"Brother! Stop it!!"

The azure-haired boy could not even hear her desperate plead as rage consumed his entire mind and blurred his senses.

He couldn't even see the innocent face of a child younger than him, crying helplessly and pitifully from below him as he receives his punches.

The only thing he sees were the memories from that day— his sister, his ruckus-making, chubby-cheeked, affectionate sister, being decapitated halfway and was left to die in the flower field by her own Yothagou. 

"What's wrong with you!? Stop it!!" Yun had grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him from beating the kid into a pulp, but was elbowed hard enough to make her stumble back and hit her head on the floor.

"...are you fucking serious ?" the impact was so strong, Yun's eyesight blurred and her hearing rang sharply for a short while. When she sat up and finally steadied herself with a few kneads to her head, anger started to infect her, making her stand up and throw herself at him full force.

Hideon was knocked out of his knees, falling to the floor underneath her.

"What are you doing?!" He struggled to be freed from her straddle, but she only held on tighter.

"What are you doing!?" she screams back, and then started hitting his face repeatedly with her palm. "You're actually going to kill him!?"

"Ow-ow—!" His face was now as red as a tomato, having been slapped numerous times. He eventually caught her hand after a fierce struggle, eyes blazing in madness.

"I'm protecting you, can't you see—!"

"You—"

Before she could even scold him further, she was flipped over, and she fell on her back with a thud, making her freeze in pain.

"Where are you?!" Hideon roared after seeing the boy missing from his previous spot.

It seems like he hid somewhere in this room. Yun's muscles untensed in short relief. What a clever kid.

As she turned her head, she almost choked in surprise after seeing a pair of frightened eyes look back at her, right under her bed.

Seeing him hiding under the bed like a beaten alley cat, she couldn't help but feel her heart aching.

She still doesn't know why her brother was so violent towards her Yothagou. It was his first time meeting him, she was sure. But Hideon lunged at him like he was some kind of criminal.

"Are you here?!" Hideon opens the door that leads to Yun's bathroom, and went inside to search.

Yun took advantage of his absence and struck a quick chat with the boy under the bed.

"You need to get out of here, fast." she whispers.

"I don't know where to go," he faintly whispers back, making Yun frown in distress.

"Then... just stay there and I'll find a way to distract him," she was about to stand up and make a fuss, but her hand was suddenly reached by the boy's pale one.

"What if... you send me back." He looks at her with a pleading look in his eyes. "Send me back inside you,"

She thought for a moment, before gasping.

Right! There's no safest place in the world right now other than the room with oak log doors!!

"But how?" she doesn't know.

"I don't.. know," the boy shook his head.

"So you were under the bed?"

Yun's soul almost left her body, and all the blood from the boy's face was drained.

Yun immediately clung to her brother's feet in attempt to stop him from going near the bed, but was instead dragged with him, and a piercing cry was heard as the boy was dragged out from under the bed by his feet.

Yun squeezed her eyes shut, and pictured a door.

The door she saw in the blank space of her subconscious was open. She couldn't really see what was inside—it was just glowing yellow, and the light was so bright it was leaking out of the room.

Should I close it?!?

Without any second thoughts, she immediately does so, and when she opened her eyes, the little boy was gone.

"!!!" Hideon's eyes widened. He whipped his head towards his sister's direction, hot gaze piercing her own.

"Did you put him away ?"

"I did! So what!" Yun was filled of rage, she couldn't help but produce a massive amount of tears which placated her brother's anger almost immediately.

"Nayun..."

"I hate you! I don't want to see you ever again!" She pushes him when he nears her, and immediately runs out of the room. Hideon was left behind, with a dark expression on his face.

•••

"Where is Hideon?"

"He has locked himself in his room,"

Yun was currently seated on her sister Nancy's lap, surrounded by six other brothers in her[Nancy's] room.

"I really have no idea what happened to him," Dulba scratched his head in confusion. Hideon was a good kid—never got into a fight with Yun, never physically fights anyone, and was never full of malice. But recently he had a complete 180 and caused a ruckus every now and then, more often than their father took visits to their mansion.

"You really have no idea, let me tell you, it's probably because of the incident with Nayun."

Nancy from under Yun tensed, and the five others present either gave him a glare or had a stormy expression on their faces.

"Mandu, stop talking about that." Not when Nayun's here!!

But the burly man still couldn't get a hint. "What, that's the truth. Ever since that day, Hideon wasn't the same. And did anyone notice his actions are all concerning Nayun."

Everyone was silent, deep in thought. Their eyes eventually trailed to the girl, who also looked like she had a lot in her mind.

That kid... needs serious therapy. Yun seriously thought about Hideon's strange behaviour. Seems like witnessing his sister's murder left a huge impact on him.

"Can brother get better?" She's really hoping that they have therapy in this world.

"We're not certain." Abril shakes his head. "But he should probably be taken away—far far away from you."

"Where are you sending him?" Yun grew a bit worried. While she didn't like her brother's violence, it was all because of her after all. If he were to be punished...

"To the third mansion," Nancy answers, gently rocking back and forth in the rocking chair with the girl in her arms.

"He's safer there, and our siblings living there might be of greater help than we are."

Yun nodded, albeit hesitantly. Mandu notices the girl's slightly downcast expression, prompting him to lean over and ruffle her soft, prussian blue hair.

"Don't worry too much. For now, rest and concentrate on tending to your Yothagou."

"Alright,"

Hideon left the mansion early in the morning, without even given the chance to say goodbye. From her room's floor-to-ceiling windows, Yun watched him look up to where she was, before climbing in the carriage.

The carriage was yet to move, but she immediately closed her eyes and opened a familiar door.

"...h-huh ?"

She opens her eyes, but didn't turn to look at him. She spoke quietly, but loud enough for the trembling boy beside her to hear.

"He's gone now—you're safe."

She doesn't hear the boy make any movement, but she knows that his eyes were also trailing down the carriage that was moving further away from the mansion. Yun made sure that he saw the threat to his life leave with his own two eyes.

When the carriage was no longer in sight, she finally turns to look at him.

The orange glow of the sun gently kissed his bruise-littered porcelain skin, and highlighted each part of his small body that was close to malnourishment. Even so, the look in his eyes was a bit better than yesterday. The dark pools of his eyes seemed to shine brighter.

"How old are you?" Yun asked in sudden interest.

"...nine," he says, making her widen her eyes.

"You're almost as old as brother," She nods, but at the mention of Hideon, the boy looks down. Yun could only look at him with sympathetic eyes.

He's so small, I thought he's younger than me! How hard was life in the Padoka market, or outside in general? 

"Listen, I meant it when I said I'm going to give you a better life." Yun begins. "I won't let you get hurt. I'll give you good food. I'll give you good clothes. So rest your heart."

She thought that this'd at least cheer the little boy up, but his face remained somber.

"...What is it?"

"My older brother..." he says, and the corner of his eyes started to redden.

The image of an adult man back from the market came to mind. He was equally in a bad shape, and it was obvious that he too was starving alongside his brother.

That guy probably thought I killed his little brother. She suddenly remembered the horrible method of soul binding, how frightening must it be for the witnesses—even she was left scarred.

"I'm sorry, I don't know where he is," She closes the curtain, and the light source from the outside was immediately cut off. The room was dark for a moment, before a candle was lit on her bedside table. She had now sat on the side of her bed.

The candle illuninated the face of a doll-like girl, her crystal-like eyes looking back at him through her long lashes.

"But if you want to find him, you have to get stronger." her lips curved into a small smile. "Come here."

The boy was still hesitant, and stood still for a few minutes. Yun sighs and had to tap the mattress a few more times to beckon him on coming.

Finally, he complied with small steps, and sits beside her. He didn't forget to leave a huge space between them, but the young miss took the initiative to move closer to him. Their elbows touched, and he flinched.

"Hanse."

"...?"

"That's your name."

"My...name?"

"You don't have one, do you?"

He doesn't. Now that he had thought about it, his brother doesn't seem to call him anything.

Slowly, his face lit up, similar to that of a child who had just received a present. He blinked a few more times before trembling in excitement.

"Hanse..." he repeated in a small, shaky voice. "Hanse, Hanse..."

He's such an adorable child. "That's right. Your name is Hanse."

If its taking care of him, she doesn't think it'd be hard. It's not because she wanted to be a hero, no. If she wanted to be a hero, then she should've been adamant on not wanting to have a Yothagou, who seemed similar to a slave.

Of course, having already lived once, a lot have already been instilled to her. Getting a Yothagou in this world must be pretty normal and is probably a necessity, but her morals still gets the best out of her— she doesn't want the poor boy be mistreated... at least not on her watch.

If she was to use him, she should treat him well.

The two sat in silence until Hanse's expression froze. He then proceeded to stare at her eagerly.

"?" She could only cock her head to the side in confusion.

"You... what's the name...?" If he has a name, then surely, she does too.

"Oh, I forgot to tell. It's Yun." She held out her palm to shake hands. Unsurprisingly, he only stared at it, not quite sure on what to do with it.

Laughing, she grabs his other hand, and shook it with two of hers.

"Nice to meet you," She gave him a cheeky smile, which made him a bit dazed.

Maybe it was because he has never been around anyone else other than his brother, but the warmth from her was a bit too... strange. Starting from the tips of his hand that was  grasped by hers, spreading through his arms, chest, and to his head...

It was a pleasant kind of suffocation.

"Are you tired? I'll send you back if you want to."

He nods. Yun smiles in understanding, and closed her eyes.

But she was suddenly shaken before she could close the door.

"Wait!! "

She opens her eyes to see Hanse looking at her in distress.

"I have something to say first."

"...alright. What is it?"

"Thank you."

Yun blinked. Seeing him all serious, she couldn't help but laugh again.

Seeing him looking discouraged at her reaction, she reached and ruffled the fluffy black hair on his head.

"Goodnight, Hanse."

She finally closes the door.

•••

The next morning, She had once again rushed to her sister Nancy's room.

"Sister!!!"

Nancy was delighted. She had been wanting to get close with this little sister of hers for a long time now, but she was always all over the place and being guarded 24/7 by Hideon. Now that there's no more hindrance, she could freely scoop the girl in her arms and shower her with kisses.

"Nancy!!" Yun complains, blocking Nancy's mouth with her stubby hands.

"Sorry, you're just too cute," She swoons, and tried to steal another kiss, which made the child yelp in annoyance.

Nancy finally set her down the floor and crouched so they were at eye level. "What does our Nayun want?"

"Train. I need to train using Yothagou."

"Getting into business right after your brother left," Nancy pinches Yun's nose, before standing up and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, alright. But on one condition."

"What?" the little girl looked impatient, but her crumpled face still looked very lovely.

"You'll come to me everyday,"

"Okay," Yun immediately agrees. It's not like she has anything to do in this house anyway. Hideon, who usually kept her company, was now at the third mansion.

Nancy's lips curved into a wicked smile, before closing her eyes.

A shadow appeared beside her, and slowly materialized into a living, breathing person. It was a woman who seemed to be as the same age as Nancy, with unruly hair and a haughty appearance. Yun couldn't help but gape in awe.

So this what summoning a Yothagou back to our world looks like!!

"Wow," she couldn't help but praise.

Flattered, Nancy blushed and immediately dove in to hug the child.

"What did you say?? I'm amazing right? I know!!"

"..." From today onwards, Yun would refrain from praising her.

"Let go of me, I'm going to call Hanse."

"Hmm?" Nancy pulls away, still smiling. "Hanse?"

"My Yothagou, that's what I named him." Yun raised a brow on her, as if it were only common sense.

The smile on Nancy's face slowly fell. Yun grew alert at the sudden change of her expression.

"W-What...?"

"You named... your Yothagou?"

Oh no, is this something I shouldn't have done? Yun's heart started to beat faster in her ribs.

She turns to look at Nancy's Yothagou who was standing closely behind, and she too, looked over with a bewildered expression.

"Uh..."

"You shouldn't have done that, you know..." Nancy's voice dropped an octave lower, making the small hairs on Yun's arms and nape stand up.