436

 [Chapter 126]

[Enlightenment Seeps into the Sword (2)]

The second day after departing for Yokohama.

Students had to wake up in the morning to the sound of reveille and run around on deck.

Including doing physical training in the specially made pool at the stern of the ship.

The only exception was No Eun-ha.

"...I should sleep more."

The students' cries as they received training outside couldn't help but be sweet lyrics to him.

Eun-ha put the earplug that had fallen out back in while half-asleep.

The ship supported by Sirius Shipping didn't even feel like it was rocking, so it was extremely comfortable.

I'll eat breakfast and train later.

How can a person live only training?

The night before.

Students had to learn footwork techniques to the point of being able to run on water with the instructors' teachings.

Eun-ha boldly skipped that too.

Some instructors and players seemed to disapprove of him, but Eun-ha didn't care.

Shin Seo-young allowed it anyway.

The reason he was skipping morning training today was thanks to her too.

Though she might be sighing in reality.

"Ugh, shit... Doing extreme training in the pool from the morning is really something you shouldn't do. Eun-ha, I envy you."

"Did you do well?"

"Don't even mention it. I fell in the water and got soaked. I'm thinking of showering and going to eat, what are you going to do Eun-ha?"

"I'll go on my own."

"Okay. I'm going."

Students were assigned one cabin for two people.

Eun-ha who shared a cabin with Kang Si-hyeong soon greeted him returning from morning training.

Then Eun-ha went back to sleep.

He was still sleepy because he hadn't slept properly for days.

"What? Did this kid eat breakfast? Ah, never mind. He wouldn't not eat, right? They say the most useless worry in the world is worrying about Eun-ha... I should sleep."

Had he already eaten breakfast and returned?

Si-hyeong's grumbling could be heard while half-asleep.

But Eun-ha didn't open his eyes.

The bed creaked briefly as Kang Si-hyeong climbed up to the bunk bed, but he ignored even that.

He intended to sleep soundly this time.

"...ha-ya. Hey. Eun-ha-ya."

How much time had passed?

Murmuring sounds could be heard very close by.

"Eun-ha, you should wake up now."

A clear voice rings in his ear.

Eun-ha frowned in his sleep. Though it was a soothing tone, hearing it up close disturbed his sleep.

Eun-ha turned his body abruptly.

"Eun-ha..."

"...Who is it."

Nevertheless, the voice didn't leave.

Finally, he responded to the voice coming from behind his back in a half-annoyed tone.

"It's me, I-byeol. Are you awake?"

"...I-byeol? Yoon I-byeol?"

"Is there another I-byeol besides me? I came into the room because there was no answer even when I knocked earlier. I'm sorry if you felt bad..."

Eun-ha turned his body again.

Opening his eyes with a groggy face, Yoon I-byeol with short hair came into view.

She smiled with her eyes at him when their eyes met.

Eun-ha half raised his body.

"Did you sleep well?"

"...Yeah. Looks like I woke up briefly in the middle then fell asleep again. I-byeol, do you know what time it is now?"

"11 o'clock. It's almost lunchtime."

"...Seems I slept without even eating breakfast."

It seemed he had fallen into a deep sleep.

Eun-ha scratched his messy hair and got up from his seat.

He opened the closet and took out the uniform he had put a cleansing spell on the day before.

It was even cleaner than yesterday with a self-cleansing spell added.

Eun-ha took off his sweatshirt top and put on a wrinkle-free dress shirt.

"But why are you here I-byeol? Do you have something to say?"

He looks for the dressing table.

Eun-ha looked at Yoon I-byeol reflected in the mirror while roughly fixing his hair with the artifact on the dressing table.

She who had been standing blankly until then stuttered as if suddenly coming to her senses.

Then she replied in a sulky voice.

"You weren't visible in the cafeteria earlier either, so I wondered if you were sleeping without even eating breakfast... So I came to call you to eat lunch together."

"Really? If you hadn't come, I might not have eaten lunch either. Thanks."

"No, it's nothing. I just... wanted to eat with you..."

Yoon I-byeol lowering her head shyly.

Eun-ha thanked her who still seemed passive even though she had greatly changed her appearance.

Meanwhile, he looked for his tie.

Just then she ran to the closet and brought the tie.

"Here."

"Ah, thanks."

Yoon I-byeol smiles broadly.

Eun-ha who received the tie from her fixed his shirt collar.

But how long is she planning to stay here?

He loosely ties the tie.

Even then, Yoon I-byeol was still standing behind him.

It was an awkward situation for him who needed to change his pants.

Just when he decided and was about to tell Yoon I-byeol to leave the cabin.

"Eun-ha, are you still sleeping? Can I come in? I'm just going to come in even if you say not to. If you're changing clothes, tell me in advance..."

A knocking sound was heard.

Eun-ha reflexively turned his head towards Jung Ha-yang entering.

Jung Ha-yang who checked inside the cabin blinked her round eyes.

"Huh?"

She tilts her head strangely.

As if she saw something wrong.

Soon her gaze turned to Yoon I-byeol as if Eun-ha didn't matter.

"─I-byeol, why are you here?"

"...Huh? Um... that..."

Yoon I-byeol noticeably flustered.

Then she has an eye earthquake while sending a signal for help to Eun-ha.

In the end, Eun-ha had no choice but to mediate the incomprehensible atmosphere between the two.

"She came to eat lunch together. But Ha-yang, what's up with you?"

"I came to call you for lunch too. Hmm, I-byeol came to call you first. I see."

"Why are you being scary? Come back quickly."

"Ow! Tch, what did I do."

Jung Ha-yang nods.

Eun-ha quickly hit between Jung Ha-yang's ribbon with the side of his hand when her gaze wandered.

Though he hit lightly.

Jung Ha-yang whined that it hurt and protested to Eun-ha.

Eun-ha brushed it off nonchalantly.

"That's good. Now that it's come to this, we can eat lunch together. The other kids haven't eaten lunch yet either, right?"

"Min-ji and Eun-woo are waiting outside, and I'm not sure where Kaede and Gu-rae are right now. They're probably receiving individual lessons from the instructors."

"Then we can bring those two along if we see them on the way. Is that okay, I-byeol?"

"Huh? O-okay! Of course it's okay!"

Eun-ha couldn't not know the creaking atmosphere.

Nevertheless, Eun-ha inwardly pretended not to know and led the topic to prevent the two from doing anything strange.

"Originally, eating together is the most delicious. I-byeol, it seems you came to call me for that reason too, you did well."

"Th-that's right... Eating together is the most delicious. Ahaha..."

"Let's try to gather everyone and eat together during the comprehensive evaluation while we're at it."

Knowing but pretending not to know.

Eun-ha indirectly pushed away Yoon I-byeol.

Even when her face soon became gloomy, Eun-ha deliberately turned his head in another direction.

"But you slept until now? What's with your hair?"

"This is after fixing it. If you're going to criticize, why don't you wash my hair for me."

"Tch. Who gave you that artifact over there that you're saying such things?"

"Never mind, let's just go eat."

"Okay!"

"I-byeol, aren't you coming?"

"Ah, yes! I'm coming! Let's go together!"

Eun-ha acted nonchalantly.

He sent out Jung Ha-yang first, then sent out Yoon I-byeol after.

And Eun-ha also acted with the flow and ended up going to the cafeteria in a strange fashion.

Meanwhile, Kang Si-hyeong who had been pretending to sleep on the bunk bed the whole time tossed and turned.

He who confirmed the three had left got up from his seat and sighed.

"Whew... I thought I was going to get scolded because it was scary. But how did Eun-ha act so nonchalantly in that situation? He must really have strong nerves. If it were me, I probably wouldn't have been able to say anything because I'd be scared..."

Kang Si-hyeong shook his head.

Then he suddenly realized something.

"But guys... You completely left me out? You didn't know I was here, right?"

He says he learned natural concealment.

☆

I'm not sure if the food went down my mouth or my nose.

Jung Ha-yang on the right, Yoon I-byeol on the left.

Eun-ha who ate with the two on either side couldn't avoid feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles.

'I don't know. This is none of my business. I'll just pretend not to know like this.'

'Eun-ha, I don't think there's anything I can help with but hang in there.'

It was bad enough that even Min-ji sitting across looked at him with pitying eyes.

Cha Eun-woo eating beside her as well.

"What... what did I do wrong..."

In the end, Eun-ha unusually left his lunch unfinished.

He gave up after eating side dishes Ha-yang and I-byeol picked for him from both sides.

It was his lunch, but he absolutely couldn't eat as he pleased.

I should sit next to Min-ji or Eun-woo when eating dinner later...

The thought of being stuck between those two until going to Japan, this really isn't it.

Though the lunch was very high quality as Sirius Shipping supported.

Eun-ha eating a cheap chocolate bar felt very miserable.

Though his stomach felt somewhat empty, he had no choice but to go out on deck to train.

"Why is that kid here again?"

At a time of scorching sunlight.

There was someone who came to the ship's bow first.

Eun-ha discovered Hoshimiya Kaede looking in the direction the ship was heading while receiving direct sunlight without even going into the shade.

There was nothing beyond the horizon she was looking at.

Nevertheless, she seemed lost in thought while holding a Japanese bow in her hand.

"What are you thinking about so much?"

Eun-ha approached Kaede.

Only then did she who was looking at the horizon turn her gaze.

She who identified the other person as Eun-ha answered in a blunt tone.

"Nothing much."

"You're lying."

"How do you know that?"

And Eun-ha was an expert at provoking Hoshimiya Kaede's mood.

When he retorted smugly, sure enough she flared up.

Nevertheless, Eun-ha didn't back down and spread his shoulders wide.

"I just said it."

"...You're really an annoying kid."

"You have no filter with your leader."

"Hah..."

Not worth dealing with.

Kaede just kept sighing deeply as if saying that.

"So why. What's the matter?"

But Eun-ha didn't back down.

He who confirmed she wasn't leaving leaned his upper body on the railing and looked down at the sea.

Soon he raised his head and traced the horizon she was looking at earlier.

There was only one thing beyond there.

"Are you feeling unsettled because you're going to Japan?"

"..."

No words.

Given her personality, she surely would have left if it was a question not worth answering.

Conversely, if it hit the mark, she would remain silent while staying.

It was the latter.

Eun-ha who had been observing Hoshimiya Kaede was certain of that.

"Tell me. What are you thinking about?"

Hoshimiya Kaede was legally Korean.

But at the same time, she was mixed-race.

Perhaps if asked about her identity as someone who lived in this world as mixed-race, she might answer Japanese rather than Korean who was treated as a citizen but not a proper citizen.

Then how would she be thinking about going to Japan?

"Just... I'm curious what kind of country Japan that grandfather talked about is. Grandfather... never mind."

"Why did you stop talking? Just say it."

"...Grandfather said it's the hometown he wanted to return to. The fact that I'm going there, it feels strange."

As if she wanted to tell someone about the life she had been suppressing all this time.

Hoshimiya Kaede spoke as if unable to resist Eun-ha's urging.

He saw her face noticeably relax as she brought up her grandfather's story.

"If possible, I'd like to find grandfather's family... but that's probably impossible."

"What would you do if you found them?"

"...That's true."

Eun-ha asked casually.

Soon she muttered with a bitter face while facing the sea breeze.

Her tone was as if she didn't know herself what she wanted to do if she found them.

She knew too.

That her roots were not beyond the distant invisible horizon, but in the land she had been treading on all this time.

"If you want to find them someday, I'll help. It might be difficult now, but when the day comes that Korea, China, and Japan cooperate."

"...Not necessary."

"Okay, then."

Nevertheless, if she wanted.

He was willing to help her.

But Kaede expressed with a short answer. She knew now that even if she found them, it would have no meaning.

Even if it had meaning, it would only convey her grandfather's life.

Not conveying her life.

Not finding her roots.

She is here now.

The existence called Hoshimiya Kaede is simply defined by the time she has experienced and the people she has met.

Her existence is not defined by blood relations she has never met.

"Then let's go find good restaurants together while in Japan. You speak Japanese best here."

"Why would I go with a kid like you..."

"You won't have anything to do anyway."

"...I don't intend to just follow you around the whole time there."

"Then follow me occasionally."

"That much is..."

Eun-ha teased her.

Kaede replied to him with a sour face.

There was no sign of dislike.

Eun-ha chuckled softly.

"By the way, did you eat lunch?"

"No. Not yet, why?"

"Then want to go eat with me?"

"Didn't you already eat?"

"...I guess I got hungry again."

"Seems there's a beggar in your stomach."

Time and encounters define existence.

In that sense, the existence called Hoshimiya Kaede will be newly defined from now on.

Now she─.

"Did you see that tuna jump just now?"

"It was quite big."

"It looks like it might jump again, let's try catching it."

"Why don't you say something that makes sense. Why should I listen to you..."

"Hoo!"

─is a star catcher

"Why am I..."

"As expected, there's no better harpoon than Hoshimiya Kaede! Your skill is amazing!"

"Shut up."

─She is an excellent harpoon.

Eun-ha laughed as she watched her tremble while holding the bow.