DARAN“Oh my gosh, it almost killed me. It hurts so much,” muttered Jonea.“Jonea, you might get sick again if you meet that man. Are you okay?”I really want to forbid her from meeting that man. But if I do, I’m afraid it will only make Jonea hate me. Anyway, I can’t lose her now. Only after my goal is achieved.“Of course, I’m worried, too. But you’ve seen for yourself what he’s like, right? He even stroked my head in front of you without being awkward. There’s no point talking to a guy like him. He won’t listen. He is a typical person who will do as he pleases. It’s just like before.”“You... Have you known him for a long time?”Jonea suddenly looked away from me and became awkward. I knew she was hiding something.“I don’t mean that. I just couldn’t avoid him because we studied at the same campus. So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to meet with him to end all this.”I just kept quiet for a few moments. It was easy for me to get rid of that guy. But I respect Jonea’s decision.“I can’
MARILYNHe tried to carry Jonea into the big house. Suddenly, I came out from behind the tree and shouted loudly at him.“Hey, what are you going to do to my friend? Do you want to kidnap her?”Without thinking, I ran to hit him with full strength. The man looked surprised because I appeared suddenly. While carrying the unconscious Jonea, he tried to get away. There was a fight between us.“Let me go. Who are you? What do you think you’re doing?” shouted the man while trying to hold Jonea in his arms.“Bastard! You definitely intend to deceive Jonea. You even made her faint and want to do bad things to her? Let go of Jonea now, or I will scream that you are a criminal!”The handsome man grinned. “What? I’m a criminal?”“Yes, of course! Nowadays, even criminals have to have a handsome face and attractive appearance to cover up their crimes!”“What? Now you’re calling me handsome? Did you deliberately make a scene because you wanted my signature?”I could only gape and stare in disbelie
JONEAOwen’s expression was cold. “I’ll send her back to wherever she was before she came here! I will also erase her memories.”“What?”This is not the first time I have heard and seen how Daran and Owen erase the memory of someone who accidentally sees their presence or appearance. But hey, it’s Marilyn! Not other people. How can I accept all this?When I turned around to look at Marilyn, she had disappeared without a trace. I was flabbergasted. I looked back at Owen angrily and asked for an explanation.“You didn’t even ask for my opinion before sending Marilyn away. What if she has an accident because she was suddenly turned back onto the road while driving?”“Nothing like that will happen,” Owen replied casually. He got up from the sofa and was about to leave me.I can’t accept all this. I grabbed Owen’s arm and stopped him.“Maybe this isn’t a big deal to you. In fact, I’m sure you often do the same thing. Like you did before. At first, I didn’t really care either. But... This i
JONEA“Tell me, why are you crying? Is that asshole Hunter bothering you again? Let me teach him a lesson!” Marilyn went over and took her jacket, but I held her back.“No, not him. I don’t mean because of him. I’m just worried about you.”Marilyn raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Is this because of Teddy? Oh, Jonea, I’m fine. We broke up, and for some reason, recently, he came back to me and--”I hugged Marilyn again tightly. “Do you like him? That Teddy? As long as you’re happy, I no longer need to worry.”I’m confused about what to talk about. I just feel relieved that Marilyn is okay. That’s all I need. After ensuring nothing had changed about Marilyn, I went home.“Let me take you. You’ve come a long way here.”“No!” I replied quickly. “I’ll just take a taxi.”It was enough that the devil erased Marilyn’s memory once. I don’t want it to happen again if Marilyn finds out where I live now.When I was about to leave Marilyn’s room, I stopped. I felt uncomfortable if I had to go back
JONEA“Would you like to eat ramyeon with me? They say it is a trendy food in the east and is perfect to enjoy when the weather starts getting cold like this.”I should have apologized, but why did I invite him to eat ramyeon instead? Stupid me!“Let’s go!” Owen replied casually. “I remember a new ramyeon shop just opened at the end of the street. Do you want to go there?”It was entirely beyond my expectations. I thought he would definitely reject it. And he should have dismissed my small talk, right? I was just flabbergasted now.We left the house the next second and walked to the new shop Owen was referring to. It was not far from the house. They sold typical Eastern food, including spicy ramyeon.I ordered a large portion of ramyeon with extra meat on top. When my order came, I felt even more guilty. Because I was eating alone, while Owen only ordered coffee.“You should have said from the start that you didn’t like ramyeon. I’ll wrap it up, and we can go to another shop you like,
JONEAI have never felt this nervous when I had to meet and face Hunter. Since when did we become strangers and awkward? Actually, I know where it all started. Even since that day, I have considered Hunter an enemy to be wary of.I arrived at the park where we promised to meet. After looking, I saw Hunter sitting on a park bench. He didn’t see me.I walked towards him. After getting closer, I realized that Hunter was not alone. My legs suddenly stiffened, and I couldn’t move.“I think I recognize that person. Could they be the same person? The person who sneaked into the warehouse at Daran’s house that night? What were they talking about? Are they really related?”I was suddenly struck by a strong awareness and urge to approach the man. I had to make sure.When I arrived, the man had disappeared, leaving only Hunter alone. How could that be?“Jonea?” Hunter was surprised to see me coming.My breath was still short. He smiled at me.“Are you running? No need to rush. I’m even ready to
HUNTER ABRAHAMI opened the refrigerator and wrapped some ice cubes in a towel. Standing in front of the kitchen counter, I carefully applied a compress to the bruise on my face.“Ow, this hurts so much. I’ve never felt a blow like this before. Who is that man in black? Why did he suddenly appear and beat me?”I slammed the ice cubes wrapped in a towel onto the counter hard. I swung my fist.“Fuck! He’s hurt my handsome face.”I massaged my jaw, which felt stiff and sore.“This is weird. Why aren’t my wounds healing right away? Usually, the wounds on my body will heal and disappear completely in a matter of seconds. Who is that man?”While carrying a bottle of mineral water, I rechecked my phone.“Should I call Jonea? Is she okay? What if that man meant something bad to her?”I should have stopped him before he took Jonea away. I couldn’t even watch them leave. He knocked me out for a while. This is so embarrassing!***JONEAI sat at the dining table, still shivering. Even though Dar
DARAN CARVERAll afternoon, I kept pacing and restless for no reason. I couldn’t even leave the house. Every now and then, I’d glance towards the door.“I’m home!”“Oh, you’re here?”I quickly got up from the chair and turned to Jonea. I really looked at every part of her body from top to bottom to make sure she was okay.“Yes, sorry, I came home a bit late.”I folded my arms across my chest and stood before her, showing her a slightly stern attitude.“I thought you would run away and break your vow to be my bride!”“No way!” Jonea said in panic.“I was kidding,” I replied briefly but in a cold voice. “I thought I set a curfew for you, didn’t I?”“A curfew?”“The one you always break!” I replied firmly. “Do you know why I did it? I set a curfew so I wouldn’t worry!” I shook my head and immediately corrected my words.“I mean… so that we don’t worry about each other. Do I need to emphasize it again? Starting today, you cannot come home later than ten at night. If you break this rule, I
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