Krystal Jung sat there, frozen on the unfeeling ground. A pile of snow had obscured her and her comrades from view yet the onslaught of the snowfall never ceased. The atmosphere around her grew colder until a wall of ice began creeping up her body, engulfing her and the unconscious Juhyun in its bitter embrace.

Taeyeon, who had been sitting far from the group, turned to see her sister build up the walls of ice in an attempt to physically shield herself from the pain of losing someone she loved. The blonde Jung stood up, sapphire eyes glistening amidst the gloomy weather, and trudged toward the retreating maknae – her maknae.

Just as the walls were about to cover Krystal’s head, the eldest Jung laid a warm hand on it, immediately melting her younger sister’s barricade.

Leveling herself to her stricken sister’s eyes, Taeyeon sat before the maknae whose bloody tears trailed down her cheeks.

“Soojung…” Taeyeon began, her voice gentle as the summer breeze, “Sooyeon will save her.”

At the mention of her other sister’s name, the maknae looked up to meet sapphire eyes in confusion and surprise. The Jung maknae watched as Taeyeon gently ran a hand to smoothen out the hair partly covering Juhyun’s face.

“Sooyeon had managed to reach out to her in that ‘realm.’ Your unnie had given Juhyun a solution and she’ll come around soon. Just wait a bit, Soojung.” Taeyeon said with a smile, her sapphire eyes dazzled before the younger one.

“Unnie,” Krystal voiced her uncertainty, “How did you manage to know of this? How – How did you know that Sooyeon-unnie’s with Juhyun? I – I can’t seem to understand.”

The eldest Jung’s smile grew wider. She patted the younger one’s head before speaking out her reply, “Sooyeon and I have become one. Remember the Bulgarian Bonds we gave you?”

Krystal nodded, hand reflexively fiddling with the pendant which Taeyeon had mentioned.

“Those were laced with a powerful spell that your sister and I had conjured. It’s not forged from nature, but from the invisible threads that bound all of us together. When Sooyeon and I are one, the spell is amplified and we will be made aware of the Bulgarian Bonds’ wearer’s situation. Everything happening to the wearer will be known by us.”  

“Does this mean that you and Sooyeon-unnie can communicate freely despite the distance separating you two?”

Taeyeon nodded, “We share the same thoughts and the same feelings as of this moment. She lives in me while I dwell in her.”

“Unnie, how about Yoona-unnie?”

Taeyeon became pensive at the mention of the body cradled in Yuri’s arms. The blonde casted a furtive glance toward the mourning Yuri before shifting her gaze over the unmoving Juhyun.

“I’ll need more of Sooyeon’s power if I wish to resurrect Yoona. Her affinity is opposite of mine. I will need ice to heal her.”

It was then that Taeyeon’s eyes lit up as a realization had hit her. She placed her hands on her maknae’s shoulders much to the surprise of the youngest Jung, “Krystal Soojung Jung! You can do it!”

Her outburst startled everyone, even Yuri who had shut herself from the world.

“Unnie?” Krystal was unsure on how to respond.

“You can bring Yoona back!”

“I – I can?”

Hopeful eyes landed on the youngest Jung. Krystal felt so small by then.

“Yes! Your affinity is the same with your Sooyeon-unnie’s! Ice is water in its purest form. It is the most powerful healing affinity of the elements assigned to the dark creatures and it is the sister of Yoona’s inborn element.”

“But, unnie…I-”

“Search for your sister deep in your heart. She’ll tell you what to do.” Taeyeon said, patting the younger Jung’s head, eyes forming into crescents as a close-lipped smile ghosted over her face.

“I – I don’t know how to do that… you know, connect with unnie…”

“Then, let me help.” Taeyeon said, leaning toward the maknae, shifting in her seat as she planted her lips over the younger vampire’s forehead much to Krystal’s surprise.

Krystal’s vision turned white as her surroundings grew colder. Her other senses went numb for a few moments before she found herself in the realm of winter, one that lacked her family’s presence save for one – her blonde sister whose lips were still attached to her forehead.

But when her sister had pulled away, a different yet familiar face registered in her memory.

“Sooyeon-unnie…” Krystal croaked, her voice parched from the biting cold.

The blonde sitting across her cupped her face with warm hands despite the freezing weather.

“I missed you, my dear Soojung.” Sooyeon cooed, pulling her sister for a hug.

A warm feeling swept through the younger vampire’s body as it came in contact with the older one’s warmth.

“When are you coming back? I miss you too,” Mumbled the youngest Jung as she wrapped her arms around her sister’s frame.    

“Soon, love. Unnie will come back soon, but right now, I’m trying to solve some things in our home country.” Sooyeon explained as she planted her lips on the crown of her maknae’s head.

“Unnie…”

Sooyeon pulled away a bit, eyes staring right into her sister’s crimson orbs.

“Unnie, Yoona-unnie is…” A tear slid down the maknae’s cheek as she tried to bring the news to her elder sister.

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