Deus Didymus: Rend

Chapter Twenty-Six: Xiaoting

Xiaoting bundled her wet hair into her hands. She ran currents through the long strands causing steam to rise into the air. She ran her fingers through the remaining damp areas before throwing her clothes on.

The woman stepped into her bedroom, sighing before throwing herself onto her bed. She closed her eyes with a soft smile, letting go of the tension in her muscles.

The tension suddenly seeped back into her body as faint knocks sounded through the Hanam's home.

"You've gotta be Shen Shitting me right now..."

Xiaoting walked to her door, swinging the wooden barrier open.

"I already told you, Unnie, I'm not-" Xiaoting's eyes widened, "Hana?! What are you doing here??"

She scanned the small girl's outfit, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Those are Kyu's clothes. What happened?"

"I miss him..."

Xiaoting stepped back, "You... talked..."

"I want him back, Ms. Shen!!"

"Woah-" Xiaoting carefully pushed her hands toward the young woman, "Please don't blow up. Especially not in front of my house."

I can't believe she's speaking to me... Why all of a sudden?

"Because you're all I have left of him." Hana replied.

"All you have left...?" Xiaoting trailed.

"When I think of you, I think of Kyu."

"I'm... happy to hear that...?" Xiaoting squinted, "But there's no way we can bring him back. If we could revive the dead, Park Ji Hoon would be here too."

"Then what do I do?"

"I don't know? Find another boyfriend-?"

Hana glared at the instructor, cutting her off.

"Sorry! Bad joke..." Xiaoting chuckled nervously, "Maybe you can live with his family. The academy's been getting pretty annoyed that you're always there... Then you can sleep in his bed and stuff."

Hana's gaze softened and she turned away earning a relieved sigh from the older woman.

With Hana gone, Xiaoting returned to her bed with another, heavier, sigh.

I swear that girl is a landmine packed with nukes. It feels like one wrong step and the entire country is leveled.

"What a pain in the ass." Xiaoting grumbled.

She turned her head to her desk. Atop the wooden furniture, two frames held a painted picture of their own. One of herself sitting on Ji Hoon's shoulders and the other with herself standing between her two students with her hands on their shoulders.

The detail shocked Xiaoting to this day. Upon hearing a person not only had photographic memory, but could create paintings and portraits capable of mimicking reality to the point of indistinguishability, she found herself skeptical.

But, it was as if she were looking through a mirror of time. The smile she wore in the portraits were as real as her own. Kyu's smile reflected the same warmth he usually did, placing a weight in Xiaoting's heart.

She thought back to the days before she lost everything. Back to times she would gladly return to—just to escape her guilt.

"There's no way he's that good. You're probably getting scammed."

"Trust me!" Ji Hoon smiled, "He's good."

"Sure. It's not my money." Xiaoting crossed her arms, "How long do I have to sit here anyway?"