◇▪~《 c h a p t e r 29 》~▪◇

❝ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ❞

Silence filled the dark hallway until they took their steps into it. Her heels clicked against the marbled floor followed by Sollace’s heavy ones. His eyes were looking ahead, but his attention was on the clicking heels of the woman beside him. Not long after, the clicking stopped. He frowned as he turned around to see Valentine halted in place, her serious eyes set on him.

“It’s about time you tell me. How long are you going to hide it?” She started, crossing her arms.

Sollace sighed at that. “My business isn’t your concern—”

“It is. She was my next Time guardian and I ain’t letting you take away my candidate like last time.” She cut him off, eyes daring him to disagree with her. “Spit it or find someone else. She’s not yours to start with.”

Sollace gazed down at her from his height as he leaned towards her, tilting his head. “She was ours, to begin with.” He said, causing a frown on Valentine’s face. He leaned back, watching her struggle to understand his words and later thought maybe it wasn’t so wrong for her to know a few parts of it. After all, she deserved to know.

“She was one of us.” He started and Valentine’s eyes widened after hearing what he said. “One of the Ten High Angels—The sacred ones. Her name was Medea, the six.” He slowly explained seeing Valentine turning more frustrated by the information as she couldn’t understand. “Simply, she was a respected angel and a magnificent one. Well, it didn’t last.” He sighed as his hand held his face.

“Why?” Valentine asked after staying silent for a while.

His pair of eyes landed on her and he stared at her for a moment, planting the suspicions inside Valentine. “She fell after being engaged with a human's life—even saving her. A human that she was assigned to care for.” He explained and his silver eyes stared intensely into Valentine’s red ones.

Valentine gulped at that and her fist clenched as she forced herself to hold on to Sollace’s eye level. “Who was the human?” The question finally came as she waited nervously for his answer.

With a sigh, Solace answered her. “It wasn’t my question to answer. Ask her when she is ready.” He said. She should have expected that he was adamant but it still drove her crazy how he left her at the edge of a cliff. “We are going to escort her safely back to us so, be careful, eyes are watching and please, protect her.” He informed as he gave a gentle bow before he turned his heels, walking away.

Valentine gritted her teeth as she watched him slowly walking away. She was frustrated. After all these years, something had finally come that piqued her interest this much. Everything was annoying and boring but this, she was curious and eager to find out the hidden truth. However, she had no choice but to hear from Y/N herself but, could she ever hear it from her?

The door shut and the thud sound caught Jimin’s attention. He looked up from his book to see Y/N with an uneasy expression though she was forcing a bright smile. Jimin frowned, wondering what they were talking about that would cause her to act that way.

Y/N then sat on the bed beside him, leaning in to look at his book. “What are you reading?” She asked as she was curious.

Jimin stayed silent for a moment before answering her. “Just a novel Valentine got me from the outside world. She said it was well known. I was curious about the world I experienced before and she got me this to have a visual of it. At first, I thought it was a joke, but after reading it, I couldn’t stop.” He explained as his arm wrapped around her back, pulling her in.

Y/N flinched a little at his sudden touch but later melted as she blushed. “What is it about?” She asked with her soft voice as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Jimin smiled and later rested his head on hers. “Love, but the main protagonist gave up on his love. However, the female protagonist brought him back to her and taught him to love again.” He explained as he softly caressed the book. Y/N’s eyes saddened hearing that, thinking maybe Jimin was attached to this story because it was almost similar to their story, except she was different from the female protagonists.

“Could he be waiting for me to save him that time — to teach him how to love again? Was it too late for me to bring him back now?” She questioned herself as her regrets slowly drained away her confidence but then, she grabbed onto her last hope, trusting the love she had for him. “No, I am still going to do it. He can reject me, hate me or whatever, but I am not giving up.” She was determined with her decision as she moved away from Jimin’s embrace, eyes gazing at him.

“Jimin.” She started and he tilted his head, waiting for her to continue. “I-I—” She sighed, biting her lips as she tried to gather her courage once again. “I am sorry. It’s all my fault this happened; everything.” She said before she started rambling. “I did everything. The pain, your life falling apart and… your family… I did it all. I am really sorry! I didn’t--I—”

Not being able to stand her ramblings, Jimin shut him up by pressing his lips on hers and his hand held her neck, deepening the kiss. Her tears trickled down from her eyes when she closed them and she clung onto his sleeves. All the time, she had always been filled with guilt and fear but now, it was different. She was glad it was. This time, she was more in love with him than ever and she wished to be with him forever but only if nothing was in her way.

Jimin pulled back, staring into her glistening eyes. “Stop blaming yourself for everything. I wouldn’t believe you would do such things to me without a reason. Even if you don’t, I will still love you.” He smiled, trying to assure Y/N he didn’t care about their past. Now was all that mattered to him.

“Are you just gonna blindly fall in love with me even after everything I did to you?” She asked as Valentine's words lingered at the back of her head. Jimin held her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. He kissed her again, this time he would make sure their time lasted longer without being disturbed. He threw the book to the ground, caring less that it was once precious to him before.

His arms wrapped around her waist and brought her up, laying her down in a comfortable position on the bed without breaking the kiss but he broke it after a while and both tried to catch their breaths. “Yes, and I want you to do the same. Let’s forget everything that's in the past.” He finally answered her and Y/N pushed herself up, pressing her lips on his.

She clung onto her neck for balance and he held her small back, supporting her. Jimin once again broke the kiss to tug her hair behind her ear and he leaned in, nibbling on her neck. A soft moan left Y/N’s mouth as Jimin gave butterfly kisses, trailing down the crook of her neck. His lips then found hers again and it was rougher this time than affectionate.

Things turned out beautifully for them as it seemed to be. They did not care what would be coming or the past that was once lingering. They faded away for the moment and united because their love beat all the nightmares. It proved love was stronger than anything else, even fate itself. Jimin knew he had her and she knew she had him. What more was important, other than having each other?

Her back leaned against the dark wall below a dancing blue flame of a torch. She tapped her heels on the marbled floor as she was getting impatient with waiting. As if on cue, the clicking sound of heels was heard and she turned to look at the woman who was smiling ear to ear, playing with a translucent orb with hints of purple and blue in her hand.

Valentine pushed herself to stand straight as she walked towards the woman, blocking her way. When the woman felt her presence, the orb vanished and she scoffed after. “What are you doing here, sister?” Lethania asked in a rude tone as she crossed her arms.

“You think I wouldn’t find out the shit you have been doing,” Valentine growled as her eyes glared at her sister, Lethania.

Lethania rolled her eyes at that. “If it wasn’t for that vermin—” She cursed under her breath and later turned her attention back to Valentine. “I knew you would find out eventually but, do I care?” She spat and smirked. Deciding to ignore her, she tried to walk past her but Valentine stopped her as she held tightly onto her arm.

“Give it back.” She growled, warning her but Lethania was not at all bothered but wanting to anger her further.

“You mean this?” She tilted her head with a smirk on her face as she brought up her hand and the orb reappeared. “Beautiful isn’t it? Her memories. I took enough to change her story and turned her sideways and of course, with a twig of change in her emotions with the familiar’s help. It’s a shame it ratted me out, but it doesn't matter. I can just replace it.” She chuckled with her eyes observing the moving purple and blue lights in the translucent orb.

“If you dare to touch her—”

“Did you hear it? The cries of pain. Poor soul, she gave up everything just to save her loved ones, even her body.” Lethania laughed, enjoying the cries she heard from the orb. “But such a useless attempt, it didn’t change anything. Such an unfortunate thing for you, sister that you weren’t there to see it. She smells amazing! The guilt, fear—I just wanna come back for more!!” She laughed, enjoying mocking Y/N’s pitiful life.

Valentine gritted her teeth and punched her in the face but Lethania wasn’t at all affected. “You piece of shit — They should have burned you forever in the chamber.” She spat.

“Well, such a shame for you that the devil lords loved my guts.”

“Give it to me. That’s final.”

“I am afraid it’s mine to keep,” Lethania argued, smirking to herself, enjoying the reaction she got out of Valentine but someone cut in before it could get any serious.

“Enough!” A voice boomed through the hallway, grabbing the attention of the two. Seeing the approaching man, Lethania rolled her eyes at his glowing presence.

“F**king angel.” She cursed and pulled off her arm from Valentine’s grip. She once again attempted to walk away but Valentine of course refused to back down. She blocked her way, expecting Sollace to back her up but he didn’t.

“Nephele, leave it.” He ordered as his wings slightly flapped. Valentine's eyes widened, unable to believe that he took Lethania off the hook when she obviously could cause problems with the return of their precious member.

“Be a good bit*h now and listen to your superior. After all, you seek the road to greatness so your baby steps would be listening.” She teased and pushed Valentine away harshly, walking away from them.

Valentine shot a glare at Sollace and grabbed his collar, pulling him towards her. “Are you crazy?! You just let her take her memories?! I thought you wanted to protect her until the day you will bring her back?!” She yelled.

Sollace sighed as he grabbed softly onto her hand and removed it from her collar. “I do and I am doing it. The memories are useless. It will just turn her sideways, against my original intention. Lady Lethania had done us a favour, though it was unintentionally. Also, I think she does not need her memories now.”He explained and Valentine finally calmed down.

Her eyes saddened and for the first time after Jimin, she was troubled to lose someone. “When will she go?” She asked, wanting to also prepare Jimin for this.

Sollace gazed at her and patted her shoulder to comfort her. “You will know when you see it. Take care of her, both of you. The time guardian as well.” Sollace advised and Valentine nodded. She sighed, feeling sorry for the couple.

“Some things are fated to not last. All you could do was accept it but if you didn’t, you live your life as death.”

[ Edited by Sanabuii ]