{08} 

Soah’s eyes fluttered open immediately when she sensed movement. Her eyes met with Daehyun’s and the familiar energy blossomed inside of her once again. 

“How are you feeling?” Daehyun asked as he adjusted her blanket so that it covers her. 

It must have slipped off while I was sleeping. Soah thought as she watched Daehyun. 

“I’m alright. Can you tell me what happened back there?” 

Daehyun glanced away, directing his line of vision to the windows in the room instead. 

“Sam, the guy who was performing the ritual on you, saw you as a threat because your Soulmate was the devil. So he flung you across the room and he was planning to take away your life but I stopped him.” Daehyun answered her without meeting her eyes. 

Soah had so many burning questions to ask, like: ‘Her soulmate was the Devil? Does Daehyun feel this energy/attraction just like her? Why did he stop Sam from killing her? Why did he care about her so much?’ 

But it all faded away and silence filled the air instead. Soah knew that Daehyun was keeping something from her but she didn’t know what was it and she could tell that Daehyun was a little reluctant to talk about the happenings last night. And maybe that’s why she told herself to let it all go. 

Sometimes not knowing the truth and being in the dark can be a blessing as well. Soah told herself mentally. 

“You’ll rest here till night falls and then I’ll arrange a car to send you back to your dormitory or to your mother’s, whichever you prefer.” Daehyun paused and turned to glance back at Soah. “I’ll get going then. Rest well, Soah.” 

With that, he stood up and went out of the room. The conversation between the both of them left a bitter aftertaste in Soah’s heart. 

The image of Daehyun’s anxious eyes flashed through Soah’s mind. It was the last thing she saw before losing consciousness but she was very sure that it was anxiousness she saw in his eyes. However, comparing with the Daehyun that she was talking to a few moments ago, there was nothing but coldness in his voice and eyes. 

Soah clamped her eyes shut. Stop thinking about it, Soah, you must have been imagining things before you lost consciousness. That’s the thing that fear does, it makes you imagine things that aren’t real. 

Gradually, Soah fell asleep once more, entering dreamland where she will be free of troubles temporarily. Meanwhile, Daehyun was frustrated with all the things on hand that demanded his attention. 

“What did you just say!? You told her that her Soulmate was the Devil? Seriously? If you were going to lie to her, you couldn’t come out with something better?” Youngjae exclaimed incredulously. 

Daehyun sighed and pressed a hand to his face. “Look, I’ve enough to deal with right now, okay? I don’t need anything else to worry about.” 

“By anything else, you mean Soah? Soah’s a thing to you? She’s a person with feelings, for good riddance’s sake, Daehyun. You’re going to give up your happy ending and having a happy family just for revenge? Is revenge going to make you happy?” Youngjae was getting more and more worked up with every word he spat out at Daehyun. 

Daehyun’s heart twisted in pain, he could sense that his friend was disappointed in him. And maybe a little disgusted by his actions as well. 

“To trust that I actually went through so much to help you.” Youngjae said in a low voice, shaking his head. 

Daehyun’s head shot up immediately. “What do you mean by that? What did you do, Yoo Youngjae?” 

Youngjae looked him hard in the eyes. “Nothing that matters anymore now.” 

“What. Did. You. Do?” Anger filled Daehyun’s eyes as he took a step closer to where Youngjae stood. 

“I went to a Fate to alter yours and Soah’s Fate, okay?” Youngjae confessed. 

Daehyun’s lips thinned and his brows were furrowed. “So we weren’t meant to be Soulmates until you altered our Fates?” 

Youngjae shook his head and sighed. “I only requested for the Fate to alter the ending between the both of you. The both of you were meant to be Soulmates all along. It was heaven’s will.” 

“So what was the ending that you saw that made you take matters into your own hands?” 

Youngjae remained silent, his eyes focused on the painting hung up in Daehyun’s room. 

“What was it that you saw?” Daehyun prompted again, not accepting Youngjae’s silence as an answer. 

Youngjae turned around, meeting Daehyun’s eyes. There was sadness in his eyes. 

“I saw that Soah died because you were persistent about this war you want to wage against the OtherWorlds and you couldn’t handle losing her. We had to chain you down in the jail cell in your basement because you kept attempting to kill yourself and the people who tried you to stop you.” Youngjae paused, still looking straight into Daehyun’s eyes. “But you succeeded in the end, you committed suicide. I only looked into it this far.” 

Daehyun glanced at Youngjae who now had his back Daehyun. He now understood why he saw sadness in Youngjae’s eyes. Because this meant that Youngjae was going to lose his parabatai and it was a kind of loss that will spread pain throughout your body, making it feel like it was on fire. It was a pain and loss that he had to endure till the day he died.  

“Are you going to put a stop to your plan now?” 

Daehyun shook his head, even though Youngjae couldn’t see it. “No, I’m just going to be more careful and detailed in my planning.” So that Soah won’t die. He added on mentally. 

Youngjae left Daehyun’s room quietly, not uttering a single word. Disappointment lingered in the air after Youngjae’s exit and Daehyun could feel it with every breath he took. It was slowly driving him into a corner. He was at loss of what he should do. 

•••

A knock on Daehyun’s door jolted him out of his trance. Ever since Youngjae has left his room, Daehyun was just sitting behind his work desk, staring into space. 

Clearing his throat and lifting his head towards the door, he said, “Come in.” 

Teddy came walking into the room, with a light brown folder held in his hands. 

“Sir, you need to see this.” Teddy said as he handed the folder to Daehyun, which he took over from him. 

Daehyun flipped over the folder and pictures of bodies twisted at grotesque angles greeted him. Daehyun looked up, glancing at Teddy, the gears of his head working furiously. 

“Can you fetch Sam? Tell him it’s an emergency.” 

Teddy simply nodded and bowed, exiting the room to follow Daehyun’s orders. 

Daehyun glanced back down at the folder that he held in his hands. He picked up the pictures that were clipped to the file, placing them side-by-side on his work desk. 

He examined the pictures; the victims were not just any regular OtherWorlds. They were important political figures, people that wield real power. 

“Sir, you asked for me?” 

Daehyun lifted his head up at Sam’s voice. He pointed a finger at the pictures while asking, “Explain this.” 

Sam’s eyes shifted towards the pictures before shifting back to meet Daehyun’s eyes. “Sir, you said to put a start to the plan.” 

Daehyun nodded slowly, directing his line of vision back to the pictures that were spread out on his table. Ambition, anger and vengeance burned in his eyes. 

It’s time. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: 

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