Jaejoong repeatedly flexed the fingers of his right hand. Next, he began rotating his whole right arm to check if it was properly attached. His arm responded as if it was never cut. There wasn't even any scar. All of his injuries had also healed. The only thing that bothered him was that he had no memory of how he was healed! The last thing he remembered was their arrival to the village of the Tarosians where he was given wine to drink. Everything after that was blank. When he next opened his eyes, he was healed. Only the scar from Sean's spear remained on his body.

This was just like last time when the Siesmyres healed his cheek accidentally burned by Dara. Maybe that's how the Siesmyres healed; they needed their patients to remain asleep during the healing process.

He climbed out of his bed of furs. The furs looked out of place in this house made of ice. The bed was a rectangular block of ice covered with fur, probably for his own convenience. Dara had forgotten to mention to the Tarosians that he was immune to the cold. But he appreciated the Tarosian's concern for his comfort.

He found himself studying the ice house. It was a one-room house that reminded him of Eskimo igloo houses. There were a lot of differences though. It was designed like a hotel room where there was only one doorway and one window. The ice house was also bigger in size and was more intricately designed. Two of the walls of the house had ice carvings that could rival masterpieces of art in the human world.

Most of the furniture was all made of ice. From the oval-shaped chairs to the tables and counter. The only exceptions were the radio, wide-screen TV, computer and DVD player. Jaejoong found himself smiling at the presence of these electronic appliances. Who would have thought that these modern-day human gadgets could be found in the home of a Siesmyre?

He wasn't sure if the Tarosians used these human appliances or they were simply here as part of the decorations. There were no electric sockets where the appliances could be plugged in. And even if there were, Jaejoong wasn't sure if these would still work since their circuits must have frozen by now because of the cold temperature.

He looked out of the window. From there, he was able to see most of the village. The village was located inside the large crater of a dead volcano. Each house was carved along the side of the frozen crater. The center of the crater served as the village's town plaza. All social activities happened in the town plaza. There were several stalls there that served as the Tarosian's version of a market. Adjacent to it was an icy park with many ice carvings. The park also served as playground for the children.

At the center of the town plaza was a hot spring. Its heat combined with the cold temperature around produced a heavy mist that covered the ground. Several Tarosian children were currently playing with the mist. Jaejoong counted five. Jaejoong knew with a village this size, there should be more. But the Tarosians also suffered from few births like the other Siesmyres because of the effect of pollution.

Jaejoong watched the laughing children and quickly noticed that the children were creating different shapes from the mist with their hands. They would collect the mist with their hands and then shape it like clay, giving the mist odd and sometimes familiar shapes. They would then blow air on these mists, gently tap them upward to join the clouds in the sky.

Jaejoong wondered if the different shaped clouds he had seen in the skies were created by the Tarosians. He smiled at such thought.

"Feeling well?" asked a familiar large voice.

He whirled around, and then had to crane his neck to see the tall Tarosian. Elder Duk Hwa was almost as tall as Prince Bumsoo, yet he moved silently. Jaejoong didn't even notice his arrival.

He smiled and nodded in answer to the Elder's question.

"Thank you. Your healers did a wonderful job. My arm doesn't even feel like it had been cut off from my body." He raised his right arm and bent it slowly to show that it had healed properly.

"We just wanted you to be fit and strong when you go back to the Midnight Corp. You would need all your strength when you begin fighting for your new position."

Jaejoong sighed. He never wanted to get that position.

"As the new head of the Snow Demon Department, I am quite sure that there would be a lot of ambitious demons who would try to wrestle that position from your hands."

"If they want this position, then I would give it to them gladly. I won't even fight them."

Elder Duk Hwa's thick brows rose in surprise.

"You are not interested in the position you won from your fight with Prince Bumsoo? That position also entitled you to new powers."

Jaejoong smiled.

"Elder Duk Hwa, I already have all the powers I need. I do not need any new powers or responsibilities. I prefer to continue the life I have now. Simple and unburdened by rules."

"You don't like responsibilities?"

"It depends on the kind of responsibility. I may be the son of Prince Won Bin, but I do not relish fighting or killing. I also have no interest in forcing people to accept a certain belief the way Midnight does. I don't like trouble, but if it finds me, I won't run away from it. I will solve that problem in my own way."

Elder Duk Hwa sat on one of the oval chairs. A large cigar appeared in his hand, which he began smoking leisurely.

"You are very different from what I thought you would be, Jaejoong. But you cannot remain neutral all your life. Time will come when you would be forced to choose a side or fight for a cause."

"When that time comes, Elder Duk Hwa, you could be assured that I will do everything I can to help the cause or side I will choose to win."

The Tarosian smiled.

"It would be fun watching your further exploits and adventure, Jaejoong. Because no one could predict what you would do in the future." There was admiration in his voice.

"I am not without faults, Elder Duk Hwa. I still make a lot of mistakes and most of the time, women still managed to make a fool of me."

Elder Duk Hwa guffawed.

"Join the club, Jaejoong! We men always turn into fools when a woman is involved. You just have to learn how to bear it all. Speaking of women," he paused, "there is one waiting for you."

"Dara?" He perked up. He was about to ask about her.

The Tarosian nodded.

"She has a cottage in the northern part of the village. You won't miss it since it's the only one where white flowers bloom. In fact, her house is the only one with a garden in the whole village. Flowering plants never liked ice and snow. But with Dara around, plants and trees would always bloom regardless of the climate or place."

The memory of Dara's kisses and promise filled Jaejoong's thoughts. A fire stirred inside him.

"But if you are still not strong enough, it's best that you stay here in my house and continue regaining your strength. Because I cannot promise you that you would be able to rest once you go to Dara. You could lose all your strength," he teased.

Jaejoong felt heat going up to his face. He had never been embarrassed talking about his life. But Elder Duk Hwa was like a father figure to Dara, and such talk felt so wrong and improper.

"Don't worry, Elder Duk Hwa. I have regained my full strength."

"Then, what are you waiting for? Go to her! If you don't, everyone in the village will think you are a coward."

His mouth fell open.

"T-The whole village knows?" he stammered.

"Yes. We are a small village, and news travel fast here." He smiled. "So, do you have enough courage to go to the Dara?" he dared him.

Jaejoong took a deep breath and wiped away whatever embarrassment he felt. He reminded himself that he never really put importance on what people or any creature thought of him. But he was having a hard time removing the nervousness he was feeling. This wasn't like him at all!

"I'm leaving now." The voice that came out of his mouth was almost a whisper.

Elder Duk Hwa rose from his chair and shoved him out of the house.

"Be strong, Jaejoong!" he shouted while continuing to laugh.

Jaejoong lost his balance and fell face down on the snow in the front of the house. When he raised his head, he saw all the Tarosians in the plaza looking at him with amusement. He felt mortified.

A young Tarosian pointed a finger to the northern part of the crater. He was clearly telling him the direction to Dara's cottage.

He smiled at the child and rose from his position. He ran toward Dara's cottage.

He soon found Dara's cottage. It was made of ice like the other houses, but flowers were growing all around it. Like all of the houses in the village, the cottage only had a doorway and no door.

Anyone could easily enter. He didn't hesitate and headed inside the cottage. The cottage was also a one-room house. Jaejoong barely noticed the other furniture because his eyes immediately riveted to the bed. Dara was sitting in the middle of the large, fur- cover