Chapter 44: A night without you

I think I had a dream I can’t remember.

A dream where I walked hand-in-hand with someone.

That person’s hand was big and warm… it felt like I didn’t want to let go.

“I want to hold it again…”

The silver-haired girl woke up from her sleep and quietly gazed at the front door.

It felt as if a familiar shadow would open that door and step inside any moment.

That familiar shadow would say, ‘I’m home,’ and embrace her tightly in their wide, warm arms.

Just like always.

“Sihyun… when are you coming…?”

But only the girl’s shadow sat alone in the empty room.

“I’m… waiting patiently…”

A tiny tremor of unease tried to well up in the girl’s heart, but it quickly subsided.

Because he promised he would definitely return early today.

Because they promised to share a very important ceremony together.

“We’re… getting engaged…”

She promised to share a crucial vow with Sihyun, one that would bind their souls as one.

– “If you don’t keep a pinky promise, you’ll get hit by a meteor and die. Haha.”

He even put a magical restriction on it, where breaking the promise meant getting struck by a meteorite and dying.

“So… Sihyun will definitely come…”

Just the thought of getting engaged to Sihyun allowed Luna to shake off all her anxieties.

It was that important of a promise to the girl.

“I want to… practice…”

Instead of waiting endlessly at the front door, the girl decided to practice what an engagement was until he arrived.

“Because Sihyun… taught me a little…”

Luna got off the bed and sat down by the window, where moonlight streamed in.

She then sat a rabbit doll neatly on the opposite side, as if to watch her practice.

“Ruru… please watch me and see if I do well…”

The girl gently held the rabbit doll’s hand for a moment and slowly continued speaking.

“Does engagement… start with holding hands…?”

Luna closed her eyes and recalled Sihyun’s explanation.

– “Engagement is about exchanging promises to marry in a good atmosphere, with meaningful items.”

The girl briefly took out the hairpin Sihyun had carefully placed in her hair and held it tightly in her hand.

A precious item Sihyun had given her months ago, anticipating the day they would get engaged.

A cold metal, yet somehow warm, hairpin.

Luna imagined Sihyun standing behind the doll and opened her lips.

“It’s a vow… to bind our souls… and to be together forever now…”

A vow made with one’s soul.

A promise never to be separated again.

The emotion of ‘joy’ once again surged within Luna’s heart.

Just practicing made her feel so much, so if she actually got engaged to Sihyun, how much… how much—

‘How much… will I desire you…?’

Suddenly, she missed the sensation of the hand she held in her dream.

No, not just in her dream, but Sihyun’s hand, which had always held her even when she was awake, was what she missed.

“Sihyun, I’ll wait… until you come back…”

Luna hugged Ruru tightly and carefully lay down on the moonlit floor.

The floor was a little cold.

“Maybe he… got lost…?”

Perhaps he, too, was a little excited about their engagement tonight.

So perhaps he made a mistake he wouldn’t normally make.

But Luna trusted his promise to return quickly.

“Because even if he’s a little late… he always came back to my side…”

He had never broken a promise before.

So I can trust him. Right…?

The girl lay in the moonlight and decided to close her eyes for just a moment.

Hoping that when she opened her eyes this time, he would surely be back.

****

[Luna, why are you alone today?]

A familiar voice, tickling her ears, spoke.

The Black Moon, a being identical to Luna but entirely different, embraced Luna and spoke.

“Sihyun still… hasn’t come…”

The clock on the wall now pointed to 2 AM.

She had closed and opened her eyes under the moonlight, but Sihyun still hadn’t returned.

“Sihyun… why aren’t you here…?”

The girl’s question scattered into the air, unheard by anyone.

[Luna, why isn’t Sihyun coming?]

The black aura slowly seeped in.

It leaned against Luna’s shoulder and gently stroked her hair.

The movement was soft, yet an ominous energy lingered at its fingertips.

[With such a beautiful girl waiting at home, doesn’t Sihyun feel sorry for us?]

“Sihyun will… definitely come…”

The girl murmured softly. As if speaking to herself.

It was a comforting thought, telling herself to trust him, not to doubt him.

[Yes, Luna trusts Sihyun. Ahh~ How pitiful and cute Luna is.]

The Black Moon spun around in place, brushing past Luna.

Lightly pushing off the floor with its toes, as if dancing.

The movements were light, but with each passing motion, a strange energy spread.

[But Luna, what if he doesn’t come back? If he abandons us and never returns, what will we… what will Luna do?]

“If Sihyun… never comes back…?”

She didn’t want to think about it.

She shouldn’t imagine it.

‘I shouldn’t… think about it… I’ll worry Sihyun again…’

A dark crimson aura might erupt from her without her knowing.

“Sihyun will come back… he promised…”

Luna continued to trust Sihyun, even with the Black Moon’s whispers.

All the many things he had taught her, from how to wait to how to keep promises.

All of them stood as solid pillars within Luna’s heart.

[That’s right. Sihyun is a man who always keeps his promises. Isn’t that right, Luna?]

“Yes… that’s why I like him even more…”

The Black Moon was not in a hurry.

Slowly, ever so slightly, it listened to Luna’s opinions and comforted the girl.

To avoid repeating the same mistake.

To finally make the girl do its bidding this time.

‘Slowly… I must seep in very slowly. I will wait for the moment… the moment Luna’s heart gradually empties.’

The Black Moon observed Luna’s reaction, then stealthily turned around and placed a hand on her shoulder.

[Then Luna, it must be lonely waiting for Sihyun alone, so shall I tell you a story?]

“A story…?”

[Yes, a very interesting old tale. Luna will surely like it when she hears it, won’t she?]

“No.”

[Yes, a good idea… Luna, what did you just say?]

Luna’s golden eyes gleamed as she looked directly at the Black Moon.

“No. Old tales are for Sihyun to tell me.”

Luna’s demeanor was different from usual.

The girl rarely expressed direct likes or dislikes.

Because she didn’t properly understand what those feelings were.

But now, for the first time, the girl felt the emotion of ‘dislike’.

She ‘disliked’ another being imitating something only Sihyun did.

[……Luna truly likes Sihyun, doesn’t she.]

The Black Moon was momentarily flustered but quickly regained its composure.

There was plenty of time anyway.

It had forcibly squeezed out its power for this moment.

‘I pushed myself a bit… but for today, I’ve fixed fate so he cannot return. If Luna realizes Sihyun won’t return even tomorrow, she will surely waver.’

Sihyun had indeed felt as if ‘something had forcibly fixed the future’.

This time, this night, was the result of the Black Moon overexerting its power to keep Sihyun and Luna apart for just one day.

‘I mustn’t miss this chance.’

Since Luna had strongly rejected the offer of an old tale, the Black Moon quickly changed the subject.

[By the way, Luna, what were you practicing earlier?]

“Engagement… with Sihyun…”

[Engagement, huh… Perhaps Sihyun is late because he’s buying a gift for Luna. Otherwise, there’s no way he’d be this late, right Luna?]

“Is that… it…?”

[Of course. Is there any other reason for him to be late on such an important day, promising marriage to a cute and beautiful girl like Luna?]

The Black Moon sat facing Luna and took her hand.

[Like this, you hold hands with Sihyun and make a promise. To live for each other forever. A promise to live for you, in life and in death—that’s the promise we’re sharing with Sihyun.]

“With Sihyun… forever…”

[Luna, no matter how late it gets, Sihyun will surely return before morning, right? Because he promised to get engaged with us on a beautiful moonlit night.]

“Yes… Sihyun will come back…”

The Black Moon, holding Luna’s hand, lay down beside her.

The sight of the two identical girls lying on the floor, looking at each other, was like seeing a beautiful painting under the moonlight.

[Luna, don’t worry anymore. Let’s close our eyes together and wait until Sihyun comes. When we wake up from a nap, Sihyun will wake us up with a bright smile.]

“Really…?”

[Absolutely. Luna is practically Sihyun’s bride, isn’t she? A groom never leaves his bride alone on their first night. He will definitely return. To this place where Luna and I are waiting, to Luna’s side, where she longs to see him.]

“Sihyun’s bride……”

The Black Moon’s hand gently stroked Luna’s eyes.

The touch was very careful, as if wishing the girl to fall into a deep sleep.

[Sweet dreams, princess.]

****

Beside the softly sleeping Luna, the Black Moon’s expression slowly began to contort.

[Haa… Ahh… Ahhh…! Finally… Finally…!!]

How long had it waited for this moment?

A perfect night to remain by Luna’s side, undisturbed by anyone.

[Beautiful… you are more beautiful than anyone, Luna……]

Silver hair that absorbed the moonlight.

Golden eyes that discerned all right and wrong in the world.

[Even with such a small, unblooming body, you drive me this mad. Everything about you… everything, I covet it……!]

Such sticky, clinging greed.

The Black Moon wanted Luna.

In the distant past. And now.

It wanted to take her into its hands right now, if its heart had its way.

But.

[Let’s not get too excited… It’s almost time.]

It wasn’t time yet.

It was still too early to claim her.

Luna, realizing Sihyun wasn’t there in the morning, would surely crumble.

[Ahh…! My poor Luna. Even in your dreams, you must believe Sihyun will come. But he won’t come. No, he cannot come. Because I made it so.]

The Black Moon twisted fate at the cost of sacrificing its own physical form.

[When you realize he won’t return, Luna, rain will fall in your heart. And that rain will continue, ceaselessly, soaking everything about you. Ahh, how… how pitiful a sight it will be…! How… how sweet a sight it will be, to see you drenched in the rain of sorrow.]

We’re going back to that time.

To that time when only Luna and I remained.

[An old tale where a handsome prince saves a beautiful princess… it’s about time for it to get tiring, don’t you think, Lucian?]

The Black Moon smiled sinisterly, wishing for the dawn of despair to arrive quickly.