Jason Weiser

The old gatekeeper said, you're a smart boy.

You should have figured out that by giving salt to a horse, you just made him thirsty, prompting him to go back to the place where he got water, his home.

And there you would find your master's horse, the place from which the sad one came.

Can we keep it moving, please?

Old Timber Top said.

And then, thought about it.

Nope, he was different now.

He sighed.

Sorry, he just had a long day and had some impromptu nose piercings.

He shouldn't have taken it out on them.

You've had a long couple of years, from what I've heard, the old gatekeeper said, after Shin trotted off.

Timbertop said, yeah, it had been long, but he was different now.

Everyone claims to be different, the old gatekeeper shrugged, but what matters is what you do.

I'm going to my family, Timbertop said, to say sorry for leaving them for years with the cheapest kimchi, and also for leaving them for years.

That's a start.

the gatekeeper acknowledged.

Also, I'm a doctor now, Old Timbertop said with a grin.

The gatekeeper rolled his eyes and waved Old Timbertop through.

Two weeks later, the young scholar, still in mourning clothes, remember him from the beginning, held his brushes, ink, and paper.

The traveler that stopped by had left enough money for him to buy ink, brushes, and paper.