“I swear, if Himchan turned around to look at you one more time during the lesson then the teacher would have ripped him a new one,” Taemi shook her head as she sat next to her friend at lunch. “Has anything happened between you since his almost-but-not-really confession?”

“Not a thing,” Neris remarked. “Though, Yongguk did tell me point blank that he didn’t want anything to happen between me and Himchan.”

“What? Why?”

Neris could sense the distress in her friend’s voice. “Don’t worry; it wasn’t followed by a confession or anything like that. No, it was something about him not thinking I’m good for Himchan.”

“What?” Taemi repeated, her words more biting the second time. “That’s bull.”

“What’s bull?”

The girls looked over to witness the arrival of Yongguk’s friends – Junhong sliding into the seat across from Neris, with Jongup and Daehyun on either side of him. Youngjae arrived mere seconds after, sliding into the spot next to Neris, more comfortable around her when a hunter wasn’t present.

“It’s a word that someone as young as you shouldn’t be using.” Neris quipped smoothly.

“Ah, but noona,” Junhong grinned impishly. “I’m mature for my age.”

“That’s hard to believe,” A deep voice spoke, as Yongguk lowered himself into the spot next to Taemi.

“Okay, what’s going on here?” Taemi wondered, looking at the new faces around the normally empty table. “I mean, it’s a little weird you guys just randomly decided to sit here since you don’t really associate with anyone else in school.”

“Maybe we think it’s time for a change,” Himchan spoke as he arrived, nudging Youngjae with his knee to get the younger boy to make room. “Unless you don’t want us here,” he went on, sitting next to Neris.

“It’s just weird,” Taemi repeated.

“And oddly timed, too,” Neris added, casting a glare at Yongguk.

The Alpha, however, ignored her. That wouldn’t have bothered Neris were it not for the fact that Himchan was currently brushing his knee against hers. She was sure Yongguk had also spoken with Himchan about wanting him to stay away from the siren. There was no logical way the warning was only given to her.

And yet, if Himchan had been told by his Alpha not to pursue a relationship beyond friendship with Neris, why was he currently being so obvious about wanting contact? And then going ahead and initiating that contact?

She cast a side-eyed glance at Himchan, but he was casually chatting with the other members of his pack. It was as if he was oblivious to his actions.

When Neris wasn’t consumed by annoyance and the desire to rid herself of any connection to the supernatural, she could freely admit that Himchan was handsome. And, judging by her body’s reaction at his almost-confession, she was attracted to him.

However, the deal she made with her mother and the promise she made to Yongguk prevented her from allowing those kinds of thoughts. She was somewhat grateful – her last relationship with a wolf ended rather unfavorably, though Neris was mostly to blame – and yet there was a part of her that was disappointed.

She shifted in her seat, drawing her knee away from Himchan’s so that he wouldn’t be able to continue his actions without alerting the rest of the table. As she resumed eating, she banished all thoughts of a certain wolf from her mind.

She’d have to be vigilant. There was no telling when her mother would return home and Neris couldn’t afford being found out.

Not now. Not yet, at least.

|||

She was hesitant to return to the forest after her last run there resulted in an arrow nearly going through her skull. However, recent events gave her the urge to clear her head with some fresh air. She needed to get her head back in the game, without the basketball-themed musical number that had popped in her head once the phrase was thought.

Neris whizzed through the trees, pushing herself to go faster than she normally would to burn off any energy that could be spend fretting and worrying over anything else. She was well into the forest when breathlessness finally came over her, and she leaned against a tree to catch her breath.

A twig snapped, catching her attention, and she looked over to see Himchan stepping out from the trees. Shirtless. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. The shirt he was supposed to be wearing was in his hand. Neris shook her head, blaming her fixation on his half-dressed state on her weariness. After all, she’d seen him before – though she’d averted her eyes from the necessary bits – and she hadn’t reacted like that.

. Why the hell was she picturing him now?

“What are you doing here?” Neris asked in between heaving breaths, not daring to look at him until she was sure he was fully dressed.

“Same thing as you are, I assume,” he replied, and she heard the rustle of fabric that indicated he was pulling the shirt over his head.

Neris looked over – just a peek to see if he had in fact put his shirt on – and was startled to see him standing much closer than she had anticipated. Damn him and his wolfish silent walking.

He was smiling at her, a soft smile reminiscent of the one he wore when he told her he’d try to keep her safe – his almost confession. At the sight of it, the butterflies once again erupted in Neris’ stomach and she had to look away.

Himchan in a breath through his teeth, his smile widening. “Ah, so it’s finally getting to you.”

“What is?” Neris asked, looking back to him and raising an eyebrow at the mischievous grin he was wearing.

“My roguish charm,” he informed her, stepping closer. 

Neris couldn’t help the laugh that fell from her lips as she pushed off the tree she had been resting on, her breathing having evened out and her reason for lingering gone.

“Roguish? I’ve never heard a less apt description.” She shook her head, beginning to walk off only to be stopped by Himchan stepping in front of her.

“You say that, but your eyes tell a different story, not to mention your reaction to seeing me shirtless.” Himchan leaned down so he was at eye level with her. “You see, I’m at that special time where most wolves of my age are seeking mates, and as such our pheromone levels are off the charts. You’ve seen my so-called fan club when I walk down the halls. It’s good to know it affects sirens as well.”

Neris was caught off guard. This was a brash and cocky side to Himchan that she didn’t know existed. She didn’t exactly hate it – although, perhaps that was due to the alleged pheromones he was secreting – but it was certainly a stark change from the quiet, sweet young man that she had spoken with only days prior.

With the sudden flip from Jekyll to Hyde, Neris decided her best course of action would be to leave. After all, she had Yongguk as an excuse.

“Right,” Neris dismissed. “Well, I’m going to go.”

“Wait,” he stopped her, the boldness slipping away from his voice. “Already?”

She gave a short laugh, “What reason do I have to stay? Your Alpha already told me not to go beyond friendship with you, and since you’re flirting with me, or propositioning me, or whatever…”

“I’m not propositioning you,” he argued lightly.

“You just said you were looking for a mate!”

“I said I’m of the age,” he corrected. “I didn’t actually say I wanted to mate with you.”

“Oh, so that bit about the pheromones and you being glad that they affect me wasn’t your way of saying you wanted to mate?”

“Is that your way of saying you do?” He grinned.

“Oh my god,” Neris held her forehead tightly, trying to stave off the headache that was threatening to appear. “I don’t even know why I’m continuing this conversation with you. You know very well that Yongguk doesn’t exactly approve of your affection for me – and don’t bother denying it because Yongguk wouldn’t bother if he wasn’t sure. I barely know the guy and I know that much. Sirens and romance don’t mix. It’s best that you wrap up your feelings for me and move on, okay?”

“I’ve already talked to Yongguk about that.” Himchan informed her.

“Good, so we’re on the same page.” She began to walk around him.

He caught her by the arm and maneuvered her back to her previous position. “Not exactly. You see, I made a deal with Yongguk. I’m going to prove to him and you that sirens aren’t ‘doomed to ill-fated love’.”

“You realize that if you’re wrong, you’ll get hurt,” Neris tried to dissuade him.

“I understand.”

“No, I don’t think you do,” she shook her head. “I’m not talking about hurt as in being broken hearted. I’m talking about you potentially dying.”

“I’m a lot more resilient than you think I am.”

“You’re still mortal,” Neris countered. “That’s enough for me to say no to this.”

Himchan gave a small smile, “Does that me you care enough to worry about me?” His only response was an unamused glare from Neris. “Oh, come on. It can’t be as bad as you think it is. After all, your parents were together and had you. That’s gotta mean something, right?”

“Yeah, it does,” she agreed blankly, “considering the fact that my dad’s dead.” Himchan’s smile faded quickly. “You’ve been in my house, what, twice now? Didn’t it seem odd that there were no pictures of my family? That the male clothes I gave you to wear weren’t my dad’s, but my best friend’s? Put two and two together, Himchan.”

He floundered, caught off guard by the information that he felt stupid for not realizing sooner. “I’m sorry…I – ”

“You didn’t know,” She cut him off.

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” Himchan asked hesitantly.

“I happened.” Neris answered plainly. “I was too young to understand the consequences of what I am and what I can do. You read in the bestiary about the siren’s song; well, the song of a child siren is like the most potent and addicting drug, putting the listener into a state of absolute bliss. What my neighbor told the police was that she saw the guy who walked into our backward looking like he wanted to take me, but that he didn’t see my dad there and got spooked when my dad tried to intervene. What really happened was the guy just wanted to get closer to the source of the song, and flew into a rage when he was stopped. He ended up beating my dad bloody and my dad ended up dying in the hospital.”

Himchan was speechless, though Neris couldn’t tell if it was from her confession, the toneless recitation of the past, or both.

“That’s why sirens are cursed with ill-fated love. Even if we don’t intend to, we bring danger.” Neris continued. “You’re better off getting over me and finding some wolf-girl to mate with. At least you’d end up with a son, since sirens only give birth to their own kind.”

“You think that’s what I care about? A son?” He asked, taken aback, and sounding slightly insulted.

“I don’t know what you care about,” Neris threw her hands up in frustration.

“I care about you!” Himchan shouted.

“Well don’t!” Neris responded with equal volume, and stormed off. Thankfully, Himchan didn’t follow.