The Night Belongs to the Moon | Taeyong

43 | First Rain of Spring - I

A hand over her mouth, she stayed in that closet and heard her family getting drained and slaughtered as they screamed and cried out for help. When it was over and the flames rose to the sky, she crept out and stood in the living room of her house over the three dead bodies amidst the roaring fire around her. She didn't know death but she knew they were hurt.

Soon the smoke from the fire had become unbearable. She had dragged herself out and laid on the cold street outside as close to the front door as she possibly could, waiting for her mother to wake up and carry her to the bed.

But when the hours passed and her mother never came, she got angry. In the cold night, she huffed a warm breath out that fogged the air in front of her tiny mouth as she crossed her arms over chest. It was the annoyance of a child, who was too little to understand that her mother would never wake up again. The fire had burned out and with it, her house. There was nothing left except smoke and charred pieces of blackened furniture standing between the burnt iron frame of her home.

It was then Yuta had found her. She remembered it vividly; the tall man with black clothes and a cape, which was nothing but a cloak, over his shoulders. She had to crane her neck all the way to the back to look at his pale face. He had tilted his head to the side when she'd caught the fold of his pants between her tiny fingers, her cheeks covered in soot and her short silver hair stuck to her face as her big round eyes stared at him with curiosity. He had smiled, as genuine as he possibly could, and dusted the dirt off her clothes before picking her up in his arms.

Someone had finally come for her.

Silently, she had wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked herself in his shoulder, falling asleep only to awaken in a realm completely different than hers.

Yuta was right – he was her saviour that night, at least that's what she thought for a long time after he had brought her to his mansion. But now as she watched him, she saw a small man, arrogant and pitiful. She was disgusted that it was him who raised her and taught her everything she knew. She was angry, thrashing inside, fighting a war she had never asked to be a part of.

The remainder of the mist dissipated away, clearing the way for the storm. The sky greyed to its darkest shade with clouds looming over them like death.

Yuta tilted his head at her and she nodded. They knew they would face each other sooner or later and there was no question in that only one can come out of it alive.

'I have taught you the rules of a fair fight,' Yuta said and Dal-ae felt Taeyong's hand tighten its grip on hers.

'Only one of you will fight me,' Yuta said loud enough for everyone to hear but he was looking straight at Dal-ae. 'There are no charms nor any incantations that can work here right now so I assume the fight will be fair for everyone, hm?'

It was clear who Yuta was challenging to the fight. Dal-ae stepped forward but the moment she left Taeyong's hand, he caught hold of her arm and pulled her back.

'No,' he said, his tone anxious and frantic. 'I can't let you.' He turned to Yuta and announced, 'I will fight you. You want a fair fight, right? Let's see who wins between the two of us.'

'Taeyong,' Dal-ae whispered and looked up at him. The moment he saw her eyes, he shook his head desperately; he knew there was no way he could stop her. There was clarity on her face, steadiness in her demeanour. This is what she wanted and he saw the freedom that soared across her eyes when she finally accepted her fate.

Gently, she held his head between her palms and went up on her toes to press her lips onto his. 'Let me go,' she whispered but Taeyong refused to move, tightening his grip on her waist. 'Please, I have to do this. It is not your fight, Taeyong, it's mine and you will have to let me fight it.'