The Bracelet

Chapter Seventeen

"Am Vi... Hye Jin. " I corrected with a smile approving our Games of Lies episode 1.

"Why do you stay here and not in the city, among people, like normal people do? " I sat opposite him in the water.

"I hate noise. " his eyes still closed against me like I was the distraction.

"What? But where there's life there's noise. " I joked but by the silence, I think he didn't follow so I just cleared my throat along with the awkwardness and continued.

"How long have you lived here? "I asked.

'Silence'

"Yeong Su ah, it's rude to be quiet when asked a question. " I tried to stir him up like those girls in K-dramas do when they wanted to get attention from those self-centered males but the reaction I got was different.

He swiftly opened his eyes and stared me down, which did scare the 'bell out of Ella' and I had to swallow the bile-flavored mint leaves that were stuck in my throat before I looked away, so much for a conversation.

What were those expressions for?
The eyes of surprise, the can-you-shut-up brows position, and the other that looked like pain. Did I do something triggering again?

I turned to him and saw him looking like before, I saw wrinkles under his eyes, but he slept yesterday. His lips gave it out that this guy was sad by the way his sad emotions gushed out; it made me see an opportunity to try again this time, subtly after all, Eve learned seduction from a snake. So, I held his face coming closer to him,

"Yeong Su, what is wrong? Why are you sad? What happened? " I asked as my other hand slid up from his arm to his forearm then rested on his broad shoulder.

" I.. " he trailed off still staring at me but I pressed harder,

"I know you don't know me but I want to help.. Just tell me, what is wrong? " I looked into his eyes, making sure care was written all over my face...

He looked at her with emotions that twirled in his heart before finding the way to his eyes. That voice, those words is exactly the way she'd to say it when she was alive. She died all because of him, it's all his fault, he should have been there for her, she wouldn't have died if he had been there. Why does this strange woman remind him of her? But can never be her, no one can ever replace her, ever!

Suddenly like being pulled out of a trance, he pulled my hands away from his face and diverted his eyes before he walked away.

"Yeong... " I reached out for him.

"Be on time for dinner," he said as he walked away from my reach and picked up his shirt, leaving me behind with my troubled mind.

A few hours later

It's been hours and she wasn't back, was she angry with him? First, he almost strangled her then he... He's not used to having anyone around since she went missing and was found dead right here in the jungle.

This change he has been trying to adjust to but it has not been easy. He'll wait until dinner is set before going to find her. One hour after dinner's been set and she's not back.

She not coming back, is she? Was he too harsh? How could he not have apologized for almost killing someone or even being rude? She would draw his ears whenever he was rude and when she was pissed off by his rudeness, she would make him cook dinner.

He's not going to sit here and wait to be swallowed by guilt before going to find her before the wolves do. He covers the food, picks up his sword and cloak, and leaves to bring her back.