"Are you alright?!" DaeHyun's hands went to her shoulders holding on to her trembling body, checking to see if anything was wrong. 

 

"Gotcha" Yoon Mi smirked, gripping his shoulders firmly and flipped him over.

 

Letting out a grunt as his back hit against the floor roughly, when he understood what had just happened. He let out a loud exhale of relief and ran a hand through his hair, messing up his blond locks even further as he stared up at her. "You caught me but you haven't punched me yet."

 

Raising an eyebrow at him, "do you enjoy receiving pain or something? You do know that I don't like violence in general right?" Yoon Mi said as she stared down at him.

 

"You were the one that said you wanted to punch me. Should I annoy you again so that you would follow through in word and deed?" DaeHyun began challenging her again.

 

"I have never met anyone who knows how to make me both happy and so damned pissed." She pressed down more of her weight on his shoulders with a hint of anger in her eyes as she threw a punch to his jaw. 

 

"It's better than the ones I saw you deal out during trainings" DaeHyun critiqued as if it was the most normal thing ever while rubbing his jaw. 

 

Healing the bruise that was forming, he stared up at Yoon Mi. "So... how long do you intend to remain in this position? Not that I'm complaining of anything."

 

Clearly embarrassed when she realized the way that was straddling him, Yoon Mi quickly got off him and stayed what she thought was a safe distance away. "Will you be going to continue with the illusion training?" She asked quietly but loud enough to be heard.

 

"I don't know, it was undoing the good progress we've had so far..." DaeHyun contemplated as he got up from the ground. "We'll continue on with the normal training for now but somehow we need to find a way to work on the fear that you have towards Ji Yong."

 

Taking in the way Yoon Mi reacted at the mention of his name. Her downcast gaze, arms folded against herself, the short and shallow breathing, she looked as if she was holding herself to stop her body from shaking. Anyone who saw her could tell that she was deathly afraid of something. DaeHyun decided that it was best for her to get some rest, slowly leading her back to her room and sat her down on the edge of her bed.

 

Seeing that she was just sitting there spacing out and unmoving. DaeHyun called her name, growing more worried when she wasn't responding to his voice, shifting to stand directly in front of her. "Yoon Mi, snap out of it!" Saying it firmly as he held her face between his hands and tilting her head upwards. Making her look up at him as he stared into her blank eyes. 

 

"Look at me Yoon Mi" He said repeatedly trying to bring her attention back to the current moment and out of her thoughts in her mind.

 

When he saw light in her eyes and her pupils growing focused. In his heart he was so relieved that she was finally looking back at him. "I get that you're afraid of Ji Yong. Everyone is afraid of something and no one is immune to it, but the thing is you can't lose yourself and let the fear take over. How many times do you want to let yourself go?" He quietly questioned her and gave her time to think about every single moment that she fainted, fell into coma or broke down crying.

 

When it seemed like she recalled all those moments, DaeHyun told her his worst fear. The one thing that he was most worried about, "What if one day you're too far gone and I can't help you?" 

 

Bending down so that their foreheads touch "Have you forgotten that my power is healing physical pain and injuries? I can't cure mental or emotional pain." 

 

When was the last time she had seen such sadness or pain in those eyes that were staring into hers? Yoon Mi wondered as she looked up at him. Was it the day that he shared with her about his past and his mother? Or was it some other time that was eluding her as she looked at those familiar brown eyes that were usually so filled with warmth but now they were so overwhelmingly sad because of his concern for her.

 

"I would always want to protect you and save you from everything..." DaeHyun shifts to hold her dearly in his arms. "But my power has its limit Yoon Mi."

 

Resting his head against hers, "Spare a thought for me when I see you lying in bed unmoving for days or even weeks and I can't f--king do anything to help despite of what my power is." His lips were close to her ears and his voice quiet and pleading. Just because he had more years of practice in being strong didn't make him undefeated or invincible. 

 

"As much as you're afraid of losing me one day... I'm also afraid to lose you." DaeHyun pulled away to look into her eyes again. Wanting to see the light and focus in them, to see that all of her mind, body and soul was there with him.

 

Whispering her apology as she hugged him back tightly. "I'm sorry for always making you so worried. I really will try harder to not let myself go, to not give in and let myself slip away." DaeHyun relaxed into her hug, letting himself be comforted by her action and her words. 

 

Communicating her words and heart through their bond, Yoon Mi didn't feel very confident about it but she was a hundred percent sincere in doing her best. 

 

When he kissed her forehead and pulled away, she couldn't help but hold onto his hand and ask where he was going. Giving her an amused look, "I'm heading back to my bedroom." DaeHyun's answer made her feel a little disappointed. 

 

"Didn't you say that you fall asleep easier here?" Yoon Mi mumbled her answer. Having heard every single word she said clearly, a smug smile made its way to his lips, "Are you indirectly asking me to stay?" 

 

Red faced and thoroughly embarrassed now, Yoon Mi hated how DaeHyun was having fun at her expense. "Yes, I'm asking you to stay and share my bed." 

 

Snug under the covers he gladly encaged her in his arms, finding it fun to and watch her turn different shades of red. "W-watch where y-you place your hands!" Yoon Mi squirmed as she tried to guide his hands elsewhere but they keep brushing along places that he wasn't supposed to.

 

"I should be telling you that" DaeHyun gave her a very serious look that made her surprised. "I have no idea what you dream of at times but you were very explorative with my anatomy while you were asleep" 

 

"W-what?! I-I have no idea what y-you're talking about!" She exclaimed as her face turned scarlet.

 

"Ssh, no need to be embarrassed." He hushed her by putting a finger to her lips. "I understand that you want to bond in the most intimate manner, I feel the same way too. So why don't we get star–" 

 

"P-please stop talking" Yoon Mi interrupted. "I-I seriously have no idea what you're talking about be it the d-dreams or b-bbonding aspect." She couldn't bear to hear the full sentence of what he was about to say because she felt that her heart might just explode at the thought of it. 

 

Panicking as she pushed against him and trying to have a little more distance, she used the first excuse she could think of. "We c-can't anyway, I'm too y-young! I'mm n-not e-even 16 yet... W-wait a minute..."

 

 Yoon Mi paused suddenly, causing DaeHyun to stop because of the grim expression that was forming on her features as she trailed off in her own thoughts and asked what date and month it was.

 

Hearing his answer, her eyes widened and her body froze up; thinking back of the date and month when she first came to the mansion with her family butler Jin Soo. 

 

The period of time where she was grieving the loss of her family, to the 3 months that DaeHyun and Zelo left for the slums, their school's year end examination period which took place around Zelo's birthday and lasting for about a month. 

 

The grand ball where Ji Yong appeared; leading to the weeks were Yoon Mi was tormented by dreams and DaeHyun fell into a coma from removing her ring along with taking her blood. Not forgetting the day that they bit each other, the time Yoon Mi spent as she went through The Change and how long it took for DaeHyun's father to be convinced to leave the mansion...

 

Thinking clearly about it, she had already spent a full year at Elder Yong's mansion. 

 

One thing seemed to be nagging at the back of her mind, one period of time that bothered her for an unknown reason. DaeHyun was quick to pick up on how Yoon Mi felt and didn't hesitate to ask her what was troubling her.

 

"I don't know very well." She racked her mind trying to pinpoint which moment of time that she seemed to be trying to recall. 

 

Closing her eyes to try and focus even harder, the method seemed to work as Yoon Mi began to get a better sense of what was bothering her. "The period of time where we had our year end exams during October? The grand ball held after that? What's so special about the ball?"

 

"Are you kidding me?" DaeHyun asked incredulously. "I nearly had a heart attack at the ball when I realized that you were missing. If you forgot, it was also when you said that Ji Yong was still alive."

 

Biting her lower lip nervously, "When was the ball held?"

 

"Towards the end of November" 

 

"November?" Yoon Mi repeated out loud trying to think better. Her eyes widening in shock when she finally remembered why that month was so significant.

 

It was her birthday month; the time where she would turn 16.

 

It would have also been the month were she got married if the attack on her family didn't take place.

 

Yoon Mi's blood turned cold as she linked the dots in her mind. Letting out a shaky breath, she was beginning to tremble visibly as she tried hard to will herself together and to not fall apart.

 

Holding onto her hands that were shaking uncontrollably, DaeHyun looked at her with immense concern. "Yoon Mi, what's wrong?" 

 

"H-he was here f-for m-me" She stuttered, unable to fully control her speech.

 

"Who was?" His expression was growing tense as couldn't understand what she meant.

 

"Y-you see, my family had been planning for me to get m-married to Ji Yong after I turned 16" Yoon Mi explained what was originally planned for her life by her family.

 

Taking a deep breath and trying hard to stop stuttering, "The grand ball was held towards the end of November... By that time my birthday was already over and I was already 16."

 

Her fearful eyes looked into DaeHyun's concerned pair, "There was a reason why Ji Yong came to find me at the grand ball. Choosing then to make his presence known to me and telling that he was still alive..." Yoon Mi tried hard to find strength and to not breakdown at what she had finally understood. 

 

"H-he was here to get me."

 

---

Annyeong :)

Thank you everyone who was waiting patiently for this chapter, I partially felt bad for making you guys wait so long but I wanted to write this to the best of my current abilities. Plus, I realized an error in the story that I will be correcting in some chapters and will be adding something in the foreword, so do take a look if you subscribed to this story before 12th June 2013.

If there is any confusion do leave a comment and I'll reply or give an explanation in the next chapter :)