They settle the aftermath.
“Do you think I should use my pow—”
Voidborn looked at Jimin and shook his head.
“You can remove her grief now,” he whispered, “but what happens after you leave?”
Jimin bit her lower lip and looked at Chaewon who was crumpled onto the ground, crying and sobbing uncontrollably.
“Then what should we do?”
“Maybe she needs a hug,” Rei said, looking at Voidborn.
“Yes. I can hug her.”
“What? N-No!” Jimin stuttered in a haste. “Y-You can only choose one person to hug in your entire life. You've already hugged me so you can hug me only.”
“The woman who took care of me didn't tell me this rule,” Voidborn frowned. “Is that true, Rei?”
“It’s true! I'm not lying, right, Rei?!”
Voidborn focused and looked at the both of them.
Yellow.
Why would they lie?
Voidborn frowned and wondered if Jimin did not like him hugging other people other than her. He pondered for a moment before coming to the conclusion that maybe it was what Rei said earlier about Jimin liking him.
If hugging Chaewon or other people would make Jimin unhappy, Voidborn thought that maybe he should not do it.
He turned to Robert.
“Robert.”
“Yes?”
“Have you hugged someone before?”
“Uhh… No?”
Robert leaned in and whispered.
“Didn't I tell you I didn't want to die a virgin?”
Voidborn nodded and pointed at Chaewon.
“A sad woman needs hugs.”
Robert looked at Chaewon.
“Me?”
Voidborn nodded.
“I saved your life twice. So you owe me.”
Robert muttered under his breath, as if weighing the pros and cons, deciding what moves he should make.
Then he stopped.
With resolute eyes, he walked over.
He kneeled down beside Chaewon and stretched his arms out.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Hugs?”
Robert tried to inch forward awkwardly.
“Fuck off! Why would I hug you?
Chaewon raised her leg and pushed against Robert’s chest, trying to press him away.
The black grief within Chaewon was slowly replaced with a red irritance and annoyance.
Looking at the spectacle, Voidborn nodded internally. It seemed like hugging really did help with sadness.
Voidborn looked around.
Corpses were strewn everywhere. Goblin huts were destroyed all around. Scorch marks and burnt vine remains were scattered all over the ground, a proof of the brutal fight that happened just a few heartbeats ago.
Derrick and Joy were discussing right by the shaman’s corpse.
Senia and Dylan were bandaging each other’s injuries.
Jimin was squeezing Rei’s cheeks, growling at her for saying unnecessary things.
Robert was tangled with Chaewon as she pinned him down with an arm bar.
Voidborn reached into his pocket and took out the pendant.
He had asked seven questions.
He had gotten seven answers.
But now he had more questions that he needed answers to.
His mind wandered off.
Then something squeezed his hand.
He looked to the side.
“Hey.”
36 likes from JewelFall, ACESA_Lover, DCH, Battoussaaii, Spapop, Zol, PinkBlood, rumelattac, KangSeulGun, Exalted, rai_, Quail, nemong, Zyology, BroadDaylite, nekkonii, Rooktrvlr, Os_76, Spren, and Nashty21, .
3 recommendations from JewelFall, Zyology, and Surrealism.