Chapter 7
I groan when I felt the pain in my sternum. I open my eyes and found Hyunsung sleeping beside me and he was hugging me too tight. His arm is almost reaching my neck. I scanned the room and found myself inside the old bedroom. We're in the bedroom? I scanned the room we're in and this room looks like we are just in the hotel though it's cozy in here. I move my hand to my neck and feel the band-aid on my sternum. I looked down at my body and I sigh in relief when I saw that we are wearing the same clothes before we undergo to the operation.
I tried to shake Hyunsung to wake him up. He groan and opened his eyes. He looks adorable with his just-woke-up-face. His plump lips are almost swollen and his face too but that makes him look adorable. He squints his eyes before looking around.
"Where are we?" He asked like an innocent child. Hyunsung is still sixteen though.
"I don't know," I answered and get up. He gets up too thinking that there's still a tube connected to our body. I remove the blanket off of us and just when I saw that we were wearing an ankle skirt with pinafore on us. I held the plastic tube that was still stuck between our legs. Why they can't take this thing off of us?
I feel Hyunsung wrap his arms around me. "I'm too tired..." He mumbled on my shoulder. "I don't know but I felt tired."
"We can't rest now. We need to get out of here! Did you see what they up to?" I shuddered when I remember those things again. The breeding season traumatized me badly.
"I want to breed you thought." He whispered in my ears and I felt his lips pressed on my nape. I began thrashing away from his grip.
"Don't say such inappropriate words like that!" I whine and face the wall beside me. I get up, trying to walk but my legs are shaking. This thing between my legs getting uncomfortable and I want to pull this off from my butt. Like, how I supposed to poo if this thing is stuck inside my butt.
I tried to stand up and walked carefully. I noticed Hyunsung get off of the bed too and walked but just like me, his legs were shaking. He almost stumble but I quickly held his arm. "Be careful can you?" I said.
We both held each other for support while my left hand touched the wall so that we won't fall. I looked around the room and see nothing but an old scratches wallpaper even though this room look like in the hotel. My eyes darted on Hyunsung when I heard him groan. He's holding his stomach like he was in pain.
"Are you alrig-" I stopped as soon I see his hair turning white? The white-painted color rush through his hair until it devoured all of the black colors. Mirror, right. I need a mirror to look at myself too. I helped Hyunsung sit back on the bed and run to the drawer but I stopped when I remember that I can't walk freely if this tube is still between my legs that connect to Hyunsung.
I looked down at my skirt and held the tube. Hyunsung keeps on groaning. I held it tight and was about to pull it out when the door swung open. I stop and quickly looked at the door. I saw Arnika standing in the doorway.
"Are you trying to pull it out of you? Please don't. If you pull that out, you'll die." She said with a smile on her face.
"But this thing is uncomfortable!" I complain.
"If you pull that out, you'll lose your lungs and die. You see, you don't have a heart anymore."
What? Is she kidding right? How can I have no heart? I am still alive, I still breathing and even moving. I carefully placed my hand on my chest and felt my heartbeat. It's still beating.
"What are you trying to say? I have still a heart." I said while frowning.
Mother Arnika step inside the room and came closer to Hyunsung. She kneels in front of Hyunsung who is still in pain. She raises her hand to touch his hair and for some reason, my body moves on its own and runs to mother Arnika. I grab her hand but she didn't even shock or flinch at my sudden movement. She look up at me and smiled more.
"I understand," she said and stood up. "you see. Hyunsung is your life support. You still have your heart though but it's only beating because of him." She points to my chest and crossed her both arms. "You should take each other well or both of you will die."
"What do you mean that Hyunsung is my life support? He isn't a life machine or anything!"
"Yes he isn't but believes me Lee Sunie, you're draining Hyunsung's energy and once his stamina is low- you're in big trouble. You might run out of oxygen. You will struggle to breathe like a low battery. Take care of each other." She reminds before turning to Hyunsung again that already fine now. She suddenly raised her hand and yanked something on my head. I hissed when the pain immediately shot in my scalp. Why my scalp is hurting again? Is there something linked to my head?
"Let him go!" Hyunsung angrily said and stood up, pushing mother Arnika away from me but she got him on his neck.
"Relax...he will not die unless you die first!" Mother Arnika said sternly. She pushed him down on the floor before pulling the thing on my head. I whimpered in pain and I tried to bite back my scream. "You should look yourself to the mirror. You too, Hyunsung."
I tried to look at Hyunsung but I can't. I can't move my head. Every time I will try, the pain only gets worst. She pulled us out of the room and dragged us to the other room. She aimlessly throws us inside. We both winced but mother Arnika came to us again and she both drag us, forcing us- almost throwing us at the sofa.
"Look at yourself and get the medallion on top of the mirror. Make sure to look perfect and presentable in front of the family." She said before walking out of the room. But before she shut the door, she looked at us over her shoulder and said, " Make it faster, you don't want the family impatient would you? I'll be waiting outside." Then she shut the door.
I moved my head back to Hyunsung and I caught him looking at me with wide eyes. And maybe I did the same reaction as him. I gasp and my eyes widen too. From his head, there's a black horn of a white-tailed deer and I assume that the horns have the same size just like in real deer horns. It's black and almost rotten. His hair is slowly turning back to black again. When does he get the horns? I don't remember mother Arnika putting something like that on his head?
"Why do you have horns?!" We both asked at the same time.
I feel my head hurt and I can't stop my body from trembling. I struggle to get up and move my head to look at the mirror. I can't help but wonder how these horns linked to my head?
I have the same horns as Hyunsung but it's white with mixed black just like my hair. It also looks rotten in ages. How can this be possible? Is this some kind of a joke? Are they want us to wear costumes like this?
I tried to search for any evidence that this thing is just a display to entertain their so-called family. I traced the horns down and I felt my scalp. I tried to push away the hair that surrounded the edge of the horns but to my surprise, these horns stuck on my head. My face paled up. This horn just seemed to grow on my head but when? Is this the reason why my scalp and head hurt earlier?
I tried to pull it off of my head but it can't be removed and my scalp started to hurt. I feel my legs shaking. This can't be happening right? What is happening to us? What did they do to us? Is these horns will be gone if I want to?
"Hey..."
I jumped in surprise when I felt someone hold my elbow. I turned around and see Hyunsung, looking at me with his sad eyes. Even his eyes were dark, I can see that he is sad. "It will be alright." He said.
"I want..." I gulp, bit back my tears. "I want to go home," I mumbled.
"I know. We all want to go home." He pats my shoulder and was about to hug me but I immediately pushed myself away. I looked up at the mirror and grab the medallion. I inspected it and see the image of a white-tailed deer and its symbol. I sighs and wrapped the lace around my right hand.
Hyunsung gets the medallion too and does the same thing as I did. Just when the door opened mother Arnika went inside with a smile.
I reached Hyunsung's hand and he tangled our fingers together. We looked at each other before nodding.
We followed mother Arnika along the way and all I can see was a mansion. A huge mansion with massive areas. This mansion looks like in the '80s based on how old and antique the pieces of stuff here even the doors, walls- everything. The concrete is not even made in cement or blocks- it's made in hardwood with old-fashioned wallpapers. I looked at the chandeliers that hang above us and even the lamps that linked on the wall- these things all looked so old but beautiful. I feel like I came back in 1980. This hallway or maybe the mansion itself is magnificent.
We reach the edge of the hallway with double doors. Mother Arnika opened that and my eyes widen in awe. This mansion is really. Despite our situation, I was still amazed by the interior. The warm glow of the chandeliers gave the room such a welcoming ambiance that reflected onto the waxed marble floor. Two big statues of a woman and a man holding white and black diamonds on their hands by the entrance. It wasn’t as suffocating as I thought. I think hundreds of people can all fit in there, the room still had a massive space for more. On top of the grand staircase, a huge painting of their family. Seems like showing how they are powerful with pride.
I felt Hyunsung elbowed me and I looked at him.
"Don't be amazed. I heard they held the human auction in here. Buying people and selling them away. Especially...the useless ones." He whispered.
I heard mother Arnika chuckle but she didn't say anything. I sign Hyunsung to shut his mouth. Soon enough, we reach the kitchen from the ground floor. The kitchen is also massive and magnificent indeed. The long table in the middle with two big chandeliers hang over us. On top of the table, flower vases were placed with flowers. Everything here is filtered in light gold color because of the lights.
From the table, I saw Jihae and Fin seating near us. Wings of a bird on their back, a wing of a crow to Jihae while wings of a dove to Fin. I see Minhee too without anyone on his side. I guess he doesn't have a life partner? I noticed the ear of a cat on his ears- or his ears themselves. My eyes moved to his side and my eyes widen when I saw Junghwan and his brother. Both have the same tail like a lizard.
I want to run to Junghwan, hugged him, and tell him that I was worried. I feel Hyunsung squeeze my hand. I took a breath, trying to calm myself.
I noticed the person beside Jihae was looking at me and when I turned my eyes at him- I know this guy is familiar. I stared at him, he doesn't have the iris that made him look creepy and his hands have small spikes? His hands were more look like a spider.
Wait, isn't he Park Sungjoon? So, all along he was been kidnapped too?
The rest of them, I don't know who they are. But the familiar face of Seunghwan came to view as I move my eyes to the other side of the table. He was reading a book as always but unlike us, he looks ordinary. There's nothing weird on his body.
"Seat beside at Lee Fin." Mother Arnika told me.
Hyunsung and I walked hand in hand beside Fin. I took a seat beside him and Fin stared at me and my horns. He raised his hand to touch it but Jihae smack his hand.
"Don't touch the deer!" Jihae scolded.
"We are not a deer," I mumbled and I felt Hyunsung hand tighten on mine. I looked up at him and he looks nervous for some reason. I caught him looking straight in front of him. I move my eyes to our front and saw two tigers staring at us with hangers-on their eyes. One of them is a girl while the other one was a boy.
"You look tasty!" The girl said and licked her lips. I can see her canine teeth.
"We are not! Why are saying that to us?!" I asked.
"Because you and your partner are a white-tailed deer. An animal everyone wants to hunt." A guy said who seating beside them. Just like Seunghwan, he looks ordinary.
"But...we aren't animals. We're humans!" Hyunsung said.
"Indeed. But even you turned the world upside down, you both are our food chain!" The guy said and jump on top of the table with his claw ready to slit our throat. Hyunsung quickly hugged me as if trying to protect me from him. The guy smiled and hissed like a cat. He was about to attack us but a wing blocked him then swung him away.
I turned to look who that was and saw Jihae, glaring at the tiger. "Don't you dare touch my deer!" He shouted angrily.
The guy stood up, licking his bleeding lips. He pulled his skirt up and rip the tube off of him. O heard his partner make a pained sound like she had a hard time breathing. My eyes landed on the girl and see her struggling to breathe. Holding her throat and panting hard.
"Your deer huh? What a pain. You should die to crow!" He screeched and jumped on Jihae but someone with incredible speed pushed him away, pinning him on the floor. It's Fin. The tube between him and Jihae was stretched in the middle like it nearly snap to snap.
Fin was holding the guy's throat with his claws. He looks really mad. "Did you hear what they say? Be presentable!" He hissed and throw the guy away.
He jumped and fly back beside me. I stared at him in awe. That was awesome. His eyes move to me and he smiled. He pets my head. I noticed that his brows and lashes were all white that I haven't noticed before. What? It looks like a real angel. Dove suits him well.
"Don't be scared. We got your back." He whispered. Hyunsung is still hugging me and his horns were bumping on mine.
"What an impressing birds. My birds raised so well by Chil huh?"
We all turned our heads to the person who had just spoken. We see an aged man. He's so fast that he can't walk on his own two legs and needs to seat on the wheelchairs- or more like it to move around. He's wearing white fitted clothes. Behind him were the two twins. They are also fat but not that fat, unlike the middle-aged man who seating in a wheelchair. Both were wearing a white small shirt, tummy seeped in between. They don't have hair at all even brows- or any hairs.
"Grandfather Lu! It's nice to see you again." Mother Arnika chirped but she didn't even move on her spot. Weird.
"What happened to our tigers?" One of the twins suddenly asked and both of them pointed to the two tigers.
"They just tired." She answered and sign the nurses in the kitchen to bring back to their room. The nurses quickly followed her order and take the two tigers out of here. They dragged out the two by their legs.
"Disrespectful tigers. We need to dispatch them." Grandfather Lu said.
"But! They are our tigers!" The twins' protest.
"Alright, alright. Anyway, I can't wait-" He suddenly stop when his eyes darted on us. He quickly signs to his two grandsons to push him. They pushed them towards us with a pained expression. I know, how heavy grandfather Lu was.

He signs the twin again to stop. He stared at us with adoration in his eyes. "What a pretty white-tailed deer. Deer is my most favorite animal in the whole world."
I fisted my hands. We are not animals, we are humans! Why are they treating us like we are some kind of animal?
He grabs Hyunsung's chin with his big hands. Hyunsung winced and tried to struggle away from his grip. I can feel Fin's wings wrapped around me as if protecting me.
"Your kind must be increased more! I want more of you. Where's your partner?" The middle-aged guy's eyes landed on me. His smile went even wider and when he caught that Fin's other wing was wrapped around me, his smile went wider than it reach his ear. It's reached his ears. "Interesting," He said and nodded. "The dove wants to protect its deer. Interesting. Hey Arnika,"
He called to mother Arnika who quickly responded by saying, "Yes grandfather?"
"Tell Chil to mated these two!" He said and chuckled. "Deer and dove is something unique."
"No!" Hyunsung quickly shouted. "I won't let you mated them together!" He hissed and with his horns, he hit grandfather Lu on his face. Grandfather scream in pain and the two twins hurriedly help their grandfather.
Hyunsung quickly held my arm and stood up, dragging me away from the kitchen. I heard mother Arnika scream angrily. We both run to the huge door and tried to open it but it was locked. We run to the door beside us and see a long hallway with huge windows. The lights here were all turned off and the moon from the windows is the only light that will guide us in the darkness. Hyunsung pulled me again and run. I can hear their angry voices outside. I hope they won't know that we were here.
We turned to the other hallway but a tall woman. suddenly popped out before us. She's wearing an amy blouse and skirt in white and was holding a lamp.
It's Mother Monika.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.