IF I LIVE [ BTS X EXO X GOT 7 X BP X TWICE X SNSD]

4. FLOWERS IN MY GRAVE

The setting sun shone through the large windows of the library, its rays reflecting through the ancient glass. I sat at one of the tea tables, reading Maple Leaves, a novel by F. K. Winter. Below me sat Tan, all curled up under my feet on the rug. I smiled at the adorable creature, turning one page after another.

Out of everything in this big castle like house, this was my favourite part- the library. Here, I could be on my own, I could read all the books I ever saw, I could feel human. And now with Tan beside me, it felt for than just comfortable.

"So what's her story?" Came the familiar voice of Jonghyun. Lifting my head up, I smiled as I saw Jonghyun standing a few feet away from Tan, eyeing the tiger up and down.

"It's a he and you can come take a seat already, he doesn't bite, as long as I don't say." I replied with a chuckle, watching Jonghyun as he took slow steps forward, until he sat on the opposite arm chair from mine. Finally he looked at me, waiting for me to answer his question.

I closed the book, my eyes landing on Tan's sleeping figure. I ran my fingers through his soft white fur, the tiger purring in response.

"I guess you can say he's my avatar." I replied nonchalantly, Making Jonghyun's eyebrows furrowed.

"Avatar?" He questioned.

"He's me, in an animal version. Everything I know, everything I do, everything I have, is all in him as well. He will protect and love the people I love and protect. He will teach a lesson to the people that need a lesson to be thought. All in all, he is me."

I looked up at Jonghyun once I finished speaking, only to be greeted by Jonghyun's confused face. I chuckled, finding it quite amusing. I knew what he was thinking. How on earth did I know all this. Honestly, I had no idea myself. I just happened to know the moment I met Tan. I knew we were connected.

Seeing me chuckle, Jonghyun straightened his face, trying his best to take everything in.

"Okay, let's say that all of it is the truth. But, where on earth did you find him?"

My smile faded as soon as Jonghyun asked that.

I had no clue myself. He just showed up out of nowhere.

"He showed up just when the Hounds were about to take me. It seemed like the Hounds were really scared of him more than they were of me. Had it not been for him, I might now be a goner."

I shuddered, remembering my encounter with the Hounds.

Speaking of the hounds, it's been already a day since we talked about finding more guardians, but no one had made a move yet. I said I needed a little time to think things because it wasn't easy to digest the fact that the King of Hell was looking for me. Jonghyun said he would look for places the Guardians might be in.

So here we were, still minding our own businesses as if we didn't have a war coming up soon.

"But, he showed up out of nowhere right? Do you think you can trust him?" Jonghyun's voice brought me back to the present. I cleared my voice before replying, "Too late. I'm already trusting him."