Dangerous attraction

Melly had never felt this kind of pull before. Something about Arkins intrigued her beyond reason. His quiet demeanor, his piercing gaze—he felt like a puzzle she wanted to solve. But as her fascination with him deepened, so did the growing tension between him and her childhood friends.

Kim, Taemoo, and Kang had always been by her side, protecting her as if she were their own blood. But Arkins was a stranger—an outsider. And the way Melly looked at him was different, something they had never seen before.

One evening, as the group gathered at their usual spot near the arcade, Taemoo leaned in close. "Melly, you're not seriously falling for that guy, are you?" His voice carried a mix of concern and frustration.

Melly hesitated before answering, "Why does it matter?"

Kim scoffed, crossing his arms. "Because he's not one of us. You barely know him."

Kang added, "He could be using you. What do you even see in him?"

Melly opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Arkins arrived. He had an effortless way of commanding attention, his presence sharp and undeniable.

"Is there a problem?" His voice was calm, but the weight of his words made the air tense.

Kim stood up, stepping between him and Melly. "Yeah. You."

Arkins smirked, but his eyes darkened. "Funny. I was just thinking the same about you three."

Melly watched, her heart pounding. This wasn't what she wanted. Why are they acting like this?

Frustrated, she grabbed Arkins' wrist and pulled him away. They walked in silence until they reached the quiet side of the park.

"You didn't have to do that," she muttered.

Arkins turned to her, his expression unreadable. "I don't trust them. They don't trust me. That's how it is."

She sighed, shaking her head. "They're my family."

"And I could be something more."

The words hit her harder than she expected. Her breath caught in her throat.

Arkins stepped closer, his fingers lightly brushing against her hand. "I know you feel it too, Melly." His voice was lower now, almost hypnotic.

Her cheeks burned. "I… I don't know what you mean."

He smiled knowingly. "Yes, you do."

Melly wanted to deny it, but how could she? The way her heart raced when he was near, the way his presence consumed her thoughts—it was undeniable.

"You're trouble," she whispered, looking away.

Arkins chuckled, stepping back. "And yet, you keep running toward me."

She didn't respond, because deep down, she knew he was right.

The battle had already begun.

But it wasn't just between Arkins and her friends.

It was inside her heart.

Melly lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She had never felt this way before—not about anyone. Arkins had crept into her thoughts so effortlessly that she barely noticed how much space he had taken.

Every moment with him played on repeat in her head—the way he looked at her, the way he challenged her, the way he made her heart race. She had even started dreaming of him, imagining a future that had nothing to do with revenge.

Revenge!.

The word sent a sharp pain through her chest.

She was supposed to be avenging her family. She was supposed to be uncovering the truth. Instead, she was getting lost in something as fragile as love.

That night, sleep did not come easy. And when it did, it was far from peaceful.

The nightmare.

A chilling wind howled through a dark void, carrying whispers that made her skin crawl. Melly found herself standing in the middle of nothingness. A thick mist surrounded her, swallowing her whole.

Then, a voice—deep, angry, and familiar.

"How dare you forget?"

Melly turned frantically, searching for the source. "Who—who's there?"

The voice boomed again.

"You laugh, you fall in love, you waste time with a stranger... while your family's blood cries for justice!"

Melly clutched her head, the words cutting through her like blades. "No... I haven't forgotten..."

"Then why are you hesitating?" The voice grew louder. "Why do you let him cloud your mind? Is his love worth more than your family's life?"

Melly gasped as visions flashed before her eyes—her parents' last moments, the fire, the screams, the betrayal.

She fell to her knees, gripping her chest as pain consumed her. "I... I won't forget again!" she swore. "I will get justice!"

The mist around her thickened, the voice whispering one last time.

"Then prove it."

Melly jolted awake, drenched in sweat, her heart racing.

It wasn't just a dream. It was a warning.

---

The Next Morning

Melly felt different.

The warmth she had allowed herself to feel around Arkins had turned into something cold, something sharp. She wouldn't be weak again.

As she walked through the school hallways, she heard the familiar whispers behind her. The girls at school had always talked about her, but today, she had no patience for it.

"Look at her, acting all special."

"She thinks she's better than us just because she's always around Arkins."

"She's just a charity case. She should be grateful that family even took her in."

Melly stopped.

The group of girls froze when she turned to face them, her expression unreadable.

"Say it to my face." Her voice was steady, yet there was an unmistakable edge to it.

One of the girls smirked. "Oh? Did we strike a nerve?"

Melly stepped closer, her glare piercing. "The next time I hear my name in your mouths, you won't like what happens next."

The tension was suffocating, and just as things were about to escalate, Arkins appeared.

"Melly—what's going on?"

She turned sharply, her heart aching the moment she saw him. But she had to do this.

"Mind your business, Arkins," she snapped.

He blinked, taken aback. "What?"

"I don't need you stepping in every time something happens," she said coldly. "You're not my savior. You're not my protector. Stop acting like you are."

Arkins frowned, stepping forward. "Melly, what's wrong with you?"

She clenched her fists. "What's wrong is that I let myself get distracted. I forgot why I'm here. And I won't make that mistake again."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Arkins standing there, confused and hurt.

For the first time since they met, she had pushed him away.

And she wasn't sure if she'd let him back in.

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