C h a p t e r T H I R T E E N
Peace before Storms
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-Hyobi's POV-

"Hyun Joong-sshi!"

This was the eighth time I called out to him. I haven't made a decent conversation with him in two days.

He walked away from me again.

Why?

I gave chase.

Following his footsteps I found my way up the stairs and into the main hallway that lead to our rooms. The door to his room was open. He must have went in. It wouldn't be a problem to corner him inside.

Stepping into his room, I realise it was empty.

I called out his name once more as I went deeper into the place. It was empty, it all was. I could have sworn he ran in here.

Wait. What's this?

I edge closer to his desk and realise it was that book again. The pretty one that made his diary. It was flipped open, with a pen beside it.

Would it be too rude to read it?

[HYUN JOONG'S DIARY POST]

...

Hyobi's the key to being the heir. The one who wins her love will take over all that foster-father's got. I have to leave her.

Will anyone understand?

I can't be heir. I can't take the chance. I can't have history repeated.  I won't have her walking Hae Eul's footsteps.

I'm sorry

[END OF HYUN JOONG'S DIARY POST]

Gasp.

-End of POV-

Hyobi spun her head around and saw Hyun Joong staring wide-eyed at her.

"Hyo-"

"Is this why?" it was rude of her to read his diary, but she was furious. "You're been intentionally avoiding me lately, so this is why?"

Hyun Joong looked at the diary on his table before looking back to her.

"You're ignoring me because you don't want to be heir," Hyobi whispered in disbelief as he lowered his head in guilt.
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Hyobi found herself running out of Hyun Joong's room. What expression did he give or why didn't he chase after her, she didn't want to know. She found herself sitting on the main porch of the whole manor, where she was pretty sure no one would find.

Hyun Joong's thoughts resounded in her mind as teardrops stained her face. When she first entered the manor, Hyun Joong had already made her heart flutter. It was never easy to draw close to him however she tried. Yet lately she thought she had owned the world, because she thought she would have him in the future.

Future? She was just a burden to him after all.

As she sat with her arms over her knees and drowning the silence with her sobs, she felt someone sit beside her.

"I think I'll have to dial flood-control soon."

Reluctantly, she looked up and was greeted by Jung Min's face. He withdrew a hankerchief from his pockets and offered it to her.

-Jung Min's POV-

This was the very first time I witnessed her tears.

Depositing my car into its lot, I was just about to enter the manor when I saw her on the steps of our porch. What exactly happened. Should I go forth? Or should I stay at my position? Where's Kyu and Hyun Joong-hyung? Would it be okay if I go up? No, actually I didn't really think about all these. I just went right to her and sat down.

Anyway, she took my hankerchief and clutched onto it before burying her heads back between her knees.

"I suppose I should get my snorkles ready for the flood," I told her.

How it pulled my heartstrings. Park Jung Min, you really know no shame." Perhaps I should get hyung here.

Perhaps I should get a maid or Kyu here. Perhaps I should just go now. Perhaps...

Sigh.

She sniffed a really loud sniff.

"Where are you going?" I asked when she stood up and wanted to walk away.

"Garden," she softly sobbed.

I shook my head, "the garden's not a good place. I'll bring you to a better one."

*

I heard her gasp softly as she slowly came out of my car.

"This..?" she said.

"My secret hide-out, so don't go around telling the world about it," I smiled, "come on."

It was the meadows. A wide-plain filled with flowers. The sun was just right today and most of the flowers were in bloom. I took a deep breath. Yep, the whole plain's as fragrant as I left it.

I led her to the center of the meadows were there was a circle of bare soil, dug by Yours Truly years ago, for us to sit on.

"It's a lot better than the garden, right?" I laid myself on the soil as I looked at the sky.

As she sat down, tears started to trickle again. I allowed her some time as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the flower-scented air.

-End of POV-

"Hyun Joong, he-"

"I know."

She continued crying, "you do?"

Jung Min nodded, but in fact he didn't. Rather, not the full story. You see, telepathy gives him clues.  "That guy, he just needs some time," the Luster said.

It took her almost an hour to cease crying; but Jung Min waited patiently.

"Are your tears salty? Because my flowers don't drink salty water."

Hyobi wiped her tears, "you've changed a lot."

"Pardon?"

"Park Jung Min-sshi. You've changed a lot."

"Waeyo?"

"You're no longer the fierce Luster I first knew," the last of her sobs faded.

He turned his head away and smirked. She missed out a point, he was also no longer the Luster who was smart enough tell himself he should not get too close to her if he doesn't want to love.

"That's new. Well, you are no longer the oblivious troublesome girl I disliked too."

She smiled.

After a long pause of silence, she spoke again, "this place is gorgeous."

"It is, isn't it."

"If you have such a place, why do you frequent the garden back at the manor?"

"I can't afford coming here too much. You know, I might always be needed at the den. It's too far from here. Besides, I try not to bathe in memories too often."

"Memories keep us alive, is it not?" Hyobi hoped it sounded comforting. Truthfully she wasn't all that great.

Jung Min shrugged, fiddling with a few stalks of flowers. "I guess. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How is it that you are able to not have the desire of escape? Why don't you have the urge to run away from the underground?" Jung Min let the petals caress his cheeks non-chalantly.

Hyobi pondered about it for a while, "I guess it's because I have nowhere else to go."

The Luster smirked. It was because her urge was not strong enough. Silently reprimanding himself again, he remembered he still had a gang to fend for. "Come, I'll show you something you might be interested in."

Jung Min brought Hyobi towards the only tree in the whole meadow. Squatting at the foot of the tree, he made her squat beside her. "Don't blink," he said as he gently pushed aside the bundle of flowers that laid on the ground.

Hyobi gasped when she saw a bird nest revealed. Three nestlings were cuddled fast asleep. "Why are they here!"

Jung Min chuckled softly and motioned for her to keep her volume down. "The nest fell from the tree one autumn. The mother bird died hugging onto the three eggs when she fell to the rocks."

Hyobi looked up at the branches that hung higher up on the tree. It must have been a great fall. She couldn't help but notice a small carving on the tree that read "Jung Min loves Hee Ryun."

Her expression softened as she cooed at the three small sleeping birds. She brushed off the image from her mind and replaced them with the previous excitement. "I didn't know you're a father! What are their names?"

"Hyun Min, Jung Jong, Kyu Joong. Creative hmm?" the Luster giggled.

"What kind of name is Jung Jong!" she burst out into a mini laughter.

"A really cool and great and unique name!" Jung Min defended himself. She erupted into greater laughter.

"Shhh you're waking Jung Jong up! Stop laughing!"
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"Kyu Jong sshi, you're recovering fast," she walked down the corridor lined with windows. 

He smiled at her as she came to lean against the railings beside him. "Of course, I'm ironman."

Hyobi giggled. Kyu Jong had his eyes fixed on the sky before them and when Hyobi looked where he did, she wasn't really sure she could pry her eyes off either. "It's beautiful."

"It's the prettiest thing I see in my life. But it doesn't last long," Kyu Jong frowned at the setting sun. 

"But don't you like the night sky more?" her eyes traced the pink and orange shades the sun had coloured on the sky.

He shook his head, "why would you want something dark when you can have something bright?"

"But the night sky has stars."

"The day has the sun."

She smiled, "that's true." She felt something soft against her skin and realised she was standing so close to him that his sleeping gown could brush her whenever he moved.

"You're telling me a lot more nowadays."

"I don't like to lie."

"That's why your credibility is high amongst your people."

That gentle smile surfaced again. He shook his head, "I have broken many promises in the past."

"To your members?"

"I broke almost all I made to Heori," he fastened his eyes on the last quarter of the sun.

"Your heart beats faster now, you know?"

Kyu Jong tilted his head towards her.

"From the time you used the tranquilliser to the time you were shot."

"How do you know?" Kyu Jong revealed a mischievous grin.

"I-"

He laughed.
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"Arent you afraid you'll regret it?" the youngest of the three asked.

"I will if I don't," Hyun Joong replied, slouching onto Kyu Jong's armchair. Kyu Jong settled two glasses on the table before going back to the bar counter of his room for another. Taking a sip of wine, he joined his brothers.

Jung Min sighed and began to change topics. "Are we fully prepared to launch our attack?"

Kyu Jong nodded, stretching and flexing his recovering wound. "I've rounded all involved men."

"I've asked people to test the terrains."

"They'll never expect this."

Jung Min nodded, "I hope it comes soon, I'm bored from this peace."

"You're a beast," Kyu Jong laughed, "I pretty much like this peace."

"We never know if Hound's planning against us right now, I don't feel easy laying in comfort."

"He can't get past our bulwarks."

"I still want revenge," Hyun Joong hissed under the rim of his glass. 
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"Your next mission," Jung Min leaned back against his armchair and handed the slip of paper to the protector. With the tap of a button, he switched off the screen that earlier flashed a few wanted faces.

"Jung Min-nim..this is.." Young Saeng's hand couldn't help but shiver.

"Your job is not to question but to perform, am I right?"

"But perhaps we could discuss it with Kyu Jong-nim and Hyun J-"

"I have decided. Do as I say."

The protector swallowed, "I understand." He took his bow before leaving the room.

Jung Min heaved a heavy sigh as he spun his chair to face the wide paintings on his wall. On one drew a big meadow, alike the one he visited that day, only with an addition of a small wooden hut.

It was time to visit the garden.

"Is something up?" Jung Min met his brothers along the stairway.

"Not that I know of, why?" he replied.

"We passed by that protector earlier."

"Oh, it's no big deal," Jung Min tried not to blink too much before excusing himself to the garden.
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