Chapter Twenty

Days were peaceful.

The mutants were still missing in action. There was absolutely no news of them after that havoc night, as if they had vanished from this world suddenly.

Yoona and Tiffany were resting in their dormitory’s foyer. Yoona was cuddling to Tiffany, who was reading some reference books she borrowed from the library. Feeling bored, Yoona took one of the books out of curiosity and read the title out loud, “The Wideon’s Magic.” And, she frowned. She had been staying by Tiffany’s side for a few days and all she saw was Tiffany doing nothing except reading these books on Wideon.

“Fany unnie…” She nudged the engrossed girl. “I’m hungry.”

Tiffany looked up from her book and chuckled lightly at the sight of a pouting Yoona. She ruffled her hair with a gentle smile on her face, “Go and cook lunch then.”

“But our fridge is empty. Sooyoung finished the last batch of foods this morning.”

Tiffany felt the corner of the mouth twitched as images of Sooyoung savoring the foods appeared in her mind.

If only she can sew a zip to that shikshin’s mouth and stop her from all the eating…

She rubbed her temples helplessly, “Let’s get Sooyoung. We shall go to the city and replenish the stocks.”

“Yay!” Yoona jumped out from her seat with excitement. She longed to get out of their dormitory since days ago! She tried to find Sooyoung, but that shikshin said she would only go out with her if she was willing to pay for all her food expenses. She tried to look for Tiffany as well, but that cold hunter was always busy reading some books like now. Yoona never liked the thought of disturbing her favorite unnie, so she gave up asking her out (but she disturbed her eventually anyway).

Lastly, Yuri…

Yoona paused in her track, running back to Tiffany who was back to her reading again. “Unnie, what about Yuri unnie? Do you want me to get her too?” Yuri had been spending most of her time in the ward with that casualty she brought back. Yoona had never met that casualty before because she really hated to go to the infirmary. She will get Sooyoung to get her, if Tiffany wants her to.

Then, she waited. There was no reply from Tiffany.

“Unnie?”

Yoona heard a forceful breath from the hunter, and it confused her.

“Unnie, shall I?” She asked again, watching Tiffany rose from her seat.

Tiffany slammed the book in her hand close and threw it on the tea table in front of the couch. “I will get her.”

“Eh?” Yoona was a little surprised by Tiffany’s reaction.

Tiffany noticed that and quickly flashed Yoona her usual eye smile. “I’ll get Yuri. Meet us at the garage after you found Sooyoung.”

*

Yuri helped Jessica back to her bed after the doctor was done with the check-up. She pulled out the chair from beside the bed and settled on it. Jessica was looking as bright as usual. Despite the pain on her back is killing her, she never failed to show her smile.

“Thanks Yuri!”

Since the day she was hospitalized, Yuri had always been there to assist her. Buying her foods, feeding her, talking to her and entertaining her… if it wasn’t for Yuri, Jessica believed she might have ‘died’ because of boredom already.

“You’re welcome.” Yuri drew a faint smile on her face. Though she had stopped blaming herself for the misfortunate Jessica experienced, she still felt it was her responsibility to take care of Jessica.

Yuri pulled the blanket and covered it over Jessica’s legs. The weather is changing and temperature is getting colder. With such a big wound on her back, Yuri worried that Jessica’s immune system might not work as good as when she was healthy. It would be bad if she caught a cold now.

“Did the doctor say anything about your wound?” Yuri was waiting outside the ward when the doctor did the check-up. She was too anxious to see Jessica that she forgotten to ask the doctor about her injury.

Jessica hid her hands under the blanket. “He said my wound is recovering in an optimistic progress.” She grinned. “I guess I can get out of here soon.”

“That sounds good for you.” Yuri forced a smile on her face. Strangely, she felt a little empty at the thought of Jessica leaving. “But you won’t be going back to the shrine, will you?” That place was too dangerous for her. Yuri wouldn’t want to see a mutant hurting Jessica again.

“Of course not!” Jessica shivered as she recalled the incident that happened just a few days ago. No way is she going to stay in that creepy place again. “I’m going back to my town.”

“Your town? Where are you from?”

“I live in Dehan. It is a very small town, but the people there are very friendly. I think it is about two hours away from here. You should visit there when you have the time to! I can show you around.”

Dehan? Yuri frowned at that name. She thought she heard it somewhere before.

She pondered hard, “Is it the one that has lots of lilies surrounding it?”

“Yeah, that’s the one!” Jessica replied excitedly. “You’ve been there before? What do you think? It is a nice place, isn’t it?”

Yuri shook her head in disbelief. She finally remembered that place.

“No way…” She mumbled to herself.

“You don’t like Dehan?” Jessica took her reaction as answer.

Yuri turned towards Jessica. The bright and cheerful smile on her face was as beautiful as usual, it always made Yuri felt warmth whenever she looked at it. But… this was not the right time for it. It might upset her to see the smile fade away, but she had to tell Jessica the truth!

The truth that might broke her apart.

Yuri avoided Jessica’s gaze as she pulled her chair nearer to the bed. She swallowed the lump in , hesitating whether to speak the truth.

The sight of a troubled Yuri made Jessica worried. She slipped one of her hands out of the blanket and caught Yuri’s hand. Yuri looked up out of reflex and Jessica flashed a comforting smile at her.

And that made Yuri felt even worse, knowing that the very next moment would turn that smile into a frown or even a weep.

“Jessica…” Yuri inhaled a very deep breath and slowly let it out. She turned her hand over and held Jessica’s hand in return. “I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” The heaviness in Yuri’s voice made Jessica felt uneasy.

Yuri pursed her lips into a straight line. “Dehan… is no longer here anymore.”

Silence filled the ward in an instant. Even breathing could not be heard – if not for the trembles she felt in her hand, Yuri would have thought that the time had stopped.

“Wha… What do you mean? I’m sorry Yuri, but… but… but I don’t get what you’re saying.” Jessica stuttered through her words, she did not even have the courage to look at Yuri anymore.

Yuri knew Jessica was lying, she knew Jessica understood what she meant.

She moved closer and tightened her hold on Jessica’s hand, “Two weeks ago, we received an emergency call from Dehan. Tiffany and I rushed there as fast as we could, but… we were still too late. The town was infested by the mutants, everyone was mutated.” Yuri looked at Jessica with a regretful gaze. “Not a single survivor was found.” (Refer to prologue)

“You’re lying…” Jessica tried to pull away from Yuri, but the latter’s grip was too tight. Then, she struggled. “You’re lying!” She cried out, struggling harder to escape from Yuri. “I only left there less than a month! Everyone looks perfectly alright before I left! How can they be mutated! Don’t lie to me Yuri! This is not even funny!”

“Jessica, this is the truth––”

Before Yuri could finish her sentence, she heard a loud slap ringing in her ears and the next thing she knew was her cheek was burning in pain.
Jessica had just slapped her, but it didn’t matter to Yuri at all.

Yuri got up from her seat and pulled the agitated girl by both hands into her embrace. Jessica struggled vigorously, hitting and punching Yuri’s chest as she tried to fight her way out of Yuri’s hold.

But Yuri was just too strong for her.

“Let me go! You’re lying! You’re lying!” Her restriction was only limited to her upper body, and not her legs. Jessica lifted up one of them and kicked Yuri hard on her abdomen.

Yuri flinched, but she did not loosen her grips, instead, she hugged Jessica even tighter.

It pained her to see Jessica like this. She, who faced her mishap optimistically, had fallen apart when she learnt that her beloved town was destroyed. The usual smile she wore on her face every now and then, was replaced by these awful tears that ruined her face.

Yuri gritted her teeth.

A wonderful person like her does not deserve this kind of treatment.

Yuri lowered her head, watching those tiny little droplets trailed down the angelic face silently.

Angel shouldn’t cry.

Her hand moved without herself knowing, wiping off the tears on Jessica’s face gently. It stunned Jessica when she felt the warm and soft touch on her face, and her tears stopped instantly. She looked up, connecting her gaze with the pair of beautiful shiny black pearls which was looking back at her.

Kwon Yuri…

“Yuri!”

A familiar voice pulled the both of them back into reality. It was only then the duo realized how close their distance was. Yuri hurriedly pulled herself away from the blonde. She turned to the door and found her cold-looking partner staring at them intensely.