Deus Didymus: Rend

Chapter Eighty-Two: Master of All

Y/n placed his hand on Minju's, taking a deep breath. Despite taking in her back hug, the creeping guilt from the previous night diminished his experience.

Never thought I'd be the little spoon...

The strap of Y/n's sword bag hugged his shoulder. While not completely alien, the unusual design, paired with the couple's age, attracted eyes of the mostly adult passerby's. With Y/n closely behind her, Minju scanned points of suspicion.

Ms. Lee said I'll find them easiest in the day. The place is mostly known for its activity during the night; no one's going to check this place during the day.

Y/n glanced into a nearby alley with a soft sigh. Inside, a pair of people stood against one another--as if kissing. A flash of the prior night's events hit him, causing him to shake the thoughts away, but a faint glimmer of blue caught the boy's attention.

"Minju. To your right," he whispered.

Minju turned her head, quickly whisking her head back to the street. "Oppa, I said we'd talk about it after."

"No, I saw something that looked like what we're after."

"In a kissing couple?" Minju asked--her voice slightly raised.

"Yeah. Wait, no. They weren't kissing-"

Y/n sprinted into the alley, pulling Minju's attention back to the secluded passage. She sighed as she took off after him, leading the couple down into a string of stone passages.

"This looks like..."

"Yeah," Y/n breathed.

He unwrapped his sword, gripping the handle tightly. With caution padding their footsteps, the couple crept through the winding hallways. A gentle breeze, soft enough to pass under Minju's senses, brushed against the back of Y/n's neck. The boy whisked his sword behind him, deflecting a dart.

"This place is trapped," Y/n whispered.

Wait... What?

Y/n took the lead, keeping his eye out for other traps. Despite the tension in the air, he couldn't help but drift from their task. His mind wandered in and out of focus until he stepped forward out of pure habit.

"I don't expect you to understand this but..." Hayoung closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, pushing her hands out with her exhale. "Try to punch me."

"Isn't that gonna be too easy?" Y/n scoffed. "You can't see after all."

"Do it."

Y/n shook his head, throwing a punch. To his surprise, Hayoung slipped from its path with a slight smirk. He carefully stepped behind the older woman, feinting a punch.

"That one was a fake," Hayoung commented. "Do you know what I'm doing?"

"Feeling the wind...?" Y/n trailed.

Hayoung spun around with a proud smile, "Yup! It's harder to do for those who can't use wind breathing, but it's possible."

"How do I do it?" Y/n asked.

"Uh..." Hayoung plopped onto the grass, shrugging, "I don't know. It's not something you can do consciously--at least at first. Once it does happen though, it'll be easier to grasp what happens; then you'll be able to do it more easily."

Y/n crossed his arms, "You keep telling me about things that will 'be easier to grasp' once it happens. First the 'True Counter' and now this?"

"Sorry, that's just how things are," Hayoung chuckled.