It all came down to a classic bed bath. Filling up a bucket of hot water, he would dip a handcloth in and out to wipe his bare body down. The old fashion way, in a sense. By the time he was thoroughly clean, his fingers were blushing crimson from the scalding water.
My fingers have not been this red since my training days, he thought to himself, a bit bored, Palm striking wooden poles, stabbing my fingers into a woke of hot sand, so on. Granted, the tingling is nothing compared to the early days but it still smarts. Ooh.
In the end, he was clean. So that made him feel a lot better.
As for his robe, well that is a different matter. Usually villagers bring their laundry to the nearby river to drench, wring, beat the dirt out with a washing stick, and scrubbing it with piece of animal fat mixed with lye. As he had no spare clothing, there was no way in hell he would walk stark naked to do the laundry by the river. What if a village girl were to see him like this while washing their own clothing!
So he had to be creative and use a basin in the bath chamber to dunk his dirty robe inside and pour kettle after kettle of hot water. He would step on his robes inside to slosh it around, to really get the stains out, before ringing it over and over. Once he was done, he would hang it out on a wooden rack to dry...
Now, the challenge challenge.
What do I have to wear?
Clearly Martial Kim wasn’t prepared for a long term stay. The only luggage he had was the sword-stick he picked up from the woods and the clothing on his back. Normally, travelers like him would wear the same clothing after a clean dip in a lake or river. And there was obviously not enough sunlight to dry his robes in time before cold night took over.
So...what do?...Improvise, he guessed.
Why is this harder than solving a murder?
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/e5d49d01-e685-46aa-8d92-b07d57dc33fb/didaiyy-7cc70b06-faf9-4771-a24f-b7127efe7b76.png/v1/fill/w_1280,h_207/moon_tavern_page_break_by_suimaifiles_didaiyy-fullview.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MjA3IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZTVkNDlkMDEtZTY4NS00NmFhLThkOTItYjA3ZDU3ZGMzM2ZiXC9kaWRhaXl5LTdjYzcwYjA2LWZhZjktNDc3MS1hMjRmLWI3MTI3ZWZlN2I3Ni5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.V__LDKPGxPLEElJXKGgxKvmlMcRIG9Nv3hgCGY_VlEE]
“Crap, crap, crap!”
Keekee got food for dinner tonight, and enough drinks for the both of them. However, she completely forgot one important thing and she was now kicking herself even while riding her bike back home.
“I completely forgot to give Kim a new set of clothing!” She screeched as she rode up the hill to the cabin. Fortunately, she bought a random set in a thrift store that had yet to close for the night, but the fact she left a man possibly naked in her house made her skin pale. “Oh my god, he is gonna be so mad with meee! And we just became friends!”
Keekee literally jumped off her bike when she reached the front porch, letting the riderless vehicle run into the wall and fall over like a deer with a concussion. She fumbled to open the door and rush in, keeping one hand up in front of her face to censor anything. “Kim! Kim are you here!? I-I am so so so sorry. I got you some clothing and........................”
Keekee went silent.
Martial Kim went silent.
Keekee and Martial Kim locked eyes from opposite ends of the house—Keekee by the front door, and Martial Kim standing at the far end of the hallway. They both stared, then their eyes dropped to what he was wearing.
“Apologies,” Martial Kim inclined his head respectfully. “I had no choice but to borrow your grandfather’s robes. I’ll wash them once my own are dry.”
Keekee blinked, her voice trailing off as she processed what he had just said. “Kim… that’s… my grandma’s fur coat. From Persia.”
Martial Kim froze. “Oh.”
Keekee felt she had every right to be furious—someone wearing her grandmother’s precious belongings… but—
“Kim, I—" She covered her mouth, trying to keep her composure. "I just—need a moment—PFFFHFHFHFHFHFKFFKKSKSKKSKSKSKSHSSKHHH!”
Martial Kim stared in silence as Keekee bolted out the door, her laughter blaring from outside of the cabin walls. She had tried to hold it in, but it burst out uncontrollably, like a dam breaking.
He sighed, shaking his head as he glanced down at the luxurious coat. “Shameful. Most shameful.”
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/e5d49d01-e685-46aa-8d92-b07d57dc33fb/didaiyy-7cc70b06-faf9-4771-a24f-b7127efe7b76.png/v1/fill/w_1280,h_207/moon_tavern_page_break_by_suimaifiles_didaiyy-fullview.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MjA3IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZTVkNDlkMDEtZTY4NS00NmFhLThkOTItYjA3ZDU3ZGMzM2ZiXC9kaWRhaXl5LTdjYzcwYjA2LWZhZjktNDc3MS1hMjRmLWI3MTI3ZWZlN2I3Ni5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.V__LDKPGxPLEElJXKGgxKvmlMcRIG9Nv3hgCGY_VlEE]
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...Pffhfhfhfhffhkk...Knnfffhhff..”
“Miss Keekee.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Keekee tried her best to keep it together, but giggles kept escaping through her tightly pressed lips. She even tried to hide her smirk behind the burger she was eating, but her whole body shook with barely contained laughter.
This is absolutely ridiculous... and itchy. What exactly are these foreign robes made of? Feels like ants are crawling over and under my skin?...Even my wrist is forming a rash from scratching!
Martial Kim, attempting to ignore the comedy playing out in front of him, focused on his burger. But the clothes Keekee had handed him made it impossible to relax. “These... garments are a bit restrictive.”
“S-sorry,” Keekee wheezed between bursts of stifled laughter. “Kffkfkf! Turtleneck and khaki shorts were the first things I grabbed off the hook, so— Pffffhfhfhf! Oh my god, if my grandma could see you right now—"
“I meant no offense to your ancestor—”
“No, no, she would love this. She’d probably take a picture of you and laugh about it as she puts it in her scrap book. Kekekekkkiiikikikihahahaha!......K-Kim. I-I’m sorry. P-please d-don’t give me that angry face. I-it’s creeping me out!”
Martial Kim felt like digging up a hole in the backyard and lay in it. Death was not enough to bury the shame in his heart, but at least he could hide from the world to block out the laughter.
If this gets back to Moon Tavern, I would be a laughing stock for the entire martial arts world. I would have to go into seclusion like some cultivating hermit...even then, the most reclusive ones would die of laughter if they heard about this.
Martial Kim couldn’t stop fidgeting in his clothing and in his seat. “...Thank you Keekee, for offering me shelter.”
“It’s no problem, honest!” Keekee chirped as she curled her feet and legs under her chair, her toes playing around with the sandals straps, “I mean, you got kicked out by your girlfriend and all so going back there now would be awkwaaard.”
“I do not have a—”
“It’s fine, you don’t have to explain. I get it. Feel free to stay as long as you like!”
“...Again, thank you, Miss Keekee.”
“You’re so polite! You can call me Keekee!” she nodded with a smile and ate her burger. As she wiped off some sauce from her lips with a finger, she asked, “So, what are your plans?”
“Plans?”
“You know, what are you going to do now?”
“Oh.” Martial Kim’s appetite trailed off, making him stare into the half-eaten burger for a bit, “I do not know. There is too much to comprehend. This place is just too strange for someone like me.”
“Welcome to living in the mountains!” Keekee exclaimed like a cheerleader, “It either gets too damn quiet or too damn crazy at the drop of a maple leaf. Any who, wanna come with me for work?”
“...Work?”
“You know. Filming.”
“...Filming?”
Keekee put her burger down and touched Martial Kim’s forehead to check his temperature. The move came without warning, so it was a few seconds too late for the young master to dodge. She scratched a finger tip to her chin as she pondered, “Are you sure you’re alright? You’re kinda borderline feverish. See, even your cheeks are beet red!”
While Martial Kim tried to hide the flabbergasted expression on his space, she explained, “I meant, do you want to work for our studio? I’ve been asked to write up a contract for you, but with all the mess that’s been happening, I haven’t typed a single letter yet. Now, I promise I’ll make your contract real good – squeeze in as much perks and benefits as I can!”
“...Miss Keekee.” Martial Kim answered stoically, “There is a misunderstanding. I do not belong here.”
“What do you mean?” Keekee fidgeted in her chair, “You were suuuuper cool when you came in out of the blue, diving into that big fight scene! No prep, no wires, not even a crash pad! Everything was like raw acrobatics, Olympic quality! You pretty much turned heads and wowed us! The Director reaaally wants you, heck I think he’s giving the writers hell to insert you as the lead character!”
“I do not feel comfortable about it.”
“...Oh...Uh...I guess you heard a lot about the Director being a bad apple huh? Look, h-how about this? For better or worse, you still need a job. Come with us, get a paycheck, and who knows maybe the movie will make you this popular super star! A chance to get hired for other movie opportunities! You may not end up in Hollywood, per se, but at least you’ll make enough to buy your own apartment right!? Maybe make your girlfriend jealous as hell! Hahaha! Trust me Kim, it would be a great gig!”
Miss Keekee is simply too kind for this world, Martial Kim thought to himself as he nibbled on his burger, feeling defeated. I cannot devote myself to their play acting. Just the fact they can capture a piece of my soul and play around with it like a doll at their pleasure still haunts me. I should stay away from them...but...it is hard, to look at Miss Keekee in the eye with how earnest she is. It is like a stray kitten tucked in a box, pleading for me to take her home...
“Pleaaaaase, Kiiiim! I-I can totally negotiate with the Director, or even the Producer, to add extra zeroes and bonuses to your contract! To help you get back on your feet!”
“...”
“What about it, buddy!?”
“...” Martial Kim couldn’t bring himself to lie, not verbally, so he entertained the film assistant with a half-hearted nod.
Somehow, this little white lie really made her day. One could see the shine of hope in her own eyes – it was like she was given a chance to do something, not the other way around.
“By all means,” Keekee waved excitedly “Stay in my grandma’s cabin as long as you like! Don’t mind me disappearing every now and then, as I run back and forth from my apartment to here. And, of course, the Director calls me at god awful hours! So don’t panic! And once everything is ready, I’ll call you! By the way, what’s your number?”
“...My...number?”
Keekee nodded and pulled something out from under the dinner table. The young master tilted his head at the object that was displayed in between them.
A piece of glass? Looks large and well cut to be a random shard? Oh? It can glow, like a lantern? C-colour and symbols can flutter across the surface? How peculiar?... Interesting, she can control the movement of colours with strokes of her thumb, fascinating.
“So Kim!” Keekee spoke as she held her burger in one hand and fiddled with the object with her other hand and thumb. “What’s your phone number?”
What number? Of my age? My time of birth? Uuuuuuuuh.
“...5...”
Keekee purred with a ‘hm!’ as she tapped her thumb in reaction.
“...5...”
Another happy tap.
“...5...”
Okay nod!
“...5...”
Wait wut.
“...5...”
Bruh.
“...5--”
“K-Kim w-wait. Is this really your phone number!?”
“...Miss Keekee. I do not possess a phone number.”
“What!? Wh-who doesn’t have a phone in this day an age? O-or do you mean, you lost your phone? H-how about this. D-do you at least have an email?”
“.......5....5.....5.....5—”
Now it was Keekee’s turn to have the face of a deadpan statue.
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/e5d49d01-e685-46aa-8d92-b07d57dc33fb/didaiyy-7cc70b06-faf9-4771-a24f-b7127efe7b76.png/v1/fill/w_1280,h_207/moon_tavern_page_break_by_suimaifiles_didaiyy-fullview.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MjA3IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZTVkNDlkMDEtZTY4NS00NmFhLThkOTItYjA3ZDU3ZGMzM2ZiXC9kaWRhaXl5LTdjYzcwYjA2LWZhZjktNDc3MS1hMjRmLWI3MTI3ZWZlN2I3Ni5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.V__LDKPGxPLEElJXKGgxKvmlMcRIG9Nv3hgCGY_VlEE]
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