Enigma of Darkness//Vkook ✅

The unseen bond

Taehyung looked at the Moon Goddess with sheer shock. "This... there is no way." He could barely speak. The thought of being close to the originals felt surreal. He stared at the Moon Goddess, who remained calm and composed.

"Gandok is a blessed place. Anything is possible as long as you have faith. Just like the situation here, it will change if you and Jeongguk believe in yourselves." Taehyung struggled to process this new information.

"Gana and Dokja faced numerous hardships," the Moon Goddess continued. "They were young couples who had just started a family, they lost loved ones, got a lot of responsibilities on their shoulders, were looked upon by many for help, and saw friends turn into enemies. Tired and afraid to disappoint the people, Gana once asked me why she was chosen. I had no answer for her except that I believed only she could endure such trials. Her pure heart and love would nurture this place. Taehyung, you possess that same love for the people. This is not because of my actions or your powers; it is your special heart." The Moon Goddess's eyes followed the soft branches of a tree swaying gently in the breeze.

Taehyung hesitated, his fingers pinching the edge of the diary page. He didn't know how to express what he felt. He stared at the text, took a deep breath, and continued reading.

Taehyung stared at the text describing how to mate, his ears turning red. Embarrassed, he shut the diary and set it aside. The Moon Goddess glanced at him with a questioning look. Taehyung laughed awkwardly and said, "There's nothing much of importance there, let's check more." He sifted through the other contents, eventually picking up a document with the heading "Mate" written on it.

He began to read: "When young I started searching for the truth behind mates to break the bond, but this time, I have other reasons. I want to help my grandson understand the powers he holds. This bond is not as bad as it was for me. In fact, I sometimes wonder if it was only me who didn’t appreciate it. During my search for the relatives of the last mates, I finally managed to contact someone. She shares the bloodline with the previously selected mate. Unfortunately, her elder died, but before their death, they left the family a diary. The lady handed me the diary to read. The mate bond is a soul bond. Once one partner is born, their heart begins to long for the other, filling them with a determination to wait for the right one. It just happens to them. They have no control over their feelings."

Taehyung remembered Jeongguk saying he would wait for his mate and felt overwhelmed by the realization of the hidden feelings Jeongguk had endured for years, never seeing any signs of his mate. The Moon Goddess sensed his emotions and smiled. 

"Jeongguk is truly a strong person. He would never have shown it to anyone, but his longing was immense. No one could have understood. He would have died alone, waiting for you."

Taehyung felt a deep pang of pain, recalling how he had previously decided to break their bond or hide it forever.

Taehyung continued to read the quoted content: ‘My mate met me and instantly embraced me as if his life depended on me. In a way, it did. In our case, he had everything first. He came into the world first, he could see the Moon Goddess, and he was waiting for me, searching for me. He fell in love the moment he saw me. I, on the other hand, was very skeptical. I had read history and knew the dangers of this responsibility. We were both ordinary people with no powerful background to protect us. It was then that I realized I became protective of us the moment we met. This is how beautiful this bond is.

But I made a mistake. I told him that we would become stronger to take on our responsibilities. He agreed to whatever I said, even though he was afraid of the situation. I disregarded his vulnerability; I was not aware. Slowly, even though we were progressing, by the time our end came, I realized he knew me more than I knew him. He looked after me while I kept focusing on the big picture, forgetting that we should have spent our time bonding to become stronger. It was my fault that my mate was in danger. Now, my time is near. I will go and apologize to him. But for whoever will be the next chosen one, this message is for you: Don’t forget to look after your mate to save the world. Only together can you grow, learn, and become stronger. This is how you can truly show progress.’