Eternal Bonds

Chapter 4 Arc 4

The room was enveloped in an eerie silence, broken only by the subtle sounds of Eunwoo's anxious breaths. The cold sweat clung to his skin, and his wide eyes reflected the shadows dancing in the corners of the room. The weight of an impending presence lingered, casting an unsettling atmosphere.

Eunwoo couldn't shake off the feeling that something significant was about to happen. His instincts, heightened by an inexplicable premonition, urged him to take action. Panic gripped his chest as he hastily got out of bed, the urgency propelling him to his parents' room.

The corridor stretched before him, dimly illuminated by the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the windows. Each step felt heavier as he approached his destination, his mind racing with unspoken fears and unanswered questions.

With trembling hands, Eunwoo knocked on the door. The sound echoed through the silent house, a desperate plea for reassurance. In that moment, the air seemed charged with an otherworldly tension, as if the universe itself held its breath, waiting for the revelation of the impending unknown.

The rhythmic knocking echoed through the quiet darkness of the night, stirring Ji-hoon and Min-ji from their peaceful slumber. Ji-hoon, ever the vigilant one, was the first to rise, gently untangling himself from the warmth of their shared bed. The urgency in Eunwoo's knocking sent a shiver down his spine as he made his way to the door.

Opening it, Ji-hoon was met with the sight of his son, eyes wide with an unspoken fear, standing in the dim light of the corridor. "Eunwoo, what's wrong?" Ji-hoon's voice carried a mixture of concern and reassurance.

Eunwoo hesitated for a moment before blurting out, "Something is coming, Dad. I felt it, like a really strong feeling. I'm scared."

Min-ji, now fully awake, joined Ji-hoon at the door. The gravity of Eunwoo's words hung in the air, and a silent understanding passed between the parents. Min-ji spoke gently, "Alright, Eunwoo. Stay here. We'll check it out. It might just be a bad dream, but we'll make sure everything's okay."

Eunwoo nodded, his eyes still wide with apprehension, Ji-hoon and Min-ji exchanged another glance, a silent communication passing between them, before heading out to investigate the mysterious unease that lingered in the air.

Min-ji carefully attended to the milk on the stove, the soft hum of its impending boil resonating through the kitchen. Meanwhile, Ji-hoon and Eunwoo found solace in the living room, where the warm glow of memories could momentarily cast away the shadows of uncertainty.

As Eunwoo nestled between his fathers, Ji-hoon decided to lighten the atmosphere with tales of embarrassing moments—a shared laughter to ward off the lingering tension.

"Remember that time," Ji-hoon began with a grin, "when we decided to try dancing in the living room, attempting some fancy ballroom moves?" He grinned at Min-ji, recalling the spectacle.

Min-ji's cheeks tinged with a rosy hue, "Oh, that disaster too! I stepped on your foot at least twice, and I almost knocked over that vase." He pointed to the corner of the room where a delicate vase stood, still bearing the scars of their impromptu dance session.

Eunwoo couldn't help but giggle at the mental image of his dads attempting elegant dance steps, and Min-ji playfully nudged Ji-hoon. "You insisted on trying those complicated spins. I thought we were going to end up in a heap on the floor!"

As laughter filled the room once again, the shared embarrassment became a testament to the enduring strength of their bond—a tapestry woven with both laughter and love.

In the flickering dance of the flames, on the other side of the veil, Eldrothok and Sylvana watched with ethereal eyes. Their figures, cloaked in shadows, emanated an aura of both longing and envy. They were elated that their child wasn't alone, that laughter echoed in the warm embrace of family. Yet, the ache of separation clawed at their ethereal forms.

Eldrothok's eyes, a shimmering abyss, held an intensity of paternal love, an unyielding desire to hold their son once more. Sylvana, with sapphire eyes filled with maternal warmth, whispered words of comfort across the veil.

"He has a beautiful family," Sylvana mused, her voice a delicate melody in the air.

Eldrothok nodded, "Yes, but our arms ache to embrace him, to be a part of his laughter, and share in his joy."

As the flames continued their dance, the abyssal couple lingered on the edge of the mortal realm, waiting for the moment when destiny would intertwine their fates once more. Their family would be complete, and happiness would embrace them like the warmth of a long-awaited sunrise.