"Ha! Hah-hah-hah!"
In the heavy darkness of the forest, two men staggered between the trees, their breathing loud and uneven.
"Damn that old man! How dare he kill the boss's younger brother?!" the taller one cursed, clutching his head in disbelief.
The shorter man hissed back, "It wasn't him. That arrow—the girl inside fired it, not the middle-aged guy!"
"I know! Do you think I'm blind?!" the tall one snapped.
"You look like one," the short man muttered under his breath.
They stopped under a crooked tree, their minds sobering up at last. The haze of alcohol was gone, burned away by fear.
The tall man spat. "Pah!"
"Should we even go back to the base?" the shorter one asked nervously. "I think it's better if we run. Who knows what the boss will do to us when he hears this news…"
The thought hung heavy in the night. The shorter man's face twisted with guilt. He and the boss had gone through a lot together, but this time… they had abandoned the younger brother. Letting him die like that was something the boss would never forgive.
He shivered. "I really don't know what he'll do to us when he finds out…"
But then he clenched his fists. No. As long as we're alive, there's still hope. Oaths, loyalty, all that talk about never leaving a brother behind? Hah! The hell with it. What loyalty can you expect from a thug like me?
He lowered his head and whispered as if speaking to the boss from afar. "Don't blame us, boss… we already tried everything."
And with that, both men made their decision. They would never return to the base. Instead, they would push through the forest, find some distant village, and disappear.
But then—
They froze.
A few steps ahead, a lantern floated in the darkness.
It glowed with a strange pink light, yet the glow did not spread. It only outlined its own shape, as if the shadows swallowed everything else.
It swayed… then stilled, as if it was watching them.
"Darling… come here~"
A woman's voice, soft and seductive, slid through the night. Just hearing it made the body heat up with sinful urges. But in the cold silence of the forest, it sounded twisted. Wrong.
The tall man's eyes went wide. His instincts screamed. Without a word, he spun and bolted, leaving the short man behind.
"Tat! Tat! Tat!" His boots slammed against the earth.
"Run!" he shouted back, only after he'd already taken ten steps.
The short man jerked in shock, then turned to flee—but it was too late.
The lantern was floating right in front of him now, its pink flame swaying gently.
Under its glow, he saw her.
A woman.
Her body was sculpted temptation, her curves outlined by a silken dress that clung like it was begging to be torn. Her lips curved into a smile that promised sin and warmth, her eyes half-lidded, shimmering with a desire that felt aimed only at him. The air around her carried a sweet scent—like blossoms in spring, warm and intoxicating.
"Darling~" she whispered, the word curling into his ears like silk threads. "Come closer…"
His throat went dry. His chest burned. He had never been called that before—never heard a voice so soft, so warm, so inviting.
The fear melted. His thoughts dissolved like mist under the sun. His blood surged with heat. The scent of flowers filled his nose, sweet, intoxicating, making his skin tingle.
She's… beautiful…
His steps carried him forward, as if pulled by strings.
So close.
She leaned toward him, her breath brushing his lips—warm, sweet, like honey poured straight into his mouth. His heart thundered. His lips parted, trembling, ready to meet hers.
Just once… just once, let me have this.
He closed his eyes. He kissed her.
Soft. Sweet. Like honey melting into his mouth. Like springtime pressed against his skin. His heart soared, pounding, dizzy. For the first time in his life, he felt wanted. Desired. Needed.
…Is this what it feels like? To be loved?
She pulled him tighter, lips warm against his, her whisper spilling into his mouth:
"You said you like me, right? Then… stay with me."
His chest swelled. He almost nodded against her lips. Yes. Yes, I like you. You're beautiful…
"…Finally… I'm loved!"
The thought flickered—then the sweetness curdled.
Her lips split too wide. His tongue scraped something rough, like cracked stone. Her soft breath turned cold, sour, sliding down his throat like rot.
His eyes snapped open.
Her skin writhed under his touch, smooth curves splitting into jagged fissures. Her eyes—no longer gentle—burned red and twitched like coals stuffed into sockets. The scent soured. Blossoms became decay, crawling, infesting.
No… no, she's still—she's still beautiful—
But his mind screamed, his body rebelled. His heart pounded in terror.
Run! RUN!
Yet his lips were still pressed to hers. His arms still clung to her. The horror only tangled tighter with the heat, twisting desire into something monstrous.
"Darling," she whispered, voice now sharp and cruel. "Don't pull away. You're mine now."
Her cracked smile widened as she pulled him deeper.
The lantern flared, shadows gnashing like teeth around them.
His muffled scream vibrated against her mouth—then ripped out raw.
"MMMMM—AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
His scream ripped through the trees.
Hearing it, the tall man pushed himself harder, legs burning, lungs screaming. Faster, faster! He cursed his parents for not giving him four legs.
I have to escape! I have to!
Cold sweat drenched his back. His stomach twisted. "Damn it, how unlucky can I be?! Of all things, why a Bewitching Lantern?!"
The stories flooded back into his mind. Old tales from the village, told by gray-haired elders to scare children from wandering too far. Stories of a lantern that lured men at night, devoured them, left only bones behind.
But it wasn't just a story. The Bewitching Lantern was real. Rare—so rare that meeting one was like winning the worst kind of lottery.
"What are the city guards and that useless United Defense Organization even doing?!" he shouted into the night, half mad with fear. "Why are they letting something this dangerous roam free?!"
He cursed the guards. He cursed the United Defense. But no matter how much he cursed, his legs never stopped. He knew one thing: if he slowed even once, that pink light would take him too.
Some may say—why not just enjoy the moment?
Quality is better than quantity.
Maybe they're right. Maybe one night of bliss is better than a lifetime of nothing.
But not for him.
He just wanted to live.
Run! Run faster!
Suddenly—
A pink lantern appeared in front of him. And under its glow… he saw her.
"No…!!"
His scream echoed through the forest—before silence fell.
High above, a flicker of golden light appeared on a tree branch.
A tiny figure without a face sat there, legs dangling casually, as if enjoying the show. Its glow was gentle, almost divine.
"Hmm~ seems like… Mei Yan won't need to worry about this," it chuckled softly, before vanishing into thin air, leaving behind only drifting golden dust.
Below, the lantern vanished. Only two piles of bones remained beneath the tree—silent foundations for whatever life would grow next.
Moments later, the night returned to normal. Crickets chirped. Leaves rustled. As if nothing had ever happened.
.....
Back to Mei Yan's home.
After a while of hugging his family, her father opened his eyes and noticed a girl standing quietly in the corner, watching them with a curious expression.
It was Ela—Elarae.
She blinked when she realized his gaze was on her, which made him stand up. His wife and daughter followed right after.
"Oh! How could I forget—we still have a guest at home!" he said, wiping away his tears. He straightened up, trying to calm himself. As an adult, being able to face embarrassment calmly was something like a default skill.
"Hehe~ sorry for making you laugh," he added awkwardly.
Mei Yan smiled, happiness swelling inside her chest. She felt proud seeing her family like this. Then she turned around and finally noticed Elarae standing there. Honestly, she had almost forgotten she was here. Maybe it was her mistake, or maybe not.
After all, Elarae had quietly disappeared from her seat earlier while Mei Yan was coming back inside, so she hadn't noticed her return.
"Oh dear, sorry for showing you such an embarrassing scene," her mother said with a warm smile. Her chest felt lighter, her back straighter, all thanks to her daughter's presence.
"It's okay, Auntie. I don't mind," Elarae replied gently.
"Then let's continue eating," her father said. But as soon as he sat down, his face darkened again and he cursed under his breath. "Damn those thugs disturbing our peaceful life here! I wish they were dead."
"Shh! There's a child here—mind your words!" his wife scolded, making him scratch his head in embarrassment.
Mei Yan smiled faintly at her parents' interaction.
"You look happy," Elarae's voice came softly from beside her.
"Of course I am!" Mei Yan replied without hesitation and went straight to the table.
Clang!
Before long, they finished eating. the warmth of laughter still lingered in the air. Mei Yan tugged Elarae gently by the wrist as they went upstairs.
They had already discussed it during dinner, and Mei Yan's parents decided it was too dangerous for Elarae to go outside at night. So, for tonight, she would sleep in Mei Yan's room.
"Mom! Dad! We'll go to the room now!" Mei Yan called out halfway up the stairs.
"Be careful, and don't stay up too late reading or playing with Ela, okay?" her mother reminded from below.
"I understand, Mom!" Mei Yan replied, flashing a mischievous smile before turning the corner.
Elarae followed behind, her steps quiet but steady, her eyes still wandering around the cozy home as if she was studying every corner. When they entered the room, Mei Yan plopped onto the bed with a small sigh of contentment.
"Finally… it feels like forever since I've been this happy." She hugged her pillow and smiled at Elarae. "It's nice having you here."
Elarae tilted her head, her black hair catching the lamplight. "Your family vibes… they're warm. It feels strange, but… nice."
"It feels like a fire. I've never seen something like that before."
Mei Yan chuckled and patted the spot beside her. "Then get used to it. From now on, you're not just a guest—you're my friend. And friends stay close."
Elarae blinked at her words, then quietly sat beside her. For a while, the two of them chatted about random little things, giggling here and there, until their voices softened and the night grew deeper.
Eventually, the house grew silent, the only sound the faint chirping outside the window. Mei Yan's breathing evened out first, hugging Elarae's hand unconsciously as she drifted into sleep.
Elarae looked at her for a moment, her curious eyes softening. A tiny smile curved her lips as if she had just discovered something she didn't know she wanted.
"Humans? … There are still many things I don't know. Family, huh?"
Slowly, she let her own eyes close. Copying Mei Yan's action.
"This world on the surface feels… kinda good. Thanks for showing me the way here…"
That night, the two girls slept side by side, the faint glow of the moon spilling across the room like a gentle promise.