Part Ten

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Junhee

I didn't stay in the house. Too curious about what was happening. I walked out the cave and only linger around the area, waiting for Baekhyun to come back. I swear I heard shouts and screams in the distance. It was too faint but I did heard them. What was happening? Who are all those screams coming from? Are they people in this deep part of the forest? Is Hyun ok? 

I grew anxious on top of my curiousity. Walking back and forth in front of the cave. I waited for another 5 minutes before I could see a fast cloud floating smoke coming from the distance and when it is near, the smoke grow in size, lands on the ground before Baekhyun appears in the flesh. 

"Hyun!" I run up to him, throwing my arms around him. "God...I was so worried. I heard screams" 

"I'm fine" He said as he hugs me back. His breathing heavy, I can feel it against my neck where his head is resting near on. 

I move my head back, looking up at him before I cup his face. His skin is fading indicating that he's been out in the sun and his eyes are darker than when I was with him earlier. "Are you ok? Did you get hurt? What happened?" I caress his cheeks, and wipe the sweat that he has on him. If he is sweating and looking distraught, something must've happened. "What happened?" 

He breathes through his mouth, sighing out. He looks frightens and it only makes me more worried. "I...I'm sorry Junhee"

I raise my eyebrows, confused. "What, why?" 

"I...I hurt your friends. I-I didn't mean to but one of them--" 

"My friends?" My eyes wide though I grew more confused. "My friends are here? Who? Where? What did they do?" I touch his cheek, to get his attention and he leans his head towards my hand. 

"I don't know their names b-but one of them wanted the pearl and I d-did it again...I-I l-lose control. I h-hurt them--"

"Sshhh it's ok" I try to calm him down. "Calm down" 

"I'm s-sorry..."

"It's fine, it's not your fault. You weren't yourself Hyun, you know it's not your fault" 

"But I hurt them"

"Are they...dead?" I asked, I do feel tense and worried about it. When he shakes his head, my body deflates, sighing in relief. "Then it's fine. You were not in control, I understand, Hyun it's ok" 

"I-I almost kill them but your friend was there too" Baekhyun told me. I raise my eyebrows curiously. "That friend of yours...Kyungsoo, he was there too. He snapped me back" 

"Kyungsoo?! He's here too?" 

He nods his head and place a kiss on my palm. "I didn't hurt him but your other friends....I don't know what they're doing right now but maybe they're running back to the village. I got panicked so I ran away" 

I breath, in and out. Shocked was an understatement. I didn't expect my friends to be able to come until this far of the forest. Who came here besides Kyungsoo? Jongin? Sehun?

"It's ok Hyun, I'm not mad. Please calm down, you're shaking" I rub his cheeks against my palm a bit. I move my head closer to him to give a peck on the lips to calm him down. And it did. His body slowly relaxes. It's fascinating that his temperature had gone warmer. The cold skin I felt way back days ago slowly becoming a memory in my mind. His newer temperature makes him more human and it gives me warmth up to my bones whenever we are close. 

He stares at me and I can see that guilt swimming in his eyes. "I'm not mad, I don't blame you" I said again, reassuring him with a smile. He smiles back, though sadly before he leans down. I move again, knowing what to come and waits for our lips to reconnect again. 

I don't know how many seconds had passed but when we heard a coughing sound near us that isn't from us, we both froze. Our eyes wide opened with our lips still intact before we break apart simultaneously and turn our heads to the side. I stare in shocked at the man standing with his arms crossed on his chest with an unimpressed look on him. "Kyungsoo!" 

"Hmm" He hums, watching us with a frown. "I see you're already taking advances on her" He deadpanning at Baekhyun. After those words, Baekhyun removes his arms around me. They both are staring at each other but I didn't focus on their eye contact because I'm too surprise seeing him here in the forest at the cave right in front of my eyes. My legs move on their own, running to go hug him. 

"Oh my god, Soo! You're here!" I asked and feel his hand patting my back as he hugs me back. "Oh my god, you're actually here. How are you here?!" 

"I don't know what happened but it was weird. It's like I was in a black void" He said and I grew confuse, stepping back to look up at his face.

"Huh?" 

He nods his head to Baekhyun, "Your...friend here--" he emphasize sarcastically at the word "--was going to run away so before he vanished into that black smoke, I ran to him and suddenly my body felt weird and I was flying" 

My eyes widen and I turn to Baekhyun. "You brought him here"

He quickly shakes his head, he looks shocked as well. "I d-didn't know! I didn't notice him"

"How can you not notice him?!"

"I was panicking! I wanted to get here fast" 

I sigh and nodding my head. "Ok ok" I said to Baekhyun before I turn to Kyungsoo again. The man is watching me and Baekhyun. Still unimpressed. "Don't look at him like that" I said to him. Immediately after my words, he deadpans at me.

"He kissed you" 

"We kissed each other"

He purses his lips, giving me a look "I was worrying sick over you and trying to find you but you're here getting yourself smooching with someone?!" 

"Don't get mad at me! I didn't know things would happened this way"

"He's a stranger man in the forest!"

"So what? He's human like us too! I can smooch with anyone I want, I'm already a big girl Soo"

He sighs, rubbing his temple. "You're unbelievable" He told me before he changes his expression the longer he stares at me. His eyes turn gentler after a moment. "But are you ok though? Are you hurt? Did he do anything to you?" 

I shake my head, "He took care of me well" 

"Junnie-ah, he's the monster in the forest" He continues, lowering his tone for me to hear. "People are talking about him! He killed people!" Seeing him talking low makes me following his volume. "He didn't have a choice, Soo. He...He has a...a sickness and and we haven't found a cure yet" 

He frowns, "Sick? He's sick?"

I blink. I know a curse is not technically a sickness but still. I give Kyungsoo a nod. 

"Was that why you said you want to help him?"

I nod again

"And where do you live?" He asked and I look to the side at the cave. His eyes go wide, "You lived in a cave?" 

I nod again but with a chuckle because he looks so shocked. "There's a house inside the cave. Hyun lives there" 

He hums, looking at me before he looks behind me. "Do you feed her?" He asked, not so softly. Baekhyun instantly nods his head. 

"I don't let her starve" 

"You said you tried to kill her but you fed her" 

Baekhyun blinks before he nods again

Kyungsoo frowns again, "What kind of a monster are you to feed your prisonor when you said you want to kill them" 

I nudge my elbow to his side. He flinches before giving me a glare. I purse my lips and turn down my volume again, "Because he's not a monster, Soo. He's a good man if you get to know him" My best friend merely stares back at me. "Trust me, Soo. He is powerful and scary but he's actually a good man. He doesn't hurt me" I said more and he continues looking at my whole face before he sighs with a glare. 

"Fine" Hearing that, my lips pull up a smile. Seeing me happy he immediately points his finger at me. "I trust you, not him. But if you said he didn't hurt you then I trust your words but if he is what people say about him, if he lays a finger to hurt you then I won't hesitant to fight him" 

Even with those warnings, my smile didn't change but it grew. I know Kyungsoo is only taking care of my wellbeing. He is worried about me. "Aww, you worried about me. You do love me" I coo and hug him again. He grunts and trying to push me off but I stay glued like a koala.

"Who said I love you silly idiot--"

"I love you too, Soo. Thank you for always being there for me" I said softly to him and he sighs, eventually stopping his attempt to pull me off of him. He pats my back and my head. 

🍁🍁🍁

Baekhyun brought Kyungsoo to the house, looking all awkward around the latter. I hid my smile when I could see how nervous he was even though it was not noticeable. Maybe I was too observant of Hyun, walking in between the two men.

During the walk inside the cave, Kyungsoo was curiously looking around, awed at the size of the inside until we reached where the house is located. "What is this place" He asked as he stares wide eyed at the view of the cottage house with all the greenery around the building. The sun peered in from the top gap, illuminating the whole scenery. "Who built such a house inside an underground cave" 

I shake my head at his question, although I am quite curious about it. "I don't know either. Hyun said this house was already abandoned when he came here" I told him while I watch Baekhyun walking towards the front porch and opening the door. Me and Kyungsoo still standing outside in the garden area. "And he came here 14 years ago" 

That grab Kyungsoo's attention. He turns his head to me with a confuse frown. "He's been here for 14 years?" 

I nod

"Only 14 years?" 

Now I frown at him, "What do you mean only? 14 years is a very long time ok" 

He shrugs, "We'd heard stories about the monsters in our Kingdom for decades. I thought he's an immortal because of those stories. Or maybe a very old monster dude. I was shocked that he looks young. He's like our age"

"He's older than us, Soo. He's 28, technically he's still young" 

He huffs, "You've kissed a 28 years old man" 

I shrug, "Age does not matter, ok" 

He stares before "You really like him, don't you" 

I blink at his question before I smile, nodding. "I do, Soo" 

"You do know he's 8 years older than us"

I smile, nodding. "I know and I don't mind his age" I said. He keeps staring at me. "It's just...he's...he's gentle. He