DEB 116

Could it really have made them that happy, just hearing that I wanted to live together again?

Huiyun had been pinned down for five long hours by his disciples, who clung to him like they had returned to childhood, happily reminiscing. 

Only when Moot and Vina retreated to their rooms, and Verita, Zenith, and Vita all fell asleep, did he finally notice the soreness in his body from lying down too long.

He carefully stretched and glanced around the living room. 

The three disciples were curled up close together, fast asleep on the carpet.

“They’ll get sore sleeping like that…”

All they had was the carpet and a single blanket. Watching them sleep so carelessly on it left Huiyun concerned. 

After groaning a bit, he went to the closet and fetched some soft blankets. 

He gently draped them over the sleeping disciples, then returned to his room—only to find an unexpected guest waiting for him.

“You’re just now coming in?”

“Ash.”

He’d been through this a few times already, so it no longer felt strange to find Ash stretched out on his bed.

“You’re acting mischievous again.”

“Mischievous? I just came because I missed you.”

“We’ve been seeing each other all day.”

“That’s different. I wanted to see you alone.”

Alone?

Climbing onto the neatly made bed, Huiyun studied Ash’s face. 

He looked the same as usual, gentle and cheerful with a soft expression. 

Maybe even a bit more animated than usual. 

What was he thinking?

“Something bothering you?”

He couldn’t guess why Ash would insist on seeing him alone in his room. 

Unable to read his thoughts, Huiyun asked directly. 

Ash reached out and pulled him in. 

With that tug, Huiyun fell forward onto the bed, and Ash lay beside him, facing him.

“Ash?”

Was it just that he wanted to lie together?

As Huiyun tried to guess his intention, Ash’s eyes curved playfully. 

There was kindness woven into that gaze.

“I’m not troubled. I came because I’m happy. Because I’m so glad you’ve decided to stop sacrificing yourself. And… I’ve just had a lot on my mind.”

“What kind of thoughts?”

“Mmm.”

Ash let out a hum, nearly a whisper, as if unsure whether to share. 

Huiyun propped himself up slightly and looked at him. 

Ash reached out and gently held his fingers.

“When you were shut away in that lair, abandoned by the dragons… I wanted to pull you out and show you just how beautiful the world you protected had become.”

“Ah.”

As if remembering those moments, Huiyun let out a sound.

“I always thought you were as solid as a mountain. But it was only then that I realized—you’re smaller, and more fragile than I thought. That’s when I wanted to protect you… the way you protected me. But now that I think about it, I never managed to protect you. Not even once.”

There was a trace of laughter in his voice. 

It was an old memory now, and he spoke lightly, as if he’d made peace with it. 

But Huiyun could sense the weight beneath it.

“You helped me escape that lonely lair. Protecting someone doesn’t always mean fighting for them physically. Ash, back then you guarded me from malice more than enough.”

“…Thanks for saying that. But still, it doesn’t erase the fact that I failed to protect you. You died… alone.”

“I wanted to protect you too, just like you wanted to protect me.”

“I know. I understand now, why you had to do it.”

Huiyun reached out and stroked Ash’s hair. 

Ash caught that hand and pressed it against his cheek, eyes closing.

“…Inside the swamp, I saw a smaller version of you. You said it was your fragment, and it acted just like you. I wanted to bring that part of you here, Yasha. Even if it was just a fragment… it was still part of you.”

“…”

“But just like you… it refused to come. It chose sacrifice again.”

“Vina told me.”

“Then you probably heard that we mourned you twice.”

“I didn’t need to hear it. I could see it all on your faces. You’ve all become crybabies.”

Huiyun chuckled softly. 

Ash joined in, eyes opening slowly. 

His vivid red irises locked onto Huiyun.

“After losing you twice… I swore I’d never let it happen again. No matter what I had to do, no matter how far I had to go—I was going to protect you.”

“Hmm.”

That’s not good.

That kind of obsession is exactly how people lose themselves. 

Frowning, Huiyun was about to speak, but Ash’s gentle laughter reached his ears.

“And then, just like you were mocking me, you said you were going to change. Can you imagine how stunned I was? It was like you saw right through me… like you were scolding me. I was so embarrassed.”

“That’s why you ran off mid-conversation earlier.”

Ash had been with everyone in the living room earlier, chatting like the rest. 

But then he’d suddenly gone red and left. 

Huiyun had thought maybe he wasn’t feeling well—but clearly, that wasn’t it.

Now that he knew, he laughed. 

Ash, flustered, protested and told him to stop laughing. 

Huiyun, grinning, playfully stroked Ash’s reddened ear.

“You get embarrassed by the strangest things. If anything, I should be the one ashamed.”

After all the years he’d lived, he’d stayed frozen for so long, only just now finding the resolve to change. 

Even that courage came from the help of his disciples. 

He’d really done a poor job living up to his age.

“Yasha, what do you have to be ashamed of? Just deciding to change your mind is enough. That’s why I’m happy. Happier than I thought I’d be. I wanted to talk to you alone because of that. I wondered if maybe… if you knew how full my heart is right now, it might make it easier for you to be brave.”

“…Yeah. It really does help strengthen my resolve.”

The more he talked with Ash, the more certain he became: he wanted to live. 

He’d thought this was just Ash’s usual playfulness. 

But now he felt sorry for misjudging him. 

With a bittersweet smile, Huiyun lay back down.

“So, are you planning to stay the night?”

“If Yasha lets me?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”

As soon as he got the cheerful green light, Ash beamed and immediately lay on his side to face Huiyun.

“Yasha.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll always be here for you. So when things get hard, lean on me. That’s how you can take care of me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Don’t just keep it in mind—do it. Don’t shoulder things alone just because you think it’s for my sake. I’m really sick of that.”

“…Okay.”

Seeing Ash’s genuinely fed-up tone, Huiyun nodded along. 

Ash squeezed Huiyun’s hand and leaned in until their foreheads touched, his red hair brushing Huiyun’s cheek.

“And thank you—for changing your mind. I honestly thought you’d never change. I figured that’s just how you were, and I’d have to accept it and deal with it. But… you’re amazing. That’s what makes you my master.”

“You sure find weird things to admire.”

Feeling a bit awkward, Huiyun brushed it off, but Ash doubled down on the praise, calling him incredible. 

The flood of compliments didn’t stop until Huiyun finally had to tell him to knock it off.

…My face is burning.

It was like a child getting praised by their parents for taking their first step—every little thing he did, Ash showered him with admiration. 

Huiyun found it so absurd that it left him embarrassed and mildly self-loathing. 

Unable to hold his head up, he hid his face in his hands, prompting Ash to giggle with glee at having teased his master so thoroughly. 

The satisfaction in his laugh was obvious.

“I really like you, Yasha.”

“…Yeah.”

Say that one more time and Huiyun’s emotional endurance might break. 

Letting out a tired groan, Huiyun tapped his feet in flustered resignation, accepting his disciple’s affection. 

He indulged Ash’s affection for a good while, ready to suggest sleep as the night grew late—when it happened.

“I got scolded once before, so I’ve decided not to think about having you anymore. Instead… Yasha, you take me.”

“…What?”

The calm, cozy atmosphere shattered in an instant. 

Huiyun pulled down the blanket that had been covering his face.

Ash was looking at him with a serious expression, holding Huiyun’s hand with an almost smug satisfaction.

“I’ll give you everything—my loyalty, my awe, my love, even my soul if you need it. Just… don’t leave me again, Yasha. You promised. So…”

Stay with me.

Ash’s whisper fell soft against Huiyun’s forehead as he kissed it.

“I want you to dominate over my life.”

The depth in those words blanketed the room. 

Huiyun was stunned. 

Not even back when he was still Yasha had anyone said something like that to him.

…What the hell am I supposed to say to that?

His head spun dizzyingly—until a familiar chime rang out.

[Registered disciple, “Ash”, has reached 100% Respect.]

[Registered disciple, “Ash”, has had a significant increase in Affection.]

[Congratulations! You’ve earned complete respect from one of your disciples.]

[As a reward, you’ve received the Random Heart Window!]

[Upon reaching 100% respect, you may view the inner thoughts of the disciple with a random chance.]

[Would you like to view Ash’s inner thoughts?]

Blue notification windows flooded his vision before he could even process everything. 

Swept up in the chaos, Huiyun accidentally hit confirm—just as a small message popped up over Ash’s face.

[What do I do… I love Yasha so much I want to marry him…]

The shyly blushing message served no purpose other than to knock Huiyun flat.

…Now what the hell do I do with this?

His mind reeled. 

Who the hell taught these disciples? 

With them being so impossible to predict, Huiyun felt like he was seriously going to lose it.