Chapter 37 - Alice in Trouble-8 (1/2)

Chapter 37: Chapter 4 Alice in Trouble-8

Alice seemed to be safe still. Currently she was locked in a closet with a guard watching her. Jack's motive was to kill Heart, and within that scheme, there was a high chance Alice would be killed also. Also, these men didn't seem to know who exactly they were fighting.

Pawn. It was the first time hearing Heart's real name. He had been born in the slums as the son of a prostitute. He killed the father that got him out of the slums and won his title of Heart. It was a famous story.

Strangely, she had little interest in the story, but now the name felt like a thorn in her side. She was reminded of Mad Hatter, whose real name she didn't know. And also, why she was so concerned about this all of a sudden?

She couldn't understand.

Then, her smartphone vibrated inside her jacket pocket. SoYoon took it out and checked the screen. On the lock screen were two messages. Based on the timestamp, one came in right after she called Baby, and the other came in right now.

/[We'll be there soon, so don't go in by yourself.]

[We're almost there. Wait.]

Her white eyelashes relaxed softly.

Not even five minutes had passed when a hoard of men in suits arrived at the hideout. They overpowered the place. Their leader, Heart, frowned with a murderous expression. His easygoing nature was nowhere to be found.

As she approached him, Heart crinkled his eyes in a smile. He dragged SoYoon to a place no one else could see, grabbed her shoulder, and scolded her quietly.

”Why did you come here?”

His anger rained down on her, but she couldn't figure out why. She assumed the reason but didn't think it warranted this type of reaction. Alice's powers must have been pivotal to him. She placed her hand over his with a slightly bitter feeling.

”Calm down.”

”Calm down? Ha! Calm down? Do you realize how I felt when I heard you asked about this place! I was afraid you would charge in there without thinking…!”

Heart clenched his hands. She heard her shoulders squeak and thought over his words. So this was...

”Were you worried about me?”

At this moment, she thought she could see Heart's auburn eyes burning. He ground his teeth and poured out his thoughts.

”Are you seriously asking me that right now? You dense girl!”

SoYoon was truly surprised. And Heart, typical of someone who'd spent so much time with her, read her mind. He knew this about her, but she was a strong-willed girl. Heart, unable to suppress his emotions, closed his eyes.

The face of the man who was always so relaxed and full of energy changed to one of defeat. At this moment, he looked weak. If you were weak, you would get hurt. And she did not want him to get hurt.

What would she have to say to make it better? She opened her mouth cautiously. It was something ordinary, but it was difficult to say.

”Thank you.”

Heart opened his eyes.

***

As they returned to the place where Heart's men were, Heart looked down at SoYoon walking next to him. Who would have known that this small and average-looking girl would shake him up so? Love is the devil, fire, heaven, and hell. The words of a poet from the past melted on his tongue. Unable to contain his bitterness, he opened his mouth.

”If—”

SoYoon looked up at him. Her eyes reflected the sunset and were the exact color he so loved. Content, he stared into them.

”—you had chosen different words.”

I'm sorry. If only she had said this instead.

”Then whatever the meaning, I—”

He would have, for her.

The possibility of this future gone, Heart smiled at SoYoon. His red hair and lashes, inside his red sunset-filled eyes—he knew how his smile would look to her. As expected, SoYoon jumped slightly.

Her facade may have been expressionless, but her eyes and reaction spoke more loudly than even she knew. Even now, she had her head tilted toward him as if waiting for his next words.

Heart turned his head, pretending not to notice. His low laugh dissipated into the night.