Island: The Legend

Chapter 11

Mi-Ho felt warm. She felt like a soft veil of warmth had been wrapped around her, keeping her warm and comfortable the whole night. She knew her cushions were very soft and comfortable but she never thought that Van could be more comfortable. She tried to remember the last time she shared a bed with someone like this and couldn't. She never did. At least not with a man and even if Van was half demon he was also human. Mi-Ho gripped the fabric a bit more pulling her body closer to the source but it felt different from before. More wobbly and soft. Before she completely opened her eyes she ran her hand over the bed sheets only to find them empty. For a second she thought that maybe she turned away from him in her sleep and he was lying behind her on the other side of the bed but when she turned around she was facing her wardrobe and not her balcony. Fast she sat up and looked around. The curtains at her balcony doors were still swaying in the darkness, it was still night. But where was Van?
''Van?''
Mi-Ho crawled out of bed checking every corner of her room.
''Van!''
She swung her bathroom doors open almost tripping against it when it bounced back. He wasn't there either. Did demons actually have to use the bathroom? Mi-Ho shook her head. She made her way over to her door and opened it carefully. The hall was empty and dark. They were probably all sleeping. Mi-Ho had no idea what time it was, or how long she had been sleeping, or what happened after this Yool came to her room. She only remembered how Van was there, again, to save her. Was it a dream? Was everything a dream? Did she simply hallucinate all of it? That couldn't be, she knew Van was back. She brought him back. She felt the small blade from the silver chain that was still hanging around her neck that brought him back. He had to be here somewhere.
She made her way over to her balcony, maybe he was just taking in the night air. Even though it was summer it still was a bit chilly outside during night and the moment she stepped outside she was surrounded by a few gusts of wind that made her hair fly in all directions. She had some trouble pulling all the strands back to where they belonged, her hair had grown pretty long over the year. She had long hair already but she didn't bother cutting it except for the ends so it could grow healthily. And it did. It reached over her back almost to her thighs but she often wore a high bun or high pony tail so it didn't seem that long and she often forgot how long it got when she opened up her hair. Maybe she should cut it again. But all of this wasn't important right now. Van wasn't on the balcony either and out of frustration she just screamed his name against the darkness. She was surprised herself by how scared she actually sounded.
''Where are you....''
''Won Mi-Ho.''
Waves of electricity ran over her skin when she heard her name again. Her body felt driven by her relief when she turned around and wrapped her arms around his middle, burying her face in his shoulder.
''Van, thank god....''
He stiffened up a bit, he still wasn't completely used to all the body contact between them that she often implied since yesterday.
''Wh-what's wrong?''
''When I woke up you were gone, I thought.... I dreamed all of it.''
He was amazed that she was able to bring out a full sentence when she spoke into his shoulder probably eating his jacket when she opened her mouth. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
''I'm right here.''
''Don't ever leave again.''
She felt how his hands started to grip her arms a bit, like he was checking up on her. But she wasn't injured.
''How are you? Any better?''
Mi-Ho turned her head to the side facing his chest now.
''Better, just had to rest a bit.''
''Don't think so...''
''Van!''
Mi-Ho's arms automatically wrapped around his neck when he suddenly lifted her off the ground. She didn't notice it but he had held her up the whole time, now that she was in his arms she only realized how weak her legs felt. It also surprised her that this felt almost natural. Him carrying her back to the bed and carefully lowering her onto the mattress was something she could get used to. She held onto him a bit longer which made him raise an eyebrow.
''Oh, sorry.''
Mi-Ho settled herself in all the pillows and turned onto her side to look at him. He was crouching in front of her bed, he looked like a little puppy with those dark eyes eying her every move.
''What?''
''You have some things to explain to me.''
''You go first. Where were you?''
Van looked away for a second and Mi-Ho thought that his cheeks were getting a bit more color.
''There were lust demons nearby.''
''Why do you sound so apologetic?''
It was true. His voice had an edge to it like he was sorry for leaving her alone and- Oh. Mi-Ho couldn't do other but smile a bit. He was actually sorry that he had to leave the bed. Did that mean he wanted to stay longer like that?
''You can come back here, you know.''
Maybe her voice was a bit too cheeky because he was on his feet again in a second putting a good distance between him and her bed to which she could only laugh. Why was he so on edge?
''Van, calm down. You are being ridiculous right now.''
''How can you just invite me to your bed?''
''What? You've been in here a few minutes ago as well.''
''Yeah but that, that was...''
''What?''
''Different.''
''How so?''
Mi-Ho was curious what exactly had been different. Was it that she was too far gone to actually realize what was going on? Or that she was so cold and he had to do something against it?
Did he feel uncomfortable right now because she was actually able to say and do things?
''Van?''
''I had to keep you warm.''
''And now you have to keep me company.''
Van looked back up from the ground and her saw her big, round eyes looking at him with warmth. She crouched over a bit to the middle of the bed and patted the spot next to her. He just couldn't beat her. With a sigh he made his way back over to her bed and sat down.
''You want me to talk to your back?''
Van couldn't hold back the small laugh that she tickled out of him when he leaned against the wall and put his legs on the mattress. Though he didn't dare look at her.
''You are way too fearless, you know that?''
Mi-Ho made herself comfortable and crumpled the end of the blanket under her head. Why should she be careful when it was him?
''What are you curious about?''
''About everything.''
Mi-Ho sighed deeply.
''Okay, where do I start.... My father wanted me to inherit the company and kept my whole life under his control so I wouldn't do anything stupid which I always did, causing trouble and all-''
''Won Mi-Ho.''
His voice was calm yet demanding to which she only pursed her lips.
''Tch, you said everything.''
She turned onto her back and faced the ceiling with a long sigh.
''Wonjeong left me.''
''What do you mean she left you?''
''I saw her in a vision where she said goodbye to me. I met her mother in another vision. I met granny as a ghost and Jeongryeong. I met so many people who actually shouldn't be here anymore I was doubting that I was still in this world.''
''You can contact ghosts?''
They both turned their heads to the side and faced each other. She was taken back that he actually found this strange. Wasn't that normal in his world?
''Yeah... Somehow I can. I actually can do a lot of other things now.''
''But how, you said Wonjeong left you. Doesn't that mean that her powers left you as well?''
''Not entirely I guess. I was told that I am converting them into my own.''
''Converting them?''
''I don't know Van. It's only this much I can tell you. When I use them I feel cold but back then when Yool was here it was different.''
Mi-Ho's hand rested on her scar and she looked back at the ceiling.
''When he touched my scar it felt like all warmth was being pulled out of my body. When you touched it in your demon form it was the complete opposite. I felt like I was being burned alive.''
''Me too. Why did you even do that?''
''I thought that maybe something would happen, I mean it did. Not just what I wanted to happen.''
''Maybe we are still connected somehow because of the marble.''
''I don't know.''
With an annoyed groan she sat up and also leaned against the wall.
''I am so sick of not knowing and understanding anything.''
''But you created that necklace that somehow was able to bind my demon side.''
''Yeah, I did. But I can't tell you how.''
''But you did something.''
''It is always like my body moves on its own when I am trying to use my powers. It's like deep down I know exactly what I have to do and then just do it.''
She turned a bit to the side.
''I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you more.''
''We'll figure this out.''
Van startled yet again when he suddenly felt her body against his side when she leaned in.
''How?''
He turned a bit away from her and looked over to the side when his eyes rested on something on the ground.
''What's that?''
''What?''
Mi-Ho pouted a bit when he got off the bed again, leaving her side and picked up the book that she had dropped when Yool was there.
''Ah, that is a book about the demon hunters.''
Now he sat back on the edge of the bed and opened it and Mi-Ho carefully crawled over to him, settling slightly behind him.
''My mother apparently was a demon hunter.''
She turned the pages to the picture of her mother.
''Here, that's her.''
Van took a good long look at her and for a moment Mi-Ho thought he'd recognized her from somewhere. But what he said took her back more than she thought.
''She's beautiful.''
She never heard Van comment anything like that before. In fact she always thought that he didn't really care about the beauty of the world or the outer appearance of people. With a sneaky smile she leaned forward and put her own hand on her cheek.
''I take after her, right?''
''Not really.''