Island: The Legend

Chapter 15

The tractor ride took some more time than expected but was quite refreshing and calming considering the current situation. The old man talked a lot about his wife and his married life, gave them a lot of tips for their marriage which Mi-Ho simply smiled off by now. It was like she was talking with a wall when she tried to deny that she and Van weren't newlyweds.

He dropped them off at a bus station close to the city.
''You can walk from here or take the bus, that's up to you.''
Mi-Ho bowed politely when he drove by them and waved with a smile. She rammed her elbow in Van's side when he simply stood there, his back facing the tractor.

''Ouch.''
''Come on. Show at least a bit gratitude.''
With an annoyed snicker Van turned slightly to the side and waved shortly in the direction of the tractor that suddenly honked twice.

They both stopped waving after a few moments and Mi-Ho let go of a content sigh.
''Ah, he was really nice.''
Her hair swayed with her when she turned towards him with a bright smile.
''Don't you think?''
Van opened his mouth to say something but it seemed like he thought twice about it and just pressed his lips together again.
''Bus or feet.''
''Hmmm.''
Van turned slightly away from her when she leaned over to the side to look at him, her hair falling loosely over her shoulder when she bent forward a bit. They turned in circles, Van trying to back away from her while Mi-Ho kept her pursuit in staying in his eye range.
''Hmm?''
She inched closer and closer to him until he had enough and grabbed her by her arms pulling her up so she would stand in front of him. He pushed her back on arm length and sighed deeply. He didn't look into her eyes, his head was slightly titled to the side.
''By feet then.''
Mi-Ho was left speechless when he simply decided for them how they would end up at the city but she decided to go with it. Another walk through the fields in this beautiful weather, together with him. Why not?

He was already walking into the direction the old man showed them they should go when Mi-Ho came up running to his side and hooked her arm in his. She took him by surprise yet again with that sudden contact and he almost lost his balance.
''What's gotten into you?''
''Nothing, just-''
''Happy that I'm back?''
Van's head turned to the side where she was already looking up at him. Her bright smile made him almost forget where he was and what got them here. His surroundings felt more like a movie scene. The huge sunflower fields and canola fields turned the area in a beautiful play of green and yellow and the sun at its highest peak bathed the street and flowers and Mi-Ho in a beautiful golden shimmer. Her black hair appeared brighter as well, almost sparkling.
''Are you not happy that you're back?''
He could hear a very small hint of disappointment in her voice maybe even a slight tone of fear about what he would answer.
''Of course I am happy... It's just...''
He wasn't lying. The time he was caught in her barrier was horrifying even for him. Not knowing where he was, all alone in the darkness for such a long time made him realize just how powerless he could become. How powerless they all could become in a situation like that. His whole body felt numb but his mind was conscious all the time. Though he felt his mind slip from time to time, during those moments when he was close to losing his sanity he would think about her. And it always pulled him back. She sealed him in the barrier and she also pulled him out again. Though she didn't really pulled him out of the barrier but more out of his own darkness. His demon blood that took control of him but his human mind that was still conscious during those times making him remember everything he did in his trance was the worst combination. It was torture. No matter how loud his human mind screamed for him to wake up he wouldn't. But Mi-Ho, she was able to wake him up. He looked down to his chest, his shirt was still a bit unbuttoned and he saw a glimpse of the pattern that was sealing his powers inside of him. She still wasn't able to fully explain how she did it and at some point he stopped caring. It was working and that was all that mattered. When he glanced over to her once more he saw the silver necklace that was holding the small blade which was covered by the same pattern that was on his chest. Mi-Ho made sure it was always beneath her clothes because direct contact with his skin hurt him for some reason and she was more than cautious about that matter.
''Van?''
''Yeah?''
Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he looked back up to meet her eyes. They were still walking but now she seemed to slow down, making him go slower as well.
''But what?''
''Hm?''
''You said you were happy but you wanted to say something else. What is it?''
They were now completely standing still. Mi-Ho was still looking up at him when he turned slightly towards her. She couldn't quite tell what it was but whatever he wanted to say made him nervous. She never saw him nibble on his lower lip before and for some unexplainable reason she found it rather cute as well as hot. She could feel her face heating up and decided to just drop it.
''You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.''
For her the topic was over and she wanted to go on but he caught her arm and turned her back. She should probably tie her hair back later, her hair tips brushed over his body once more when he turned her around like that. She also tripped slightly over her own feet and grabbed his upper arm for support.
''What?''
''I just feel uneasy.''
''About what?''
Her eyes were searching for something in his, any kind of emotion that would indicate just what he was scared of but she found nothing. Those eyes that always held so many emotions at once were rather blank right now.
''I feel like only bad things happen since I am back.''
Mi-Ho looked to the ground a bit insecure. He was blaming himself? Why was he blaming himself? He had no reason to. She closed her eyes for a short moment before she looked up again to face him once more. She had been there already. She blamed herself a year ago for all the misfortune that happened around her and he had been there to reach out his hand and pull her back up from that dark edge she was trying to jump over. She had to do the same for him now. She didn't understand why he was starting to blame himself now for whatever happened but she knew that she had to talk some sense into him.