Chapter 210 - Partners

"Can you see what Seong Hwan wants you to see, is that it? And did you watch the whole accident with MP Lee and Detective Ji, which was caused by the Devourer and his minions?" asked Hunter Shin, with a grimace. 

After the rush to make it appear that nothing unusual was happening seconds before the knock on the door, the couple answered Chang Mi, only to hear an agonizing account of the new visions of the half-fairy.

The student nodded,

"Did he have connections with Musician Lee from the beginning? Is that why he interfered and helped you escape?" Eun Ha tried to understand. Persimmon had arrived with blunt and shocking news, and it had nothing to do with what they were doing behind closed doors in Shin's room.

"He used Deep Dive as a vector for the Wraiths to feed on. So he knew musician Lee," concluded Chang Mi.

"I can't say, Persimmon. With what we know so far, I assume the Devourer could know who Musician Lee was. But how much Musician Lee is worth to him ... I still haven't figured it out," the Hunter replied to the student.

"Perhaps it wasn't relevant to the Devourer where the damn music came from. But he certainly should know the story behind the music curse," commented Eun Ha, stating her opinion.

Chang Mi shook his head, showing that he couldn't concatenate a logical thought behind the Devourer's actions. And none of them there yet could predict the monster's next move.

"I just called Detective Ji, telling him what I know," said the student.

"Did you tell him you saw in your head where Musician Lee went?" Eun Ha wanted to know. Although it was quite a surprise to learn that OPPA Ji knew about the supernatural and even helped Hunter Shin from time to time, he didn't know how Ji Jae Won could explain his sources to the police.

"Well, I told him what I saw. I said what Musician Lee did on the run, to the point where I saw it. And I gave general information where he must have gone. They now have a smaller area to look for, assuming he's still in that region," Persimmon explained.

Chang Mi had red, glassy eyes. Eun Ha knew the student was going through difficult times now that his father, the Devourer, had decided to be a 'good and present father' and bond. Unfortunately, Seong Hwan was insane and the bonds he created only disturbed his son and made his life a nightmare. Eun Ha still didn't know enough of magic to help Persimmon with this, but she felt penalized by his suffering. With a sigh, she said,

"Detective Ji will at least investigate your lead."

"However, the Devourer didn't take Musician Lee out of the hands of the police just to have Chang Mi hand him over again. There is a plan behind it," pondered Shin thoughtfully.

"Yes, you are right. Is it because… he wants Chang Mi to take revenge for Lee's beating on him?"

"Maybe ..."

They both looked at Chang Mi, who looked so tired and scared, unlike his normal blasé facade. 

Eun Ha was filled with compassion, and took the cup of tea he had offered to Shin, handing it to the student. Shin's eyes widened at the exchange of preferences.

"Persimmon, rest. I'm going to meet Ji."

"NO! You haven't recovered yet!" Eun Ha protested. "This could be a trap to attract us. At least wait until Detective Ji asks for help… No one said he won't be able to solve this without your help."

"You already saw that only the police won't be able to deal with this case, Jung!" Shin was harsh, and Eun Ha stepped back from the Hunter's aggressive tone. She thought it best to step back before they argued. 

The young fairy knew that he was angry and feeling vulnerable. For a hunter like him, a legend among fairies, he was going through a terrible time. His magic didn't build up at a good speed because he was always on edge. She didn't want to make it worse, and yet, Eun Ha didn't think she should support his idea of ​​going on another hunt involving the Devourer after the last confrontation. 

That happened days ago, and where Shin almost died.

However, Eun Ha didn't like the way he had treated her, and decided to end the conversation there.

"Hmp, Chang Mi, come. Did you know that today is your brother's first photo shoot as an contracted model? We could celebrate later, right? Don't think about it anymore and let the Devourer see that you have already overcome this event. Her life should not be about watching the macabre horrors that someone else wants to put in her head," all she could do at the moment was try to ease Chang Mi's mind, and with a smile, she asked,

"And the results of CSAT, did they announce it yet?"

"Soon, noona," Persimmon sipped his tea and sighed. "I prefer to stay, if it's not a problem. I don't want to have any kind of outbreak in public. Kang Dae would be very concerned, too."

Eun Ha was thoughtful for a moment. "Right. Come with me. Lie in my room for a moment," she thought the western-style bed was more comfortable for the student, but again received an alarmed look from Shin, which the fairy ignored.

°°°

Chang Mi closed his eyes when the bedroom door closed, smelling the soft scent of noona's perfume on the pillow. It was a relief.

He had doubts about what he would do in the future. Would he try to live like a normal human, or should he try to develop his powers? What if they chased him, as Hunter Shin had warned, because of his origin? At that moment he was there to learn to control his gift, which was not and would not be tamed by the use of a magic wand, like normal fairies did.

The student didn't know how to make it stop. Maybe he should try to talk to Seong Hwan… His biological father? Deep down, he had to admit that he was afraid of being caught up in the extraordinary corrupted fairy. 

It was a fact that his nerves were in tatters, because he felt watched and received these 'unsolicited images' all the time. He just wanted to sleep a little and in peace, to dream that instead of hugging noona's pillow, he could really hug her…

°°°

"Who are you?! Who are you?! What you want?! Get away! Get away!" Lee Dae Won skated on the black mud inside the concrete tube where he hid. 

The black shadow at the mouth of the tunnel seemed to vibrate like a swarm of bees unable to maintain its humanoid shape. The human, who today was just a tatter of his suave beauty, flinched in fear.

"DEEP DIVE… You really dove to the bottom, Lee Dae Won…"

"Who are you ?! What do you want with me?" the Musician's shaky voice created some echo inside the concrete pipe. But no one would hear him. The noises of the machines and the waters would obscure his presence.

"Someone who understands your position. Misunderstood, hunted, abhorred…"

"I was all that," The deep voice, full of static noise, changed to a perfectly normal voice, next to Dae Won. 

The musician turned, startled, away from the presence so close to him. His hands and feet splashed in the putrid sludge from the pipe's floor and wall, but he had nowhere to go.

"Why are you so scared, partner?"

"Partner? What are you talking about? Are you a… demon, by any chance?"

"You humans usually give that kind of name to things like me, but… I wouldn't say I'm a demon… Actually, you owe me one, so I'm not the typical demon you deal with… We've worked together before. I have been promoting your songs, so to speak ... oops, they say that they were not yours. Therefore, at that point, our society would be undone. Besides ... you seriously offended my son ... And I should definitely kill you for it."

The human narrowed his eyes, forcing his vision to make out the face of the person squatting beside him on the dark side of the concrete tunnel. The person half hidden by the shadows gave a little laugh.

"Although you are generally despicable, Mr. Lee, you and I have some common interests."

"I dont understand. Do you hate me and yet, want to help?"

"I'm already helping, Mr. Lee. I need human hands and a human mind to accomplish something, and you have human hands."

"And if I do something for you, will you help me escape? Is that the deal?" Dae Won moved a little closer to the crouched figure, to look into his face.

The person laughed, a cheerful, white-toothed laugh. His face shone when the creature at the mouth of the pipe moved away, letting in a little light.

Dae Won frowned in confusion. Despite his long hair and white traditional clothing, he knew that face.

"Student Yoo!"

"No. I'm not Student Yoo ..." Looking down in a self-satisfied and condescending way, the mad god smiled again at the fugitive's mistake.