Chapter Fifteen

The intense moment ended shortly after Taeyeon pinned Tiffany on her couch and tried to do something more than kissing to the hunter.

Tiffany took her jacket and left, with the pitiful looking Taeyeon following behind until they reached the entrance of the forest. Tiffany stopped in the track. She spun around and looked at the girl who was staring at her with a pair of puppy eyes.

“Aww…” Tiffany pinched Taeyeon’s cheek playfully. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Taeyeon ignored the hand on her face and protested. “But I’m going to miss you!”

“Uh-uh!” Tiffany shook her head in disagreement.

If only she was naïve enough, she would believe Taeyeon, but unfortunately, she wasn’t.

The hunter stopped pinching Taeyeon, but allowed her index finger traced around the spot where she just pinched… until it went south and came to a stop near her lips.

Tiffany glanced at slightly swollen lips. The corner of curved upwards upon recalling the kiss they shared earlier on. It was a nice experience no doubt, but if it wasn’t for someone’s itchy hands… perhaps the wonderful moment could have lasted longer.

“I think you miss my lips and my body more than me.” She whispered with that husky tone of hers, loud enough to be heard by Taeyeon.

Taeyeon’s eyes widened with surprise. She blinked her eyes a few times innocently before drawing a grin on her face. “I don’t deny that.” She captured Tiffany’s finger with before Tiffany was able to react and get away. “But I miss every part of you… including you, yourself.”

Her tongue was, constantly, flickering against Tiffany’s trapped finger unintentionally (?) as she spoke. Tiffany felt a strong force of current flowed throughout her body. Her breathing paused temporary as wild images started to run around her head. How Taeyeon her finger, the sensation she felt from her finger, it was just like those crazy nights she enjoyed when she was inside––

Yuri.

Tiffany snapped out of her thoughts and pulled out her finger from Taeyeon’s mouth without warning, almost rubbing off some of her skins due to Taeyeon’s tight grip on the teeth. Taeyeon was taken aback by her sudden reaction. She scowled at the hunter and was about to reprimand her when she noticed the darkened expression on her face.

Maybe, she went too far this time.

Taeyeon swallowed down those words that almost came out from . Seeing how Tiffany was still engulfed in her own world, Taeyeon hesitated for a second before deciding to break the silence between them.

“Sorry.” Was the only word she thought it fitted their current situation.

Feeling ashamed, Tiffany avoided her eyes and looked away. It wasn’t Taeyeon’s fault in the first place and she should not have apologized. It was hers… It was because she felt she was betraying Yuri so she pulled back.

But she shouldn’t be thinking this way.

“Don’t apologize.” Tiffany forced a smile at Taeyeon. She didn’t want to look hostile towards Taeyeon, but putting on a natural smile was a difficult task for her at the moment. “You’re not wrong. I just thought that we’re going too fast. We should slow down a little.”

Taeyeon nodded, “We will go with whatever you say. As long as you’re comfortable, I’m fine with anything.”

“You’re nice Taeyeon.” Tiffany finally fixed her gaze on Taeyeon and stared deeply into her eyes.

Taeyeon merely returned her a simple smile.

I used to, but not anymore.

“Let me accompany you out of here.” Taeyeon suggested but was immediately rejected by Tiffany.

“I will be fine on my own. The forest isn’t big enough for me to lose my way yet.” Tiffany gave Taeyeon a reassuring smile. She waved at her, “I shall see you around!” She turned around and ran away, not giving Taeyeon any chance to retort.

Taeyeon watched her left in silence. She made sure Tiffany had gone out of her vision already, only then she started to walk back to her house.

However, ten steps after Taeyeon made her moves, she vanished into thin air.

It appeared that Taeyeon teleported to the other side of the forest, somewhere far away from her house. In the middle of the trees stood a two meters feet high ice block, and within it was the mutant which Tiffany was tracing previously.

Taeyeon stopped in front of it with a smile evident on her face, but her gaze reflected nothing but coldness. They were so glary that they looked as if they could pierce through this block of thick ice any seconds now.

“Good job for leading her here.”

Her gaze met the mutant’s eyes. The latter was rotating anxiously like they were struggling.

“But you know…” Taeyeon made a step closer to the ice block. “My girl was injured by your fellow mates. I don’t care what the other sorcerers had instructed all of you to do, someone is going to pay for her injury. So…” Taeyeon reached out her hand, the index finger tapped on the surface of the ice block lightly. “I’m sorry, but to hell you go.”

Fire lit up from the tip of her finger. Taeyeon watched the flames swallowed up the ice block along with the mutant, reducing them into nothing more than ashes.

No one is allowed to hurt Tiffany Hwang, except her.

*

The anesthesia in her body did not last long.

Jessica regained her consciousness about three hours later after the surgery. Her eyes were now widely open, scanning this unfamiliar place she was placed in.

White, almost everything in the room was white in color. White ceilings, white walls, white door and windows, even the blanket on top of her body is white–– Hold on! Her eyes finally saw a different color. It belonged to the person who was lying on the edge of her bed with the head resting on the mattress.

Jessica assumed this is a woman, judging from the long and silky black hair which was partially covering her face. Her hair wasn’t the only thing which was black, her clothes were fully covered with black as well.

Curious by her identity, Jessica wanted to sit up and moved the strand of hairs that was covering her view. But she failed to do so since the anesthesia had worn off, and she could clearly feel the ripping pain on her back as she moved.

Jessica quickly lied down, wanting to ease the pain and stop it from aching. But a groan still escaped uncontrollably and startled the tired hunter who was asleep.

Yuri stirred for a bit before regaining full conscious. Where was she? She tucked her long fringe covering her eyes behind her ear and scanned the room. The familiar white all over the room reminded her that she was in the ward.

“That’s right! I was looking after that casualty.” She naturally turned to Jessica, who was scrunching her face and biting on her lips. Shocked by the scene she witnessed, Yuri jolted up from her seat and leaned over to check on Jessica. “What’s wrong? Is it hurting? I’ll get the doctor, wait for me alright?!” She pushed off the chair that was blocking her way and dashed out of the ward.

Yuri came back with the doctor and nurses a while later. She stood outside the room worriedly while the professionals do their job. Although the doctor already assured her beforehand Jessica would be alright, still… she could not calm herself down. She could not ignore the pain she witnessed on the victim’s face when she checked on her earlier on.

It was her fault. She was the reason why the lady ended up in their infirmary when she should be enjoying her life outside. She would be guilty for the rest of her life if the lady failed to recover from her injuries.

The door swung open and out came the doctor and nurses. Yuri quickly approached the doctor and asked, “How is she? Is everything alright?”

“No worries, she probably feels the pain because the anesthesia wear off. I’ve given her injection already to make her feels more comfortable. Her wound should stop aching perhaps in about two weeks’ time? After the new skins start to grow.”

Yuri frowned, “Will she leave any scars?”

“Well, that’s unavoidable since the wounds are deep.” The doctor shrugged. “Anyway, you can have a conversation with her now. She seems energetic and it is a good sight, considered that she just had a major operation.”

“I will. Thanks for all the help, doctor.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Yuri bid goodbye to the doctor and entered the ward.

Jessica was bored. There was absolutely nothing for her to do. She thought about going back to sleep, but that was kind of impossible since she just woke up from her slumber. She tried to observe her room as well, but she could barely catch a glimpse of the ward from her lying position. But that didn’t really matter since supposedly that there should be no entertaining objects in the ward.

So what is she suppose to do now? Lie here and wait till the sun sets?

Just then, she heard a crank sound. She tilted her head a little and looked towards the door that was opening on its own. She raised her eyebrow curiously and watched an awfully familiar lady emerged from behind.

Yuri closed the door gently behind her and approached Jessica who was staring her like a curious puppy.

A smile appeared on her face. She asked, “How are you feeling?” The soft and gentle voice echoed in Jessica’s head, making Jessica felt unusually comfortable.

“Good.” Jessica couldn’t help but smiled along with Yuri. “Where am I?” This place doesn’t seem like a normal hospital.

“Aurales headquarters.” Yuri grabbed a seat beside Jessica’s bed. “Do you remember what happened?”

“Uh…” Jessica scratched her head and pondered hard. She remembered she was staying in a shrine since the villagers couldn’t provide her a shelter when she asked for one. And then… and then a weird woman came and pinned her down on the ground. “Oh! You’re that stranger!” Jessica pointed at Yuri and exclaimed. “You saved me from a mutant, didn’t you? Thanks a lot!”

Yuri wasn’t expecting this reaction from Jessica. She always thought she didn’t do a good job back then and certainly did not deserve this honor.

“But I got you injured.” Yuri lowered her head and looked away guiltily.

“That’s because I ran out of the shrine when I was supposed to hide inside.” Jessica stretched out her hand as far as possible and grabbed Yuri’s hand which was resting on the edge of the bed. “Hey, I can see that you are blaming yourself, but please don’t think that way. You’re my savior. I wouldn’t be lying down here talking to you if you didn’t save me.” She squeezed Yuri’s hand gently. “Think on the bright side, things aren’t as bad as how you think they are.”

Jessica’s words brought surprise to Yuri. She was the victim in this incident and almost lost her life because of her carelessness, yet she was still able to smile so brightly and comforted her. Yuri felt ashamed. If the victim was able view this situation so optimistically, how could she react so pessimistically and let the victim worried for her instead?

Yuri let out a soft mocking snort. Just like what Hyuk-Jun had advised her, don’t dwell too much on the mistakes, take them as a lesson and be more cautious in the future.

The corner of her lips eventually curved into a smile after Yuri thought it through. She smiled at Jessica and commented, “You’re rather optimistic.”

“That’s a good thing, you should learn from me.” Jessica grinned proudly as she praised herself. “What’s your name by the way? I’m sure you don’t want me to call you stranger.”

“It’s Yuri. What’s yours?”

“Jessica Jung.”