||Koi No Yokan|| Park Seonghwa

||Chapter 25||

"Are you sure this is what Hongjoong told you to do?"

"The instructions are very clear; you just have to practice a little"

"I don't know what made me think I was capable of doing this"

Carys had listened Carefully when Seonghwa was explaining to her how to successfully summon a deity, but the more she listened, the more it scared her.

"You haven't even tried yet!" 

"But what if I can't? Then everything will be ruined!"

She paced the deserted corridors of the library back and forth, holding tight to the books she was stocking on the shelves. Her father was just downstairs, assisting a group of teenagers that needed some books for research. In that field, he was way more of an expert than she was: being a retired professor, he knew a thing or two about school projects.

He didn't say anything when Seonghwa introduced himself to him: he limited himself to greet his daughter's "friend-who-was-new-in-town" (as she had introduced him) and then asked Carys to take care of the new arrivals.

She wondered if her mother had told him about Seonghwa, but judging by his behavior, she didn't: which was good, considering the situation they were both in.

So now they were upstairs, surrounded by piles of books to reassign to their new shelves.

"I know this sounds scary, but I trust that you will do your best"

His words comforted her a little, but the fear of failure never really left her.

"Tell me a little about them" she then asked "If I have to communicate with them I have to make sure I don't make any wrong moves"

"Sure" Seonghwa answered. She felt his eyes linger on her as she turned around to pick up some other books, but she tried to keep it cool: any faux pas and they were both damned for eternity.

"Phobos and Deimos translate to "fear" and "dread", as you may already know; they were inseparable since birth, being so similar and all. Most mortals know them as the gods of fear and dread but being children of Aphrodite, they also symbolize the fear of losing someone you love. They always meddle with my work..." he sighed, rubbing his eyes with one hand "But they're essentially harmless if you know how to compromise with them"

"Compromising is not exactly what I'm searching for" she mumbled.

"You'll have to. Getting their favor is difficult if you're not...well, me or my father"

"Encouraging as always" she retorted, her hands starting to tremble as she held the various books.

"You're not going to be alone! I'll be there, Hongjoong and San will be there...we'll support you with everything we can do, but you'll have to do most of the work"

Carys Sighed and plopped on the mini sofa of the reading area, next to Seonghwa.

"I'm so nervous...and to be honest I am starting to feel kind of defeated"

She felt Seonghwa's arm pat her back then wrap around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him.

"You know, I was initially against it, but...you can do this. I believe in you, and even if it didn't work we'll find another way"

Seonghwa's embrace was so comforting she wished she could've buried her head in his chest as he caressed her hair. However, at least until the mark was lifted, she couldn't do that.