Finale to Lovers in the Night.
"The realms are inching toward destruction, and the only way we can prevent that is to change the past."
In which Yoojung, the only half-Vampire, half-Human alive, is prompted by the six Vampire princes to turn back ti...
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Yoojung quietly turned the key in the lock, pushing the door open with a soft creak.
Today had been a long day.
As Yoojung reflected on the chaos unleashed by the natural disaster, she couldn't help but feel a pang of unease at the frenzied response of the media. News reporters clamored for sensational headlines, their voices filled with urgency as they speculated on the apocalyptic implications of the event.
Images of devastation flashed across every screen, accompanied by dire warnings of impending doom. Questions hung in the air like a heavy shroud, each one more ominous than the last. "Was this the beginning of the end? Had humanity finally reached the brink of extinction?" Only she knew the answers to these. Actually, she was the one the outcome relied on.
As she stepped into the familiar surroundings of her living room, her gaze swept over the space, expecting to find it empty as usual. However, her heart dropped as she caught sight of Ni-ki sitting on the couch, his presence unexpected and startling.
Yoojung stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes locked on Ni-ki's figure.
Ni-ki looked equally taken aback by Yoojung's unexpected arrival, his expression mirroring her own shock. His eyes widened slightly as they met hers, a silent acknowledgment passing between them as they endured with the awkwardness of the moment.
She wondered if he was going to sleep on her couch again like he did before.
As the seconds stretched on, the silence between them grew heavy with unspoken tension, the air charged with the weight of their unresolved feelings. Yoojung hesitated, unsure of what to say or how to break the awkwardness that hung in the air like a tangible barrier.
In the end, she simply offered a tentative greeting, her voice barely above a whisper as she attempted to mask the uncertainty that churned within her. "Hi," she murmured, her gaze flickering nervously as she awaited his response.
Ni-ki's reply was equally subdued, his voice tinged with a hint of awkwardness as he returned her greeting with a hesitant, "Hi," of his own. The atmosphere between them remained tense, the weight of their unspoken thoughts hanging heavy in the air.
It was tense as they found themselves face to face for the first time since their unexpected kiss.
Yoojung tried to muster the courage to say something else, anything to further break the ice, but the words caught in her throat. Ni-ki, too, struggled to find another thing to say, his mind racing with a jumble of conflicting emotions.
Minutes passed in more strained silence, the weight of their unspoken thoughts hanging heavy in the air. Each moment stretched on, filled with the palpable tension of unresolved feelings and unanswered questions.
Finally, unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, Yoojung excused herself, retreating to her room with a heavy heart. Ni-ki remained on the couch, his mind swirling with thoughts of what could have been and the lingering regret of their ill-fated kiss.
As they each grappled with their own emotions in the solitude of their thoughts, the distance between them seemed to grow, a silent barrier separating them from the possibility of reconciliation. And in the quiet of the room, the echoes of their unspoken words hung heavy, a reminder of the fragile nature of their fractured relationship.
=
In the hushed stillness of the night, Yoojung's conscience weighed heavy with concern for Ni-ki. She couldn't sleep.
She recalled how Gyuri told her that she hadn't seen Ni-ki since the library hangout, which meant that he had been isolating himself. He had no (living) friends in the Human realm, so he must've been lonely.
Furthermore, she wondered how he dealt with the natural disaster. She knew that he knew that it happened because of her.
Unable to shake the nagging worry that had taken root in her mind, she quietly slipped out of bed and made her way downstairs, the floorboards creaking softly beneath her footsteps.
She wanted to check if he was still there.
As she reached the living room, her eyes fell upon Ni-ki, his form illuminated by the pale moonlight filtering in through the window. He appeared lost in thought, his expression unreadable as he lay in silence, his back facing her.
She knew he was aware of his presence, judging by how his ears twitched at her arrival.
Taking a deep breath to steel her resolve, Yoojung approached him, her heart pounding with a mixture of trepidation and determination. With a gentle touch, she placed her favorite plushie, Winnie the Pooh, beside him, a silent offering of comfort and companionship.
For a moment, she hesitated, unsure of how he would react to her unexpected gesture. But to her surprise, when she turned to leave, she felt his eyes upon her, their gaze heavy with unspoken emotion.
As she ascended the stairs to her room, a sense of relief washed over her, knowing that she had reached out to him in his time of need. And though she couldn't be certain of his response, she couldn't shake the faint glimmer of hope that flickered within her heart, a silent prayer for understanding and reconciliation.
Ni-ki's gaze lingered on the plushie, his eyes tracing the familiar contours of Winnie the Pooh's form. He was acutely aware of Yoojung's attachment to the cherished toy, recognizing it as a symbol of comfort and solace in times of distress.
As he reached out to touch the soft fabric, a surge of conflicting emotions washed over him. Part of him longed to embrace the warmth and familiarity it represented, a tangible reminder of Yoojung's kindness and concern. Yet, another part of him hesitated, his thoughts clouded by uncertainty and self-doubt.
He knew that accepting Yoojung's gesture meant acknowledging the depths of his own vulnerability, a daunting prospect for someone who had spent so long guarding his heart against the pain of loss and longing.
As Ni-ki pondered the complex emotions swirling within him, he couldn't shake the nagging question that lingered at the forefront of his mind. Was what he felt for Yoojung truly Human love, or was it something else entirely?
Her presence sparked a warmth within him, a longing for connection and understanding that he had never experienced before. Whenever they were together, he found himself drawn to her in ways he couldn't fully comprehend, his rational mind at odds with the tumultuous stirrings of his heart.
But was it love, or was it simply the product of circumstance and proximity? Ni-ki wrestled with the question, his thoughts drifting back to the fleeting moment when their lips had met, and the world had shifted beneath his feet.
Only time would reveal the truth, but for now, he was content to bask in the enigmatic presence of the one who had captured his heart in ways he had never thought possible.
With a sigh, Ni-ki closed his eyes, allowing himself to bask in the quiet tranquility of the moment. And as he drifted into a restless slumber, Winnie the Pooh cradled in his arms, he couldn't help but wonder if, just maybe, there was a glimmer of light amidst the shadows that surrounded him.
