Legendary Dream Walker

Chapter 13: Unexpected Meeting

Kim Namjoon woke up earlier than usual that morning. He looked at the books laying on the floor he had from several different libraries. None of them seemed to give him any answers as to why he always saw her in his dreams.

Her.

Kitsune Alita Malum. Who was she?

Namjoon had searched high and low for a logical reason for as to why the woman kept showing up in his dreams when ever he fell asleep. After years of searching,  nothing had given him an inkling of the strange phenomenon he had experienced for 16 years... Until he had met 6 other boys who shared the same supernatural occurrence, right down to the same woman. Coincidentally, none of them had their soul marks either.

He had just recently caught a break when the thought struck him, that Kitsune might actually be a real person... (Hopefully not a ghost.) And that the key to finding out more about her could possibly found in the last place he'd look...

Mythology.

While it had been true that several families in the world retained the last name of Mallum, this had led him nowhere. Malum however, was something he vaguely remembered seeing once before in an old bookstore. A strangely haunting tale of romance, tragedy, reincarnation, and fated magical soulmates: The Origins of the Flying Fox by Tokala P. Malum

*******

Legend says that two mythical creatures first fell in love, but was then told they could never be together because they were just too different. Each day was torturous for the two lovers, both weakening as they were kept apart by the other mythical creatures that were too afraid of the result of their clashing magic auras. Their souls cried out to each other in such agony of separation, that the Kitsune and the Phoenix snuck out on the most unluckiest of days, using the bad luck as a distraction so they could finally meet once again. Their joy of reuniting was short lived, since it was of course the unluckiest day of the year, and they were found out by the others. The two lovers couldn't bare to part with one another, so in one last attempt, they fused themselves together as one whole. Now in body, mind, magic, spirit, and soul they were connected. As the others had predicted,  their magic had became too powerful, even for them, but since they refused to be separated ever again, the Kitsune and the Phoenix turned their own magic against themselves, rendering their form a pile of glowing ashes. To avoid the incident ever happening again, the other mythical creatures decided to split the ashes into 8 and spread them across the world. 7 different piles had been spread far from each other successfully. However, they had not counted on what lay nestled in the center of the last pile. A little baby fox with wings was curled up in a ball, the final lasting proof of the power of a soulmate's love.

*******

"I'm heading out to Literary Gates.-"

"You mean that weird old bookstore behind the convenience store?" Jimin asked, squinting his eyes in remembrance. 

"It's not weird. And yes-" Namjoon was interrupted yet again.

"You still on about finding out who our dream visitor is?" Jin asked patiently. Secretly he was glad Namjoon didn't give up, and eagerly awaited when he could finally talk freely to the others of their shared soulmate.

"There's something I'm missing... I don't know what it is Jin but I can feel it's important. And even though I've never met the woman outside of my dreams, I feel like I've known her for centuries..." Namjoon explained. Jin nodded,  understanding only too well.

"Good luck."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

'Ding!'

The bell rang clear as the tall male entered the small hidden bookstore. Literary Gates held some of the oldest and most rare books anywhere in the country,  but was run by an elderly man named Choi Daeshim, and it had been in his family for generations. Mr. Choi was a very nice and understanding man, and one could easily find themselves a part-time job on up-keep  of the store, and organizing and restocking the shelves.

"Annyeonghaseso Mr. Choi." The elder man nodded once politely in response. Namjoon continued to the section on 'Myths & Legends.' Halfway to his destination he stopped in his tracks,  as he thought he heard a painstakingly familiar voice.

"Can we go get ice-cream with Jackson-hyung now?" A small excited male voice asked.

"Not yet Meng. Hyung isn't done with his meeting, and you haven't chosen a book yet," the definitely familiar feminine voice responded softly, yet sternly.

"But it's so boring!" The younger voice whined.

"Hey Eomma- I mean Noona I got my books." A slightly similar and quieter voice announced. Namjoon's curiosity got the better of him, and he looked around the children's bookcase to see a woman who looked exactly like Kitsune, and two twin 9 year old boys who looked like they were her little brothers.

"That's great Jing. Meng I just don't want you to be bored, while we wait. We don't know the city that well yet,  and I don't want you to get hurt or lost..."

"I'm sorry Noona."

"It's alright my little lion."  Namjoon smiled at the interaction, and chuckled to himself as he noticed the quieter kid,  (Jing if he remembered correctly) already reading one of the several books in his arms. Unknown to him, his body was starting to press against the bookcase,  and in his clumsiness, tipped the whole thing over and crashed down with it.

"Noona!" Both boys called in alarm as they watched their older sister disappear underneath a pile of books. An older man they didn't know emerged out of the books a minute later, and helped his sister to stand.

"I am so sorry, miss... " Kitsune's eyes widened as she got a better look at the tall male.

"Joonie?"

"Y-you're....?" He stuttered in shock.

"What do you want with our Noona/Eomma?" Meng and Jing asked as they stood protectively in front of their sister.

"I... " Namjoon felt paralysed. He had only gone out to see if he could find information on the girl. Never did he suspect he'd actually meet her there instead... Or accidentally pull a bookcase on top of both of them.

"You're the girl from my dreams...

...Kitsune Alita Malum."