The Hunger Within-An Enhypen Love Story

Chapter 1: The New Beginning

The morning sun cast its soft light over the small, sleepy town of Ashbourne, nestled in a valley surrounded by ancient forests. Lia Kim stared out the window of the bus as it rumbled down the winding road, her fingers absently tracing patterns on the cool glass. She'd lost count of how many towns she and Yunjin had moved to in recent years.

"This place feels... different," Yunjin said, breaking the silence. She sat across the aisle, her auburn hair catching the sunlight. Her eyes flickered with both curiosity and caution.

Lia nodded slowly. She felt it too—a strange, almost magnetic energy that seemed to pulse beneath the surface of the town. For witches like them, magic was a part of life, a force that ebbed and flowed in the world around them. But Ashbourne's magic was something else entirely.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing," Lia murmured.

Yunjin grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Come on. Maybe this time we can actually stay for a while without any... complications."

Lia forced a smile, but her gut told her otherwise. The town seemed too picturesque, too serene. There was always a catch.

The bus slowed to a stop in front of a weathered wooden sign that read Welcome to Ashbourne in peeling white paint. As the two girls stepped off the bus, the scent of pine and earth filled the air. The streets were quiet, save for the occasional passerby who glanced their way with polite smiles.

"Home sweet home," Yunjin said, adjusting the strap of her bag.

Lia couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the tree line at the edge of town. For a moment, she thought she saw a figure—a tall silhouette standing perfectly still among the shadows of the trees.

"Lia?"

Yunjin's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She shook her head and turned back to her friend. "Sorry. Just tired."

Their new home was a small cottage at the edge of town, surrounded by dense woods. It was quaint, with ivy crawling up the stone walls and a garden overgrown with wildflowers. Inside, the air smelled of cedar and old books.

"It's perfect," Yunjin said, dropping her bags by the door.

Lia wandered into the living room, her fingers brushing against the mantle of a stone fireplace. She could feel the house's age, its history whispering to her through the faint hum of residual magic.

As the afternoon wore on, the two girls unpacked and settled in, sharing laughter and stories to distract themselves from the unease they both felt. But as night fell, the atmosphere shifted. The stillness of the town grew heavier, oppressive.

Lia stood at the kitchen window, gazing out at the dark forest. The same feeling washed over her—the sensation of being watched. Her reflection in the glass mirrored her furrowed brows and tense shoulders.

"Do you feel that?" she asked Yunjin, who was lounging on the couch with a book.

"Feel what?"

"That... heaviness. Like someone's out there."

Yunjin closed her book and frowned. "You're just on edge because it's a new place. Relax. If anyone messes with us, they'll regret it." She waved a hand, sparks of magic flickering between her fingers.

Lia tried to laugh, but the sound felt hollow. She couldn't shake the feeling that something—someone—was out there, watching and waiting.

Elsewhere in Ashbourne

Jungwon leaned against a tall oak tree, his golden eyes fixed on the faint glow of the cottage in the distance. His lips curved into a faint smile.

"She's here," he said, his voice low and steady.

The others stood behind him, their expressions ranging from curiosity to hunger.

"She doesn't even know what she is," Jake murmured, his shadows flickering in the moonlight.

Heeseung smirked. "That's what makes it fun."

Sunghoon crossed his arms, his gaze cold and calculating. "Fun or not, we need to act carefully. She's powerful, even if she doesn't realize it yet."

"She'll realize it soon enough," Ni-ki said, his tone light but tinged with menace.

Jungwon straightened, his eyes never leaving the cottage. "This time, we won't let her slip away. She belongs to us now."

The group melted back into the shadows, leaving nothing but the whisper of the wind in their wake.