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JIMIN WAS UNUSUALLY QUIET.
He hadn't spoken a word with me since the incident. It had been 2 days since I almost drowned in that lake. The memory was still hazy. I stared at the wooden ceiling, my body covered with a blanket. The afternoon sun was warm and comforting as it made its way into the room, engulfing the darkness. The golden hues, the sweet smell of spring invaded my senses as I stared at the ceiling. Back in my home spring was still yet to come, the coldness of the winter still present in the wind.
The bloom of spring here didn't make me smile, I was away from my home. I still wanted to go back to the coldness where I belonged.
I sat up on the bed, no longer feeling any pain in my body after resting for the past two days. Something had changed, I realized I had shifted to my wolf form after years. The last time I had shifted to my wolf form was a nightmare for me and the pack. I could never get used to being under control by my wolf.
Taking a deep breath I stood up, the wooden floor beneath me was warm. The scent of the books lingering in the room as I made my way out of the room. The silence that engulfed me was not surprising at all. Jimin would leave the library in the morning to hunt for both of us and he'd come back in the evening. He knew the ways better than me since he'd been here before.
The man who was still unknown to me didn't talk to me or should I say didn't bother me at all. Maybe he already knew about me. The man who I came to know was a lone wolf was living here for decades now. It was amusing how normal he looked among all the people living here.
I wanted to know about him, wanted to know why he had decided to leave his pack and live among humans with a fake identity. My knowledge about my own kind was limited to a certain point.
As I trail my fingers on the books that had surrounded me I wished to read them. The amount of knowledge they could have held inside them intrigued me. I took in the outer appearance of the books but they seemed to be endless. My eyes stopped at a book wrapped in a brown cover, its cover had a little bit of dust on it, the pages had turned yellowish. Without any thought I picked up the book, its weight made me wonder what it contained inside of it. I trailed my fingers on it, trying to read the words.
I was not surprised by the lack of educational knowledge of not understanding hangul. I had stopped learning after my mother's death.
I frowned as I stared at the book in my hand. The initial craving for it seemed very much unfamiliar to me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't understand the words, making me unable to read. That moment I wished I knew how to read. I furrowed my eyebrows together as I opened the book, staring at the dry ink on the yellowish page. The book looked very old, the writing on it was neat and beautiful.
I flipped the pages without understanding anything, spotting small symbols in each page.
There was a sudden sound, a little thud, if not for my werewolf hearing I would have almost missed it. Apart from my breathing the room had been quiet, my eyes roaming around the room full of books to spot something unusual or someone. I hadn't seen a person during my stay here.
Has anyone ever come here?
I looked down at the book in my hand, a mere attempt for a distraction. I cannot read a reminder. Sighing, I lifted the book to put it back on the shelf where it belonged.
It happened way faster than I could've imagined, the tingling sensation on my fingers as they brushed on something or someone or the sound that had left my mouth, making me stagger backward. Through the gape of the shelf, a pair of wide brown eyes stared at me, their brows furrowed and what seemed like profanity was thrown towards me. I gasped, my breath hitching as I placed my hand over my chest. The book is now lying on the floor.
Had I not experienced the nearly death a few days ago then I must have felt it now.
"I-i am sorry" a very timid voice said, a very familiar one.
I looked up to meet with a pair of very familiar brown eyes, staring into me with such innocence that had wrenched my heart in a beautiful way. I blinked, not wanting to believe an illusion but no matter how many times I tried she was there, staring at me with a timid expression.
"I am sorry" she said again, this time taking a step toward me, "I did not know someone was here" she bent over to pick up the book lying on the floor. I stayed rooted to my place, watching the girl I'd thought was an illusion. The same honey-like skin that glows under the sun rays.
"Are you okay?'' she asked, with concern written on her face.
"Yes" I replied, averting my eyes from her. I looked down at my fingers which still felt warm by her touch. A sudden wave of satisfaction rushed through my veins. I touched the skin with my thumb, rubbing it gently, waiting for the outcome to occur but nothing happened. My surroundings had gone quiet.
Where are you when I need you?
"Here" my chain of thoughts broke as the voice said again, extending the book towards me.
I cannot read, nevertheless I took it.
I caressed the book before placing it back on its original place. I could still feel her stare on me, wanting to ask something. I never had conversations with strangers, even my pack members would avoid talking with me. Maybe People always see through me. I wanted to hide from her mysterious gaze which suddenly had started to suffocate me but that would be against my morals. I shouldn't run away.
It was like she had read my thoughts when she spoke again "Are you feeling okay now?" I had no answer to this question or why she asked me about my well being. I looked at her with a questioning look.
She averted her eyes before saying "I was the one who treated you, my name is Nabi" there was a beautiful smile on her lips.
