His Onyx Eyes

For a moment, he imagined a glimpse of someone in that figure of him, someone whose standing the same way, back still facing him, and his heart fluttered a little faster.

There was silence, then Han Min uttered with uncertainty, "No."

He turned around and stare at him in the eye. So Eun felt his heart was stung.

He fluttered his lashes before looking down, "I don't think you don't."

But deep inside, So Eun knew he was lying. He clenched his fists and took a step forward.

"What are you afraid of?" This time, he attempted to thaw something by being straightforward and persistent. He knew he was crossing the line but he saw him hesitate, that alone proved something goes on between them.

He wanted to press him to tell the truth, all because something's been bothering him--that the Demon King was hated and alone, that maybe part of it was because of him.

Seeing him alone in the forest and seeking him on the pond, he tried to deny it, but that something aches in his heart every time he looks at him.

And within his insides, that missing part of him seems to be in pain.

Han Min noticed his hands and looked up at his face, "If you understand what'll happen to a Deity if their purpose is achieved, you wouldn't want to know." That made his spirits loosen, his shoulders tensing.

As scary as how he said it, he had an idea about it. One where he thought was entirely atrocious.

Han Min watched his solemn face and put both hands on his back. After a while of contemplating, he spoke, "What was your mission about?"

So Eun put his attention on him and stopped himself from blurting it out.

He gulped and lightly shook his head, averting his eyes to look down.

The other seemed to understand that small gesture. He stared at him for a while, before turning around to continue his stroll. So Eun expected that from him, and quickly follow after, leaving a gap between them this time.

"Can I ask where's your residence?" He inquired, glancing at the man's figure while walking.

"Why?"

"The run-down temple doesn't look like a Demon King's place." The ordeal that happened days ago wasn't far away from this place, at least that's what he believes when he came out of the temple.

If Han Min brought him here to help, it was quite a hidden place. Nothing but the chirping birds and wild animals can lurk them.

If he takes him straight to his place with ferocious ghouls and demons serving him, he would never make it out alive again and Han Min wouldn't have broken a sweat to help.

They arrived shortly at the presence of the temple without talking, large green vines completely devouring the building. That alone would surely have been mistaken for a big boulder trapped in a forest.

Han Min didn't give him a final look before venturing inside the leafy temple, the creaking of doors resounding. So Eun blinked and went towards it and sneakily took a peek by the door.

From inside, he saw him blocking in front of the ruined table, which the length went past the view from the slightly open door.

So Eun noticed something different that wasn't there before, so he ceased his actions and cautiously went inside.

When he appeared inside, the other went beside the table, where So Eun's resting mat was placed. He followed him with his eyes before moving to the other side of the table, and there appeared, a feast twinkling in front of him.

The ruined table was now occupying the empty space with dishes. A lot of exquisite cuisines he wasn't familiar with. So Eun had almost gulped at the sight of the meals, looking at Han Min in confusion, mouth slightly agape.

The other had his arms crossed, leaning at one of the stone pillars, he returned his gaze and gesture over the food.

"That isn't poisoned. I ordered Yun Hwa to prepare a meal. I suppose he isn't coming early, so better eat it before it gets cold." He wasn't expecting the answer by any means and ended up staring at him a little longer. Contemplating if what he heard was right, coming from the Demon King himself.

On the other side, Han Min was earnestly watching him, and he instantly noticed his stare.

He straightened his back and coughed on his fist, disregarding the tension on his figure, before sighing deeply.

"I'll be going now then." That voice of his was too strained. Han Min knew the other noticed it too, but he paid it no mind and walked towards the door.

Yet when he passed by him with their shoulders barely touching, he was forced to stop.

The Deity stretched out his hand and held his sleeve. So Eun wasn't entirely looking at him, more like avoiding his eyes.

"My mission... what if I tell you it to leads me to you?"

He didn't know what to expect him to say, but the glint on his eyes when he looked up, rendered him speechless.

In those pair of onyx eyes, So Eun badly wants to know what makes it so cold and gloomy.

His next words didn't come in a second, being completely enthralled. Pressing his lips in a thin line and forced a word;

"Would you tell me about our past?" 

Upon hearing his own words, he acknowledged the tone of softness in it. Gentle and soothing, silently hoping the sorrow in his eyes to fade away.

Han Min seemed to be in an equal state as him, before uttering; "That can't be good." He then gave him a perplexed look.

"Wha-Why?"

Before he knew it, the sleeve in his hand slipped away and the other took a few steps behind.

"The reason and the aftermath are both ominous. I can't tell you directly if you didn't spend any effort to earn it." His hands waved frantically as if gesturing something, and ended up on the doorknob.

"Is stabbing myself for you wasn't enough of an effort?"

The other stiffened by the door, his hands on the knob clenching tightly, before turning around to face his back at him.

"Eat your food. It wouldn't be worth calling it a mission if you accomplish it so soon." He saw him sigh deeply before opening and closing the door.

Within an instant, So Eun was left behind the temple once again. Biting his lips out of frustration, he rested both hands on the table while staring at the feast.

"My food?" He asked himself, thoughts running wildly. Yet after deliberating for a few minutes passed, the sudden hunger he felt the first thing was engulfed by his own thoughts.

He couldn't stay still here if he's been feeling something strange that would come at any time.

Ever since he woke up, the aura of the forest was abundant and refreshing, yet the dread in his chest only seem to grow heavier.

From then on, as if something lits up in his head, he stared worryingly at the door before deciding to leave the temple to pursue Han Min again.

Something felt wrong, and he didn't feel pleased about it. The food can wait.

~~~

The Demon King couldn't hear anything aside from his feet tapping at the stone path. Walking nonchalantly with the breeze making the bamboo trees sway.

He was caught up in his thoughts when another footstep disturbed him. Yun Hwa was sweating furiously, barely holding his breath. He stopped running in front of Han Min, before speaking;

"Those twins, Yang Shen sent them looking everywhere and came to destroy our invisible barrier, they trace our paths and exceeded our expectations. I couldn't hold them much longer. Han Min, we need to move."

Yun Hwa was clutching his golden bow in his hand. A spiritual aura emits through it.

The other clicked his tongue and nodded at him; "Go back to So Eun, I'll face them." Before going in the direction where Yun Hwa came.

He only stepped a little further and the other was already pulling him back.

"What are you doing? Your core hasn't healed yet!" He was pulled behind and only gave the other a harsh stare.

"I said head back to So Eun and leave with him, those twins are surely coming after him." He didn't waste any breath and unleash a blackened smoke within his hand.

"What are you thinking?! I'm not leaving you here. That So Eun must be--" Yun Hwa caught his tongue and suddenly widened his eyes at him.

"Wait--You-You didn't tell him yet?!" With the other still stopping him from advancing, Han Min sidestepped and pushed on his back to escape.

"This is not the time to report everything. Just go back and leave right away." He instantly turned his back on him and tread on the stone path. But the other still didn't obey him.

"Han Min, he has to know!"

"Han Min! This might be the answer you've been looking for!" He shouted and followed him from behind, attempting to run past him.

However, at a speed of light, a thunderbolt erupted in front, and there appeared, a God-like being descended on the ground before them.

With a spark of lightning and a beaming glow of a Deity, Gim Jaebin stood there with one hand holding a golden glimmering sword.

"I'm surprised. After a decade, I didn't expect to see you and So Eun again." After the light dissipated, the man's face was tinted with a sinister smile.

One of the twins of the Gim Clan blocked the two from advancing further.