JONEAWe just finished dinner. I mean, just me and Daran. Owen didn't want to leave his room, even though I had called him several times to come to dinner."Let me wash the dishes," I said when Daran started piling the dirty plates on the table.“Okay, I'll leave it to you. I'm going to go for a moment to get some coffee. My coffee stock is empty. Do you want me to buy some too?"Caffeine after dinner? I rolled my eyes. "I do not think so. Thank You. I don't want to stay up all night. Difficulty sleeping makes me very miserable.”I finished washing the last dishes quickly. When I took off my rubber gloves, my cell phone suddenly vibrated again. I know this cell phone kept vibrating the whole time we were eating dinner.I checked, and many text messages came in. During dinner, I didn't touch my cell phone at all. That's part of the rules set by Daran in this house.“New number? Who is the crazy person who bombarded me with this many text messages? I thought only Marilyn knew my cell ph
JONEA"How about this? What should I do? I don't want to meet Hunter, but I also need a solution to solve this broken cup handle."I checked the time on my phone, and it was ticking. I can't think much right now. I immediately replied to Hunter's message and asked him to come to the residential area where I currently live. But I didn't ask him to go to the house. We promised to meet in a park not far from Daran's house.I grabbed a coat and a scarf. After putting on my boots and wrapping the scarf around my neck to cover part of my face, I ran out of the house while putting the broken cup in my coat pocket.I ran through the cold weather tonight. Only five minutes to get to the park. The park area is entirely deserted. I'm surprised; maybe this packed area is actually uninhabited.When I arrived at the park, I didn't expect Hunter to be there waiting for me. He came out of his Porche and came over to me."I hope you really have the right solution. "If not, I'll make you regret it this
DARANJonea watched TV while snacking on the chocolate candy I had just bought for her."I thought you would go to your room and study, but it turns out you're here?"The girl immediately sat up straight and stiffened when she heard my voice. She took the TV remote and turned down the volume."I don't feel like studying. Do you want to watch with me too?"I turned my gaze to the TV screen. Jonea is watching a news program. I was a little surprised by her unusual taste."What do you look for in a news program? I always pay attention to you. It's just the evening news you see on TV at this time of day. Is there anything in particular you're looking for?"While chewing chocolate candy, she spoke without looking at me. "I just wanted to learn about Blue Sapphire's current state through the news. I barely know this land after it was taken over by Luke Draken.""Or perhaps more precisely, you are trying to find out what the real Luke Draken is like? Yep, he's very mysterious. Even now no on
JONEA"Aland…?" I held my breath as soon as Daran took off his mask.Our faces are so close. For a moment, I lost my mind because the figure I saw right before my eyes was Aland Hamilton, not Daran Carver. How could that be?I couldn't move at all. I'm so scared. I thought that if I breathed, I could lose Aland again. I might miss what I saw before my eyes. I wanted to enjoy Aland's face displayed in front of me for longer.He reached out and stroked my jawbone with his thumb. "Who do you see Jonea?" he whispered.My eyes opened wide, and I reflexively grabbed Daran's hand. I took his hand away from my jaw.I gritted my teeth and hissed. "Daran Carver, your joke wasn't funny at all. How can you change your face to someone else? I don't even know your true face after everything I witnessed."I took two steps back to stay away from Daran. "I'll go in first. You should also immediately change your habit of staying up late every night. Because it is very disturbing."After leaving Daran a
DARAN“What? The seal strengthened and suddenly turned against you?”I nodded to confirm Evangelista’s conclusion.Then she continued, “So, for a moment, when you were about to remove the seal, suddenly the seal had power and controlled Jonea’s consciousness for a few seconds? The seal also turned against you? After that short time, the seal’s strength returned to normal? But how could that happen?”“I kept thinking about that all night too. Since I couldn’t find the answer, I came to you this morning!” I grumbled. “I don’t think Jonea was aware either when her wolf seal took over her consciousness and controlled Jonea to fight me.”Eve’s face turned to regret. “Then how do you feel? I mean, I thought it would be easy, right? You just need to remove the seal and take its power when it awakens. I’ve never seen a case like this. This is the first time.”I was silent for a moment to reflect on the situation that had occurred. When I saw Eve continuing to play with her coffee cup, that’s
JONEAI had just gotten out of class when suddenly Marilyn greeted me with a big smile.“Are you done?”“Well,” I answered, “Last class is over. Are you off from part-time work this afternoon?”“That’s so true. How about we have lunch together?” Marilyn said, putting her arm around my shoulder.I nodded and was about to turn at the end of the hall. On the other hand, someone ran fast and surprised us. His backpack hit my shoulder, and I fell.“Ow!” I groaned.“Hey, asshole!” Marilyn shouted, cursing at the man who had run away after hitting me.“Are you okay?” Hunter, out of nowhere, reached out to me.“Hunter Abraham?” Marilyn hissed, looking displeased when she saw Hunter’s sudden appearance.Hunter’s hand was still extended to me sitting on the floor, but I was too afraid to accept his helping hand. Even though last time Hunter didn’t cause me to lose consciousness because he had a red mark on his forehead, the red mark still haunted me. Even now, when I look at him, the red mark d
JONEAWhen I was about to speak to ask about Aland, suddenly, from behind, I felt someone tap my shoulder. He even leaned in and brought his lips closer to mine to whisper.“You... Why are you here? I looked everywhere for you.”I glanced at the man who was suddenly beside me. I tremble. “O-owen?”“Well, it’s me!” Owen grinned, but his gaze was fixed on Hunter with such sharp eyes.I turned to Hunter. He looked so restless.“Why are you interrupting our lunch?”Owen stood straight and arrogantly said to Hunter, “Annoying, you say?”I knew this wouldn’t end well. I stood up and grabbed Owen’s arm. “Sorry, I forgot to tell you that I can’t go home with you today.”Suddenly, Hunter stood up from his chair and was about to speak, but I cut him off first. “It seems like I can’t continue eating this lunch. I have to go back immediately because I have urgent business.”Without waiting for the two men to talk to each other, I pulled Owen’s hand away from there. We hurried to leave the restaur
JONEA“I have to find out about this before it gets worse. There must be a reason why Hunter tried to approach me. Yes, I will become so unlikeable that he will never want to have anything to do with me again!”Marilyn sighed. “Can’t you just say that you don’t like him and don’t want him to come near you again? Just tell him if you’re uncomfortable!”“What if he thinks I’m selling high? I’ve done that method--being honest with him--a few years ago, remember? And what happened? He remains stubborn and confidently assumes that I also secretly like him!”“Hah!” Marilyn sighed.“I will also remind you again. Both then and now, Hunter is still the idol of girls. Even now, many girls in my department really like him. If I reject Hunter bluntly, he gets hurt and starts bad rumors about me. So, I’ll return to the same hole I was in a few years ago. What if the girls start hating and being hostile to me like before?”“You are right.” Marilyn brushed her bangs in annoyance.I grinned in annoya
JONEAI sat on the edge of the bed, still feeling the warmth of Daran’s chest that had been my resting place moments ago. Now, I’d put a small distance between us. My heart was full of questions, but I didn’t know where to start.“So all this time, you thought I was afraid of you?” I asked, breaking the silence.Daran turned toward me, his dark eyes filled with doubt. “Isn’t that true?” he replied. “For humans and other creatures—especially werewolves—my kind is terrifying. That’s why they’re always trying to kill or get rid of lycans like me.”I shook my head softly, my heart heavy from his words. There was sadness he didn’t show, but I could feel it. His dark eyes carried a loneliness that made me hesitate to touch him, even though I wanted to.“No,” I said firmly, though my voice wavered slightly. “You’re not scary at all.”Daran raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Oh? Is that so?”I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. “Actually, you’re… too handsome. It makes it hard to
JONEAI couldn’t answer Aland’s question. My lips felt sealed, every word I wanted to say stuck in my throat. Something heavy weighed on my chest, making it hard to breathe.The room was suffocatingly quiet, the only sound being Aland’s ragged breaths, full of emotion. I couldn’t stay in there a second longer.Quickly, I got up from the bed, grabbing a blanket to cover myself, and stepped out of the treehouse. The cold night air bit at my skin, but I didn’t care.Ahead of me, a small, crystal-clear pond caught my eye. The moonlight shimmered on its surface, creating an almost calming scene. Kneeling by the edge, I cupped some water in my hands and splashed it on my face.That’s when something strange happened.The calm breeze around me suddenly turned wild, swirling fiercely. My hair whipped around my face, and I had to close my eyes against the sudden burst of dust. The soft rustle of leaves grew into a deafening roar, like a storm appearing out of nowhere.“What is this...?” I whisp
JONEAWhen the reindeer sleigh stopped, I froze, staring at the giant tree in front of me. It towered so high the top was barely visible, and its trunk was so wide it looked like it could hold an entire village inside. The tree felt alive, glowing faintly from the cracks in its bark, radiating a magical aura that was both calming and mesmerizing.But the most shocking part wasn’t the tree—it was the scene around it. Dragons of all sizes roamed the area. Some floated gracefully in the air, while others moved on the ground, their massive forms exuding a kind of elegance I never thought possible.As soon as we stepped off the sleigh, every dragon there froze for a moment, then bowed deeply in respect. Their gazes were fixed on Aland, reverent, as if they worshipped him.“Dragon King!” one of the dragons roared, its deep voice echoing in the air.I froze. “Dragon King?” I whispered, staring at Aland in confusion.He gave me a small smile and extended his hand, inviting me into the magnifi
JONEAI froze, staring at the giant figure before me, my eyes wide in disbelief. The blue dragon stood tall and proud, exuding power but not menace. Its shimmering scales gleamed under the moonlight, reminding me of the Dragon’s Tear pendant Aland gave me. Unfortunately, the pendant had lost its radiant blue hue and turned dark.“Who… are you?” I stammered, my voice trembling, a mix of awe and fear.“I am the Mountain Dragon,” it replied, its deep voice rumbling like an earthquake. “I’ve come for you, Jonea. Come with me, and I’ll explain everything.”Before I could respond, Owen had already stepped in front of me, his body tense. His claws glinted sharply in the moonlight. “You’re not laying a finger on her!” he growled, his tone threatening.The dragon snorted, irritated but unfazed. “Hey, little lycan, stay out of this. I’m not going to hurt her. I just need her for something important. I’ll bring her back when it’s done.”“No way!” Owen snapped, his voice rising in anger. “You thi
DARANThat night felt cold, even though the wind barely stirred. I stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking the dark forest below, trying to calm my restless mind. The usual soothing sounds of nature now felt foreign, as if they were hiding something.Eve emerged from the shadows, her steps quiet and measured. She always had that presence—soft yet unpredictable. She stopped a few feet from me, studying my face as if looking for answers I wasn’t even aware I was hiding.“You okay?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.I nodded, even though peace was the farthest thing from my heart.Eve sighed, clearly unconvinced. “Daran, I know this is weighing on you. But you can’t keep going like this.”I turned my gaze toward the forest, avoiding her piercing eyes. But she didn’t back down.“I think all this is happening because you’ve lived too long,” she said softly, her tone gentler. “When you’ve been through so much, it gets hard to tell what’s real and what’s just shadows of your fears.”
JONEALate nights in the art gallery always felt weird, like another world was alive among the shadows of the paintings and sculptures around me. But still, I chose to be here. The dim lights reflecting softly on the canvas before me offered a sliver of peace.I was still working on a drawing assignment for class. A few other students were scattered around, busy with their own projects, but the place was growing quiet. Even though I was tired, this was better than dwelling on the strange events from last night—and the mysterious guest who, for some reason, felt oddly familiar.Daran and Owen refused to talk about it. I tried pressing them, but they clammed up, even changing the subject to avoid my questions. Frustrated, I gave up and decided to bury myself in my work at the gallery, hoping it would drown out the unease that kept creeping back.But as I lifted my brush to the canvas, my mind couldn’t stop replaying that night: the words of the man in the dark cloak, the tension radiati
JONEAThe silence in the house that night was suffocating, yet strangely boring at the same time. After watching some random TV show—so dull I couldn’t even remember its name—I gave up and turned it off. Sitting alone in the living room like this made time crawl unbearably slow.Daran still hadn’t come back since leaving without a word. Not unusual for him, but it still ticked me off. At least Owen was around, though he’d been locked in his room for hours, buried in his gaming console. I sighed, long and loud.I tried lying down in bed, hoping sleep would finally take over, but all I felt was restless. This weird feeling, like something was lurking nearby, kept gnawing at me.Dragging myself up lazily, I decided to make some warm milk in the kitchen. Maybe that would help kill this boredom.As I stepped out of my room, though, the air around me suddenly shifted. A gust of wind swept through, even though all the doors and windows were tightly shut. I froze, confused.And that’s when, o
EVANGELISTAThe wind atop this building was fierce, biting my skin like a thousand sharp needles. Yet, I stood firm. In front of me, a handsome man stood tall, his back straight. His silhouette appeared calm, but there was something unsettling in the way he gazed at the city lights below.“I didn’t think you’d find me,” he said, not bothering to turn. His voice was low and heavy, each word carrying an enigmatic echo.I glanced at his shadow on the concrete. In a flash, it shifted—from human form into that of a massive dragon. His body remained human, but his shadow told a different story.I wasn’t reckless. Cautiously, I stepped to his side, my hand ready to reach for my weapon at any moment.“Long time no see, Lycan,” the man greeted, glancing at me. A faint smile touched his lips—not warm, but laced with something darker.“Don’t underestimate me,” I replied coolly. “I came here as a warlord.”The man chuckled, the sound mocking. “Then act like one. Do your duty on the battlefield, i
DARANOn the way back home, my mind kept returning to what Jonea had told me earlier. When she mentioned meeting a strange man in the paint shop, I immediately got a bad feeling. There was something she said that struck a chord: the black mark on the man's forehead."Jonea," I broke the silence. "Can you describe the man you saw at the paint shop?"Jonea looked at me for a moment, probably noticing how serious I was. She paused, as if she was piecing her memory back together.“I don’t know, Daran. It all happened so fast,” she muttered. “He... was right behind me when I accidentally bumped into him. And when I looked at him, I was shocked. I don’t know how to explain it... but he had this strange kind of handsomeness, something out of the ordinary. It was like there was something eternal and timeless in his face. But the most disturbing thing was the black mark on his forehead. It was so dark, different from the ones I’ve seen before.”I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but