Tender Heart Is At Risk Part 1

Ever since they got out of the Temple, and trodden their way towards the other exit gate of the city, So Eun's conflicted about one thing.

He doesn't want to be a burden to him anymore.

They both knew the situation at hand, and So Eun was trying his best to read his mind.

The other chose to stay out for the show and preferred to visit the Temple, was he doing all that out of kindness?

If that was the case, hanging out with a Deity isn't really a big deal, but if it is a Demon King, So Eun doesn't know if it's kindness or pity.

Or perhaps he truly has lost his mind, because when he looked at that reserved person walking beside him, the thought of him having ill intentions behind his actions wasn't plausible anymore.

Out of nervousness, that the nice Ghost King would eventually get tired of their detour, So Eun wanted to ask him about his plan but find it too daring, so he focused on the things that first stumbled into his mind.

He doesn't know what he wants exactly, but the words find their way out of him.

"Is it right…. Deities' purpose was to protect the people?"

So Eun already grasped it, but it feels somehow different when it comes from him.

"Yes, but not entirely."

Deities were reborn to re-meet the things they had left behind in this world.

Just like how the Lady Royale had said when he first opened his eyes to a world unfamiliar to him.

The winds bellowed tunelessly while the sun was covered with clouds, and the streets of folks people slowly dried out.

The two ended up on a narrow road taking them to the path of the Tipolo Palace.

At the image of the main streets of Tipolo, So Eun remembered how it all started.

When Dong-Hyun came with him and met the ghoul child staggering in the hands of a man.

He had a glimpse of the twins to one of them ordering him to the Forest.

Those were the events that occurred a few days ago.

The man with a brunette held within his grasp.

When he came to look back in the Temple, a lady in black was hugging a framed portrait in her person. And just once, did he recognize the image was almost familiar.

If his speculations were right, that must be the burly man's wife mourning, his husband had died not long after the incident in Tipolo.

Having gone to this point, investigating alone wouldn't take him anywhere.

He remembered that the child will be held captive at the Tipolo Palace, and so decided to go there for today.

Before they have reached the end of the narrow path, So Eun glanced at Han Min and speaks,

"Han--Min… shall we take our own paths now? Or do you still need any help in finding Yun Hwa?"

He fumbled, already preparing how to reply to him.

As he looked anywhere but his face, So Eun thought the other was often hard to figure out, partly because he's entirely different from Dong-Hyun and Li Hua.

And out of all the things he'd been looking forward to, he was interested in getting to know more of him.

He knew that behind the layers of black in his person was just another facade of an aloof Demon King.

So Eun couldn't help to think about it: what kind of person is he before he succumbs into the darkness?

He only had known him for half a week, but out of all the people he met so far, he was the only one his old self seemed to recognize.

Even with the missing pieces of the past swirling with haze, and the unsaid words still hanging in the thin air, this moment with him still feels right.

After he heard his words, Han Min pivoted and directly looked at him.

"Where will you go?" He asked, arms still crossed on his chest.

"To Tipolo Palace. I have an actual matter at hand, but I can accompany you still…?"

It wasn't a second until So Eun noticed a wagon also used the narrow path as a shortcut to the main road.

It was treading lightly, but the distance between them is closing in.

Times do like to interrupt them at a certain moment because the person driving the wagon yelled at them to move.

"I'll go with you."

"What are you doing blocking a small road for?! This was created for shortcuts, not a place to do your business!"

Han Min spoke at the same time as the old man decided to exclaim. And So Eun's eyes widened at that.

"What?! Let me go through it before continuing that! I don't wanna see! People have lost their manners, it's so unpleasant."

His first instinct was to bolt out of there with Han Min, but when he considers their position that makes the old man assumes that; they are standing too close to an area where it's dark.

Then he gasped in surprise before turning to the old man.

"No, it's not like that!"

He waved his hands dismissively, while Han Min shoot what looks like a glare to the person.

"We're not even doing anything! This oldy exaggerates things more than me." So Eun exclaims inside.

"I don't really care, just keep your hands to yourself, it would be less embarrassing."

So Eun decided then that it's best to shut his mouth before he hears another thing from the old man.

With pink dusting his cheeks, So Eun grinned awkwardly at Han Min before getting them out of there.