Blood Water // Park Sunghoon

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂

Aura's P.O.V

Sunoo, Jake, and I stood amidst a cluster of trees underneath the light of the moon, not far from the mansion. Sunoo had taken it upon himself to teach me how to hunt first before actually catching anything, and my excitement was palpable as he began his short lesson.

"Alright, so this is what you need to do," Sunoo said, taking charge. "Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Listen to the sounds around you." I complied, shutting my eyes and drawing in a deep breath as I allowed myself to become more attuned to the forest around us.

The gentle caress of the wind whispered in my ears, accompanied by the soft patter of leaves dancing their way to the forest floor. The rustling of tree branches added a soothing rhythm to the symphony of sounds around us. It was almost meditative, a serene moment as I honed in on my sense of hearing, allowing it to expand beyond its usual limits.

A sudden alertness washed over me as my ears caught the faint, delicate footsteps of an animal gracefully moving through the forest. Despite not laying eyes on it, I instinctively knew that the rhythmic steps were that of a deer. The distance between us was evident, yet the clarity of its steps and breath made it seem as though the creature stood mere inches away from me.

"Can you hear it?" Sunoo's voice was a soft whisper, barely audible over the sounds of nature. I nodded in response, my eyes fluttering open as the realization of my growling stomach drew a sheepish smile between the three of us.

"How about we make things a bit more fun?" Jake proposed, his body already angled towards the direction of the deer. "Let's make it a race. Whoever catches it first wins," he suggested with a mischievous smirk, ready to dart through the trees at any moment.

"But you guys are way faster than me! That's not fair," I pouted, casting a playful look of protest in their direction. Jake rolled his eyes in response, turning his head to meet my gaze with a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Come on, Aura. Give it a shot. I bet you can keep up with us if you try," Jake teased, his voice laced with playful encouragement. My frown deepened as Sunoo joined in with a chuckle, both of them ready to take off at any moment.

"How about this? If you beat us there, you'll never have to drink cold refrigerator blood again," Sunoo laughed, his words tempting me to take up the challenge. As I opened my mouth to argue, an intriguing thought stopped me in my tracks. The idea of some friendly competition did sound pretty fun, even if the odds were heavily stacked against me.

"Okay, fine. You've got yourself a deal," I feigned another pout as I positioned myself on the opposite side of Jake. "But if I win, you better hold up your end of the bargain," I warned Sunoo with a playful finger pointing in his direction. He chuckled, nodding his head in agreement.

"Alright, on the count of three." Jake began and I watched as the two of them bend their knees and lean forwards slightly, my eyes widening a bit as I nervously copied their stance. I honestly wasn't sure what I had gotten myself into, I could foresee myself being lost in their dust in an instance. 

"One." My breaths came out in nervous pants as I listened to Jake's countdown. I closed my eyes, focusing all my energy into my feet, feeling a strange sensation of electricity coursing through my body and down into my legs. "Two." With each passing second, my heart rate quickened, and I felt an adrenaline rush from the anticipation of the race.

As Jake hit the last number, I opened my eyes, staring intently at the trees ahead while also maintaining focus on the location of the deer. "Three!" he shouted, and without hesitation, I launched myself forward into the trees.

The world became a blur around me as I sprinted forward, with only the figures of Jake and Sunoo visible ahead of me. The sensation of soaring through the trees at such incredible speed was electrifying, and I couldn't suppress the ecstatic laughter that bubbled out of me as I leaped over a fallen log blocking my path.