Sungmin kept glancing around as he walked along the roadside, pulling Hyukjae close to him. He felt uneasy, it was just like the calm before the storm. The gloomy weather made him feel even more restless, but he still had to return Hyukjae to where his family was. Keeping the child with him would just make things worse, but he wasn’t sure either if taking him to the police would be a good idea.

He looked down at Hyukjae when he felt a tight grip on his shirt, and met the latter’s round, clueless eyes.

“Are we going home?”

“Yeah,” Sungmin smiled. Somehow, looking at his face made him feel a little better, in some way. “I’m taking you home, so don’t be scared, okay?”

“I’m not scared,” Hyukjae replied, and it actually surprised Sungmin a little. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

He was a lot stronger than he looked, that was what Sungmin thought when he stared into the younger’s unwavering eyes.  He seemed a little fragile, but behind that delicate look, he had strength in his heart.

“I’m glad then,” Sungmin nodded.

They were only a few steps away from the police station, if he could get Hyukjae there and let the police know about his situation, everything would be settled. He wouldn’t have anything to worry about anymore.

But as he was about to take a step forward, his eyes landed on a woman standing outside the police station, her tired and sad face was obvious enough for him to sense her troubled mind. Could she be Hyukjae’s mother? The thought suddenly crossed his mind, and it seemed like he had found his answer, because he could clearly see the resemblance between them.

“I can see mommy,” Hyukjae beamed.

When his mother turned to look at them, her eyes widened, and a drop of tear fell down her cheek. “Hyukjae!”

Sungmin stood by the side as he watched Hyukjae threw himself into her mother’s arms, and with his small hands, he wiped the tears staining her mother’s cheeks. He felt a little tug in his heart at the sight, seeing the bond between a mother and her child was truly heartbreaking.

This might be the reason why he had always loved the humans. He envied them. To live in such a warm and blessed world, he truly envied them.

“I’m so sorry,” Hyukjae’s mother stood up and approached him, as she wiped the remaining tears on the corner of her eyes. “Were you the one who found my son?”

Sungmin smiled and nodded. “I was planning to take him to the police, but I’m glad we bump into each other here, ma’am.”

“My names’s Yoohwa,” she said, “And thank you for taking my son here, thank you so much. I have no idea what to do when I couldn’t find him.”

“I was just doing something I should do, ma’am.”

“Please take this,” taking out an amount of money from her purse, Yoohwa handed it to Sungmin, “It’s not much, but this is my gratitude towards you.”

“No, no it’s fine,” Sungmin quickly refused, as he threw a glance behind him.

He could feel a dark presence nearby, and he didn’t have a good feeling about this. He didn’t expect the servant of the king to be here so soon. He had to get Hyukjae and his mother out of here before something bad would happen.

“I really wanted to help, ma’am. I’m not asking for a reward.”

The wind was getting colder and rougher, it would probably rain in any minute now. They need to leave, Sungmin thought. “It’s cold out here, perhaps you should go home now, ma’am, I think the storm is coming.”

“Thank you once again,” Yoohwa said and bowed at him, “I will definitely remember your kindness.”

“Can I see you again?” Hyukjae suddenly asked, leaving Sungmin speechless.

There was no way he could risk a life of an innocent little boy, getting involved with a devil like him wouldn’t bring him any good. But seeing the younger’s sparkling eyes waiting for his answer, he couldn’t bring himself to say no.

“If we’re fated to meet again, we will,” it was the only thing he could come out with, though he doubted Hyukjae could understand him. The boy was still waving at him even after he had stepped into his car, with his mother smiling brightly at his side.

“What a coincidence.”

Sungmin felt something was caught in his throat when he heard a voice behind him. He inhaled deeply before turning around, facing the king’s servant standing right in front of him. He was never fond of the great servant, he was cunning and wicked, as expected of the right hand man of the devil king.

“I didn’t expect to see a noble lord here.”

“I didn’t expect to see you here too Zelo, oh the great servant of the king,” Sungmin replied in a mocking tone.

“What is this?” Zelo frowned. “I smell something.”

Crap. Sungmin clenched his fist and glanced over his shoulder, only now realizing that Hyukjae’s car was still where it was parked.

“Were you with someone, lord?”

“No. I was alone. Let’s go back, there’s nothing you can find here.”

“What a fragrant smell,” Zelo sniffed, his eyes narrowed the moment he saw the car Hyukjae was in. “A human. What a perfect time.”

As soon as he uttered those words, Sungmin lunged forward and grabbed his neck, slamming him against the concrete wall behind them. That was the moment when Hyukjae’s car finally drove away, and he knew then, he had to do everything he could to keep them safe.

“Don’t you lay your hand on them,” Sungmin warned, his voice was unusually stern and his eyes fierce. “Touch them, and I’m gonna rip you apart.”

“We have no right to defy the king,” Zelo said, “I was ordered to bring him a wonderful meal for the Night of Celebration. And I have found the right one.”

“He’s not the only one.”

“Seeing how you’re trying so hard to protect him, he must be something.”

“Even if it means going against the king,” Sungmin gritted his teeth, his grip around the servant’s neck tightened, “I am not going to let you hurt that kid.”

Zelo snickered. “Lord, you can be such a fool sometimes. I am not the only who came here.”

Sungmin widened his eyes, it was just then that he noticed another presence near them, a very strong and dark presence. He looked at Zelo in horror as realization hit him heavily, silently hoping that he’d tell him he was wrong.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

________