[ToG] Muse: Book 1 [Song of the Beginning]

Chapter 30 Expostulate

Expostulate: to remonstrate; to discuss or reason with

In which Khun tries to reason with himself.

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"Good luck Svalinn, you'll need it."

Right after saying that, the Guide took the bags of groceries from Evolet's hands before practically shoving Khun and her into the nearest empty room. The door closed resoundingly, the duo left unknowing how Hwaryun smirked as she shut the door and went to distract the others. Evolet blinked confusedly at the shut door, wondering why Hwaryun had suddenly done that. Almost reluctantly, she turned to Khun who hasn't said a thing since they entered the room. He hadn't moved from the spot, staring at Evolet with a thinking look.

“Uhm… Are you… by any chance angry at me, Khun-san?”

Evolet began to assume the worst when Khun didn’t answer. Her mind was already conjuring up various reasons behind his presumed anger. It wasn’t anything surprising considering all she’s done… or rather not done during the long period they were separated. She didn't offer him any sort of detailed explanation behind her disappearance nor Bam’s apparent death. It didn’t help that she knew about the two hired Regulars in his team but didn’t say it outrightly and instead implied it in a roundabout way. She even tried to play it off when Khun called her out in the Hand of Arlene, look where that got them. She doesn’t know what she’s supposed to do if Khun suddenly said he hated her for it.

Her hand unconsciously gripped her forearm, starting to get anxious from a lack of answer. She didn’t dare to look at Khun anymore, keeping her head down as her thoughts swirled chaotically in her mind. There was a heavy feeling in her chest, the unease from the silence spiking drastically as her eyes zoned out gradually.

Contrary to whatever possible explanations that Evolet thought, Khun was rather thinking where she had gone earlier without telling him. While Arkraptor did inform him that she headed to the grocery store, Evolet herself just disappeared without saying a single thing to Khun. He couldn’t help but get somewhat edgy when she did that, especially after he just met her again after 7 years since their separation on the Floor of Tests.

He snapped out of his thoughts with a sigh, only realizing how Evolet had gone silent too. It didn’t take long for Khun to notice that Evolet had a terrifyingly blank look in her eyes, gripping her arm tight enough that it left a bruise. Evolet felt like her hearing was muddled momentarily, unable to comprehend how Khun was calling out her name while trying to loosen the hold on her forearm.

“..ve- Eve!” Said girl slowly blinked into awareness, watching confusedly as Khun breathed a sigh of relief when those blue-violet regained their shine. She smiled apologetically at him, adorning a sheepish look as the anxiousness from earlier was hidden away.

"I'm sorry, Khun-san… I'm probably just a little tired, so please don't worry about it. FUG's internal affairs' been a mess lately and there were too many documents that needed revisions along with the replies for the report so I haven't been able to get a decent rest…" She answered meekly, releasing her grip on her forearm before trying to cover it up with her sleeves.

Khun frowned at the action, eyes raking over Evolet's small figure as he spotted the eyebags she had despite her otherwise pristine clothing. He caressed her cheek lightly, cobalt blue eyes narrowed as his thumb grazed the dark circles under her eyes. It reminded him all too well of Hwaryun's words.

“Eve, when was the last time you slept?” He asked suspiciously.

“What do you mean, Khun-san? I was sleeping when-”