Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74

~Chapter 22: I Will Fight for Your Smile~

Kong Hun managed to catch up with Leora in the corridor, her pace was much quicker than usual, but there was nothing he couldn't catch up to. He wouldn't let her run, not after that. Sometimes, the worst thing you could do in that situation was to hide. The corridor looked longer than he'd remembered, covered in mirrors and portraits; the smell of parchment heavy in the air for some unexplainable reason. With a deliberate stride, he lunged forward and captured her wrist. Leora let out a sharp gasp, spinning around as tears dripped down her face. She cried sharply, trying to tug away.
"Leora...calm down..." Kong Hun muttered, his voice low," Please."
With a deliberate movement; Kong Hun pulled her close; yet it was soft and gentle. Leora's eyes widened as tears dripped down, but she did not pull away. Kong Hun held her, his arms wrapped around her stomach and back; ensuring he did not press against her. He could smell her shampoo, and feel the ghost of her breath lingering just on his shoulder.
"Don't cry, Leora," Kong Hun muttered, his voice a whisper," He isn't worth any of those tears."
Leora let out a small whimper, before tightly hugging Kong Hun back. She trembled ever so tightly; Kong Hun couldn't tell if that was from the tears or how tight she was hugging. He rested his chin on her head and they stayed like that for a few moment, neither of them daring to pull away.

Gently, Leora disentangled from his embrace; delicately dabbing below her eyes with a handkerchief produced from a fold in her dress.
"I'm sorry you had to see me like this..." She muttered, painfully.
"Don't apologize, it's that pervert in the other room who should be apologizing. Him and Henry," Kong Hun scoffed, glancing away in disgust just remembering it.
"You didn't have to stand up for me back there, you know?" Leora smiled, weakly.
"True. But I wanted to."
Leora raised an eyebrow in surprise, but didn't argue against it. She glanced at the carpet thoughtfully, before speaking again.
"I suppose you can see, why...I don't want to marry him or any of Henry's friends."
Kong Hun nodded, adamantly, a fierce look blazing in his eyes," You shouldn't have to! You should fight back!"
"I have, didn't you see?" Leora let out a shuddering laugh," I fight and fight and fight, till I'm sick of it. I'm sick of arguing with him, Kong Hun. Because...it only results in me taking the fall."
Kong Hun stared at her, a wash of anger bubbling up within him. Not directed at her, but the situation itself. He grabbed her hands, firmly, holding them tightly as if trying to warm them and her.
"Then I'll fight for you, Leora," Kong Hun stated, sharply, his voice slightly raised," I'll fight whoever treats you like some item. Because you're not, okay? I won't let them tread over you. You deserve to be heard! I will fight for your smile!"

Leora stared at him with wide eyes, before giggling weakly," You're too nice to me, Kong Hun."
"Jiu."
"Sorry?"
"Jiu," Kong Hun repeated," My first name, it's Jiu. You've been calling me my last name, all this time."
Leora's eyes widened," I was? I had no clue, Jiu."
Jiu smiled softly, before chuckling warmly. It was enough for them to momentarily forget the previous issue and actually feel happy in each other's company. As soon as their laughter faded, Leora's expression turned grim.
"I need to go back there..." She muttered," Running off like that, Henry will have my head."
Jiu shook his head, plainly," No. You don't have to do anything you don't want, Leora."
"I want to do this. I can't run and hide. I need to prove to myself that I'm strong. Henry's right, I'm not a little girl anymore."
Jiu's eyes widened at her bold tone and the flash of determination in her eyes; it was the same he'd seen in many of his soldiers before heading to battle. Courage. It was an admirable thing, that was what he'd learnt on the battlefront at least. Jiu grinned, feeling a small sense of pride in her expression.
"Then prove him wrong, Leora; I'll fight alongside you, each step of the way," Jiu nodded.
Leora nodded back.

Then the girl seemed to catch something in the corner of her eye. After a second of looking at it, she let out a sharp, sudden and quick scream; stumbling back towards Jiu in fear, her courage defeated before they'd even entered the drawing room. Jiu whizzed around to face whatever the girl was pointing at with a trembling finger, that had rendered her into a pale and child-like state. He was ready to fight it. But then he found, it was just a mirror. The only thing there was both he and the poor, cowering girl. Jiu frowned upon realising his hair had messed up a little, and straightened it.
"Leora, what's wrong?" Jiu sighed, tugging his ponytail tighter.
"I saw something! Something dreadful!" Leora whimpered, cowering behind the general," Tell me you saw it too?"
"I only see a strikingly handsome man and a trembling girl," Jiu smirked, cheekily.
When he saw that his joke had no effect on Leora, he let out a loud groan.
"Fine, fine. What did you see?"
"Something ran by!" Leora explained, her eyes wide," Like a black whirlwind! Oh, it was dreadful."
Jiu scoffed," Leora, you were crying a minute ago. Your eyes are probably just playing tricks on you."

"Perhaps..." Leora muttered," But either way, it was dreadful, Jiu! What if it was a ghost?"
"A ghost?" Jiu raised an eyebrow.
Considering the state of the two worlds, that didn't sound entirely far-fetched. Upon Leora summoning him, Jiu now could not do his job of keeping spirits in check. It was now extremely easy for ghosts to slip through the veil, or for any lingering ones to commune with the living. But then again, he surely would have felt some form of energy? He was the General of Calamity, for crying out loud! But then it was just as possible that his physical form did not render him the same amount of skills, he was quite limited with spiritual manna now he was away from his own world. But upon examining Leora's panicked and tear-stained face, he went with the deduction that it was her eyes playing tricks; there was not enough evidence for ghosts at the present time.
"I think we'll be just fine, Leora, I doubt it's a ghost," Jiu smiled, reassuringly, patting her back," Let's go face the true terror in this house, shall we?"
Leora gave one final, cautious, glance at the mirror, before sighing in defeated.
"Yes, let's."