To my guardian angel to the person who means more to me than anyone else in my life.
September 2nd.
The day I met you.
It was a rainy day one I'll never forget.
The sky was gray.
The rain and the gloomy clouds fit perfectly with the way I felt inside.
I didn't know what to do with myself. I was scared terrified.
A kind of fear that made me tremble, that nearly drove me insane.
But you were there.
Quiet. Gentle. Still.
Even though at first, I mistook you for a monster like all the other mages I used to fear so much.
I remember it like it was yesterday:
the scent of your perfume,
the red kiss mark on the back of my hand.
All of it memories I carry deep in my heart.
You showed me what safety means.
What it feels like to be held.
You were the one who made me want to live again.
Thank you, my love –
for pulling me out of hell.
For turning my life around completely.
I love you, Yuna.
Merry Christmas.
Your angel.
With a calm, effortless motion, Yuna leaned over from the driver's seat to help Hana with her seatbelt – unhurried, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Too close.
That scent … her perfume smells incredible.
But … does she really have to get this close?
Yuna's face was only inches away from Hana's so close she could feel her breath: warm, steady … soothing, yet unsettling at the same time.
Yuna leaned in just a little further to click the buckle into place.
Hana's heart was pounding wildly – from excitement, confusion … and fear.
Spellbound, she found herself studying Yuna's face: the soft curve of her red lips, her emerald green eyes, the long jet black hair cascading over her shoulder .
Hana's cheeks flushed a deep red.
Not just because of Yuna's nearness but because she'd accidentally caught a glimpse down her neckline.
Yuna noticed where Hana's gaze had drifted.
A teasing smile played on her lips as she leaned in even closer.
"Well?" she whispered playfully. "Do you like what you see? How cute…"
Her face was now just a breath away from Hana's.
Startled, Hana turned her head sharply to the side, avoiding her eyes.
What… what was that just now?!
My face… it's burning!
How can she say something like that, right in my face, with that voice…
She did it on purpose. Of course she did!
Oh God… and I was staring at her chest!
I want to disappear. Just vanish. Never come back.
Is she angry now?
She must be.
You can't just… do something like that, can you?
I'm such an idiot. I messed it up.
I'm sorry... I didn't mean to, Hana thought.
Hesitantly, she turned to Yuna her shoulders tense, her gaze uncertain. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, as if she wanted to apologize. A faint sound escaped her lips, I... I'm sorry.
Yuna, meanwhile, turned back to the wheel, started the engine, and shifted into first gear. She glanced at Hana briefly, a crooked smile tugging at her lips.
"Oh, it's fine, sweetheart. No need to apologize for that."
She chuckled softly. "But it looks like you enjoyed the view, hmm?"
Hana snapped her gaze toward the window, her face burning with shame.
She hardly dared to breathe, let alone look at Yuna again.
Her heart was beating so hard it felt like it might burst right out of her chest.
Why am I so stupid?
Of course she noticed… I should've just looked away!
She pressed her forehead gently against the cool glass, trying to calm down.
But Yuna's teasing voice echoed in her mind, making the warmth in her chest spread all the way to her fingertips.
Outside, the world slid by in motion.
Trees blurred past, houses with colorful shutters, people carrying shopping bags, bicycles, dogs on leashes everything moved in a constant, unstoppable flow.
Hana felt overwhelmed.
How long has it been since I was outside?
Since I sat in a car just as a passenger?
Twelve years? Fourteen?
I can barely remember…
A soft sigh escaped her lips.
It was as if she had forgotten everything the sounds, the movement, the shifting scenery.
It all feels so unreal… almost like a dream.
I know so little. Almost nothing. And it hurts – this ignorance.
I'm not feeling well right now.
I'm scared. Scared of what's coming.
But… I have to be strong.
I'm not the only one in the world who's afraid. Not the only one who's hurting.
Maybe there are people who have it even worse…
And that thought alone gives me strength.
Shit… what's happening to me again? Damn it.
Hana was overwhelmed –
by the situation,
by her feelings,
by the tension,
by the fear.
The world outside was changing constantly – too fast, too loud, too strange.
Rain drummed endlessly on the car roof, heavy and threatening.
And there she was –
a soft sob escaped her throat
as she tried, and failed, to hold back her tears.
Her thoughts spun in chaos, as blurred and frantic as the rain-smeared scenery beyond the glass.
"Are you alright, little angel?"
Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper – warm, like a blanket gently draped over cold shoulders.
"Everything will be okay.
I know you might not believe me.
I know you don't really trust me yet.
But it will be okay.
Do you know why?
Because I say so.
Because I know it.
And because I promise you."
"If you want to cry… then cry. As much as you want.
You don't have to be strong – because I'll be strong for you.
You're under my care now, little angel.
You don't have to pretend.
It's alright to be weak.
It's alright to feel."
Hana listened stunned.
What do you know about me?
You don't know me at all… you're just trying to trick me.
And once I trust you, you'll hurt me – just like everyone else.
I can't believe any of this.
Why is she being so kind? It doesn't make sense. My head hurts. None of this makes sense.
Why would someone like her be kind to someone like me?
Hana thought.
She clenched her hands in her lap, as if to hold on to something real.
I'll talk to her when we get to her place. I don't care anymore.
I'll tell her I'm not a mage.
That my mother wasn't noble.
That my own father disowned me.
That I was beaten… and humiliated.
I'll tell her everything.
And then she'll throw me out once she sees how pathetic I really am.
I'm scared.
I don't want to be homeless…
But maybe that wouldn't even be the worst thing. She's a powerful mage she could just snuff me out.
Maybe that's better than ending up on the streets, with nowhere to belong.
I'll tell her that, too.
She can end it if she wants.
I just don't want to be homeless. That's all.
Yuna kept glancing at Hana now and then, who hadn't said a single word during the entire drive.
The only thing that seemed to hold her attention was the beauty of the world passing by outside.
Hana started to tremble slightly.
I want to know this world. I want to be happy. I have nothing left to lose… maybe she really is kind. Maybe she's not bad after all. Please…
Why am I like this?
I want to believe it… but I can't.
Damn it…
My head is pounding. Everything's spinning. I'm thinking too much…
I need to stop. It's breaking me. It's not good. Not at all.
"Alright, sweetheart, we're almost there. About ten more minutes."
Yuna threw a quick glance at Hana no reaction.
She's completely out of it.
But Yuna stayed calm.
I can handle this. I'll nurse her back to health… bring her back to life.
Hana barely noticed the car slowing down. Yuna had rolled her window down slightly.
The rain had stopped, only a few drops still falling from the branches.
Cool, fresh forest air brushed against Hana's face, and she closed her eyes instinctively.
A soft wind stirred the treetops, and golden rays of sunlight began to pierce through – as if the sky itself were welcoming them.
The world fell silent, almost reverent.
No engine noise, no rain only the distant chirping of birds and the gentle rustle of leaves.
Hana opened her eyes slowly and looked out at the forest that stretched endlessly around them.
The leaves shimmered with raindrops, and the light that filtered through the canopy danced across the forest floor in fleeting patterns.
Is this… her home?
So peaceful, so far from everything.
Almost like another world.
A part of her wanted to run forward, to touch the forest, to lose herself in it –
another part was afraid.
How could someone like me… belong here?
Yuna stepped out of the car first, walked around the hood, and opened Hana's door.
Hana hesitated for a moment, then carefully placed one foot on the damp ground.
The air smelled of wet earth, moss, and wood. It was quiet – eerily quiet.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze.
Before her stood a house.
Large. Dark. Nestled among the trees, as if the forest itself was embracing it.
It wasn't a castle, nor a mansion but it had a quiet dignity, an old, timeless presence.
Hana stared at it, as though she were standing before a sacred temple.
Something inside her whispered that this place was more than just a home.
That things would happen here – things that would change her life forever.
A shiver ran down her spine was it fear? Or just the cold forest air?
She gripped her sleeve tightly.
What if I'm wrong? What if behind these walls waits the same horror as before?
Yuna stood a few steps ahead, silently watching her. No pressure, no command just that patient little smile.
Hana could feel it, even without looking.
And she knew – if she took that first step now, there would be no turning back.
Hana climbed out of the car.
The damp forest floor smelled of rain, the air was fresh and clear.
Birdsong echoed through the trees, and scattered beams of sunlight spilled through the canopy, weaving golden threads across the car and the path ahead.
Then she saw it.
The house nestled between the trees, almost as if it were part of the forest itself.
Wide glass panels reflected the soft afternoon light, and the clean, geometric lines of its design looked simple, elegant, and yet extraordinary.
It wasn't a castle. Not a mansion with gilded gates.
And yet…
I thought she lived in a grand villa… some kind of estate beyond imagination.
Hana's thoughts stumbled over themselves.
But this… this is so much more beautiful.
Yuna glanced at Hana with an amused smile.
"I hope you like it here. I'll do everything I can to make you feel at home, princess."
A soft smile played across her lips as she closed the car door behind her.
"Sorry if you were expecting a castle… that's really not my style."
She stepped closer, her voice lower, warmer.
"But I can promise you one thing: from today on, your life will change for the better. I'll make sure of it. That's my promise to you."