“If the Thunder Beast is there, there is no way that you could lose.”
Those are the words you’d spoken just hours ago – because the Thunder Beast is the strongest warrior in all of Kouka in generations. He defeated generals since he was a fraction of their age, swept martial arts competitions, and you know it all well – because you cheered from the sidelines as you watched him climb the ranks.
Your guards are attacked with a ferocity that you had never seen from one man before – trained soldiers falling to him like flies. He is relentless and—
He means to kill you.
So why is it that you cannot move?
Even against his own comrades, he resists. He fights against them motivated by nothing but the purest rage.
…. But you know him. You know him by the way that he used to point out your openings and dropped guard by giving you gentle, nudging smacks. You know him by the way that he would give a lop-sided grin that betrayed his amusement. You know him by the way that he told you that your goal was too small but –
It was just after you told him, “You are my goal, Hak.”
How could the greatest person you’ve ever known be considered a small goal?
His hand reaches out to you, and you have not stepped back. There is a sword at your side, you have not used it. In this moment, he is the attacker and—
You wonder if you deserve it.
For making your friend into this broken man in front of you, you wonder if – should death come for you at any point in your life, shouldn’t it come from this hand? If there is any who can truly make a judgment on your soul…
Isn’t it him?
You’re ushered away, and you know he is still reaching for you.
You ignore the way that, despite everything, you want to reach back.
but it seems that after this one - soo-won is more shaken than usual, startled by the memory dredged up. he places the canister of tea leaves that he was holding back down on the counter with a clatter.]
[ It isn't her memory, but the look in this Hak's eyes gives her the chills. And to see it from a friend, someone you dreamed after—oh, does that ache. Hilda is made of tougher stuff, but she knows that Won is too, and that he wouldn't die for Sharon even when he understood her so keenly.
She'd related to that; they both survived where Kano had died. They've both lived since then, and she doesn't sense that resolve faltering in the face of anything. But this... how much would it take for someone like Won to reach for harm, for someone he's already lost?
It's a difficult thing to watch. It stirs unpleasant questions in herself.
She gets up, floating over to him before she gently rests her hand against his arm. ]
Won... [ she's not sure she's ever seen him this sort of rattled. ] Are you okay?
[though for once - it may not sound so entirely convincing. soo-won pauses underneath her touch and he doesn't pull away but - she'll be able to feel it. the way that he's so very tense, as though it is taking great effort to keep himself together, to even present the image of being okay.
but his voice is saddened and his head is bowed, if only to make it harder to see his expression.]
.... it is nothing that I don't understand.
[nothing that he doesn't feel as though he fails to deserve.
if someone so important hates him - then it's something that he'll carry, too.]
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“If the Thunder Beast is there, there is no way that you could lose.”
Those are the words you’d spoken just hours ago – because the Thunder Beast is the strongest warrior in all of Kouka in generations. He defeated generals since he was a fraction of their age, swept martial arts competitions, and you know it all well – because you cheered from the sidelines as you watched him climb the ranks.
The Thunder Beast’s name is Hak.
He’s your best friend in all the world.
Or perhaps, he was.
Your guards are attacked with a ferocity that you had never seen from one man before – trained soldiers falling to him like flies. He is relentless and—
He means to kill you.
So why is it that you cannot move?
Even against his own comrades, he resists. He fights against them motivated by nothing but the purest rage.
…. But you know him. You know him by the way that he used to point out your openings and dropped guard by giving you gentle, nudging smacks. You know him by the way that he would give a lop-sided grin that betrayed his amusement. You know him by the way that he told you that your goal was too small but –
It was just after you told him, “You are my goal, Hak.”
How could the greatest person you’ve ever known be considered a small goal?
His hand reaches out to you, and you have not stepped back. There is a sword at your side, you have not used it. In this moment, he is the attacker and—
You wonder if you deserve it.
For making your friend into this broken man in front of you, you wonder if – should death come for you at any point in your life, shouldn’t it come from this hand? If there is any who can truly make a judgment on your soul…
Isn’t it him?
You’re ushered away, and you know he is still reaching for you.
You ignore the way that, despite everything, you want to reach back.
but it seems that after this one - soo-won is more shaken than usual, startled by the memory dredged up. he places the canister of tea leaves that he was holding back down on the counter with a clatter.]
no subject
She'd related to that; they both survived where Kano had died. They've both lived since then, and she doesn't sense that resolve faltering in the face of anything. But this... how much would it take for someone like Won to reach for harm, for someone he's already lost?
It's a difficult thing to watch. It stirs unpleasant questions in herself.
She gets up, floating over to him before she gently rests her hand against his arm. ]
Won... [ she's not sure she's ever seen him this sort of rattled. ] Are you okay?
no subject
[though for once - it may not sound so entirely convincing. soo-won pauses underneath her touch and he doesn't pull away but - she'll be able to feel it. the way that he's so very tense, as though it is taking great effort to keep himself together, to even present the image of being okay.
but his voice is saddened and his head is bowed, if only to make it harder to see his expression.]
.... it is nothing that I don't understand.
[nothing that he doesn't feel as though he fails to deserve.
if someone so important hates him - then it's something that he'll carry, too.]