What a dog. Or perhaps a cat is the best comparison? Light-heartedly threatens you at your simple affections just because he doesn't know how to handle it due to his inexperience with relationships.
However as soon as you scratch under his jaw, he crumples and melt in your hands as you coo at his flustered face. He'll deny even going soft after a while though. Maybe you should kiss his mouth to shut him out. It'll work for at least a minute and that's being generous.
Don't do it in front of the others, he has a reputation. (Do it anyway he won't do anything to you, his one and only)
However it is more intimate when you two are alone at the dead of night where the two of you are entangled together until the next morning. He'll let it slide this once; spoiler alert, he keeps letting it slide.
Jaha Lee
As soon as you decide to try to scratch his chin, he's leaning in towards you in content. Doesn't matter if it's in public, he'll simply cut them off literally if they dare say anything bad. Since you're going to touch him, why not lend a kiss at the corner of his lips as well.
After the first time you've done it, he seeks it out as if he's a puppy waiting to be praised with some scratches. Maybe his past self is seeping through him begging for that. He'll enjoy it as long as he can just because it's you.
If you stop one day on the account of being busy with the others in his care or on other things, he sulks for your touch. Like a dog, nudging you through actions but not verbally saying it nd when you do catch on, he's the happiest he's ever been. Thankfully you managed to spare the others that were going to be put under his wrath if this goes on longer.
Namgung Deso
He loves it as much as he loves you. It causes a strong effect after a particular annoying day or an uneventful day. Before his reincarnation, he pushed you away to focus on his martial arts training only to end up dead yet here he is again with a new goal and with you closer than before.
You none the wiser of his past and he'd keep it that way by being better for you. He'd let you do this all you want as long as he's with you. Unfortunately there are times where he couldn't get his daily affection which makes him grumble more and easier to irritate much to the delight of the 2nd strategist, Jecheon.
His original plan to leave the namgung clan and live on the countryside with you by his side may be ruined but he'll be damned if he'll let the two of you suffer like before. So hold him tight when he engulfed you in his embrace as he thinks of a plan.
- This is very much the surface I can pin down so if anyone would like to correct me, go ahead.
please don't judge, I was just bored and wanted to try something new
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The morning sun slowly crept through the opened cracks of the window, slithering across the wooden floors and slowly onto your peacefully sleeping form. The innocent light of the sun warmed your face and poured an ungodly amount of light into your closed eyelids that seared your eyeballs hidden beneath them, forcing you to wake.
But you were stubborn, rolling over to face away from the light to continue your dreams of flying across mountains and running above seas as an immortal from those cultivation manhwas and novels you've read, only to be abruptly shaken by a person.
"Wake up, [Y/N], it's morning, help me with opening the inn."
Now that was a voice you definitely didn't recognise, but you brush of the hand to continue your sweet sweet slumber— wait, that wasn't any of your male family members' voices, and you definitely did not recognise the bed you were on nor the blanket you were wrapped up in. What in the genuine fu —
"[Y/N], I'm serious, you know I can't cook very well and you told me that you will handle all the cooking in the inn."
The deep voice came again, this time making your freeze up, because whoever this was, spoke to you with familiarity, and worst of all you recognised that he wasn't speaking your language but what sounded like chinese, and crazy enough, you understood him.
You slowly turn over, peeking over the edge of your blanket (wait, is it even yours?) clutched over your face and head for protection from whoever this was.
When you peek over the first thing your own eyes meet are the other person's. They were a beautiful shade of pinkish red, and the faintest hint of eyebags beneath them. A small exasperated but gentle smile on his rather handsome face, with messy black hair tied up in to a bun with a white cloth covering it.
"Hey, good morning [Y/N]."
It. Was. Motherfucking. Jaha. Lee. From your favourite webtoon, 'Return of the Mad Demon', kneeling besides your bed—wait, waitwaitwaitwait. This was not your room, and definitely not your bed.
You shot up in surprise and panic. You frantically look around seeing the simple wooden interior of what you can only assume was that of ancient China or whatever equivalent place amd time the webtoon was set in. You were sitting up on a simple bed, not the comfiest pillow or blanket, and definitely not wearing what you thought you wore to bed.
Noticing your mounting panic Jaha Lee stands up from where he was kneeling beside the bed, his smile dropping to a concerned frown.
"Hey, hey, are you alright? Did you have a nightmare? Should I get you some water? Tea?"
He asks you in a soothing voice and despite your initial panic, you find his soothing, gentle, and soft voice calming. After carefully watching you calm down, he asks again. But this time slowly.
"Is everything alright, [Y/N], did you have a bad dream?"
Your face, despite the obviously weird situation, warmed considerably. You hoped he didn't notice the warmth rising on your cheeks. That would be mortifying—
"You look red, my wife, are you feeling sick?"
Your mind short–circuited. Wife???? What!?!?!
As your mind tried to digest what your ears just heard, Jaha Lee, unaware of your inner turmoil reached out his hand to feel your forehead with the back of it. He was simply checking your temperature, but your already slow mind fully shut down at the contact with only a single echoing 'what????' bouncing around inside.
"Hmm, you are a bit warmer..." Jaha muttered to himself, before giving you a small reassuring smile.
"How about you stay in bed for awhile, I can manage the inn until you feel better, but if it grows worse, tell me ok?" After he says this he pulls back before pulling up the blanket while laying you down. You in your shock and mind still reeling to catch up to recent news simply follow his motions and lay back down and allowed him to tuck you in.
"I'll come back in the afternoon to check on you, if you feel better before then, make yourself something to eat if you're hungry and join me in the inn, if not just stay in bed ok dear?" He asks as he stands halfway out the door to the room, small smile still there but a hint of worry in his beautiful pink‐red eyes.
Your mind finally caught upto what he was saying and muster a dumb nod at him, still sitting there with a wide-eyed look of confusion and surprise and delight .
After the door closes behind him, you flop backwards onto the bed. And for the next hour(s?) you lay there, trying to understand how you got here, if this was a very elaborate dream, or if you had finally died and gone to the afterlife and this was what it looked like. A quick pinch to your thigh and a slap to your face made it very clear that you were not dreaming nor hallucinating.
As that thought sinks in, you immediately roll over and bury your face in the pillow and scream.
'WHAT THE FUCK? WHAT THE FUCK?? I AM ACTUALLY INSIDE THE RETURN OF THE MAD DEMON WEBTOON???? AAAAAAAAAGGGHHH—', these were your internal screamings, with many interruptions of 'JAHA LEE CALLED ME WIFE!?!?! DOES THAT MEAN WE ARE MARRIED!?!?!?,' among many other screaming thoughts.
You do not know how long you have been laying there, face down on the bed, but you finally lift your head up, a near manic grin of pure delight on your face unbeknownst to you. You kick your feet like a giggling school girl as you laid there for a bit before your slow mind caught up with other information.
You finally get up and look around the room more properly. There was nothing much of note, besides the bed, simple wooden one wardrobe with many drawers and next to it shelfs of scrolls and books and bedding took up one side of the room's walls. Besides that and the the bed barely big enough to fit two people, a wooden table with two chairs stood in the room. And the door Jaha had just walked out off.
You cracked it open to peek, and it led outside. By the looks of it, the back of the building you were in, you can see an outhouse tucked away from immediate sight and a separate, what you assume to be, bath house and beyond all of it leading down a plain path stood the inn. You close the door, turning your attention to the wardrobe. You approach it and open it carefully, inside were the typical peasant style hanfu type clothes. One drawer had male clothes, most likely Jaha's, another one had female clothes, what you can assume are yours.
After a bit of fumbling around, you managed to change into what you hoped were descent day wear and after some rummaging, found a cloth hair tie for your hair in a drawer. Tying your hair as best as you could, and hoping you didn't look like a madwoman, you close the wardrobe doors.
Just as you do, a loud crash can be heard from beyond the inn, followed by some raised voices. With alarm ringing in your head you hurry out of the room. When you cross the through the backdoor of the inn, it led into an old-fashioned kitchen and beyond that you can see the interior of the inn.
As you hurry through the kitchen and approach the dining area of the inn, you see a group of men surrounding another man laying on the ground. The rest of the people had mostly cleared out, either to avoid trouble or they didn't like the scenery, while some merely sat around with varying faces of sympathy and amusement.
You pause just behind the wooden counter, where orders are brought by the errand boy and were money was collected, kept, and counted throughout the day.
Now that you were closer, you can see another familiar face standing behind the throng of rough looking men. It was that one courtesan that Jaha was beaten up for making a joke about hearing her music. Her face was scrunched into a look of disgust a she watched the rough looking men continue to beat the fallen man who was curling up tighter on the floo—
Wait—the man on the floor was Jaha! As soon as your brain catches up, you immediately run around the wooden counter and into the messy dining area whie shouting.
"STOP! STOP! YOU'LL KILL HIM!!"
At your frantic and frightened shouting, the men stop and turn towards where it was coming from, and at that moment you slip between them and immediately get down on your knees to shield him while glaring up at them as intimidatingly as you could, though it wasn't much with the tears of fear and panic for the unconscious Jaha welling up in them.
"STOP IT YOU– YOU–. JUST STOP! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT YOU COULD'VE KILLED HIM!?!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WHEN HE'S DONE NOTHING WRONG!??!"
You scream at them, trying your best not to burst into tears then and there, and doing your best to not shake with fear at the burly men.
Your screaming seemed to take the heat from the moment, the men that were beating Jaha faltered and didn't make a move to yank you off him to continue beating him, or worse, beat you up as well. The other patrons of the inn had also went quite at your sudden arrival, even the courtesan, Chaehyang, also paused, taken aback.
After a tense moment, one of the men finally shook of his surprise and glared down at you, making flinch. Who knew men can be this scary?
"Listen here, Miss Jaha, your son of a bitch husband here was walking around spewing shit about gathering money to sleep with the Plum Blossom Pavilion's Chaehyang, shouldn't you be upset with him as well?!"
Well, you weren't, as you have read in the webtoon, you knew that it was simply a joke that Jaha had said in answer to a patron's question of why he was saving money so much. And you knew that originally he said that he wanted to only listen to a single song from her. Not sleep with her. So knowing that you tell the man.
"He would never! He only wished to listen to one song from her! What nonsense is this about him wanting to sleep with her!?"
The man flinched slightly but seeing Chaehyang still standing a few feat away, straightened up, trying to look unswayed.
"We heard from multiple others that he was going to, and even if it is just a joke, how can a mere errand boy like him ever even think of having a chance with Miss Chaehyang!?" The man growled down at you.
"But it's still no reason to kill a man for a rumoured joke! You've done enough harm! Leave!" You respond back, voice steadier now.
The men didn't look convinced and the one you were arguing with was about to retort back, Chaehyang hmphed quietly and with her lady friends, turned and left the inn. Seeing her leave, the men looked slightly embarrassed, most likely you guessed from having been unable to look tough in front of her.
But of course they wouldn't just leave like that, one of them barked at the rest of the patrons idling around, watching the one-sided beat down.
"Oi! Move it, this inn's closed! Get out!"
At his barked order, and with how ferocious the men looked, the other patrons also quickly got up and left. When the last one left, the man, who you assume is the ring leader of these bastards turn to glare down at you.
"Don't think a simple beating is all your piece of shit husband will get! Men! Smash up the place! Let's teach this errand boy and lowly cook why they shouldn't mouth off about people way above them!"
And that they did, as you sat there clutching, hunched over Jaha's unconscious and battered body, the men smashed and overturned the tables and chairs, along with the dishes, cups, and bottles that were on them. Spilled food and liquor, and bits of broken wood littered the place by the time they were done and finally left the place.
You remained sitting on the floor, trying to pull yourself together as they left. Once they were gone, the floodgates in your eyes came undone. Tears of fear and sadness for Jaha spilled out. Reading such scenes of violence through a screen did nothing to truly prepare you for the actual violent and cruel world shown in them. You sat there, crying until it died down to sniffles, and by then, the sun was setting. You shifted around until Jaha's head was in your lap, and now you can see the busted lip and bruises on his jaw and wherever else his clothes didn't hide. It was a more painful sight than you thought it was for your heart as you began to cry anew, but this time silently. As the fear and adrenaline wore off, leaving you with your sadness, you finally take in that that busted lip was still bleeding, a small cut running across it. You untie your hair tie cloth, because there was nothing else around you to use, and start to gently dab away at the beading blood.
After some time passes, the blood finally stopped flowing and as you made to draw your hand away, Jaha steers, finally waking. He was still delirious from the pain and could barely open one eye, the other completely shut because of the swelling around it.
You immediately whisper gently to him as you try your best to help him stand up and walk out of the inn and back to your shared home. Once the two of you got there, you help him lay down on the bed and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he passed out again.
You hovered near him the entire night, too afraid to go out and get lost and worried that if you left him the men from before might show up, though as far as you knew they wouldn't come back after this beating anyway. After finding a clean cloth and a bucket of water from the bath house, with great trial and error got the kitchen furnace going enough to warm the water. Which you then carried back to the bedroom to clean Jaha's face. After doing that you removed wrestled his shoes of him and undid his hair bun and left him to rest on the bed. You were too nervous to budge him aside and sleep on the bed next to him, so you pulled up a chair next to the bed and after awhile of watching him, fell asleep.
You later wake up to Jaha's voice.
"I can be stronger than I was last time!"
"Jaha?"
Your voice seemed to snap him out of the recollection he was in the middle of, as he turns to you with surprise.
"[Y/N]?" He asks in a shocked voice, as if he was seeing you for the first time after a long while.
At first you were taken aback, but you immediately understood what was happening, this was no longer Jaha Lee the errand boy but Jaha Lee the Mad Demon. And that you were at the very beginning of the story of his mad shenanigans.
You school your own surprise into a smile, a genuine one because it was Jaha, and answer him.
"Yeah, Jaha? Do you feel better now?"
It was kinda funny now that you were the one asking if he was alright as he woke up, just as he did for you when you woke up yesterday. He gaped at you for some time before he suddenly lunged forward and pulled you into a desperate hug.
"Is it really you, [Y/N]?" He whispers in disbelief into your shoulder where he buried his face, his hands clenching into the fabric of your cloths.
As he goes through a range of emotions, disbelief, relief, sorrow, guilt, happiness. You were frozen in his arms, your brain had immediately left your body, taking a vacation as soon as he pulled you in to his arms for a tight hug. After a what felt like forever, your brain finally started to work and you managed to reciprocate his hug— as in you awkwardly put your arms around him and... pat him on the back, like some idiot.
While you chastised yourself for being awkward inside your head, Jaha finally pulled back slightly to look at your face, smiling with relief, a tinge of genuine joy in his beautiful eyes.
"You have no idea how glad I am to see you."
Well... you kinda do, since you read the webtoon and all, but you tilt your head at him smiling.
"And you have no idea how worried I was when I saw you out cold on the inn floor, never do that again? Got it?"
At your slightly stern words, Jaha smiled indulgingly at you, nodding along to your words.
"Whatever you want, my dear wife," his words, especially the endearing title and the way he was looking at you set you face aflame. He was even more handsome in real life, dammit all.
As he was smiling, he flinched slightly from the cut on his lip. He seemed to finally realise the condition of his body. As he confusedly trued to piece together what had happened, you finally extricate yourself from his hold and step back.
"Rest, Jaha, I'll clean up what I can from the inn," you say and turn to head back to the inn. As you walked towards the inn, you hear Jaha get up as well to follow. Knowing he was coming to confirm his memories of the timeline he was in, you merely sigh and continued into the inn.
Once inside the kitchen, you quickly locate the broom and head for the dining area. Following you, Jaha lifts up the cloth that separated the kitchen from the dining area and stepped in, surveying the place with a frown. As he recalled the events up 'till now he tsked to himself.
You pause in your sweeping to turn to Jaha with some concern as the bruises were still fresh.
"Jaha, why don't you go rest? I'll just clean up a bit and keep the inn closed until everything can be put back, ok?" At your concern, Jaha turns to you, angry gaze softening.
"Okay, I'll go back and medita—ah, lay down, don't try to clean all of this up by yourself," he tells you before giving you one last look, the joy and relief from before still in his gaze, before smiling and turning away to go back and 'lay down'. He was most likely going to meditate, now that his memories of his previous life was back.
As he he leaves you bite back a grin and turn back to the mess of an inn, also recalling your memories of this story. You can already see the absolute fuckery he'll get up to soon. Your manic fangirl grin now too strong to suppress, you continued to sweep what you can, looking every bit like a madwoman.
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and that's all folks! please don't be mean with your comments! it's my first time writing fanfic
As the long, dark-haired man stood before the mirror, examining his reflection closely, his eyes grew wide as he took in the cut on his lip and the numerous bruises on his face. However, instead of being appalled by the sight, his lips curled into a wicked grin, revealing his sharp teeth as he let out a low, menacing chuckle.
Jaha Lee did not expect he'd be given another chance, yet here he was, getting sent back in time to his 20-year-old self. Although he felt skeptical, who was he to complain?
After all, he'll finally get to catch his target.
You.
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"Hmm..."
The man stood in the middle of his inn, taking in the mess around him. Chairs and tables were overturned, tea cups and plates were broken into tiny shards that scattered across the floorboards. The doors were splintered and hung halfway from their hinges...
All in all, the place was a total wreck.
This confirmed at what point in time he was sent back in.
In that case...if he recalls correctly, you should arrive right about now-
"Alrighttt let's start cleaning- what are you doing out of bed!?"
Hearing that familiar voice made Jaha's body tense up, and he turned around.
The man didn't answer.
Here you are...
The man stood there in silence, letting out a shaky breath as he faced your worried expression; this is exactly like his first life...
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"How dare a mere orphan boy without a dime to his name even think of ever laying his filthy hands upon our pavilion's most exquisite and renowned entertainer!? Have you lost your mind!?"
Upon uttering those words, the man seized Jaha Lee's hair in a painful grip and lifted his head, forcing him to face the scornful woman in question, whilst the other entertainers standing behind her were looking on in delight, giggling as he received harsh kicks and blows from the guards surrounding him.
When he met her eyes, he saw only disdain, staring back at him with utter contempt while fanning herself. Filled with despair, the man could do nothing but curse his luck.
How did things come to this...? How did his words spiral out of control so fast?
'To be honest...my dream is to hear a song from Chaehyang at the plum blossom pavilion.'
He wished he had just told those men the real reason he was saving up; he wouldn't have gotten himself into this situation otherwise.
With smirks on their faces, the guards stopped with their attacks and backed up as the leader released his grip, sending his face crashing into the dirt. "You should be grateful a simple beating is all you're getting; you're fortunate we're so merciful." He spat out with another powerful kick to the ribs, sending the man flying across the street. "Now scram before I change my mind!"
.....
Jaha didn't move an inch.
"Why isn't he moving?" One of the men asked, upon hearing that, Chaehyang stepped forward.
"Chaehyang?"
The crowd of onlookers watched silently as the woman leisurely made her way to the figure lying on the ground with grace. Upon reaching him, she stood over him for a moment before bending down and using her fan to gently nudge his head.
....
"He's just unconscious," Chaehyang said, letting out a sigh of relief.
The woman was well aware that she was attractive, and thus, it was no wonder that many were drawn to her. After all, thanks to her captivating looks and alluring voice, countless men visited the pavilion every night in hopes of getting her to spend the night with them.
That made her skin crawl with both rage and disgust; she would never have sex with just anyone; she's not a whore.
Still, that doesn't mean she wanted the poor boy dead; she's not heartless.
"HA! The bastard passed out!"
"Just leave him there! Let's get back to work; he wasted enough of our time."
Everyone went back to the pavilion, leaving Jaha unconscious on the streets. Chaehyang halted in her steps, glancing over her shoulder at the errand boy with pity.
Hopefully, he learned his lesson from this and would stop having such foolish dreams.
"Chaehyang, is something the matter?" One of her friends asked.
....
Chaehyang looked down at her fan with clear disdain before tossing it aside. "It's too dirty now; I need a new one."
The woman knew what she was referring to, causing her to giggle as she wrapped her arms around Chaehyang's while resting her head on her shoulder with a sweet smile. "Sister Chaehyang is such a kind soul!" she exclaimed with a cheerful air.
"Hmm."
With a clang, the doors closed and everyone went back to their businesses, as if nothing had happened. People passing by the unconscious man either snickered or just ignored his poor state.
........
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"Agh..."
"Did you see that?"
"HAHAHA That was hilarious!!"
"Aw I missed it, too bad."
"There's always next time pal."
.....
The man has woken up long after the night has passed. His shoulders were slumped as he leaned heavily against the walls and trees for support, slowly making his way home with unsteady steps. The immense pain of his injuries caused him to clench his jaw tightly, trying to block out the mocking laughter and insults that were thrown his way.
Jaha Lee's neat hair bun had been disheveled and turned into a tangled mess. His clothes were in tatters, stained with mud and dirt, making him look like a beggar. On top of everything else, the little bit of money he had on him was stolen as well. It couldn't get any worse...
The man was sourly mistaken, because soon after the sky grew dark and rain began to pour down, the clothes offered little protection as the heavy rain drenched him from head to toe, soaking through his ruined clothes. The streets were empty almost immediately as people hurried to their homes, leaving him all alone, which was a relief.
His eyelids felt heavy as he fought to keep them open. Despite the exhaustion, he kept going, the occasional thunder echoing in the distance and the sound of his footsteps squelching in the muddy ground filling his ears while pushing through the strong winds.
Almost there...!
Then finally, in the distance, the inn came into view, his heart filled with relief, his lips curling into a small, shaky smile, but just as he was about to keep going, his legs gave way, and he fell face-first into the cold, muddy ground.
Ah oh.
With no more strength remaining, the man layed motionless on the ground, allowing the harsh chilling drops to drench him to the bone. He'll...just lay here for a while before using his arms to drag himself to the inn.
Unbeknownst to the man, he didn't hear the footsteps heading his way, nor the way the rain abruptly stopped hitting his body as a shadow fell upon him.
"Oh god... I knew I wasn't seeing things! Hey mister! You awake? You dead?" The voice asked as she nudged him with her foot.
Huh...?
Slowly, Jaha opened his eyes and lifted his head. Next to him stood a cloaked woman, an umbrella held tightly in her hand, shielding them from the rain as she loomed above him. The lower half of her face was covered by a black mask, leaving only her eyes and brow visible as she gazed down upon him.
Breathing out a sigh of relief when she saw him finally move, she spoke. "Glad you're still breathing; do you need help? Where is your home?" Does he even have a place to go? He looks like a beggar.
....
Jaha swallowed hard, gathering up the last bit of his strength to lift his arm and point to his inn. "The..there.." he managed to choke out.
The woman turned her gaze to where he was pointing, spotting the little house in the distance before nodding. "Very well."
Closing the umbrella and stashing it within her cloak, she crunched down, making Jaha blink in confusion before letting out a startled cry as the woman swiftly scooped him up into her arms before standing up, cradling him like a groom carrying his bride. Despite the contact with his wounds making him grunt out in discomfort, he could feel a twinge of warmth spread across his cheeks at the way she was carrying him, firmly yet gently.
Even though the rain soaked her clothes, the woman didn't seem to be phased by it as she continued to walk at a slow pace to keep her footing in the mud, humming a soft tone as she carried him effortlessly, like he weighted nothing.
Her soothing voice helped the man feel more at ease, forgetting about his pain as he relaxed and leaned more into her embrace, savoring the warmth and comfort she provided while listening to her. That is, until she suddenly came to a stop.
"Here we are-...."
???
Jaha's eyes shot open, looking up at her stunned expression before slowly turning his head.
....
Why are the doors broken...?
The woman glanced at him with concern before stepping forward and walking through the doorway.
"Oh god..."
Jaha's eyes widened in dismay as he took in the state of his inn.
"M..my h-home..!" he stammered. His inn, the place he worked so hard to maintain, pouring his heart and soul into, was in ruin. Feeling tears well up in his eyes, he sobbed.
What has he done to deserve this...? All for a silly joke?
The unfairness of it all was too much for the man to bear, and he fainted right then and there.
"Oh god- great, he fainted."
Her boss is going to be so furious with her when she goes back, but she can't leave the man like this!
"...Damnit!"
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Hours had gone by, and Jaha's eyes slowly fluttered open, disturbed by the sunlight streaming through the window and the sound of birds chirping loudly outside. Immediately, he let out a low grunt of discomfort as he felt his head throbbing with a pulsing ache.
This was just getting worse and worse, he thought when he brought his hand to his forehead, wincing at the intense heat. Did he get a fever? Every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he struggled to sit up right, aching all over.
At first, he had thought, hoped it was all a terrible nightmare, but the stinging pain and the sight of raindrops trickling down the window proved otherwise.
In that case...his inn..!
Bolting out of the bed, the man rushed to the other room, his eyes darting around; the place was in shambles.
....
Jaha stood motionless, ignoring the sudden sting that shot through his feet upon stepping on the fragments of glass lying beneath him.
"Alrighttt let's start cleaning- what are you doing out of bed!?"
The woman was back!?
"I..." Jaha trailed off, captivated by your appearance. Gone was the mask, allowing him to see your full face, and god, you were gorgeous.
Even the so famed Chaehyang paled in comparison to you.
Is this what falling in love at first technically second sight felt like?
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Being part of a travelling circus, you were used to living life on the move, never staying in one place for long. You travelled far and wide across countless cities and villages, and with each stop, you captivated the hearts of your audience with your enthralling performance. You adored seeing the joy and wonder in the eyes of children and adults alike; it made every ounce of effort put in worthwhile, so when your circus came to this small town, you had no doubt that it would be the same old dance.
What you didn't expect was for the rain to pour down the second you arrived, meaning everyone would be cooped up in their carriages for the time being. After doing your skin care routine, you lounged lazily on the cozy chair next to your window, enjoying your favorite drink while reading a novel to pass the time, glancing out the window every once in a while.
As you took a sip of your drink and casually glanced out the window once again, something caught your eye. A lone figure was walking through the rain, swaying unsteadily from side to side until they eventually collapsed to the ground with a splash.
That made you wince, ouch.
....why aren't they moving?
Should you...?? You didn't really wanna move from this comfy position and go out into the cold though....
You shrugged and turned back to your book. "Nah, not my problem."
.....
Seconds later, the door to the carriage slammed open as you stepped out and opened your umbrella.
You shivered, man it is cold out here!!
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Long story short, you took him to his home, which looked like a tornado ran through the place, and with the man fainting right in your arms, you had no choice but to stay and assist him.
Plus, with the rain halting the show and the rehearsal for today you have nothing to do so might as well!
Aren't you such a kind-hearted soul?
Now the guy who turned out to be a cutie was staring at you like a fool.
You snapped your fingers in front of his face. "Helloo? Earth to Jaha!"
That made him snap out of his daze as he looked at you with surprise. "H-how do you know my name?" He managed to stutter out.
"Heard the village gossip about an errand boy getting his ass beat while I was shopping, plus there's a sign outside with your name on it, sooo...yeah!" You replied, guiding him towards his room and pushing him gently into the bed. "Don't move."
Jaha obeyed, staying still as he watched you kneel down and gently grasp his foot. Carefully removing the embedded shards of glass before running some alcohol on his feet, making him hiss at the sting.
"Now you lay down and don't move a muscle alright? I'll go clean up."
He wanted to protest, but the pain and fatigue made him shut his mouth, nodding reluctantly and just did as he was told.
Might as well; it's not like he has anything of value you can steal if that was your plan.
He soon dismissed the thought and scolded himself for being paranoid and thinking ill of the kind woman, stupid! If that were the case you would have just rummaged through his belongings while he was unconscious, yet you chose to come back and help him instead.
You finished cleaning sooner than anticipated, and thus you entered the room with a smile, holding a tray in your hands. "I'm done!"
"...That was.. fast."
"There's only the doors left but I'll send some of my buddies to fix it up for ya! So no need to worry about it." You said, walking over and placing the tray on his lap. "I made you some chicken soup, it should help with the fever."
Jaha stared at the steaming bowl before him for a moment, then took a spoonful and cautiously brought it to his lips. As the warm, savory liquid filled his mouth, his eyes lit up in surprise at the taste.
You looked smug when you saw his reaction. "Tastes good right?"
"It's amazing!"
"Of course it does." You said, your voice laced with pride as you turned to leave. "I have to head back now or my friends will get worried. Goodbye for now."
The man was grateful for the help, but..
"Why are you helping me?" He blurted out before he could stop himself.
You halted, turning your head to look at him over your shoulder, your brow furrowing slightly. "Pardon?"
He repeated himself.
"Why are you helping me? I'm a stranger to you, after all."
With a nonchalant shrug, you responded. "....I'm just a bit bored I guess? helping you gave me something to do."
The man blinked at such an answer. "Bored?"
"Yup, plus...why not? You're a cutie." You added with a sly smile, you did not expect to see a handsome and fit guy under all that mud, but it was a pleasant surprise.
Jaha could feel his cheeks growing hotter, and he lowered his eyes. "Thank you." He mumbled.
"No problem! Also, I washed your dirty clothes from yesterday after I bathed you! Bye-bye now!"
He waved as he watched you leave, before freezing as he realized what you just said.
B..bathed him?? So that means...
....FUCK!!
His face burned further with embarrassment as he covered it with his hands.
How could he possibly look you in the eye after that!?
Oh god...
· ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·
This is supposed to be like a flashback to how you met which is a long fic in itself then headcanons right after
leaves and branches crunched under his boots as he trailed down the familiar path in the forest. Deep inside the forest where no man with common sense would come. Little streams of water started to come in view where leaves would float on.
He pushed some leaves away and saw the body of water. By the foot a pale mask and some bottles of potions and creams with some flowers around it.A dark robe with long wide sleeves folded.
''....''
There was a woman in the center of the pound,bathing herself by the waterfall.
He stayed silent.
Jaha said nothing.
The roar of the waterfall filled the space where words might’ve gone, but he had none anyway. She moved with slow, deliberate grace. Fingertips tracing her collarbone, moonlight skimming across the curve of her back. Her hair floated in the water like ink bleeding through silk. Her body belonged to the river, not to the world of men.
He’d seen her like this before. Many times.
And still, it gripped him by the throat.
The mask lay near his feet—blank, unreadable, and yet he swore it was looking at him. A pale witness to all the nights he’d waited by this river, all the battles he’d returned from bloodied just to kneel at this shore.
A wind passed. The petals trembled.
Without turning, she spoke.
“You’re hurt again.”
The voice was soft, as if spoken through water.
Jaha’s jaw tightened. A shallow cut bled down his arm, unnoticed until now. Of course she saw it. She always did.
He took a step closer, boots soaking in the edges of the pond. “It’s nothing.”
A pause. Then:
“You should stop chasing death.”
He let out a breath that was almost a laugh. “I’m not chasing death. I’m chasing something more stubborn.”
''.....''
The river had no name. It didn’t need one.
It sang to the moonlight, swallowed warriors whole, and shimmered in the silence of war-torn lands. But to him—Jaha, the Mad Demon—it was home. Or rather, she was.
She wore no face. A pale, expressionless mask sat upon her features, smooth as ivory and still as death. Her voice, when she chose to speak, rippled like water itself—soothing, elusive, untouchable. They called her the Water Demon, a cursed spirit of lost men and weeping widows.
But to Jaha, she was his stillness.
Where others saw madness in him, she saw purpose. Where others feared her, he knelt beside her riverbed in reverence. They never touched, for her form was made of mist and memory—but their bond defied flesh.
''....what are you standing there.....join me''
The layers fell away from his frame, one strap at a time, and he waded into the water. Cold wrapped around his legs, then waist, then chest—until his breath stilled.
The waterfall thundered on, but here in the shallows, all he heard was her.
She didn’t move as he neared. Her face was still turned toward the sky, lips parted slightly as if in silent conversation with the moon above.
a hand resting over the cut on his arm as he stood at a distance from her,yet she still sensed it.
"Your wound will fester if you let it," she said.
He smirked. "Then I'll fester beautifully."
A flick of her fingers sent a ripple across the pond. Small drops splashed against his skinand in seconds, the sting of the cut dulled. The blood halted.
"You always do that," he murmured.
"What?"
"Keep me alive… when everyone else expects me to die."
''....''
Jaha stepped closer, the water swirling gently around his waist.
Strands of her hair drifted through the water like ribbons of shadow and light, brushing against his skin,ghostlike, soft, untethered.
He raised his hand slowly, letting it surface from the water. Her hair clung to his fingers like seaweed, swaying between them. the scent of jasmine and vannila hung around her. He got closer,his calloussed hands graze her slender shoulder before gripping it.
She didn’t flinch. He gripped her then—not hard, but firm. Like he needed something to anchor him in the moment.
And then, gently, he leaned forward and rested his chin on the soft hollow of her shoulder.
The scrape of his stubble met her smooth skin, a contrast of warrior and wraith.
His eyes closed.
And he inhaled.
"You smell like peace," he murmured, barely audible.
The waterfall raged behind them. The world spun beyond the forest. But here, in the center of the pond, time melted.
Her head tilted, just enough that her cheek brushed his temple. Neither a kiss nor a promise—just existence, shared.
“You always smell like blood,” she replied quietly.
Not with judgment. Just truth.
A smirk ghosted across his lips. “Still prefer it to incense and monks.”
She chuckled under her breath—a rare, river-deep sound that only he ever heard. The body of water vibrating with every sound coming from her throat.
He kissed her neck
And he didn’t pull away.
His lips lingered against her skin, rough and warm against the cool dampness of her river-kissed flesh. He could feel the slow, steady thrum beneath her surface—her pulse, if she had one. Or maybe it was the heartbeat of the river through her.
She didn’t stop him.
Her eyes closed, lashes resting softly against her cheeks, and for a moment… she allowed herself to lean into him. Just slightly.
Like a wave curling into shore.
His arm found its way around her waist under the water, his grip neither demanding nor hesitant—just sure. As if he’d held her in another life, in a thousand lives before this one.
Because he had.
"You're not supposed to touch me," she whispered. The words held no resistance—just remembrance. Like a rule neither of them ever obeyed, yet always repeated.
"And yet I do," Jaha murmured against her skin. “Every time.”
She tilted her head slightly, exposing more of her neck to him—not surrender, but invitation.
“Then don’t stop,” she said.
And he didn’t.
Not until the stars began to fade, and the river forgot to keep time.
Present Day | Reincarnation
The scent hit him first.
Jaha blinked, here in the white hawk village. But this scent,a blend of river mint, jasmine, and wild lotus,halted his steps like a sword to the throat.
A bell above the door jingled as he stepped inside the shop.
Bath & Body Delights, the sign read.
Pastel walls. Wooden shelves. Jars, soaps, oils, all with names like Moonfall and Spirit’s Touch. But what caught him wasn’t the merchandise.
It was her.
Behind the counter stood a girl with calm eyes and a quiet aura. She wore no mask now, but her face... It was as though the river had learned to take human shape. She was folding something inside a piece of paper before handing it to the customer and received some silver pieces.
She smiled politely. “Welcome. Can I help you find something?”
Jaha didn’t answer at first.
He stared. Not out of rudeness but out of recognition.
