Chapter 34: Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Namjoon couldn't help but blush at the memory of him and Elisse hugging in the hallway but worried at the same time. Elisse didn't even tell him the reason why she was crying.

Both of them sat down at the edge of the bed with Namjoon still trying to comfort her. Elisse sniffed, fiddling with her fingers before looking up at the man beside her.

"Namjoon..." She trailed off slowly, and Namjoon looked at her, all ears ready to listen to his beloved soulmate.

"What is it—" Namjoon choked, gulping his saliva. He was about to call her babe. Gladly, he wasn't able to. She might be uncomfortable about it. Namjoon wanted to call her that but he knew he couldn't and knew that Elisse isn't ready yet.

Elisse looked at Namjoon, confused look was plastered on her face. "How did you meet me? How did you know I was your soulmate?"

Namjoon's eyes widened as he was surprised by his soulmate's question. He didn't expect her to be curious, yet at the same time, he knew that there would be a day where Elisse would ask such question to him.

Namjoon sighed and nodded, remembering the time he found her.

[flashback]

It was already past the midnight as Namjoon tried to speed through the wide forest in search for someone. There was someone who was yelling and it interrupted him.

The scream from somewhere struck his heart and sent butterflies to his stomach. It gave sweet melody to his ears.

As soon as he arrived, there was no one present there, making him confused and sped back to the area and then noticed a beauty, making his heart flutter even more. He knew what was happening to him as he hid behind the trees.

Biting his lower lips, his fangs started to show as he watched the scene. She was looking at the two people, helplessly.

He found her. His soulmate.

He couldn't hear the conversation as he was far away a little bit and watched her as she grabbed the lady's hand and ran away from the area.

She knew them?

[end of flashback]

"Namjoon?" Elisse raised her eyebrows, waiting for Namjoon to answer but he just shook his head, deciding not to tell her anything. She even tried to look through Namjoon but failed to, except that his eyes said otherwise. It changed into yellow coloured—emotionally in pain.

He forced out a smile before answering. "I just met you way back then. I don't remember anymore." He sighed and pulled her into a tight hug. "Please don't ask me about it."

"Alright." Elissed smiled at him, hugging back the man. She accepted the fact that Namjoon will be someone she'll have to spend her lifetime with. Namjoon is her soulmate after all.

Elisse pulled away from the hug, cracking a smile, but this time, it wasn't genuine. It was fake. "I have to go somewhere though."

"Where to?" Namjoon blurted out, trying his hard to be nonchalant about it. He saw through her—he noticed it.

"Just somewhere." She replied bluntly before standing up. She turned around and looked at Namjoon with a precious smile on her face that he adored since day one. "I know you're not ready to tell me yet. But always know that I'll always be here for you."

He felt a pang of guilt inside his chest as he closed his eyes, remembering every inch of his soulmate's flesh. He didn't want this. He never wanted this. All he ever wanted was to be with her for the rest of her life but he knows too well on what will happen to the near future.

I'm sorry, Elisse. Was all Namjoon could ever think of. He was deeply apologizing, repeatedly while just stared at his beloved with a teary eye as she left his bedroom.

Elisse felt a bit guilty when she felt Namjoom's sincerity but she couldn't help it. She just felt suffocated being with his presence even though she already accepted him. Even with that, she still felt uncomfortable. She doesn't know why. Everytime she's with him, she felt unsafe and unsure. As if something is going to happen when she's with him.

Elisse made her way out of the mansion, sniffing and trying to smell his scent. The person she likes—the person who marked her. Not her soulmate.

A smile appeared on her lips as she finally saw him, facing back. Her inside was beaming happily just watching Jimin from the back. She raised an eyebrow, noticing Jimin looking at the big tree.

"Jimin..." Elisse's voice called him but was low enough for him not to notice as she walked towards the big tree.

Jimin looked at the big tree making Elisse pressed her lips into thin line and glanced at the tree as well, and the man noticed her being.

"Does Ha Na know you're a vampire?" Jimin started the conversation but his eyes never left the tree making the girl wonder.

The girl shook his head and looked at Jimin with a cracked voice. "She doesn't."

Jimin looked at his side and seemed to have noticed the anxiety and fear in Elisse's voice. He observed her who was trembling and starting to shake. Was she that afraid of Ha Na finding out about her identity? Why would she?

Elisse avoided his gaze and went to look back to the tree as she changed the subject, nervously and awkwardly. "I now know why you love Ha Na so much."

"What?" Jimin raised his eyebrows, taken back by the question. His heart jumped out of anxiousness now.

"It's because you had a past with her. Is this tree perhaps something related to her?" This time, the Duke's blood boiled up to the top as something in him was triggered. He didn't want to talk about the past and to think about it, how the hell did the lady know about it?

"No." Jimin's voice was rather harsh before spatting the next words to her face. "But it might have something to do with you."

Without any notice, Elisse started to grasp for air as she was lifted up and her back was pushed on the tree. Her eyes flickered to Jimin who has his fangs showing, eyes flashed in red—anger.

"What are you so afraid off, Elisse?" Jimin hissed at the girl who was struggling and trying to yank off his arms.

Why do you keep on choking me like this everytime we meet, Jimin?

Tears fell down on Elisse face as she tried to breathe in with Jimin's hands around her neck and at the same time, her heart was shattering into million pieces.

"Why would you ask me such question?" Jimin scoffed, sarcastically chuckling. Elisse was surprised. Was he talking about her question earlier?

Jimin could communicate?

Yes, I can. Jimin smirked, eyes flashing even darker as time passes by.

Her eyes widened as she realized that Jimin just communicated with her through her mind and her lips started to tremble in fear. She was frightened by how dark Jimin's eyes are and how scary he is right now that no words could describe.

Jimin's eyes started to get darker—an unusual colour of the eyes a vampire could flash. It was more close to being a black colour. Gladly, Jimin was able to control himself as he noticed Elisse's behaviour now.

"Elisse..." Jimin paused, eyes turned light red slowly. He loosened his grip a little bit but it was still too tight for Elisse.

"If you're really her best friend, you shouldn't shake like that in fear. Ha Na should accept you for who you are. What are you so afraid of?"

Because her parents was killed by a group vampires and wolves that made her hate them. That's why I can't bare to tell her that I am.

She communicated back as she stared into Jimin's eyes and still struggling to get away from his grip. The Duke’s heart sank, as well as hers.

Even if you love her, she would never love you, Park Jimin. She hates you to the point where your heart will tear into pieces.

In Elisse's mind, she just spat at him making Jimin even more furious than he ever was. He tightened back his grip.

"Remember what I told you before?" Jimin cocked his head to the side. "I will kill Ha Na even if it means death for me as well. I will save her no matter what. Even if I have to repeat what I did way back then."

His eyes darkened and darkness was slowly taking Elisse's sight. Her heart was broken thinking that Jimin is willing to sacrifice his life to get Ha Na out of misery and she, for once, wanted to be someone that Jimin could sacrifice as well.

Elisse was torn between her friendship and her love.

RISEN

Written by Hannah (daddiehoseok)