made by his past mindset that caused the most important person in his life to cut off ties with him, and unwillingly cut ties with Taehyeon too.

"So, there is still discrimination going on against him?"

Junghwa asked after a while in which he processed Taehyeon's statement.

"There is, hyung," Namkyu grimly answered.

"How bad is it this time?"

Namkyu dreaded Junhyun to hear about this serious matter since he and the rest kept the young Demon in the dark. They all know that Junhyun is possessive and protective over Taehyeon, especially when they made their relationship official last Winter.

"It could be worse—I mean I wouldn't know," Namkyu nervously started.

"Ever since the last Annual Royal Army Investiture last season of Spring, when Kim Tae Hyeon was announced as an official member of the Elites—the Second Elites even, just after a quick span of three years since he started to train, trainees, new recruits, and some of the lower to top-tiered warriors started to ignore and exclude him from activities and even missions."

And since your departure last month, rumors and verbal assaults towards Taehyeon became a common occurrence, despite the rest of us being with him to intimidate and fend off those who talk shit about Taehyeon. I can't imagine how someone has it bad that one gets bullied within these walls with each passing day. All because they doubt his credibility of his—being," Namkyu reported and mumbled the last part for Junghwa.

"Men from the Royal Army respects him and things highly of him though," Yongsun spoke up about the matter at hand and he put his weight on his right leg whilst crossing his arms.

"But the number of people who thinks that he got his position because of bias and connection with the General outweighs the population of the Royal Army," Seungso pointed out.

"Hundreds of warriors his age refuse to see him as an equal despite his capabilities as an Elite warrior here. Poor boy," Hwanmin glowered after a heavy sigh left his mouth.

"He must feel hurt and lonely. Left out even. Despite us being here for him," Seungso frowned.

"I don't know about you guys, but Taehyeon is still young—younger than us. There is still a great difference of having friends his age."

Junhyun clenched his hands into fists as he listened to what his hyungs have to say. He was beyond shocked. He was pissed off and his urge to rage was on the brink of surfacing.

What Namkyu reported to the General was news for him. He mentally cursed all those people who dare hurt Taehyeon with words, dirty looks, and cold treatment. He also cursed at himself for being oblivious about this situation. But even if he was now made aware, he couldn't do anything to help without resorting to threats and violence.

After all, Junhyun couldn't possibly understand the feeling of being discriminated just because of being more superior than the rest at such a young age.

His case was different from Taehyeon's.

When Junhyun made the Royal Army at 16, two years younger than Taehyeon's age now, everyone was impressed and ecstatic for him to be part of the Elites. The respect he gained in his first few months of just training, tripled when he became the youngest warrior to be an Elite.

That was all because the Jeon Clan were known for their long lineage of respectable and powerful Elite warriors. All members of the Jeon Clan were Elites. They all made it into the Royal Arm no later than the age of 20, Junhyun being the youngest amongst the Jeons to train at the institute and making it into the Third Elites at his Royal Army Investiture.

It was expected of him to excel at everything even at a young age. His family name came with automatic respect.

Thus, Junhyun had no idea what Taehyeon was feeling and how difficult he has it.

Junhyun was familiar with the heavy feeling of loneliness and exclusion after one fateful night three years ago though. He knew those too well and still feels it on some nights. So, he must be there fore Taehyeon for the younger to lessen the burden of such emotions.

Junhyun was about excuse himself so he can follow Taehyeon when the General spoke up again.

"Namkyu. Seungso," Junghwa called out the two as he turned to the opposite way where Taehyeon stormed off to.

"Go," Junghwa ordered with just one word, but the two of them already knew what he meant.

"I can go instead of them—"

Junhyun stepped up but Namkyu suddenly blocked him, halting him from going after Taehyeon. Namkyu simply shook his head and looked back at the General to emphasize that it was the General's words, their superior's orders.

"Focus on your priorities," Junghwa looked at Junhyun.

"And get back to work. All of you," Junghwa walked off, dismissing the rest of them with just that.

"We'll make sure he's okay," Seungso comforted the concerned young warrior as Namkyu stepped away from Junhyun, in hopes of lightening up the Demon's now brooding mood.

"Let's go Seungso," Namkyu called out as he started to walk away.

The tension was lifted when it was just now two Demons and a Werewolf left at the field.

"What a reunion," Yongsun let out a tired sigh.

"I just don't understand why can't noona return here and make things easier between the General and Taehyeon?" Hwanmin whined.

"Taehyeon needs him more than ever since—for some still unknown reasons, only she can understand that boy. It has been three years already. She needs to come back—I mean this is her home."

"I am assuming that it is not easy for her to come back to the place where a former lover is, hyung," Junhyun pointed the well-known fact among the people who knows the General personally.

"Then there is that fact that she just suddenly left the General without so much a choice on the latter and practically disappeared from our lives here at the institute. He left Junghwa hyung alone to care for Taehyeon."

"Speaking of leaving people all of a sudden," Yongsun spoke up and lazily placed an arm over the shoulders of the younger Demon.

"How dare you ditch us earlier—you annoying little shit," Yongsun placed Junhyun in a choke hold, but the skillful warrior got out of it easily. Not before his hair was ruffled and messed up by his hyung though.

"Yeah! You left us to spar with five top-tiered troops! You know how those men can be monsters during sparring. Yet you still left us to deal with them," Hwanmin clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"Just so you can stalk your little lover," Hwanmin added, his lips curved into an amused smile.

"Let's go and spar then with Junhyun now. To make up for the time he deliberately skipped," Yongsun ruffled Junhyun's hair again to which he received a light shove in response.

"Perhaps another time, hyung," Junhyun fixed his hair and casually placed his hands inside the side pockets of his standard uniform of black trousers.

Junhyun then rushed to walk away from the two.

"Aish! But you heard the General!" Hwanmin called out in disbelief.

"He said focus on your priorities and—yah! Jeon Jun Hyun!" Yong-sun's voice boomed when Junhyun only gave a mocking salute whilst he replied:

"You know who my priority is, hyung!"

CUT!

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