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Oct 6, 2025

𝟏.𝟑 Come Back To Me

Nothing But ~ Cool With You Series

Word Count: 7.4k

pairing: ot8!ateez x fem!reader

future & fantasy au (non kpop-idols au)

chapter summary: the soul guard has received their first mission to protect someone who has fallen ill to the hanahaki disease. but destroying the monster won’t be the only challenge the team must face.

warnings: violence, use of magic, identity issues, fictional places, power struggle.

dividers by anitalenia

Cool With You Series Masterlist

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Taglist: @lunaryoongie @raicecakes-and-buldak

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Monday, June 23rd, 2025

The war was becoming less and less avoidable, it would happen sooner or later. Everyone was tired of the great corporations deceiving them with the illusion of true love between soulmates, and worse, the supposed cure for hanahaki disease. Humanity was already broken enough, and it kept fracturing further and further.

Yet, this didn’t mean the same for two rather peculiar people: a charismatic fourteen-year-old boy, and his twenty-five-year-old aunt, sometimes overly cheerful, other times painfully silent.

It was clear as day they weren’t who they used to be. It was as if lightning had struck them and they’d left behind everything they once knew about themselves. It wasn’t coincidence, they were right. They just would never know why.

The boy was sharing his body with the God of Love, Eros. His guardian, on the other hand, was bonded with none other than the Goddess of Magic, Hecate. It’s hard to understand why such a duo would ever accept such a fusion, but there was no turning back. Time was running against them. They had to move forward, to reach the answers to the countless theories that had emerged since Y/N had managed to reincarnate.

It hadn’t only been years of planning and careful execution. The deed had already been done, quietly. Only a god could comprehend the chaos they had unleashed. The world was never the same again, and yet, no one seemed aware of it.

The war approaching meant something else entirely for them, hope. A shift in fate that might allow them to confront Aphrodite’s curses and poisons, the dead illusions of Y/N’s love for her soulmates who had done nothing but reject her in every possible way, even when their own lives were at risk.

This wasn’t mere obsession. It was devotion. A longing that had driven Eros for centuries to once again hold in his arms what he had loved, desired, worshipped, and cherished more than anything as a god of Olympus. To say he “fought” for it would be an understatement.

His persistence had caused ripples across humanity; disasters, consequences only mortals were forced to bear. He had gone too far, but to step back now would not be cowardice. It would be betrayal to the very thing that kept him alive.

Perhaps the only one who shouldn’t have been caught in these turbulent waters was Hecate. Known for her loyalty to the God of the Underworld, she was now bound to the fate Eros had warned her about: a long life shared with a mortal body until the God of Love fulfilled his goal. Hecate gave no explanation, she simply said she wanted to prevent the usual catastrophes Eros tended to create. Still, there were hidden intentions, things that would never be spoken, until the time was right.

Eros’s curse had only recently been broken, the one that kept him from acting while his soulmate endured rejection and pain. Not that he could do much while trapped inside the body of a fourteen-year-old boy. He had arrived too late, but even so, nothing stopped him. Destiny had already set its course, but he would rewrite it. His soulmate wouldn't die. Not now, and if possible, never.

He didn’t take advantage of vulnerability; he simply adapted. Life moved forward, and he moved with it, driven by purpose, no matter who got tangled along the way.

“I hope you’re ready for this” he said. “You won’t be visiting Olympus for a long while.”

Hecate tilted her jaw slightly. It could have been a smile or a grimace. It didn’t matter. She was already deep inside, far too deep.

Your eyes struggled to open, adjusting to the dim light filling the VR vehicle’s cabin. Your neck ached, your limbs stiff as you tried to stretch them awake.

It was still dark outside, which could only mean it was early morning. Without much thought, everyone seemed to be heading toward the first destination they could find, regardless of the consequences.

Thursday, October 25th, 2035

Time had passed since the attack since your first encounter with one of the many soulmates you supposedly possessed.

Inside the VR, everyone’s reactions differed; ironically, yours was the most positive. There were no records about Sejeong’s soulmate, not that it mattered. Surely Hecate had pulled a few strings to prevent that from becoming a problem.

Hades himself didn’t even know what it meant to have a soulmate. Not until he became Chan. And instead of experiencing the most beautiful, unconditional love in the world, he found himself pierced by a dagger lodged deep in his chest. One that wouldn’t stop bleeding.

As for Soobin… there wasn’t much information either. Hecate had briefly mentioned that he wasn’t suited to have a soulmate, which made little sense. Every human on this planet was connected to another, no matter the distance. That was something you’d have to look into later.

That left you: your first encounter with one of them.

You had touched his hand. Felt it tense beneath your fingertips. Yet the most striking part was the softness and warmess of his skin. So gentle it left you spellbound. Maybe he was trained to strike, to fight monsters, to handle high-caliber weapons, but his touch wasn’t rough or harsh. It was delicate. Fragile. The most sensitive thing you had ever felt in your life or at least, in what you could remember of it.

That’s what having a soulmate is like. A single touch steals every thought away. You didn’t want to forget a single thing. Not the scent you caught, not the face, not the shine in his eyes. Everything about him was beautiful because it was him. Your mind swarmed with these strange, obsessive thoughts. You wanted to see him again. You had to.

The others noticed your “enthusiasm.” They didn’t even call it love. Sejeong had to explain to Soobin that a soulmate bond was that intense. So vivid and real. It was like regaining colors that had long faded from your emotions. There was still a long way to go before your heart could fully feel again, but this was the first spark of what such a connection could awaken.

Soobin wished he could feel the same. Unfortunately, things were different for him. He’d always imagined his father differently. Seonghwa was something new, an unfamiliar presence. Sejeong had warned him, disappointment in her tone, that this might happen: that the man wouldn’t remember anything, that he could be dangerous or simply detached. Sadly, he turned out to be both.

Soobin didn’t blame him. Even if Seonghwa could remember everything, it wouldn’t be enough. He came from another world, other parents, another you. He’d already accepted he would never get them back, but maybe, in you, he could find something close to comfort. Not as a mother, perhaps, but as a friend. A connection. Vague, yet fascinating. Or so he thought.

Meeting Seonghwa quickly became a regret. He preferred things as they were before. It was tragic that such a mysterious, dangerous man had to linger in your life simply because he was the other’s source of air.

Sejeong wasn’t much different. She’d messed up, badly. If anything could have restored some of her credibility, she ruined it alongside Eros. Especially him.

The ride continued in silence, the atmosphere heavy after what had happened. But not for long, Hecate, or maybe Sejeong (who could tell anymore), snapped.

You didn’t know if she was furious with herself and her impulses, or with Eros’s ridiculous ideas.

She started yelling things like why she had ever believed this plan could work, how absurd it was to think that no matter where the soulmates were, “sooner or later, they’d all return to Y/N.” Nonsense.

Just pointless words. Sejeong had wasted her time elsewhere instead of tracking or guiding them, whatever it took to prevent another maniac like the Shadow Guardian. And deep down, she knew it: the others were likely facing the same chaos. She didn’t need to be a prophet to see it coming.

He tried to kill all of you! If it hadn’t been for Chan (though one could swear it wasn’t Hades’ will), Sejeong’s body would’ve been crushed beneath those damned trees. It would’ve been absurd: to die, return to the Underworld, and wait for her vessel to be ready for another fusion. That would take at least fifty years.

She might have hated Seonghwa for nearly ruining everything she and Eros had built over the past three decades. Yet that hatred was nothing compared to the one she carried toward herself. For failing you, for failing Soobin, for breaking Chan’s heart and, in turn, Hades’, and worst of all, for abandoning those seven boys whose whereabouts remained an unanswered question, their purposes and beliefs now unknown.

It was more than clear: if they continued using the divine strength granted to them as Guardians so recklessly, as Seonghwa had, they were doomed. Someone was pulling the strings, and she unknowingly, was helping them. She was the only one who could fix this, though she doubted whether she could restore the balance or even gain back the boys’ trust. Still, she would try. Starting now.

“Stop the van, right now.”

Chan hit the brakes abruptly, startling everyone inside. Thankfully only three other passengers besides him. He turned toward his ancient companion, disoriented. What was she plotting now?

Ignoring their curious looks, she grabbed her ridiculous water bottle, jumped out of the van, straightened her hair and clothes, and took out the famous box of moon cookies.

Everyone followed, not just Chan. They needed to see what their leader was planning. And he understood the moment his eyes landed on the cookie in her hand.

“You’re meeting with him? After everything he’s done?”

“It’s my duty. I need to find out what’s happening to him, and to the others.”

You and Soobin stayed quiet. You both understood. She wouldn’t rest until she had at least one answer.

“You’re leaving me alone with the kids?” Chan didn’t even look at her. Perhaps it wasn’t anger, maybe it was fear. Fear that he wouldn’t be enough to protect you two. Was he truly fit for the task? Searching for Persephone hadn’t exactly gone well; he had found nothing. Still, his actions had driven both young souls to do what you two did. Without the soulmate bond, they would’ve been dead.

Hades would never admit it aloud, but he also tended to screw things up when it mattered most.

“I trust you can handle it. You always have, just with my support,” she replied. “Please. I have a feeling I’ll find answers about Persephone.” Her last words were spoken louder, as if forcing him to change his mind faster.

Sejeong avoided his gaze too. Their relationship hadn’t been the same for a long time, and leaving him in charge of something she guarded so carefully wasn’t ideal. Still, considering the chaos surrounding them, it was barely justifiable.

It would be fine. Chan would manage. Hades accepted mostly for the sake of Persephone or so he kept telling himself. Yet he would likely shoulder all the weight before letting any of his team members get hurt.

Surely, they wouldn’t be so unlucky as to get assigned a mission during Sejeong’s absence. Right?

“Wake up, kids.”

Chan’s voice broke the silence. It was barely 6 a.m., dawn painting the sky, and they were approaching their next destination. His tone carried a hint of nervousness, not enough to give him away, but enough to notice.

“We’ve got a mission. We’ll be facing a monster. On our own.”

SILVER LEAF

You were excited to visit a new city, one of the few that still preserved real traces of nature. There weren’t many left; after the war, such places were counted on one hand. Perhaps it was the lingering thrill from your encounter with the Shadow Guardian that made this moment feel even more special.

This was a protected zone, maintained by experts in natural biology. No one could move in or out. That was the city’s only flaw.

Still, for full-time travelers like you, there wasn’t much to complain about. The only real problem was locating the next potential victim of the soul-devouring monsters. And, of course, carrying all the hunting gear without drawing attention. Even hidden in equipment crates, it was suspicious enough for tourists to be hauling that much weight.

Chan’s radar had detected someone in the area showing early symptoms of hanahaki disease, meaning they were vulnerable and time was against them.

Luck seemed to be on your side. After only two hours at the entrance checkpoint, you were finally allowed in. Those two hours had been enough to form a rough plan for tracking down the afflicted soul.

Silver Leaf was unlike any other place. A city built among the trees, literally. Homes suspended high above the ground, interwoven with branches. Its citizens were fierce protectors of nature; anyone caught neglecting a tree or a plant faced lifelong exile.

Because of that, the city wasn’t very large, despite the number of dwellings. The search shouldn’t have been too difficult. Yet you had to keep your cover. No one knew when the people who sent Seonghwa, or worse, the angels might appear.

Once again, the three of you posed as an odd little family of tourists, visiting for souvenirs and snapshots with your recycled cameras (along with the ridiculous amount of hidden gear). After a short walk deeper into the city, you decided to risk using the radar. Nothing seemed out of place. The scenery made the trip worthwhile, but each passing minute felt wasted.

Chan wasn’t sure whether the soul-devourer only hunted at night, he suspected so, but preferred not to take chances.

If you thought you had seen all Silver Leaf had to offer, you were wrong. The radar led you to a small, secluded village on the edge of town. There stood a crumbling yet breathtaking temple, entangled in vines and framed by a pristine lake, perhaps one of the last natural ones in existence.

You didn’t regret the view at all. Still, one question lingered: who would choose such a place to suffer from unrequited love?

The answer came quickly. A man, perhaps in his fifties, emerged from the temple’s great doors, closing them behind him with a tired sigh. His disappointment was written all over his face.

You approached carefully, hoping not to disturb him, just to confirm whether he was the one they were looking for. But soon it was clear: this conversation might not lead anywhere.

“It’s closed. Come back another day,” he muttered dryly. Turning away, he didn’t even bother to glance at you.

You saw Chan and Soobin exchange uncertain looks, unsure how to get him to talk or how to reach the answer they sought.

It might have been reckless, but you knew hesitation would cost you. Delay too long, and you’d be facing two soul-devourers instead of one. That wasn’t an option.

“Good afternoon, respected member of this fine community—”

Your companions tried to stop you, but it was too late. Doing so would’ve looked even stranger. They didn’t understand what you were about to do.

“We are specialists in treating the Hanahaki disease. While we can’t promise a cure, we’re here to offer support to help slow its progress, and we heard someone around here might need help.” You finished explaining, hoping your improvised, few-seconds-old plan would actually work, otherwise, none of you had any idea how you’d reach the person in question.

The man looked even more irritated than before, yet he didn’t lash out. Instead, he seemed to twist in on himself, as if caught in the grip of a painful memory stirred by your words.

“Alright, you can help me, as long as you don’t charge soul essence…”

You cut him off the second he gave his approval, wanting to make sure this would work or at least, that you didn’t sound like complete frauds.

“Don’t worry, sir. It’s completely free, and we’ll do everything we can to help.”

The man opened the great temple doors again. There were no ordinary words to describe how breathtaking it looked from the inside. Colorful yet clear glass windows filtered the faint light through the branches and overgrown vines. The floor, made from the brightest material they could find, though slightly damaged still shimmered warmly, keeping the place feeling oddly homey. Wooden benches, perfectly polished, radiated a comforting sense of calm.

It was hard to focus while trying to memorize every detail, to take in each one without calling it a waste of time. The man guided you through several rooms until you reached one that stood out as the most well-kept of them all.

He knocked gently on the door, waiting for an answer from the other side, his voice tinged with worry, as if afraid no one was there.

“Sweetheart, it’s Dad. Please open up. I have some news for you.”

Everything about his tone made it clear whoever was behind that door wouldn’t even bother to check what her worried father wanted to say.

Not until they heard the sound of dozens of locks being unlatched, one by one, until finally, the case of the day revealed itself. A girl, roughly Soobin’s age, barely able to stand, stepped out, her expression even more annoyed than her father’s had been. It was obvious. She was the one you’d been looking for.

AURORAGLEN

Not far from where her friends were stationed, unaware of the mission they’d soon face that day, Sejeong moved quietly through a massive labyrinth of gardens and tangled vines that defined this city. It was common for this territory to overflow with greenery, thick trees, vibrant leaves, and wild, untamed life everywhere.

Sejeong had always loved admiring landscapes, even the most abstract ones like this strange maze though she wasn’t sure if it would lead her to a citizen’s charming home or to whatever unknown destiny awaited the goddess of magic, now guided only by the mooncake infused with the shadow guardian’s essence.

At first, she thought she might stumble upon a lair a place where the other guardians were being trained, yet when she found herself in this confusing but serene maze, she realized this must have been Seonghwa’s home in recent years. That left her with even fewer clues about what she was really walking into.

She kept moving aimlessly, relying only on faith in her magic, her chest tightening with every step, weighed down by the mistakes that had brought her here. She still didn’t fully understand why she was doing this in the first place. Was it for Eros? For Hades? For you and Soobin?

Or… for her?

After centuries without seeing her, Sejeong believed that these acts of faith might one day lead her back to her. Maybe, somehow, she’d see her again.

Soon, she approached a cluster of strange palm trees she had never seen before since arriving in the mortal world. They grew thickly enough to cover what looked like the maze’s endpoint concealing a hidden section meant to mislead anyone trying to find it. But Sejeong wasn’t anyone, and she knew it.

She crept closer, staying behind whatever she could find for cover, until she spotted the entrance to what appeared to be a secret underground base tucked away in this strange garden.

What puzzled her was the absence of guards securing the place or so she thought, until she heard voices. Quickly, she moved toward some enormous pots near the far end of the structure to listen more closely.

It was fascinating. First, she heard a woman’s voice. Confident, firm, and more harsh than kind. Speaking to what seemed like a strange android. The machine obeyed her every move, following her like a loyal lapdog.

Unfortunately, they were still too far for Sejeong to make out most of the conversation. She couldn’t sense any clear emotion, nor could she feel the presence of the shadow god nearby. Yet the woman’s aura… it reminded her of someone. Someone divine. It was hard to believe she was just another mortal dressed in luxurious, extravagant clothes, hiding in a place like this. Something wasn’t right.

She thought she was in control, that no one had seen her enter, yet within seconds, she saw it: her shadow overlapping with someone else’s.

She wasn’t alone.

And she hadn’t expected him.

The man didn’t even try to restrain her. A simple call to the elegant woman who had been speaking to the android was enough.

Sejeong froze.

She couldn’t believe it, he was here. Alive. Well. Older. The traces of adolescence had faded from his face, replaced with sharp arrogance and pride.

Wooyoung was fine, yet it was painfully obvious that both he and Eros were trapped in a trance, enslaved to this woman’s command. Or worse, maybe someone even stronger was pulling the strings.

Within moments, the woman cornered the goddess. Like Wooyoung, she didn’t rush; she walked with grace, deliberate and calm, like a predator utterly certain its prey had nowhere to run.

The android followed behind silently, waiting for her next command.

The woman’s presence alone was enough for Hecate to piece together some of the answers she’d been searching for or at least one.

This place was crawling with gods from Olympus, and Lady Mina was no exception. Another case of soul fusion, though powered by magic that wasn’t her own and that deeply worried Hecate. Still, she couldn’t let her guard down.

“Well, what a surprise, Hecate. I thought you’d be off somewhere else, playing with your little team of teenagers and their toys”, the woman mocked, her tone dripping with venom. Wooyoung smirked beside her, and Sejeong’s silent stare at him only fueled their amusement.

“Oh, I see. The air reeks of a goddess who always felt useless, frustrated with her domain. What’s the matter, Algaea? Did Zeus abandon you, and now you’ve come to grovel among mortals just to please your real mistress?”

Sejeong didn’t hold back her contempt, she spoke the words like a blade, sharp and unflinching, toward one of Aphrodite’s Charites. The woman could hide it all she wanted, but it was obvious who was truly behind this chaos.

Her insult struck deep. The Charis’s smirk vanished, her fury flashing in her eyes as she ordered Wooyoung to seize the goddess. He grabbed her arms violently, pinning them behind her back and forcing her down to her knees.

The android approached, yanking the goddess’s hair so she could only look at Mina and though Hecate now understood why she’d seemed so familiar, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen this woman long ago, back in the mortal world.

Once again, Mina refused to dirty her hands. Instead, she reveled in the sight of one of Olympus’s strongest goddesses brought low before her, smiling darkly before finally speaking again.

"Maybe you’re a little right, maybe I am resentful. But let me remind you, I have one of your boys in my hands, and he’s my loyal servant now. Neither you nor that little brat you believe to be Psyche’s ashes can do anything to reverse it."

This time, her words dripped with hatred, making her intentions unmistakable. She still didn’t mention Aphrodite by name, but she didn’t need to, she’d already clarified she only had one of the “boys.”

The meaning behind that confession was clear: more beings from Olympus were involved, each leading their own piece of this ridiculous plan or whatever scheme the goddess of beauty was weaving.

What caught her attention even more was the fact that she didn’t mention having anything to do with Wooyoung’s current state. Her suspicions led her to believe that Aphrodite herself, after so many centuries, had met Eros again and that she’d driven him into such behavior, to the point he couldn’t even remember that what tied him to the mortal world in the first place… was you.

Once again, some of her doubts would answer themselves through another unexpected appearance, one that managed to surpass even the shock of finding Wooyoung after all this time.

Sooyoung was here, though she carried herself with the aura of Persephone. She seemed to have unfinished business with Hecate, for she approached with that same poised grace, yet unlike her companions, the goddess neither mocked nor spoke. Her gaze remained cold and hostile.

It didn’t take long for her to speak, just enough to make it clear that she was the one truly in charge of this area… and apparently, of Wooyoung and Seonghwa as well.

“Release her. There’s no need to rush things when we can simply wait for her friends to join her in the taste of pain of defeat.”

Wooyoung abruptly let her go, throwing her to the ground. Sejeong could do nothing but try to breathe, regaining her composure as she writhed on the floor of that strange place under everyone’s gaze.

“You’re just as clever as I remember, dear. To make it here on your own and dare to face us alone, I really do admire you,” Persephone said with disdain, expecting a vague reply from the woman she looked down upon.

A long silence followed as Sejeong continued recovering, watching as they all shifted positions, no longer surrounding her, but standing together in front of her. Of course, all of them behind Persephone.

“Although, if you’re that clever, haven’t you wondered where that strange boy is? The one who seems so skilled at controlling shadows?” she questioned, fully aware of the answer she sought, her words nothing more than a taunt toward the woman on the ground.

Sejeong seemed to grasp the message. Seonghwa was on his way to you. The only thing that comforted her was knowing that, no matter how much power he held, nothing would ever allow him to hurt you or Soobin.

She just needed to understand why he had been sent before she even arrived. Hopefully, Hades would manage to keep everything under control.

SILVER LEAF

Since the moment she began speaking, the poor girl hadn’t stopped crying. sobbing as she tried to explain what had led her to contract hanahaki, hiccupping in pain just from recalling what tormented her so deeply.

The old man, as best as he could, tried to calm her down and explain what you were doing there, and how you might be able to help. Apparently, the girl had been engaged to someone from the city someone who had, mysteriously, ended things with her overnight and vanished without leaving a trace.

That left both you and Hades even more confused, since no one was allowed to leave the city not even if they begged on their knees before one of the angels’ higher members.

The toll of being abandoned by her beloved, combined with the rejection that shattered her so suddenly, was slowly destroying the girl from within. Her death even seemed to be approaching faster than most cases, according to Hades.

So all that was left for you was to protect her and her father. It was the perfect feast for those damned monsters. The only barrier standing in their way was that you had nothing to slow the flower’s growth inside her.

Your magic was supposed to be key at this stage, but without your soulmates, there wasn’t much you could do and your powers remained dormant. Still, as always, Soobin pulled an ace from his sleeve with a rather interesting plan.

Everything would depend on whether Seonghwa showed up again. You would have to stay close to him, to recharge a bit of what you kept so deeply hidden within yourself. Maybe then, you could fix this faster. But it wasn’t certain, this was an improvised plan, one that could go wrong… or very wrong.

Even so, you both were willing to take the risk, whatever it took to find a solution to the chaos unfolding before you.

As in the other times, the air suddenly turned darker, heavier. The temple began to fill with a strange mist that tried to choke every inch of space around it.

You weren’t off guard this time. Though convincing the girl and her father that they were in grave danger and that you were also there to eradicate the plague stealing souls in their most vulnerable state was no easy task, Chan’s convincing tone managed to get them to cooperate.

A deafening crash echoed through the air, shattering glass, breaking furniture, splintering wood collapsing under debris. The monsters destroyed everything in their path, no matter what stood before them.

This one, however, looked different, darker, more menacing, possibly larger. From your hiding spot, you could hear its guttural screams filled with pain and rage, as if trying to terrify anyone daring to face it.

The first part of the plan was working. The scent of incense and the herbs placed outside the temple helped confuse the creature and draw it away from the girl. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t last long, you had to act.

The second part of the plan: Chan’s attack. He had hidden near the altar for a better vantage point of the monster’s arrival and the ambush. As the only one with enough skill, both in weaponry and magic. It was best for him to take that position. He rose with precision, standing tall and brave enough that you almost believed the monster might fear him.

But once again, you should’ve trusted your instincts, the creature wasn’t like the others. It wasn’t that blinding one from before, nor the horrifying one that had almost killed you and Soobin the previous day.

This one had powers. You didn’t even know that was possible. Hecate had never mentioned that such creatures could gain any extra ability beyond harming their victims with their twisted bodies or draining their souls as if sipping the last drops of a drink.

Chan decided to start with one of the daggers from his arsenal, the weapons tied to his role as Guardian of the Abyss. He was more confident in close combat. But unlike the others, this monster didn’t charge blindly. It seemed smarter, analyzing the situation, sizing up its opponent.

If anything, it made the god of the underworld look impulsive. When the creature didn’t move, Chan dashed forward, ready to stab it or strike with his free hand.

The monster surprised him with impressive agility, dodging every attack. No matter how focused Chan remained, he couldn’t land a single blow but at least he was doing just as well at avoiding the creature’s strikes.

Seeing that neither his dagger nor his fists were working, he tried to grapple the beast, aiming to restrain its massive arms, to lift and slam it into the ground without mercy. For a brief second, he managed it. But the creature proved heavier, stronger, it resisted and in a brutal counter, lifted Chan as if he were a sack of grain and threw him down with bone-crushing force.

You could swear you heard the floor crack under the impact.

Soobin was still waiting for Seonghwa’s arrival to trigger the next stage of the plan, one that, for obvious reasons, he’d had to alter in order to go defend one of his mentors and closest friends. He stepped out from his small hiding place, concealed behind a strange ceramic offering.

Unlike Chan, he moved with a lighter, more relaxed posture, though that didn’t stop him from summoning his guardian’s spear, striking fast enough to surprise the creature as it lunged at him. Every motion was sharp and focused, the spear slicing through the air as he tried to wound the enemy. The beast was starting to weaken, especially when Soobin deflected its blows with precision, interposing his weapon to shield himself at every turn.

In a brief opening, Soobin managed to slash across the creature’s face, then continued attacking, thrust after thrust, aiming to wear it down further. What he didn’t know was that the abomination had recently developed new powers, and one of them was about to freeze him in place and take him out of the fight.

A strange burning sensation rose inside you.

You had to shout, to warn him that something about that thing was wrong. When the creature lifted its arm, it was charging an unfamiliar energy that Soobin, too focused on striking back, didn’t notice.

This time, the beast caught your friend off guard, grabbing his spear and shoving him backward with it. The power it had gathered burst out in a single flash once Soobin was in its line of fire, but Chan was faster, intercepting the strange burst of light, sacrificing himself for Soobin.

That burning feeling inside you surged when you saw your mentor fall rigid to the floor. It didn’t look like he had fainted, it was as if he’d been frozen, trapped in time itself. You couldn’t tell if he was still alive; his terrified, motionless expression carved a wound inside your chest, dragging you back to the moment you’d found your caretaker’s lifeless body.

You heard Soobin freeze in shock, but he forced himself to move again, to survive. A surge of energy burst from his body, crackling like lightning splitting the sky.

The creature countered with its icy powers or whatever cursed force it wielded and the two clashed relentlessly, neither giving in, yet neither landing a decisive blow.

The plan was gone. It was your turn to face it, even without a single power to rely on.

Before stepping in, you noticed the old man from the temple trying to crawl out from hiding to see what was happening.

The beast leapt across the distance toward Soobin, snatching his spear and hurling it to the far side of the room.

But it, too, had noticed what you had, the presence of someone else among you.

When Soobin tried to block its attack, the creature’s fist slammed into his stomach, sending him flying across the temple and crashing into the altar, shattering it under his weight.

Without your natural instincts awakened, you saw the old man frozen in terror, about to be struck by another icy blast from the abomination.

Then, a bolt of darkness shot from nowhere, cutting through the air, halting the attack, and searing the creature’s arm in the process.

Seonghwa was here. His presence filled the room, cold, commanding, as he stepped into the light clad once again in a dark-toned uniform that covered him head to toe, like a soldier of shadow.

This time, the burning in your chest didn’t feel like pain. It was that same restless pull that had haunted you all morning, now erupting at the sight of him standing before you again, even under these circumstances.

There was no time to think. You rushed to the old man, urging him to stay hidden. Trembling, he agreed, though he muttered that he just wanted to flee with his daughter.

Seonghwa wielded two pistols infused with his magic. The one in his hand fired concentrated blasts of power, enough to keep damaging the enemy, enough to ensure there’d be no return to the underworld for that thing.

You moved closer to the battlefield, trying not to draw attention as you dragged Hades’ frozen body out of harm’s way, hoping he might still be saved.

And just like that, after being a mere spectator to the chaos, you finally stepped in. Not to fight, but to put the main plan into motion.

You entered without armor or weapon, your only tool the heavy metal cuffs meant to bind you to your soulmate long enough for whatever might come of it.

Luckily, you’d learned to dodge a few attacks, weaving between them with surprising agility. The fight between Seonghwa and the beast was so ferocious that it barely noticed you or so you thought.

When Seonghwa’s bullets lost their effect, the creature shoved him back, not as brutally as it had done to Soobin, but enough to send him sliding across the floor. He held his ground, bracing against the impact.

This time, the enemy wasn’t aiming to freeze him, it was trying to drain his soul. It was true then, being away from you weakened him. Denying the bond could only lead to disaster, yet the manipulation clouding his mind made him see it as just another attack.

You didn’t even know where you found the speed, but you leapt forward, kicking the creature from behind to break its hold.

The cuffs were heavy, almost unbreakable, forged with intricate mechanisms and you used them as a weapon, striking again and again, your blows clumsy at first but filled with determination.

Seonghwa fired again, then joined you with a flurry of punches and kicks against the creature’s side.

After a long and brutal fight, he finally managed to knock it down, though the battle was far from over.

You heard him start to shout at you to back away, to stop interfering. You couldn’t tell whether it was out of concern or sheer irritation.

You couldn’t blame him. Your performance in the previous fight had been… embarrassing.

Still, you knew this was your moment. The right moment.

You fastened the cuffs around both your wrists. The metal locked in place instantly. Rough, cold. But strangely comforting, because it was shared with him.

He looked at you in shock, eyes wide with disbelief. Anger flashed across his face; maybe he felt betrayed, maybe hurt, but that was only your assumption. Even so, you couldn’t ignore the unfamiliar energy growing inside you, slowly building with each heartbeat.

The beast rose again, energy crackling around it, ready to strike. You weren’t the only one preparing; Soobin scrambled through the team’s smuggled arsenal, retrieving a laser weapon this time, something far more effective than before.

The creature looked ready to explode. You had to get the vial ready to capture its soul, but it was buried deep in the bag of weapons, now almost impossible to reach while bound to your soulmate.

You and Seonghwa struggled to synchronize, the chain between the cuffs biting into your wrists as he insisted on attacking.

He ignored your protests, but things shifted when the creature hurled Soobin aside and lunged at both of you.

Somehow, the two of you moved perfectly together, Seonghwa dragging you close, practically wrapping you in his arms to shield you from the attack. There was no time to breathe before the beast recovered and threw another punch. Seonghwa twisted, pulling you with him, spinning the creature toward your side. You understood instantly and kicked it square in the chest.

It didn’t throw it far, but it was enough.

Together, you wrapped the chain around both your arms, striking the enemy with the combined strength of your bond. The creature collapsed again, and in a split second of instinct, Seonghwa grabbed you by the waist and hurled you backward, straight into the abomination, so you could strike the final blow.

It caught you off guard when he lifted you over his shoulder, your wrists still locked together and threw himself backward with full force, dragging you along. The impact rattled both your bodies, the strain shooting through your bound arms and wrists.

Soobin jumped back into the fight, astonished to see the two of you battling side by side. Still, he couldn’t notice anything new about you, no matter how disappointed he looked. He kicked the creature in the stomach before finishing it off with his laser. The beast howled in agony; its end was drawing near.

You yelled at Soobin, warning him not to destroy it, not yet, not with the vessel so close.

Seonghwa was about to fire as well when you pulled him back, struggling to reach the bag.

He resisted, but luck was on your side when Sejeong appeared with her hair disheveled, strange bruises along her arms.

She opened the vessel to capture the spirit slowly. Seonghwa tried to stop her, but you wrapped your arms around him, restraining him as best you could.

Once again, he froze, completely still and after everything that had just happened, he finally seemed to accept defeat.

After the monster’s soul was sealed away, Bang Chan stirred, more accurately, thawed from the freezing attack. Confused and weak, he barely remembered what had happened.

Seonghwa, his stoic coldness slightly cracked, asked to be released from you. The only way to break the bond was through Sejeong’s fingerprint, and she wasted no time, though the resentment in her eyes was impossible to miss. She seemed to be carrying important news.

Your soulmate looked at you one last time. You couldn’t tell what expression he wore, but it seemed like he didn’t want to leave without memorizing your face, without carrying that image with him into the shadows.

The four of you watched him vanish into the darkness of his magic.

Then, one by one, your eyes met each other’s, none of you knowing what to say. It felt eerily similar to the night before.

Before leaving, you helped the old man and his daughter out of hiding. The place reeked of flowers and sickness; the girl looked weaker than before. The man didn’t even bother to ask what had happened to his temple. One look at the remains of the creature that had fought you nonstop was enough.

No one said a word. Everyone was silently waiting for the girl to faint again, most likely. But Soobin quickly took your hand, soothing the ache from the cuffs and bringing it toward the girl’s forehead.

You didn’t understand his plan until a ring of light burst from your palm, wrapping around her in a breathtaking glow.

When it faded, everyone stared in awe. Energy flowed back into her body, first making her twitch, then rise from the ground as if nothing had happened. She wasn’t completely healed, but her spirit looked brighter, livelier, as if her fiancé hadn’t taken everything from her before leaving in silence.

Shocked and overwhelmed, the girl ran to embrace her father.

After all, you had kept your promise.

Sejeong offered part of her own soul’s essence to help restore the temple’s damage. In gratitude, the man and his daughter swore to remain silent. They were just relieved the place was so far from the city, no one had come near during the chaos, or at least, that’s what they liked to believe.

She volunteered to drive the van while Chan recovered from the freezing, though he initially refused. He had noticed the poor state his fellow Olympian was in, but eventually agreed to rest.

He seemed angrier about Sejeong’s injuries than his own.

The silence in the van didn’t carry the same tension as the previous night’s, but Sejeong had promised to be honest and she intended to keep it.

Before starting the engine, she looked at everyone. you sitting in the passenger seat, and Soobin in the back holding Chan, comforting him despite his playful protest that he didn’t need such nonsense. Yet, he didn’t move when Soobin let his head rest on his shoulder.

“I’m afraid we still have a long road ahead,” she began, sounding tired but trying to hide it behind a serious tone. Then she looked at you again, her expression softer, almost… pitying.

“We have many enemies. They’re manipulating the soulmates, and I don’t know if we’ll ever get them to join us. But I won’t let them win, and I won’t let them take our friends.”

Of course, Chan interrupted her speech. He seemed to understand, but needed to hear it clearly.

“What do you mean by ‘our friends’?”

Her face fell, even sadder than before.

“I’m sorry, Chan,” she whispered. “But they have Eros. And Persephone… she appears to be Aphrodite’s second in command.”

Chan’s body tensed, a wave of pain taking over him, not disappointment, but something far worse. Flowers began to spill from his mouth again, the cursed bloom tormenting him once more.

Just like with the girl, you pressed your hand against his chest to help him. A faint light surrounded him, though weaker this time. Chan would be all right for a few days, but it was clear, something had to be done soon.

Or everything would be lost again.

Just like Eros once feared… the day you really were never comeback by his side.

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