"Who is this girl, young master?"
Joon asks as his gaze is fixed on the road as he drives. It's cool inside the car, and the back seat is closed. Seyoung has slipped into sleep, her head is resting on the seat,. Maybe she hasn't slept in a while.
Koko is sitting on the other side still holding Hana in her hands since her small hands are cling to her clothes she can't place her on the seat, she was looking outside the window as the buildings passed by people walked on the streets she was just seeing it nothing else.
Jinhwan was lost in his thoughts snapped out as he heard Joon's words.
"She is just someone who helped me in that world, She just came with me."
Joon looked at the rare mirror, seeing how Koko is lost in her thoughts, maybe she is just exhausted, he can tell by looking at her. Then his gaze moved to Hana, who was sleeping. He had his eyes on that little girl ever since he saw her. Something was making him look at her again and again, as if she resembled someone he knew.
"That girl... who is she? Young master. I don't think you would take some kid with you just because they're alone."
Joon's voice has a curious tone.
Jinhwan turned his head lazily to look at Joon, who was driving.
"What do you mean by that? You don't think I can be generous to others?"
"No, you can't. I know you from your birth, young master. You don't care about others... Unless there's someone you care about and think of as family."
Jinhwan didn't say anything, just turned his head to the other side like a spoiled kid who didn't hear what he wanted. Seeing that Joon smiled, he continued.
"She has her hair colour is similar to yours.. and her sleeping face reminds me of you when you're little and him..."
Joon stopped didn't say anything, just sudden silence in the car. Jinhwan let out a sigh.
"She... She is his daughter."
As Joon heard these words, he suddenly pressed the brake, stopping the car, but it didn't lose control, just stopped smoothly since the speed was low.
Joon turned his head in the back seat, looking at Hana.
"So does that mean..."
"I don't wanna talk about it. I'm not sure, but he is alive... Let's not talk about it; it's making my head spin from overthinking."
Joon just stared at Hana for a few minutes, then turned back again, looking at the road. He just nodded and drove again.
"About Maxim, I'm sure he cannot get injured by an X-rank gate monsters, so what really happened?"
Jinhwan was looking outside but his tone was serious.
"Tell you the truth gate break does happen just a day after you accidentally get into Once gate."
"Since Maxim was there, it was in the middle of the city, civilians lives were in danger, so the hunter association of Russia just sent anyone nearby."
"Maxim was not the only person who entered the gate, but other X and Z rank hunters too, and they tried to kill him. I'm not sure about the reason, but simply, they're after SYNC tech since you're not there, and killing Maxim will make things easier."
"What happened to these hunters did you lock them?"
Jinhwan asks not even bothering to react to such information.
"I didn't since I was looking for you at that time. I don't know where you vanished, so I was looking at this route CCTV footage at that time."
Hearing his words, Jinhwan sighed.
"Who had them now?"
"For now they're in the Russian hunter association hospital."
"Bring them here. Did similar things happen with others?"
Jinhwan grabs a water bottle and brings it to his lips to take a sip.
"No, it was just Maxim, I'm confused why they didn't go after hunters that work for us."
Jinhwan takes a few sips of water.
"You know the reason. Even though Maxim is the strongest hunter, he doesn't take the lives of humans; it's his rule, and the others we have in the SYNC Guild won't even hesitate to kill. So, failing to kill Maxim won't cost their lives, but failing to kill these people would cost their lives."
Joon nodded as he drove.
"Why do you think Maxim has that rule? I mean the one not to kill a human."
"I have no idea, he is hard to understand since you don't know the answer, how would I know?"
No one talks after that, just silent for a while as they reach Joon, stop the car in front of the main entrance.
Jinhwan comes out of the car as he opens the door for Koko to come out. Then he walks to the other side, opens the door, bends a little to look in the car, and Seyoung, who is in deep sleep now, has a smile on his lips as he gently reaches out his one hand to her back and the other hand under her legs.
He took her in his hands as he walked into the mansion. Koko follows him. Just as he reached the stairs he stopped.
"Sup."
He said with a smile. In front of him was Miss Cha just walking down the stairs. But she didn't say anything.
"What happened?"
He asks again.
"Nothing, just glad you're fine, young master. Joon texted me so you should rest."
Miss Cha replied gently. Then she looked behind him, and Koko was standing. And Hana on her hands. She walked past him, took Hana in her hands gently.
"You should get fresh and rest."
Miss Cha looked at the maid standing in the living area. She just looked at her and the maid walked towards them and stood there.
Koko stood there, confused, not understanding anything Miss Cha had just told her.
"Follow that maid she'll show you. Your room, if you need something, just ask her, I mean, make a sign of things you need."
Hearing Jinhwan's words Koko nods
"Can you tell her that I wanna get fresh and.. I'm hungry."
Jinhwan turns back to look at the maid who is standing beside her.
"Take her to get a shower, she might not understand, so help her, get her some clothes, and make something for her, and if she asks for something and you don't understand, just come and ask me."
I have to do something about her language barrier, making her learn Korean will take lots of time.
As he finishes talking, the maid nods and takes Koko upstairs, and behind them, Miss Cha walks upstairs, taking Hana with her, and then Jinhwan walks behind them.
As Jinhwan entered his room, he saw someone sleeping on his bed, and Hana was sleeping beside her. Miss Cha had just placed her there and stood beside the bed.
"Just as I was thinking, why didn't you show up?"
A smile though on his lips.
He took a few steps and then placed Seyoung on the bed gently. One side of the bed is Suhyeon, who is sleeping now, and on the other side are Seyoung and Hana in the centre.
"My bed is full and it's not even night."
His gaze turned to Suhyeon, who was sleeping on his right hand, just a reckless way of sleeping.
"Did they both argue? And why is she sleeping here?"
He asks Miss Cha.
"Not a bit. Since you vanished, and the next day, when Joon said you were in a Once gate. Seyoung was just at that place, that's why I told Joon to stay there. A nd Suhyeon..."
She paused, then continued.
"Surprisingly, just spent time here doing nothing, wandering around, not eating or sleeping. She just slept a few hours ago."
Then Miss Cha turned and walked towards a corner where the flashy side of the room was a Gaming setup. She stopped near the table, then reached her hand to a flame that was near the monitor.
She wipes the dust from that flame with her sleeve then it reveals a picture.
Two kids are standing beside each other wearing the same clothes and around the same height, and both of them have the same hair colour, and even their faces are the same. The only difference is that one has blue eyes and the other has red, crimson eyes.
"Joon mentioned in a text message that the age of this little girl is his daughter. So is he alive."
Her voice is barely above a whisper.
"She is, but I can't say anything about him being alive."
Jinhwan replied.
"I should give you space then... Be strong young master."
With that, she walked towards the door, then she left the room, closing the door.
Now Jinhwan was only standing there in his quiet room. He turned and then sat on that gaming chair. His right hand reached ,out to that photo frame, it.
He brings it closer, holding it in both hands.
"Be strong? Huh, I am strong."
A single tear fell, from his eyes on that frame, then another after that.
"I'm glad... You're alive... Stupid brother."
His tears just kept falling one after another.
On the back of Koko's planet.
Zeze's body was lying in the place where he passed away. The blood was still there, and on top of his nose, a butterfly was sitting. It was quiet there; nothing, just the wind rushing in that broken place and going just a few inches away from his dead body. Something was there; it was someone.
He was wearing a long black jacket, it's dark black, his whole outfit, his shoes are shiny black, his pants and shirt were dark black. He was wearing a mask. A wooden mask.
His hair was purple, similar to Jinhwan's.
"Hana is not there and you are dead. Is someone stronger than you exist in this world?"
"But even if anyone exists no one can take Hana by force unless it's me..."
He didn't say anything, just stood there.
"So that's what happened, I figured you're not someone to be defeated by anyone. ,He must break your illusions, I spell on your memory."
"Y,ou must hold back against him. What a waste. But I'll be thankful to you that you take care of my daughter for a year."
He paused... Then continue.
"Zeze Aki, I'll give you the life you wished for in that New beginning I'm gonna create. Think of it as thanks from me for taking care of my daughter."
He moved his hand, towards his own face and touched the wooden mask he was wearing.
"My lord, this world has revived. Would you curse it again?"
A sudden voice, broke the silence. He stopped his hand and moved his hand away from his mask.
"And what makes you think you can order me?"
His voice is cold, sending chills to the person who is just standing a, few steps away from him. He was on his knees, the black cloak was covering his, whole bod,y.
"I-i, didn't, mean to my lord I was just suggesting. Forgive this low life for it."
"Forget it. Buried this man's body. And prepare to leave."
That man took a step forward, walking out of that broken apartment.
That person on his knees didn't move just nod.
"Forgive me, my lord, but are you just gonna let this world be like this?"
"Wis e already have gotte,n what we want long ago and since it,'s revived means it',s do,ne by Hana, i can't just cursed, it back my little princess might have used lots of Mana so let it be the way it is."
That man nod again. As that man continu,ed walking again that person o,n his knees spoke again.
"My l,ord i just saw something written on the wall near the gate but that language does not belong to this world. It's similar to the one you teach us."
That man stopped mid step and turned his head back a little to his shoulder.
"Where did you say it was?"
"It's near the city main gate from the outsid-"
Before he can finish his words the Wooden mask man vanished like he was even there to even begin with.
Now that Wooden mask man was standing near the wall and looking at the wall. And in front of him was writing something on the wall.
"Hah! Hahaha!!! Hiahahahahahaa!!"
He started laughing like a mad man. After a few seconds he calm down.
"Looks like you didn't change a bit."
He paused as he moved his hand reaching out to his mask as he grabbed it in his fingers as he removed that mask revealing his face.
There was a smile on his face but it's not kind at all. He is looking just like Jinhwan like he is a mirror reflection of Jinhwan. The only difference they both have is their eyes. This man has crimson eyes while Jinhwan has blue eyes.
"It's been a while since i called myself with that name."
He paused then continued with a wider smile.
"Big brother."
Looking at the words Jinhwan wrote for him.
[Get your ass up back to home or I'll beat your ass up and take you back home Jin.]
[Episode 48 End]
[Volume One The beginning End]
[Read this before you leave]
The first Volume is finally over even though it's the smallest Volume. Yeah, this story is long, and I'll say one thing you won't regret reading it. I'm not saying it's the greatest story, nor am I saying it's the worst. For me, It's best because it's my work of course i love It.
I'm writing my other book too so a little break it will continue on 29 September. Just ten days break.