I was listening to Baek Ah Yeon's cover of Haru Haru and it got me feeling do depressed.

....

so uhm, you guys should know what to expect ...

/brb running away/

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The door was unwieldy at first, but eventually Jaejoong pulled it open and they slipped through and down a small carpeted corridor. All was quiet, but as they walked further down the corridor, they heard the sound of hushed voices coming from a large room at the end. It was dark inside. Hyomin glanced anxiously at Jaejoong, who slowed his pace, putting his arm gently out to stop her.

“Who’s there?” Called a familiar, purring voice.

“Narsha,” muttered Jaejoong. “It is Jaejoong,” he called loudly.

Narsha appeared in the doorway, her eyes narrowing. “Well, speak of the devil,” she said. “Seunghyun and I were just deliberating over something ...” She paused, her gaze sweeping over Hyomin like a searchlight. “When is a wolf ... not a wolf?”

Jaejoong’s benign expression was frozen on his face. “I don’t understand.”

“Really?” She stepped closer, much closer, to them and extended a finger to lift Hyomin’s chin with one glossy black nail. She stayed rooted where she was.

“Narsha.” Jaejoong sighed, frowning at the gesture. “What are you up to?”

“Oh, darling,” she said theatrically. “We have a little dilemma ... on our hands.”

Hyomin’s eyes slid uneasily to Jaejoong, whose expression was impassive. Only the slight tick in his cheek gave him away.

“You see the problem is,” Narsha went on, “that this lovely creature just doesn’t smell right.”

Hyomin swallowed. It hadn’t worked. The mint and bay leaf had not worked.

“You’re drunk,” Jaejoong told her firmly. “And you’re imagining things.”

“Don’t think so, old boy ...” Seunghyun stepped out from behind Narsha, like a giant shadow in the dark. “I’m not in the least bit drunk and I agree with Mother.” He smiled at Hyomin, and there they were, sharp and filed, his teeth glinting in the dim light.

Jaejoong stepped calmly in front of Hyomin.

“I suggest you go back to the party and forget all about this,” he said, looking from Narsha to Seunghyun. “You know the consequences of biting and feeding on Nissilum. Is it really worth it?”

“Oh sweet hell, yes,” said Narsha, tilting back her head and laughing. “For that one momentary break in a lifetime  of tedious good behaviour. For that one, sweet drop of mortal blood on my tongue.” She shuddered, dropping her head.

And just as Hyomin edged away from her, Narsha’s hand shot out to grab her arm, twisting it, pulling her close.

“Hyomin!” Jaejoong shot forward, pushing her back behind him quickly. As Hyomin tried to take in what was happening, she was aware of the heat coming from his body and the pulse in his cheek. He seemed to grow bigger and, as Hyomin watched, the cotton-silk of his shirt strained over his arm.

“Careful, wolf-boy,” Narsha mocked, still clutching Hyomin to her. “I am swifter than you ...” But with a snap of his jaw, Jaejoong’s mouth opened, all his teeth revealed, and he threw his head back and roared, fiercely and shockingly into her face.

“Jaejoong!” Hyomin screamed, glimpsing Seunghyun’s alarmed face behind Narsha’s.

Narsha meanwhile had shrunk back into her son, pushing them both as far from Jaejoong as possible.

Hyomin stepped back too as Jaejoong growled, his shirt torn and his arms covered in fine black hair. She didn’t dare examine his hands. She looked away and shut her eyes.

“Well, go then!” he growled at Narsha and Seunghyun. “Now!”

With one briefly ruffled look at the both of them, Seunghyun dragged Narsha firmly back along the corridor, as she snarled and muttered under her breath.

Hyomin stayed rooted in position, staring at Jaejoong’s back, his shirt shredded, the muscles around his waist throbbing slightly. He didn’t turn. Instead he put his head in his hands, rolling his scalp around, making small groaning noises.

“Jaejoong,” Hyomin cautiously put a hand out to touch his shoulder blade. “Are you okay?”

There was a pause and then, still with his back to her, he began slowly shaking his head.

“Damn it,” he muttered. “I’m not okay.”

Hyomin took her hand away, waiting, wondering whether she should go. Leave this place, and Nissilum, right away. But she still didn’t move. She couldn’t leave him. Not like this.

Eventually Jaejoong lifted his head, and she saw his body had returned to normal. He turned slowly to face Hyomin, and though his eyes were dark brown, and a little bloodshot. He was Jaejoong again.

“I have done a foolish thing,” he said darkly. “Bringing you here, to this place. It was selfish and naive of me.” He shook his head. “We must try and get you home. As quickly as possible.”

“And where would that be?” A cool voice spoke out of sight.

Jaejoong and Hyomin turned quickly to see Changmin, leaning casually up against the wall behind them, an insolent smile on his face. “Where is home?”

Jaejoong darted a look at Hyomin that said Keep quiet and let me do the talking. So Hyomin remained silent, making sure however to cast Changmin as resentful a look as possible.

He didn’t appear to notice. This time he only had eyes for his brother.

“I knew she wasn’t a wolf,” he said coldly. “I knew it the moment I saw her. Felt her aura.”

“And?” said Jaejoong boldly. “She is doing no harm.”

“Not now she isn’t ...” Changmin began aggressively, but seeing Jaejoong’s pained expression altered his tone to a more wheedling one. “I’m just concerned for you, hyung. You know how this ends. We all know what really happened to Jihoon-“

“I don’t care,” said Jaejoong, forcefully. “You know nothing of this girl. You know nothing of me.”

Changmin was silent for a minute and finally, his eyes turned to Hyomin.

“So. You have seduced him. You weave your mortal magic and trap him into wanting you. But look at him! He has turned tonight ... For you.” He stepped right up to her, then, and with a voice dripping in derision, stuck his face into hers’. “I’m telling you this. You will leave here tonight and you will never come back. I will not allow you to ruin him.”

“There is nothing like that between us,” Jaejoong told him. “If you must know, I was sick and tired of SeungAh and Jonghun asking if I had a girlfriend. Hyomin is my friend and she agreed to ... play the part for tonight.”

Hyomin hugged herself. It was true, all of it. So why did she feel so ... disappointed? Why did she feel kind of foolished? Let down.

“Whatever you say,” Changmin said airily. “She still doesn’t belong here.”

“It was never my intention to hurt Jaejoong,” Her own voice cracked. “But I can see that I am trouble here.”

“No, no, Hyomin,” Jaejoong said softly, placing his hand on her arm. She gripped his fingers, as though this was the last time she would touch him, not wanting to let him go.

“Yes,” She turned to him fully, blocking Changmin’s view of him. “I didn’t mean to be, but it won’t work. Soon enough everyone will know I am not a wolf. If Narsha doesn’t tell them, then he will.” She gestured with her head behind her.

 Hyomin studied every inch of Jaejoong’s face. His tender, gentle eyes, his finely-boned cheekbones and the dark fringe that fell forward now into his eyes. She wanted to remember this face forever.

“Changmin, leave us, please,” said Jaejoong, firmly.

“I’m not –“

“I would like to say goodbye to Hyomin,” persisted Jaejoong. “Allow us that, at least.”

There was a hesitation before Changmin spoke again.

“Very well. You have four minutes to get rid of her.” With that, he turned and walked down the corridor. They watched until he shut the door at the end behind him.

Jaejoong turned to me. “I will come and see you,” he said quietly but feverishly. “it will be difficult, because Changmin will report this to SeungAh and Jonghun .... I will be watched from now on. But I will do it.” He held her hand in one hand and drew her close to him, resting his forehead against hers’. Hyomin felt tears coming, and loneliness.

Though she should have told him that this was the end, that it was better for all of them if she and him never laid eyes on each other again, she did not.

Hyomin got to see the peaceful garden at the back of the palace. Jaejoong took her out there and they ran its length, his hand holding hers’. When they reached the far side of it, a row of dark, leafy bushes parted in the middle to reveal a well-trodden but unplanned pathway. They crept quietly up to a high wrought-iron gate, which Jaejoong opened, and they slipped through, out of the grounds.

Hyomin looked back down the narrow path, across the acres of grass, at the back of the palace, which twinkled prettily – shadows moving behind the stained-glass window of the great hall.

She moved to take hold of Jaejoong, but he shook his head.

“I can’t take you, or come back with you,” he said sadly. “You can do this on your own.”

She felt five years old again, standing at the school gate with her father. Desolated, and frightened that she would never see him again. Safety, familiarity were leaving her.

“I’ll come when I can,” Jaejoong clasped her hands and kissed her gently on the side of her head, resting against her. “Close your eyes.”

She did as she was told, but reluctantly. Sadly. Wishing herself back home.

“Goodbye, Hyomin ...” He hesitated. “Take care of yourself.”

Closing her eyes, she felt a little bit of her world cave in.

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Ugh. I feel like crying myself when i re-read what i wrote.

;;~;;