8. A fragile girl.

Monica's bed was empty after she decided to go home for the New Year, leaving Josephine alone, curled up under a thick blanket without any enthusiasm throughout the day.

Josephine was supposed to go home to her mother and grandmother, celebrating the New Year with them, but circumstances weren't in her favor. Her world, which was once normal, had turned 360 degrees without her being able to fix it.

She had many questions about her current condition, and complexities piled up in her head like neatly stacked rocks.

She had already changed the bandages on her hands, finding the disgusting wounds, and sometimes making her whimper due to the throbbing pain.

Josephine cried when the cotton swab dipped in alcohol was gently pressed on her wounds, and without the "healing" power, she didn't know how long it would take for her hands to return to normal.

People said that something bloody sometimes left scars, and she never thought that such a situation had been lurking, waiting for her in her new life, which she thought was fine.

If Josephine went home, people from the Starweaver Clan would definitely ask about the wounds on her hands, why she didn't immediately erase the big stain? Didn't Josephine have her special abilities? They would know that she had lost everything, pulling new pain that chained Josephine's feet.

It was hard to imagine if her grandmother and mother would also receive doubts from many people, so Josephine restrained herself to stay in the dormitory when almost all the residents went home to meet their families, overflowing with longing.

"It turns out I'm not allowed to live a new life without heavy conditions." She laughed wryly. "Unfortunately, it's too heavy. How can I go through it after losing my identity and special abilities? I've been able to survive because of those two things, I could easily protect myself, and now?"

She didn't know who to confide in about her feelings except herself, she was tormented and stabbed by suffering that no one else saw. Josephine hated her situation. Her tears fell again today, even though she was already tired, the damn wetness kept appearing behind her desperation, reminding Josephine that she was just a weak and pitiful ordinary human.

From sunrise to sunset, she hadn't even taken a step outside the door, she hid herself like a cocoon, avoiding interactions with people.

"Hey! What happened to your hand that it's wrapped in bandages?"

"I'm going home, Josephine. Let's meet again after the New Year."

"Let's keep in touch when I get home."

"Will you be okay alone in the dormitory?"

Josephine was forced to brag to Monica about her condition, she was reluctant to admit that the wounds were obtained due to abuse, but an accident. She also bragged that she wouldn't go home this year because her part-time job was hard to leave, as if Josephine prioritized money over family warmth.

"I'm fine, I can still visit my family during the summer break or next time. So, go home without worrying about me, Monica."

In the end, Monica still left, but even in the middle of the summer next year, Monica took her belongings from the room, and Josephine continued to be alone until then. Although she experienced rebirth, many things turned out differently, Josephine thought she knew everything with her past memories, but after going through death, she was hit with various heartbreaking realities.

One day before the New Year, Josephine decided to meet a client who had entrusted her with an e-book project. She had failed to complete the project due to her injured hands, which couldn't handle typing on the keyboard.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jimmy. I have to return the material. I've had an accident that injured my right hand," she said with a tired expression, trying to smile.

Josephine wasn't a careless girl. She always calculated everything carefully, and the situation that night was beyond her control. Maybe it wasn't. Josephine could have controlled it easily if she still had the ability to change her form without leaving a trace.

"It's a pity. You're a competent copywriter, which is why I assigned you to this project," Mr. Jimmy said, clearly disappointed but trying to understand given Josephine's bandaged hands.

Her right hand was wrapped in a glove, and her left hand was bandaged.

"I was careless and not cautious enough. I apologize," Josephine said.

"It's okay. I hope you'll recover soon. I hope we can work together again in the future," Mr. Jimmy replied.

Josephine nodded. "Of course, Mr. Jimmy. Contact me if you need my services again. I'll make sure to be more careful in the future."

Their brief meeting ended there after Josephine returned the material about lifestyle. She felt a deep disappointment, giving up her earnings without any leverage.

Josephine left the hotel lounge, walking alone along the streets near the Thames River. She had never celebrated New Year's Eve in London before. She usually spent it with her family and the Starweaver Clan whenever she had the chance to go home. This was the first time for Josephine.

She didn't have close friends other than acquaintances like Mrs. Mellisa or Monica. She rarely interacted with fellow students in class and usually only spoke up when they mentioned her name during group assignments.

Josephine was happy to blend into the background like a chameleon, but now she realized that was quite bad. She should try to make friends and be close to more people. If it could help her figure out why Thane stabbed her, Josephine would try.

She had looked up big events happening in London during the New Year's celebration but most of them required tickets that had to be booked months in advance.

"I don't have any tickets, so where am I supposed to go? Maybe I'm destined to watch the fireworks only through the dorm window like a pitiful creature," she muttered, looking at the London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel that was very majestic, but Josephine had never visited. She lived in a city that still felt foreign to her, and it was here that she died because of someone.

"I'll just go home," she thought, feeling increasingly devastated, and the wounds on her hands were proof enough.

She walked through alley after alley, the atmosphere was lively because most people were outside despite the winter still wrapping around them.

Meanwhile, in a different corner, someone was always watching Josephine from a safe distance, even before he had done this-though he was late because he got caught up with some people before finding out Josephine was harassed by thugs.

Josephine's tears at that time were hard to erase from his mind, making Lysander wonder about the reason behind her non-stop tears. He didn't have the special ability to read people's thoughts, and that was annoying.

At a certain distance, Lysander decided to walk behind Josephine-among the crowd of people.

"Should I pray to be gifted with the ability to read minds?" Lysander almost laughed, mocking himself. "Reading the future alone is already a curse that's hard to stop."

Josephine stopped for a moment; she still had a useful sense of smell as a werewolf. She turned around to find Lysander walking among the crowd, and the man didn't intend to avoid her. However, even after finding him, Josephine continued walking, drawing a smile to the corner of Lysander's lips.

"Hmm, a female cat trying to play with a male lion. This is very entertaining to follow," Lysander murmured cheerfully, still tailing her without difficulty.

He was getting more excited to follow her even if Josephine hid under the sand or looked for a hole to cover herself; Lysander would find the girl easily.

***