A weird, magnetic pull started to lead you out of your dark bedroom. Your barefoot began to move on their own, leading you through the quiet, dimly lit house, house, only the eerie glimmer of the moon streaking through the thin lace curtains.

You were oblivious to the sharp chill in the air or the thin pyjama shorts and white tank top clinging to your skin. Your dark nutbrown hair cascaded freely down your shoulders.

The trance you were in deepened as you moved like a sleepwalker, blissfully unaware of the world around you as you followed the mysterious pull guiding you. When you stepped outside, the crisp night air biting at your bare arms and legs, but you continued. Your feet moved gently along the Stoney pathways that encircled concealed paths through the garden. You quietly walked up a set of stone-cobbled stairs.

You descended and ascended the stone stairs, which led to the dark, secluded deck area by the swimming pool. The pool water seemed black, reflecting the dim illumination from the lanterns, giving the entire area an otherworldly feel. The foliage cast deep shadows over the deck area. The world around you seemed so still. It was unnerving.

The small lanterns around the deck area cast a soft, ethereal glow over the area. But even their light was too dim and faint to diminish the darkness. Finally, you came to a sudden halt, an unknown pull holding you in place. Your ragged breath started to fog the air, but you remained motionless with unfocused eyes, staring blankly ahead.

The night was so quiet; the only sound that you're around could pick up was the gentle waterfall against the rough edges of the rocks. Your heartbeat erractically as you almost felt a suffocating stillness- an aura around you. Your breath hitched as if you were holding it up.

Then, suddenly, the sound of footsteps broke the stillness, hesitant but determined. Your body turned slowly, moving like you were emerging from a pool of water. The atmosphere became electric as your inner eyes tried to focus. Then, a figure appeared out of the shadows, slowly ascending the stairs.

His footsteps seemed hesitant, yet they were purposeful—some determination that sent a shiver down your spine even in your dazed state. He moved slowly closer, his physical form becoming more apparent in the softly illuminated lantern light. His eyes were dazed; he was locked onto yours. A weird connection frizzled in the atmosphere between the two of you. You both stood there, frozen in time, two metres from each other, just staring at each other.

The world around you seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you on that eerily quiet deck, bound together by some inexplicable pull. His gaze held yours in place, instantly sparking a divine connection between you as if some unseen force had drawn you together.

A deep bond formed, making your heart thump erratically. Unexplainable feelings of yearning, two souls intertwined, and a sense of deep love. He took a slow step forward, closing the distance between you, and you felt your breath hitch in your throat.

Yeonjun.

He was so tall, his dark hair messy over his forehead,
his dark eyes fixed on you with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. There was something so familiar about him, yet you couldn't place him in your dazed state.

His footsteps echoed softly on the wooden deck as he walked towards you. It was as if he wasn't entirely sure why, but he instinctively knew he had to be there for a reason. You both stood quietly, locked in each other's gaze; the night was tangible. He drew closer, each step deliberate, until he was just some inches away from you in your personal.

The air between you was tangible, with unspoken tension and an unveiled secret. In your dazed state, you knew the half-bond was solid. When the figure looked deep into your dazed, unfocused eyes, you saw him as if you had met him for the first time. The love in your hearts echoed, and you knew he was wholly yours.

You stared up at him, your dazed eyes locked in his as a strange, overwhelming sensation gripped you. His hand slowly reached out, and with a slight tremble, he touched your cool cheek, the warmth of his skin burning on yours.

The contact sent a jolt through both your bodies as if the fire had suddenly ignited in your veins, spreading warmth and a strange sense of familiarity. But strangely, something so unfamiliar happened. The bonding pain was dulled as both of you were unaware of the soul activation taking place in that instant.

Yeonjun whispered your name softly, "Luna," it sounded like a gentle echo in the wind, as if the wind was carrying his voice.

And at that exact moment, you muttered his name simultaneously without a thought.

"Yeonjun," your voices blended as one.

You couldn't tear your eyes from each other. The atmosphere was thick with a presence you couldn't see but was at work behind the scenes.

Yeonjun's dazed eyes gleam from the moonlight as his other arm pulls you around your shoulders against him, the dull stinging searing through your veins. Just under the blanket of stars, you and Yeonjun stand tightly embraced; the night air is chilly.

A soft smile grazed his lips as his hands gently tangled in your hair, pulling you closer as he gazed into your eyes with a softness that made your erratic heart flutter. Then he leant in, his cool lips brushing against yours in a tender, sweet kiss. The world suddenly seemed to disappear, leaving only the warmth of his mouth's touch and the feeling of his minty breath mingling with yours.

You just melted into him, letting yourself get lost in the moment of the fiery kiss; your arms encircled his slender waist as you stood there in the warmth and comfort of his embrace. As the kiss deepened, slow and full of unspoken feelings, it was as if time had slowed for the two of you. Every gentle touch and every movement felt like a promise, a silent confession shared.

In that moment, with his arms securely around you, he gently lifts you. He lays you down on the lounge chairs without breaking the fiery dance of the kiss and your hearts beating in sync, and that moment where you were lying—no space between you, nothing else mattered but the unveiled love you felt for each other. Then suddenly, as you lay on top of your soulmate, an eerie whisper reached the recesses of your mind.

You slowly detached your lips from Yeonjun as you looked down in his gaze. His eyes suddenly changed a light hue of crimson in the moonlight. Instantly, you were slowly brought back to your reality. Yeonjun was not himself from the beginning. The trancelike state left you. Your mind was suddenly clear, and you knew it was time for the soul-blinding portion to do its work.

When the sign emerged, you slowly stroked his hair gently. A soft smile was on his lips as he looked up into your eyes with unbridled love. A deep sorrow entered your heart as you uttered the words that would bring freedom to both of you but, ultimately, devastation.

You inhale while deeply gazing into the crimson eyes of your soulmate and mutter the chant softly.
'Quando oculus interior aptus est, mentes fascinatae mutantur, simul corda attolluntur. (When the inner eye fits, enchanted minds shift, and the hearts lift.)

......

When the soft chant ended, his eyes quickly returned to normal. He blinked a few times as the trance-like state faded, and his senses returned. Yeonjun furrowed his brows in confusion as he looked at the unfamiliar girl lying warmly on top of him, her hair cascading around the sides of his face like a dark curtain.

His breath caught in his throat, and he abruptly grabbed the sides of her bare arms with both hands. A tingling, almost burning sensation spread through him when he touched her skin. The girl's eyes widened in surprise. Yeonjun's gaze darted in bewilderment as he pushed the girl off him. Where was he? What was he doing on the dark swimming pool deck, far from his chalet?

And how did he end up here with this strange girl? The girl sat on the lounge chair, her eyes wide with familiarity and strangeness. He blinked again, but she stared blankly at him with gleaming wide eyes.

"W...who are you?" , he stammered it out with a trembling voice

He could feel the chill on his bare arms, realising he only wore tan-coloured pyjama pants and a white vest highlighting his well-defined abs and biceps. She looked at him in awe, and something in her eyes told him that something mystical had happened.

It was the early morning hours, the night was still, and here he was with a girl dressed in short pyjamas, her arms shivering with visible goosebumps. She was standing there quietly observing him. His large eyes widened when he noticed something profound—a beautiful soulmark in the shape of a particular flower on her arm. His jaw dropped in shock. Oh, my word! Could it be... how? He could see the outline of her soulmark faintly under her pj shirt, and the tingling sensation still lingered in his body.

His lips felt swollen as if he had spent hours kissing. "Who are you... did we... are you?" he struggled to speak; the situation felt too surreal. The girl suddenly looked relieved, but he couldn't recognise her face because of her hair.

She quickly jumped up, waving her arms, and, stuttering, said, "Thank you for helping me. I saw you asleep on the chair, and I was taking a night walk and accidentally fell on you. S-sorry. Bye!"

She hastily turned and ran across the deck, down the stone steps, hair wildly bouncing in different directions, disappearing from his sight. Yeonjun sat there, bewildered, trying to understand what had just happened.

Who was that girl? He didn't even know her name. Shaking his head, Yeonjun slowly stood up and walked back to his chalet, his thoughts jumbled with unanswered questions.

It was almost dawn...

.......

Your bare feet landed on the chilly stone path as you hurried off the deck, your heart thumping. The early morning wind carried your nut-brown hair behind her.
Though the cold air felt good against your skin, the electric thrill of what had just happened was all that was buzzing and flowing through your veins—adrenaline. For you, time had frozen; it may have been minutes or hours.

You gasped when you got closer to the place and dazedly realised it was almost five in the morning. You saw the outline of the chalet in the distance and rushed up the stairs. Your heart was beating erractically out of excitement and mixing with confusion.

She hesitated briefly at the wooden door, realising she must have left it unlocked. Slowly, you pushed it open, wincing at the slight creak of the hinges. The chalet was silent, everyone still asleep, oblivious to your exciting nighttime escapade. You slipped quietly inside, closing the door softly behind you.

Your mind replays everything that happened when you regained your bearings, and the rest of what happened prior is like a fog in your memory. All you could vaguely remember was Yeonjun's heated mouth on yours. You vaguely remember how you felt in his strong arms. Gosh, how are you going to suppress your feelings for the idol? He will not remember bonding with you.

Once inside, you tiptoed through the still-darkened hallway, the thrill of what you've done still buzzing in your chest. You couldn't believe it—you had successfully performed the soul blinding on an oblivious Yeonjun. But how? How had they kissed at the deck like their lives depended on it? You shook your head, trying to piece it together, but it was blurry.

You darted into the bathroom, your cold hands trembling as you flicked on the side light. You stared at your reflection in the ornate mirror, your wide eyes searching your face for some clue, some sign that what had just happened was real.

Your breath hitched as you noticed the little red visitors on your pale neck and upper chest areas where Yeonjun's mouth had been. How long had you been there, lost in each other's embrace?

You reached up with a shaky hand, tracing the marks, a nervous laugh escaping your lips. It was true—you had bonded, and not just halfway. You had activated the soulbond without even realising it. But Yeonjun... he didn't recognize you. He didn't know who you were. It was shocking and terrifying all at once.

But then, a small smile tugged at the corners of your swollen lips. This was good—this meant you were free. The evil Oracle's pursuit would be paused, at least giving you a break for a year.

You could live now without the sword and the threat of being bonded forcefully before your time. Yeonjun might still date Yeji, but he would never understand the deep yearning he would feel for you. It was inevitable, and you knew it.

Yeonjun will even be blinded to the fact that you activated the bond. However, the portion will ensure you will not feel the effect of the incomplete bond. Hopefully, the spell will last for a year. You have to hope it works on Yeonjun.

You turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on your flustered face to clear your head. You wiped your face with a clean towel, your hands shaking slightly, then switched off the light. You crept back to your bed, sliding under the cool covers with a sigh of relief. The room was silent except for Dahyun's soft breaths.

But when you closed your eyes and were about to fall asleep, something caused her to snap them open again. It sounded like tapping, but you couldn't place the sound and returned under your covers. It must've been a branch or bird against your window. 

But...meanwhile

The fog started to appear on the dark bathroom mirror, with mist spreading across its surface. Gradually, an apparition appeared within this misty image: eyes set deep in black sockets peering from ash-white ghost-like skin; a smirking mouth dripping black liquid; then a hand emerged through the steamy glass, which looked white and greyish.

The Oracle remained behind, smirking secretly while its dark presence lingered like an evil omen in space.

When you entered your dreamlike state, you were trembling, unaware underneath your bedding, but you clenched your eyelids tightly as you tried not to sense the coldness coming from the bathroom. 

Your dreams were filled with the image of your handsome soulmate.

A/n: Luna and Yeonjun activated the bond.

Thank you so much for all the reads, votes, and comments. Please give this book some love as it nears the end of its journey.  

1. Do you think Luna will be able to ignore Yeonjuns presence?

2. Do you think Yeonjun will still sense Luna after the soul blinding?

3. Will the portion be able to blind Yeonjun's soulmate eye for a year.?

4. Would Yeonjun dump Yeji if she is not his mate?

5. Will Luna be genuinely free from the Oracle?

6. Do you think the Oracle will win...even if the portion was administered?

7. How do you think the system might fight back?

A little eye candy🤩