The Hanes Enigma

Chapter Ten - Anemoia

Kim Taehyung

"Come with me." I don't even register that the words are out of my mouth until Nova's looking at me as though I'd just called the sky red.

"I.. I can't..." She looks away from me, avoiding eye contact.

"But you hate it here, you feel trapped. Don't let them shut you in a box." I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear but quickly pull my hand away and both of us step away from each other awkwardly.

"It's because I am trapped here, Tae. I wish I could go with you..." She looks longingly out of the window.

"Then do. Run away! You'd be running to a school, what's the worst that could happen?" I chuckle but my smile quickly fades at the look on her face.

"I can't. But hey, you could come back? You could visit me at some point? If you want..." She shrugs.

I grin, wrapping my arms around her waist. "You'd like that?"

Her teeth sink into her plump, bottom lip as her gaze flicks from my eyes to my lips and back again. She nods, loose curls bouncing slightly with the motion.

"Then I will." I smile and she beams up at me, standing on her tip-toes to plant a kiss on my cheek.

"Good." She hovers just an inch away from my lips and I swear my heart stops. "Anemoia..." She mutters under her breath and I tilt my head, puzzled. "Nostalgia for a time you've never known. It can either refer to your past before you were born or to something that.. might have been..."

I smile sadly and nod, understanding. "In another world, huh?"

"Yeah... Nowadays, it seems like I'm saying that to everything." Her jaw clenches and she looks away. I hate seeing her look so alone. I want to make everything better for her but I have no idea how. And I can't stay. I've already been away for a month and I don't know what the situation is. The whole school could have burnt down, for all I know. Nova and I worked out that a whole five weeks are missing from my memory, and we don't know if I'll ever get that back. I must go back. And soon.

"How about a little lapse in judgement? Just to say goodbye..." I bite the side of my lip cheekily and she grins.

"You're adorable, you know that?" Nova bops my nose and I pout.

"I can be sexy..." I feign offended.

"Oh? I doubt that." She laughs. Now I am offended. And feeling a little challenged.

I smirk and let my hands trail from her back to her hips, keeping eye contact as I press her into the wall and graze my tongue over my bottom lip before sinking my teeth into it. Her own lips part slightly and my smirk increases, leaning down until our lips brush. I feel her hands find a hold on my shirt and suddenly she's pulling us together, lighting a fire in my stomach. Her lips are just as soft as before, and equally as agonisingly hesitant. I let her keep the kiss slow, though, her arms looping around my neck as my hands slide down to squeeze her perfectly sculpted bum.

She gasps gently and I take the opportunity to slip my tongue into her now open mouth, getting a little too caught up in it all. But she leans closer, eager for more. I hum into the kiss and slide a hand into her hair, grinning proudly when she lets out a small moan.

"Shut up..." She mumbles and I chuckle softly before pressing into her even more.

A cough echoes through the room and Nova pushes me back hard. I blink, shocked and slightly puzzled. Is she ashamed of me?

"Well.. You two are getting on like a house on steroids..." Euclea glowers at me.

"Fire, Lea. A house on fire. Not steroids..." Nova mumbles. Her shoulder brushes mine as she walks past me, suddenly cold.