Vol 7 Chapter 30

"I'll watch you, so swing it however you want. That's what I do here anyway."

Having done nothing but kendo until age 18, Kapros could easily spot at a glance what was wrong or strange in others' forms. At his words, Je-hwan slightly raised the corner of his mouth, said "Alright," and began doing some basic stances while raising the practice sword up and bringing it down forward.

'His form is cleaner than I expected.'

Kapros narrowed his eyes to judge the form. It was textbook movement with no unnecessary elements, surprisingly so for his experience level. From the sound made with each swing, he could tell Je-hwan had tremendous power, and his speed and stamina were good too. At that level, even if Kapros were to face him in sparring, it would be quite difficult to dive in first for a preemptive attack.

'...But why am I measuring such things?'

He had thought something unnecessary without realizing. To go from watching Je-hwan's form to imagining sparring. As soon as he realized this, he bit his lower lip hard. Still, an indescribable bitterness and envy that couldn't be suppressed rose in his chest, causing a slight pain.

If he still had healthy legs, if he did, he could have sparred here without any problem. To stand helplessly unable to do anything while his long-forgotten competitive spirit stirred. The moment he became aware of the size of the empty hole that had been carved in his heart without his knowledge, breathing suddenly became difficult.

'So this was that emotion I felt earlier.'

That inexplicable emotion he had felt when seeing Je-hwan in kendo uniform. Kapros belatedly realized it had been this bitterness. While blankly staring at Je-hwan, Je-hwan must have finished as he slowly lowered the practice sword and turned to look at Kapros with a stiffened expression.

"Mu-heon...?"

"Master! We finished!"

At that moment, In-woo and Se-jong came running again, and fortunately Kapros was able to turn his gaze away from Je-hwan.

"But Master, that friend mister. Does he do kendo?"

The children tried to lower their voices to be supposedly inaudible while watching Je-hwan carefully.

"...And?"

Why would they ask that? When Kapros questioned back at their sudden inquiry, the boys beat their small chests as if frustrated.

"Ugh, In-woo the mutt keeps saying that mister is coming to teach us instead of Master now."

"No, you said it first! You said Master might quit now!"

"Heeng, is it true? Did that mister really come to replace Master?"

These kids... Kapros finally realized their true concerns and managed to raise the corners of his mouth in a smile. They seemed to have developed needless worries since he hadn't been able to come to the dojo often lately. When he gave each of them a light flick on the forehead with his healthy left hand, exaggerated screams burst out.

"Ow!"

"Ah! We even finished the downward strikes, why are you hitting us?"

"Who's replacing who? That guy really just came because he's my friend. Stop trying to extend break time with strange questions and go practice more over there."

"Tch! Master likes that mister more than us!"

Se-jong ran off pouting his lips, and In-woo followed after him.

Such stormy kids. But without these kids who needed him, how could he have readjusted here as an instructor again? Kapros was finally able to look at Je-hwan with his usual mindset.

"You're putting too much strength in your thumb. You should relax that and put the strength in this end instead. You should know that."

Kapros grabbed Je-hwan's hand to make him relax his thumb and firmly pressed his left ring and little fingers. Je-hwan looked at him for a moment before slowly nodding.

"...Yeah."

Afterward, Kapros slowly walked around the dojo, correcting children with bad posture and managing those who were neglecting practice from time to time. Even the kids who would normally agree with rebellious looks in their eyes became completely docile today upon seeing Je-hwan radiating cold eyes like a guardian deity behind Kapros, making work considerably easier.

"Mu-heon. Take it easy and come here."

"Master's wife."

When Kapros turned his head at the voice from behind after making several rounds, Master's wife was waving at them with a gentle smile.

"I made some rice punch to give you when you were discharged, so come have some. I put it in the break room."

The rare mention of rice punch made his appetite stir. When he followed Master's wife to the break room, Master was already there.

"Sit down."

After offering Je-hwan the seat beside him and sitting down himself, Master put down his rice punch cup and opened his mouth.

"Mu-heon's friend... Jin Je-hwan, was it?"

"Yes."

Though Kapros tried to stop him, wondering what Master was going to say to Je-hwan now, he couldn't because Master's wife handed him a cup of rice punch with perfect timing.

"So, how did you find our dojo after observing?"

Though Kapros sent him a look saying to just answer moderately without being impolite, Je-hwan fell into deep thought without looking this way.

"...It's good. I think it's good that the atmosphere isn't chaotic and students can focus on training freely."

Master's expression brightened considerably at those brief but honest words.

"That's right. Our dojo's principle is that learning enjoyably is the best training method."

Seeing Master's wife's expression soften as well, it seemed both of them quite liked Je-hwan. Kapros sighed while drinking the cold and sweet rice punch. He just hoped Je-hwan wouldn't say anything unnecessary about the game.

The two of them talked with Je-hwan about various things for quite a while after that. Fortunately, there was no mention of the past that Kapros still wanted to keep hidden, and since Je-hwan didn't bring up anything related to MIST either, Kapros could remain in a position of just quietly listening.

"Je-hwan-gun, do you have any siblings? They must all be pretty and handsome."

At Master's wife's words, who had already changed how she addressed him, Je-hwan fell into thought for a moment.

"I have an older brother."

To think Je-hwan had an older brother. Kapros was inwardly surprised, as he had never thought Je-hwan would have siblings given his usual personality and attitude.