章 28: Downpour (6)

When the simple feast had finally ended, the concubines bid their goodbyes to the grand concubine and departed from the hallway, sharing their bows before they went in different directions.

Coincidentally, Sungho found himself walking the road with the same woman who defended him earlier, constantly peeking at her figure pacing beside him in every chance he gets. Though it was not long when Sungho reflected on his actions, thinking he must have made her uncomfortable from his strange gazes.

"What is it, Concubine Eun?" was her question when she finally caught him looking.

With him having Chun as his support while he was trying to match the woman's pace, Sungho responded, "I just want to offer my thanks for covering me tonight, Concubine Gi."

His gratitude was immediately answered with a smile and several giggles. "It's fine; I was simply stating the truth. Although you wear such simple clothing you can put up with the others."

She beamed and lifted a finger before starting, "Did you know, Your Highness? I thought you were completely blind and mute as well when I first met you since you were very much quiet."

The concubine produced a weird laugh before she continued, "But you're different now. You are slowly becoming brave and confident. Perhaps you can even pick up the fight with the Grand Concubine. It would be amusing to see you mocking her and watch how she would make an embarrassment of herself."

Sungho could not help but sense uncertainty in her statements. The brightened expression printed on her face was another matter, which also weirded him out. 'Is the screw on her head loose?' he asked himself.

"Would you believe me if I tell you I know Grand Concubine Jin?"

He remained silent, not because Sungho had nothing to answer to her question; he was just contemplating if he made the right decision to approach the jabbering concubine. 'Her mouth doesn't have a pause.'

"You see, her actions are pretty predictable if you would ask me." Sungho managed to catch the crooked smile that instantly vanished into thin air before she uttered in a rather muffled voice. "Concubine Eun, why don't we keep each other company from today onwards? What do you say?"

...

The night was exhausting; he felt as if his energy was drained until the last drop. How could a small feast be wearying than the large celebration he participated in not while ago?

Being directed inside his chambers, he immediately flopped himself to the mattress soon as he got near the bed. What would Sungho do if he had nothing that would support him like his court lady, Chun?

"Do you want me to prepare your bath before you sleep, Your Highness?" she queried, as she was still standing before him.

"... Perhaps not. I truly need a rest, Chun." Sungho rolled and rested his front on the soft cloud-like mattress. When he heard the door of his room closing, he then allowed his heavy eyelids to dominate him through the darkness.

However, a moment of him shutting his eyes, he found the bleak vision soon showed signs of light, which was deliberately overlooking the shade.

"Brother, you're finally awake!" Sungho heard the voice called upon him. As he opened his eyes, the picture of his little brother was clear and not in the state of blur.

"Huh?" He ran his gaze in his surroundings, only to see he had woken in an unfamiliar room. His thoughts were running wild, confused about the current occurrences going.

Could it be that he managed to come back?

"Didn't I... die?" Sungho muttered while he looked at the boy who seemed taller than what he could remember. Therefore, his little brother survived the tragic chase in the forest after all.

A playful pat on his shoulder, Sungho received a response within the laughs echoing through the room. "What nonsense are you saying? Are you that weak to die just because you got sick?"

Sungho brushed off his statement and thought of pulling the blanket to see the wounds he had received from the wolves that were devouring him. Witnessing he saw none, not even a tiny scrape, his mind became more disoriented and he began having difficulty breathing.

'I was out and sick? Is that all a dream?'

If he did not die, then what explains the place he moved into? Were they all made from his imagination?

"I should inform mother you've woken," said the boy beside him.

However, when his brother was about to leave, Sungho grabbed his arm and hastily stated, "No, wait, little brother. Weren't we chased by the wolves on our hunt?"

"What wolves and hunt? There are no wolves here in the city and we don't hunt," was the answer he received. Sungho watched how his brother's nose creased and brows drew together from the confusion. "Did you have a nightmare?"

'The city? No, I've never stepped into the city.'

His hand tightened as he was holding his brother's arm. "We hunt for our living, little brother." Sungho tried to contemplate the situations he was encountering, hungry to know what was true and what was unreal.

"We don't need to hunt. We have tons of food inside the fridge." His brother lifted Sungho's hand and pulled himself out of his hold. "Are you half-asleep? You need to wake up, brother."

And through these words, saying he should wake up from his dream, it appeared it cast the darkness, which immediately swallowed him again with the light fading at an unexpected speed.

Not long then, it was followed by Sungho beginning to feel uncomfortable contractions in his stomach while the shadow dominated, connecting him again to the abyss.