"Hyung-nim." A shadow quietly lood from behind while I was stricken with shock. Still horrified, I looked back. There stood Dawon, looking as if he was about to cry. He stared back at .
Dawon glanced at my ragged clothing and ssy hair. His face distorted as his gaze scanned down, but, even though his teeth were clenched, he still gently reached out with his hand. "Hyung-nim, don't think anything weird."
The Dawon who had given the cruel order to bring back even if it ant cutting off my limbs, and the Dawon standing before now, seed like two entirely different people.
I forced the tension to leave my arm and pointed the dagger at Dawon.
When he saw the dagger pointed at him, Dawon finally spoke a bit fiercely, "Put it down. Now."
"…I'm sorry, Dawon-ah."
This world's Dawon had so similar traits to the real Dawon, so it felt like I was betraying the real Mage. My heart felt heavy.
However, if Dawon captured , and I got a ga over…
‘I won't be able to see him again.'
Though it was painful, I accelerated and buried myself into Dawon's arms. Despite the sudden attack, Dawon remained immobile. I basically jumped into the arms of a resistant, unrelenting child.
"……!"
And, when I pressed the blade gently to Dawon's stomach… I noticed sothing strange. My mouth flew open. Dawon hugged tightly–the breath was knocked out of my lungs. His strength far exceeded that of a normal child.
"See."
"You…"
"Hyung-nim can't kill ." Dawon lifted his moist eyes and gripped my wrist.
He was right. My dagger could cut down ginormous monsters as if they were sheets of paper, but now I couldn't even cut through Dawon's clothes. I just uselessly pressed bluntly against him. Moreover, Dawon didn't stop there; he roughly twisted the wrist that held the dagger.
"Let go…!"
"….."
Clatter–!
Unfortunately, the conflict ended in Dawon's one-sided victory. The dagger rolled onto the floor, and Dawon pushed hard against the wall.
When the back of my head hit the wall with a thud, I scread. My eyes shut tight, and my body was wracked with dry coughs, "Cough…"
"Hyung-nim. Hyung-nim, you're suffering from a disease."
Dawon kept pinned to the wall and began to talk in a hypnotizing tone. "You’ve been tornted while creating the Shikigami, and now you’re suffering from strange delusions.”
At those words, I montarily forgot about my excruciating headache and shouted, "…It's not so weird delusion. Let go!"
Dawon’s lips quivered as he listened to my words, and eventually, he burst into tears and cried out, "There's no other place than here! You can't run away!"
At the sa ti, Dawon's eyes began to turn violet. I didn't know what that ant, but the change was ominous.
I tried to resist, but, by then, Dawon had already done sothing to .
‘My body… Actually–I can't even speak.'
In the end, I collapsed, unable to keep my balance.
Dawon gently helped and leaned against the wall. At that mont, I felt like I was going to lose my mind from fear. Even my eyelids were paralyzed, and I couldn't close them at will.
‘…Is it because of his eyes?'
Dawon's eyes still shimred with a strange violet hue, and as I stared into them, I began to doubt whether I was even breathing of my own volition.
On the other hand, Dawon gently caressed my frightened face… and then lowered his head to kiss . In his round face, I could see the older Dawon's dark-clad gaze. But now, there was a more violent undertone.
"I don't think you'll understand at this point."
"……"
"But soon, once we're married…"
"……"
"All your confusion will be forgotten." Dawon said, as if he was trying to convince himself, rather than talking to . Then, afterwards, a servant–who knows when it arrived–approached and politely held out a small basin.
Dawon wet the tip of his handkerchief and began to wipe my face. The lukewarm temperature felt startlingly uncomfortable. Of course, even at that mont, I couldn't even shiver, as I hadn't been ‘given permission.'
However, Dawon continued to ‘care' for . He wiped my collarbone carefully and threw the stained handkerchief into the basin; then, he dressed in the long, dark clothes the servants handed him. He placed a silk band–a blindfold–over my wide-open eyes.
After blocking my view, he coldly commanded the servant, "Sprinkle the red jade in the bathtub. I'll wash him, so don't touch him. Take good care of Hyung-nim while I go run so errands. And let know imdiately if he wakes up. Just go ring that useless bell you've got around your neck."
Jingle, Jingle–!
I heard the jingle of the bell when the servant nodded its head.
And, Dawon was definitely…
Clap–!
He clapped.
That's the last thing I rembered.
* * *
"Gasp…!" I floundered and woke with a start; the air felt suffocating. However, even after I opened my eyes, my confusion continued.
"This is…?" I clearly had regained consciousness after eting Dawon on the second floor; when I had opened my eyes, though, I found myself in a bath full of hazy steam. I was already subrged in the bath.
"Hyung-nim, doesn't your bruise hurt?"
"Ack!"
Moreover, Dawon was there, casually at my side. Fortunately, it didn't seem like I was naked; thin fabric covered my body. However, that didn't make this situation any less uncomfortable or awkward.
I viciously pushed Dawon's hand–which was touching my bare forearm–away. "G-Get away! What are you doing?!"
"……."
Dawon stared at his hand for a mont when I hit it away, but his silence didn't last long. He raised his head again and smiled, "You've gotten incredibly dirty and hurt yourself. I've brought you here, in the bathroom, so you can freshen yourself and relieve your fatigue."
"What are you plotting…? You know as well, I…Mmmph!"
But, as soon as I tried to tell Dawon about the [Vengeful Ghost mory], I suddenly found myself speechless, and all my strength drained away. It seed like the sa thod that had been used to make lose consciousness earlier.
Dawon embraced my now pale body, scooped so water with a lotus leaf that had been floating in the bath, and began pouring water over my body. I naturally slumped against Dawon's shoulder, and he carefully held .
"Hyung-nim. You've been suffering from delusions for several years. As to what caused it… I already know. You've beco sick because of ."
"…You…" Fortunately, my voice wasn't blocked this ti. However, I was still unable to move.
Dawon-ie stroked my face as he pleased and kissed again. Though the contact was quite intimate, the emotions behind his action were so unclear. I was frightened.
Looking down at forlornly, Dawon said, "I… You were afraid because a paltry imitation Hyung-nim made surpassed you, right?"
"……"
"So, I wanted to take care of Hyung-nim for the rest of my life–without betraying you. I even wanted to marry you, but… You kept refusing . You didn't have faith in my feelings."
"….."
“You still don't trust in them at all."
Of course, I didn’t. I had the real Dawon. But, despite his childlike appearance, there was a deep sense of loneliness and pain emanating from Dawon's eyes.
I couldn't help but sigh after seeing his face. ‘Why does he have to have *his* face?'
This question popped into my mind a dozen tis in this mory, and, once more, this unbidden question lingered in my thoughts. After a certain point, Dawon–the lovable and loving Dawon–beca my biggest obstacle in these [Vengeful Ghost mories].
Actually, I could vaguely guess at the cause for this phenonon. [Vengeful Ghost mories] are realms created from our consciousness; ultimately, I was being tested by forces borrowing the appearance of one I love the most: Dawon. To summarize, Dawon was my weakness. So, even if I shouldn't feel resentful…
‘So evil… Damn it.'
The frustration made my insides boil.
However, I couldn't just sit around like this. I closed my eyes tightly before opening them and making eye contact with Dawon.
Dawon, whose pupils were outlined in a soft purple glow, smiled damply when our eyes t.
I pushed down my fear and asked, "…When is the wedding?"
"Tomorrow, at midnight." Dawon replied obediently before placing small, fragrant stones atop my body. Then, he began to rub my skin with those stones. A nose-piercing rosy scent wafted from its smooth surface.
"……"
"After midnight tomorrow, you can be calm and happy again." Dawon murmured, clearly anticipating the coming day. But, those words ant sothing different to –that was the final deadline for this [Vengeful Ghost mory].
I took a deep breath and called out, "Dawon-ah."
"…Yes, Hyung-nim?"
"I get it. I'll be your bride."
Beco a mber!
TL: Sorry I"m being so slow you guys! I'm so so busy lately–especially since it's the start of the sester.
Reviews
All reviews (0)