"End of inspection", he whispered with relief, finally resting his back against the wall.
"End of .....inspection?" Yurim echeod , still confused. She watched the terrifying Night guard drift toward the sound of the bell until it disappeared from sight. Only then did she let out a shaky breath and sink against the wall beside the boy, her chest rising and falling as she tried to calm down.
Without warning, the boy pushed himself up, brushed the dust from his jacket, and started walking away as if nothing had happened.
Yurim's eyes widened. She scrambled to her feet and hurried after him. " W- where are you going?". She asked, almost breathless .
But he ignored her and kept walking. She tried to stop him, saying so many things , her voice trembling , but he didn't slow down . When she realized he was heading towards the old lady's house, panic struck her. With teary eyes, she grabbed his hand , desperate for him to help her.
He shook her hand off harshly and snapped , his voice cold and sharp:
" Just go your own way. I'm not here to help anyone . You already survived my grandmother – so find your own way to survive . Just leave me ."
Without looking back, he continued walking . But after some time, the clouds turned red and heavy rain poured down. Even though he didn't wanted to help, he couldn't stop himself from feeling a little uneasy . When he finally turned around to check, she was gone. He looked here and there but the rain grew heavier.
Running into a nearby alley for shelter, he spotted her – sitting in a corner , her legs pressed against her chest, head bowed under the rain. The sight made his heart ache unexpectedly. For a brief moment, he remembered how she saved him from those bad demons .
He waited for the rain to ease, and when it finally slowed, he tossed his jacket over her shoulders.
She raised her head, staring at him in disbelief, her eyes unmoving. His throat tightened , but he forced out, almost harshly , " I'll help you ....but only if you manage to get back to your world in a few days . If not ,I won't be responsible. "
Though she was angry, the memory of those terrifying demons made her swallow it down. Slowly , the morning light spread across the streets, and the human-looking monsters were out with there usual routines. For a moment , it almost looked like an ordinary world– shops opening, children in uniforms, workers rushing – yet every face felt slightly wrong, slightly off.
She stayed close to him , anxious that anyone might notice her difference. He glanced at her once, his eyes narrowing "you'll stand out like this," he muttered .
Stopping at a small shop, he bought a strong perfume and a mask. Without a word , he sprayed the perfume around her, until the scent was overwhelming and handed her the mask. She coughed against it , nearly suffocated , but forced herself to endure.
They waited at a bus stop. The bus wasn't crowded , only a handful of passangers scattered inside. At first glance, they looked human, but their faces bent strangely– eyes too wide, mouths too sharp,faces resembling animals. She turned to the window, clinging to the sight of buildings and cherry trees in bloom. But when she lifted her gaze, her breath caught – the morning sky glowed golden, like a never-ending dusk.
A faint murmur spread through the bus. The few passengers had started shifting uncomfortably, side-eyes darting toward her. The perfume's strong scent was clearly disturbing them. But before anything could happen, they reached their stop.
Stumbling out, half-choked by perfume and mask, she hurried after him as he strode ahead. They stopped before and old building. He pressed a code into the lock, but the door stayed shut. "Yunho, you stupid," he hissed under his breath, trying again.
Before he could finish, a heavy voice shrieked: " stop there, Rian!"
A women came charging toward them, grabbing his neck from behind. She was so close that Yurim got a good look at her– her face had pig-like features, and her body was heavy and round. Yet , her eyes were sharp.
"Thought you could sneak in without me noticing?" She snarled , tightening her grip. "Where's my rent ? " She screamed into his ear.
As Rian struggled to think of what to say, Yurim noticed the door was slightly opened – and someone was peeking from inside.