Briar Rose - Taekook

Epilogue 3

Hello!

Sorry for the long wait. I hope this is worth it <3

Epilogue 3: V

Two weeks later

"So let me get this straight," Areum says. "You and that guy we met in the black market are going on... a date?"

"You could say that," I agree.

We're sitting on a high wall overlooking the training field, as the sun casts long shadows across the towers of Bloodcrest. Areum had promised to practice her knife throwing skills, but we seemed to be talking more than fighting. Usually this would have annoyed me, but today is different. Today is the day that I would be meeting Jeongguk again, after two weeks of separation. And I needed all the tips that I could get. I didn't want to scare him off just when he was starting to warm up to me. Just a little.

"Just take it slow," Areum suggests. "He's probably not used to you yet. I asked around Bloodcrest, and it turns out that that guy is pretty infamous around here. The fact that he didn't try and kill you on your first date says something!"

"Oh no, he definitely tried," I assure her. "He had a knife ready and everything. He just couldn't carry it out."

Areum shrugs, as if the information didn't bother her. "In that case, I guess you'll just have to stay alive long enough for him to warm up to you. Just don't die. I don't like it when people die." She chooses this moment to throw her dagger with deadly accuracy, watching as the blade hits the middle of the dummy's forehead. I nod in appreciation. "Nice hit. Though, if you want to make sure the enemy's dead, I recommend the heart or throat."

She wrinkles her nose. "There's too much blood either way." She hops down from the high wall to retrieve the dagger, then climbs back up as agile as a squirrel. I have to admit, she's gotten better at knife throwing every day. Soon, I would be able to teach her more advanced techniques. Things that I doubted even the Bloodcrest centurions knew.

"When are you seeing him again?" She asks, returning the knife to its sheath.

"Tonight. Any other tips?"

She smiles. "Just try not to die. And I want a full report when you get back. Don't leave anything out."

I promise I won't. Seeing my nervous face, Areum laughs. "Relax V. I'm sure that Jeongguk is just as nervous as you are. Just take deep breaths, and give it your best shot. He'll warm up to you in no time!"

I sigh. "I hope so too, Areum."

☆☆☆

It turns out that Jeongguk isn't nervous at all. Or at least, he doesn't seem to be. Once out of Bloodcrest, he leads me confidently through the hills, until we come upon a clearing just north of Bloodcrest's most prominent tower.

"Is this the place?"

Jeongguk nods. "Yes."

The sky is aglow with beautiful dots of light, while the moon is nowhere to be seen. All around us is a sea of green grass and flowers, a lush meadow as far as the eye can see. It's beautiful, I admit, but I'm mystified as to why we came here.

"The stars are beautiful tonight," I remark. "They look much closer than usual."

Jeongguk's mouth quirks. "You know, I never understood why stargazing is romantic. I really don't know any constellations besides the Big Dipper."

"It's romantic because the one who knows about stars teaches the one who doesn't know." I say. "Though, I must admit, I don't know many star formations either."