Chapter 878: Supreme Heavenly Demon.

My head is spinning.

Every time a voice I didn’t know echoed in my head, I felt like throwing up.

I clutched my chest and tried to catch my breath, but even that wasn’t easy.

What is this? What kind of feeling is this?

My vision is blurry.

The sounds I could only hear were gradually making my vision hazy.

The scenery changed.

Instead of Tang Soyeol, whom I had been facing in the darkness, I saw a place somewhere else.

Although it was blurry and I couldn’t see clearly, it definitely wasn’t night.

It was actually bright daylight. Faintly visible autumn leaves suggested it might be the same season as now.

Where am I? Where on earth, and when, is this happening to me?

And.

‘Just a little more.’

While bewildered, I was concentrating, wanting to see that scene more.

Should I say I couldn’t take my eyes off it? Or perhaps, that I just missed it?

It’s an emotion I can’t understand myself.

However, I wanted to see it somehow. I couldn’t see the expression. Me and someone sitting in front of a cabin I’d never seen before, in a place I’d never seen.

-Yes, like that.

The woman smiled, perhaps satisfied that I called her name.

But.

-Keep doing that from now on. Please do that.

I felt an inexplicable sadness in her laughing voice. So I asked.

-Why are you like that?

Asking what made her so sad. Asking why she was sad even though I granted her wish.

I asked, but no answer came.

Whether the woman wasn’t speaking. Or if the voice couldn’t be heard from within the memory, I couldn’t know.

‘Speak.’

But I wanted to hear it.

‘I said speak.’

I wanted to grab onto her somehow and ask, but the me in the memory seemed to no longer open my mouth.

It’s frustrating. This moment where I can’t move my body makes it even more so.

Why am I so impatient and frustrated?

I couldn’t understand this either.

‘Move, damn it.’

I grit my teeth and try with all my might. I knew that I wouldn’t move in the memory just because of this, but.

I felt like I still had to do it.

Just as I was desperately trying everything with all my strength.

Swoosh.

‘…!’

My body moves within the blurry scene.

Did I move? I wasn’t sure, but it was moving the way I wanted.

My hand goes up.

Seeing that, the woman flinched. I couldn’t see her expression. Because the blurriness hadn’t improved.

-…You?

A surprised voice was heard.

At that moment.

“Young Master-nim…!”

“…!”

My consciousness returned with the interrupting voice.

“Young Master-nim…. are you alright?”

“…Ah…”

Tang Soyeol’s face came into view. She was reaching out and stroking my cheek.

“Why… why are you crying, Young Master-nim? Is it because of me…?”

Crying? At those words, I hurriedly wiped under my eyes with my hand.

It was true. Tears had formed, even if just a little.

This is absurd.

‘What the hell is this.’

Why the hell am I bawling like a loser all of a sudden? And what was that memory just now? I was momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend the situation.

“I-I’m sorry…”

Tang Soyeol’s words made me widen my eyes.

“What?”

“It’s… it’s because I was being unreasonable, right? I’m sorry… It’s not that, I just…”

“What are you talking about. It’s not like that.”

I quickly added, but Tang Soyeol’s reaction was already incredibly shaken.

“…I’m sorry.”

“No, wait…”

“I’ll take my leave first. Please rest comfortably.”

Before I could say anything to stop her, Tang Soyeol tried to bolt.

Wouldn’t it be better to just let her go right now? I thought that for a moment, but.

Just then. I saw Tang Soyeol’s eyes as she turned away.

Her reddened eyes looked like they were about to shed tears any second. Seeing that, my hand moved first.

I grabbed Tang Soyeol and pulled her back into my embrace.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…”

“It’s not like that. Really.”

I desperately spewed out excuses. Tang Soyeol didn’t say anything, just firmly held onto my back.

The words asking if I loved her lingered in my head. What was the answer I was about to give then?

I didn’t need to search for it. How much time had passed that I would forget?

…The problem is.

“I can’t answer right now.”

Hearing my words, Tang Soyeol stirred in my arms.

“…Why?”

“Is it because you’re not sure…? Or is it because it’s not like that?”

The tremor in her voice let me know how anxious Tang Soyeol was.

“…No. It’s neither.”

Not sure? That’s impossible. If not, then because it’s not that kind of feeling? That wasn’t it either.

“Simply… because I can’t say it right now.”

At least not now. Not right now. If I were to say it now, I felt like everything I’d been holding back would burst out all at once.

‘How am I maintaining this.’

No matter how much of an idiot I am, I knew what kind of feelings those kids had looking at me. It was overwhelming for me too, having them cling to me with those feelings.

But I had to endure.

‘Because it’s not possible right now.’

Not now, when I haven’t achieved anything and haven’t resolved anything. At least after resolving everything that’s in front of me. It would be right to do it then.

So.

“Just a little… just wait a little.”

“…”

The hand holding my back tightened its grip.

“How much is ‘a little’?”

It was a somewhat childish question. Just like myself back then, asking how many more days until that day comes.

How should I answer? I shouldn’t have thought about it for too long.

This time, I just had to blurt out what was inside me.

“It won’t take long.”

Even though I couldn’t give a definite answer, I did my best. It wouldn’t be that long. No, even if it seemed like it would take a long time, I intended to make sure it wouldn’t.

“…”

Although I ended up spitting out an ambiguous answer, Tang Soyeol didn’t question anything about it. She just stayed in my arms, resting her face against my chest.

After a long while like that.

“…I understand.”

Tang Soyeol said, still not lifting her head from my chest.

“I’ll wait… Because I’m confident in things like that.”

It was a strangely bitter remark.

“But… instead.”

Tang Soyeol lifted her head. Our eyes met. Her eyes were still red.

“If the time comes when you say those words, Young Master-nim. Please tell me first.”

“…Huh?”

“I know. I know those words aren’t meant for just one person, Young Master-nim.”

“…”

I felt like the biggest piece of trash in the world, but I couldn’t deny it. Nor could I avoid her gaze, so I just swallowed hard.

“No matter what you look like, or whatever you do. I know well that I’m not the only one who can love even those aspects of you. So it’s okay.”

“…”

“Heehee… Your expression right now is hilarious, Young Master-nim.”

“…That…”

“Will you promise me?”

If you’re going to say it, do it to me first. Looking at Tang Soyeol saying that, I scratched my cheek and said.

“…I’ll try my best.”

“Okay.”

Whether this insignificant answer was enough, Tang Soyeol’s expression changed.

“Please. Try your best.”

Tang Soyeol gave a shy smile. I also smiled awkwardly seeing her smile.

Just as I thought the conversation might be ending.

“But, Young Master-nim.”

“Yeah?”

Tang Soyeol asked.

“Who is Ye-hwa?”

“…”

Oh, shit.

The atmosphere instantly turned cold. Tang Soyeol was still smiling, but her smile was terrifyingly unnatural.

‘She heard it.’

It was something I’d blurted out without realizing, and it seemed she’d heard it. In other words, I was screwed.

“Is it a woman? Who?”

“…Did I say that? I don’t really know-“

“Judging by your expression, you know you said it.”

“…”

Damn it.

I genuinely considered running away, but Tang Soyeol tightened the arms holding me. To the point where I worried my body might crumble.

Crack.

“Ah… that hurts?”

“I’m doing it so it hurts.”

“Ah, right.”

I see. She’s doing it to make it hurt. Right, then I guess I have to endure it.

“Who is it?”

“…No, well, that…”

“Young Master-nim. It might not be my place to say this, but I don’t really like it when you stall.”

“Stall? Who’s stalling?”

“You have a conscience too, don’t you, Young Master-nim? Right?”

“…”

Did I even have one? It felt like we’d come too far to argue about that.

“…Right?”

“Of course. I do… Obviously.”

My voice held a murderous intent, so I hastily replied. It was time to conjure up a conscience even if I didn’t have one.

“Who is it?”

Her attitude was that she wouldn’t let this slide, not even if she died. Even the Heavenly Demon thing earlier wasn’t this intense; her eyes were dead serious.

The problem is.

“…Yeah.”

“What?”

There wasn’t much I could say.

“I wonder who it could be.”

“…What do you mean…?”

“I really don’t know. I wonder who it could be.”

I don’t know who that person is either. Tang Soyeol frowned at my answer, but I was being sincere.

Who this woman named Ye-hwa was, I wanted to know even more. Like I was going crazy wanting to know.

******************

Swoosh–!

Blades of grass sway in the night breeze. The moon hanging in the sky was close to a half-moon. As if signaling the end of autumn, a hint of winter was permeating the breeze.

“…”

Someone was sitting on a rock, gazing at the sky. The sky, devoid of even a single cloud today. Perhaps fascinated by it, the woman stared only at the sky with a somewhat vacant look.

What could she be thinking? Her expression was impossible to guess.

“…Hmm.”

The woman, who had been quietly watching the sky, suddenly let out a low sound and moved her hand. She opened and closed her hand, brushing over her chest a few times.

“…Ughh…”

A reaction as if something was strange. Along with an expression of incomprehension. The woman rolled her beautiful violet eyes back and forth, lost in thought.

“What is it?”

Something felt strange today.

“What is it.”

It was difficult to explain. Even more difficult to ponder. Overwhelmed by the inexplicable sensation, she could only tilt her head back and forth.

“Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.”

She made sounds every time she moved her head. It was a rather childish behavior compared to her mature appearance. After moving like that for a while, the woman suddenly stopped.

“I don’t know. Hmm, I don’t know.”

She reached a conclusion.

“I want to see them.”

Who was this longing directed towards? The woman herself couldn’t provide an answer. It was just a word spoken by instinct.

“I want to see them?”

So she immediately turned it into a question.

“Mm.”

The woman’s legs moved slowly in the air.

Just then.

-Yeon-ah! Yeon-ah! Where did this one wander off to now?

At the voice heard from afar, the woman immediately stopped moving. At that moment, an energy emanated from the woman’s shadow, enveloping the surroundings.

-Yeon…!

Only then did the voice become inaudible. It was a method chosen because she wanted to be alone right now.

Besides.

‘My name isn’t that.’

She wasn’t Yeon. It was because her sister called her that, so she remained still, but no matter how much she thought about it, it didn’t feel familiar.

Instinct told her. That her name wasn’t that. That she should never think that way.

Then.

‘Then, what is my name?’

What could her name be? Why did she think her name wasn’t Yeon? This was the deepest worry the woman had pondered so far. If she didn’t like her sister calling her that, she should say no. That she wasn’t that name, but something else. She could just say that, but.

‘I don’t know.’

The woman said she didn’t like it, yet she didn’t actually know what her name was.

‘…I don’t know.’

What is her name? No, perhaps that wasn’t the important thing after all.

‘…What’s important is….’

Who calls it. The woman thought that was more important. She hoped someone who knew her name would call her. The woman was waiting for that.

“Hmm…”

She clutched her chest, which felt heavy. It felt stuffy and painful. She didn’t want to think about anything anymore.

Swooshhhhh–!

Narrowing the space she had created to hide her presence, the woman closed her eyes. She hated the lonely night. She desperately wished for the light to come and for the day to return. Just like always.