o30: Back to Square 1

=past=

"We are so immortal. What are you afraid of?" Myungsoo smiled as he reached out his hand to Yonghwa who refused to climb over the palace walls. There wasn't a ladder to get them up the high wall but for them it was easy and simple. The soldiers marched by yet could not see them as they were already using camouflaging magic. Myungsoo rolled his eyes when Yonghwa still looked skeptical.

"We are going to change history like this!" 

"Oh well, but not allowing SHinhye to be the queen, you are already on your way to changing history. "

Yonghwa then climbed over along with Myungsoo. 

"Can;t you walk past the wall?" Yonghwa asked, "I thought you are formidable."

"Oh yah, if me and Hyukjae were that formidable! He would have already erased Shinhye's memory. Oh god. Everything had consequences." Myungsoo scowled. "Transportation is easy for us but walking through things like the palace is holy since they are where royals live. Respect them or should I say the heavenly air surrounding the palace?"

Yonghwa nodded as they walked leisurely in the palace.

"Do you know where Shinhye is?" Yonghwa queried.

"No." Myungsoo beamed. Yonghwa was dumbfounded, "Why?! Your powers. URHG! Isn;t really.... good , right?"

"I am better than you, gumiho." Myungsoo snarled, "Eunhyuk blocked her scent and air from me ."

"Ahhh." Yonghwa nodded understandingly. 

Eunhyuk was their enemy. They strolled around the place and tried their best to search though the palace's rooms. Myungsoo was clever as they knew exactly where the more respected rest. So Shinhye must be in some Pavillion and they went around searching the eighty-seven pavillions which has fifteen rooms each. By the time, they were exhausted.

It was only the 189 room, Yonghwa and Myungsoo went to a chamber that was well-protected.Myungsoo smirked, "She is in there."

"Her scent." Yonghwa nodded while he tried walking into the room but blocked out by invisible wall.

"Damn that Eunhyuk." Myungsoo chuckled while he reached for a long black staff in his hand, poking it through the invisible wall, looing at Yonghwa, "meet me at the first room we searched."

Yonghwa abided, leaving for the place. Myungsoo smiled and went in, seeing the damsel sleeping on the bed, her brows knitted.

"Damsel."

Her eyelids lifted up.

"Let's bring you to another place." he held onto her hand and she gasped, "Shush, or you will not see Yonghwa alive."

"Shinhye! " the smile brought upon Yonghwa's face while SHinhye looked at him coldly.

"What do you want?" she said, voice not even warm. He was shocked by her cold treatment and his shoudlers fell, "Do you find me disgusting?"

"Nope." she could not stand that sad pathetic gaze at her. She looked away. Yonghwa beamed again and touched her hand, causing her to jolt and her heart to flutter at the slight touch. Then he hugged her tightly. She did not respond or do anything, just remained poker faced. Myungsoo watched in confusion. Yognhwa looked at her, hands cupping her face, "Are you okay? I missed you."

She seemed to soften and her slight flicker in her eyes was noticed by Myungsoo yet she remain stoic and said, "Yes. I am living well."

"You.... hate me?" Yonghwa noticed how cold ashe was and how unwelcoming his presence was to her.

She did not speak , biting onto her lips. Yonghwa released his hands which gripped her when asking. "You dislike me now, right? Because I am a GUMIHO?"

"Don't raise your voice, idiot." Myungsoo commanded. Not even sure if he was listening. His face was agitated and he swung his arms angrily,"I ...did not want you to see that side! I always treated you very well, I will still tomorrow and in the future. "

His agitation died down soon.

"Am I a burden?" he asked again,hurt plastered on his face. Shinhye turned towards him and with a robotic voice, she spoke, "I am going to be the next wueen. Leave me alone."

With that, she left the room but only to be knocked out by Myungsoo. Yonghwa almost broke down if not for Myungsoo's stern voice, "We only have two minutes left before Eunhyuk detects. We must leave now."

And like in the present, Yonghwa never knew why she was acting so cold. It was for a reason. Eunhyuk had clearly told her what he would do if Yonghwa was to continue his stubborn ways and clinging. Shinhye knew he was not kidding.

I will end his life. He will die. He will. If you allow him to continue. If you care about him like how you did back then even when he appeared so beastly, you should know what to do.

Myungsoo sighed. 

" Why am I here?" Shinhye found herself tied up and she looked up at Yonghwa who obviously seemed hurt.

"Myungsoo says we should talk. We would return you after two days." Yonghwa answered, bending down with a bowl of porridge. He was hruting inside but he tenderly fed her. She refused to be fed and was ranting to be released.

"You must have hate me so much." Yonghwa said, Shinhye stopped and her heart was bleeding silently when he spoke. A hoarse and husky voice, a clear evidence that he cried. She wanted to hug him and told her how mcuh she missed him too, how boring the palace was, how scheming the people were ther and how she wished she could return to the blacksmith;s workplace. How she wished. Yet she was not going to give in so quickly. She watched with an expressionless face as he put down the food. Yonghwa untie her.

"I will not let you out but you should be allowed to... move around." she bit her lips to stop herself soften. 

Yonghwa bent down, "Like it or not. I would be staying in the same room with you. You should eat. You grew thin. Hyun Woo is quite good, you know. He is... really great. So if you are to be married to him, you are blessed."

She did not respond, turning away form him. He sat down on the floor, "Hyun Woo is clever. I heard the snow flower is good for females. I went up the mountains last time and picked one for you."

Shinhye looked as he pushed the tiny snow flower to her. The flower was found ini places where blizzards were frequent and the high mountains were difficult to reach. She looked at the flower which seemed so endearing. She took it and looked at it. Yonghwwa blinked, "You can eat petals."

"It is rare. It would a pity to eat it." she spoke so softly. He still beamed happily at her response.

Yonghwa broke through the wall she held up for days. Why? They were like confidates. 

They were in silence. Yonghwa enjoyed looking at her. Shinhye enjoyed Yonghwa's presence. Soon, Yonghwa was drifting away, sleeping. She finally looked at him and reached out her hand to softly touch the face."I am so sorry..."

Myungsoo watched as he sat on the rooftop, pushing away a tile , forming a crack to look into the house. He smiled, using his brush to draw what he saw on the book. 

The book turned bright red as the sky turned bright red together. He smirked. Maybe the nine worlds would arrive sooner than he thought.

And at the same time, Eunhyuk who was making up excuses for SHinhye's disappearance because he could not possibly tell the people the existence of gumihos and Hales. His head raised in alarm as he observed the sky. 

His face went serious.

That HAGEL!