Choi Yeon's Challenge

"So, how was it? Did Lee Imhwan help you find out about who killed your parents?" asked Bai Lu, who was getting more and more interested in the story of Taeshin's past.

"It was helpful at first. But after a while, they just took advantage of my strengths and advantages, until they finally forgot what they were going to do if I wanted to join Ordio's army."

Taeshin let out a long breath. At first, he was hesitant to tell his life story to Bai Lu. Moreover, he had never told his story to anyone before. But, somehow Taeshin changed his mind and wanted to tell Bai Lu the story of his complicated past. Was it because they had fought together to defeat Shin Yeongdo in the past?

"May I know what penance you're doing right now?" asked Bai Lu again.

"That's . . . "

"Hey, what are you two doing here?"

Taeshin and Bai Lu immediately turned their heads towards Lee Gon who suddenly came to the two of them on the bank of the Nim River.

"Ah, no. We were just having a normal conversation because we both couldn't sleep," replied Taeshin who looked nervous.

"Why are you so nervous Taeshin?" asked Lee Gon while approaching Taeshin's face so closely that his face immediately turned red, "You're very suspicious!" continued Lee Gon and looked at Taeshin's face with probing eyes.

"Hey, you haven't slept, Lee Gon?" asked Bai Lu who immediately changed the subject.

"I couldn't sleep. And, I saw that you two weren't in the hut at all, so I came here to look for you."

"Look, the full moon is really pretty, isn't it? It's so bright and beautiful!"

Bai Lu looked so mesmerized by the light of the full moon that looked so beautiful. Seeing the expression on Bai Lu's face that looked happy like that, made Taeshin look at her face while smiling slightly when he saw it.

"I'm so lucky to be able to see the beautiful scenery of this full moon with you guys. I feel so happy."

"Are you happy, Lee Gon?" Bai Lu looked closely at Lee Gon's face.

"I'm so happy, Yuram," he said as he looked back at Bai Lu's face and smiled widely at her.

"Let's go back to see this full moon again in the future."

"I will, Yuram."

Lee Gon embraced Bai Lu and Taeshin as they looked at the beautiful full moon tonight together. It had been a long time since they had been as calm as they were today, after the past few days they had been constantly fighting with the enemies who were always attacking them.

This time, it would be a sweet memory that they would cherish for the rest of their lives. Seeing the beautiful full moon together at the Nim River.

"Come on, let's go back. I'm afraid the other kids will worry and look for us since we're not in the hut," said Lee Gon, who was nodded by Taeshin and Bai Lu.

As the three of them turned around together, there was suddenly a woman with shoulder-length short hair, and a man with long brown hair, staring at the three of them. The man and woman both had sharp brown eyes.

The short-haired woman was seen carrying a three buffalo-shaped sword in her hand, while the man was carrying two three-fire dragon daggers in his hand.

"Who are you?" asked Taeshin who immediately came forward and tried to protect Lee Gon and Feiyang, in case they attacked him and his two friends.

"Who are we? Hey silly man, don't you know who we are?" exclaimed the long-haired brownish man.

"It's not important for me to know who you are. Are you the king and queen of Joseon that we have to know who you are?" Lee Gon said sarcastically.

The brown-haired man laughed widely and made a move where he looked like he was going to attack. Sensing that he was about to be attacked, Lee Gon, Bai Lu, and Taeshin got ready to fight back if he attacked first.

"What are you guys doing? You think I'm going to attack? I'm just taking my banana to eat. I'm hungry." The man replied, making the woman standing next to him chuckle at the brown-haired man's answer.

The man then ate the banana he took from his pants pocket, while looking at the faces of Bai Lu, Taeshin, and Lee Gon one after another.

"You guys want some?"

"No thanks," Bai Lu replied later.

"Who would want to give you this banana, it's my favorite fruit," he said as he quickly devoured the banana.

"Do you live in this Nim River area?" asked Taeshin again.

"No, the two of us are just shepherds traveling wherever we want. With no purpose and no ties." The short-haired woman replied.

"Then introduce yourselves so we can know each other's identities," Taeshin said to the nods of Lee Gon and Bai Lu.

"If I tell you I'm the king of Joseon, will you believe me?" the man asked as he approached Taeshin and held her hair.

"Don't touch my hair, I don't like it when someone touches my hair."

"Hey, silly man! My hair is better than your coarse, fallen hair!" she exclaimed mockingly.

"Never mind, don't make fun of him anymore, Yeon. My name is Choi Rim and she is my twin sister Choi Yeon," he said introducing himself.

"Hey, we were born only one minute apart. Don't always think of yourself as older than me!" protested Choi Yeon as she approached her twin sister.

"You're noisy like an old lady!" shouted Choi Rim as she pushed her sister's head roughly, "forgive her for being noisy, she's just like that."

"Are you human?" asked Lee Gon this time while looking at Choi Rim and Choi Yeon's faces one after another.

"Hey, if we're human, what's wrong with us?" shouted Choi Yeon, getting angry again, causing her brother to push her sister's head so roughly.

"No, we're not humans like what you see. We have our own identity. It's just that we're new to each other, isn't it inappropriate to ask something more personal on our first meeting?"

Taeshin smiled slightly. He walked slowly and approached Choi Rim while extending his hand, intending to shake it.

"I'm kang Taeshin, this is Lee Gon, and this is Han Yuram, Lee Gon's brother," Taeshin introduced himself as he pointed at Lee Gon and Bai Lu.

"Oh, I see. You're the famous and powerful Jeonsa goljjagi, right?" he said as he looked at Bai Lu and Lee Gon's faces one after another.

"Hey, old woman!!!" Choi Yeon shouted to her sister.

"Yes!!! Stop calling me an old hag!!!" Choi Rim shouted emotionally.

"Hey, listen! It doesn't matter if they're famous or not. If they can't beat me to climb that banana tree and carry it to the main road of the Nim River, they are neither strong nor fast like me!" she said as she pointed at a banana tree that looked very tall.

"Are you challenging me? Hey, me and him have unrivaled speed. Can you beat our speed?" said Lee Gon who felt humiliated by his strength.

"If you feel challenged, come on, prove to me about your strength and my speed. Are you two ready to accept Choi Yeon the banana king's challenge?" Choi Rim challenged so haughtily.

Bai Lu looked at Lee Gon and Taeshin with worry. Would Taeshin and Lee Gon accept Choi Rim's challenge?