Chapter Text
A streak of light, escaping just through the small cracks.
Eyelids fluttered open, displaying the grey eyes becoming just a shade lighter due to the light. The gaze it held, however, was something to be feared. Untamed. Devouring. It was enough for the figure across her trembling in panic, heartbeat thundering against his ribcage.
"Give. It. Back."
A husky, mellifluous voice penetrated the depth of the silence. He could have called truce, and maybe he’ll be spared for life but no, he decided to bang the door open, letting the moonlight spill in as he sprinted out.
Yu Jimin let out an exasperated huff, wasting no time to run after him. Her midnight cloak fluttered violently by her rapid movement.
He ran to every nook and corner, went up to the rooftop and even jumped off the ledge. Jimin, despite not being too athletic, tried to catch up. Her hand balled into fist, muttering a spell before attacking him but he was fast to duck. It was when he was at the end of the roof of the last house, he finally stopped. His feet almost tripped over the last row of tiles.
The house—no, mansion, was two storeys high.
The pendant dangled from his death-like grip. Grey eyes zeroed in on the pendant before flickering her gaze upwards, noting the terrified gaze reflected on the man’s gaze. Jimin knew attacking him could be the easiest way in this situation since he had nowhere else to hide. Casting a spell on him wouldn’t lead to death but a part of her still wanted to give him the chance.
He had been with her for five whole years after all.
“Yunho.”
He let out a shaky exhale. A shake of head, almost desperate. Jimin had to clench her jaw, hating herself for not being able to end him once and for all.
“Don’t be stubborn.”
Shoes clad feet slowly stepped closer, making sure to not slip off from the roof. Unlike his hasty steps, hers was dripped with elegance. Her movement was predatory, waiting time to snatch what was hers. His feet almost slipped the second he tried to step back. The cicadas were getting louder and the wind was getting stronger.
A deep breath. A certain glint in his gaze. Reluctance.
Jimin narrowed her eyes.
Something bad was going to happen.
“I’m sorry.”
It was not spoken out loud, only coming out as a soft whisper that would have easily gone unnoticed if it’s not for the fact Jimin’s attention was on him and she caught every movement of his lips perfectly despite the distance.
Just like that, it happened.
Beneath the sky blanketed by endless stars above, the most powerful witch of the whole century, feared even by ghosts and other creatures, was defeated. That would surely be what others would think. But to put it simply, that night, a friend was shamefully betrayed and a trust was irrevocably broken.
And Jimin, despite refusing to hurt him, found herself being the one who got hurt. The pain burst into her veins the moment his spell hit her square on the shoulder. Her whole body was paralysed. It happened so incredibly fast but time seemed to slow down just for her as her unfocused grey eyes ended up looking at the stars above as she fell.
She wondered whether he was too hasty for his attack to miss or maybe he was just deliberately not aiming straight for her heart.
The stars are at least beautiful.
Then it was dark.
***
The sound of pen scraping against the paper halted.
Coal black eyes glanced at the watch on her left wrist. Lifeless. Exhausted. Half of the library was bathed in a sunset hue, spilling from the large windows. There were still a lot of students, looking so sleep deprived whilst chasing for assignments due like there was no tomorrow.
Kim Minjeong decided to pack her stuff. She had a dinner meeting later that night anyway.
Time flowed like a blur.
The white buttoned up shirt felt suffocated around her neck, the waistcoat hugging her waist. Her sleeves were rolled up, displaying the minimalist style watch around her wrist. The clients were polite enough and her father’s friendly tone only left a bitter taste at the tip of her tongue even the fruit punch couldn’t ease it.
She simply sat there, offering her opinion when necessary whilst wishing to dive into her bed as soon as she’s back home. Despite her lack of words, whenever she was given the chance to speak, they seemed truly impressed. Their proud gaze was visible which only fed off her father’s ego, more than anything.
“You didn’t eat much.” Her father’s raspy voice brought a slight tremor in her heart, slightly stern and monotonous, enough to show that despite all the words he utter, he didn’t truly care about her.
“I’m not that hungry.”
The wind pricked her exposed skin, leaving trails of goosebumps in its wake. Even so, she kept mum, letting him push her wheelchair all the way to the car. She couldn’t see his expression from here but from his silence, it was harder to figure out whether it was a good thing or not. The wheelchair stopped right in front of the tall man in a suit waiting patiently outside the car—her designated chauffeur.
“When’s your next PT appointment?”
His apathetic gaze met her. Age was catching up to him, it was clear from the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes and some of the white strands in his black hair yet he stood tall, eloquence and honour dripped from every movement he made even to every step he took.
“Three days from now.”
His gaze trailed down to her legs. Her paralysed legs. Her jaw clenched in return, already hating the reminder despite him not fully showing his disdain over it.
“Progress?”
Minjeong went quiet. Coal black eyes stared at the ground beneath.
“Minjeong,” he pressed. His tone was impassive yet laced with venom. It was a warning. She despised her name whenever it ended up rolled off his tongue. “Progress.”
A breath.
“None, sir.”
Silence erupted.
The faint sound of cicadas only messed up her thoughts rather than comforting. It felt humiliating, having her insecurity and weakness laid out for him to witness. The veins on her neck almost popped out seeing how hard she clenched her jaw. She didn’t dare to look up, not yet, not when she didn’t know whether he was disappointed at her or he was just laughing at her misery.
“Try harder,” he said. No sort of emotions laced in his words, as if he didn’t really mean it. “Three months left for you or you’ll lose everything.”
His words were enough to shoot fear into her heart, even when she was in the comfort of her room. Her cotton pajamas were warm against her skin, the scent of body soap and shampoo lingered in the air still, wrapping her messy mind like a blanket in the midst of winter. The duvet was not too heavy, but enough to ground her from drifting away into self-depreciating thoughts. It was a nice sentiment and she appreciated that at least.
Minjeong barely remembered when she truly enjoyed her life.
Her gaze fell to the windows. With the darkness of the room, the stars outside appeared brighter. For a moment she simply stared, watching as they twinkled beautifully, so far from reach yet enough to provide solace for the loneliness lingering in her heart.
Can I have at least someone who truly cares?
Well, it’s not like the stars could fulfill her nonsense wish.
A sigh left her lips. Maybe she should sleep. She adjusted her position carefully, lying down and pulled the duvet up to her chin. For a moment, the silence felt heavy and deafening. There were barely any cars outside and the air felt unusually cold, enough to leave her fingertips numb despite the heater being turned on. But then again, maybe it was just her feeling.
Her eyelids were getting heavier, and she was about to drift off to the dreamland—
Thud!
Eyelids fluttered open, her head snapped to her side. The bed literally shook, almost to the point Minjeong wished it didn’t break (though she swore she heard a crack somewhere). A figure—no, a literal human being ended up on the other side of the queen sized bed. Coal black eyes snapped upwards, only to find the ceilings intact without any broken shards. Fear succumbed her whole to the point a scream lodged at her throat as her whole body froze like a deer in headlights.
What in the world…
For a moment Minjeong didn’t budge. Her eyes set on the human being that seemed more like a lifeless corpse the more she stared at..him? Her? Their midnight cloak covered their whole body but when Minjeong squinted enough, she noticed the luscious raven hair spreading out of the hood in waves.
A woman.
Minjeong tried to get close, a sigh left her lips as she shifted carefully. Dainty fingers reached over the woman’s face, gathering her luscious hair before brushing them aside. Minjeong’s pale lips parted in awe the moment her coal black eyes fell to the woman’s features. Long lashes, sharp nose and soft, pink lips slightly parted. Minjeong sure had seen plenty of beautiful faces but nothing could ever compare to this woman. Her beauty was seriously out of this world.
Seeing her chest moved was an indicator that the woman was still alive. Tendrils of blackness peeked from her nape and Minjeong didn’t know whether it was merely her tattoos or something else entirely.
Her forefinger touched the woman’s shoulder, lightly nudging. No movement. Minjeong tried again. Nothing happened. Minjeong brought a lip between her teeth, pondering. Sure, the woman might possibly have passed out from…whatever had just happened. But there was no guarantee that she was harmless. She appeared out of nowhere in the first place—Minjeong was definitely sure she fell from the roof but the fact that the ceilings were intact, left more suspicions.
Coal black eyes glanced at the digital clock at the bedside table. It was already past two and yet Minjeong hadn’t got a wink of sleep.
“What even is this situation…”
***
The woman only woke up a week later.
Minjeong was seated at the study desk, swapped away with the endless numbers and pages of the document she had to submit as soon as possible. She had focused on the screen too long to the point it went slightly distorted the more she typed. Her eyes were tired, it was obvious. But the sudden shuffle of sheets from behind her followed by an arm slung across her neck for a chokehold had her dropped the pen. The papers scattered to the floor as she struggled.
“Who are you?” A velvety voice was heard, sounding grim and demanding as it caressed the shell of Minjeong’s ear. Minjeong couldn’t do much, not when her legs were practically useless and her hands were obviously not strong enough to loosen the arm pressing against her neck.
“You fool,” Minjeong wheezed, clawing the arm but the latter’s grip remained strong, squeezing her airways. Her words slipped from gritted teeth. “I let you raid my bedroom and this is your way of showing gratitude?”
Silence.
Minjeong’s lungs were burning. Minjeong’s grip turned desperate.
The woman finally let go. Minjeong’s chest heaved violently, one hand reaching for her throat as she coughed. Beads of sweat were visible on her forehead and nape. Minjeong turned her wheelchair around. Coal black eyes met grey ones. The woman who had attempted to kill her just now, stood just a few feet away, but from her stance it was clear she was trying to suppress the pain. Her midnight cloak flowed down her tall figure ominously, raven hair cascaded down her shoulders in gentle waves. Tendrils of blackness were peeking out from her nape, except they were growing close to her jaw.
“You can’t walk?” A tinge of guilt was visible in the woman’s tone, her deep voice cutting through the tense silence. Her gaze reflected the same, except it was gone before Minjeong could dwell on it.
“You think?” Minjeong spoke through her clenched jaw. She was trying to finish her work in peace but ended up getting herself almost killed by a stranger. Who wouldn’t be pissed? “Why? Feeling guilty for wanting to kill a disabled person?”
The woman’s lips pressed into a thin line. Her figure towered over Minjeong but she seemed to lose her composure the more Minjeong snapped on her. A huff left her lips, turning around her wheelchair to face her laptop screen again. She picked the papers with slight difficulty, muttering curses under her breath.
The only good thing she got from this absurdity was the fact that her sleepiness was yanked out of the window. Literally.
“Now that you’re awake, I would appreciate it if you leave.”
Thud.
Coal black eyes fluttered close. A sigh left her lips. When she turned around the woman was already on the floor, passed out pathetically.
“Seriously can you at least pass out on the bed or something?”
***
Life, Minjeong supposed, has a way to make her miserable.
Mr. Kim had requested her presence for the annual gala dinner but she had never felt more humiliated upon the way most of the guests looked at her. It was either pity or just a straight up condescending stare. They would think she was no one, just a disabled nobody coming to the oh-so-mighty gala dinner. But then again, maybe that was what her father wanted.
A painful reminder of what she could have been if she stayed like this any longer.
The suit adorned her body was nothing more than a mere showpiece yet the fact that she was nothing in the sea of diamonds and gold—well, her father really did an astounding job at shoving her straight to the asphalt.
She left halfway through the gala.
“Don’t bother. Just go home.”
“But miss—”
Minjeong raised a hand, enough to shut her chauffeur up. It was clear he was concerned about her but she could care less about it at this moment, only wanting to be alone for the time being. The pavement was gritty as she propelled the wheelchair. The air was colder than she expected and the clouds were too thick they ended up swallowing the moon.
Minjeong propelled the wheelchair until her hands were numb. She stayed outside until her fingers went cold and her cheeks flushed. Coal black eyes fell to the leather shoes on her feet, put by her assistant prior to the gala dinner.
What’s the purpose of wearing them when I can’t even walk?
Anger simmered beneath her skin. Frustration hung around the edges. Hands gripping the armrest, hoisting her body. She forced her legs to move, except that she couldn’t. Despite how much her brain was screaming for command, her legs didn’t budge and her hands were getting tired.
Desperation clung to her bones. Her father’s cold stare and humiliation leeched off her like parasites. She felt like she was worth nothing but the dirt between the sole of his shoes, even more so when her brother cast such a disdainful glance from across the room.
You have nothing, Kim Minjeong.
You’re worth nothing.
The wheelchair tipped over. Her elbow scraped against the rough pavement. Her body was burning from shame. Tears clung onto her eyelids, pricking painfully.
A three-year-old kid can walk better than her, for God’s sake!
How humiliating.
Footsteps could be heard. Minjeong glanced up, seeing a cloaked figure taking the wheelchair to put it back in place. Minjeong knew who that was even without the eye contact. Coal black eyes narrowed the moment that woman turned around, her grey eyes were emotionless as she stared Minjeong on the pavement.
Jimin stood there motionlessly, raven locks and coat gently blown by the wind, enough for her appearance to be portentous.
“Why are you here?”
“You let me sleep on the floor for three days.”
“I couldn’t carry you, obviously,” Minjeong hissed. “And you tried to kill me.”
Grey eyes blinked. No sort of emotions dancing in her gaze.
“Defense mechanism.”
“Over a disabled woman?” scoffed Minjeong.
“I had to be careful.”
“If anything I was the one who should be defensive!” A huff left Minjeong’s lips at the absurdity of their conversation. It was more like five year old girls were trying to find a topic to fight and it sounded downright childish even to her own ears. “You’re the one who fell onto my bed from God knows where. That poor thing almost broke!”
“That was…unintentional.”
Minjeong deadpanned, “are you even hearing yourself right now?”
“My name’s Jimin.”
Minjeong closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and let out a long exhale.
“Put me back in the wheelchair.” It was more of a command rather than a request but Jimin obliged pretty easily.
Mimjeong expected Jimin to simply assist her. Imagine her shock when Jimin easily carried her like she weighed nothing before gently placing her back in the wheelchair. And to make it worse, Jimin wordlessly went over to fix her skewed collar and brush the dirt off her coat. Cognac and sandalwood circulated in the air, filling her senses and rendering her lightheaded.
Grey eyes lingered a little longer on her. Minjeong’s neck felt warm at the intensity of her gaze.
"You're exceptionally handsome tonight."
Minjeong gulped down the lump in her throat, feeling like her heartbeat was going to burst out of her ribcage. Oh dear, she surely was easily flustered but there's no way she would let anyone know about it.
“Go if you have nothing else to say.” Minjeong propelled the wheelchair despite the numbness of her hands, moving away from Jimin. Her elbow throbbed in pain but she bit back the whine every time it grazed against her sleeve.
“You’re hurt.”
Minjeong’s movement halted at the statement. Annoyance creeping in.
“Why do you care?”
The next thing she knew, she felt a hand holding her arm, palm pressing lightly against her elbow just where the wound was. Minjeong raised her head, trying to meet Jimin’s gaze but the latter simply ruffled her short blonde locks. Coal black eyes shut closed, not wanting the strands to poke her eyes.
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
When Minjeong blinked her eyes open, Jimin was nowhere to be seen. The silence of the night fell upon her, leaving nothing but an array of questions running wild in her head. She was way too astounded to even notice the little fact that her wound hurt no more.
Life, Minjeong supposed, has a way to make her miserable.
But it was surely just as good at making her confused.