Chapter 29

Her Choice

“I was hurt here.” Minho placed Sulli’s hand on his heart.

“You still have the guts to tell me I hurt your heart?” asked Sulli “You were the one who fooled me.”

“I was hurt because you left me…without giving me the chance to explain things.” Said Minho

“There is nothing to explain.” Said Sulli pulling away from Minho.

Minho took a deep breath.

“I broke off the engagement with Yuri decades ago Sulli…even before you were born.” Said Minho

“Stop.” Said Sulli putting her hands on her ears.

“And I didn’t follow the Head’s order to make you fall in love with me so that we can control your blood. I told her I won’t do it. Because my feelings for you were real.” Said Minho

“Stop, Please!” shouted Sulli her eyes slowly becoming red again. “Please go away. I don’t know what I can do to you.”

“I won’t leave you, Sulli.” Said Minho

“No Please. I might hurt you…or worse kill you…and then…and then…” Sulli closed her eyes tight.

And then she felt warm hands holding her hands.

“I know how you feel Sulli.” Said Minho

Sulli opened her eyes.

“That feeling like you want to get your hands on the human in front of you…the feeling that you want to break their bones and get your mouth on their blood.” Said Minho

Sulli’s eyes narrowed.

“H…how?” asked Sulli

“I can help you Sulli. I can help you because I know how you feel.” Said Minho

“He will only kill you, Sulli.” Chanyeol landed a few feet from Sulli and Minho. Taemin followed.

“He’s a hunter. You should not believe his words. A hunter’s goal is to kill a demon.” Said Chanyeol

“Chanyeol is right Sulli. He will say everything just to kill you. Get away from him now.” Said Taemin

Sulli looked at Minho.

“Believe me Sulli.” Said Minho “I will never do anything to harm you. I will protect you…from hunters…and from demons”

Sulli’s tears replaced the red light.

Sulli touched her chest. Her heart beating fast…with pain… with something like joy… with aching.

“But then…Even if I trust you now, what will happen?” asked Sulli “It will not change what I am now.”

Sulli walked towards Chanyeol and Taemin.

“I am a demon now, Minho. I have killed and tasted human flesh, hunter flesh. Whether you protect me or not…it won’t change my blood.”

Minho felt swooshing sounds coming towards his direction. And this time, it’s not from Insung or Heechul.

“I won’t put Sulli in danger. So you two, hurry, take her with you. NOW.” Said Minho

Chanyeol and Taemin’s eyes both widened as they looked at each other.

“We will not treat this as a debt.” Said Chanyeol

“I will not seek payment. I will still hunt you in the future. But for now. Keep Sulli safe for me.” Said Minho

Sulli felt her heart squeezing in pain.

Chanyeol’s eyes narrowed. Taemin lifted Sulli to his arms.

“Let’s go.” Said Taemin

Chaneyol, Sulli and Taemin left.

Minho closed his eyes. Sulli was so close. But she will be safer with those demons than when a hunter comes around to kill her.

Nickhun appeared in front of Minho.

Did Insung and Heechul lose in the fight?

“I thought I heard sounds from here.” Said Nichkun

“You might have heard me cleaning. I saw a human corpse back there.” Said Minho

“Yes, I saw the blood.” Said Nickhun

And then suddenly Krystal flew to the air towards Nickhun. Both of them stumbled a few meters from Minho. Heechul appeared beside Minho.

“It’s always tricky when it’s two against one.” Said Heechul

“Where’s Insung?” asked Minho

“He and the monk are having some quality time.” Said Heechul

“I thought he said he can handle them all.” Said Minho

“Actually…I think he could…but when he learned I am staying, he left those two with me and dated the monk somewhere else.” Said Heechul

Minho clenched his hand.

Nickhun and Krystal stood up and prepared to attack.

“I’ll take the guy. You’re always better with woman.” Said Heechul

“What?” Minho looked at Heechul

Heechul chuckled. “You know what I mean.”

----------------------------

The monk looked at the forest.

“It’s a good place you chose for your branch.” Said the monk

“We aren’t here for small talk.” Said Insung

“Right. You still can’t move on from the past.” Said the monk. “Until now, you still blame Tae Hee’s death to my branch.”

Insung took a deep breath.

“That demon used her as a human shield. If we did not attack, that demon would get away. Tae Hee is a necessary sacrifice.” Said the monk

“The demon still got away then. Tae Hee shouldn’t have been sacrificed.” Said Insung “Now Minho is motherless…Now the family lost an Elite hunter…I lost my bestfriend.”

“That is over a hundred years ago Insung. Hyuna is not even in my branch anymore. You should now forgive everything. It was done to hunt that powerful demon. It was done for the family.” Said the monk

“It was done because your branch was blinded by greed. To get recognition…to be stronger…to kill that demon…greed that led your branch to kill a hunter. The family rule is that a hunter should not kill another hunter. Your branch has broken the rule of the family since then. And you continuously do so. Even Hyuna’s branch learning from you is doing the same thing.” Said Insung

“Whether you still have issues about the past or not, we won’t stop hunting, Insung. But I accept that you do not want to see my branch, same as I do not want to see yours. Thus, I will go the other way to the South. But there’s no stopping my hunt. Hye Kyo’s order is on our side.” Said the monk

The monk jumped away.

Heechul and Minho appeared in front of Insung.

“ The monk branch stopped fighting us.” Said Heechul

“They will not stop hunting. So we still need to beware of them.” Said Insung. “Hyuna will be back in a few days. We need to consider that too.”

Insung looked at Minho.

“Any news about Sulli?” asked Insung

Minho took a deep breath.

“I saw her earlier.” Said Minho

Heechul’s eyes widened.

“Where? How is she?” asked Heechul

“She’s alive. And it seems the demons are taking care of her.” Said Minho “But I…had to let her go…since the monk’s branch was coming earlier.”

“We need to plan this out.” Said Insung “If we continue to protect Sulli we will be caught in the