MasukAya's POV The moment the love of my life stepped out—I felt it.Not saw.Not heard.Felt..The bond stretched—tight, thin, aching in a way that made something inside my chest twist painfully. Like a thread pulled too far, threatening to snap but refusing to break.My breath caught. “…Joha.”The name barely left my lips, dissolving into the quiet the second it did.Because he was gone.Again.The forest didn’t react the way it had when he entered. It didn’t lash out. Didn’t surge or shift or test.It simply… settled.Like it had allowed something it wasn’t supposed to—and was now correcting itself.The light dimmed slightly around me. The faint glow beneath my skin flickered once before stabilizing again. The roots at my feet tightened—not painfully, not restraining—but firmer. Anchoring.Reminding.‘You are still here.:I exhaled slowly, forcing my breathing to even out.“I know,” I murmured.Silence answered me.But it didn’t last.It never did.A low hum began to build beneath the
Johanis' POVThe forest didn’t let me walk out.It pushed me.Not violently like it had done to Alaric—but firmly. Unyielding. Like a hand pressed flat against my chest, guiding me backward step by step until the air changed, until the weight eased, until the line between her world and mine snapped back into place.And just like that—She was gone again.The bond stretched.Thin.Achingly present.. But suddenly.. it was not quiet anymore.A low, familiar rumble brushed against the back of my mind. Not sound. Not exactly. More like instinct given voice.“You could've just whisk her away..”I went still.Then huffed under my breath, something bitter and relieved twisting together in my chest.“You finally come out now?” I muttered internally. “After being silent for days?”A pause. Then—“Well, I figured you want to have some real alone time with her after being separated for years. Who would've thought this would happen..”I scoffed quietly, jaw tightening. “Damn right.”After that sm
Johanis' POVI didn’t let go.I couldn’t even dare to think so.Not when she was finally in my arms again—real, solid, warm in a way that no memory could ever replicate. My fingers tightened slightly against her back, pressing her closer like I could anchor her here if I just held on long enough.Like I could stop this from becoming another goodbye..Her breath was soft against my neck.Steady.Alive.I closed my eyes, letting it sink in. Every second. Every heartbeat. Every small shift of her body against mine. Every single damn moment..Because I knew—This wouldn’t last.“…Joha.”Her voice was quiet.Gentle.A warning.I exhaled slowly, my grip tightening for just a second before I forced myself to loosen it. Just enough to pull back.Just enough to see her.My hands slid up—one settling at her waist, the other rising to her face, cupping her cheek like I needed to remind myself she was still here.Her eyes met mine.Goddess..That broke me more than anything.Because they were sti
Johanis’ POV Her father let out a harsh breath.Then—Without another word—He turned.And ran.Straight for the forest.“Alaric—wait—!” Mother shouted from behind us, but it was useless.He didn’t slow.Didn’t even hesitate.Didn’t stop.He crossed the boundary—And the forest—Rejected him.Violently.The moment he stepped in, something unseen slammed into him, throwing him back like he’d hit a solid wall. He hit the ground hard, breath knocked out of him.But he didn’t stay down.Didn’t even pause as he got up and ran again.Same result.. but harder this time, more brutal.The forest wasn’t just blocking him. It was warning him.I stepped forward instinctively—And that was when I saw it.At the edge.Left behind.A suitcase.Old.Worn.Familiar.My breath caught.Aya’s..She probably dropped it when she was abducted from the beginning before I saw her again..From when everything started.I crouched slightly, brushing my fingers over it. And the moment I did—The bond pulsed.Str
Johanis' POVThe first thing I saw when I woke up—Was her.Not Aya.But Lily.Close enough that for a split second, my brain tried to lie to me. Tried to fill in the wrong face, the wrong presence, the wrong warmth.But it didn’t last.Because the bond—Still stretched. Still thin. Still there.And it didn’t lead to her.It led somewhere far away.Lily gave me a small, sad smile. “Hey.”My throat felt dry. Raw. “How long?”“Three days.”Three.Days.My chest tightened immediately. My body reacted before logic could catch up—I pushed myself up, muscles screaming in protest, ribs protesting every movement.“Johanis—”“I have to go.”The words came out automatic. Instinct. Not thought. Lily’s hand shot out, pressing firmly against my chest before I could swing my legs off the bed. Not hard.But enough.“Sit down.”“No.”“Sit. Down.”Her voice cracked. That was what made me stop. Not the force. Not the command.The fear.I looked at her properly then. Her eyes were red. Not fresh. Not fr
Johanis' POVThe first thing I felt—Was nothing.No forest.No pressure.No pull.Just—Air.Cold. Still. Wrong.My eyes snapped open. Dark ceiling but it was familiar.Too familiar, actually..For a second, my brain refused to process it. Because this wasn’t possible. This wasn’t where I was supposed to be.This wasn’t where she was.My body moved before my thoughts could catch up. I sat up too fast—Pain exploded through my chest. A sharp, tearing sensation that forced the air out of my lungs in a broken gasp.“—fuck—”My vision blurred. My hand slammed against the bed to steady myself, fingers curling into the sheets as another wave of pain hit—deep, internal, like something inside me had been ripped open and hadn’t healed properly.But I didn’t care.I couldn’t.“Aya.”Her name came out raw. Hoarse.Empty.The bond—I reached for it instinctively.And froze.It was still there.Faint.Distant.Like a thread stretched too far——but not broken.My heart slammed violently against my
Aya's POV We were all still laughing.Still riding the high of Hillia’s last-second save. Tavian was dramatically reenacting the goalkeeper’s dive for the fifth time, complete with sound effects and an unnecessary slow-motion spin, while Lily critiqued his “form” like she was some professional ana
Aya’s POVDay one.And I already want to riot..Because apparently, being last year’s representative of the interschool tournament does not grant Woodhill University any glorious advantage.No..It grants them a handicap.A freaking handicap!!They are required to defeat three teams.Three!!!While
Aya's POV “Guess who?”My heart nearly launched out of my chest. I twisted instinctively, fingers already reaching for the wrist covering my eyes, I swore I went as far as getting ready to attack whoever this maybe…And then—“Omg! Uncle Taviii!” The voice shifted from playful whisper to full-volum
Aya’s POvThe scoreboard glowed mercilessly above the rink.3 – 2.Hillia Academy leading.And there is only two minutes left on the clock..The numbers seemed louder than the crowd. I leaned forward unconsciously, fingers gripping the edge of the seat in front of me. The unlinking stone in my pock







