Chapter 23: Stay With Me
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The town exuded a chilly antiquity, where time seemed to move slower, leaving its inhabitants with little to do but wait. Minji's abode, nestled among the town's quiet streets, housed her family – her father. The neighbor, a few doors down, added a touch of familiarity to the tranquil surroundings.
As Minji stepped out of the car, she paid the aging driver, watching him lug the luggage inside. A pang of guilt tugged at her; she could have easily carried it all herself, and the driver seemed worn from the effort. Unlocking the door to her home, she called out, "I'm home!" The echo of her voice bounced off the walls, met only by silence.
The interior of the house spoke volumes about its history. Worn wooden floors creaked underfoot, bearing witness to the passage of time. Antique furniture adorned the living room, and faded family photographs lined the walls, capturing moments frozen in nostalgia. The air held a scent of memories, a blend of comfort and time's gentle decay. Yet, despite the stillness, the house seemed to cradle stories within its walls, stories waiting to unfold in the quiet town that time had forgotten.
Minji felt the weight of farewell to Crestwood, a place she had grown accustomed to, a view etched in her memory. The decision to take a break brought her to Rainy Forks, a town perpetually draped under the veil of rain. With a population of 30,008, it stood as a tranquil refuge from the bustling life she left behind.
As she set her bags down, tucking strands of hair behind her ears, Minji took in the surroundings. Rainy Forks, despite its small size, held a unique charm. Her father, a sheriff, wasn't home at the moment, adding a layer of solitude to the quiet town. Although she used to spend weekends here during every summer, this time it felt different – a more permanent arrangement until the call to return.
Her room, a cozy yet chilly space, captured the essence of Rainy Forks. The window, strategically placed by her bed, offered glimpses of the rainy town. A scattered desk, adorned with books she no longer needed, reflected the simplicity of life in this haven. One of the best things about this house, Minji pondered, was its detachment from Crestwood, allowing her to embrace a different pace of life, if only for a little while.
She paused and looked out the window, the house opposite her, was always empty, it was big and old, she sighed crossing her arms, she needed to crank up the heating, but first- she flinched, the house phone ringing, she sighed and ran downstairs and stood in the hallways, "hello?" She said, "Minji," her dad's familiar voice resonated through the phone. "How's Forks treating you?" he inquired.
Leaning against the wall, Minji glanced out at the perpetually empty house opposite hers. "It's... different," she replied, a subtle sigh escaping her lips. "I miss Crestwood, but I guess it's a nice change."
Her dad chuckled warmly. "Give it some time. You might find the charm in the quiet."
"I'll try," Minji said, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'll be home soon, don't wait up," he said. After a brief conversation, she hung up, realizing the chill in the air had intensified. Cranking up the heating became her immediate priority, and with that, she set out to make Rainy Forks feel a bit more like home.
Minji sighed softly, pondering what to do now that she was alone. She bit her lip, deep in thought, before deciding to dial a number.
"Hello?" Minji heard, and relief washed over her as she recognized Bella's voice. She chuckled softly. "Bella." There was a gasp on the other end. "Minji?" Bella questioned, and Minji nodded, even though she knew Bella couldn't see it. "It's me," she said sheepishly. Bella scoffed softly. "Oh my god," she exclaimed. "We have to catch up," Minji suggested eagerly, wanting to reunite with her best friend. "Totally. Meet at the diner? Maybe 4," Bella proposed. "Yeah, see you," Minji agreed. "Jesus, yeah, see you," Bella mockingly echoed before laughing softly and hanging up. Minji put the phone back, smiling to herself.
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After a day that felt oddly normal, a welcome break from the supernatural chaos at Crestwood Heights, Minji found herself asleep in her new home in Rainy Forks. The room's heating, a perpetual dilemma, was either too hot or nonexistent. The covers were haphazardly strewn across her body, leaving her chest exposed as she slept peacefully.
However, the tranquility was shattered by an unsettling sensation. Minji, in the depths of her slumber, felt a pair of eyes fixated on her. Subconsciously, her furrowed brows betrayed her awareness of an intruding presence. A subtle rustle echoed in the room, awakening a gasp from Minji as she shot up in bed.
Her gaze darted around the room, half-expecting to find Haerin in the corner. However, it was merely a hallucination, a phantom image born from her yearning for the familiar. Yet, despite the absence, she couldn't shake the feeling that Haerin was near, an invisible warmth enveloping the house and her heart.
Running her hand through her hair, Minji felt the weight of stress settling in. It marked the first night she dreamt of Kang Haerin.
Minji awoke with a peculiar sense of disorientation, a heaviness clinging to the edges of her consciousness. She sighed, attempting to shake off the lingering effects of an unusual dream or perhaps the remnants of an otherworldly presence.
Minji awoke with a peculiar sense of disorientation, a heaviness clinging to the edges of her consciousness. She sighed, attempting to shake off the lingering effects of an unusual dream or perhaps the remnants of an otherworldly presence.
Minji followed the scent, her senses gradually adjusting to the surroundings. As she descended the stairs, the warm glow of the kitchen greeted her. The air was filled with the inviting aroma of food, and she spotted her dad at the stove, focused on the cooking.
"Morning, sleepyhead," he greeted with a smile, glancing over his shoulder.
"Morning," Minji replied, still feeling a bit disoriented. "What's cooking?"
Her dad turned with a playful grin. "Your favorite: pancakes. Thought I'd make your first morning here special."
A mix of surprise and gratitude spread across Minji's face. She appreciated the gesture, realizing that the day might not be as ordinary as she expected.
"Someone whispered to me that all your friends are headed to La Push," he remarked. Minji, wearing a smile, responded, "That beach is gloomy." Her complaint carried a soft tone, prompting a chuckle from her dad. With a pointed look, he expressed a preference for the beach over being alone.
Minji sighed, acknowledging his desire, "If that's what you want." Her dad, wearing a smile of contentment, affirmed, "That is what I want." Minji, still smiling, gracefully slid off the counter, proposing, "Then I guess I'll see you later?" His nod confirmed their rendezvous, and as a gesture of affection, she kissed his cheek before making her way upstairs, leaving the promise of a later reunion lingering in the air.
As Minji returned to her room and changed into something more comfortable, she felt an inexplicable pull toward the beach. The sea air carried whispers of nostalgia, and when she arrived at the shore, she found her friends already there – Hyein, Dani, Yunjin, and even Hanni.
"Minji!" Hyein called out, waving her over. Minji joined them, a playful smile on her lips. "Did you guys tattle on me?" she teased. Yunjin chuckled, "Blame Danielle's mom. She insisted, and besides, we needed to get together!"
The soothing sound of waves crashing against the shore accompanied their conversation. Minji couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unexpected reunion, the beach serving as the backdrop to their laughter and shared stories as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink.
As they sat on the beach, the conversation flowed like the gentle waves before them. They talked about school, about the mysteries surrounding Haerin, and the surreal encounters with vampires. Laughter intertwined with the tales of their shared experiences, creating a moment suspended in time. Minji couldn't help but acknowledge the inevitable truth – life would never be the same after the events at Crestwood Heights.
Minji stepped into her empty house, the echoes of crashing waves still playing tricks on her senses. The living room seemed silent, but an unexplained chill clung to the air. As she hesitated, a voice sliced through the quiet, sending a shiver down her spine,
"You should dry that off." Startled, Minji spun around, her eyes scanning the room for the source of the voice. Suddenly, she saw Haerin, seated on the couch like a hidden specter, her presence coiled in an otherworldly suspense. Haerin, pale and reserved, seemed to materialize out of thin air, and her words carried a mysterious weight. "You could catch a cold," she added, intensifying the enigma surrounding her.
"What are you doing here?" Minji shuddered. Haerin's eyes held a glint of something unreadable as Minji confronted her. "I thought you could use some company," she replied, her tone cryptic. The room felt charged with an energy Minji couldn't quite grasp, and Haerin's presence seemed to transcend the ordinary. "You seemed a bit lost at the beach," Haerin continued, her words hanging in the air like a secret waiting to be unraveled.
"You've been following me?" Minji furrowed her brows. Haerin's eyes met Minji's with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. "I've been keeping an eye on you," she admitted, her voice holding a magnetic allure. The room seemed to tighten with an unspoken connection, and Minji felt a strange mix of vulnerability and curiosity. "It's not easy for me to stay away," Haerin confessed.
The air between them crackled with tension as Haerin continued, her gaze unwavering. "I know you've been dreaming about me, Minji. The connection we share goes beyond the ordinary. It's something that defies explanation, something primal."
Minji's heartbeat quickened, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She couldn't deny the pull Haerin had on her, an inexplicable force that seemed to transcend reason. "Why are you here?" Minji asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid of the truth.
Haerin stood up gracefully, her movements almost ethereal. "There's a storm coming, and you're at the center of it. I need to protect you, even if it means going against everything I've ever known."
Minji's realization echoed in the room like a whispered secret. She bit her lip, the gravity of Haerin's presence sinking in. "You've been living here," she uttered, eyes searching Haerin's for an explanation.
"I thought you had it all figured out," Minji added, a mixture of confusion and concern in her voice. Haerin averted her gaze, a hint of vulnerability surfacing. "I do, I did, but I needed to see you, protect you," Haerin confessed, her words carrying the weight of a profound duty.
Minji blinked, absorbing the revelation. "Where are the others?" she questioned, trying to grasp the extent of the supernatural intricacies at play. "Doesn't matter," Haerin replied cryptically, and Minji, sensing an urgency, searched for an excuse.
"My dad's coming home; he's the sheriff," Minji hastily explained, a touch of anxiety in her voice. Haerin smiled, a blend of reassurance and determination. "I can hide," she assured, as the twilight outside mirrored the enigma within the room.
Minji, wearied by the revelations, gazed into Haerin's feline eyes, seeking answers in the enigmatic pools of her gaze.
The door clicked shut, and Haerin vanished like a phantom, leaving Minji to scan the room in her sudden absence. The atmosphere hung heavy with secrecy as a voice echoed, "I'm home." It was Minji's father, stepping into the house. She turned to greet him, masking her inner turmoil. "Hi, Dad," she replied, feigning normalcy. His discerning gaze probed, "Something wrong?" Minji, with a subtle shake of her head, brushed off his concern. "No, just cold. I'm gonna go upstairs," she hastily uttered before fleeing to the refuge of her room.
The door creaked softly as Minji entered her room, the ethereal glow from the dim lamp casting a delicate dance of shadows on the walls. Haerin's voice, like a whispering breeze, broke the silence. "Your father's quite protective," she remarked, her eyes glinting in the subdued light. Minji, unfazed, continued to navigate the room.
"He's always been, kinda like you," Minji uttered softly, her words hanging in the air like an unspoken connection. Haerin, perched at the edge of the room, absorbed the sentiment.
Haerin, her cat-like eyes gleaming with an enigmatic depth, stepped away from the shadows and approached Minji. The room seemed to shrink with the intensity of their unspoken connection, the air thick with a mixture of curiosity and the weight of shared secrets.
Minji perched on the edge of her bed, her gaze meeting Haerin's in a silent exchange. The tension between them crackled like static electricity, yet there was a subtle understanding, a recognition of something profound beneath the surface.
Haerin, breaking the quietude, spoke with a low, melodic tone, "You're not like the others, Minji." Her words lingered, a gentle echo in the room, as if unraveling layers of a mysterious tapestry.
Minji, caught in the ebb and flow of the moment, searched Haerin's eyes for answers. The room felt like a sanctuary, a space where truths dared to unveil themselves in the soft glow of the lamp.
As the seconds stretched into moments, Haerin leaned against the window frame, her figure cloaked in the ambient shadows. "You've changed," she continued, her voice carrying the weight of countless untold stories.
Minji, enveloped in the cryptic atmosphere, felt the gravity of Haerin's presence. The room held its breath, suspended in the delicate balance of revelations yet to unfold.
"So have you" Minji breathed. Haerin's movements were deliberate, a dancer choreographing an intimate pas de deux. The room, bathed in the soft glow of the bedside lamp, held its breath as Haerin approached Minji.
As Haerin settled beside Minji, the contours of their forms aligned seamlessly. Minji, feeling the warmth of Haerin's presence, curled into her. The room became a sanctuary, a cocoon of shared vulnerabilities and silent exchanges.
"Everything's changed," Minji whispered, her voice a delicate melody in the hushed atmosphere. Haerin, responding to the unspoken longing, inhaled the fragrance of Minji's skin. It was an intoxicating symphony that filled the space, a sensory exploration of connection.
"Do you ever think I'll be a vampire like you?" Minji's question lingered in the air, and Haerin, with a soft exhale, pressed her face into Minji's neck. Nuzzling, she relished the closeness, the profound simplicity of just being together.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Haerin replied, her voice a gentle reassurance. Minji chuckled softly, and the room seemed to swell with the warmth of their shared laughter.
"Being immortal in this generation isn't the most promising," Haerin mused, a hint of wistfulness in her words. Minji acknowledged the truth in her statement, the weight of eternity in a world that often felt fleeting.
As the distant murmur of the TV downstairs played a background melody, Haerin paused, her eyes locking onto Minji's. "I just want to try one thing," she said, a subtle promise hanging in the air. "Stay very still," Haerin whispered as she leaned in, a breath away from a moment that could redefine their connection.
Haerin's approach was a gradual descent into intimacy, a dance where every movement held weight. Minji, eyes closed in anticipation, felt the soft command of Haerin's voice. "Don't move," she whispered, inching closer. Their lips met, and a subtle shudder passed through Minji. They kissed again, foreheads touching, and Minji, fueled by an eager longing, deepened the connection. Her arms wrapped around Haerin, pulling her closer.
A soft moan escaped Minji as they kissed, a symphony of emotions woven into the tender exchange. Losing control, Minji pushed them backward, a sense of urgency coursing through her. Haerin responded with a huff, meeting Minji's passion with her own. As they navigated the uncharted territory of desire, Minji's gasp mingled with Haerin's, creating a melody of shared intensity.
Haerin, with a gentle touch, traced the contours of Minji's shoulder blade, her palm gliding smoothly. The coolness of Haerin's skin contrasted with the warmth of the moment. Moving up, she threaded her fingers under Minji's dark, flowing hair, caressing the back of her neck.
Minji, entranced, marveled at the sensation of Haerin's touch. Her skin, beneath the fabric of her bed, felt cool and inviting. Fingers explored, working under the edges of Minji's tank top, and she couldn't help but appreciate the tactile connection. Haerin's nails traced lightly down the outside of Minji's arm, eliciting goosebumps in their wake. Overwhelmed by the sensations, Minji surged forward, pressing a heated kiss to Haerin's shoulder
Minji cradled Haerin's face in her hands, pressing her lips against hers once more. The kiss was met with a hungry response from Haerin, who eagerly nipped at Minji's lips. The two became entangled in each other, reveling in the opportunity to embrace their connection as mates. A contented sigh escaped Minji's lips, a shared desire for more palpable in the air, echoed by Haerin's own longing.
As they reclined, Minji's ears caught the approaching footsteps, prompting a gasp. "No," she exclaimed, gently pushing Haerin away. Haerin emitted a low growl of frustration. The door creaked open, and Minji's dad peered inside with a suspicious glance. "Are you okay?" he inquired, concern etched on his face.
Minji quickly straightened up, cheeks flushed. "Yeah, Dad, just tired from the journey," she replied, forcing a smile.
Haerin. In the shadows, still visibly irritated, shot a pointed look at Minji's father. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything," he said before closing the door. Haerin turned to Minji, a mixture of frustration and disappointment in her eyes. "We can't keep doing this," she muttered. Minji sighed, realizing the complications of their secret encounters.
The room carried the remnants of Haerin's frustration, evident in the set of her jaw and the tension in her movements. Minji approached her gently, her eyes filled with understanding. "He just caught us off guard, that's all."
Haerin huffed, pacing as her irritation lingered. "It's more than that, Minji. I can't stand having to hide like this, and your dad just makes it worse."
Minji rose to her feet, and with a swift movement, Haerin was standing in front of her. "He's just worried. I haven't told him about what happened yet. He thinks I'm just here for the weekend," Minji explained. Haerin clenched her jaw in frustration.
"I can't ever lose control with you," Haerin heard Minji's concern. "You won't," Minji reassured her. Haerin turned away, and Minji pleaded, "Don't leave. I don't want to be alone."
Minji's words hung in the air, a silent plea for understanding and comfort. Haerin hesitated, then turned back to face her, realizing the vulnerability in Minji's eyes.
Haerin's tense demeanor softened slightly at Minji's words. She turned back to face her, meeting Minji's gaze. "Please," Minji implored.
Minji reached for Haerin's hand, intertwining their fingers. "I promise I'll talk to my dad. Let him know you're here because of some school project or something. We'll figure it out together, okay?" Haerin nodded, a hint of relief crossing her features. The connection between them, expressed through their entwined fingers, conveyed a shared determination to navigate the complexities of their situation.
"You said you wouldn't leave, you promised," Minji said, her voice tinged with a mix of disappointment and vulnerability. Haerin looked down to the floor, a shadow passing over her features before she responded.
"But I can't stay," Haerin said, her tone low. "Your dad, he disrupts us, and it's too risky."
Minji tightened her grip on Haerin's hand, pleading in her eyes. "We'll find a way, Haerin. I don't want to lose you. We can't let this tear us apart."
Haerin nodded, "Okay, I trust you"