"End of inspection", he whispered with relief, finally resting his back against the wall.
"End of .....inspection?" Yurim echoed , still confused.
She watched the terrifying Night guard drift toward the sound of the bell until it disappeared from sight.
"Am I dreaming?" Yurim whispered, letting out a shaky breath.
She sank against the wall beside the boy, her chest rising and falling as she tried to calm down.
Without warning, the boy pushed himself up, brushed the dust from his jacket, and started walking away as if nothing had happened.
Yurim's eyes widened.
She scrambled to her feet and hurried after him.
"W- where are you going?". She asked, almost breathless .
But he ignored her and kept walking. She tried to stop him, but he didn't slow down.
Then she realized he was heading toward the old lady's house, and panic struck her.
With teary eyes, she grabbed his hand.
"Please… help me," she whispered."
He shook her hand off harshly and snapped , his voice cold and sharp:
"Just go your own way. I'm not here to help anyone. You already survived my grandmother – so find your own way to survive . Just leave me ."
Without looking back, he continued walking.
---
After some time…
The clouds turned red, and heavy rain poured down.
"Why is it suddenly raining?" the boy muttered, running toward the closest place to hide.
Slowly, the thought of Yurim crossed his mind. Even though he didn't want to help, he couldn't stop himself from feeling a little uneasy.
His eyes scanned the empty street, now slick with rain, and suddenly the downpour grew heavier.
After thinking for a while, he started looking for her, but when he couldn't find her anywhere, he ran into another nearby alley for shelter.
That's when he spotted her—sitting in a corner, her legs pressed against her chest, head bowed under the rain.
The sight made his heart ache unexpectedly.
For a brief moment, he remembered how she saved him from those bad monsters.
He waited for the rain to ease, and when it finally slowed, he tossed his jacket over her shoulders.
She raised her head, staring at him in disbelief, her eyes unmoving.
His throat tightened , but he forced out, almost harshly , " I'll help you ....but only if you manage to get back to your world in a few days . If not ,I won't be responsible. "
Though she was angry, but the memory of those terrifying monsters made her swallow it down.