Story-Teller Of The Decade Part 1

He walked throughout the narrow corridors that were leading to their Clan's Pavilion and Library. The two boys didn't notice someone following them because of their bantering left and right.

Just by looking at a first glance, these two could may be those people that lived in a stranger's view: brothers that will save and protect each other for the rest of their lives.

But to So Eun, looking back onto the ladies' words back then, behind those smiles and laughter, the little thing called feelings didn't matter to them. And so the judgment between a stranger and an outsider was entirely different.

He shook his head and avoided being too interested in someone's business, and so he followed closely.

After a while, they both stopped at the open door of the Pavilion. So Eun stopped too and gaze at the plaque engraved above.

He visited this place once a year, usually during winter. Other than being admonished by his parents not to leave his room without their permission, So Eun didn't like the glistening little snowflakes, or the white-snow covering almost anything. Contrary to his preferences, the disciples of his generation, had an opposite reaction towards winter. Hence, preserving a barrier between them and the others, to keep his mind and heart at ease, he wanted to think that he's unique apart from them. So his forlorn emotions wouldn't crawl to spoil his head all day.

For him, that was the best way to think instead of depressing himself with his thoughts.

However, the little voice in his head, knew that he's uncertain to keep himself sane by that hopeless sliver of belief.

After the Gim brothers went inside, he entered too.

What welcomed him was a bunch of servants, wearing their Clan's disciple uniform. Most children at his age, sitting comfortably on the carpeted floor. No one saw him at the entrance and So Eun wanted to keep it like that. So, he immediately finds a spot where he's slightly hidden away from the small crowd.

So Eun tried to make himself comfortable at the corner of the Pavilion, with the organized tables and chairs, he sat down at the very last.

And so he observed the old man speaking in front, insert the Story-Teller, who the people of his Clan were fond of.

"I have prepared an extra treat for today because I just got recognized as one of the So Clan's attendants. That's why I am so thrilled to see you and announce the good news." The disciples cheered in celebration, So Eun at the back tilted his head in confusion.

"Seems like our Clan Leaders respect my stories too, even though some of it was just my fabricated tales. This is our secret, don't tell our Clan Leader."

So Eun's expression didn't change even if the crowd laughed in unison. He came for the tales since he's an enthusiast of books, but what's with the irrelevant chatting?

With books, So Eun doesn't have to deal with the moment of an old man and kids before he tells his tales. And with himself alone with a book, he can no longer come here and wait for a story to be told.

He convinced himself that reason, despite the growing uneasiness creeping through him when he first saw the group of people so close to him.

So Eun made his mind quickly and lifted his body to stand outside the table. After he got up, the old man went silent, and the disciples didn't. But when he casually walked towards the door, the old man opened his mouth again.

"Did you know the story about the Phantom?"

So Eun stopped, standing in the middle of the open door.

The youths turned to look at Rong Wang and eagerly shook their heads.

The word 'Phantom'.

He was sure he heard it before. Observing that he picked his interest, he indifferently turned his head to glance at Rong Wang, and saw him turning pages of a battered book.

One of the crowd asked: "Uhmm, Is a Phantom a vicious monster? The name sounds like it."

"Well, I will gladly tell you the tale if you are pleased to listen." Rong Wang hummed and waited for the people to pay attention to him. Like So Eun, bystanders doing their errands probably heard this old man somewhere and arrived here to appreciate his tales, stepped inside the Pavilion, and crouched comfortably.

So Eun felt a little trouble, while the people were rushing to take their seats, he had to do the same before the crowd questions him standing awkwardly.

He goes back to his seat, gradually regretting his decision little by little, planning to just sleep it off if his tales turn out to be his list of 'made-up fictions'.

After the silence has settled in, Rong Wang wandered his eyes, orderly looking at the people one by one, until the end of the line of the sitting disciples, he stopped at the last one sitting far from him. After a while, So Eun didn't fail to notice the glance towards his direction, sitting alone at the corner.

Seeming to have seen enough, Rong Wang's lips curved up slightly, and sluggishly close the book in his hands.

With that gesture, a young lady in front question him innocently: "Aren't you reading us a tale? Is it one of your fake ones?"

The girl becoming too honest on his works, Rong Wang was silent, the older ones sitting aside with the girl jabbed and scolded her. He waved his hand at them with the utmost polite smile on his face.

"Perhaps, half of my stories are fake. But, I don't want to read this old book. Volumes that are written here are mythical. And the Phantom was neither imaginary and real." He tapped on the book twice and crossed his arms, grinning at the children who were throwing him queries.

"So, you don't need a book?"

"Of course, It's all in my head."

"How did you make your tales? You must've cultivated yourself a powerful big brain!"

"Yeah! My parents will love to hear it!"

Inside The So Clan Pavilion, people took the chance to playfully ask again, and So Eun face-palmed, having expected this scenario of blabbering nonsense, he was near of storming out of his seat.

Folks these days, merely being a servant or in terms of tidying the halls of one of the highest cultivation clans, was enough of an achievement to the common people. Clinging onto the grace of the So Clan, So Eun was familiar and accustomed to these things. Because he saw one begging before his Father's knees to take his son as a disciple, to save his family from an impoverished life.

So Eun hadn't seen that child doing errands around their residence, but his father assured him that he accepted the child and took him as a disciple. Only he wasn't sure what kind of errands he's working on now.

He was brought away from his thoughts when the roaring voices became unpleasant to the ears.

When the question and answer didn't end, So Eun heavily sighed, giving up, he stood on his feet and attempts to walk towards the door again. To repeat this scene a second or a third time, will surely hit a nerve.

"Mister! Are Phantoms look like us?" This time, So Eun hadn't stepped on his right foot, that question stopped him, and it lingered in his head while he looked up.

More hands sizzling in the air, hoping to be noticed by Rong Wang, but the old man furrowed his eyebrows, seeming to have heard something odd, he suddenly pointed at one person in the crowd.