"Who shouted, Was it you?" said Kim Min-Ho, flashing a smile, his worried eyes fixed on Hwan Mi-Yong.
"It wasn't me," Hwan Mi-Yong murmured softly, shaking her head.
"If it wasn't you, it must be Aunt Na-Yeon expressing her grievances," he exclaimed, running through the corridor towards the servants' room.
As the door swung open, his eyes widened in shock. Hundreds of thumb-sized giant ants were swarming around a mysterious object.
"Don't let those ants touch Na-Yeon," Kim Min-Ho held back a shiver of horror crawling through his body.
"Kim Min-Ho, can we save her?" Hwan Mi-Yong anxiously stared at the frightening scene before her.
"I don't know," he whispered, trembling like the Avengers' heroes. He was just an ordinary man often overwhelmed by fear. Kim Min-Ho couldn't bear to imagine Na-Yeon, surrounded by hundreds of ants, with an anxious look on her face.
Shortly after, the ants began to snatch Na-Yeon from her bed.
"Kim Min-Ho, the ants are dragging Na-Yeon," Hwan Mi-Yong whispered, trembling, as she pulled Kim Min-Ho's arm in panic.
"I'm aware," Kim Min-Ho said with a gloomy face, then rushed towards the door.
"Kim Min-Ho, don't leave me!" Hwan Mi-Yong shouted, panic entwined with her restlessness, and she ran after Kim Min-Ho.
Kim Min-Ho quickly entered his room and opened the store app on his beloved smartphone. With a flash of white light, five insect repellent devices worth a coin appeared before Kim Min-Ho.
"This is all we need," Hwan Mi-Yong exclaimed in astonishment upon seeing the five insect repellent devices.
"Take two," Kim Min-Ho said, handing two insect repellent devices to Hwan Mi-Yong.
"Let's exterminate all those ants," Kim Min-Ho invited, showing his bravery. Hwan Mi-Yong fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Alright."
Together, Kim Min-Ho and Hwan Mi-Yong stepped out of the room and witnessed the sight of hundreds of ants dragging Na-Yeon's body. Kim Min-Ho gulped and began spraying the insect repellent towards the insects. Nervously, Hwan Mi-Yong also joined in, spraying the insects with the insect repellent devices.
Kim Min-Ho and Hwan Mi-Yong watched as the hundreds of ants scattered in all directions, leaving Na-Yeon's lifeless body lying on the floor. Kim Min-Ho looked at Na-Yeon's blood-soaked body, severely injured. Trembling, he checked her pulse and felt the coldness of her nose.
"She's gone," he uttered in a hoarse voice.
"Aaahh," Hwan Mi-Yong cried out, unable to contain her tears.
Kim Min-Ho gazed at Na-Yeon's wounded face. Suddenly, two ants crawled out of her nostrils. "It seems the ants have entered her body," Kim Min-Ho whispered with a somber expression, then stepped on the two ants.
"Sob, sob. Will the same fate befall me?" Hwan Mi-Yong exclaimed, tears streaming down her face upon hearing Kim Min-Ho's words. She was afraid that the ants would crawl into her body.
"We have to think positively," Kim Min-Ho replied with a brave determination, looking at Na-Yeon's lifeless body while spraying himself with the insect repellent.
Not long after, Kim Min-Ho saw another ant coming out of Na-Yeon's mouth. "There's more," Kim Min-Ho exclaimed in surprise, crushing the ant. His gaze then turned towards Hwan Mi-Yong, who was sitting weakly on the floor. Kim Min-Ho was certain that Hwan Mi-Yong couldn't bear witnessing the horrifying events before her eyes.
Kim Min-Ho, with a concerned face, walked towards Na-Yeon's room.
"Wait for me," Hwan Mi-Yong pleaded in panic, running towards Kim Min-Ho. Kim Min-Ho entered Na-Yeon's room and began searching for something beneath the blanket.
On the edge of the room, Kim Min-Ho discovered a partially unwrapped package of soft food, near neatly folded blankets. Looking at it with a sense of erosion, he realized it was a sweet package filled with chocolate delights. The unavoidable onslaught of dancing ants carried a tempting, alluring aroma that enchanted anyone trapped in its sweet spell.
"Undeniably, here lies the enticing package of chocolate. The ants are easily captivated by the allure of this delight," whispered Kim Min-Ho, his face solemn, and sorrow permeating his heart.
"Huff... From now on, I won't let this sweet indulgence poison these feelings. I must ward off the ants and the temptation of sweetness," murmured Hwan Mi-Yong anxiously, trembling in response to Kim Min-Ho's slowly creeping words.
With a somber expression, Kim Min-Ho ventured into the darkness outside the room. Unbeknownst to him, Hwan Mi-Yong, filled with restlessness, followed in his footsteps, step by step.
"Do you really want to share the bed with me? Right now, my spirit teeters on the brink of destruction," Kim Min-Ho's voice uttered, piercing Hwan Mi-Yong's pale eyes.
"I fear sleeping alone, especially after what happened earlier," Hwan Mi-Yong said with a slight tremor, unable to hide the anxiety on his face.
"Fine, you can share this mattress with me. However, remember, don't do anything out of the ordinary," Kim Min-Ho continued softly, then stepped into his room. Hearing those words, Hwan Mi-Yong contemplated silently.
"That should have been the words I should have said," Hwan Mi-Yong mumbled as he entered the room and locked the door behind him.
Hwan Mi-Yong's eyes witnessed Kim Min-Ho spraying the room with a deadly insect repellent. Then, he sat at the edge of the bed and said, "I never imagined the world would be like this."
"Rest, don't let your mind dwell on things beyond our understanding," replied Kim Min-Ho, his gaze penetrating Hwan Mi-Yong's depths. A relieved breath escaped Hwan Mi-Yong's lips as he dismissed the thoughts that had seeped into his mind, finally lying down his tired body on the mattress.
Kim Min-Ho joined Hwan Mi-Yong's side, sleeping embraced by the night. Suddenly, Hwan Mi-Yong's voice stirred, "You know, I still hold onto my innocence." Unexpectedly, Kim Min-Ho was taken aback by those words that spilled from Hwan Mi-Yong's lips so effortlessly.
"I want to sleep, no need to discuss things that are out of the ordinary," replied Kim Min-Ho, realizing the implied meaning behind Hwan Mi-Yong's words. Hwan Mi-Yong sighed deeply upon hearing Kim Min-Ho's cold response.
A few minutes passed, and Hwan Mi-Yong caught the sound of Kim Min-Ho's gentle snoring. "He falls asleep so easily. Doesn't he remember what happened earlier?" Hwan Mi-Yong muttered with a pout on his face, observing the slumbering figure of Kim Min-Ho. Finally, Hwan Mi-Yong closed his eyes and shortly thereafter fell asleep, embraced by dreams and longing.