He was a book sprite, after hundred of years of human reading, he had manifested into a sprite. He was like those people that had read him for so many times, he was slow and gentle , and loved to stay at the library, reading other books. He didnt understand why was he the only that had become a sprite, but yet he accepted his fate.

 

She was a sword sprite, after hundred of years of human blood, she had manifested into a sprite. The blood tasted horrible, and she hated the taste of blood and the people who welded the sword to kill. So she turned into a human and refusing her sword form more and more. She hadn't met another sword sprite, although she met quite a number of other sprites during her travel.

 

The rain fell unexpectedly, she didnt like to get wet, it will ruin her body. She darted into the first building and proceeded to hide in the first empty building she found. She was a sword, there was a lot of human rules she didnt care about, and taking off clothes so she could make sure she was dry was one of them. She quickly removed the slightly damp clothing and look for something to ensure she stayed dry.

 

“Miss, please put on your clothes,” a male voice echoed softly.

 

“No,” she said curtly.

 

“Miss, this is not right and inappropriate.” the male voice tried to persuade her. “Should I give you some dry clothes,” he said after a while, apparently realising the issue.

 

“OK,” she replied impatiently. A set of pink clothes appeared before her.

 

“Pink?” she replied soundly disgustedly.

 

“What colour do you like ?” he asked again in his soft voice.

 

“White.” she answered as she put on the clothes.

 

The clothes simmered, turning mostly of the pink material to white.

 

“Come out,” she ordered. When she fully put on her clothes, he stepped out.

 

“What kind of sprite are you?” she asked, looking at the “man” in front of her.

 

He gave her a gentle smile, “I am a book sprite, you may called me Jong Kook.”

 

“A book sprite.. mmm, never met one before.” her brows slightly knitted.

 

“That made two of us. Are you a sprite too?” he asked curiously.

 

“A sword .” she answered.

 

He smile grew bigger, “Ahhh.. I see, this is the first time I see another sprite of any kind.” He stepped closer to her trying to get a better look at her.

 

She stepped back, her arms extended to stop him from coming nearer. “Stay away/” she commanded.

 

“Oh, I am sorry.” he noticed he had offended her. “You must be tired, have a rest, this library is big enough. I will retreat to my corner.” he turned to go, “Oh, is there anything you need ?” he asked.

 

“No,” she had found a place she like and she sat down.

 

“OK, do tell me if you need anything.”

 

She liked it here, it was so peaceful, and she could not find her usual inner fire. She closed her eyes and sleep immediately claimed her.

 

“Miss.. miss..” her eyes opened wide, this is the first time, someone or something could come close to her and she did not know.

 

“What?” she asked shortly.

 

“The students are coming in soon. I showed you a better place to take a rest?” he asked respectfully.

 

“Ok,” she stood up to follow him, she was not prepared to leave this tranquil place yet. He led her to behind a shelf, and a small room appear.

 

“This is the usual place I rest in, you can rest here. I will find another place to stay. No one will find this corner.” He turned himself into a book and put himself on top of a shelf. This group of student was rowdy.

 

She let a smile crept up her face and sat down on what seeming is a bed. She could felt the tranquility affecting her again, she liked herself and could even begin to accept what she was.

 

The minutes turned hours, and hours become days. She and the book sprite had stayed together in the library for a few months. Although they are in the same place, they had a few chances to meet, she knew it was his deliberate effort to gave her space. She was thankful for it.

 

He was glad of her company, knowing someone was in same room that knew about him had made him very happy. On a few occasion that they met, she will say hi and it made his days.

 

It was mid-autumn that night, he loved the full moon and it was only in full moon he would step out of the library to enjoy the moonlight. Suddenly, he saw a figure wielding a sword dancing in the moonlight, she was like a swan and yet there is a hint of lethal in each . He was mesmerized by her grace and she seemed to be reflecting the moonlight. His eyes followed her every move and thankfully he didnt need to breath to live because he was afraid he will break the mood.

 

She finally stopped and their eyes met. He smiled and walk towards her, “This is the first time I saw a sword dance.”

“It not a sword dance, I am just practising my sword skill.” She corrected him.

 

“Ah.. I see, Oh I remember seeing should a book around.” he nodded, glad that he learned something new. “Today is mid autumn and the moon is beautiful.” he pointed to the moon, trying to convince her to stay and enjoy the moon with him.

 

She lifted her head and glanced at the big white moon. “Yeah.” As if noticing his silent plea, she walked towards the stairs and sat down on the steps. He joined her but left a space between them.

 

“You want some wine and food?” he asked, neither of them need this material things, since they dont need to eat nor able to taste, but he felt it would give them an excuse to sit around. She nodded and he materialise the items in between them on a small table. He also materialise a flute, and he played a light melody. She seemed to enjoy it and he played another tune .

 

When the tune end, she spoke “Do you know why we became sprite, out of so many I saw, I guess you are the most knowledgeable.”

 

“No, I know why animals could become, but a book or a sword, I really dont have an idea. I only remember my first thought was that I wanted to know more about the books around me as I had heard so much from the students.” he explained.

 

“My first thought is I want to stop killing, to refuse to be another weapon to kill people, whether how deserving they are to die.” her face whiten as she spoke.

 

“Whatever was done before, is not your fault. Now is the time you live as you wish.” He stated the fact. “How is it like outside here? I had stayed here all my 500 years.”

 

“Noisy and messy.”

 

“I see, then I preferred the quietness here.” he was glad of his decision.

 

“I also like it here. Here I felt peace.” she gave a small sigh.

 

“You can stay here forever if you want. I love your company, even if we dont see each other. Please stay.” he quickly asked her.

 

“But dont it inconvenient you, I had took over your space.” she looked at him with a little frown.

 

“Dont worry, I found another.” he smiled at her again. She nodded, and gave him her first smile. He stared at her and had a weird feeling he could not understand. They stared at the moon and enjoyed each other company till dawn broke. They retired back to the library.

 

From that day, she sometime would ask him to teach her to read and in return taught him sword skills. He was always the warm and chatty one while she was the cool and logically person. They were together like this for fifty years.

 

“Ji Hyo,” he called to her, his voice filled with urgency. She had asked for a name, and they had decided at “Ji Hyo.”

“Yes?” she stood out of her hiding place.

 

“They are going to destroy the library.”

 

“Why?” she asked, cannot understand why anyone wanted to destroy this place.

 

“I don;t know. I need to move all the ancient books and hid them somewhere and we will need to go as well.” he was scared.

 

“Ok.” she gave him a reassuring look. “Let's quickly pack and go.”

 

They quickly hid all the books they loved and some valuable one. Two days later, they started their journey to find a new home. He was nervous as this was first time he ever left his library, she was a bit excited as it had been fifty years since her last journey. She passed him an umbrella, as a book, she felt he need to better protected. He took it and opened it as he took his first step out in the streets.

 

The streets was noisy and busting with activities, he was excited and wanted to know what everyone was doing. She patiently explained to him without him asking and he was absorbing the new information like a sponge. They left the town and he saw trees, a whole forest to be exact. He enjoyed the scenery and was happily exploring his new surrounding. She smiled at his happiness, and felt his happiness had made her happy too.

 

They found a cave, in front of the cave was a view of the forest and small patches of flowers decorated the entrance of the cave. They had decided to stay in the cave for a while, Both of them like the cave as it was dry. There is nothing for them to do here, except to go for walks around the area.

 

After a month or so, they decided they should rewrite some of the books he had committed to memory, they decided to make their own stationery. They began their busy day and finally they could start to write down the books. They didn't know how much time had passed but they worked together in unison. Finally after some time, they managed to compile the books they wanted.

 

During these time, Jong Kook had found that he only wanted to be with her. No matter how long times passed, to him as long as they are together, he knew he would be happy. He could not imagine life without her again. He just wanted to quietly stay beside her, he hoped she felt the same. These are new feelings and he did not how to deal with them, so he kept his distance and yet he wanted to be near to her. He was always the more talkative of the pair but now with this unfamiliar feelings, he grew slient, always concentrating on writing the books rather than spending time with her.

 

Ji Hyo noticed his silent, and felt his distance. She did not know why he had grew further apart, she had thought he must have grew tired of her, these fifty years must have tired him out. Yet he always was not far away, she caught sometimes his glance will linger on her for very long and yet when he noticed she looked at him, he will look away and continue on his books. She could not understand this new behaviour, if she stepped closer, he will move further away and yet when she move away, he will look so forlorn and hurt. She sighed, what was this stupid book thinking about, she could not comprehend. She thought she had understood him well enough but now this new him was making her confused.

 

“I going to town for a few days.” she decided one day, she need a break from this strange atmosphere. He looked up from his writing and his eyes looked hollow, as if he was afraid of something.

 

He muttered,”Ok” and his eyes went back to his books. She turned and left him in the cave, after she knew he would not see him, she leaped up onto a tree, and she saw him standing at the entrance, his eyes had followed her and he seem to be waiting for her. She sat on a branch and wondered when he would go back to his books, but he did not move. She watched him for a day and night, he did not move from the spot as if he was grounded, she wondered if she did not return, what would he do?

 

After two days of watching, she decided she really need to go to town to get something, she went quickly and was back faster than usually. She got him a few new books for him, and she returned to the tree. He was still there, but if she had felt his eyes were hollow then, now she could felt he was entirely hollow out, as if these few days had drained him dry. A sudden wind blew into the cave and he gave up and let the wind carried him. Her heart dropped, at these rates, the wind would torn him apart.

 

She quickly jump down from the tree and ran towards the him. She caught him in her arms, he felt cold, how could he felt so cold. He looked up and her eyes caught his, she noticed the different emotions, startled, realization, happiness, then his eyes looked down again.

 

He then noticed he was in her arms “Put me down, this is embarrassing, “ he said softly, in a volume just enough for her to hear. He could not kept the happiness out of his voice, she was back, she did not forsake him.

 

“Why did you do this to yourself, just a few days, look at you.” she said angrily, dropping him lightly back to the floor. She could think about how cold his body was and looking at this tattered person in front of her.

 

He did not know how to answer her, how to explain his hopelessness to her. “I … “ he shuttered, then he moved away from her, he wanted to escape back to his table and his books.

 

She caught his arm, “No, you are not going to escape this time. Tell me what is wrong.” she demanded.

 

Her touch burned him, and he could felt the fire spreading to his entire body and yet there was no fire. “I... I … really dont know. I wanted to be with you, I .. I know I am already with you but I wanted to be closer and I wanted to be forever with you. But .. but you dont belong to this place, you will leave me one day, I know you missed your travel and I am too fragile to travel like you.” his heart felt so painful.

 

Her other hand went to his face and she gently lifted it to face her. “If I will leave for my travel, I will bring you. I will protect you and sure you are safe. You have become a part of my life, we are so different and yet we are inseparable. Take care of yourself, you make me so worry when you throw yourself to the wind.” her eyes looked worrying at him, hoping she could make him understood her worry as she had understood his. He smiled, a smile she had missed so much.

 

“Ok,” he promised. She grinned.

 

“Dont ever ignore me like this again.” she made him promise.

 

“OK. I won't. I had so much I wanted to say to you.” he was on his way back to his old self, maybe he did not understand all his new feelings, but her reassurance had clam his nerves, and that was good for now. He will read and research more and maybe he will get to know what were his feelings.

 

Ji Hyo gave a pull on his hand and he was back in her embrace, maybe this innocent book did not know yet, but she knew from her travel, what this mutual feelings were. She would need to give him some research materials the next time she was in town but for now, she just wanted to make sure he was still here with here, she had nearly lost him. She was glad he felt warmer now.

 

Jong Kook was surprised when she hugged him again, but he felt real now back in her arms, and he hugged her back, now he was really happy again.

 

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Another story to begin the week, hope you like this one ..