Cheon Seong's gaze towards Su Yeongseong was very different from before.
Of course, there was also the fact that it had become a little awkward because he had not seen him for a long time, but the more decisive reason than that was because of the last words that Hwang Dongyeong had left just before he died.
'Hwang Dongyeong had told me to be careful of Su Yeongseong.'
It was what he had said to him just before his death.
In that situation, there would be no reason for Hwang Dongyeong to lie like this.
Although he didn't know why on earth he had warned him like that, still, Cheon Seong did not take lightly the last words that Hwang Dongyeong had left him.
"..."
And on top of that, the words that Cheon Myeong had said to him. The reason why he had kept Su Yeongseong at a distance was also because of that.
Although it might be a coincidence once, as they say that twice is a necessity, this would also be the same.
Without any reason, those two would not have told him to be careful of Su Yeongseong.
The reason why his gaze towards Su Yeongseong had changed from before was because of this.
"It's been a while."
"..."
"May I come in?"
"...Yes."
No matter how suspicious he was, he would not be able to act hostilely in public.
Since there is also an old saying that one should always keep one's enemies close.
Cheon Seong thought so and relaxed his stiff expression, putting a slight smile on his lips.
In the meantime, Su Yeongseong closed the door and approached the side where Cheon Seong was.
"I heard you were injured."
"Uh..., a little."
"I never thought that your escort would do such a thing, Young Master."
Hearing those words, Cheon Seong thought to himself.
How on earth did Su Yeongseong know this fact?
Could it be that Su Yeongseong was the one who had ordered Hwang Dongyeong to assassinate him?
'It would be too early to think so.'
Cheon Seong did not yet know how much the rumor of this incident had spread within the main headquarters.
Moreover, even if the rumor had not spread much, wouldn't a person in Su Yeongseong's position be able to easily hear this much information?
Although he was not letting go of his suspicion of Su Yeongseong in his head, since there was no definite evidence yet, Cheon Seong decided to remain silent.
"Did you hear?"
"Yes, and I was surprised to hear that you were currently hospitalized at the Demonic Medical Hall, so I rushed over."
"...So that's what happened."
"More than anything, I'm glad that you are safe, Young Master."
"..."
Was he really here just to ask about his well-being?
Although he looked like he was more worried about him than anyone else on the outside, Cheon Seong could not think so as it was.
"But, Young Master."
"Huh?"
"Are you perhaps uncomfortable with me being here?"
At that moment, Cheon Seong felt an unknown chill.
'Was my face still stiff?'
That couldn't be. Since he had been consciously trying to smile since a while ago.
Then on what part on earth was Su Yeongseong asking him that, Cheon Seong could not understand.
"...Are you perhaps thinking that because I said that you don't have to be my duel partner anymore?"
"Ah, that's not it."
Then what on earth is the reason?
As Cheon Seong was looking at him without a word, Su Yeongseong said with a faint smile.
"I was just wondering why you were suddenly smiling like that, Young Master."
"...?"
"Although you are not a person who usually smiles often, Young Master, when you did smile once in a while, you showed me a truly genuine smile."
"..."
"But now... I see. It's a smile that feels as if you are quite wary of me."
At that moment, the smile was no longer on Cheon Seong's face.
Was it that the smile he had put on to hide his inner thoughts had rather become a source of trouble?
Although he had been thinking that he was doing quite well, it seemed that it was not enough to deceive Su Yeongseong's eyes.
'Su Yeongseong... was he originally this kind of guy?'
Why on earth did he not know before?
Since he was a guy who had always only smiled at him, it was possible that he had not paid much attention.
However, Cheon Seong now felt that the smile that he was showing him was different from before.
"It's a joke."
"..."
"There is no reason for you to be wary of me, Young Master, is there? It may be that I just mistook it because it has been a long time since I saw you."
Su Yeongseong returned to his original face and said so.
However, Cheon Seong's face was still stiff, and Su Yeongseong asked such a Cheon Seong.
"But this is something I'm personally curious about."
"..."
"How on earth were you able to survive from Hwang Dongyeong, Young Master?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
"And that's right, isn't it? I can assert that the person who knows your skills best, Young Master, is me."
There was not a bit of exaggeration in Su Yeongseong's words.
Because until recently, the person who had had the most duels with Cheon Seong was Su Yeongseong.
Since there was no better way to know the opponent's skills than a duel, there was a point in those words just now.
"It's strange, isn't it? With the skills of Young Master Cheon Seong that I know, you would never be able to win against Hwang Dongyeong."
"..."
"If not, did you hide your skills in your duels with me until now, Young Master?"
In Su Yeongseong's gaze as he asked, Cheon Seong felt the same chill as before again.
"Or was there something I didn't know in the past few days?"
"..."
"Now, Young Master. Why can't you answer? How on earth were you able to beat Hwang Dongyeong?"
Su Yeongseong began to ask as if he were interrogating him.
Cheon Seong could not answer that question, and his mind went blank as if his weak spot had been hit.
"I..."
"Why does Cheon Seong have to answer your question?"
The moment Cheon Seong opened his mouth, another person's voice was suddenly heard from behind Su Yeongseong.
"..."
Su Yeongseong looked behind him with a face that had rarely lost its smile. Then, there, Cheon Myeong, who had entered the hospital room at some point, was looking at him.
"Huh? Answer me. Why does Cheon Seong have to answer every single word you say?"
"..."
"And why are you curious about that?"
Su Yeongseong silently looked at Cheon Myeong's face, who was asking him.
As the two's gazes crossed, a silent pressure was felt inside the hospital room, but soon, as Su Yeongseong returned to his usual smiling face, the pressure also disappeared.
"Isn't it Young Master Cheon Myeong?"
"..."
"I'm sorry. I didn't notice you had come in."
Su Yeongseong said that and turned his head to the side where Cheon Seong was.
"Since it seems that Young Master Cheon Myeong also has business, I will be on my way."
"...Yes."
"I will pray for Young Master Cheon Seong's speedy recovery."
Saying that, he soon raised his head and walked to the side where Cheon Myeong was. And he stopped walking, facing Cheon Myeong.
"It seems you have reconciled with Young Master Cheon Seong."
"..."
"It's a good thing. Please take good care of Young Master Cheon Seong from now on."
This time, Su Yeongseong bowed his head to Cheon Myeong.
Cheon Myeong did not say anything in particular to such a Su Yeongseong, and as if Su Yeongseong also had no intention of speaking any more, as soon as he raised his head, he left the hospital room.
"Su Yeongseong."
Flinch-.
At that moment, Cheon Myeong's voice calling Su Yeongseong.
Su Yeongseong stopped walking after leaving the hospital room and looked at Cheon Myeong.
"You should close the door properly, right?"
"..."
"That's basic etiquette, isn't it?"
"...I see."
Su Yeongseong closed the door with a smiling face.
And he stood still for a while, looking at the closed door, and soon, he turned his body and walked away from that place.
"..."
However, at that moment, Su Yeongseong, who flinched for a moment as if he had realized something.
Did he close the door when he had entered the hospital room?
Although it seemed that he had closed it, now that he tried to recall his memory, it did not come to him properly.
'If I had closed the door, there's no way I wouldn't have noticed his presence...'
As a result, he had not felt Cheon Myeong's presence.
Then did it mean that the hospital room door was open?
If Cheon Myeong had opened the closed door and had come inside, there would be no way he would not have felt his presence, so Su Yeongseong had no choice but to think so.
"..."
Su Yeongseong, who turned his head to the hospital room side again. And soon, he walked on his way with an expressionless face.
***
After Su Yeongseong left the hospital room, Cheon Myeong put his ear close to the door.
The sound of footsteps that were getting farther away.
Although it seemed that the footsteps had stopped for a moment in the middle, it seemed that they had soon completely disappeared.
'...He seems to have gone.'
Only after confirming that Su Yeongseong had completely disappeared did Cheon Myeong approach the side where Cheon Seong was.
"Thank you, hyung-nim. You came at a rather difficult time."
As soon as Cheon Myeong approached, Cheon Seong said.
If Cheon Myeong had not been there, he might have made a slip of the tongue.
Since he had not talked about that part with Cheon Myeong separately, he had been really flustered when he had heard that question from Su Yeongseong.
Moreover, since Su Yeongseong knew his skills well, he couldn't just get away with saying that he had won by a fluke, right?
Although it seemed that it would have been fine even if he had gone out strongly as Cheon Myeong had done, at that time, his mind had gone blank to the point where he could not even think of that.
"From now on, if a guy like that comes to see you, exercise your right to remain silent."
"The right to remain silent...?"
"Just keep your mouth shut."
"...Ah."
"If you talk too much, you might make a slip of the tongue. Do you understand?"
As Cheon Myeong said that, Cheon Seong nodded his head desperately.
But even looking at him, it didn't seem that Cheon Myeong was relieved.
'To think that that guy would appear here.'
Cheon Myeong had also heard that Hwang Dongyeong had told him to be careful of Su Yeongseong before he died.
Of course, since Su Yeongseong was a guy who gave a strong feeling of being suspicious from the beginning and was also Cheon Jin's disciple, he had been planning to be wary of him from the beginning, but with this incident, it seemed that he would have to pay more attention.
'I'll have to tell Jong Seojun not to let anyone other than me into Cheon Seong's hospital room.'
Even if Bang Gitae were to come, he would have to make it so that he could not approach.
If he were to use the reason that it was for the patient's stability, it would be possible.
As long as Cheon Jin did not come himself, he would be able to block it at Jong Seojun's level.
Cheon Myeong thought so and asked, looking at Cheon Seong.
"Did you take your medicine?"
"Yes, I did."
"Good. Then let's eat this too."
"...?"
Cheon Seong looked at what Cheon Myeong was holding out with a puzzled face.
An elixir on Cheon Myeong's palm.
Since he was already sick and tired of medicine, Cheon Seong's face couldn't help but be wrinkled.
"Is it medicine again..."
"You don't like it?"
"It's not that I don't like it... but I feel like I'm healing quickly enough, and if I eat more than this, I feel like I'm becoming some kind of test subject..."
"That's a shame. Since you've been following my words well until now, I was going to feed you an elixir."
"I'm also sorry... h-hyung-nim! Did you just say an elixir?"
Cheon Seong said, looking at Cheon Myeong with surprised eyes.
"Then what did you hear?"
"..."
To think that what was on Cheon Myeong's palm was an elixir.
Then the story changes.
No matter how sick and tired he was of medicine, if it was an elixir, he could eat it instead of a meal.
'His reaction is quite interesting.'
Looking at Cheon Seong's expression, which was changing from moment to moment, Cheon Myeong thought so to himself.
Although he had been planning to give it to him right away, it seemed that it would be okay to tease him a little more.
Cheon Myeong said, holding out the elixir to Cheon Seong's nose.
"Do you want to eat it?"
"I-I want to eat it!"
"Then I'll give it to you."
As Cheon Myeong said that, Cheon Seong's face, which became brighter than anyone else's.
Looking at that face, he wanted to make him look dejected for no reason.
"I've changed my mind. I don't think I can give it to you after all."
"..."
This time, Cheon Seong's face became completely dejected.
Looking at him, Cheon Myeong smiled with satisfaction inwardly and held out the elixir to Cheon Seong again.
"It's a joke. I brought it to give it to you from the beginning."
"I-is that true?"
"Yes, eat it with gratitude."
"Thank you! I will never forget this grace!"
Ah... I think I'm going to get addicted to the fun of teasing Cheon Seong on this occasion.
Why is it so fun to tease him, perhaps because he was a guy who usually didn't have much of a reaction?
This is the last time. Let's tease him just one more time and then really give it to him.
"But you said you didn't want to eat it earlier. If you don't want to eat it, I'll..."
Thump-.
As Cheon Myeong tried to take back the hand that was holding the elixir, Cheon Seong stretched out his hand and grabbed Cheon Myeong's wrist. And he said with a coldly hardened face.
"Hyung-nim... don't cross the line."
"..."
A faint killing intent felt from Cheon Seong's voice.
Cheon Myeong slowly opened the hand he was holding again.
(End of Chapter)