𝗙𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗘 【 𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗷𝗮𝘆 】

chapter nine

Heeseung sat alone in his study, the ancient book laid open before him. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the room, but he was oblivious to it, his eyes fixed on the page that detailed the ritual. His heart sank as he read the final passage again and again, each word like a blade carving into his soul.

If the spell is performed, the afflicted shall be restored to their former state, free of the curse. However, the price is steep: the afflicted shall lose all memories of the one who carries the royal blood — the one who performs the ritual. The bond shall be severed, the memories erased, as if they had never been.

Heeseung’s hand trembled as he traced the delicate script, the meaning of the words sinking in fully. To be free of the curse meant losing Jongseong completely — every memory, every moment they had shared, every fragment of love that had sustained him through centuries of darkness. It was the price of his freedom, and it was unbearable.

Tears welled in his eyes as he thought of the years they had lost, the love they had been forced to keep hidden, and the time they had never been able to share. His heart ached with the knowledge that even in their final moments together, he would be saying goodbye in a way that was more final than death itself.

The door creaked open, and Jongseong stepped into the room, his presence bringing a bittersweet warmth to Heeseung’s heart. Heeseung quickly wiped his tears, not wanting Jongseong to see him in such a state. But Jongseong had always been able to read him like a book, and he crossed the room in a few strides, kneeling beside Heeseung.

"I read the rest of the book," Heeseung said, his voice thick with emotion. "It says I’ll forget you, Jongseong. I won’t remember anything about us, about you. It’ll be like you never existed to me."

Jongseong’s expression was pained, but he forced a small, sad smile. "I know. I read it too. But Heeseung, I’d rather you be free, even if it means you forget me. You deserve a life without this curse, without the pain that’s followed us for so long."

Heeseung shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. "But what about you? You’ll be alone. I don’t want to forget you, Jongseong. I don’t want to lose you."

Jongseong took Heeseung’s hands in his, squeezing them gently. "You won’t lose me. I’ll always be with you, even if you don’t remember me. I’ll carry our memories for the both of us. And knowing you’re living the life you deserve will be enough for me."

They sat there in silence for a long moment, the weight of the impending ritual hanging between them. Finally, Heeseung spoke, his voice soft and trembling. "I wish… I wish we could have had more time. I wish we could have lived a normal life together, without all this."

Jongseong nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I wish that too, more than anything. But we’ve had moments, Heeseung. We’ve had love. And no matter what happens, no one can take that away from us."

Heeseung leaned forward, resting his forehead against Jongseong’s, his tears mingling with Jongseong’s. "I love you," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I’ll always love you."

Jongseong’s breath hitched, and he pressed a tender kiss to Heeseung’s lips. "I love you too, Heeseung. More than anything in this world."

They stayed like that for a moment, their love and sorrow interwoven in the kiss, in the shared understanding that this was the last time they would be together like this. When they finally pulled away, the resolve in their eyes was clear. They had to do this. It was the only way.

They moved to the center of the room, the ancient book laid out before them, its pages glowing faintly with an otherworldly light. Together, they began to recite the incantation, their voices steady despite the emotions swirling within them. As they spoke the ancient words, the room began to hum with power, the air thickening with energy.

The power built and built, the room trembling as the ritual reached its climax. Heeseung felt the magic wrap around him, felt it dig into his mind, into his memories. He clenched his jaw, fighting against the force that was trying to tear Jongseong away from him. But he knew it was futile. This was the price they had agreed to pay.

With a final, heart-wrenching cry, the room exploded in a blinding flash of light. Heeseung felt himself being pulled away, felt everything slipping from his grasp. And then, there was nothing.

* * *

Years later, Jongseong stood on the outskirts of a small town, his eyes trained on a modest home nestled among the trees. He had been watching from afar, keeping a vigilant eye on the man who lived there. The man who had once been Heeseung, the love of his life. Now, Heeseung was just another human, living a normal life, free from the curse that had once bound them together.

Heeseung had found a job, had friends, had built a life that was everything Jongseong had hoped for him. He looked happy, content. And that was enough for Jongseong.

Jongseong had left the vampire pack not long after the ritual, slaughtering those who had sought to harm Heeseung, ensuring they could never threaten him again. He had abandoned the life he had known, choosing instead to watch over Heeseung from the shadows, protecting him from any lingering threats.

He still had chosen the name Jay, a way to distance himself from the man he had been, from the memories that still haunted him. But no matter how many years passed, no matter how far he wandered, Heeseung would always be in his heart.

He turned away from the town, the pain of his unending existence sharp but bearable. Heeseung was safe, free, living the life he deserved. And that was all that mattered.

As Jay walked away from the town, his mind drifted back to the night when he had severed his ties with the vampire pack. It had been a bloody, brutal affair — a necessary evil to ensure that they would never lay a finger on Heeseung.

The pack had been powerful, their influence stretching back centuries, but they had underestimated the depth of Jay's resolve, his capacity for destruction when it came to protecting the one he loved.

He had moved swiftly, using the darkness to his advantage. He infiltrated their lair under the cover of night, each step silent, each movement precise. The vampires had been caught off guard; they never expected one of their own to turn on them with such ferocity.

One by one, he hunted them down, his hands drenched in blood, his eyes burning with a fury they had never seen. The centuries of anguish, of longing and love lost, fueled his every strike. He moved with lethal grace, dispatching them with a cold efficiency that left no room for mercy.

The battle had been fierce, but Jay was relentless, driven by the singular purpose of ensuring Heeseung’s safety. He ripped through their ranks like a storm, leaving devastation in his wake. The pack, once a formidable force, crumbled under his assault, their centuries-old reign of terror ending in a matter of hours.

As the last of them fell, Jay stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving, his eyes cold and distant. He looked around at the bodies of those who had once been his kin, feeling no remorse, only a grim satisfaction. He had done what needed to be done. He had destroyed them, wiped them from existence so that Heeseung could live in peace.

Jay left their lair in ruins, a smoldering reminder of what he was capable of when it came to protecting the one person who had ever truly mattered to him. And as he walked away from the destruction, he vowed to continue watching over Heeseung, to ensure that no harm would ever come to him again.

Now, as Jay disappeared into the forest, the memory of that night lingered in his mind — a reminder of the lengths he was willing to go to for the man he loved. Heeseung would never know the price that had been paid for his safety, but that was how Jay wanted it. Heeseung was free, and that was all that mattered.

the end