Starlit Bonds

VII

Minji drew in a deep breath, the tension in the bathroom palpable. Her eyes bore into Haerin, unwavering in her demand. "Explain," Minji urged, her voice carrying a low but determined tone.

Haerin continued to meet Minji's gaze, her own eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and turmoil. She was aware that Minji deserved an explanation for her recent behavior. The silence between them was heavy, and Haerin knew it was time to unveil the truth.

"I deserve an explanation," Minji reiterated, her voice slightly louder this time. "Why are you avoiding me? It's not fair, not to mention very confusing!" Her frustration was evident.

Haerin gulped, her throat feeling dry. She hadn't wanted to cause Minji pain, but her actions had led to precisely that. Minji's furrowed brows deepened, awaiting a response.

"Are you... do you dislike me all of a sudden?" Minji's voice quivered with uncertainty. "I thought we were going strong."

Haerin finally broke the eye contact, her gaze drifting to the floor. Minji's observant nature hadn't missed how tired Haerin appeared today, as if she had been carrying a heavy burden.

"You bit me that night, so we're stuck together," Minji reminded her, her voice firm. "You can't just walk away from me when you feel like it."

Haerin's head shot up, her eyes meeting Minji's once more. The rapid beating of Minji's heart echoed in the small bathroom, a testament to her anxiety. Haerin struggled to find the right words to explain her actions.

"I've been trying," Haerin began, her voice barely above a whisper, "to ignore this feeling."

Minji's furrowed brows deepened as she sought clarification. "What feeling?" she asked, her tone deadpan.

Haerin's nostrils flared, and she hesitated before admitting, "The hunger."

Minji's eyes widened, her heart quickening with realization. It was an answer she hadn't expected, and a flood of questions surged within her.

Haerin sighed, her voice carrying the weight of a centuries-old struggle. "Minji, you must understand that I am a vampire. This hunger is an innate part of me, deeply ingrained in my very essence."

Minji's eyes held a mix of concern and curiosity as she listened intently. Haerin continued, "The night I bit you, I tried to resist, to spare you from this burden. But with each passing day, it grows stronger."

Minji swallowed hard, processing Haerin's revelation. "So, you're saying... you've been avoiding me because you're afraid of hurting me?" Her voice was soft, filled with empathy.

Haerin nodded solemnly. "Yes, precisely. I fear losing control, succumbing to the primal urges within me. I couldn't bear the thought of harming you, Minji."

Minji's cheeks burned with a mix of desire and determination as she ventured deeper into the suspenseful game she had initiated. Her voice was a soft murmur in the small bathroom.

"Well, I guess that's quite nice to hear," she admitted, her eyes locking onto Haerin's.

Haerin nodded, her expression tense. "I suppose, in your case. But the sound of your beating heart is too much to bear," she confessed, the inner turmoil evident in her gaze.

Ignoring Haerin's warning, Minji dared to take another step closer. "Really? What does it feel like?" she inquired, curiosity dancing in her eyes.

Haerin's lips quirked in a conflicted half-smile as she met Minji's gaze. "Agony," she admitted, her voice a mere whisper. "So, I suggest you don't get any closer."

Yet, Minji's relentless determination drove her forward, each step an unspoken challenge. "But I can't," she confessed, feeling herself grow stronger, healthier, with every inch closer to Haerin. "I need to feel... I don't know, your presence."