"y-you've waited for us?'' the boy spoke up, his eyes telling his fears to the woman.
a soft chuckle was heard from her, she stepped out of the darkness and revealed her human for in front of them. ''what is bothering you, prince taehyung?'' she asked, pulling away her hood and observing the boy.
jeongguk was standing close, eyeing the mysterious woman. he didn't like any of this, but they had no other hopes than her. he wanted to give the best of him, but it was just so...so hard.
''your highness, your looks is as if you would love to murder me any time now.'' the same woman said, looking innocently at the taller figure she was talking with, ''my name is park jihyo, if that would calm down your anger.''
''if you expected us, I would suppose you know why we are here?''
she sighed and snapped his fingers, a small pair of chairs appearing from the nowhere, ''please take a seat.'' she suggested.
the couple exchanged a look and then did as she told them, ''do you know if there's a cure-'' the ravenette was fast to ask, too fast to do so.
''stop there, young man.'' she pointed, again this innocent smile on her lips. ''I need to have a talk with his highness.''
her attention was back again to the silver-haired, who was slightly shivering from everywhere. ''how long has it been?'' he was asked, ''w-what?'' taehyung poorly answered, trying to understand what she meant.
''when did it happen. your curse, the one you have been told you are born with.'' she explained, ''when did it approach for the first time.''
it took some time for the young boy, debating with himself how to properly explain when everything happened and most importantly how. it was a sensitive topic for him, that he never told to anyone else but jeon jeongguk.
and the same jeon jeongguk was right next to him, holding hand and never leaving his eyes from his, just to make sure he was alright- even he wasn't.
''thirtheen..'' he murmured, ''I was thirteen when it happened. i-i never wanted this to happen, I swear.'' his eyes were focused on the way his hand and jeongguk's were intertwined together.
''what did exactly happen, taehyung?''
''I-i killed someone..'' taehyung breathed out, biting his tongue to keep his eyes not to fall, ''someone special...someone who never deserved it.''
park jihyo hummed and her hand reached to taehyung's another hand, ''may I?'' she looked up at him8, who only gave a nod.
jeongguk looked surprised how easily the boy was giving up. no one notices, but slowly and painfully he was giving up on life. if he lets someone see his curse, the black lines that represents it, that would mean only one thing.
taehyung was giving up on everything.
''oh, sweet child...'' the woman breathed out at the terrible sight, ''It must hurt, doesn't it?''
''a lot..'' his voice broke up, a tear quietly sliding down his cheek and lending on his clothes, ''e-evrything hurts..''
''did he ever talk to you?'' she put back his glove after noticing how the condition was, ''erebus, is he in your mind?''
''awfully often.'' he said, tightening the grip between his and jeongguk's hand. ''I know what he wants, I-i know he wants me.''
nobody would know how much the boy is suffering. not only panful screamings from the caused pain, pulling his hair and shaking alone in his dark room and tears never stopping to slide down his soft cheeks, that ones used to be blushing from everything.
''i-is there a cure, is there anything you can do, mrs.jihyo?'' he finally looked up, glossy eyes and lips trembling at every word. ''I would do anything, a-anything just to cure me.''
jihyo took his hand and spoke up softly and gently, understanding him. ''kim taehyung, erebus used to be a very, very strong god.'' she said, ''but he was never forgiven from his family, neither from our moon goddess.''
''talk up straight.'' jeongguk cut the woman, noticing how she was only trying to slow down the talk and be nice. there was no problem in being nice and gentle. the problem was they had no time.
she eyes the ravenette darkly, ''if erebus leaves your body, he takes you with him, taehyung.'' her look fell once again on taehyung, ''the only thing you can do is not to trigger him.''
''n-not to trigger him?''
''your emotions depends on anything. the most you feel happiness, the most he won't have any control. but if deep inside, very deep inside there's a bit anger in you, being broken or sadness- he takes you.''
jeongguk hopelessly sighed and let the boy hug him tight, quietly crying at his chest. whatever somebody was telling him, taehyung was feeling his time was nearing. he knew it won't get better. he wanted to give up and end the pain at all costs.
''I'm sorry, your highness.'' she honestly approached and opened the door for the two, whenever they were ready to leave of course.
taehyung had nothing to do in there anymore. no matter how kind everyone was towards him, he wanted the truth, not to get pity.
''prince, jeon. may I talk to you for a second?'' the woman approached, noticing how jeongguk quickly pecked taehyung's forehead and telling him to wait outside. ''it was truth that there is no certain cure, but there might or not have another way.''
he nod, looking at her darkly. it was obvious he didn't like her a lot. ''his time is soon coming. the only thing you can do is to protect him. h-his soul is incredibly weak, he is a very strong person. I would never imagine someone hanging up for so many years with erebus.''
''and what are you saying? that taehyung is soon dying? and you want me to believe you?''
''what I am saying is that you need to be careful with him.'' she also looked sharply at him, ''because once erebus is awakened fully, there's no turning back.''
''erebus is created to kill, and once he gets taehyung and the right moment, he won't hesitate to destroy the whole five kingdoms.'' she explained, ''all our lives are in this boy, so be careful with him.''
jeongguk had nothing to say honestly. he gave a nod and existed the witch's house. but her words were stuck in his head, repeating again and again 'he is created to kill and once he gets taehyung and the right moment, he won't hesitate to destroy the whole five kingdoms.'
he looked at the boy, looking at the nature around him. he looked as if he was being happy to see it for the last time. jeongguk wished it was not his time for anything.
''c'mere..'' jeongguk walked to taehyung after the house dissapeared just as before, ''I am here for you, tae. I am here..''
''I-i'm sorry, I'm so s-sorry.''
then being this week, taehyung kept quiet. he was not talking, either crying- he was looking at one point and being let hugged from beside.
the more he would zone out, the more he was fighting against erebus. but the moments when he does anything are the most scarriest ones, because erebus would be this strong to stop all his actions.
this time for real, kim taehyung was feeling being caught in a cage he can't exist from.
──♛ꕥ♛──
ok 3 things :
1. thoughts what might happen?
2. I am very sorry it took me this long to update. when I wrote the chapter, i forgot to save and I had to re-write it again :(
3. the reason my updates in snowflakes are so slow is just because I began 2 other books.
arrow of desire ;; fantasy, enemies to lovers, 1,8 to 2k words
our summer ;; plus yoonmin, summer au, friends to lovers
check them if you want, hehe <3
the book end by the end of next week, prepare tissues because I cried three times :,)