Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 32

Hyun spoke softly.

The children leaned into their friends’ warm hugs and comfort.

Though their gazes were still soaked in sadness, they seemed to be gradually finding relief amidst the love and protection of their friends.

“Can you tell us the real reason you all came here?”

Kangtae asked cautiously.

The children looked to their friends but still said nothing.

Tears continued to flow from their eyes, and those tears became their answers.

Understanding the children’s silence, the friends held them even tighter.

They might not know all the pain and sadness the children had experienced, but they promised to stay by their side.

Hyun gazed at the children for a moment, then suddenly his eyes widened as a thought struck him.

He recalled a photo in a frame at the snack bar.

In that photo were two children, beaming while standing next to the innkeeper.

Hyun realized that the kids in the photo were the very ones standing in front of him now.

“Wait a minute, these kids… they’re the innkeeper’s children!”

Everyone looked at him in surprise. Yoonhwa, Kangtae, and Seojin exchanged incredulous glances between Hyun and the children.

The children looked at each other as if reacting to Hyun’s words, their eyes crossing with fear and confusion.

Just as Kangtae was about to rush to find the innkeeper, one of the boys suddenly tugged harshly at his wrist.

Tears streamed from the boy’s eyes, his face showing deep pain and fear.

“Please… don’t go.”

His voice trembled with desperation. There was a heartfelt urgency in his plea, and Kangtae paused, looking down at the child.

“Why? What’s wrong…?”

In response to Kangtae’s question, the boy couldn’t answer and simply lowered his head. He just continued to cry as he clutched Kangtae’s hand tighter.

The boy’s actions conveyed an indescribable desperation and an intense longing for something.

Watching this unfold, Yoonhwa and the other friends felt confused, sensing that something strange was happening.

The girl sniffled in Yoonhwa’s arms, whispering.

“I miss Mom and Dad so much…”

“But… I can’t see them anymore…”

Her voice was filled with despair, and her words pierced her friends’ hearts. The pain and fear the children experienced washed over them.

Hyun focused more intently on what the child said, asking.

“Your parents aren’t the innkeeper, are they?!”

“You can see them if you go down now.”

Despite Hyun’s words, the boy showed no reaction.

His eyes were vacant, devoid of any emotional light.

The boy was staring blankly into the distance, but it was impossible to tell what he was looking at or what he truly wanted.

It seemed like he was drifting away from the reality in front of him, his gaze unfocused yet intense.

His lack of response deepened his friends’ worries.

Yoonhwa gently held the boy’s hand, trying to reassure him, but his hand was cold and numb.

It felt as though all life had drained from his grip, and it seemed he couldn’t feel Yoonhwa’s warmth.

The friends exchanged glances, unsure of what to do next. Kangtae spoke cautiously.

“Maybe… these kids have gone through something much bigger than we imagined…”

Seojin stood awkwardly, her tail hidden under the blanket.

The friends were worried, unsure how to resolve the situation.

Hyun watched the children carefully, trying to understand what had happened to them and why they were in this state.

But the children’s silence offered no clues.

The room was filled with sorrow and helplessness, and the sounds of the children’s crying broke the stillness.

The boy was glancing around the room as if searching for something. His gaze eventually fixed on one of the friends, and he cautiously spoke.

“Is there… something sharp…?”

His voice was quiet and shaky. The girl, hearing her brother’s request, immediately started to cry.

“Please, little brother, you don’t need that…”

Her voice was filled with urgency, and fear was written across her face.

She tried to hold onto her brother’s arm, but he evaded her touch, continuing to plead for someone to give him a sharp object.

The friends were taken aback, unsure what to do.

Yoonhwa approached the boy and gently grasped his shoulder.

“Kid, why… do you want something sharp…?”

But the boy didn’t respond to Yoonhwa’s words. His gaze remained fixed somewhere far away, and his voice grew more desperate.

“I want something sharp…!”

In the end, Hyun handed the boy a metal cake knife. Upon seeing it, the girl began to sob louder.

“Seojoon, please…”

Yet the boy ignored his sister’s plea, staring intently at the knife in his hand.

Deep determination was evident in his expression, and tension hung thickly among the friends.

Yoonhwa cautiously approached the boy. Her voice was soft yet firm.

“Kid, what do you plan to do with that knife?”

The boy, Seojoon, didn’t answer.

His eyes seemed lost in thoughts as he stared into the distance. Moments later, he took a deep breath, and tears streamed down his face.

His tears seemed to communicate the pain within him, even in silence.

“Nine-Tailed Fox sister… can you carry me…?”

Hyun was startled by the boy’s sudden request and turned to look at Yoonhwa. His gaze mixed with suspicion and surprise.

“Wait a minute, how did you know she’s a Nine-Tailed Fox?”

Seojoon didn’t respond to Hyun’s question.

He just looked at Yoonhwa, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Yoonhwa appeared momentarily taken aback by Hyun’s words. She cautiously asked Seojoon.

“How do you know about that??”

More tears flowed from Seojoon’s eyes, his face reflecting an indescribable pain.

Yet, he still offered no response. He merely continued to sob quietly in Yoonhwa’s embrace.

The friends were confused by the unfolding scene, glancing at one another. Kangtae and Seojin felt lost for words, merely exchanging worried glances.

Yoonhwa gently patted Seojoon’s head, trying to offer him some comfort.

It seemed his tears began to subside a bit.

In that moment, a subtle change occurred in Seojoon’s demeanor.

He slipped out of Yoonhwa’s sight and quickly moved behind her. The knife he held shimmered uncertainly in his grasp.

The friends observed this without any suspicion.

Seojoon’s movements were so natural and rapid.

But Yoonhwa’s instincts were sharp. She sensed Seojoon’s intention in an instant and reacted quickly.

As Seojoon aimed the knife toward the back of Yoonhwa’s neck, she turned with surprising reflexes.

The knife fell from Seojoon’s hand, harmlessly clattering to the floor. All of this happened in a blink.

The friends held their breath at the sight. Seojoon’s sudden attack and Yoonhwa’s swift dodge were too abrupt.

After narrowly escaping that moment, Yoonhwa caught her breath and looked at Seojoon.

Her gaze was filled with bewilderment.

“Seojoon… why…?”

Tears continued to cascade down Seojoon’s face.

His face was marked by deep pain and confusion. He could not explain his actions. He simply looked into Yoonhwa’s eyes, trying to hold back sobs.

In this moment, the friends confronted the intense inner conflict and suffering that Seojoon and his sister were experiencing.

They realized that Seojoon was being controlled by some overpowering force.

And they felt an urgent need to help the children.

The sister, Eunbi, witnessed Yoonhwa dodging her brother’s attack and let out a huge sigh of relief.

Her eyes reflected a mélange of fear and relief. Though she had been engulfed in terror, fearing for her brother’s success, seeing Yoonhwa escape safely eased her tension.

Eunbi looked down at her fallen brother, tears streaming down her face.

Her tears spoke of relief and anguish.

“Seojoon…”

Eunbi softly called out her brother’s name, but her voice trembled, and she couldn’t continue.

The friends held their breath, feeling the heightened tension of the moment.

While relieved that Yoonhwa had expertly dodged Seojoon’s unexpected attack, fear and confusion about Seojoon’s actions gripped their hearts.

Kangtae and Seojin exchanged glances, sharing a silent understanding, while Hyun bit his lip, grasping the seriousness of the situation.

Eunbi rushed to her fallen brother’s side. Her hands trembled as she gently lifted Seojoon into her arms.

Tears continued to fall as she tried to comfort him, stroking his hair.

“I’m so glad… really…”

Though Eunbi’s voice was tender and soothing, despair was etched in her eyes as she struggled to find a solution. She could feel the psychological pressure and inner torment her brother was enduring.

Seojoon trembled in Eunbi’s embrace, seeking comfort in her warmth. His small frame was tense with fear.

“I’m sorry…”

Seojoon’s faint voice broke through, carrying deep guilt and remorse.

Having said that, Seojoon collapsed.

Yoonhwa closely observed Seojoon, confirming that he was breathing properly.

She let out a sigh of relief and approached her friends, trying to reassure them.

“Don’t worry, Seojoon is breathing well.”

“I think he just fainted from the shock for a bit.”

Eunbi and the other friends felt a measure of relief upon hearing Yoonhwa’s words. A sense of calmness began to soften their previously tense expressions.

“Thank goodness…”

Eunbi wiped her tears, refusing to leave her brother’s side.

She held onto Seojoon’s hand tightly, remaining by his side until he opened his eyes again.

Kangtae carefully approached Eunbi and spoke.

“Eunbi… right?”

Eunbi responded with a somber expression.

“Y-yeah…”

Kangtae, noting her sorrowful demeanor, cautiously asked.

“Eunbi, can you tell us what happened to you guys…?”

Unshed tears of hesitation and fear glimmered in Eunbi’s eyes as she looked down, avoiding the question.

“We… we can’t say…”

Her voice trembled, and fresh tears streamed down her face.

It seemed she was entangled in some unseen force that prevented her from sharing their ordeal.

Worry deepened in Kangtae’s heart, and the other friends paid keen attention to Eunbi’s words.

Yoonhwa gently embraced Eunbi, comforting her.

“It’s okay, it’s just that you can’t speak about it, right?”

Eunbi wept silently.

“I miss Mom… Dad…”

Seeing Eunbi’s tears, Yoonhwa felt her heart break. After a moment of contemplation, she seemed resolute and stood up.

“Wait a moment.”

Yoonhwa approached the intercom installed in the room.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the intercom button.

“Could you please come up for a moment?”

“It’s important.”

A moment later, the innkeeper’s voice came through the intercom.

“Of course. I’ll be right there.”

Yoonhwa placed the intercom down and looked at her friends.

“The innkeeper said they’ll be here shortly.”

“We need to ask them what happened then.”

The friends nodded, their expressions tense as they agreed with Yoonhwa.

Eunbi, with tears in her eyes, waited for her parents.