When A Ghoul Falls In Love

After a few minutes, I find him right next to me. He puts his head on my shoulder and closes his eyes. 

"Hey?" I push his head away, but he doesn't budge. My strength is useless on him. "I thought that you were going to act nice."

"I am not nice." He mumbles, "Someone told me that nice guys don't get the girls."

"Idiots also don't get the girls." 

I flick his forehead, but he remains still. Despite all the attempts, he remains glued to my side. 

This guy is hopeless! I give up.

I frown hard. 

…did my past self also give up like this?

Seeing how he is, there is a high chance that he was acting clingy and I gave in.

I feel tired just thinking about it.

He nibbles on my collarbone, sniffing me, and rubbing the tip of my nose against my skin. Then, he coils his arms around my arm and snuggles closer.

His scent is strong -- musky and intoxicating, enchanting and affecting my damn heartbeats. This proximity between us is arousing. 

Damn him!!!

I can't tell if he can hear the sound of my heartbeat or not. The v.i.r.g.i.n ghoul makes no comment. 

If he does, I will kill him.

The agony ends when my father finally comes out. Eli raises his head and looks at him. The cat also opens his eyes.

They weren't asleep, were they? 

"Ahem!" My father clears his throat. "We succeeded."

"It is similar to a purging potion." Amachi says, "But it's way more subtle and yet, strong. It only works for any type of fae magic. I have used it on this sorcerer and the human in the bas.e.m.e.nt."

They did it on Nick too?

"I didn't have much fae magic in me," My father tells me. "But I felt remnants of some fae magic that was put on me by my enemies several years ago, leaving my body. It worked on Nick too."

"This is an important discovery." Amachi's voice is formal. "When I say any magic, I mean that it can also flush out any type of fae spells or contractual fae magic from the victim's body. However, there are risks."

"It wasn't bad for me because the fae magic was weak in my body." My father sighs. "Things were difficult for Nick."

"What kind of difficulties?" Eli asks, standing up.

"Hold up!" I raise my hand. "How could you experiment on Nick without his permission?"

They ignore my question and continue talking.

"It was a contractual binding, Eli," Amachi explains to him. "And it was a decade old. The potion was quite strong. It broke all the magic inside him, including his own magic -- the human body adapts quickly to its environment. He also gained his own magic, even if it was small. The potion dissuaded the fae magic and his magic. The fae magic turned antagonistic and started to harm his body and soul. There was no other way than conducting surgery and using a faucet to drive the magic out. We have trapped it in a jar."

What the f.u.c.k? I open my mouth wide. Did they conduct a surgery too? That's why it took them so long. "How is Nick?"

"He is alive," Amachi answers me. "His body will take some time to recuperate. Since Eli's magic is keeping him asleep, his body will heal quickly. He won't feel any pain."

I still can't tell whether this is good or not.

"He is free." My father says to me, "He is not tied to the fae realm anymore. But it's best if he stays here until he is completely detoxified. Even if the magic is gone from his body, he might feel an emotional tie to the fae realm. And he will always be more susceptible to the fae. We cannot do anything about that."

I know that rarely anything can go back to the way it was. Nick won't ever be the same. "I want to take this potion."

"No." Eli utters, "We cannot take a risk with her body. Her soul is also weak. The potion hasn't been tested enough."

"That's why I will give it to the cat first." Amachi grins at the cat. "Both of their souls are made of the same energy."

The cat rolls his eyes, but he doesn't make any statement.

"Fine." Eli picks up the cat. "Let him taste first. If there is a bad reaction, we won't give it to him."

Did anyone notice how nonchalant they are about this cat? What if this potion is a poison to cats? "The cat can speak for himself."

"Worried for me?" The cat sneers at me. "These little potions can barely do anything to me."

Fine, I don't care either. I hope this cat gets diarrhoea after drinking the potion.

"If you feel uncomfortable, tell me right away," Eli coos to the cat, running his hand on the cat's back. "Don't drink it if it's causing you harm."

"Don't be fake, Little Marshmallow." The cat snorts, "I know that you care the most about this bratty woman who is suffering from amnesia like the main actress of some sick comical drama from the fifteenth century." 

"You speak like you have seen a drama from the fifteenth century." I glower at the cat. "Why don't you stop chatting and drink it?"

"I can't believe that I am doing this for you." He hisses at me. "I don't understand why Little Marshmallow loves you more than me."

I roll my eyes. It's beneath my dignity to argue with a cat. I won't win anyway.

"I am drinking," The cat barks at me before he moves his head toward the beaker with shady magenta stuff. Eli tilts the beaker, raising the liquid slightly. The cat glances at me again. A flash of indecision past by his green eyes. Then, he inhales the smoke and takes his tongue out, l.i.c.k.i.n.g the magenta thing. "This tastes horrible!"

"I didn't have enough time to work on the taste." Amachi runs his fingers through his hair. "This is a specific potion. It needs to be tested more."

"I don't have any fae magic in my body." The cat doesn't taste the potion again. He licks his paw with furrowed burrows. "It's not reacting to the magic inside me."

"You don't have fae magic." My father says to him, "It only reacts to the fae magic."

"Nell should drink this then." The cat smirks at me, "Let's see how you can save your taste buds."

I am not scared of a crazy drink. If it can bring back my memories, I will drink it. But I am scared of what's lying in my memories. What if I remember something that will change everything I know about? No matter how brave I want to act, I can't deny that I am also scared out of my mind. Everything is confusing to me.

These people are not my friends or family. Even if my mother and step-father were cruel to me, I still want to see them. Is that a wrong wish? I guess we can't abandon families, even if we hate them sometimes.

I need to remember for my sake, my friends' sake, Baek Joon Woo's sake, my mother's sake, and for the sake of these creatures who are around me including this v.i.r.g.i.n ghoul who eyes me as if I am the only thing he acknowledges in this world. 

It's annoying. I can't deny this. This ghoul is too annoying.

Even if I don't know him well…

Even if I still love Baek Joon Woo…

Even if I used to think that I would never think of being with a man except for Baek Joon Woo…

I am afraid that my heart does react to this v.i.r.g.i.n ghoul's unspoken words. 

I am afraid that my past self might have liked him more than I want to accept. 

Sadly, this is a reality where someone else other than Baek Joon Woo has made into my heart.

I cannot run away from my past anymore. If there is truly a moon goddess who has been protecting me, then I pray that you let me remember because I want to face everything even if there is a possibility that I might regret remembering everything later.