Cale woke up after he felt something painful on his arms and legs. As soon as he opened his eyes, he checked his arms and legs only to see a bandage wrapped around it.

"Cale-nim! You're awake!" Choi Han cheerfully greeted the redhead. The latter just stared at his face blankly.

"Cale-nim, the weather is nice. Do you want to walk to the garden and have your breakfast there? You usually do that when you stay in the Palace," Choi Han suggested.

The redhead looked over the window and he could see how bright the outside was.

"Hm, a walk would be nice," Cale said in a quiet voice. Choi Han definitely heard it and his face brightened.

Cale stood, but he winced in pain when he felt a sting from the sole of his feet. He looked at it and saw it was also bandaged. He sighed. He took a step but he almost fell. Choi Han instantly assisted him, which sent shivers down his spine. Choi Han noticed how Cale trembled from his touch and how his face paled when he approached him. He helped him stand and he gave him enough space.

Cale, the children, and Choi Han were walking to the garden. There were few servants around since Alver had mostly cleared out the side where Cale was staying. The redhead still looked tired and emotionless. As if he was just walking out of necessity.

Cale entered the garden and he stared at the freshly bloomed flowers. He then saw the tall clock tower not much of a distance from where he was. Choi Han told Cale they would bring his food to him. The redhead continued to walk in the garden. He plucked the flowers along the way and dumped them on the floor. The three children were following behind him and they were exchanging looks.

Cale used to love this garden as this was the place where he and Alver spent their times the most. He used to play with the children and make flower crowns. But he couldn't do them anymore. He was tired. Extremely tired.

Did those gods trick me again? Cale thought as he blankly stared at the sky.

"Human! Look! We made you a flower crown!" Raon cheerfully said as he placed the crown on Cale's head. The redhead didn't give much reaction. Hong and Raon were expecting praise from their creation.

Cale took off the flower crown the children created, which surprised the three children.

"I don't like flowers," Cale emotionlessly said, as he threw away the flower crown the three children created and continued to walk as he plucked the flowers.

Raon, Ohn, and Hong were taken aback from what their beloved human had done. Their human loved flowers and yet Cale said he didn't like them. It confused them.

"Human, are you mad at us?" Raon asked as he flew right in front of Cale.

"Mad? At you?" Cale repeated.

Cale's usual bright reddish brown eyes were no more. Only dimness could be seen from those eyes and it broke Raon's heart.

"What makes you think I am mad at you, Raon?" Cale asked as he smiled and reached out to touch Raon's face, though his eyes weren't smiling. It was filled with emptiness.

Raon, even the cat siblings, couldn't respond. They knew the reason why Cale would be mad at them. They knew but they couldn't voice it out. Seeing that the children didn't have any intention of answering, Cale walked away. They arrived at the gazebo in the garden and Cale settled there and the three children timidly followed him.

Rok Soo-hyung must be the one who took me from that domain, but why? I just wanted to die peacefully, Cale thought as he stared at the distance.

Raon, Ohn, and Hong were quietly observing the redhead. They haven't seen him smile like he used to. Cale hasn't praised them since he woke up. He hasn't given them hugs and kisses like before. Raon felt what Cale was doing was unfair. Tears formed in his eyes. The redhead noticed this and he stared at the black dragon.

"Human," Raon called as he sniffled. The redhead didn't answer and continued to look at him.

"Why are you treating us like this? Why are you treating us as if we are not important to you?" Raon asked as tears fell from his eyes.

"You haven't looked at us properly! You kept ignoring us! We love you and yet you're acting like you hate us," Raon added, Hong also cried with him and Ohn was also teary.

"What happened before was just an accident! We should forget that and start anew!" Raon continued.

Cale's eyes widened, his whole core shivered from the words of the black dragon. Tears fell unintentionally and unknowingly, which made the three children surprised as well. His heart shattered from what the black dragon had said.

Is my life so insignificant so I could easily forget all the pain you all inflicted to me? Cale cried.

"Raon, Ohn, Hong. What would you do if you were in my shoes?" Cale asked, his tears continued to flow.

Why am I the bad guy again? Cale thought. He was getting tired of this nonsense. He was fed up with the repeated cycle. He didn't want any more of this. He wanted to rest. He wanted to rest so badly.

"Why are you treating me like this? Why are you treating me as if I am not important to you? I thought you loved me as well. You haven't even looked and heard me properly! You kept ignoring my pleas. I loved all of you and yet you're looking at me as if you hate me. It is a misunderstanding, why won't you believe me?" Cale somehow repeated Raon's words. His wails were heartbreaking for the children to absorb.

Unbeknownst to them, Choi Han, Ron, Alver, and Vicross were listening to them. Their hearts broke hearing Cale. He was crying painfully and yet nobody approached him to comfort him. They thought nobody deserved to do that for him.

Cale roughly wiped his tears away as hiccups made its way out. He stood and faced the children with his red, teary eyes.

"Raon, you hated Venion for hurting you in the past. You made it out alive. You have no deeper bonds or emotional connections from him. What do you think I am feeling after the people I protected, cared for, and loved killed me unjustly?" Cale asked as he ran away as fast as he could.

The children, as well as the adults not far from them, didn't have the courage to follow him. They didn't know what words they could say to appease the redhead. However, Alver was different. He thought of many ways on how he could be forgiven from what he did. All they could hear was the sound of the children crying.

Cale, on the other hand, entered the clock tower and climbed up to the top. He hid and cried his heart out. He muffled his cries as he didn't want to be found immediately and be confined in that palace. He didn't want to be with them anymore.

Hyung, why did you bring me back? Where are you? Take me back from where you took me! Cale shouted in his mind.

He cried until he passed out.

It was already noon time when Choi Han and the others were looking for Cale. The redhead had skipped his breakfast and lunch. That's why they were getting worried. Since they let him walk away freely, they didn't know where to find him. Raon had called Eruhaben and told him his troubles. Kim Rok Soo also heard what Raon had said and he expressed his disappointment towards his found family. All of them were all guilty of Cale's death.

Choi Han went inside the clock tower as it was the only place they hadn't searched. Then, he found Cale on the top floor, sitting and sleeping peacefully. He breathed a sigh of relief as he kneeled down to check up on him. Choi Han brushed Cale's hair away from his face and he saw how rough the redhead must have wiped his tears away as scratches were visible. He traced Cale's facial features and he checked his body for other possible scratches. Luckily, he didn't find any.

Choi Han stared at Cale for a good while. Once again, Choi Han rubbed the redhead's cheeks and lips. Seeing Cale like this made his feelings he had set aside grow. Cale might have done bad things before they got to know each other well. He has hurt him more than he could atone and yet his heart still flutters for him. He held Cale's left hand and his right hand cupped the redhead's chin as he slowly brought his face near Cale's.

As their lips were about to touch ...

"Choi Han? What the hell are you doing?" Alver's voice, which sounded angry, interrupted him.

- to be continued ...