Turned out that Narae was indeed daring enough to leave the safety of her voluntary prison.
Truth be told, it was only in the security of the entire coven huddled together but she hadn't been in the world outside for nearly four years now. A little fear was definitely warranted.
...or maybe even a lot of fear.
Narae's eyes — now muddy-brown thanks to the contact lenses — were fixed on the large buildings they passed by as Mark drove the part of the coven that included Narae to the campus. The other coven mates were in the car in front of them. Truth be told the world itself hadn't changed much in four years. It was Narae who had changed drastically and that made all the difference.
As her mind went haywire with anxiety and stress and she barely felt the reassurance practically flooding the bond with her coven mates, Yugyeom leaned across her and pointed at a beautiful building they passed.
"That's where you need to go", he said lowly, soothingly. "It's the building housing the Performing Arts departments."
Narae only nodded but when Yugyeom leaned away again, she grabbed his hand tightly. Yugyeom squeezed her hand in silent comfort and didn't let go of it.
Not when they exited the car and not when they all walked to the campus together. He missed her aura so he too wanted to have at least some skinship.
One might have thought that Narae's aura would be cold and hard and that her magick would be hostile due to the nature of her gifts. But Narae's aura had always been passionate and fierce and wild.
A very strong contrast to the cool, collected mask that had slipped onto her face the moment they had left the wards back home.
Yugyeom knew that his coven mate was scared. But he also knew that she was strongheaded and a fighter quick to adapt to changing circumstances. He had no doubt that Narae would damn well slay this entire getting back into the world thing.
"Only one class today", Jaebeom said from where he walked at the very front of their group. He looked over his shoulder with a gentle smile. "We don't want to overwhelm you."
An arm wrapped itself around Narae's shoulders and a heavy weight settle on her side.
"Means you'll be with me today, duckling", Youngjae grinned widely at her. Narae looked at him with a straight, cool face.
"Jaebeom-oppa", she said without taking her eyes off Youngjae. "I want to change my major." The boys broke out in loud laughter while Youngjae pouted.
The laughter drew eyes on them. Well, more eyes than usual, anyway. The Im coven was well-known across campus to humans and mages alike.
They did mingle with a lot of other covens and were good friends with some humans as well. In a way, they had become the bridge between humans and mages at campus.
Something that had made itself come in very handy when Mark graduated and founded a film studio together with Jaebeom. Due to their reputation of being friendly with both humans and mages alike, it was easier for them to pull in jobs for their new studio.
It would also make it easier for Narae to blend in with them. It wasn't entirely unusual to see them mingle with others during breaks after all. And to throw a human into the mix of their coven didn't seem all too far fetched. Definitely something that had made Jaebeom's decision to find a way for his youngest to attend university easier.
All that, however, did not deter the eyes from lingering on Narae longer than warranted. The coven bond of the Im coven flared with protectiveness and slight amusement from Narae's part. A shift went through the group as they entered the campus and the staring got more intense.
Yugyeom's fingers became more clingy as he interlaced them tighter with Narae's. Youngjae pulled her closer to his body, frame trying to shield her although he was only half a head taller than her.
"You do know that I have once been a fully integrated part into human society, right?", Narae couldn't help but to tease. Then she continued, voice softer and gentler as she let them feel her gratitude for their protection.
"As much as this scares me and as happy as I am to have you with me. I'm not a fragile doll that will suffer from a few curious glances."
"They weren't curious. They were lewd", Bambam replied tightly. Expression pinched as he sent a particularly nasty look at one of the gawking humans they came across as they walked to the Performing Arts building where they had unanimously decided to drop Narae and Youngjae off together.
Narae rolled her eyes. "I didn't get a magical make-over. I was pretty before all this", she said in a flat tone. "Not the first lewd look I get."
"But now you got us", Bambam insisted from where he walked right behind her, still throwing dark looks all around. Beneath all her bravado and aloof facial expression, Narae was grateful for having them and she let her coven mates know through the bond in waves of gratitude and love.
Their expressions softened and Yugyeom rubbed his thumb tenderly over the skin of her hand.
Jaebeom turned around and looked right at Narae when they finally reached the building.
"Now remember, duckling", he said sternly. "We enrolled you as—"
"Your adopted sister and coven mate, I know. I'm not as old as dirt and forget everything I don't write down", Narae rolled her eyes again but there was a fondness to her teasing that spoke volumes.
"You got Youngjae with you", Jaebeom continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, ignoring her jab at his age entirely. "And your phone. Call if you get separated for whatever reason. Be cautious and don't talk to any boys. Or girls. And—"
"Oppa", Narae cut him off again, this time gently with a loving smile on her lips. "I'll be fine."
Jaebeom sighed but nodded and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. Then he stepped aside to smother Youngjae in a goodbye kiss and the rest of the coven said their goodbyes to Youngjae and Narae as well.
They all had classes at a later time and only accompanied Youngjae because it was Narae's first day outside. They would head to a café on campus run by Kim Seokjin now for a breakfast date.
An excited hum and heavy nausea fought in Narae's gut, making it churn and flip as she looked at the tall building she stood in front of while Youngjae was still smothered in kisses by his soulmates.
She had taken the classes so far only online. Hadn't met any fellow students ever since starting university. Hadn't met any people other than the Im coven in almost four years, actually.
Suddenly her brave words seemed foolish. Everything had changed since she had been among people the last time. How could she just—
"I'm here, no need to freak out, duckling", Youngjae's warm voice suddenly sounded from next to her. He once more slung an arm around her shoulders and steered her in.
And even if it slightly disoriented Narae to not feel his aura fold around her protectively, she could still feel the bond they shared and the reassurance he sent through it.
"Youngjae-oppa!"
Youngjae stopped at the female shout and turned his head to look. A girl with a black bob and a pretty smile approached them.
"Lisa-yah", Youngjae greeted pleasantly. And with that Narae knew who joined their duo to make it a trio. Lisa was a childhood friend of Bambam and the only mage in a close-knit group of four girls.
Lisa tilted her head with a curious look as she had caught up to them and scrutinised Narae. Even though Lisa most likely wouldn't cause any problems even if she knew Narae's secret, the younger girl couldn't help but to pull up a wall of ice around her — figuratively in this case — making her expression a bit more aloof, a bit more frosty.
"Ah yes", Youngjae chuckled. "This is Narae-yah our new coven mate. Jaebeom-hyung's adopted sister." Lisa lifted her brow at the obvious lie about the relationship between Jaebeom and Narae but a look from Youngjae had her smiling cordially at Narae. She understood.
Without the protection of either soulmate or family bonds other mages could be a problem for an unbound, human coven mate. Not to mention the jealousy of others that often came viciously for anyone close to the large, male covens who were idolised like celebrities. Introducing Narae as a family and coven member was the safest for her.
"It's nice to meet you", Lisa greeted with a small bow. Narae immediately bowed herself.
"It's nice to meet you, too, unnie", she replied, anxious emotions carefully hidden as she kept her tone rather neutral. Lisa's perfectly plucked brows crinkled at that.
"How old are you?", she asked as they all continued to walk to their lecture room. Narae in the middle with Youngjae's arm still around her shoulders and their bond still thrumming with reassurances and confidence.
The question threw Narae's mind into a haze of calculations. She had just turned 23 two weeks ago. But technically her body was frozen in time almost four years ago at the biological age of 19.
A part of Narae wondered for how long she could get away with her actual age. Especially if she wanted to attend the university until she finished her degree. The younger she said she was in the beginning the longer she could go without dangerous questions.
If she made herself younger than she was, it would also dispute any rumours of her having magick among humans if the bracelet wasn't enough. Mages usually started university later because they had to attend four years of magical training after high school before being allowed out in the open world to do as they pleased.
Even the older covens like the Ims had to refresh their training every few decades or so.
That, of course, left the problem that Narae had indeed already attended uni classes for the last two years. But she was rather known as a genius than having to leave because someone noticed her not ageing.
"I just turned 19", Narae answered therefore which earned her a bit of a surprised look from Lisa and a lifted brow from Youngjae. She would explain her reasoning later at home.
"Aw~ such a cute, young age", Lisa cooed, quickly getting over her shock. She shot Narae a beaming smile. "If you need anything, come find me!"
There was a minuscule curl to Narae's lip, a tiny smile barely visible, as she nodded and accepted the offer of friendship. She wouldn't let her guard down, though.
Not because she was afraid for herself — truly, Narae didn't know if she actually could die — but for the trouble the Im coven would be in if word got around that they housed and protected someone like her.
The thought alone made her skin crawl and her heart ache and the icy magick residing within her very flesh and bones prickle with the vicious need to protect.
So she'd rather have no friends and have other people think her cold and arrogant to keep her distance than endangering those who had become her family.
It was therefore that she entered the lecture hall with a steely coldness to her entire being that spoke so much of her gift and contrasted so strongly with her suppressed, passionate aura. Chin held high and confident as she walked in after Lisa, Yungjae's arm still around her shoulders.
Muddy-brown eyes scanning the rows of students already sitting and waiting for the lecture to start. Chattering with each other happily or getting a few more minutes sleep.
Some looked up and even though Narae had lost her connection to magick due to the bracelet around her wrist, she could almost feel the curiosity seeping into the room. Yungjae tightened his grip and steered Narae to the seats in the middle of the rows of tables, where Lisa and him usually sat.
There was no surprise when Yungjae manoeuvred Narae expertly onto the seat between him and Lisa. The latter not complaining at all, understanding the situation to a point where she even threw a few dark looks at some of those who were a bit too curious, stared a bit too long.
Thankfully their stares were all directed somewhere else when the door opened once more and two young men walked in without a care in the world despite just barely cutting it in time and having everyone's eyes on them.
Handsome was but a mere fraction of what their beauty entailed.
One tall and dark, an almost threatening aura around him even without magick. And Narae would probably have curved away from him in wariness if it weren't for the cute bunny-smile that adorned his lips as he looked at the male who accompanied him.
And if angels were real, that boy certainly was one. Bright and pale and soft where the other was dark and tall and lean. Ethereal in his beauty in a fragile, unreal way that made Narae question whether there was truly more between life and death than even she knew.
Whispers rose and almost every pair of eyes was set on them as they made their way to the back row, deliberately ignoring everyone else and especially the giggles that erupted from one gaggle of girls or another when they simply walked past them.
Narae on the other hand had turned to look at Youngjae with a small, questioning quirk in her brows and a silent demand for an explanation. Youngjae huffed out an amused laugh at her behaviour, although a part of him hurt to see her so shut off from the world.
It was as if the bracelet didn't only suppress Narae's magick from leaking through her skin and out into the open for everyone to marvel at but as if it also suppressed parts of her personality.
And maybe that was actually pretty close to the truth. Because what were they all without their magick, anyway? No wonder she hurt whenever she wore her bracelet and her connection to any but her own magick was violently cut off.
"The tall one is Jeon Jungkook and the other's name is Park Jimin", Youngjae followed her silent order without a fail. "They're part of the Kim coven." Narae's eyes sharpened and she turned slightly in her chair to get another look at them. Curiosity spiked on a new, deeper level at the familiar name.
"They're known as Bangtan on campus", he continued which earned him another enquiring quirk of a brow and a cutely crinkled nose from his coven mate.
"Don't ask me", Youngjae shrugged even without her openly voicing her question. "I think the fangirls gave them that name." Narae's brows furrowed in contemplation as she turned her head one final time to look at them.
How effortlessly they fit together and simultaneously shut everyone else out from their own world.
Youngjae leaned in closer, put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her flush against his side as he nuzzled his nose into her hair. A tenseness seeped in from his bond although Narae knew that he tried to hide it. She felt how unsettled he was in the way his body stiffened and his muscles tensed.
Apparently it wasn't only her having a hard time with being basically undetectably cut off from magick.
"Keep away from them", he whispered so only she could hear and no one saw his lips moving. "They aren't particularly fond of others." He paused to take in a deep breath. Irritation clear in his bond at the lack of her aura.
"We and some of the other covens only hold friendly relations with them because we've known each other for so long."
Narae nodded in understanding and leaned against Youngjae's broad chest just as the teacher walked in and began the lecture.
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Over the course of the class, Narae found herself loosing focus as the lack of her connection to the magick around her became more prominent with every passing minute. A side-effect of the bracelet they had discovered the day before.
As it blanketed Narae's aura so her magick couldn't be detected by other mages, it also cut off her own connection and left her isolated from the natural ebb and flow of magick. Something that was decidedly unhealthy.
First it would only be a slightly uncomfortable sensation as if she was forgetting something. Nothing but a slight nagging at the back of her consciousness. But the longer she wore the bracelet, the longer her connection was cut off, the more her own magick suffered.
The nagging feeling would grow into an itch, a prickling sensation as her magick would try to strain against the constraints of the bracelet, desperate to connect to the vast ocean of natural magick living within everything.
Then the pain came. A slight headache at first that would grow into pounding pain and spread into an ache in all her limbs.
Narae didn't know what would come after, her coven had forced her to take off the bracelet as soon as her movements became sluggish due to the pain in her very bones.
They did thankfully also discover that she could get her body used to the disconnection from magick.
The first time she had worn the bracelet the aches had started only a quarter of an hour after putting it on. When she put it on the next time after recovering from the disorienting sensation and reconnection to magick, Narae had been able to keep the bracelet around her wrist for a few minutes longer.
And so they had pushed the limit for the entirety of Sunday. Much to Jackson's discontent and Jaebeom's worry.
By Monday early morning Narae had been able to wear it for a bit over two hours before she couldn't bear the pain anymore. Just long enough to attend one class.
But that also meant that Narae had started to feel a headache halfway through the lecture.
After two thirds, she had her head resting on Youngjae's shoulder as he rubbed soothing circles on her temple to try and keep the pounding headache at bay.
He tried to sent her as much positive emotions through their bond as possible. Showered her in pride and protectiveness.
The sensations warming their bond and it was almost as if Narae could imagine his magick wrapping around her in an effort to sooth.
Narae's soul ached to feel his familiar aura, to cherish the sensation of his magick mingling with her own. She clung to the feeling of her coven bond as the pain slowly spread and had her wrists and shoulders ache and her knees hurt and her muscles feel sore.
Youngjae picked up her things and put them in her backpack once the lecture ended. When Narae went to grab her backpack he shot her a gently chiding look. His eyes soft but his lips pressed into a thin line. He very deliberately took both of their backpacks.
"Come", he said lowly to her and slung his arm around her waist to keep her steady. The deep need to feel his aura almost sent tears down Narae's cheeks. Instead it made her face freeze in a cold, aloof expression.
"If you're up for it I would love for you to meet my friends", Lisa chattered happily as she walked next to Narae. "They're my coven, although they're all human."
"Certainly", Narae agreed, her tone tightly controlled to not let her pain slip in. "But maybe not today."
They had left the building and Narae nodded to Mark, who stood with a slightly worried expression and arms crossed in front of his chest right next to the exit of the Performing Arts building.
A jolt of relief ran through the coven bond when he saw that Yungjae at least didn't have to carry her.
He immediately stepped up to them, not caring if they blocked the exit. Narae had to bite her tongue to not show any of the pain in her expression when Yungjae handed her over to Mark. He and Youngjae shared a quick peck to the lips despite their worry and Youngjae's arm around Narae's waist was replaced with Mark's.
The sight might have warranted a few strange looks. Narae didn't exactly feel comfortable with that. But then again...nothing really felt comfortable at that moment, anyway.
"We're actually running late for something", Mark said to Lisa with a tight, apologetic smile and not even waiting for an answer from her, he teleported himself and Narae from the campus straight into their coven home and the safety of its wards.
His brows were furrowed in concern as he caught her stumbling form.
"Here...let me help", he mumbled lowly and immediately went to open the clasp of Narae's bracelet.
The moment the circle was broken a wave of sensations crashed into Narae like an unforgiving tidal wave, dragging her away and threatening to drown her. Her knees buckled and already having anticipated that, Mark swept her off her feet.
One arm under her knees, the other around her back and his warm, soothing aura tightly wrapped around Narae in an effort to filter the sensations a bit, he carried her inside.
"Garden, please, oppa", Narae breathed out with her eyes closed. She felt overwhelmed and her entire being overstimulated. Everything hurt so much more than before.
But she knew it would be only but half an hour or so until she would have completely readjusted to being connected to the magick again and all pain would be gone.
Mark heeded her wishes and carried her straight through their house and out the back door to a bench situated a bit further from the house right under a wheeping willow. Narae's favourite spot in the garden.
He gently sat her down and tugged a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'll get you some blankets and a cup of hot chocolate, duckling", he said with a strained smile.
Narae rolled her eyes a bit. "You know I don't—"
"Feel the cold. Yes, I know", Mark cut her off as he straightened. "But I'm feeling cold just looking at you. So just let me coddle you a bit."
He didn't wait for any reaction or objection as he turned on his heels and headed inside to make some overly sweet hot chocolate and find the fluffiest blankets they had.
Narae sighed and closed her eyes as she strained to pull her legs up under her body. The ache was bad this time. They had miscalculated how long the drive to the campus took. It had added a good twenty minutes at least to the time Narae wore her bracelet.
Drastically increasing the time she had been disconnected from magick. Pushing her further than they ever had.
It hurt. It hurt so much. As if she had strained her muscles by being in one position for too long and aching now that they are forced to move into another position once more. A prickling pain that crawled across her skin and seeped into her bones and soul.
But one that she knew promised relief in the end once she was reconnected again with what had become as important as the air she breathed.
Narae could already feel her soul heal from the trauma of being disconnected from magick. Narae only hoped that she would be able to one day wear her bracelet for an entire day without almost fainting from the pain.
Well...if she had anything, it was enough time to push her limits. Even though Jaebeom would most likely be angry if he found out that she experimented with her time limit at night when no one was around to keep an eye on her. To take off the bracelet if she wasn't able to anymore due to pain and exhaustion.
Ah. Well.
A tiny smile curled up Narae's lips. Her coven knew that she didn't listen all too well if she deemed their concern ridiculous and the risk acceptable.
Even though that sometimes brought her a stern talking to from Jaebeom or a day of bed rest because she truly had overdone it.
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Hello lovelies!
How did you like Narae's first venture back into the outside world?! I hope you also liked the small glimpse we got from Jungkookie and Jiminnie!?!?
And yup! That was also a cameo by Blackpink! :D
Poor Narae has to suffer. But there's always a price to magick. I hope I could get across why it hurts her to be cut off from magick?
I hope this chapter wasn't too boring? I'm still establishing the world and the relationships between the characters...but I truly hope I didn't bore you?!
Please let me know what you thought of the chapter!
I lowkey feel as if we're all going to be a bit like Narae once this whole lockdown thing is finally over and we can venture back into the unknown! xD
Stay safe. Stay healthy.
xx
Pi
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Preview next chapter:
You, my dear readers, will get an entire chapter following Bangtan around!
Any wishes on who's POV you want to read???
So far we got a cute Kookie and a momma-Jin.