Fundamentally Good

Accidental Heart

Day 17 Cloytober: Hide

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"Ri Jeong Hyeok, do you have a comb?" Seri was playing with the ends of her hair shyly when she noticed the angel's intense gaze set upon her.

When the angel never responded, the devil bravely took a step closer to him and started waving her hands in front of his face.

"Ri Jeong Hyeok? Are you there?"

Seri let out a squeak of surprise when the angel instinctively clasped his large hand around her wrist gently, bringing her hand down to her side as he stepped closer to her. His eyes were now honeyed with that ever-familiar warmth and a look she couldn't quite identify as he gazed down deeply at her.

Seri gulped, for she didn't know what to expect. All she knew was that the room was getting increasingly hotter by the second and that she couldn't seem to look away from the angel's orbs.

Yet, she told herself to stay calm as she stared back at him, trying to read into his soul. They held each other's eyes unwaveringly, neither comprehending the fact that their breathing was getting slightly erratic as their hearts raced as one.

In his gaze, Yoon Seri thought that she could see the semblance of a man who had once experienced all the ups and downs in life with a partner that was his soulmate.

She saw a man whose soul had once been shattered by the realities of life, who became a hollow shell, for he was afraid to love. But she also saw that deep appreciation in his eyes for the life he led after he found the love of his life.

He was and always would be a man who cherished the simplest things in life. A man who was fiercely protective of those he cared for. A man who had seen too much horror but was still kind at heart. A man who was true to his promise.

And in her gaze, Ri Jeong Hyeok thought that he could see the past of a woman who had to grow up too fast. He saw a woman whose soul had become distrusting because of the grief and betrayal of a family she trusted wholeheartedly. He saw a woman who put up a strong front around every single soul but was truly vulnerable and alone when her walls were down. He saw a woman who only wished to experience love in its purest form, away from all those money talks and prestige that surrounded her name.

It was simple. All she needed was validation from a mother she loved. All she needed was a man who could see past her cold façade and reach deep into her soul to love the vulnerable child within her.

She was and always would be a woman who could remain unfazed against the most erratic storms. A woman who would do anything to see her man smile. A woman who loved with all her heart and all her soul once you get past her walls. A woman who learned to dream freely and live on despite all that has happened to her. A woman who had always been compassionate and loving.

They say that the eyes were the windows to one's soul. Perhaps there was some truth in that statement. For some reason, Seri and Jeong Hyeok found it a little difficult to breathe as the waves of understanding washed over them, for they both knew exactly what it took to learn to love after swearing that they could never love again.

But could they find the courage to embrace love again in this lifetime?

If only the heavens were on their side that day, perhaps they would have found the answer to that sooner. But before either of them could say anything, a knock sounded loudly on the angel's door, startling them out of their special bubble.

Eyes wide, Seri panicked before she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. Looking around the room, Seri quickly pointed at his wardrobe as the angel nodded quickly at the hiding spot she identified. Tiptoeing to the wardrobe together, Ri Jeong Hyeok helped Seri into his closet before he closed the doors quietly, leaving a little gap so that the devil wouldn't feel suffocated inside.