"They're dead! You couldn't do anything! So shut up and let me help you get revenge!"
Hic! Hic!
"P-please, stop it!" The cry grew louder, desperate. "STOP IT!"
"AAAH!"
Yuri shot upright in bed, chest heaving as he tried to process the nightmare that had clawed its way into reality.
"Wh—what? What?!" Jade jerked awake just as quickly, his eyes darting to Yuri, who was drenched in sweat from head to toe. Droplets slid from his forehead, dripping down the bridge of his nose onto the sheets.
"W-what is it?" Jade asked in a rush, cupping Yuri's face with both hands and forcing him to meet his gaze.
And then he saw it—something he hadn't seen in Yuri for so long. Fear. Raw, constant, dripping from every tremble of his body. His pupils shook, restless, betraying the storm inside.
"Yuri…" Jade whispered, his thumbs brushing against Yuri's damp cheeks. "It's just a dream. Look at me—it's just me."
But Yuri's breath hitched in uneven gasps, his chest rising and falling as though he were drowning. His fingers clutched the bedsheets, knuckles pale, as if letting go would drag him back into that nightmare.
Jade pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around Yuri's trembling frame. "I've got you. You're safe. No one's here but me."
For a moment, Yuri didn't respond—his body stiff, shaking against Jade's chest. Then, slowly, he buried his face into Jade's shoulder, muffling the choked sobs that escaped his lips.
Jade's jaw tightened, his heart aching at the sound. He rested his chin lightly against Yuri's damp hair. "Whatever you saw… it can't hurt you here. Not while I'm with you."
Outside, rain pattered against the window, a distant rhythm to the silence that filled the room.
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The rain poured heavily over Hora City, thunder crashing against the earth.
Minji's penthouse lay in silence, broken only by the steady patter of rain echoing through the empty hall. Reflections shimmered faintly on the black screen of the TV, while the distant horns of city traffic bled into the night.
Creeeak…
Her bedroom door eased open, and Minji stepped out. She wore a short black dress, towel in hand as she rubbed at her damp hair. She had lingered too long scrolling through her phone, delaying her shower until late.
Still, Minji could never sleep without feeling refreshed.
"Haaa~," Minji groaned softly, careful not to wake Rei, who was sound asleep upstairs.
She tied her damp hair with the towel, then curled herself up on the couch—knees drawn close, head resting against them, arms draped over like a shield.
Time slipped by as the rain grew heavier, thunder and lightning splitting the night sky. Eventually, still in that position, Minji drifted into sleep.
[The Next Morning]
Clank! Clank! Clink!
The clatter from the kitchen finally stirred Rei awake. "Hmmm…?" he groaned, dragging himself out of bed and trudging down the stairs, still heavy with sleep. The steady sound of rain from the night before had lulled him perfectly. With the rainy season just beginning, he expected plenty more nights of deep, comfortable rest.
Hora City, however, was unlike any other place. A magical island, as the stories went. Long ago, they said, an omega king—tormented endlessly by his alpha husband—finally snapped. On a night of unbearable cruelty, he prayed to the gods. They granted him a single magic stone, one that could fulfill a single wish. With it, he ended his suffering… and Hora City was born.
At least, that was the tale whispered by grandparents, passed down through generations. Of course, there had to be a logical explanation behind such an unbelievable story. And yet, somehow, the "oldies' tattle-tales" carried a weight that made you wonder.
The story was, of course, nothing more than a legend. It had to be.
Hora City's true mystery lay elsewhere. It was notoriously difficult to enter, and it stood as the only place in Korea surrounded by a strange magical forcefield—its origin unknown. Perhaps that was why people called it The City of the Protected.
Entry was restricted. At the gates, every newcomer was tested to determine whether they were an omega, a beta, or an alpha. Omegas and betas were welcomed more freely, but alphas were rare here. Only those at the bottom of the hierarchy were permitted, and even then, only with strict justification. Every alpha within Hora City ranked no higher than C-class.
"What's for breakfast?" Rei asked, yawning after his rather delicious nap.
"Nothing." Minji's reply was flat, almost too casual, much to Rei's shock. She opened the fridge, standing beside it with a poker face as she pointed inside. "D'you see anything?"
The fridge was nearly empty. Only a single bowl of last night's leftovers sat on the shelf.
"We're gonna have to go shoplifting," Minji said with the same deadpan expression.
"Sh-shoplifting!?" Rei's eyes widened in shock and confusion.
"Haaa…" Minji groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Idiots really do believe everything, huh?"
"Uwah?" Rei tilted his head, still utterly lost.
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To Be Continued... ...