Mortal Masks

Chapter Forty

Yuta's gaze wanders amongst the heavens, the sky appearing deeper, the stars appearing brighter, than he had ever seen.

The still evening air was comfortable, and the clouds had all but vanished, leaving jewelled speckles of angle fire in the sky, shimmering beautifully, almost as though they were shining just for him.

'Tell him that it is not his time', his lover had said. And although such words sparked an aching wildfire of painful longing, just wishing to see her again, to have her back in his arms... the roaring flames of his yearning tamed themselves as a gentle understanding then settled into his heart.

She was right. Of course she was. He was needed here for now. He was needed by their children, and by his friends, and he couldn't abandon them now.

He sucks in a deep breath, holding it for a moment, before steadily letting it go.

His gaze drops from the stars above, where he knew she was waiting, and to the kitchen knife in his hands. It was smaller than he remembered. Even though it was plain and unassuming, it still used to look mighty in her hands.

His feet seem to be plotting a destination that his mind does not know of, as he walks aimlessly through the back garden of his old friend's home. Under the starlight with this knife as a solid weight in his grasp, he felt some sort of clarity. Some comfort.

He was glad Jaemin found his way to her. He was so glad they could say their goodbyes one more time, and that she could see what an extraordinary hunter he had become. A little nagging voice in his head reasons that she's probably known all along what he would grow up to be like. But still, he's glad she got to witness that. She deserved to have witnessed that.

Since they were in Kyoto and they had a few hours to wait till their train ride that would deliver them to the ferry, Yuta had suggested that Jaemin venture to Osaka. Him and Jeno had taken off a few hours earlier, with Jaemin so excited to show Jeno where he grew up and to introduce him to Mashiho and Yoshi.

The others had not wanted to go, too anxious or occupied with their journey back home, their journey to Donghyuck.

And Yuta... Well, he had experienced enough heartbreak and confrontation for a while. He did not think he had the strength to back to the place they had made a home. Perhaps one day...

The grandfather clock in the house chimes loudly, signally that Jaemin and Jeno should be back soon. And Yuta knows that he should head back inside and finalise their packing, but for some reason, something whispers for him to stay out for just another moment, to take another couple of steps.

And when he rounds the training shed, just a few metres away, he sees the silhouette of a boy sat on the grass, knees bundled up to his chest as his gaze is fixated on the sky, just like Yuta's had been.

Silently, he pads over to the boy, whose arms are wrapped around his body tightly.

"Jisung, aren't you cold out here?"

The youngest werewolf's head snaps up to look at Yuta, his shocked expression quickly breaking into a smile at the familiar face. He shakes his head, gaze briefly going back up to the sky, "No, I'm okay. I'm just thinking"

"Do you mind me asking about what?"

And the young boy seems to hesitate before he shrugs, looking to the space on the grass next to him before looking up at Yuta.

From raising two kids, he knew that look. He knew that Jisung didn't want to verbally acknowledge that he wanted to talk, but he did want some company, and then that once they're settled, he may just whispers what's on his mind.