Pain is a constant reminder that we are alive. But too much of it can kill a person.
Mr Kim wrapped his arms around the body of his child that fell in his arms . Tears cascaded down freely making him look aged.
As he rocked her in his arms , he used one hand to wipe his tears occasionally.
"My child... I'm sorry you are experiencing pain again... this father wish I can exchange my life for you".
Ten minutes passed with agonizing painful motion. Jae joon held the deceased in his arm while singing a lullaby for her. Watching from afar, the scenario looked like he's putting her to sleep.
His voice sounded so beautiful and depressing it touched the soul.From time to time, he looked at her face and wiped his tears that fell on her face. Watching this heartbreaking scene broke Mr Kim's heart .
The child in his arms moved a little bit and opened her eyes. Seeing her father's face , her eyes brimmed with tears.
"Father... I remember now. "
"That bastard killed Seohwa". she whispered.
Mr Kim looked at her with disbelief and gave her a questioning look. "What made you think it's him?"
Yoona sat up a little and looked towards the direction where Jae joon held Seohwa in his arms. She started crying profusely.
"I saw that lady, the one that came with him that day". she said in between tears.
"I caught her peeping at our house few days ago".
"Then why didn't you tell me ?". He asked his child.
She shook her head and replied. "There was nothing to tell... I didn't recognize her". She thought that maybe the lady was peeping out of pure curiosity. Who knew she was dangerous.
She got up slowly from his arms and reached out to touch Seohwa when Jae joon jerked up and said. "More men are coming".
He heaved Seohwa on his shoulders and ran followed by Yoona who leaned on her father for support. The guerrilla soldier who was bleeding from his arms ran after them uttering profanity under his breath.
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Mrs Kim and other ladies paced impatiently while waiting for the girls to come back. When they were not forthcoming, they got alarmed and became vigilant.
Mrs Kim opted out to search for them herself when she called unto her husband and received no response. The women advised against venturing alone into the dark and pleaded that they should wait a little bit more.
Thirty minutes passed but there was no sign of any of them. They all believed that something has gone wrong and agreed to go out together and look for them when they heard the sounds of running feet followed by Jae joon who reeked of blood.
All the women screamed in fear when they saw a lifeless body being brought down from his back.
Mrs Kim let out a piercing wail and rushed forward only to see it's not her daughter. She let out a guilty sigh of relief but soon panicked when Yoona was not with him.
Amidst the wail of the women, she screamed" Where is my Yoona?"
"I'm here mother". Yoona answered from the entrance of the cave , her husband paled beyond comparison. She ran towards the duo crying.
"My lord ... what happened?". Mr Kim held his wife's hand and brought her closer to him. He hugged her while narrating what happened as Yoona left them to be with Seohwa.
Jae joon gathered his emotions together and silenced the women with the pressing of his second finger against his mouth.
With one last look at her face, he got up and left the cave.
Reaching into his inner pocket, he pulled out a hairband with a blazing arrow insignia painted in red. He also pulled out his red monster mask and covered his face.
Emptying his backpack, he brought out all the daggers and star darts he never knew he would use again and wiped out the tiny rust on it
Heaven help those assassins because he is planning on a brutal killing spree. Though his attire is not complete, but those that have seen the insignia knows what they are up against.
He walked far away from the cave and waited for them to come. The shining moon and stars illuminated the place making everything fairly visible.
The assassins encroached and surrounded him who looked like he's meditating. One of the men that saw the insignia wanted to run but decided against it when he didn't see the red band around his waist.
They sensed his killing aura and shrunk in fear but that didn't deter them from attacking.
Two men went at once but fell down to their death with one single strike from his swords. His movement were too fast , his aims precise and his attack accurate.
The man that saw his insignia shouted . "Run my brothers... he's one of the fiery arrows" and tried to run but was cut down immediately. The man looked like he teleported because he didn't see him coming.
Jae joon smirked when he saw the dazed look on the rest of their faces. "Too bad... only the person I allow to go, lives to tell the tale"
Swish.
Swish.
Swish.
He cut down the rest of the men and wiped the blood on his sword on the cloth of the man who was gasping for air.
"In this case... no one lives to tell the tale. All dies".
He left the dieing man to a painful ending and left to join the rest. Before reaching the entrance of the cave, he removed every trace of his identity and went in.
"Let's all move to a place I know... Our location has been exposed".
Left with no choice, they all agreed and followed him to wherever it is he is leading them.
They spent the rest of the night at an abandoned old house before continuing the rest of the journey with horses Jae joon borrowed from an inn. Seohwa remained in his arms.
They reached the capital in three days time and hid in the country-styled house Jae joon asked them to stay in .
At night he left them and went to a secret location of the fiery arrows.
The old thatched house used to be their meeting place until they dissolved themselves to live like normal people while blending with the society.
It's been 4 years since their last gathering because of an agreement to go extinct until an extremely dangerous condition calls for their attention.
When they got the signal of blazing arrow at their respective locations, they wondered why their oath has been broken, irrespective of their questions and doubts they still gathered to answer the call.
"Brothers!... it's time we pick up our swords again". Jae joon shouted , breaking the night silence.