𝕿𝐇𝐄 𝕯𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋'𝐒 𝕸𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 | 𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐍 | The Devil Judge

Chapter Seven

   "The nerve? What's wrong with my face?" Ga On demanded but Elijah ignored him and rolled away on her wheelchair.

   "Why did Yo Han pick up trash like this? A total knockoff."

   "Wait. Wait." He called, limping after her.

   Ji Eun's hand grabbing his arm stopped him from moving forward. He looked up at her in surprise.

   "Don't strain yourself," she muttered, not looking at him, but staring sadly at Elijah's receding back. "And leave Elijah be, she isn't very welcoming of strangers."

   "I thought this was Judge Kang's house," he said, even as he breathed heavily from the strain of exploring the house.

"It is," she assured him, a small smile on her face as she guided him back up to his room. "I just happen to live here as well," she answered his question before he could ask it.

"Are you two in a relationship or something? Like, are you secretly married?"

Ji Eun laughed at that, shaking her head. "No, we're not secretly married, and we're not in a relationship." She paused, then frowned. "Actually, I'm not quite sure about the latter part, it's sort of a question mark for now."

She didn't know who was more surprised at this admission, Ga On or herself. She had gotten carried away, forgetting that though she had never imagined she would see this face within this house again, this was not Isaac. She shook her head and relapsed into a tense silence. Ga On didn't question her further.

   She left him in his room, slowly went over to her room, closing her door behind her. Tears slid down her cheeks. He looked too much like Isaac, too much like the person she had grown to call her brother, her family. Seeing that face in those halls, speaking with that same voice... it was too much.

   "He is not Isaac." She told herself firmly, though her voice trembled. "He is someone different, someone younger than me. Get a hold of yourself, Song Ji Eun!"

   Then she began to sob, feeling too alone, too much like she was being suffocated. She got up shakily, moving across the room to the tiny closet that held some of her most precious items. She pulled out her violin case, placing it on her bed and opening it. A sad smile came over her face as she gazed down at it.

   "Even this was your gift to me." She murmured, taking it out and placing on her shoulder and against her jaw. Her expert hands moved the bow across the strings deftly, pouring her heart and soul into the music that sprang from the instrument. She didn't realise that Ga On could hear her from down the hall, and though he was curious and almost certain that she was the one playing, he was too tired and let the soft melody lull him to sleep.

   She hadn't realised she had fallen asleep until she woke up to Yo Han's worried face hovering over her own as he placed his hand over her forehead. Their eyes met and he temporarily froze. After a pause he took his hand away and looked away as she propped herself up hastily.

   "I was just checking to see if you had a fever," he explained calmly, though his ears were bright red.

   "I guessed as much." Now that her initial panic and surprise had passed, amusement flickered in her eyes as Yo Han tried to seem casual. He never could hide his true emotions from her.