The darkness of night didn’t stop her from running. Her legs were tired of the constant running she dare not to stop. Whatever that is chasing her is getting nearer as her pace slowing down. She has been running for as long as she remember. An eerie screaming coming from behind startling her as her feet stuck under a tree root. She falls hard on the ground. Sooyeon groans as some sharp stones scrapping her knees and elbows.

“Sooyeon!” Sooyeon instantly knows that voice. She wanted to scream but she realize her situation in. One careless mistake, they’ll come for her.

“Yul..” Sooyeon hiss as she moves her towards the big tree and hiding behind it. Maybe just maybe, Yuri will find her like he always does. She prays hard that he will.

“Where are you little princess. I’ve been looking all over the places for you.” Sooyeon bite her bottom lips hard as the stranger footsteps seems to be echoing in the forest. The silence around her making the footsteps sounded even louder. Her arms to be hurting too. Probably bruising by now.

“Show yourself Sooyeon. Let’s get this done with.” The stranger is still looking for her probably tearing the forest apart. She heard Yul, but she can’t see him. Sooyeon slowly peeking behind the big tree and from a distance, she can see the stranger with her mantel walking around eyes glowing in blue. She can’t stay here anymore. She has to move. Sooyeon pull herself up as she leans on the tree. She glances towards the stranger hoping to catch him looking away from her path. She couldn’t make out his face but the longer she stays here, her hopes of escaping this forest will be futile.

“Shh, stay.” A body pressing gently behind her as she is familiar with the warmth radiating through her. It is her Yul; her savior coming at last. Yul circling his left arm around her waist as he pulls her towards him with his sword on his right hand.

“Where were you?” She hiss as low as possible trying not to gain attention from the stranger that is not that far from where they are standing. She feels his hand pulling her behind his body shielding her from the upcoming danger.

“Sorry Princess Sooyeon. I’m here now. Stay behind me at all times. Okay?”

His gentle voice is what she’s needing right now. Her Yul is finally here and whatever happens later on, she has no regrets at all. But because of being too comfortable with Yul presence, she put down her guard and accidentally step on a small branch on the ground creating noises announcing their position in the eerie silence of forest. The blue eyes stranger ears pick up the noises and as he turns towards them, she can feel fear creeping back. Yul is already on guard as she imagines he would.

“General Kwon Yul. Give her to us and surrender yourself.”

Yul grips tighten around his sword as his eyes flash in red. He will not go down without a fight.

“Never. You have to kill me to get to her.” Sooyeon body shaking a little as Yul voice deepens. That means he’s turning into his original form; a vampire. She had heard a lot of stories of the cold blood and how dangerous the creature to humans but Yul is an exception. His status didn’t bother her the first time. She then later found out that the blue eyes creature called immortals is going after her soul. In the old book, a story was written that every 300 years immortal from the other realm will be scattering around earth in search of the Chosen One; he or her soul must be reincarnated so that the other realm remain untouch and stable. But Yul oppose to the idea. If the light and the dark creatures world ruins, it is because of their greed and not because of Sooyeon. 

“Stubborn aren’t we?” The immortal said as he suddenly charging towards them. Yul gently push Sooyeon away as he block the swinging blade. When the two swords collided, it echoed loudly; enough to tell you how much force collided. Sooyeon watches in fear as Yul keep on blocking all the attacks on him. But she also realize that Yul is limping. He probably injured himself while coming after her. The immortals that came to the palace are equipped with a silver sword and Yul told her that each sword is enchanted that wills it to cut through his flesh where his body curing ability is useless.

“Yul!” Sooyeon screams as Yul barely dodging another swinging. It is painful to watch her lover fighting for so long; the spell reincarnation will break after midnight and Yul has been fighting non-stop for a whole week and she can see him getting tired with each strike. He’s a very skillful fighter but right now he’s struggling to match up with the immortal as he’s injured. The immortal kick Yul on the stomach before slashing his sword from right to left. Yuri jumps back but the tip of the sword cut through his abdomen. He groans in pain as he landed on the ground with his free palm on his wounded stomach. The immortal smirks.

“You’re such a talent General. It’s a shame that you couldn’t uphold our sacred tradition.” He stab his sword on Yul’s left thigh earning a throaty painful scream from the fallen vampire.

“I don’t stood low the way you all do.” He hiss as he gives a hard kick on the face of the immortal making him stumbling back a little. Using his sword, Yul push himself up as his other hand keep on putting pressing on his wound. The immortal laugh.

“You’re a part of us. Sacrificing her to keep the other realm safe is everyone’s priority General. If I failed now, the rest will find you and I can promise you that this madness of yours will not succeed. Her fate is already written.”

Yul feels his throat tightening; a sign that he’s losing too much blood. For a half breed like him, the one thing he hated the most is the fact that he can actually die out of blood loss. Sooyeon watch in grim as Yul is barely surviving. This is not right. Watching him struggling so much is hurting her heart. It is her fault that he had to go through this. Sooyeon wipe away her tears as she comes out of the shadow earning a gleefully smile from the immortal.

“Sooyeon..princess..” Yul call out her name as he stumble back. He’s badly injured that moving is impossible. Sooyeon ignore the immortal as she turns towards Yul. She sadly smile as she kneel on the floor. She cups his face and pull him for a kiss. Yul is dumbfounded with her action but as soon as her lips touching his, it feels like this is their final kiss. She pulls away and lean her forehead on his. Her face drenching with tears.

“You don’t have to fight Yul. I can’t see you getting hurt even more.”

“Sooyeon.. don’t. I’ve waited for 300 years for you. Please don’t make me wait again.”

Sooyeon try blinking away her tears but it is so hard to do so. Yul cups her face and shake his head in disapproval. She did this 300 years before.

“We’ve gone so far. Only a couple of hours then you’ll be free. Please…” Yul beg hard so that Sooyeon would understand his pain of losing her. He lost her 300 years ago. He can’t lost her again. Not when they are so close. Jessica force a smile on her face as she caress his cheek as flashes of memory with him invading her mind for one last time.

“I love you, Yul. I love you.” Sooyeon snatch his small dagger from behind his waist and plunge it straight into her chest where her heart is. Her eyes widen as she give it a final push. Yuri eyes widen as blood spurting from the stabbing wound to his face.

“No!” Yuri let go of his sword and catch the love of his life in his arm holding her tight. Tears rolling down his eyes drenching his cheek as Sooyeon struggling to breath in his arms. He try removing the blade but Sooyeon hold his hands in hers.

“D-Don’t.” Her time is up and there’s nothing Yul could do to stop it. With so much efforts, she lifts her right hand and place it on his cheeks. Her tears hadn’t dried yet. Yul hold her hand and kiss her palm as her chest rising ever so slowly.

“See y-you again Yul…300 years…” She whispered one last time as her eyes slowly closing shut and her hand lose it grips before it fallen on the ground.

“N-No…No.. Sooyeon? No!” Yuri screams as Princess Sooyeon breath her last breath. She had died once again in his arms. The painful memory of losing her from 300 years ago felt so familiar right now. Yuri pull her dead body towards him as he hugs her tight. He had lost her again today. Just like 300 years ago. The immortal watch the two lovers in each other arms. There’s a tinge of sadness but the work is done. The prophecy has been fulfill at the expense of the princess death. His work is done and there is no need of killing Yuri. This is his first time watching a love that is so pure. But circumstances wasn’t on their side.

“I’ll see you 300 years later General Kwon, Princess.”

…..

“You’re gay.”

Yuri raise an eyebrow as Jessica just said the most random things. Sometimes is hard to predict whatever comes out from that mouth of his bestfriend.

“Of what?” He nonchalantly said as he unwraps his burger and take a big bite from it. Jessica give him the are-you-kidding kind of look.

“I’ve known you since diapers stupid. You never dated any girls and you hadn’t respond to any girls dating request. You’re gay.”

Yuri hum like he always does as he takes another big bite. He’s super hungry today and because he have to wait for Jessica to drag her to the café. She frowns as Yuri seems to be ignoring her questions. She slap him hard on the shoulder. He hiss and put down his burger.

“You’re such a violent girl.”

“And you’re gay.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not interested with dating I’m label as gay. I’m not.”

“Yuri, you rejected all the girls that show interest in you. Remember Kahi? Then there’s Junhye, Hayoung…” Yuri successfully stopping her from continuing by placing his palm on . She furrow her eyebrows and his palm. Yuri pulls away and wipe Jessica’s saliva from his palm.

“Euh, you’re so disgusting Sica.” Jessica grins as she props both her elbow on the table and let her chin resting on her hands. Her eyes staring back at Yuri making Yuri uncomfortable. She willing her eyebrows.

“So why won’t you date?”

“I told you a billionth time already. I’m not interested. I just want to graduate and get myself out of this town and move on with life.”

“An innocent teenage love is not harmful you know.” Jessica cuts in totally not believing any crap he just said. Yuri exasperatedly sigh. She’s his bestfriend but she can’t never understand his reason for not being in a relationship.

“I don’t need love right now. End of story.”

Jessica folded her arms and leans back as she glares at the tan guy. Yuri huffs and finishing his burger.

“You’re weird for not believing love.”

Yuri fake a laugh as he raise both his eyebrows.

“I’m weird? Sica, you’re even weirder. You believe that this world we live in is actually full of vampires and all those bulls. Freak.”

He casted a look at her. Jessica lips finally tugging into a wide grin.

“You’re so hopeless Yuri. Don’t come crying at me when you grow old without even falling in love for once. And FYI, there are other creatures on earth other than us and animals.”

Yuri huffs unlikely to believe what Jessica just said. The blonde girl pinch her bestfriend on his arm and slap him hard on the back.

“At this rate, I might even lost an arm soon.” Yuri emphasize of the word soon as he messaging his sore arm. Jessica can hit painfully hard when she wants to.

“The other realm do exist. We just haven’t seen it yet.”

“Why are you even bother about it?” Yuri skeptically said as he had never believe in anything Jessica said about this other realm. The blonde pulls out a binder file from her bag and flip it open. She takes out a paper scrape of all the weird incidents occurring around the world that made into the news.

“Boston, decapitated head. A clean through and though cut. Malaysia, sighting of fishes on shore. Why? Because they are harmed by the moving plates; a signal that a door from the other realm was opened in the sea. Here, Seoul. 2 girls were found dead and their body was dry with no blood. This is the other realm works Yul.”

Jessica shoves all the clippings towards Yuri as the tan guy lazily read some of it and put it down on the desk.

“They caught the murderer in Boston. Days later, a tsunami hits South East Asia. Those fishes were running from the big wave. No blood? Come on, people nowadays do horrible stuffs just to justify themselves. Everything is explainable. There’s no other realm Sica.”

Jessica and Yuri look at each other before Jessica letting out a deep sighing. She shoves back all the clippings into her binder and keep it back in her bag.

“You’ll never understand Yul. One day, I’ll prove it to you that I’m not joking.”

She gets up from her seat and left Yuri by the table. He’s her bestfriend but when it comes to her believe, he never try to understand. It frustrating her knowing that Yuri thought her research about the other realm is a pure joke. She can stand it when the rest of the kids downplayed her research but when Yuri did, it breaks her heart. Yuri face palming himself as his eyes following her movement; as she’s walking away from him. He groans and sling his bag on his shoulder and grabbing his jacket with him as he make his way towards the sulking blonde. Yuri keep his pace next to her as Jessica trying to ignore his presence.

“Ow, Sica. I was just joking. Don’t be mad, please?” The looks on Jessica face is enough to tell him that she really pissed off right now and if he’s not careful, she might kick his balls later on. But Yuri never want her to be mad at him. He fasten his pace and get in front of her; facing her while he back tracking hoping that he won’t bump into other people.

“Sorry. Okay, I’ll promise that I won’t make fun of your research anymore.” He sincerely said earning a stop from the blonde. Jessica looks up and folded her arms. She’s sharp eyes on him.

“Promise that you won’t make fun of me?”

“With all my heart.” Yuri quickly raise his right hand and place his left hand on his chest. He even stand straight earning giggles from the blonde. Yuri lips tugging into a wide smile watching Jessica laughing over his nonsense humor. No one know why she thinks all the things he do is funny while other people said it wasn’t. But he’s not one to complain.

“Sorry again?” Yuri gently said and Jessica slightly nodding. The tan guy fist pump and pull the blonde into his arm, hugging her from the side. He ruffles her hair without even noticing the blush on Jessica’s cheeks having him too close to her.

“As a repayment, I’ll buy you lunch? How about it?”

Yuri happily said without even realize that they are currently gaining attention from the students around them. Jessica can sense some jealousy coming from some girls that probably has Yuri’s name in their most hot guys in the school list. Some boys assume that Yuri is gay because he hasn’t been dating anyone and only spending time with her while the girls thought that Yuri and her is actually an item. How she wish it was the latter but knowing Yuri, dating is not the word he reacting good to it. She has never seen him going out with any girls or even taking an interest over it. He literally screams gay to her. Yuri snap his finger in front of Jessica’s face and chuckle when the girl is back to her senses.

“You and your 3 seconds space out. Epic Jung.”

“Oh, shut up.” She hiss and quickly walking away with Yuri trailing behind her not really bothered by his classmates constant whispering. The two walk side by side as Yuri leisurely have his right arm around her shoulder. Sometimes, Jessica would nudge his arm away but not today. She has no more strength to keep on arguing with him. She is just freaking hungry.

‘How did I ended up with this lanky guy?’ She curses herself under her breath. Yuri raise an eyebrow but keep his arm tighter around her shoulder.

“Because I’m super-hot, handsome, very athletic and charming. Do you really need to be questioning yourself Sica?” She swore sometimes she thinks he can actually read minds but Yuri insisted that he can predict what’s going on in her mind because they had been friends for so long. She doubt it but what’s the point arguing again when he doesn’t think so.

“And I’m being super idiot hanging out with the gayest person in the whole school.”

“I thought you have nothing against gay people?” Yuri nonchalantly said. Jessica huffs and pinch his waist; it is a bad idea to do so. If anyone haven’t realize, Kwon Yuri is actually have a built kind of body. He’s not super hunk but he’s fit with a lot of muscle all over his body. Her pinches can never hurt him and he always brag it to her.

“Don’t you feel weird Yul? I mean I’m okay if you’re a gay but you haven’t been dating since like..forever and you claim that you’re not. Do you even had at all?” Jessica puckers her lips totally not letting the topic go just yet. Yuri smirks and lean sideways and stops when his face is so near to her ear.

“Maybe if you let me bang you instead..” Yuri whispered with that seductive tone of his. Jessica eyes widen and elbows his stomach hard. He didn’t even flinch and that annoys her so much. Jessica push his arm off her and walk away. Yuri grins like an idiot as Jessica stomping her way towards the furthest staircase. She suddenly stops midway and turns around with arms folded and right feet tapping loudly on the floor. She looks like a sergeant.

“You owe me 3 boxes of fried chicken for that nonsense crap!”

Yuri stand straight; chins up and right hand on his forehead like a cadet saluting his senior officer.

“Yes maam! I’ll buy you the whole market if you want so!”

Jessica narrowing her eyes on him and turns around mumbling some incoherent words as she descend down the staircase. Yuri playful grins replace with a warm smile.

“If only you know Sooyeon.”