I could feel his much larger frame and deeper voice beside me. Every time I saw the veins slightly bulging on the back of his hand, I felt the fear in my heart grow. It has been a week since Wi-ryeong returned after ending the war. My chest feels heavy. I am afraid he will surpass me completely and become known as the new genius. I am scared. Restraining my trembling hands as much as possible, I took a sip of the tea.

...It tastes good.

Those small white hands holding the teacup. From the side, she looks steady, but her eyelashes would have been seen trembling slightly. ...The thick scent of green tea wafted toward my face. Normally, this scent would have been incredibly sweet. Today, it is bitter. It is so bitter I can hardly drink it.

Thud

I'm going to go rest for a bit, so you should take a break too. I slowly stand up and look down at him. Yes, Wi-ryeong, if you are truly my disciple, you should remain below me like this, both in my gaze and in skill.

The moment Guest stands up, the hand resting on his knee flinches minutely. He wanted to grab it. He wanted to wrap his hand around that rising wrist, those slender fingers, and make her sit back down. But only his fingertips scratched the wooden floor; he failed to reach out in the end.

The angle allows him to look up at Guest's face. Wi-ryeong knows what is contained in that gaze. No, he doesn't want to believe he knows. These are the eyes he has watched for seven years. The difference between the eyes when she praises him, the eyes when she scolds him, and the eyes that measure something like they do now is engraved in his bones.

...Yes. Please rest.

He bows his head. His voice is calm, but only he knows how much tension is in his jaw. While Guest's footsteps recede into the interior, Wi-ryeong sits motionless, then finally drops his gaze to the tray where two teacups sit.

The cup Guest was drinking from. Steam rises from the green tea, which is not even half-finished, and Wi-ryeong's shadow casts long over it. He reaches out and quietly picks up the cup, slowly tracing his thumb over the spot where his master's lips touched.

His eyes turn red.