Chapter 56.1 (Part 1)

As Asami quietly makes her way back towards the living room amidst trying to gather her scattered thoughts in one place, she found herself stopping as her eyes thoroughly examine her own reflection when she passes a full-body mirror hanging peacefully by the wall in the foyer and her mouth parts in disbelief. My good Lord…

Disheveled hair, black eyeliner stains at the corner and under her puffed eyes, red runny nose, and wrinkled clothes.

Her hand went up to cover her mouth, at a loss for words as she sneezes then sniffs, trying to control her flowy nose that's acting up at the wrong momentum.

She looks so done.

And her children had seen her in this state?

Aigoo. Her soul exhaustedly left her body, in a state of death.

Is it too late for her to save face?

She glumly fixes her hair, straightening a few strands that are currently on rebellion, brushes off a few smudges of her eyeliner in sight, and fixes the visible greases of her office attire. But despite her cluttered appearance, she was more worried about the cake in her hand.

Is the cake fine?

She bends down and took her shoe off, and by the moment she place her foot flatly against the cold floor, she groans and breathes in relief before taking off the other. Though she frequently winces in the air due to the stabbing pain, at the same time she was thankful that her worries could end here—that her prayers were heard. Her over-the-top worried mom mode could now finally pull back its lever without further complications.

A proud smile stretches her lips when she peeks down at the untouched and unbelievably safe condition of the cake in her grip through the transparent plastic cover over the top of the designed box and stops there, not checking any further, and little did she know she missed an important point that would cause her disappointment to arise later on.

"Did you kids have dinner already?" She speaks as soon as she finally left the foyer with a wide smile on her lips. She greeted her two lovely boys with the warmest smile she could give. They were standing a meter away from each other, rather too quiet but comfortably calm as if they had been patiently waiting for her to return and my, my, the sight of them both in one picture is a match made in heaven. It makes her heart swell in joy.

They're getting along quite well already.

What a truly fine sight indeed.

"Eomma…" Jin mutters longingly and worriedly from the distance and his sad and wavering voice had caused two pairs of ears to perk up in alert.

Hiro moves his head and peeks down at him, his once flat brows now frown in sudden worry.

Sweetheart…

Asami spread her arms and nudges her child for an embrace, which Jin gladly followed, running to her open arms and wrapping his arms around her. As soon as he was an arm's length close, she squeezes him lovingly between her arms, holding back her tears.

She's finally home.

She pulls back and cups her child's face in her hands. Her glistening amethyst eyes look at his bothered ones with so much warmth. 'He' is her home.

If something were to truly happen to her child in her absence, she would lose the purpose to fight or even desire to live longer anymore.

She's glad everything's fine and peaceful as it seems now.

She averts her gaze and eyes the source of the sullen and heavy aura that's swirling disturbingly from the distance and her eyes led her to her fiancé's too flawless offspring, who now had an indifferent expression shown on his face. The fine young lad was wearing his usual stoic and deadpanned expression on. Nevertheless, 'thank you,' she mouths at him. For keeping her baby safe. Her heeded prayers and sincerity have been truly granted by the heavens as they sent him to her—to his child's side.

Because the words she heard when she was in the lobby while waiting and clueless about what was happening had still taunted her, one she may never forget in her lifetime. Though she finds it rather strange…but that mystifying mystery doesn't end there. Much to her surprise, the oddest revelation has yet to shake her. She did not expect to see a fine young bachelor inside her home today in all days of her existence, one she couldn't figure out how and why, but she couldn't find the heart to doubt and question him.

She had already considered him as her savior today.

She smiled sweetly at the fine young man from the distance. The gun incident…did he even have a license for that?

There were two witnesses with them and she's worried if this will cause a bigger problem next. Well, at the very least despite the fear inside her chest, it was good that he carried that around him at this time. If there was really a robber in the area then she'll instead have to worry over the poor intruder's life over other worst circumstances she can think of.

Yes, she can be selfish and cruel, because she has someone desperate to protect.

"Your hair's a mess," Asami whispers and pats her child's back before she freezes, her brows furrowing.

She takes a step back and examines him from head to toe. Aigoo, "Why are you still in your uniform?" and the merely visible wrinkles on her forehead reappear in distress. Goodness! "Even your shoes—"

"I'll go change quickly!" Jin hastily said, stopping her from nagging before it could get any worst. His ears blush lively in embarrassment before the vibrant color then slowly spread across his cheeks. Mom! Not in front of the guest!

A guest who's to be considered worse than to worry over any criminal on loose, but of course, neither of them knew that.

Jin tiptoed and gave his mother a quick kiss on her cheek before he rushes back towards his room, leaving his mother and Hiro alone in the living room. When he passed Hiro's side, Jin smiles at him while the man stood there, cold eyes fazed and startled as they soften at the sight of him.

Hiro continued to stand unmoving as his eyes quietly followed his little sprout jogging back towards his room, his once depressed tail wags after receiving attention, pleased and satisfied.

"You two are getting along well, aren't you?"

Asami walks over to the kitchen table and innocently places her belongings above its flat and sturdy structure, clueless about the recent incident this table had to endure and take part in.

She hopes the cake's topping hasn't fallen off from her marathon journey. She opens the box carefully and somehow the strawberry topping she thought she saw on the top was nowhere to be seen. Inevitable darkness looms over her face seeing it attached to the side of the box, hanging for dear life, "…"

Aiyaa, what a pain.

"Possibly," Hiro clears his throat and responds rather too formally, unbothered of his informalities, too. His anxious eyes couldn't leave their gaze from Jin's room, not even for a second as he impulsively stared holes at his closed door. He's changing…

"…" He'd like to see it for himself. Should he?

Hellion, the dark imp, clench his hair with his hands, frustrated and annoyed whilst fanning and running away from the strong red mist that's forcefully invading his share. Your grace! Please calm down! Eros, on the other hand, watches his companion run in circles, eyeing his friend's delicious body build in appreciation as they flex upon Hellion's every movement. What a fine sight.

He could get used to this.

Never had he met such a strong holder for lust except for father himself. And it cues him how he's loving and adoring the new heir. Well, the recent wielder wasn't much to his liking. He was a bland and cruel man that disregarded him after giving him authority once and that was the moment when the past wielder had his first room sharing with his wife. Eros sighs in disdain, he even appeared last among the other imps and held the lowest and most pitiful rank throughout his great highnesses memoir.

Remembering the centuries from the past gave him chills. That man has no weakness, and that includes passion or lust, even for his beautiful empress, who died after giving birth to his heir. He doesn't even have concubines, to begin with.

Eros felt that time that his uphold existence was too insignificant to be abandoned just like that. The great wielder knew as well as the others that he couldn't even help him on the battlefield. He was useless, so he can't really blame him for that.

Well, at this rate, he'll rise to the rankings before the rest of the imps shows up. Eros smiles wickedly. Revenge is indeed the sweetest.

The red imp follows his gaze on his companion, hiding and being protected by his unending dark colony—the strong and indestructible unending darkness.

His dark ruby red eyes meet his cold and furious black ones.

Eros can't help but look away and frown. This unrequited love he holds silently…He can never blame his father for why everything is happening to him this way. Just like his past majesty who was deeply loved by everyone, but hated by him.

Though his past majesty lacks the desire for lust, he was desirable and desired by others.

Just like Hellion who's blinded by his sole goal and thirst for manslaughter alone.

And Eros was like the empress…loving him secretly from the distance.