A tiger that was probably about 2 meters tall was standing on two legs. It was wearing full body clothing and had a bear in its mouth, so it looked quite human.
Shin Soo Ah looked surprised and asked him.
“Ah, Your Majesty. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
He was the guardian deity of the twelve zodiac signs, the god of tigers, Hojewang. When Hojewang saw the two of them, he smiled brightly as if he was happy to see them.
“I heard that you, Shinsooah, were coming to the festival, so I came here just in case, and I never thought you’d actually come! It’s nice to meet you like this.”
When King Hoje extended his thick foreleg, Shinsooah grabbed one of his fingers and shook his hand lightly.
The King of Hoje smiled happily and then turned to Seo Kang-rim. His eyes sparkled.
“Oh, you are… … Seo Kang-rim, right? I am very interested in you. I heard that you two are dating.”
The king of the kingdom said with a big smile.
“I knew you two would get along. Back when the 12 Zodiac Race was over and you got the right to ask questions, Shin Soo Ah was so worried about you… … .”
“Was it so?”
“Yes. It was my only right to ask questions, and I used it for you, not for my severed arm.”
At that time, the question Shin Soo-ah asked was, ‘Who is Seo Kang-rim’s enemy?’
One might ask how she could heal her severed arm, but she chose to help Seo Kang-rim.
King Hoje smiled broadly as he recalled the old days.
“When I asked you if you were my lover, you said no. But in the end, it was like this… … .”
“Hmm, hmm.”
Shin Soo Ah cut off King Hoje’s words with a cough, as if she was embarrassed. Then she opened her mouth with a slightly red face.
“By the way, you came looking for us. Is something wrong?”
“Oh, that’s… … . There’s something special happening at our house, so I was going to invite you, Shin Soo-ah.”
The King of Hoje said with a pleased smile.
“Actually, this time my son is getting married.”
“Oh my, congratulations.”
“Congratulations.”
Hearing that greeting, King Hoje smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in him.
Why is he making that kind of expression? As Seo Kang-rim stared at him quietly, King Hoje hesitated and then spoke.
“Thank you. But there’s a little problem… … .”
Then, King Hoje looked at the two with earnest eyes and said.
“Could you two help me out?”
* * *
The residence of the King of Hoje was a magnificent oriental-style building no matter when he saw it. Seo Kang-rim, who came to this place for the first time, was instantly captivated by it.
As we entered the three-story pavilion, which was built with great dignity, the attendants of King Hoje greeted the guests with bows of their heads.
The house became more and more splendid the further they went inside. King Hoje guided the two into the guest room and sat down.
“Okay, please sit down. I have to treat you well.”
As the King of the Tigers beckoned, the little tigers came running and quickly began to prepare the table for the guests.
King Hoje sat on the throne, while Seo Kang-rim and Shin Soo-ah sat on the opposite cushions. Tea and rice cakes were placed on a large tea table.
Seo Kang-rim naturally lifted the teacup and brought it to his lips. It gave off a nice aroma. After he moistened his lips, he looked at King Hoje and spoke.
“Your son is getting married, so you must be busy with construction work.”
“It’s a lot of work… … . Yeah. That’s true.”
Seo Kang-rim quietly looked at the face of the King of Hoje. He looked happy, but there was a faint shadow over his face.
The king of the kingdom spoke, smoking his cigarette.
“Actually, I called you two because I wanted to ask you something related to the wedding.”
“What do you want?”
“I think it would be better to introduce my son first. I’ll bring him.”
As soon as the King of Hoje nodded to his retinue, the door opened and someone came in.
The man also walked on two legs and wore expensive-looking clothes, but he was tiny compared to King Hoje.
No, even compared to other tigers, it was the same. At most, it was about 1m tall. It looked more like a cat than a tiger.
A young man with a shabby physique. A face full of fear. The tiger man trembled as he spoke.
“I’ve heard your names well. Miss Shin Soo-ah, Lord Seo Kang-rim. My name is Ho-yang, the son of King Hoje.”
“Hoyang… … is that you?”
He looked like a cat, and even his name sounded like a cat. King Hoje said in a displeased tone, looking at his son.
“As you can see, my son is a bit weak, so I have a lot of worries. This wedding is no exception.”
“What’s wrong with marrying someone who is physically weak?”
“Well, there are special marriage customs among the tiger clan.”
When the topic of marriage came up, Hoyang’s expression darkened even more. Hojewang spoke while blowing a long puff of smoke from his cigarette.
“Marriage is not a union of individuals, but of families. When tigers marry, they look at how strong the other family is rather than how wealthy it is.”
It was only natural, in a way, that they were tigers, the best of beasts. King Hoje continued speaking slowly.
“So before the wedding, we have something called the honeymoon battle. It’s a kind of test where the groom has to reach the bride’s room to make it happen.”
At those words, Hoyang was trembling. His attitude was completely devoid of confidence. Hojewang sighed and said.
“And unfortunately, my son is not very strong in combat. That’s why I would like to entrust you two, Shin Soo-ah and Seo Kang-rim, with protecting my son.”
“The reason His Majesty the King cannot come forward… Is it perhaps because of honor?”
“That’s right. It’s not nice to see a father being too involved in his son’s wedding.”
I imagined it, and it was like that. The tiger king, the representative of the twelve zodiac signs and the leader of the tigers, was leading his son by the hand and storming into the bride’s room.
“How about leaving the escort to another tiger clan?”
“I thought about that too, but the bride’s family is quite strong… … So, while I was wondering what to do, I heard that you had come to the shrine.”
Before he knew it, King Hoje’s cigarette had almost burned out, as no smoke was coming out. He put down the pipe and bowed his head slightly.
“I’ll ask you this. Would you like to participate in the battle? I’ll prepare enough compensation for both of you.”
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Shin Soo Ah seemed to be pondering for a moment about what to do about this. Seo Kang Rim asked Ho Je Wang, as he seemed to want to help.
“How long will it take?”
“It’s something I can help you with just for one day tomorrow.”
“If it’s to that extent, wouldn’t it be okay for me to participate, Shin Soo-ah?”
If something urgent comes up, I can go back right away. Since the Bihomun members are there in the first place, they will cover for me well.
Shin Soo Ah nodded at Seo Kang Rim’s words. She looked back at King Ho Je and said.
“Yes. I don’t have enough skills, but I will help you.”
“Thank you! Then I’ll explain the battle tomorrow. You must be tired, so get some rest in the meantime.”
Then the king smiled brightly.
“Would you mind if I just have one room to stay in?”
“… … Please give me two.”
“Okay, I understand. Let’s have dinner together first.”
After eating the dinner provided by the King of Hoje, they headed to the guest quarters.
As Seo Kang-rim entered, a neat and elegant interior caught his eye. A soft blanket was spread out, and he fell down on it without realizing it.
Somehow, it felt like I was on a trip because it was different from my usual sleeping space. In fact, it was an extension of the trip.
While he was changing into comfortable clothes, he felt a presence near the door. He heard Shin Soo-ah’s voice.
“Mr. Kangrim. Can I come in?”
“Yes, please come in.”
Shin Soo-ah, who opened the door and came inside, was also dressed in indoor clothes. She was wearing a white one-piece dress and a gown.
Shin Soo-ah was smiling brightly with a refreshing look. When she sat down next to Seo Kang-rim, the two kissed lightly like birds kissing.
Seo Kang-rim said affectionately, pushing her hair behind her ear.
“Ms. Shin Soo-ah, you must be tired. Why don’t you go and rest for a while?”
“No. I had so much fun today. And I want to see Kang-rim’s face before I go to bed. I want to share some of my energy with him.”
As she said that, Shin Soo-ah held Seo Kang-rim’s hand tightly. The energy flowing out of her was being completely transmitted to Seo Kang-rim.
After the karma was largely eliminated, Seo Kang-rim stopped experiencing hallucinations and auditory hallucinations.
However, Shin Soo-ah seemed worried that he might have a bad dream. That’s why she visited him whenever she had time and shared her energy with him.
“I always receive help from Shin Soo-ah.”
“I am. You don’t know how happy and fulfilled I feel thanks to you, Kang-rim.”
Shin Soo Ah said with a smile. Her eyes were filled with sincerity. Looking into those eyes, Seo Kang Rim remembered the conversation he had with the members during the day.
“Ms. Shin Soo-ah. Are you upset because I’ve been acting alone a lot lately?”
“Huh? No. I wasn’t upset. Kang-rim must have had his own circumstances. He must have had a reason for not saying anything.”
Shin Soo Ah met Seo Kang Rim’s eyes and smiled. She trusted and believed in Seo Kang Rim infinitely. She gently rested her head on Seo Kang Rim’s shoulder.
Her long, soft brown hair flowed down like a waterfall. It seemed as if the fragrance of flowers was felt all over her body. Shin Soo-ah’s voice could be heard through the fragrance.
“But since we’re both here to play today… … . Can I have Kang-rim all to myself today?”
She was saying it as if it were a big greed. Even though it was a small and cute greed. Seo Kang-rim said as he lightly kissed her forehead.
“It’s okay to have it monopolized not just for one day, but all the time.”
At those words, Shin Soo-ah smiled brightly. Seo Kang-rim looked at that smile and tried to say something, but then closed his mouth. And he just smiled along with Shin Soo-ah.
* * *
On the day of the newlyweds’ wedding, the tiger village located in the new town was bustling with a celebratory atmosphere.
As the sun began to set, lanterns hanging all over the town began to glow, and bottles of alcohol began to scatter everywhere.
Shin Soo-ah looked around at the sight and said with a look of surprise.
“I thought the atmosphere would be a bit more tense since it was a honeymoon battle, but it’s actually quite friendly.”
“That’s right.”
Seo Kang-rim also nodded in agreement. Tigers were talking everywhere with smiles on their faces.
It was called a honeymoon battle, but in reality it was more like a feast. King Hoje also said with a hearty laugh.
“It’s more like a wedding eve event. Oh, I was supposed to give them a tour of the battlefield.”
