ᅳ    𝗂𝖿 𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾, 𝗂𝗍'𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾 .
𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗌𝖾𝗈 𝗒𝘶𝗅

YEONGRAN FELT LIKE she was in an unknown place but everything felt magical here. From the purple tree that looked likea willow tree to the nine-tailed white fox around the tree playing with one another and the beautiful flowers blooming around. She has never seen such flowers or animals or trees. She watched the surrounding where it was filled with peace and it calmed her down but somehow she felt like it was a place where she doesn't belong to.

A soft note came from the opposite direction where there was a bright light shining so bright that piqued her interest. She took a glance at the beautiful willow tree and the nine-tailed fox who seemed to bid her goodbye, then followed the light.

"Yeongran-ah?"

Yeongran slowly opened her eyes and blinked as she adjusted her vision to the brightness. She turned around and saw Seo Yul sitting at the end of her bed while holding a white damp towel.

She could hear a calm music filling the room which sounded so familiar. "You're awake"
Seo Yul helped Yeongran to sit up and added a pillow behind her back to support her.

"What happened?"

Seo Yul's expression was hard to read at the moment as his emotions were having a rollercoaster ride but one thing was sure, he was relieved and happy. Unexpectedly, he pulled the girl into his embrace "You're finally awake Yeongran-ah. You scared me. I thought I was gonna lose you again"

She was confused and knew that something happened to her after the night-hunt but seeing Seo Yul's state right now, she felt a warm sensation filling her heart up. She slowly raised her arms to hug the man back who was continuously muttering how scared he was to lose her again, thanking the heavens that she was finally awake.

"Lady Shin"

The two released each other at the entrance of the two cultivators. Seo Yul smiled and held Yeongran's hand "Young Master Wei and Young Master Lan played music to calm you down every morning and evening so that it could help you recuperate properly for the last two weeks"

Yeongran wanted to stand up but she still felt s little weak so she could only give a proper greetings from her bed.

"Thank you so much Young Master Wei and Hanguang-Jun. Shin Yeongran will forever remain grateful to you"

"No Lady Shin, it was because of us that we got you into trouble. This is the least thing we could do for you"

Lan Wangji smiled and nodded his head, agreeing to what Wei Wuxian just spoke. Yeongran smiled at her old friends, appreciating their help. The two decided to excuse themselves and inform the others who were worried about Yeongran's health leaving the couple alone in the room.

As the two left, silence fell upon the two. Seo Yul stood up and dipped the towel inside the water for few seconds before bringing it out and squeezing the water properly.

He sat near her and slowly pressed the lukewarm damp towel on her face, wiping it slowly and carefully as if Yeongran was an exquisite porcelain doll that would break if touched a little hard.

"Thank you Yul-ah...."

Seo Yul only flashed his warm smile and as he was done wiping the face he placed the towel inside the bowl and came back to sit near her.

"The Jin sisters finally sealed the creature and it was kept in seclusion inside Jinyowon. The Lan cultivators said that they will be leaving tonight since they have to reach Gusu by tomorrow for some work and you're awake too"

Yeongran was relieved to hear that it was sealed because she could clearly remember the horrendous face of that creature and the stinky smell it produced. She suddenly remembered that Seo Yul was fighting with the creature before she went unconscious

"Did you get injured that day? How are you?"

The guy who was as noble as the autumn couldn't help but chuckle at his wife's reaction.

"I was not hurt at all. It was you. You scared me to death and I thought I was gonna lose you forever. You were asleep for two weeks straight"

Yeongran felt a little shy when Yul suddenly confessed his feelings and that he was scared to lose her. He cared for me and was scared to loose me?

She suddenly felt like everything was a romantic play in the theatre that she watched like how those actors on the stage were romanticising love with their partners and being taken care of as if they were so fragile. It suddenly felt like that but it made her feel contented.

She chuckled and held Yul's hands "It doesn't feel bad to have someone caring for you"

Yul really felt like his world was about to end when he saw Yeongran on that night, laying unconscious on the floor with blood covering her robe. He never felt so scared until that night and he knew that if something happened to Yeongran, it would end him too.

He could barely function at morning or during class. His mind was in a mess and constant thoughts of the worst case as the physicians told him that it was because of the immense energy sucked out of her, it sent her into coma after all she was mage and loosing energy is a bad thing for them. They even predicted that she might wake up after a month but maybe because of the medicine and the constant energetic yet calming music that the Gusu Lan's Sect played for her, it increased her recovery speed.

"Please don't scare me like that anymore Yeongran-ah, I don't know how I would carry on if this happens again"

Yeongran felt the sincerity from him and was deeply touched. She placed her hands on his cheeks and smiled "I am a mage and so you are Yul-ah, it's normal for us to be like this but don't worry. I am not that fragile"

Never did Yeongran imagine that there would be a day where she would say such words to the person whom she secretly admired for years and years ──── let alone being in love and having mutual feelings for each other.

She thought that she would forever be in a one-sided love but maybe the heavens have pitied her after all the sufferings she went through as a kid and years of unrequited love she was stuck in. It's time for me to get back all the love that I deserve, right?

Seo Yul slowly leaned towards Yeongran as his eyes lingered around her lips and his thumb slowly running over her lips as he placed a kiss as light as a feather on her forehead and then back at her eyelids and at the tip of her nose.

"I'm so grateful for everything Yeongran-ah...I realised my mistakes and know that I've hurt you in the past unintentionally and intentionally. I hope it's not too late for me to restart everything. Seeing you unconscious and being in danger made me panic to the point that I almost went crazy Yeongran-ah....I was such an idiot before...I don't think you'd trust me right now but it's alright, I'll do whatever it takes for me to be with you and gain your love and trust in me again Yeongran-ah"

The way her name rolled off from his tongue felt angelic and she wished that he could call her name like that every now and then. Her smiles couldn't express her emotions right now.

Never knew that she'd be able to hear the man whom she has always loved and admired would be in love with her giving back the same feelings, care for her and even be scared of losing her.

"I've always been waiting for you Seo Yul and till today, I've been waiting for you. If it's you, I will continue to wait for you ──── even if it takes me thousands of years"

Seo Yul smiled as he leaned in and kissed her. It was a kiss where both feelings were reciprocated in the same way. Yeongran's years of patience waiting for her one-sided love paid off and the stupid guy who never noticed was able to realise his true feelings and was willing to make up for it.

Under the beautiful colored sunset, the two bodies intertwine with each other as they share their love together which was blissful moments for the couples while the beautiful willow tree beside the window witnesses the two souls becoming one after years and years of waiting.

They finally found each other.