Chapter 4
Hanni felt something cold enveloping her. It wasn’t just the cold from the night wind, nor the chill that crept over her skin as she wandered aimlessly. This was a living cold, a cold that seeped deep into her bones, infiltrated her mind, and filled every crevice of her consciousness with a strange, suffocating sensation.
She tried to open her eyes, but only darkness greeted her.
A thick, oppressive darkness. A darkness that seemed to have form, life, and desire. And within that darkness... there was someone.
Hanni didn’t know who, but she could feel it.
A touch.
Gentle, yet with a pressure that made her heart race uncontrollably. Long, cold fingers brushed against her skin, like delicate branches caressing leaves in autumn. Like the whisper of wind slipping through a slightly open window. But beneath that gentleness, there was something else.
Wrath.
And Hanni could feel it in every touch that landed on her skin. As if that person wasn’t just touching her... but burning her with boiling emotions.
Hanni wanted to ask, to resist, to scream, but her body felt heavy.
She could only let out a soft moan, her body weak, her mind blurred, as if trapped in an unavoidable nightmare.
And that person—whoever they were—didn’t stop touching her.
The fingers moved from her arm to her shoulder, then circled her neck with a barely perceptible pressure. As if their owner was restraining themselves from gripping tighter, as if something was holding back their desire to destroy.
But behind all that, there was something else, something even more terrifying.
Possession.
This person wasn’t just touching her with anger. They were touching her with a desire to claim.
As if they were marking something that already belonged to them.
Hanni bit her lip, trying to control the fear gnawing at her body. And just as she thought she would sink deeper into this darkness, the voice came.
Soft.
But filled with restrained anger.
"Why did you contact him?"
Hanni was startled.
That voice...
It wasn’t unfamiliar.
She had heard it before.
But who?
She tried to remember, but her head felt heavier.
"I... don’t understand..." Hanni’s voice was almost a whisper, but the person must have heard it. Because after that, the fingers around her neck tensed slightly before loosening again.
And then...
A small laugh.
Mocking.
Frustrated.
"Yes... you wouldn’t understand," the voice sounded softer now, but still burning. Hanni tried to breathe, but the air entering her lungs felt cold, piercing, binding her tighter in this darkness.
Who was it?
Why were they so angry?
Why did they sound so disappointed?
And before she could find the answers...
The world disappeared.
------------------------------------
Minji stood still in the shadows, her chest rising and falling in an irregular rhythm. Her hands still felt hot, even though Hanni was no longer in her grasp. She could still feel the girl’s skin under her touch, her warmth, her weakness.
And it made her even more... frustrated.
Why was she so angry?
Why couldn’t she control herself?
Minji clenched her fists, still feeling the traces of Hanni’s body there. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her chaotic mind, but nothing could dispel the boiling emotions inside her.
She shouldn’t care.
Hanni should have just been a game.
She should have enjoyed the girl like she enjoyed her other prey—playing with her fears, slowly drawing her into the darkness, making her submit, and finally taking what she needed.
But...
Why couldn’t she let Hanni go?
Why was she angry when the girl tried to seek protection from someone else? Why, when Jihoon’s name appeared on her phone screen, did something burn inside her? Why couldn’t she accept the fact that Hanni wanted to seek someone other than her?
Minji snorted, licking the remnants of blood from the corner of her lips.
She liked her.
Not in the usual sense.
But in a deeper, darker, more destructive way. She didn’t know when it had started, but she knew she didn’t want to stop.
Hanni was hers.
Only hers.
And she would make sure the girl remained in her grasp.
Forever.
Hanni woke up gasping for air. Her eyes snapped open, her body stiff, her heart pounding so fast she could hear it. She blinked, trying to steady her heavy breathing, trying to understand where she was.
This place...
She recognized it.
Pale white walls.
A small bed with rumpled sheets.
A tightly closed window, the curtains fluttering slightly from the wind seeping through the gap below.
This... was her room.
Hanni frowned, trying to remember how she got here. But like the nights before, there were missing pieces of time. Something she couldn’t remember. The last thing she remembered was...
Her hand reaching for her phone.
His name—Jihoon.
Her fingers almost pressing the call button.
Then...
Darkness.
Hanni bit her lip, feeling her body tremble slightly.
Why did this keep happening? Why did she always lose parts of her memory?
And what was more frightening...
Why did she always feel like something was left behind every time she regained consciousness?
Like... the lingering touch on her skin.
Like... the cold that hadn’t completely disappeared.
Like... the trace of someone she couldn’t see.
Hanni swallowed, her hand slowly touching her neck, feeling something faint there.
She didn’t know what had happened. But she knew...
She wasn’t alone tonight.
Hanni still sat on her bed, her breathing slowly calming, but her mind remained turbulent. Cold sweat clung to her temples, even though the air in her room felt cold.
She bit her lip, her eyes staring straight ahead without really seeing anything. Something was bothering her, something that kept swirling in her head.
Someone had touched her.
It wasn’t a dream.
She could feel it so vividly—the cold touch on her skin, the faint pressure on her neck, the whisper echoing in her ears.
And what scared her the most was...
She recognized that voice.
She had heard it before.
But where?
Her heart beat faster as she tried to remember. But the harder she tried, the more blurred her memory became. As if something was deliberately erasing that part from her mind.
No.
Someone.
Hanni clenched her cold fingers. She had to make sure this wasn’t just her imagination. With a hesitant movement, she felt her neck, searching for something that could prove this wasn’t just an illusion.
And there it was.
A faint mark on her skin.
Not clear enough to be called a wound, but real enough to make her chest tighten with deeper fear.
Like a mark left by someone.
As if she was claimed.
Hanni swallowed, her body suddenly feeling heavier. She wanted to think that this was all just the effect of stress and exhaustion, that her body was just playing tricks on her mind.
But... why did this feeling feel so strong?
Why did she feel like someone was always near her, even though she couldn’t see them?
She tried to remember the last event before everything went dark.
She was walking. She was about to contact someone.
Jihoon.
Her eyes widened slightly. Right.
She wanted to contact Jihoon.
But before she could press the call button, a black fog surrounded her.
And after that... darkness.
Hanni gripped the sheets beneath her, her breathing becoming short again. Someone didn’t want her to contact Jihoon. Someone had brought her back here.
And what was even more frightening...
That someone didn’t want her to leave.
Outside Hanni’s window, under the shadow of the dark night sky, Minji stood silently. Her dark eyes watched the girl’s silhouette inside the room, observing how Hanni sat still on her bed with an expression full of confusion and fear.
Good.
Minji raised her fingers, letting a thin black mist swirl between them. She could feel it.
Hanni’s fear.
The confusion filling her mind, her heart beating faster than usual. And all of that... because of her.
Yet, instead of feeling satisfied, there was something else creeping through Minji’s body. Something deeper, more disturbing, more painful.
Frustration.
Why was she so angry?
Why was it so unsettling to see Hanni trying to seek protection from someone else?
Why, when Jihoon’s name appeared on the girl’s phone screen, did something inside her... explode?
Minji clenched her fists, her fingers trembling.
She didn’t like this.
She didn’t like this feeling.
Yet, she also didn’t want to stop it.
If Hanni was still trying to find a way out, then she would make sure there was no way out.
If Hanni was still trying to find someone who could save her, then she would make sure no one could save her. Because one thing was certain...
Hanni belonged only to her.
Minji stared at the dark sky before finally disappearing into the mist, leaving a faint trace in the air that no one could see.
Yet, her presence remained. Still binding Hanni without the girl realizing it. And slowly, without needing to rush...
Hanni would realize that she was never truly alone.
---------------------------
Hanni rubbed her temples weakly, trying to dispel the dizziness that suddenly hit her. The gallery lights emitted a warm glow, but to Hanni, the room felt like it was spinning. The clinking of glasses, the sound of Jihoon’s footsteps passing by, and the faint instrumental music from a small speaker in the corner of the room felt increasingly distant.
She tried to steady her breathing. She had been in the gallery for hours, immersed in her tasks—organizing paintings, checking inventory, compiling catalogs for upcoming events. She thought that keeping busy would help her forget her unease.
But it didn’t.
For a while now, something felt wrong.
The air around her was so heavy, as if something was pressing down on her chest. Every time she took a step, she felt as if there were invisible hands holding her back, weighing her shoulders with something cold and foreign.
And now, her body was truly losing its balance.
Hanni bit her lip, trying to keep her body from collapsing. But as she stepped back, her vision blurred. Her breathing became short, and her knees could no longer support her.
"Hanni!"
Jihoon’s voice rang out before everything felt so light.
Her hand hadn’t even reached the table beside her to find support when a strong arm caught her body before she completely fell.
"Hanni, can you hear me?"
That voice again.
Close, full of concern.
Slowly, her vision began to clear. The first thing she saw was Jihoon’s eyes, staring at her with a worried gaze. She realized her body was now leaning against Jihoon, and the man was holding her back with both hands, making sure she didn’t fall.
He was touching her.
And for some reason... that feeling disturbed her.
Not because of the touch itself, but because something inside her screamed in rejection. Something that shouldn’t be there. Something that didn’t belong to her.
"Are you okay?" Jihoon asked again, his voice softer now.
Hanni could only stare at him, still trying to comprehend what was happening. And before she could answer...
The air in the gallery changed.
In a darker corner of the city, in a narrow alley forgotten by streetlights, Minji smiled faintly as her hand touched a man’s chin.
The next victim.
The man stared at her with eyes that were already losing consciousness, trapped in the charm Minji exuded. His breathing was ragged, his body trembling slightly, not out of fear—not yet. Minji only needed a few more seconds to drain all the energy from this man until nothing remained.
But just as she was about to move...
A sharp pain struck her chest.
Not physical pain.
But something hotter.
More binding.
Something she shouldn’t be feeling.
Her eyes narrowed.
Someone was touching Hanni.
Minji snorted, her fingers that had been caressing the man’s cheek now stopped. Her chest felt tight, anger burning inside her like a fire she couldn’t extinguish.
She could feel that touch.
As if her presence in Hanni’s body was too strong, as if she could feel everything Hanni felt. And at that moment, Minji knew it wasn’t her.
It was someone else.
It was—
"Damn it."
Minji clicked her tongue sharply, releasing her grip on the man in front of her. The man blinked several times, confused as his body felt light again. But before he could ask or realize that he had almost lost his life, Minji had already disappeared into a black mist.
She had other business.
Business that was far more important.
And someone... needed to be stopped.
Because Hanni belonged to her.
And no one else was allowed to touch her.
Hanni still felt light, as if her body was floating in emptiness. The touch on her back felt warm, stable, and comforting. Yet, at the same time, something inside her vibrated uncomfortably.
"Are you okay?"
Jihoon’s voice sounded clearer now, close and full of concern. Hanni tried to steady her breathing, ignoring the strange feeling rising in her chest.
She straightened her body slowly, avoiding Jihoon’s gaze that was still staring at her with worry. "I... I’m fine."
But that was a lie.
Her hands were still trembling, her head felt empty, and something was bothering her mind.
Something that made her bones shiver, something that made her skin feel colder than usual.
She clenched the edge of her sleeve, searching for something to hold onto to keep her grounded. "I just... feel a little dizzy. Maybe too tired."
Jihoon still didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push. "Sit down first," he said, guiding Hanni to a chair near the gallery’s work table.
She obeyed, lowering her head slightly, feeling how her body still wasn’t completely stable.
From a distance, faint sounds from outside the gallery could still be heard. The traffic that was starting to thin, the sound of the wind blowing through the gap in the door. Everything felt normal, but there was something unusual in the air tonight.
Something that felt... heavy.
Jihoon walked away for a moment before returning with a bottle of cold water. "Drink this first," he said, handing her the bottle.
Hanni lifted her face, taking the bottle with slight hesitation. She didn’t want to make Jihoon more worried, so she opened the cap and took a slow sip.
The water was cold, refreshing her throat that had suddenly felt dry. But even after that, the strange feeling in her chest didn’t disappear. As if there was something... watching.
As if there was someone in the shadows she couldn’t see. And what was more disturbing was, she didn’t know where that feeling came from.
Minji stood on the rooftop of a building facing the gallery directly.
Her eyes burned.
Her hands clenched so tightly that her nails almost pierced her own skin.
Someone had touched her.
Someone had touched Hanni.
Her chest rose and fell, her breathing heavy. She could feel that touch, as if Hanni’s body had become a part of her. As if every inch of the girl’s skin bore her mark.
But now, that mark was tainted.
Destroyed by someone else’s touch.
Minji clenched her jaw, anger boiling in her chest.
She watched from a distance how Jihoon helped her sit, how the man’s hand was still too close to Hanni’s body.
Too close.
"Fool," she muttered, almost like a hiss.
She didn’t like this.
She hated this.
Hanni shouldn’t depend on others.
Hanni should only lean on her. Minji closed her eyes briefly, trying to control the fiery emotions inside her.
Since when?
Since when had she started feeling like this?
Hanni should have just been a game. Something she could pull into her world, something she could shape as she pleased. But why now...
Why now did she not want to share the girl with anyone?
Why now did she feel so reluctant to see Hanni seeking protection elsewhere?
Why did it feel like she was almost losing something precious?
Minji bit her lip, her eyes still fixed on Hanni who was still sitting inside the gallery, looking fragile and tired. She could appear now. She could get rid of that man in an instant, make him disappear without a trace.
But she didn’t want to rush.
Hanni would understand.
Hanni would realize that she didn’t need anyone else.
It would just take a little time.
A faint smile appeared on her face, but the glint in her eyes remained sharp and dangerous.
She raised her hand slightly, and the black mist surrounding her began to move, floating slowly toward the gallery.
If that man continued to stay close to Hanni...
She would have to do something.
Hanni was still sitting in her chair, her fingers gripping the cold water bottle. Her dizziness was starting to subside, but something remained unchanged—the feeling that she wasn’t alone.
The gallery felt quieter than usual. The lights on the ceiling emitted a dim glow, their shadows falling long on the clean wooden floor. Jihoon was still standing near her, his gaze scrutinizing her face with deep concern.
"Are you sure you’re okay?"
His tone was soft, but there was something tense in it. Hanni could feel it. Jihoon had never been this tense before.
She nodded slowly, trying to smile, but for some reason, the smile felt forced.
"I’m just tired," she finally said. "I’ll be fine."
But was that true?
Since when had she started feeling like this?
Since when had the air around her felt so heavy?
Since when had she felt like something was binding her body, holding her in place, watching her in a way she couldn’t explain?
She bit her lip, trying to ignore the feeling.
But even though her mind wanted to deny it... her body couldn’t lie.
Cold.
There was a coldness creeping over her skin, slipping between the fibers of her clothes, seeping into her pores.
And for some reason, she felt this wasn’t just an ordinary cold.
"If you’re feeling unwell, I can take you home."
Jihoon spoke again, breaking her reverie.
Hanni turned her head, looked at the man, then shook her head slowly.
"No need," she answered quickly. "I can still manage. Besides, I haven’t finished working."
Jihoon sighed softly. He knew how stubborn Hanni could be.
"But at least don’t push yourself too hard."
Hanni only smiled faintly. "I know my limits."
But was that true?
Because the longer she sat here, the longer she felt the air around her change.
And for a moment... she felt like something was moving outside the gallery window.
Like... a thin mist that shouldn’t be there.
Outside, Minji stood in her place, her eyes not leaving Hanni’s figure inside the gallery. From her angle, she could see how the girl was still too close to that man.
Jihoon.
Minji stared at him with a sharp gaze, something inside her burning every time she saw the man talking to Hanni. The man’s hand might no longer be touching her, but its trace remained.
And it disgusted her. No one else should be allowed to touch Hanni. No one else should be allowed to be near her.
Hanni belonged to her.
Only to her.
Minji clenched her fists, and the air around her vibrated softly, as if responding to her rising emotions.
She knew she had to control herself.
She knew she couldn’t rush.
But...
Why was it so hard to hold back?
Why did she feel like she wanted to destroy that man every time she saw him getting close to Hanni?
Her eyes narrowed, and the thin mist floating in the air grew thicker, slowly seeping through the small gaps around the gallery building.
She wouldn’t touch Jihoon.
Not now.
But she could do something more subtle.
Deeper.
Slower.
Minji closed her eyes briefly, and in an instant, the mist moved closer to Hanni.
If that man continued to stay by her side, then she only needed to make Hanni more dependent on her.
Make her feel more like she could only face this world alone.
And when that time came...
Hanni would realize that the only place she could turn to was Minji.
A small smile formed on her lips, cold and full of plans.
Meanwhile, inside the gallery, Hanni unconsciously touched her chest, feeling something strange creeping into her body.
A snare that was slowly tightening around her.
Hanni felt her body growing heavier. Every step she took felt like walking through water, as if something was holding her back, pulling her into an invisible current.
She didn’t realize when exactly she got up from the chair and walked toward the gallery’s break room. She just followed the urge inside her, something whispering that she needed to rest, to get away from Jihoon, to get away from the noise.
She didn’t realize it wasn’t her own will.
The gallery’s break room wasn’t large. The light was dimmer than in other rooms, giving off a comfortable and quiet vibe. There was a small sofa in the corner, a thin blanket neatly folded on it, and a small table with a stack of books that were rarely touched.
As Hanni entered and closed the door behind her, the air in the room suddenly felt thicker. Cold.
And then, everything became blurry.
As if something had infiltrated her consciousness, creeping into her mind, guiding her to release control over her body.
She stood still in the middle of the room. Her chest rose and fell slowly, her eyes slightly empty, as if her mind had detached from her body.
And in front of her, Minji emerged from the darkness.
Minji stepped closer with graceful movements, her eyes fixed on Hanni who was now in her grasp.
The girl was so weak, so fragile.
And it made something inside Minji tremble.
She raised her hand, letting her fingers trace the lines of Hanni’s face slowly. Her thumb brushed against the girl’s cheek, savoring how warm her skin felt under her cold touch.
Hanni belonged to her.
Minji lowered her face, observing every detail—the soft eyebrows, the trembling eyelashes, the slightly parted lips, her breathing steady yet heavy.
She looked so calm in her grasp, so submissive.
So perfect.
Minji touched Hanni’s chin, lifting it slightly to bring the girl’s face closer to hers. Her eyes lingered on those lips, taking a slow breath before finally closing the distance between them.
Their lips met.
At first gentle, but Minji wasn’t someone who knew how to hold back.
Her hands moved tighter around Hanni’s face, pulling her deeper. She let the blood still lingering in her mouth transfer, letting the thick metallic taste blend with the girl’s lips.
And as that blood touched Hanni’s tongue—
The girl’s body shuddered violently.
Hanni was startled, her body tensing, as if a surge of energy too strong was infiltrating her. Her hands gripped Minji’s clothes unconsciously, as if searching for something to hold onto from something she couldn’t understand.
Minji immediately embraced her.
She whispered something soft into Hanni’s ear, calming the girl with her touch and warmth. Her fingers traced her back, pressing gently there, making sure the girl remained in her embrace.
"Relax, Hanni..." she whispered, her voice so soft, almost like a lullaby.
Her hands moved further down, touching every part of the girl’s body, erasing the traces of anyone who had ever touched her.
Hers.
Only hers.
The dark mist slowly began to envelop Hanni’s body, seeping through her skin, blending with her blood. Minji could feel it, how the girl’s body was starting to accept her presence, how slowly her mark was deepening inside her.
As Hanni’s body began to calm in her embrace, Minji smiled faintly.
This was just the beginning.
Hanni stayed still in Minji’s embrace, her body still trembling slightly.
The blood flowing from Minji’s mouth into hers was like a stream of fire spreading through her nerves, seeping deep into her flesh and bones. Hot, burning, but at the same time, embracing her in a strange warmth.
She wanted to understand what was happening.
But her mind was too blurred.
As if her body no longer belonged to her.
As if something else—someone else—had entered and taken control.
Minji pulled her face back slightly, leaving a thin gap between them. Her dark eyes stared straight into Hanni’s, which were still filled with confusion.
Hanni looked like a girl drowning in a sea of dreams.
Her consciousness was still there, but faint.
Faint, like a shadow ready to disappear at any moment.
And Minji liked that.
She liked how Hanni was so obedient in her grasp. How she stayed still, didn’t resist, didn’t fight, just let herself be held, touched, controlled.
As if she had become a part of Minji completely.
As if she had lost herself.
As if she already belonged to Minji entirely.
Minji smiled faintly. Her hand moved down the girl’s body, feeling how cold Hanni’s body was before she touched her. Cold from another’s touch that wasn’t hers.
Minji didn’t like that.
Her hands tightened, as if wanting to erase something invisible, something that might still linger on Hanni’s body.
The traces of others.
The traces of unwanted touches.
She couldn’t accept it.
Only she should be allowed to touch Hanni. No one else.
With slow movements, Minji let her black mist flow from her hands, enveloping the girl’s body like a thin, almost invisible cloth. The mist crept over Hanni’s arms, her shoulders, her back—tracing every inch of her skin, replacing whatever had been there before.
Hanni shivered, her body trembling slightly again. Her eyes, which had looked empty, now blinked slowly, as if a bit of consciousness was returning.
Minji didn’t want that.
She wanted Hanni to stay like this.
To remain in her grasp.
To remain hers.
She leaned closer again, letting her lips brush softly against the girl’s temple, whispering something in a voice barely audible.
"You’re mine, Hanni... I won’t let you go."
That voice, though soft, sounded like a spell.
And Hanni, still drifting in that dark mist, could only accept it all.
Accept the touch.
Accept the warmth.
Without realizing that slowly, something inside her was changing.
A knock on the break room door sounded softly, but clearly enough to break the silence enveloping the room.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Hanni?"
Jihoon’s voice.
Minji closed her eyes, suppressing the surge of anger that suddenly rose in her chest.
Of course that man would come looking for her. Of course that man would keep trying to get closer.
Earlier, Jihoon had touched Hanni—a touch that should never have happened.
And now, he stood behind the door, trying to take Hanni away from her again.
No.
No.
Minji took a deep breath, calming herself. She couldn’t rush. Jihoon couldn’t suspect anything.
Minji looked down, staring at Hanni’s face that still looked dazed. The girl was still in her grasp, her breathing uneven, and her body felt lighter in her embrace—as if her soul was slowly being eroded by her.
But Hanni had to appear normal.
Minji caressed her face slowly, her thumb brushing against the girl’s cheek with a touch almost full of affection. Her dark eyes met Hanni’s, still clouded.
"Hanni..." she whispered softly. "Tell him you want to rest a little longer."
Hanni didn’t respond immediately.
Her eyes blinked slowly, her lips slightly parted, as if her brain was trying to process what was being asked of her.
But Minji was patient.
She knew how easy it was to make Hanni obey her now.
So, she stroked the girl’s hair once more, letting her black mist flow deeper into her body.
"You’re tired, aren’t you?" her voice remained soft, coaxing, dictating.
Hanni took a slow breath. Her head felt heavy, but those words sounded so reasonable.
Yes.
She was tired.
So, without much thought, she followed the words whispered to her.
"...I want to rest a little longer."
Her voice was soft, but clear enough for Jihoon to hear behind the door.
Jihoon paused for a moment before responding, his voice still sounding worried.
"Are you sure? I can stay with you if you want."
Minji smirked.
Too close. That man was too close.
Her hand moved down, her fingers gripping Hanni’s wrist tightly, embedding her presence deeper into the girl’s body.
"No need," Hanni’s voice sounded firmer this time. "I just need a little more time."
Jihoon seemed hesitant, but finally, after a few seconds that felt like an eternity to Minji, he finally responded.
"...Alright. But if you need anything, call me, okay?"
They heard the sound of Jihoon’s footsteps walking away from the door.
"Good girl, Hanni..." she whispered, her fingers tracing the girl’s body again, marking her, making sure that no part of her wasn’t hers.
Because slowly, Hanni would understand...
That the only safe place for her was in Minji’s embrace.
The room remained quiet after Jihoon’s footsteps disappeared behind the door. Only Hanni and Minji remained, trapped in a silence that seemed to create their own world.
Minji stayed still, letting her breath flow slowly, her eyes still fixed on the girl’s face that remained in her grasp. Hanni was too submissive, too soft, too easy to control.
But this time, Minji didn’t just want to control her.
She wanted something more.
Something deeper, more real.
Gently, Minji took Hanni’s hand, lifting it slowly, guiding the girl’s fingers to touch her own cheek.
As their skin touched, Minji closed her eyes.
As if absorbing all the warmth from that touch.
As if this was something she had been waiting for all along.
Her breath trembled slightly, though she didn’t want to admit it. There was something in Hanni’s touch that was different from others—something she couldn’t get from anyone else in centuries.
Hanni just stayed still, not pulling her hand away, not resisting. Her eyes, still clouded, stared at Minji blankly, as if her mind was still trapped in an invisible control.
Minji leaned her face into Hanni’s palm, letting the warmth seep into her skin.
She wanted more.
More than just this fleeting feeling.
More than just control over Hanni’s body.
She wanted this girl.
Not just as a game, not just as prey.
But as her only possession.
With her fingers still holding Hanni’s hand, Minji guided it further, tracing her face, down to her neck, as if letting Hanni feel her.
Minji opened her eyes slowly, staring directly into Hanni’s still-blank eyes.
"Touch me longer..." she whispered almost like a prayer.
And without realizing it, Hanni obeyed.
Her fingers remained there, touching Minji as requested.
Minji smiled faintly, but the smile resembled a deep satisfaction, something so personal.
Because for the first time in her long life...
Someone touched her not out of fear.
But because she wanted it.
Or at least, that’s what Minji wanted to believe.
The room remained quiet, as if time had stopped inside it. The dim light in the corner cast long shadows on the wall, depicting the silhouettes of two figures touching each other in a suffocating silence.
Hanni’s warm fingers still rested on Minji’s cheek, motionless, like someone trapped in a trance they couldn’t understand.
Meanwhile, Minji was immersed in that touch.
She closed her eyes, letting the warmth from Hanni’s fingers seep deeper into her skin, creeping into every part of her that had only been shrouded by the coldness of time.
How long had it been since she last felt something real?
Something that wasn’t born from a thirst for blood.
Something that wasn’t just a game and manipulation.
Something genuine, even if Hanni didn’t realize it.
Minji wasn’t used to this feeling.
She was the predator.
She was the one who should touch, not be touched.
She was the one who should control, not succumb to desires she couldn’t explain.
But now, she just wanted to stay here.
She wanted this touch to last longer.
Even longer.
Hanni remained still, her eyes blank, her breathing steady but heavy. Yet, her hand remained in place, following Minji’s will without resistance.
Minji opened her eyes slowly, staring at Hanni’s face that was still so close to hers. That face...
That face had haunted her mind more than it should have.
That face that should have just been a game, but now had become something more.
Gently, Minji let Hanni’s fingers move down, tracing her jawline, down to her neck.
She wanted the girl to know her.
Not just as a shadowy figure.
Not just as something unseen.
But as someone real.
As someone who was always by her side, even when Hanni didn’t realize it.
Minji’s breath trembled slightly as Hanni touched her neck, tracing her cold skin.
She closed her eyes again, letting the sensation take over.
Why did it feel like this?
Why did it feel so right, so wrong, so confusing all at once?
She shouldn’t feel like this.
She should just enjoy this game, control Hanni like she always did with other humans.
But this time, she wanted something more.
Not just control.
Not just the darkness binding them.
She wanted Hanni to truly see her.
She wanted Hanni to realize her presence—not out of fear, but something deeper than that.
Minji opened her eyes, and as she looked at Hanni still there, touching her gently, she felt like she finally had something she had never had before.
And that made her...
afraid.
Afraid that she wouldn’t be able to let this girl go.
Afraid that the longer she stayed close to her, the harder it would be for her not to want her.
Afraid that in the end, she would be the one to break.
Minji took a slow breath, her hand rising to touch Hanni’s hand that was still on her skin.
She gripped it tightly.
She wouldn’t let this girl go.
No matter what she had to do to keep her by her side.