But wouldn’t confessing get her kicked out of the unit?
Being angry was one thing, but getting expelled would render her efforts to enlist pointless.
Yeon Woo hoped, with a sliver of hope, that dressed as a man, Bi Yeong might not recognize her.
‘Right. I’ll just stay quiet and unnoticed by Bi Yeong.’
Blending in among the 30 trainees, she thought she could remain undetected by Bi Yeong.
While she was nervously hiding behind Dae Bok, Bi Yeong’s speech came to an end.
Just as she was about to step out from behind Dae Bok, relieved to have remained unnoticed, Bi Yeong called her name.
“Hong Yeon Woo, come to my quarters.”
“!”
With that, Bi Yeong turned coldly and walked back to his quarters.
Yeon Woo’s heart nearly leaped out of her chest at the sound of her name.
How did he know she was here without even looking?
In an already confusing situation, Dae Bok made things even worse.
“See! I told you! You’ve been noticed!”
Yeon Woo, too stunned to respond, just stared blankly at Bi Yeong walking away.
Her hope of deceiving Bi Yeong had been nothing but her own delusion.
Entering Bi Yeong’s quarters, Yeon Woo saw various weapons and tactical tools.
However, she had no leisure to admire these fascinating objects.
Bi Yeong was waiting for her, seated in a chair.
With his head bowed, Yeon Woo couldn’t see his expression, but she could guess it wasn’t pleasant.
Yeon Woo slowly approached Bi Yeong.
For the first time, an awkward silence hung between them.
Standing before Bi Yeong, her mind went blank.
She had no idea how to explain the situation.
Bi Yeong let out a deep sigh.
“Haah, after all…”
After a pause, Bi Yeong slowly lifted his head and looked at Yeon Woo’s face.
Despite his denial, the trainee Hong Yeon Woo and the Yeon Woo he knew were indeed the same person.
Even hidden behind Dae Bok, Yeon Woo’s posture alone was enough for him to recognize her.
Bi Yeong looked at Yeon Woo with eyes filled with a sense of futility.
“So it was you…”
“……How did you know it was me?”
“Didn’t I tell you there’s nothing about you that I don’t know?”
Speechless, Yeon Woo looked deflated at Bi Yeong’s response.
She appeared like a child being scolded in front of a parent.
Amidst the ensuing silence, Bi Yeong broke the ice.
“Why have you come here?”
It was clear that if she had chosen such a challenging place, she must have had compelling reasons.
Yeon Woo hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“That is… difficult to explain.”
Yeon Woo couldn’t bring herself to say that she had joined the Kwang Ho Army to escape an arranged marriage with Old Man Bae and seek independence from her oppressive home life.
The marriage with Old Man Bae was a disgrace to her, and she didn’t want to reveal her miserable situation to Bi Yeong.
“Why do you feel the need to hide things from me, someone you’ve known for so long? Do you think I’m not dependable enough?”
“No, it’s not that! It’s just…… difficult for me to explain right now. I’m sorry.”
Ever since she was young, Yeon Woo rarely showed her struggles.
Even after her father passed away, she never let on how hard things were, so Bi Yeong only found out about their family’s difficulties much later.
Each time he learned of her hardships, Bi Yeong would do everything in his power to help her.
Despite this, Yeon Woo hardly ever relied on him.
Although Bi Yeong didn’t know why she ended up joining the Kwang Ho Army, he was aware that the battlefield was no place to take lightly.
Bi Yeong asked her in a serious tone.
“What do you think a soldier’s job is?”
“That is…….”
“To kill. That’s what soldiers do. They stab, slash, and kill. If you don’t kill, you get killed. That’s the life of a soldier. How do you plan to do that, Yeon Woo, with your female body?”
Bi Yeong couldn’t bear the thought of Yeon Woo stepping into the dangerous and bloody battlefield.
“Go back. This is not a place for you.”
Bi Yeong firmly warned her to leave.
“I refuse.”
However, Yeon Woo was just as adamant.
“For the first time, I have a chance to live my own life. I can’t let go of this opportunity given to me.”
Bi Yeong was frustrated, knowing he was saying this for her safety.
“Why can’t you see? Before you even get a chance, you could be in danger! What chance do you stand against those accustomed to combat?”
“I can shoot a bow! I can take care of them before they get to me!”
“War is not that simple!”
Even with utmost caution, life can be lost in an instant on the battlefield.
Witnessing the corpses of enemy soldiers and fallen comrades after a battle was also not a pleasant experience.
Bi Yeong didn’t want Yeon Woo to go through such dangers.
He slumped back into his chair, covering his face with his hands, his voice filled with self-reproach.
“……It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have taught you archery.”
But had Bi Yeong not taught her archery, Yeon Woo would have been forced to marry Old Man Bae.
For her, marrying Old Man Bae was as good as a death sentence.
Seeing Bi Yeong, her savior, in anguish tore at Yeon Woo’s heart.
She approached him and squatted down.
“It’s not your fault, Brother. Thanks to the archery you taught me, I found this opportunity.”
Yeon Woo’s small hand gently covered Bi Yeong’s.
“To tell me to return is to tell me to accept death.”
Feeling the warmth from Yeon Woo’s hand, Bi Yeong slowly lifted his head.
His eyes, filled with guilt and pain, met Yeon Woo’s.
“Whether I die this way or that, it’s all the same for me. Besides, if I leave now, wouldn’t I become a deserter?”
Yeon Woo had already become a trainee in the Kwang Ho Army.
If she deserted now, she could be considered a deserter and face execution.
It was too late to turn back.
Yeon Woo expressed her determination clearly and firmly.
“If I am to die anyway, isn’t it less regrettable to at least try before I do?”
The resolve in Yeon Woo’s voice was strong and filled with unwavering will.
How could such strength and resolve come from her frail frame?
“Haah…….”
Bi Yeong let out a deep sigh.
He could find a way to send Yeon Woo back as a training officer, but he couldn’t ignore the determination in her eyes.
“……Alright.”
Finally, Bi Yeong’s voice softened with acceptance.
At Bi Yeong’s agreement, Yeon Woo’s face bloomed with a bright smile.
“Thank you so much, Brother Bi Yeong.”
Why she was so happy, he couldn’t fathom.
Seeing Yeon Woo giggling and smiling, Bi Yeong couldn’t help but smile bitterly, anticipating the hardships she would face in the unit.
He didn’t know her specific reasons for enlisting, but enduring military life in a woman’s body was no easy feat.
Eventually, when the tough military life made her want to return home, he would find a way to send her back.
Until then, Bi Yeong knew what he had to do: protect Yeon Woo while she was in the unit.
As he protected her, she would eventually open up to him and share her reasons.
Bi Yeong slowly turned his large hand over, and Yeon Woo’s small, pale hand fit snugly into his palm.
Gazing at her tiny hand, he spoke softly.
“Do you know what you are to me, Yeon Woo?”
“Like a close younger sister?”
At her response, Bi Yeong silently shook his head.
He then lifted their joined hands and brought Yeon Woo’s hand towards his lips.
His lips hovered tantalizingly close to her hand, his warm breath tickling her skin.
Holding her hand tightly, Bi Yeong’s voice conveyed deep earnestness.
“You are more than just a close younger sister.”
Bi Yeong’s deep, dark brown eyes intently gazed at Yeon Woo in front of him.
Caught in his gaze, Yeon Woo felt like she was a prisoner, unable to move.
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
