(LeoN/NEO) The World of Us

[Chapter XXII] - Heir

After Taekwoon successfully persuaded Hakyeon into letting him leave for a week to the Underworld, he had to wait until Ravi was ready to open up another portal to let him pass through. It always took time but there was no rush this time, and honestly, Taekwoon didn't want to leave. He had no choice though. He could feel his body weakening day after day.

When Ravi finally decided that the preparations were ready, Taekwoon had to leave. He left Hyuk to stay with Hakyeon so that he could protect his lover while he was gone. It also helped Hakyeon feel reassured that Taekwoon would come back to him that way. For some reason, Hyuk was not affected by the symptoms of staying in the human world like it did to Taekwoon.

Taekwoon felt bad for Hakyeon as he left town to go back to where he came from. He lied to Hakyeon again. The look on Hakyeon when he was packing up to leave... he couldn't forget it. It broke his heart. Taekwoon was positive that he'd be back and even made a promise to Hakyeon that he would. He's not going to break that promise, ever.

* * * * * *

It's been a long time since Taekwoon came back here, to the door that got him to meet Hakyeon for the first time. He almost forgot how dark his own world was because of how different it was compared to the human world.

The glooms and cries have returned. The eerie atmosphere and the forever night skies welcomed him back. The memories he had of his world came back to him little by little as he walked through the Forest of Nightmares once again.

On the other side of the bridge was his town, the town he was born in and raised. As depressing as his childhood had been, it was still a part of what made him Jung Taekwoon.

"Hurry up and get over here, would you?"

Taekwoon saw that Ravi was waiting impatiently right on the other side of the bridge.

"We don't have all day!" The grumpy Ravi was back. Taekwoon missed seeing that.

"I'm back." Taekwoon greeted him with a smile.

"Ugh. You're becoming more and more human. You're... disgusting. Don't smile at me like that. I'm not Cha Hakyeon. It doesn't affect me." Taekwoon could hear Ravi's remark as sarcasm and laughed inside, trying not to show the poor guy more of his human side.

"Anyways, put this on." Ravi handed him a giant black cloak.

"What is this for?"

"Just put it on, it's for your own sake. Don't reveal yourself until we get back to the mansion got it?"

Taekwoon did not question any further and put the cloak on him, making sure he was completely concealed.

As the two made it through the town, Taekwoon noticed something rather odd about the people. They were hiding from something or someone... The town nearly had every door closed or even hammered shut, parts of the town seemed to have been destroyed, repairs were being made and everyone seems to be afraid for their lives.

"What's going on?" Taekwoon asked the moment they went inside the mansion.

"Long story,' Ravi sighed. "Don't worry about it. You need to recover first. Anyways, for the time being, you should bathe yourself in the Moon's powers back at the bathhouse. This was why your father left it there in the first place. It's like some sort of healing spring for your powers."

"Got it," Taekwoon said.

Taekwoon walked down the long dark corridors that he hasn't gone through for many months. Everything felt so foreign to him and he almost got lost in his own home. He so used to the small town and homes he stayed in the human world that he had nearly forgotten how uselessly big his own home was. He liked the small cozy room that Jaehwan had prepared for him to stay in the human world and how close the town's folks were with one another. If you needed something, your neighbor would surely have what you need.