Resurrection Chapter 85 - This Is More Like You

I stood facing Heesoo hyung, holding a wooden sword instead of Lævateinn.

Heesoo hyung, like me, was also standing with a wooden sword, but his appearance was completely different from mine. It was more than just cool, it was magnificent, and I began to doubt whether I could actually beat him.

In the past, the reason Heesoo hyung was able to reach the rank of Holy Knight wasn’t just due to the White Goddess’s favor. His swordsmanship skills were nothing short of genius.

In his prime, he was comparable to the sword masters found only in novels or games. Everyone had no doubt that when he became an S-rank, he would surpass the only S-rank swordsman, Cheon Geom Ryoo Jinju.

When you watch a person like that, you can’t help but think, ah, maybe the sword isn’t my path.

I had always believed that I had no talent for close-quarters combat like swordsmanship, and even during my all-rounder jack-of-all-trades days, I had focused on developing my skills in long-range and support roles. Since that had always been the case, it was hard to think that I could beat Heesoo hyung after just a few days of effort.

Of course, the condition for me to go find the magic sword wasn’t to beat Heesoo hyung, but to succeed in landing an attack even just once. Even so, it was hard to be confident even in that.

The reason I provoked Heesoo hyung and made the bet, knowing this full well, was because I had no intention of having a fair and square fight in the first place.

I held the wooden sword up in front of my face and stared intently at Heesoo hyung. After calming my breathing, when I felt mentally prepared, I slowly lowered my body into a stance. Then, I kicked off the ground forcefully with my feet and charged forward, swinging the wooden sword at the same time.

“Haat!”

Of course, Heesoo hyung was not someone to be hit by such an obvious attack. He easily parried my strike. I paid attention to my footwork as I had been pointed out several times by him and launched a series of attacks.

Clack, clack, amid the clashing of wooden swords, the sound of grass rustling under my feet was loud. A few times, after exchanging blows, Heesoo hyung’s wooden sword came thrusting at my thigh, taking advantage of an opening when my legs were unsteady.

In truth, it was more of a light tap than a thrust. But I screamed and threw myself onto the ground in a Hollywood-worthy act.

“Uwaaack!”

As I curled up, clutching my thigh with one hand, a startled Heesoo hyung hurriedly bent down toward me.

“Mr. Yitae! Are you hurt?”

I plunged my wooden sword deep into his surprised stomach. More surprised than hurt, Heesoo hyung froze, and I wiped the grimace I had put on for my feigned pain and grinned.

“Gotcha, didn’t I?”

“……”

Seeing his slightly widened eyes, I didn’t miss the chance and said.

“Now you have to let me go find the magic sword.”

I meant it playfully, but was he offended by being tricked?

Heesoo hyung slapped the back of my hand with his bare hand. With a smack, the wooden sword flew away. Immediately after, he pressed his knee firmly against my chest as I tried to stand up in surprise.

“Ugh.”

Even though he didn’t put his full weight on it, I had no choice but to lie back on the ground as his knee pressed down on my solar plexus. Heesoo hyung, looking down on me as if to pounce, spoke in a low voice.

“Not a chance.”

“Hey, why? You didn’t say I couldn’t use tricks.”

“I didn’t mention it because it was an obvious fact.”

“There’s no such thing as fair and square in a real fight. If you fell for a cheap trick like this, you lost.”

At my insistence, he narrowed his eyes as if frowning. The gaze that peeked through was so cold that I inwardly flinched.

Did I push it too much? What if he decides to just beat me up and lock me away? I won’t be able to win if hyung really uses his strength.

It felt like the knee pressing on my chest was getting heavier. The figure of Heesoo hyung on top of me was shadowed and dark.

I stared blankly at his approaching face. For some reason, I felt extremely helpless, but unexpectedly, Heesoo hyung removed his knee and got off me. He then extended his hand to me, as if to help me up.

Though bewildered, I took his hand and stood up. Then Heesoo hyung let out a faint sigh and said.

“Alright. I won’t count it as a loss, but let’s go find the magic sword.”

“Oh, really?”

“But I’m going with you. This is non-negotiable.”

He said it so bluntly that there wasn’t a speck of a sign that he would back down. Actually, I had expected him to follow. Even if he reluctantly let me go, there was no way he would send me alone. I bent down, picked up the wooden sword, and said.

“Alright, let’s go together. If that makes you feel more at ease.”

It was a casual remark, but Heesoo hyung came right up to me. He didn’t grab my wrist or pull my arm. He didn’t touch me at all, but his demeanor was as firm as if he were restraining me.

“You can’t put me at ease like that. The only way to put me at ease is……”

I, who had been stiff, furrowed my brow as he trailed off.

Why did he stop talking?

“What’s the only way?”

I tilted my head and pressed for the rest of his sentence, but Heesoo hyung just closed his mouth. Instead, he just stared at me.

His silent gaze was rough, as if he were angry. At first glance, it seemed like he was blaming me for being stubborn and using an absurd trick. On the other hand, it seemed like he was about to burst with some unknown dissatisfaction and desire.

But Heesoo hyung revealed none of it.

“……”

As our eyes met, his expression gradually softened. Like a fierce storm calming into a gentle breeze, he became as placid as usual, as if he had never been agitated.

To my eyes, his appearance seemed quite dramatic. As I was unknowingly mesmerized by his face, Heesoo hyung suddenly opened his mouth.

“You have a leaf on you.”

“Huh?”

At the unexpected comment, I reflexively raised my hand to feel my face. Then, Heesoo hyung raised his hand and brought it toward me.

Perhaps because of what happened the other day, he seemed cautious about touching me, and stopped his hand in mid-air. I stood on my tiptoes slightly and brought my face under his hand.

“Where is it?”

As I looked up at him and asked, Heesoo hyung’s gaze wavered. He silently picked the blade of grass off my bangs.

I raised my hand and shook my bangs vigorously to get rid of any remaining leaves. That caused my hair to get tangled, and Heesoo hyung, who had brushed off the blade of grass, carefully straightened my bangs.

It’s not like he’s counting my hairs. What is he doing.

It felt kind of funny waiting for him to sort out my hair one strand at a time. I chuckled and said.

“Hyung, you’ve never raised a dog, have you?”

“Pardon? …No.”

“I have. I raised a Jindo dog when I was young.”

Heesoo hyung looked like he didn’t understand why I was suddenly talking about dogs. Instead of explaining, I reached out and ruffled Heesoo hyung’s long bangs. As Heesoo hyung flinched back in surprise, I burst out laughing.

“Hahaha…!”

As I laughed out loud, Heesoo hyung’s face turned reddish, as if he were more than just surprised, but embarrassed. I knew I had treated Heesoo hyung like a Jindo dog, but he was the one who had touched me first as if touching a dog. Like someone who had never raised a dog touching one, he had touched my bangs with a hand that was so cautious it was almost fearful.

Finding that funny, I said with a laugh still hanging in my voice.

“Hyung, it’s okay to just touch my hair.”

“…Is that so.”

“I won’t bite if you touch me.”

As I said that, I playfully tilted my head. It was as if I was offering my head for him to touch, but Heesoo hyung didn’t avoid it.

He took the opportunity and raised his hand as if he were really going to touch my hair. But instead of messing it up haphazardly like I did, he stroked it gently.

This is more like petting a cat than a dog.

Just as I was thinking that I should probably purr or something.

Heesoo hyung suddenly lowered his head. He gently gathered my hair and buried his nose in it.

Since he was so much taller, a dark shadow fell over me. I could see his broad shoulders hunched over.

If we kissed while standing like this, my neck would definitely hurt quite a bit. Even if I stood on my tiptoes as much as I could, it would be difficult from the front…….

No, what on earth am I thinking?

Feeling goosebumps rise and my face flush, I wanted to step back. But the large hand that held immense power was holding my hair too gently. It was so careful, as if worried that even a few strands of hair might break, that I couldn’t move at all.

If he had been forceful like Ulfheðinn, I would have cursed or thrown a punch, but Heesoo hyung’s skinship was so careful, as if touching a flower petal. It was so careful that I was afraid I would hurt him if I rashly refused.

At his touch, I froze, unable to do anything. In that state, I was seized by a swelling suspicion.

‘Seo Heesoo destroys the world because he loves you.’

‘No, that can’t be.’

Before my suspicion could show on the outside, Heesoo hyung let go of my hair and raised his head. He gave me, who was looking at him ambiguously, what could be called a smile.

“It certainly feels like it would be like this if I raised a puppy. But I wasn’t treating you like a puppy, Mr. Yitae.”

I smiled brightly.

“What does it matter if you treat me like a puppy. I’ll do the same to you, hyung.”

“Aren’t I too big to be a puppy…?”

“It’s fine for now. Just don’t get any bigger.”

I shrugged and nonchalantly turned around. But my heart was pounding with anxiety.

I hoped this anxiety was just a groundless fear. Dismissing it as something that arose because Min Gongchan had said something unnecessary, I started walking and said cheerfully.

“Well then, shall we go find Lævateinn!”