The Cold Curse | MarkHyuck

Chapter 32:

Jisung looked outside as he noticed that the sun was ready to set. Jisung sighed, sitting and laying his back against the couch while thinking about his situation. That same question was still in his head as he asked himself again and again... there's still no answer.

"Do I think I am a monster?"

Jisung asks himself, frustrated while looking at himself in the mirror. Jisung truly needed help but he doesn't know how to ask for it. His "evil" self was more powerful than his "good" side, especially that the realistic figures helped him bring out the bad in him.

But he doesn't want that anymore... or does he?

Jisung yells at himself in the mirror again, wanting to ask help from his reflection but his other self just wouldn't show up as usual. Jisung felt like he was dying as his throat, the back of his head, and his chest had intense pain all at once. While Jisung had another hallucinating episode, Renjun watches from one of his mirror shards.

Renjun was kind of worried for Jisung as he knew that he's still a young adult and not really a "man".

Renjun asked himself what kind of sickness does Jisung have except for the curse, he already knows that. Renjun didn't know what was going on with him like why is he screaming and crying different names when he's all alone? Renjun looked at Areum as he knew that she's Jisung's actual mother.

"... Mrs. Areum?"
"Yes, dear?"
"... This is your son, right?"

Renjun asks, pointing at the mirror shard that showed Jisung.

"... Yes... He is my son."
"Do you know his past self before he turned like... this?"

Renjun asks, feeling kind of unsettled when he sees Jisung goes a lot more violent than before even if he knew he's already a murderer.

"... No... I haven't been with him since he was a new born child... They were taken away from me by knights, Renjun."
"Oh... I apologize for what happened to you, Mrs. Areum..."
"It's alright, Renjun."

Areum smiles at him before leaving the living room and going outside to water some of Jaemin's plants. Areum really couldn't stop with all these obligations that she doesn't even have to do. Areum was just too nice and everyone, even Haechan, literally knew that she didn't deserve being manipulated by the King.

Jaemin, then, thought of going outside to see Jeno because he wanted to have a moment with him... you know... the romantic things only couples do.

He goes out to see Jeno's mother watering his plants instead. Jaemin gives Areum a smile, bowing after as a sign of respect. Areum smiled at him as she knew that Jaemin may not be the beautiful woman she dreamed for Jeno but more like the perfect man for him instead.

"Have you seen Jeno, Mrs. Areum?"
"He's out there at the other side of your porch, my dear."

Areum answers, her voice being so gentle and delicate that Jaemin owed so much respect for her. Jaemin gives her another smile before making his way to where Jeno was staying. There he sees Jeno, staring at the beautiful flowers as he notices Jaemin.

"... You know, you're just as beautiful as these flowers."
"Thanks, Jeno... You're just as beautiful as your personality... and I love you and your personality too much."

Jaemin smiles at Jeno as he sits beside him, leaning his head on his shoulder. The sun started to set slowly, the orange light shining through every gap of the windows. Haechan walks by the living room, seeing Jeno and Jaemin having their beautiful moment outside.

He smiled but then that smile suddenly disappeared as he thought of his relationship with Mark.

He definitely wants to get back with Mark once again as the two of them were most likely unsure of their situation.

He turned to look around the living room, seeing Mark reading a book. Haechan sits beside Mark, wrapping his arm around Mark's waist as he gives him an embrace while Mark reads his book. Mark's eyes widened as Haechan's actions stole his attention from reading the book.

"... Haechan?"
"... I have a question."
"Sure. Ask away."

Mark smiled at Haechan, completely putting the book down as he was interested in what Haechan was about to ask him.

"What are we supposed to be now?"

Haechan asks, his eyes sparkling as Mark lovingly stared at his face. Mark definitely stared at Haechan for a complete minute just so he can pay attention to every detail.

"Well... We are whatever you want us to be."
"Oh... Alright."

Haechan says, looking at the ground nervously before pressing his lips quickly against Mark's.

"Let's be forever, then."

Meanwhile, Chenle came back from the store since he was the one who bought food for everyone as his "thank you" gift. Haechan and Mark gave him smiles as Chenle waved at them, placing the food he bought on the table. He looked around, searching for Renjun.

"Have you seen Renjun?"
"He never came out of his room yet... Does he have a problem?"
"... Maybe... Oh, well. I'll talk to him."

Chenle shrugged as he went to his shared room with Renjun. There he sees Renjun looking at his old belongings that were most likely his old "uniform" as an elf. Of course he couldn't wear those anymore as he grew out of them.

Chenle, then, notices Renjun's tears.

'Why is he even crying?', Chenle asks himself before approaching Renjun.

"C-Chenle? What are you-"
"I noticed that you were always crying but I don't know why... Can you please at least tell me the reason?"
"... I don't think so... You're too young to know about it."
"Well... What made you cry?"
"I said, you're too young."

Renjun says, wiping his tears away as he gives Chenle a smile. That smile expressed... a goodbye? Chenle wondered why Renjun's smile felt too different for him.

All that Chenle wanted to know is why Renjun suddenly turned sadder unlike his sarcastic self in the past. Chenle knew that there must've been something wrong going on with him but he didn't want to think about it. He was exactly thinking about that topic about Renjun's last mission.

Chenle didn't want to believe it but a part of him does.

A part of him believed that this was Renjun's last mission on Earth but where does he go after it? Where does he go after his last mission ends? Does he go somewhere happier? Does he enter a different dimension?

Where would he go?

Chenle didn't ask him more questions as he just gave Renjun a hug, crying silently as he didn't want Renjun to notice him crying. Chenle was just like Jaemin, he's someone who provides happy energy to others. That's also why Chenle didn't want Renjun to see him sad.

Chenle was truly sad as he didn't want to let go of his best friend.