21 IN HIDING

Almost every day, when he got a free time, Eun Woo would go into the forest for his mind therapy. Eun Woo is very fond of exploring nature and there he can see various plants and animals that will entertain his heart and also at the same time be able to breathe fresh air.

He also likes to collect herbs there to be eaten as he cares about his health the most. There are many forests in the Dream Land but that day he chose to come to the forest near Hilleo Village to explore.

Before this, he always came to Hilleo Village and got to know the people there. He also knew Grandma Susan well. But as he grew older along with the demands of the government that he must bear, he no longer visited the village for many years even when he was in the nearby forest. But his memory is still there for them only he doesn't want to be too attached.

That day, while he was looking for ginseng to make a collection, he suddenly heard the sound of weeds in the collision and also small broken tree twigs near where he stood.

Eun-Woo tries to hear well what the sound actually is? The longer he focus, the closer the sound getting to him. He begins to gather his power in his left hand. He just makes a small but powerful blue lightning to get prepared in case the thing that moving closer now trying to attack him. Then, something that he never thought happened…

"Ouch!"

"Ah!"

Eun-Woo suddenly feels heavy in his stomach when the 'something' pushing his body hard making him fall rolling on a nearby hill in the area. His ever-sensitive ears could hear the sound of moaning in pain near him making him realize that the 'something' who collide with him just now was a human being.

Slowly he opened his eyes when his pain gradually disappearing.

"You!" The two of them said simultaneously.

This girl again? Why there is a girl like her in the middle of a forest like this? And... her clothes? It seems odd but familiar?

"What are you doing here? Are you stalking me again or did you want to get something from me now? " Eun-woo just accuse the girl directly without much thinking. He actually doesn't really know how to ask the girl nicely.

"Shh…"

Eun-Woo is now looking at the girl weird behaviour. He then watch her closely. Just like the first time they met, the girl now here with her untidy clothes, tangled hair, with a panting breath signifying she has been running for a long time and a tired face makes Eun-Woo wonder what the girl doing this time? No, wait. Actually, the girl's condition is much worse than before.

After exchanging words several times with the girl suddenly,

"Kruuuuuuuuu…. Kruuuuuuuuu ....."

At the time, Eun-Woo is a bit surprised to hear that loud noise that interrupts their conversation. Just as he was about to find out where the sound was coming from, he was stunned when the girl suddenly pulled his arm and dragged him to run.

Even in a daze Eun-Woo just follows the girl's steps. Arriving at a rather large tree the girl pushed him to lean against the tree while the girl stood facing him. He could see the girl that now peered out of from the crevice of the tree to see the surrounding is now in a very tired condition.

"Ah, Jieun. Why do you always get into trouble? " The girl said slowly while banging her own head with her hand as if regretting something.

"Jieun? Jieun is your name? " Eun-Woo asks after a long silence.

"Shh… Don't say too loud. That thing might hear you. " Jieun didn't answer the question but slightly scolded him.

Then Jieun watched at his waist as if looking for something.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Eun-Woo asked as he now feel uncomfortable with Jieun's behaviour at the time.

Jieun looks right into Eun-woo's face while widening her eyes. "Where is your sword? You didn't bring it with you today? "

Eun-woo frowns his eyebrows after hearing Jieun's question.

"Why do I have to carry a sword in a forest like this?"

"Why?!" Jieun said as if not believing what she just heard.

"Why you said? You suppose to bring the sword everywhere that dangerous. Forest is a dangerous place. Why did you use that against me in your room when clearly I'm not that dangerous, but you didn't bring it here which turned out to be a more dangerous situation. "

Eun-woo sigh a little by Jieun remark. Those days actually he didn't mean to use the sword to her, but somehow he was getting too emotional. He glanced at the girl's neck trying to find the wound from his sword but could not find it. He was a little relieved that the wound had left no trace.

Suddenly he realized something, why was he running with the girl? What makes them have to hide like that?

"What are we running for actually?" Eun-woo finally asks.

"Did you hear that sound just now? Kruu.. crew… like that? "

"So?" Eun-woo is still trying to be patient to find out the next story.

"Before this, you never heard that sound? You said you were always coming to this forest, right? " Suddenly Jieun is curious about it.

"Just explain the situation to me and don't get your mind wander by your curiosity." Eun-woo is a little flustered.

Jieun is biting her lip, aware of her fault. Then she continued,

"I heard that sound before when I visited my mother's grave on the other side of this forest. So, I went to check on it. It turns out that it was a giant bird or something that I never seen in my life there. And I... "

Hearing the word 'grave' makes Eun-Woo wonder, but he just ignores it and waiting for the story to finish.

"And you?" Eun-Woo knows something must be happening.

"I accidentally stepped on its wings. Now the bird has been chasing me since before, probably due to anger."

"Tsk." Eun-Woo stared at Jieun then. He realized that the girl was like a magnet that always brought problems along with her and now involved himself as well. Just like when they were in the palace before.

Wait? A giant bird? Eun-Woo thinks of something. While he was surveying the area before he had never seen that kind of creature there. Did the bird come into close contact with the magic stone? Eun-Woo said in his thoughts. Whatever it is, he have to see the big bird by himself before anything.

Jieun at that very moment just about to gather her energy was shocked when she saw a pair of eyes were peering towards the two of them behind the tree that they were sheltering.

"Gulp!" She swallowed her saliva a little because she was nervous.

Eun-woo also notices Jieun who suddenly froze, then looks behind him.

"Kaahhhh" The giant bird surprised them and used its wings to cut half of the large tree that shaded them both. The impact of that makes the whole area seem in a minor earthquake and a little windy enough to make their body swayed.

Now, Eun-Woo, who is used to facing the battle pulls Jieun's hand to run away from there while he watches the bird, trying to analyse the situation they are facing.

The bird is also now more aggressive by running after them as its flutters its wings forward as if trying to hit or catch them.

"Should we split up to confuse it?!" Jieun throwing ideas in a rather loud voice while running.

"With your condition I don't think you can run that far!" Eun-Woo also replies in the same tone as the voice the bird makes is louder than theirs.

Jieun agree in silence because that is the truth. She exactly knew that she would probably die if she split up with the man. But, she also felt guilty for involving the man this time with a problem she had triggered herself.

"Where are we going? I don't think hiding is a good idea! " Jieun talk again.

"Let's take it to the wider area first and think about how to fight it." Eun-Woo said while giving her a look for a moment.

Jieun now just obey because she know that the man is more familiar with the forest and also because she already doesn't know what to do anymore.