Chapter 16 (1/2)

When Myo Cheong was finally finished, he breathed hard. Myohan grinned.

“Hey, rabbit.”

Myo Cheong’s nose trembled slightly. Yes, that. That instinctive expression of feelings was what had been confusing Myohan.

“And why do you keep calling me rabbit? I…”

“You’re a really good actor.”

Myo Cheong flinched and shut his mouth. His eyes were shaking hard, but he was trying to look bold. Still smiling, Myohan imitated O Shin.

“You know, rabbits have keen ears.”

He recalled how afraid Myo Cheong had looked at the sickbay. He had been full of fear since the moment he opened the door. That was why Myohan hadn’t noticed till now. The fear Myo Cheong had shown hadn’t been false at all.

“You must have heard outside the door why we were looking for you.”

With his rabbit hearing, he must have heard their talking through the door. As he was afraid before he even saw who was inside, of course he was lying when he said he thought they were trying to take his money. The truth was, he felt a deep fear about his true identity being revealed.

“You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”

But then there came anther question. Why had he bothered to open the door to show his face to them?

“So that I would find you.”

Myo Cheong didn’t know why Myohan was looking for him. That was why he decided to show that he was being bullied and make Myohan think he wanted nothing to do with him. He did all that to make Myohan give up.

“That’s why you asked your schoolmate to tell me about you.”

With each word Myohan said, Myo Cheong’s face turned even whiter. To think about it, there had been a number of strange things. His schoolmate revealing his private life to a complete stranger, and him being bullied at the garden at the right time.

“However, you didn’t know that I’d help you.”

Yes, Myo Cheong had looked like he felt like crying, but not because he was sorry. It was just despair for his ruined plan, and guilt from his last bit of conscience.

“You’re fine with being bullied, but you’re afraid of being busted, rabbit?”

Myo Cheong hadn’t hesitated to kick the guy’s thigh. He perfectly kicked where it would hurt the most. In conclusion, he there was only one reason for bringing Myohan out and telling his story.

“I’m sorry.”

He wanted to be pitied. He was guessing a nice student who couldn’t help but aid a bullied student wouldn’t be able to press on such a hurt victim. But he was wrong. Myohan grinned again, this time for real.

“But Myo Cheong the monk’s revolt failed as well.”

Trust your guts. O Shin’s voice rung in his head. Myo Cheong smirked to see him smiling brightly. And then he muttered, “Shit, all screwed.”

Because of the ten-minute timeout Yuja had given him, Myohan had no choice but to leave Myo Cheong and go back to his homeroom. Yet he didn’t forget to tell the stomping rabbit, ‘If you run away again, I’ll throw you to a snake.’

“Please marry me, my prince.”

“Sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“The moment your lips touched mine, I…”

Well, he had gotten him. He had caught and put a shackle on the rabbit.

“Are you really content with it, my prince?” O Shin took Myohan’s wrist and asked. It was one of his lines, but his black eyes said differently. He was really asking. Are you really content with it?

“….No.”

No. Of course not. He couldn’t. He still didn’t know what turned Myo Cheong into a rabbit.

“O Myohan, you just made a mistake.”

Yuja rolled up his script and tapped on Myohan’s arm. He didn’t protest and nodded. As he quickly admitted his mistake, Yuja didn’t say anything more and gestured for them to resume. O Shin smiled faintly. Myohan blinked.

Experience the moment the soul leaves the body. That was what he had said. The moment the soul leaves the body. Well, that was when people died. So Myo Cheong transformed when he died?

“You already know the answer, my prince.”

O Shin slowly offered his hand. Myohan took it and looked back at him. O Shin was enjoying watching himself reflected in the clear eyes.

“Really? What do you think, then?”

Myohan took a step closer. Yuja nodded with satisfaction, happy to see Myohan serious for once. O Shin put a hand on Myohan’s chest and whispered to his ear.

“I believe you.”