NEVER NOT • H.RENJUN

33

| chapter thirty-three |
i want to be with hyewon..
« i would've walked through
hell to find another way »

Not even ten minutes after Hyewon's disappearance, Renjun found himself a few blocks away from the Demon's house. Though his now-human body ached and his now-human lungs begged for air, he didn't stop running. He did not want to waste any second that could be used to possibly save Hyewon. He figured that her disappearance had something to do with Satan.

He was right, he just didn't know that yet.

Once he arrived, his palm pounded on the door. A concerned Jaemin opened it.

"You." He said. "What are you—"

"Hyewon disappeared." Renjun wasted no time to get to the point. He was breathless and struggling to form coherent sentences, yet that didn't stop him. "I think I know where she is."

Jaemin was utterly confused. "Wait. Hyewon is gone? But today isn't her last day."

"Exactly. Which means that this isn't the Diety's doing," Renjun told him, waiting for him to piece the puzzle together.

Jaemin contemplated for a bit and then looked into Renjun's eyes. "Satan." He nodded. "This is bad. Very very bad. Yoon!" The vampire called out and the Demon appeared in less than ten seconds.

"Hyewon needs you. Well all of us, but mostly you because you're the only one that can get us into Hell," Jaemin told him.

"What's going on?"

"We'll explain on the way," Renjun said. He didn't want to waste any more time.

Yoon looked at Renjun as if he were crazy. "You're not going, too, are you?" Yoon shook his head, unwilling to let him join.

"Why not?"

"You'll be breaking a rule. Angels can never enter the Gates of Hell."

"I'm in love with a Demon and you think I still worry about rules?" Renjun told them, "Plus, it's not like I'm fully an Angel anymore."

"Still, I don't think it'll be a good idea," Yoon insisted. He knew what Satan was capable of and nothing good came out of provoking him. If he saw an Angel, more specifically, the Angel that made Hyewon "weak", he would not hold back.

But Renjun learned to be stubborn (just like his lover). He shook his head, "I need to go. I don't care what happens. I want to be with Hyewon." Yoon and Jaemin exchanged glances, clearly hesitant. "Please." He practically begged.

"Fine, but the moment I sense that something is wrong, you will need to leave. I do not care if Jaemin has to drag you out. I do not want to worsen the situation." Yoon told him in a stern tone. Renjun only nodded.

. . .

Hell was a lot different from Heaven. As expected, the complete opposite. Heaven was light, kind, and elegant. Hell was darkness, cruel, and void.

"Do not do anything stupid. Stay by us at all times," Jaemin continued to warn Renjun. But he was paying no attention. His eyes searched for Hyewon in the darkness that was only slightly lit up by torches.

A loud thump followed by a pained grunt earned the trio's attention. Because of the emptiness, everything echoed. They exchanged glances and slowly walked toward the sound.

"You were once an Angel too. You..just never were satisfied. How could you ever be satisfied with anything though? You are selfish. You can't bear the fact that peo—people are braver and stronger than you will ever be!"

Hyewon.

"No. No one can ever be better than me! Tell me. Who will ever top the Angel that rebelled against the Almighty Deity?"

Satan.

"The Demon that rebelled against Satan. Me."

"Renjun!" Yoon called out as the Angel ran away in search of Hyewon.

Renjun knew he would cause trouble. He was doing exactly what Yoon had told him not to do. But, what could he do? At the moment, nothing else mattered. He was desperate. To find her. To save her. To keep her by his side.

"Hyewon.."

He found her. But his heart completely shattered at the sight.