Minho suddenly stopped walking.
"Jina."
The way he said my name made my heart tighten. I turned to look at him, and for the first time since we entered the forest, his face looked truly troubled. Not calm. Not confident. But burdened.
"Raven knows," Minho said quietly. "He knows that I am the masked person… and that I carry this power."
The words hit me slowly, one after the other, until they finally sank in.
I froze.
"And I know," Minho continued, his voice low, "that he is trying to kill me."
That was when everything struck me at once.
"Oh no… Minho." My voice shook as guilt crashed into me. "I'm sorry. I… I think I told him."
I remembered that day so clearly—standing in my room, Raven's cold eyes fixed on me, my heart too full to keep secrets. I had spoken carelessly, trusting him the way I always did.
"But Raven is not that dan—"
"Dangerous," Minho completed the sentence for me, his eyes darkening. "Jina… you think?"
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
"Not that, but—"
"Jina." Minho stepped closer and held my shoulders firmly, forcing me to look at him. "Raven attacked me last night. He came with a group of unknown men. Vampires."
My breath caught.
"And I saw him transform."
My eyes flew open instantly.
"You… you saw who transform?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.
"Jina," Minho said, nodding slowly. "Raven is not human. And now… my life is in deep danger."
The forest around me seemed to tilt. My legs felt weak, and my chest tightened as fear and guilt twisted together inside me. If not for Minho—if not for him appearing again and again—I wouldn't still be alive. And now, because of me, his life was at risk.
I didn't know what to do. My thoughts scattered in every direction, crashing into one another.
I reached out and held Minho's hands, then pulled him into a hug before I could stop myself.
"How I wish I knew how to help you," I said, my voice breaking. "Right now, I can't do anything… and I hate myself for it. I caused all of this."
"It's okay, Jina," Minho said softly, hugging me back. His voice was steady, comforting, even when mine wasn't. "None of this is your fault."
I wished I could believe him.
He pulled back slightly and smiled, forcing lightness into his expression. "Come on. Let's keep going. We still have more hunting to do."
The rest of the day passed like a blur.
We hunted more animals, moving deeper into the forest, but my mind was far away. Every rustle of leaves made my heart jump. Every shadow reminded me of Raven
In the end, our group didn't win. Another group returned with a higher count, cheering loudly as they were announced winners. Normally, Jan would have complained endlessly, but even she seemed quieter than usual.
Minho noticed my exhaustion.
When we returned to the school, he took me to the cafeteria and bought cold drinks for me and Jan. We sat together, the noise of students filling the space, laughter and chatter mixing with music from afar.
Jan quickly returned to her usual self, talking endlessly, her hands moving animatedly as she gossiped about everything and nothing. Minho smiled politely, listening. I pretended to listen too, but my attention drifted elsewhere.
My eyes slowly moved to the trees outside.
Raven was not there.
The branches were empty.
For the first time, instead of feeling relieved, I felt sick.
Inside me, something twisted painfully. How foolish I had been. How easily I trusted. The one person who warned me not to trust anyone… was the one hiding the deepest darkness.
I felt stupid.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when Minho gently squeezed my hand. I looked at him. He wasn't looking at me—his eyes were on Jan, who was still talking excitedly, unaware of the storm brewing around us.
After everything for the day, we finally retired to our rooms. Jan insisted on staying with me, claiming she didn't feel like being alone. I didn't argue. I was grateful for the company.
Night fell quietly.
Jan eventually fell asleep beside me, her breathing soft and steady. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, my mind replaying Minho's words over and over again.
Raven attacked me.
He transformed.
He is not human.
Just as my eyes began to close, a sudden sound jolted me awake.
A heavy sound.
Like bodies colliding.
Like something smashing into the ground.
I sat up immediately, my heart racing.
Then I heard it again—below my window. A violent sound. A struggle. The unmistakable noise of a fight.
I rushed to the window and looked down.
And what my eyes beheld in the darkness made my blood run cold.