For a moment, they just stared at each other, both Dahyun and the whole team with lips parted in pure shock. She glanced at the one she recognised – the one who’d led her away from her first introduction to the Council all those days ago.

And Dahyun ran away an instant later, feet taking her as fast as she could go. She heard them following; hundreds of scrambling footsteps chasing her. She didn’t know what to do. She just ran, not stopping when her shoe slipped out of her slipper, not stopping when she felt like the hard stone was blistering her feet, hardly stopping when she nearly ran into a wall. The holdup sent her heart drumming even more than it already had been as she scrambled to turn and get away quickly, still hearing them behind her, and her lungs were starting to hurt with the intensity of her breath, the air was so cold, and she felt like the tears pouring down her face were freezing against her skin.

They were so close. After nearly hitting the wall, she could nearly feel them at her back, and she could definitely feel her skin crawling, feel the temptation to break down. She hardly even knew what was happening when she felt a hand grasp around her arm, tightening enough to pull her to stillness even from the speed of her running, tugging so hard she screamed as her shoulder socket was dislocated. In an instant a hand was covering as she was pulled towards whoever had caught her, turned in, and she heard them closing in as she resisted uselessly.

She was going to die. It was all over. But she couldn’t – it couldn’t happen like this.

It was that thought, she decided later, that triggered it. The feeling of sunshine flooded her again. Rushing through her. And then, miraculously, the pain in her shoulder vanished, the hand on her arm was gone – the person who’d caught her was pushing her away, screeching in pain, and she realised suddenly that she was a source of light, that she could see them all so clearly. The light grew, stronger and stronger, and they all shielded themselves from it, staggering away. The next moment, the light rushed out of her, and wind brushed against her skin and her hair, and then they were on the ground.

She was frozen then, until she worked up the strength to look around herself.

Just get away, now, her mind told her, and for once she listened.

***

He stood still, statue-like, for far too long.

And in the end, Jimin wasn’t sure what exactly he’d expected. Her to show up, he supposed. But she was probably smart for deciding not to. It was probably for the best.

That didn’t really register much, though. She didn’t show up – that was the more crucial bit. The fact that he felt crushed, like he deserved it and he wished he didn’t. He wished he was anyone else in the world. He wished he could be anywhere else.

He’d told her about his mother – another mistake, because now he remembered her so clearly, remembered being just a scared little boy with his collapsed mother, begging her to wake up, not quite sure what he was so afraid of. He’d known she was gone, even if he didn’t even realise that was possible.

She’d been his first kill. Most Bearers killed their parents, at a much younger age. But he’d loved her. He’d never been unhappy with her until that day, and in hindsight he couldn’t even remember what had upset him.

Why had he told Dahyun? Now she was gone, and his mother was still gone but the pain was back, and it was all he had, pain from everything. His fist clenched, and he pretended his eyes weren't stinging with tears that had no place there.

What was he doing? He’d been here for hours, and clearly she wouldn’t be arriving any time soon. Morning would come, and then he’d need to go to the Council meeting, sit still as she stands opposite him, try to pretend his heart wasn’t twisting every time she even breathed.

He kicked dirt into the air as he turned to leave. What had he honestly been expecting? Something that would make him happy?

Honestly, after all these years, he should know better. He should have grown up long ago.

He walked slowly, and by the time he reached the Moon lodgings, apparently it was morning already. A handful of candles had been replaced and lit for the day and he heard people speaking in the distance.

He didn’t want to hear people talking. The whole world should be quiet, have more respect for his mood. The cold of outside had seeped into his bones, and it was just getting colder, the longer they went without the sun to warm everything up every day.

Maybe he’d only lasted this long because of Dahyun. She was the Sun, after all, and he wondered if that was the case in more ways than one. Even before she’d been given the power, she’d warmed him, after years of winter.

But not now. She’d gone now, and suddenly it was even colder than it had been before. Someone came rushing past – a courier, by the uniform, and he despised the noisy steps against the ground, despised the way the stranger bumped into his shoulder, losing his field of view in his hurry.

The courier would probably have apologised, but as Jimin turned to look at him, he felt that familiar high, the unravelling tension in his bones as the stranger collapsed onto the ground.

The sound echoed. Thump. And then Jimin's brain turned off.

Distantly, he heard more footsteps, heard them falter when they reached the hall in which he stood. But after that all he could really hear was his pulse, overpowering everything else. His vision was blurry; he could hardly making anything out in the dim lighting as this reality ran through his mind. The man had been alive a moment ago. Just a moment ago.

He’d never get past that feeling.

***

“Mother Soonkyu?”

Soonkyu was in her study, preparing for the upcoming council meeting. She hadn’t been speaking to Dahyun much lately, and she paused when she heard her voice.

“Yes, Dahyun?”

Dahyun glanced away, unsure if she should really ask. She did it anyway.

“Is healing the only power I have?”

Soonkyu did a double-take, looking at Dahyun suspiciously.

“Why?”

She drew in a breath. “I…”

She needed to say it. But she wasn’t supposed to be leaving her room at night.

“I went exploring yesterday,” she admitted, wincing when Soonkyu sighed. “I’m sorry. It was a mistake – there are foxes in the temple. I found them, and they chased me.”

“What happened?” Soonkyu asked, looking pale. She gripped the back of her study chair so tightly Dahyun could see veins sticking out of her hand.

“Th-they caught me in the end, and then something happened.”

“What was it, Dahyun?”

“I don’t know. I think I started glowing. They let go of me, and then they all collapsed and I ran.”

Slowly, she released her grip on the chair, let out a breath.

“That’s… strange.”

“You don’t know what happened?”

Soonkyu shook her head. “Last time the foxes found a Sun Bearer… it doesn’t matter.”

Soonkyu was too quiet for a few moments, and Dahyun got the feeling that it did matter. But still, she stayed silent.

“We should go to the meeting.”

Mother Soonkyu passed her and left the room, leaving Dahyun behind, feeling lost. It was a weapon, that power. It had to be – one sorely needed, in this war against the foxes. She turned, following Soonkyu.

In the end, she supposed that didn’t matter. No weapon was worth losing the sun in the sky, and they'd need to make a choice between the two. She squared her shoulders, following the High Mother in silence.

They reached the council room in good time, and the Moon Council was already there, seated. As always, her eyes landed on Jimin, and his landed on her, but he looked away just a second later.

She hadn’t been able to meet him yesterday. She hoped he’d understand.

She drew in a breath, forcing herself to relax. She looked forward to talking to him again – like that was what would relax her. Their nighttime talks were starting to become her only comfort.

“The foxes have made it into the Temple,” Soonkyu announced as she took her seat. “Dahyun encountered them yesterday.”

She kept that Dahyun had been wandering the Temple at night. Jiyong would probably have a lot to say about that.

He leaned back, looking stern. “Why is she alive?”

But Dahyun was too busy wondering why Jimin barely reacted – he hardly even blinked before returning to his cold demeanour.

“That doesn’t matter. She’s here now, and we need to hurry.”

Hurry. Dahyun felt a pang in her chest – that was her reward for speaking up.

“Is the ritual ready?”

“Not yet. But soon. I just thought you should know about the foxes.”

Jiyong nodded. “I appreciate it. Now let’s get started – I’ve received more notes from local mayors from the Moon Enclave, and…”

“Hang on,” Soonkyu said, leaning forward. “First, I elect that we remove Park Jimin from the proceedings.”

Dahyun looked at him again – he was looking ahead, vaguely, but he came back to earth slightly when he heard his name. He looked serious. He always looked serious, but it was different this time.

What was different?

Jiyong sighed. “All in favour?”

As always, everyone on Dahyun’s side of the table raised their hands but her. But Dahyun’s heart stopped when she saw two on the opposite side do the same.

One woman and one man, both looking stony. One glanced at him, coldness all over her face, and Dahyun looked at him too, horrified.

Why had they done that?

He looked at them, nothing changing in his face, as if he wasn’t surprised in the slightest. He laid his hands flat against the table to stand up, and then left, without another word, without even so much as a glance at Dahyun.

She ached to run after him. Something was very, very wrong.

“Curious,” Soonkyu said, with a despicable note of victory in her voice.

“Shall we move on?”

Dahyun couldn’t tear her eyes away from the door through which Jimin had vanished. How could they do that? Was he okay?

“Alright,” Soonkyu said – still with that delight. “Tell me what your mayors think.”

Dahyun shifted, putting her hands behind her back. It wasn’t good form to show her clenched fists.

But why was Mother Soonkyu like that?

She dragged her way through idle conversation with Soonkyu, Sana and Yugyeom. Then she sat in her room, tensely thinking about him, for hours. She just waited, counting in her head, eating when they dragged her out for food (before returning immediately,) guessing at the time, and when it seemed like midnight had to be drawing near, she crept out.

She was afraid, but she didn’t hear the voices this time. She wasn’t even sure if they were still alive after whatever she’d done, but presumably they left before midnight anyway – she’d never encountered them before, except for the one, and never in that room.

In the end, she made it to the garden in one piece, and she sat down, hugging herself in her thin nightdress. Against her bare feet, it seemed like ice was spreading on the grass, a chill rushing over the world as it settled into the lack of the sun. It was so cold. And Jimin wasn’t here yet – that just made it worse.

She tucked her head into her knees, just waiting. She didn’t know how much time had passed before the cold starting crushing her, before she started worrying all over again about Jimin – where he was, why it wasn’t here.

She was shivering. She held onto her legs tighter. That warmth from when he power took over – she wished she could control it. She wished she could feel it now.

And just with that thought, somehow, she did. She relaxed instantly, shifting her position, breathing in the warmer air.

“Why are you glowing?”

Her eyes opened fast, and she stood, feeling the warmth fade and the light fade – but she saw Jimin before it was gone entirely.

“It’s – Jimin. You’re here.”

“Yes. For some reason, I am.”

He didn’t expand on that, and Dahyun stumbled over ideas of words, without any idea of what to say.

“Last night, when I was coming here – I found… foxes. They chased me. I’m sorry, I just went back to my room right away. I was so afraid.”

He was quiet for a moment. “I see.”

Dahyun took a tentative step forwards. “Are… are you okay?”

“Why shouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t understand what happened. Why they voted to remove you.”

For another second, he didn’t say anything, but then he sighed, and she heard his footsteps moving closer towards her, heard the sound of crinkling grass as he sat beside her previous position. She moved back too.

“Hyomin and Heechul. They had their reasons.”

“Why?”

He didn’t want to say. She sighed, leaning back against the stone pedestal.

“Jimin, what happened?”

“I killed someone again,” he said – fast, like he was spitting it out before he’d regret it. And from the sharp sound of his intake of breath, he did. “It’s… the power’s out of my control. I didn’t mean to.”

“That's terrible,” Dahyun breathed out, and she couldn’t hear Jimin’s breathing after that, like he was holding it in, waiting for something.

“You think I’m a monster, right?” Jimin asked, with the faintest laugh in his voice – a weak, miserable one. “You want to go? You can if you want. I am a monster.”

“Of course you’re not,” Dahyun said quickly. “You have no control over it.”

“People keep saying that, but I’ve stopped it before. I just wasn’t good enough.”

Dahyun was speechless, staring at his position even though she couldn’t see him.

“I don’t know why they don’t just lock me in a cage,” he added, and Dahyun shifted slightly, resting her hand between them, and her heart jolted when she felt warmth beneath it –

She hadn’t expected his hand to be there. She froze, and she heard him gasp.

A second later, she wrapped her fingers around it, tightening her grip. “You’re not a monster, Jimin. If you had any choice in the matter – all those people would be alive right now. So why act like you had any part in it?”

She was close to him – close enough to see the shock on his face, even through the darkness. He was frozen, and Dahyun didn’t mind, didn’t mind if the whole world stopped and allowed her to just be with him forever.

Then he slipped his hand out from under hers, and a second later it was on her cheek, pulling her closer. There was no going back when she felt his lips against hers, but even with her heart hammering the way it was, she had no complaints.

a/n - big chapter! I hope you liked <3 I know I took a while to update, and it'll be a few days before the next one too, so I thought I'd get this one out there just to leave things on a slightly better note :) Quick explanation: I'm moving out tomorrow, to a place that won't have internet until (hopefully) the 2nd. Fortunately the contest host has extended the deadline to August 31st so I still have time, but I thought I'd let you know about that!