[Jaebum’s POV]

When I woke up, I noticed that Ama was asleep. I remembered everything that had happened when I was in my beast form, even if I hadn’t controlled anything then, only driven by instincts. And now… I could feel something different on my arm. I looked.

There it was. Another Stripe, a new one. I wasn’t too sure why it was there, but… but I had a hunch. My chain had reformed itself… I had ended my beast form by myself, although with a bit of help. Before… before, someone else had needed to reattach the chain. But not this time. It was a new thing, a new experience, a new Stripe.

I looked away. I had… almost died. And she had almost died too. The hunters from the Brotherhood… they had tried getting her as well. I… I couldn’t stay here. My powers were so strong that it was easy for another spirit to find me. But a human? Much more difficult. I… I had to leave. I had to go elsewhere. Find yet another place to live. Hide. Stay far from her. As long as I was around, Ama would be in danger.

I paused my train of thoughts there. Ama would be in danger. The meaning of that sentence hit me. Hard. I… cared. A lot more than I thought I would. I wasn’t just ‘attracted’ to Ama. I was in love with her. She was so important to me. If she weren’t, I wouldn’t have come back from my beast form just for her…

How had that happened? When had it happened? How was it even possible? We… didn’t know each other that much. Not enough for our relationship to… to…

… right?

I frowned. If I really cared… I had to go. It was one more reason to leave her. Without my presence drawing other spirits so strongly, she’d be safe.

**

I left a few minutes after taking a decision. I went to the place where we always met. I wanted to look at this place one last time before leaving forever. I had my Redblades with me, and I had gotten into new clothes to replace the broken ones. I was ready to-

“Jae…”

. She had found me. I sighed, not even turning. I didn’t want to see her right now. It would only make me doubt my decision. Leaving was the best choice, the best course of action. It would protect her and it would allow me to punish myself for everything I had done.

“Jaebum…”

Her voice was soft and quiet. I didn’t move, didn’t let her know I had heard. But she knew. She always knew everything. She walked to me, but didn’t touch me. I had discovered that she wasn’t all that much of a touchy person most of the time.

Unless she had something important in mind.

I felt her back-hug me and I blinked a few times, surprised. She… never did that kind of thing, usually.

“Stay.”

It was an order, but so filled with fear and sadness that it didn’t feel like one. It broke my heart to hear how hurt she was at the moment. I didn’t want her to be sad. I wanted her to be happy so I could leave without any regret. Then again, maybe this should be part of my punishment. I took her hands in mine and made her let go of me.

“I can’t,” I finally replied.

“Stay.”

“You’re in danger when I’m around.”

“Stay!”

Her voice had gotten firmer, angrier. She still sounded sad but she was getting a bit annoyed, it seemed. I couldn’t help a little smile when I noticed that. She was so childish at times…

“It’s for you to stay alive,” I still said, back to being serious. “As long as-”

“If you leave,” she groaned, “I’ll tell the whole world that the legendary Black Hawk is a fluffy puppy.”

I couldn’t help but raise a brow that time. What the heck?

“I’m not a puppy.”

“You are. You get interested by food and if I threaten you, you get all sad and you lie down on your master’s lap after being back to being a good boy.”

“I was unconscious!”

She poked my hand with the tip of a nail, which made me discover that she cut them so they’d form claws. It didn’t really hurt though, to be honest, it was actually quite entertaining to see her being so childish.

“You’re a .”

“You too. Threatening a shadow spirit. I could kill you.”

I was kind of hoping I’d make her leave by threatening her too. She huffed, poking me again.

“If you could, you would’ve done so a while ago.”

I… had nothing to retort. She was right. I sighed though, going back to being serious.

“Look… this place is dangerous. I have to leave. Once I’ll be gone, the spirits will stop targeting you. They won’t know where you are.”

“You’re a dumb dumb.”

“What?!”

I turned, this time, looking at her, frowning. I was a bit insulted.

“Dumb dumb,” she repeated. “You protected me. You’ll protect me again if I come with you, right?”

“I’m not bringing you with me.”

“Oh yes you are. You have no idea how terrifying I can be when things don’t go my way.”

I kept quiet for a moment. I had almost retorted, but now that she was saying this… there was some sort of underlying force hidden in her aura. Was she… stronger than I thought she was? If that was the case… she wouldn’t be safe even if I left. They’d find her no matter what. No powerful human could escape a shadow spirit…

“… all right,” I sighed, chuckling a little though. “You win.”

She had a victorious smile, hugging me. This time, I let her do so and even hesitantly closed my arms around her. She was a little ball of heat even through the thick coat she had… a little ball of heat and… and love. Fierce, full-of-denial kind of love, but love nonetheless. I could feel it. It made me smile.

“Happy birthday, you ,” she said all of a sudden.

“… we’re on my birthday?”

“You were dumb enough to lose track of time?”

“Look, I just- oh, whatever.”

I smiled at her and she answered with a little smirk.

“You’ll have to bear with me from now on.”

“You’ll have to deal with my dumbness.”

“You’ll have to deal with my horrible personality.”

“I can’t deny, that’ll be tough.”

She looked at me sideways and I pressed a tiny kiss on her forehead.

“It’ll be tough, but… I love you enough to accept it fully.”

“I love you too, you dumb dumb,” she chuckled a little, hiding in my arms.