C h a p t e r   1 9

S  e  h  u  n

“This is a first. Not having a lot of people being nosey with your life.” Ae Soo smiles as she watches me cook her breakfast. My unexpected intense jealousy led to an unexpected sleepover at her place not to mention the unexpected event that happened at Mom’s car yesterday. When it comes to Ae Soo, everything is just so unexpected.

“Well, it’s almost Christmas so they are all planning to spend it with their very own houses. Though I heard that there will be a party after the new year.”

“Hm.” I was too focused on her talking. Too focused on as she talks. Ever since we first did it, I’ve been wanting to kiss her all day. Her kisses are very addictive. “Sh*t.” I wince after feeling something on my finger. I see blood. I cut myself because of her. Great.

“Oh my god!” She rushes to my side and takes my finger. My whole body freezes as soon as she the blood out. God. I can’t calm down. “What the-“ her eyes widen and mine too. As soon as we stare back at my finger that was just in Ae Soo’s mouth a while ago, the cut is gone. We both try to process what happened just now. We're just staring at my finger bleed earlier but as we stare at it right now, it's like nothing happened. Did it just heal because of her? I look at the knife that's in front of me right now and then to Ae Soo. Her eyes widen knowing what I’m about to do next. "No, I know what you're thinking."

"I'm positive I am cut just now. Let me just confirm it."

"No! Sehun!" I cut my palm this time and it definitely hurt and then it's starting to fade. Not the pain, but the cut. "Oh my god." She gasps in surprise and all I can do is stare at my hand. I want to know everything. Why this happened but I don’t know how. Just then, one person appeared in my head. 

I finished cooking and I can tell Ae Soo’s still disturbed with what she saw earlier. We are demons but we don’t usually display a lot of abnormal things. When I say abnormal, I meant the abilities that we shouldn't have. We wolves are known to be quick in speed, smell, and our sense of smell is thrice as how humans see. What we just know that is what abilities we’re born it and regenerating isn’t one of mine. 

Ae Soo is watching me at the other side of the counter. She's watching my every move and she's afraid that I might hurt myself again. I chuckle and turn the faucet off before walking to her side. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pulled her close to me.

"Tell me what you're thinking." She asks.

"I'm thinking how cute you are right now."

"Don't sweet talk me." I laugh. "I'm serious Sehun, you're not thinking about hurting yourself to prove something are you?"

"I'm not so don't worry." I smile tucking a lock of her hair on her ear. 

After we eat our breakfast, I decided to talk to her father before I leave. “This is unexpected.” He utters but steps to the side letting me in the room. I walk in and grab the dagger lying on his desk. I open it then slashed my wrist with it. I felt the pain but it’s slowly fading. I’m regenerating again. He looks at me surprised. “You both slept?”

I look at him back surprised that he know. So that has something to do with this? “That has something to do with the changes in my body?”

“You’re seriously killing Ae Soo? That’s strange. I just remembered what you said the last time we talked kid.”

“I know that. She’s not going to get-“

“Just by using mere protection wouldn’t change everything. You’ve been inside her and that won’t change. You’ll crave for that the more you do it and you’ll reach the point where you won’t be able to stop yourself from craving her.” My body stiffens. “Tell me, there is a change from when you first did it didn’t you?”

I clench my fist because I hate it that this man is spouting every truth that there is. “Stop.”

“Thought so. You won’t be able to fool me. I’ve been there, only, I’m ignorant of the possibilities.”

“Stop.”

“That I was the one who killed my wife by letting her give birth.”

“I won’t let it happen to Ae Soo!”

He releases a laugh and stared back at me. “You won’t let it happen huh?”

The door slams open and Ae Soo’s Uncle came in with panic written all over his face. “Hyung! Did Ae Soo went here?!”

“Why would I let that child in here?”

“She went back to her room after we ate breakfast.” I reply.

“She’s not there! I searched everywhere!”

“Why are you making a big deal of this Kang Joon? That girl has a mind of her own to walk already-“

“Jonghyun might’ve got her Hyung!”

I see Se Jong’s face stiffen and I didn’t realize he’s capable of reacting because of his daughter. There might be a possibility that he does care for Ae Soo after all.

A e   R y u

I was on my way back to my apartment when I suddenly felt strange. I feel Ae Soo’s presence. I hop back from my car and ran back inside the main house. Running closer to the presence I am sensing, I see Ae Soo. She’s barefoot and in her Gumiho form. “Uncle!” I ran ahead of Ae Soo and grab her by her arm. She’s under a spell and she doesn’t seem to be conscious of it. “Ae Soo! Snap out of it!”

“Ae...Ryu?” She looks at me wide-eyed then scans her surroundings. “Why am I- You’re- How did I got here?” She looks so perplexed as she tries to process the state she’s in. She doesn’t remember how she got here and that’s because of the spell the she’s in. I grab her hand and gave her a reassuring smile.

 “It’s okay. Let’s get you home first.” I pat her head and she nods. I crouch in front of her.

“Ae Ryu?”

“I’ll carry you to my car since you don’t have anything on your feet. Hop on.”

“What?” She seemed uninformed with the fact that she’s barefooted. It seems that she has a lot on her mind right now and I hate my Uncle for letting her feel that way. She hops on my back and I carry her. “Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s calling me.”

Damn it. He just doesn’t stop does he? “Ignore it Ae Soo.”

“But that voice seem familiar.”

It must be that woman. Uncle’s using it to lure Ae Soo. “Ae Soo, hang on tight okay?”

“Hm? Oh, okay-“ before I even had the chance to start flying, Sehun and the others arrived. “Sehun, Dad, Uncle?”

I put her down as Sehun starts to eye me hard. He’s been cautious of me ever since that night. Can’t blame him. A wolf’s intuition is powerful after all. “Are you okay?” He holds Ae Soo’s cheek inspecting every inch of her. I look away because I refuse to see how happy she is that Sehun came to her aid.

“I’m alright.”

“My oh my! I didn’t expect visitors.” I turn eyeing Uncle hard. “Are they your guests Ae Ryu? It’s been a while since we had one. Why don’t you welcome them inside?”

“There’s no need for that. They’re leaving.”

“I don’t think so. It seems that Se Jong hyung wants to have a cup of tea.” Uncle Jonghyun grins eyeing Ae Soo’s dad. I turn to him and his eyes turned red like he’s itching to go inside. 

“Dad?” 

“What are you hiding Jonghyun?” He finally turns to Uncle and glares at him.

 “I have no recollection that I am hiding something. Oh! But I am saving a good tea for future guests. Perhaps, that’s what you sensed?” Ae Soo’s dad turns to Ae Soo then turns his back. 

“We’re going back.”

“Aw, that’s a shame though. Please do come back okay?”

I watch them walk to leave when I notice that Ae Soo’s Uncle is eyeing the room upstairs. That’s the room where the woman that Uncle took is located. Can he smell her? I’ve been wondering who that is too. When they all have left, I follow Uncle inside.

“You promised you won’t hurt Ae Soo. But it’s you who lured her in didn’t you?!”

Uncle gives me a playful smile and faces me. “I promised that I won’t hurt her and I kept it didn’t I?”

“Then why did you call her here?!”

“I am not the one who called her though.” He smirks and leaves heading towards the room where the woman is. What the hell is this man planning?

A  e    S  o  o

I try my hardest to remember how I got here. When I came to, Ae Ryu’s in front of me. I’m even barefooted. All I remember is that I was in my room waiting for Sehun to comeback and I guess I fell asleep and then.. oh right. I dreamt about Mom. She was calling me and she’s handing her hand on me. I was reaching for it. And before I knew it, I was in front of Ae Ryu.

I felt a hand squeeze mine like he’s trying to ooze out all the worries I have away inside me. I smile looking at Sehun. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, I leaned on his shoulder. “I’m alright. Thank you for coming for me.”

He kisses my temple and holds me close to him. When we reach the main house, Dad told us that he has something to take care of and Uncle offered to go with him. 

“Take a rest for now.” Sehun tucks me in bed and kisses my forehead.

“Alright.”

“I’ll just call back home. I’ll stay with you for a while.”

“Is that okay?”

“It’s fine.” He smiles walking towards the door as he makes his call. 

I think I fell asleep for a while because I felt really good after. I feel really warm when I realize Sehun’s holding me in his arms. He fell asleep too. I grin as I watch him sleep. I didn’t even expect that I will love someone this much and he takes good care of me too. I don’t think I’ll ever regret the decision I made back then to stay with Sehun. I’m glad I decided that way. 

“You’re staring too much.” His eyes slowly opened as they fall on mine.

“I just realize I haven’t seen you sleep before. I’m taking advantage.”

He laughs and watches me. “So? How was it?”

“It’s amazing. Just the sight of you sleeping makes my heart flutter.”

Sehun leans close and kisses my cheek. “When you say it like that, I won’t be able to stop myself you know?” I lean close kissing him and I feel that he’s surprised at my action but he kisses me back anyway. I think even more intense compared to how I kissed him. Sehun groans slipping his hand at the back of my neck. He slips his tongue in my mouth when I gasp for air. “Ae Soo.”

I smile. He does that every time he wants me to kiss him more. Just then, both of us freeze at the scent of something. “Do you smell that too?”

He nods. We both hop off the bed and followed where the scent is coming from. We ended up in front of Uncle’s room. I slam his door open and freeze at the sight. There’s a sword in him and at the other side is Ae Ryu. Uncle falls on the ground and his own blood starts to engulf him. 

“Ae...Ryu?”

He bit his lower lip and turns away from me but I saw it. He’s crying.