So, anyone missed me? Hehehehehhe :B

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Narrator's POV

Hyomin had no memory of the journey. Her first conscious thought was of a breeze lifting her hair and a familiar rushing sound. She looked into the river, hurrying on its way somewhere, pushing past embedded rocks which stuck up above the surface. A huge bird soared elegantly, following the river. It looked like an eagle. She blinked as she watched it fly. From the distance, it looked huge, but not ungainly. Just magnificant.

Jaejoong silently watched with her.

"I read more of the notebook," She said at last. "She was my age, that girl."

"Yes," Jaejoong leaned back on his elbows. "And it doesn't have a happy ending, I fear."

"Who was she?" She said, more to herself than to him.

"I believe she was a mortal," Jaejoong pressed his lips together. "And her .. lover. I think he was one of us."

"A werewolf?"

"Could be." He hesitated before going on. "There is a rumour about a male, living on Nissilum, generations ago, who ceased to exist. People say it was the love of a mortal girl that killed him."

Hyomin turned slowly to look at him. "Is that why you are reluctant ... to fall in love with a mortal?"

Jaejoong nodded. "Although to me, the notion that one can control one's emotions in that way seems ridiculous." He sighed, sitting back up and holding on to his knees. "But according to my mother, it is perfectly possible to control such things. To decide not to love. Just a matter of ruling with your head, not your heart. Not very romantic."

He shook his head. "But, given what is destined to happen to those of us who fall ... it is probably better to keep mortal relationships platonic. Better still never to engage with mortals in the first place."

Hyomin felt vaguely rejected. Stupid. She meant, Hyomin knew what she felt with Jaejoong was different. Safer, calmer. Perhaps it was less exciting?

"You need to get a proper girlfriend," she said flatly. "Not a pretend one."

"Hmmm." Jaejoong didn't look at her. "I haven't met an immortal girl yet who inspires those feelings in me. I don't think I ever will."

His answer pleased her, though. She disliked herself for it. Hyomin didn't want him, but she didn't want anyone else to be with him either.

"Anyway, I thought it was a good thing to come here first," said Jaejoong, changing topic. "Before you meet my family. It's a calming place. I don't want you to be nervous."

"I'm meeting a bunch of werewolves," she said half smiling. "What's to be nervous about?"

Jaejoong chuckled and as he turned to look at her, Hyomin saw how his brown eyes danced. When he laughed, his normally serious face lit up. It jolted something inside her.

Hyomin smiled back at him, then looked up at the pale-blue sky. "Shouldn't we get going?"

"Yep." Jaejoong got to his feet and held out his hand to help her up. "Particularly since we are going the slow way." He noticed her puzzled face and added, "We're walking."

Hyomin's POV.

Jaejoong and I walked for miles, but he held my hand all the way and I found we were moving briskly, covering the distance quickly. We crossed a vast field of and came to a stony path, and then a pretty gate, covered in wisteria. Jaejoong stopped in front of it.

"The south is divided from the north by a vast river. Northerners pay a toll to cross the bridge into the southern region. My father hates filling in forms. And as I said, his memory is not good. Neither he nor my mother will question you too closely on your family."

"Okay," I nodded. "Good to know."

He pushed through the gate and we walked up a wide gravel drive of sorts, flanked by apple trees. Ahead of me, I saw the front of a large old cottage. It was idyllic.

I felt a mixture of nerves and excitement, and behind that, a kind of acceptance. I didn't feel like a stranger in a strange world. I felt somehow at home.

We reached the front door and Jaejoong turned.

"Ready?" He said, touching my sleeve.

"Ready."

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MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS AND

HAPPY BELATED 8TH ANNIVERSARY TVXQ!!~

Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

Xoxo, Eezah (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧