Season one, chapter six

"A photo, a moment, a short story"

SINCE MUN IS now officially a part of the group, they will need to provide him with training and educate him about the various kinds of malevolent entities that could potentially be encountered at any given moment. It is important to remember that he is a novice and has a great deal to learn, so it is crucial to expedite the learning process.

Mo-tak assumed the responsibility of instructing him in the fundamental principles, while also acquainting him with the distinct abilities possessed by every individual within the Counters.

Thea folded her arms across her chest, attentively listening to Mo-tak's every word, which brought back memories of him reprimanding her in the past for not focusing during his explanations. Now that she comprehends everything he was attempting to convey, it became simpler for her to be attentive.

"It means the spirit has eaten four to five souls. But is all case by case. Some stay at level two even after killing more people. If the evil spirit and the host are very compatible, they can reach level three more quickly" Mo-tak elucidated, pacing from one end to the other, providing the teenager with all the essential details

"Once they enter level three, they can talk in two voices" Hana casually leaned against a table and glancing only briefly at the new group member

"In two different voices?"

"And that can evolve into the host and the evil spirit becoming one. That's level four. But we haven't seen it yet" Mo-tak replied, shifting his gaze towards Thea and Hana "Wasn't that your first time seeing a level three?" Both young women acknowledged with a nod, giving confirmation to his assertive remarks

"Then how strong is level four?" Mun inquired, expressing concern, he couldn't possibly envision the extent of his teammates' deterioration when battling an evil spirit. However, the memory of the recent demise of one of his companions caused him to feel a sense of unease about the potential outcome now that he has become a part of the situation

"All of us would have to fight together to beat it" Thea uttered, glancing down at the young boy next to her, his innocent eyes, resembling those of a young deer, quickly locked onto hers, displaying his eagerness to continue learning, seemingly motivated solely by her voice

"Only when we have our territory" Ms. Chu entered the place, causing their unexpected staring contest to be disrupted as she held a sketchbook in her possession

"We might be able to do it if Mun reaches Cheol-Jung's level" Mo-tak showed certainty as he looked at the young boy, who affirmed his determination to train harder and achieve a higher skill level

"No. Not without our territory. I cannot lose another teammate" Ms. Chu firmly declined the suggestion, expressing her refusal as she took out a sheet of paper from the sketchbook she was holding "Here, Mun. He killed Cheol-Jung"

Mun took hold of the paper, examining every detail of the artwork in his grasp. A sudden smile appeared on his face as his eyes studied the intricate lines drawn on the paper.

"This is..." Mun struggled to say before emitting a snorting chuckle "Is this a composite sketch?" He gazed at Ms. Chu, his pink lips curved into an entertained smile

Ms. Chu expressed her offense at the boy's audacious ridicule by replying with a "yes." With nothing but a pout on her face, she felt slightly offended by the boy's critical yet amusing gaze

"You think you can catch him with this?" Mun asked as he laughed, he was evidently amused by the drawings, but he still found them quite intriguing to observe. Thea squinted her eyes when he flipped it over

"You're laughing?" Mo-tak inquired earnestly. Mun glanced at the members of the group, wearing a smile that gradually vanished upon realizing that no one else displayed any signs of amusement

"No. Can I see a different one?" Mun requested, prompting Ms. Chu to forcefully hand him the sketchbook. Mun proceeded to examine the sketchbook, laughing and making mocking gestures towards each drawing he saw

Although Thea attempted to suppress her amusement by covering her mouth, she recognized that the illustrations did exhibit a certain level of humor. Yet, she chose not to vocalize this sentiment due to the implicit threat from the group. Thea withdrew her hand from her mouth when she felt Hana's stare fixed upon her, but she continued to bite her lower lip in an endeavor to restrain the laughter that was on the verge of bursting out. However, as soon as she observed Mo-tak joining the boy in laughter, she hastily cleared her throat.

Mun's smile vanished from his face when he saw Mo-tak's serious expression, questioning,"You think they're funny? He's looking down on us, right?"

"He sure doesn't respect us" With a displeased expression on her face, Ms. Chu conveyed her dissatisfaction by giving Mun an offended look that resembled the act of rolling her eyes

"Hey, what's the problem?" Hana inquired, approaching the boy with an intimidating demeanor

"Do you know how many spirits we caught using these?" Ms. Chu questioned, gesturing dramatically towards the black sketchbook, while at the same time, Mun fetched his own art supplies from his bag

"His face is on the narrow side, right?" Mun inquired, captivating the group's attention as he held a sketchbook and a pencil in front of him

Ms. Chu quickly approached him with curiosity, gesturing with her hands to emphasize, "Well, the chin too. It's more... He has a square chin"

"He has an oval face, but it looks quite sharp" Mo-tak directed the attention of the whole group towards the boy, who skillfully drew on the empty sheet of paper "And he has a high nose bridge"

"The eyes. His eyes are slanted" Thea exclaimed, placing her hands behind the chair on which Mun was seated. Unaware of their proximity, she leaned in, causing Mun to pause his drawing and feel a surge of nerves. Overcome by the closeness, Mun couldn't resist turning his head to look back at Thea. Startled, Thea gasped and quickly moved away from the boy, offering an apologetic smile "Sorry," she apologized, leaning in again as the boy resumed his drawing "Yes, that's it"

The boy discreetly smiled this time, for an unknown reason, he did not want the girl to distance herself from him. Rather, he experienced a sensation as if his heart was on the verge of exploding from his chest, an unusual feeling that he oddly enjoyed. Despite his efforts, he couldn't stop the nerves that quickly overwhelmed him and struggled to hold the pencil steadily as his hand started trembling with anxiety.

"He looks like a wolf. Make the eyebrows thicker" Ms. Chu continued explaining disregarding the possibility that the two youngest individuals might be developing feelings for each other

"He's bald, but he was wearing a hoodie" Hana mentioned, mimicking the man's appearance with her hands

Once Mun completed the drawing, he declared "Done" leaving everyone stunned by his exceptional artistic abilities

Thea's eyes sparkled with evident admiration as she smiled, her astonishment evident as she studied the impeccable yet extraordinary artwork on the page. As Ms. Chu fiercely positioned the paper on the wall, everyone's attention shifted towards her.

"We must catch him" Looking at the drawing, Mo-tak expressed his displeasure with a hint of bitterness in his tone "Let's catch him so Cheol-Jung can rest in peace"

Quietly concurring with him, all of them turned their eyes towards the person accountable for their friend's death, intending to seek revenge once they successfully capture him.

"Shall we take a photo together?"Ms. Chu inquired after a considerable stretch of silence, retrieving the camera reserved for special occasions such as this

Thea wore a satisfied smile as she confidently positioned herself in front of everyone else, while the rest of the group followed suit as Ms. Chu returned with the camera in a professional manner, prepared to display her impressive photography abilities.

"Mun, you see... I used to run a photography studio" Mun gasped in surprise, positioning himself boldly next to Thea, as if seeking her attention

"Really?" Mun inquired displaying astonishment through raised eyebrows, as though the information caught him off guard

"That's how I was able to raise my son, put him through school, and even send him to the Military Academy" Ms. Chu acknowledged, while delicately adjusting the camera in front of the group

Mun expressed his admiration by saying, "That's so inspiring" while giving two thumbs up. He found it extremely motivating to hear and understood the reason behind her professional appearance while adjusting the camera

"Here we go. Okay, ten seconds" Ms. Chu declared as they readied themselves for the photograph "We won't lose anyone in this photo. I promise you that. What the heck?" She expressed her irritation when the camera failed to capture the photo, although it actually did take the photo when Ms. Chu went to inspect it, which made Mun laugh."Okay. Let's try that again. One more time" The group started striking various different poses "Let's pretend we're besties"

With that said, Mo-tak placed his arm on Mun's shoulder. Mun, with a bashful smile, hesitated slightly before gently placing his quivering hands on Thea's shoulders after politely clearing his throat. Thea, not being accustomed to physical contact, especially with unfamiliar people, tensed her shoulders. Surprisingly, she couldn't bring herself to push the boy away as she had initially planned.

Thea shifted her gaze towards Mun, who returned her look just as he sensed her observing him. They became captivated in each other's eyes, their hearts harmonizing in mere moments, unaware that the camera had already snapped the picture.

He found himself fully engrossed in pondering over her. The way she appeared to him, radiantly illuminated by the morning sun entering through the restaurant windows, was exquisitely beautiful. How is it possible for her to be so enchanting? Or more importantly, why does he fail to acknowledge the profound impact she has on him with just a single glance?

Eyes have a language of their own...

Mo-tak dared Mun to conquer Hana, urging him to overcome Hana and gain entry to her memories, a feat that had proven elusive for everyone else. Despite the daunting nature of the task, Mun enthusiastically accepted the challenge. Despite his greater curiosity about Thea's history compared to others, he still chose to accept the offer and make the most of it.

In contrast, Thea had elegantly wrapped her hands in bandages while vigorously hitting the punching bag with her knuckles. As her body sweat, her white shirt stuck to her, highlighting her remarkably sculpted abdomen.

"What is this?" Mun expressed curiosity, his mouth open in astonishment, as he meticulously examined the basement, which he thought was incredibly impressive "This is the basement? My gosh, this is so cool"

Despite being fascinated by Hana, who was stretching on the boxing mat, he acknowledged her undeniable beauty. However, when he shifted his gaze towards Thea, who had her hair tied up in a ponytail and was fiercely striking a punching bag, her effortless proficiency left him in awe, causing him to express his admiration openly. She was not only attractive but seemed almost otherworldly.

Feeling embarrassed and experiencing a surge of blood to his face, he briefly covered his eyes with his hand to regain his composure before uncovering them to keep looking at her, unable to divert his gaze from Thea even for a short while. His eyes shamelessly roamed over her whole figure, observing every possible aspect. He was driven wild by the way her white shirt clung to her body due to perspiration, and what drove him even more insane was her truly extraordinary abdominal muscles that he definitely desired to touch.

Could he perhaps be in paradise? Because Thea definitely resembled an angel who had descended from the heavens. How is it possible for her to appear both innocent and incredibly attractive simultaneously?

"You should warm up too" Hana said interrupting his moment, bringing him back to reality. Mun blinked a few times shifting his focus to Hana, who had noticed his unabashed admiration of Thea

"Oh, okay. One, two, three, four, five" Mun uttered hesitantly as he commenced counting audibly, engaging in a brief round of jumping jacks

"Let's do this" However, at present, Mun appeared reluctant to engage in the task, which Thea couldn't help but notice as she suppressed a giggle

"Oh, you know... I hope you didn't get the wrong idea. Mo-tak kept saying I should give it a shot"Mun expressed in an attempt to persuade Hana that he truly had no desire to engage in this. As Hana walked towards him with an aloof expression, he nervously shrugged his shoulders

"You wanted to take me down" Hana reminded him as Thea set the punching bag aside and sat in one of the armchairs, preparing to witness the spectacle

"No, I only said that because Mo-tak kept egging me on" Mun replied, shaking his head, but Thea could easily see his deception, and she was aware of his foolish scheme

"This is part of the training. Come this way" Hana commanded, placing herself at the center of the mat where the combat was going to take place

"Gosh, please. I won't dare to do this to you. I've never even done this..." Mun began to speak before unexpectedly throwing a punch at her, but Hana deftly evaded it "She's fast" Mun acknowledged, his tone tinged with cynical admiration

Both of them started fighting, and Thea found pleasure in the activity. Nonetheless, she experienced discomfort upon observing the boy's frequent falls as a result of his limited combat skills. This occurrence somewhat brought back memories of her initial training session with Hana, where Thea faced excessive roughness and ended up with numerous facial bruises, aching back, and a swollen eye. This situation bore a resemblance to that experience.

"Hey, go put on the defense suit" Han suggested, displaying no signs of fatigue or regret for repeatedly causing harm to him

"No, it's fine. Okay, that's how you'll play this? Got it. I have a third-poom belt in taekwondo" Mun assumed, playfully starting to throw punches in the air, which resulted in Thea briefly finding amusement in his childish actions

Thea had already lost track of how many times Mun had fallen to the ground. Despite that, the battle persisted, and Mun eventually executed a final strike. Nevertheless, Hana effortlessly dodged it. Yet, when the boy forcefully plunged his hand into the punching bag, it failed to withstand the impact.

Mun's unexpected strength amazed all three of them as they witnessed the sand flowing out of the punching bag like cascading waterfalls.

Consider the potential outcome if Hana had not managed to evade that assault.

"No. Please, don't get the wrong idea. No, please!" Mun started pleading before he successfully defended against Hana's assault  "Oh, I just blocked you. I did, right? I just blocked you. What's wrong? What?"

Thea grimaced while observing Hana swiftly knock down the boy with a skillful kick, consequently emerging victorious in the brawl.

"Class is over" Hana declared her departure and headed towards the exit, consequently leaving the two adolescents by themselves in the spacious basement

Thea approached the boy who was lying on the ground and extended her hand towards him. With a smile on her face, she couldn't have anticipated ever instructing someone of her age before. She questioned if it was too much to admit that this experience was quite exciting for her, considering it was her first time.

"I'll be your second class" Thea joyfully exclaimed while reaching out her hand to the boy lying on the ground

"Thank you, Thea" Mun expressed gratitude to Thea and gently grasped her hand, as if he had been anticipating this moment. However, he was taken aback and gasped in astonishment when Thea unexpectedly pulled him towards her in a swift action and swiftly kicked his foot, causing him to fall to the ground with a loud thud once more

"You have a lot to learn. Train harder, okay?"Thea prompted, her facial expression displaying a sense of amusement

"What the heck was that about?" Mun grumbled while lying on the ground. Thea chuckled softly and reached out her hand to him again, though he hesitated to accept it, fearing that she might play another trick on him

"I won't do anything this time, I promise" Thea promised. Mun glanced uncertainly at her before gradually holding her hand, consequently rising from the floor "Little advice, try to figure out the best way to fall to lessen the pain"

"How would I know? Why don't you teach me?"Mun inquired, expressing his confusion, but as soon as their eyes met, they didn't hesitate to become captivated by each other's gaze

"When a pair of eyes catches you, no matter how hard you try to get out of their charm, you will not be able to do it"

Thea recollects the advice her mother once imparted, which had been long erased from her memory, but upon encountering the boy, she comprehended the true significance of those words and instantly found coherence in all the romantic melodies.

Why did he evoke all these emotions in her that she vowed never to experience again? Why does her heart race differently whenever he is in close proximity? Why did this happen so unexpectedly?

Everything occurred abruptly, and she embraced it, but she was not prepared to relinquish her first love who had once been her initial affection, the individual who once made her happy, the person who made her experience the same emotions as Mun did.

However, Thea found it difficult to distance herself from Mun, as he gazed at her in the exact way she had always yearned for. She couldn't bring herself to hurt him or betray her own feelings by allowing herself to develop romantic feelings for another person within such a brief period. It was unfair to Mun, as she couldn't simply forget the person who had left an indelible mark on her life years ago.

It was unfair for both guys involved, but what choice did she have? She had no desire to release her grip on Mun's hand; her only wish was to hold onto him forever without ever letting go. That's what her heart longed for, but her mind had a different opinion.

Ba bum ba bum

Those were their hearts synchronizing with one another.

Determined not to hurt someone as kind as Mun, she resolved not to let herself fall in love again. She would only consider such emotions when she believed she was prepared, when she had completely healed from her past hardships, and when she had learned to love herself. After all, how can one truly love another if they do not love themselves?

Nonetheless, while releasing Mun's hand, she pondered if this choice was indeed the correct path to take or if she would potentially feel remorseful about it later on.

Author's note;

Apologies for the extended delay, however, I was revisiting the earlier sections in an attempt to make some alterations, but it proved to be incredibly difficult to do so. I was unable to achieve this 😭👍🏻

In this section, I have presented further details regarding Thea's emotions. The intense impact of love upon first sight can be challenging to overcome swiftly. However, Thea is resolute in her decision to let go and due to her strong-willed nature, it may take time for others to convince her otherwise, until she ultimately acknowledges that it is in her best interest.

However, there is no need to be concerned. This is simply done to add some excitement to the plot and make it more intriguing.

See y'all in the next chapter! 💗

This chapter was edited: 12/13/23 ☑️