Chapter Fourteen
Eun

Lazily, yet still vigilantly, I lounge on the branch of a neighboring oak tree. I watch the quiet and somewhat peaceful sight of the camp below. The fire has almost died out due to the morning breeze and sudden overnight sprinkle of rain. Hyorin at one point had gotten up and gone to the nearby pond to wash her face or something like that. As for Baekhyun, he still snores the morning away, psh, as if we have time to waste on sleep.

      We’re not even beyond the city boundaries. We’re still in Seoul Cruor territory, one of the most malicious Cruor command centers in the country. Yet, these ridiculous humans are wasting time washing their faces and sleeping until late morning when a Cruor could attack any moment. And who’s to say that I won’t let that happen? If anything, it’ll make it much easier if I could get rid of the girl right now and continue on with the mission.

      Right as that last thought lingers in my head for a moment longer, I hear the shrill shriek of terror and I already know what’s happening.

      Baekhyun is startled awake the instant her scream hits his ears. He stumbles to gain balance and his eyes immediately dart to me as I soar down from my tree branch. Even in this situation, I can’t help but roll my eyes. The words in his eyes are evident. What did you do? I can’t help but laugh bitterly even though he doesn’t even ask me out loud. Me? I did nothing at all. Sheesh…

      “She went down to the pond.” I tell him, doing my best to push away my arrogance for the sake of the circumstances. I watch as the human boy dashes into the trees. Unfortunately for him, it’s the wrong direction. I let out an exasperated sigh, exaggerating it so that he can hear it loud and clear. He freezes and whirls around to face me. The agitated and alarmed expression on his face isn’t a good look for someone like him, not at all. I set a lopsided smirk on my face as I slowly point my index finger in the correct direction.

      “Right,” Baekhyun mumbles as he hops over a fallen tree branch. I cross my arms snugly over my chest. What’s he going to do when he arrives to the site? There wouldn’t be anything he could do to help except delay Hyorin’s inescapable future only for a few minutes.
“Aren’t you coming?” His eyes lock with my own and I can see the thoughts forming in his head. You planned this didn’t you? She’s my friend! You’re not that cruel to let an innocent person die are you?

      “Tell me Baekhyun, why should I help your little friend? I told you, I have no responsibility over that girl, you’re in charge of her safety.” I restate the facts to him.
“Because she’s part of the mission.” Baekhyun exclaims.
“Is she? To me she’s just a tagalong. The mission would go fine without her. Why would I save someone that doesn’t benefit me in any way?” I snap back almost instantaneously.

      I feel a sense of satisfaction when the frustrated and ticked off mood takes over his face.
“Why are you just standing there?” I question him as he glares straight at me.
“The Cruor know how to make their meals fast.”

      I observe from a higher branch of a tree beside the pond. The scene would look almost like it did before the Cruor epidemic if it weren’t for the stench of raw flesh and slightly yellowed grass, oh, and you can’t forget the innocent victim about to become a late breakfast.

      The fear on her face is almost enough to make me fall out of the tree in a fit of laughter. It’s just a thing all Cruor enjoy the sight of. Human fear. The fear that reeks off of their skin the minute they realize what situation they’ve tousled themselves in. The fear they get when the first sense of pain strikes. The fear that appears right before they know it’s over.

      “Hyorin!” My eyes flicker to the idiot who barges out from behind the trees. Took him long enough…
“Baekhyun!” Hyorin screams as she takes a step toward her friend. The horror in her eyes is amusing to me, like a mouse desperately attempting to escape a cat’s claws.
“Two dishes in one meal. Yum.” The familiar and roguish tone of that voice rings a bell.

      I narrow my eyes, taking a closer look, the tangled, dirty blond mop of hair, the friendly, silver eyes, that endearing Casanova grin of his. Out of a thousand Cruor, why is it that the one Cruor that I’ll have to fight to protect these doleful humans have to be him?

      Before the Cruor can make a single move on his prey I’m already in plain sight. The hesitation to do the unthinkable edges at the border of my heart. How could I do something like this to a friend like him? I flinch as the light in his eyes shines brightly at the sight of me.
“Good thing there’s enough for the two of us, huh Eun?” Jongin laughs as he takes a step closer to the humans.

      My eyes saunter over to the defenseless humans. Hyorin’s eyes still flood with that dread from before, but now I don’t sense the amusement within me. Baekhyun’s puppy brown eyes lock me in place. I can see the thought of betrayal and absolute doubt that illuminates off of him. Couldn’t he have more faith in me at a time like this?

      “Don’t just stand there Eun, I’m hungry.” Jongin his lips as he targets Hyorin with those iridescent eyes of his. I close my eyes.

I’m sorry.

Whoa, is this real?

Two updates in two consecutive days?

Wow.

BUT OMG SING FOR YOU OMG THERE GO AGAIN SLAYING MY INNOCENT SOUL LIKE THAT.
THE MV IS SO SAD AND LIKE I CAN FEEL THE LONELINESS

ESPECIALLY IN SEHUNS WHALE SCENE

AND WHEN BAEKHYUN IS THE ONLY LEFT AT THE TABLE