Adventure + jealousy + a new boy = chaos! Stay tuned for more!
The golden light of morning stretched across the grassy hills as Yun Lan and Leon descended from the observatory, the Compass of Eternity tucked safely in her satchel. Dew clung to her boots, and the songs of strange, foreign birds echoed through the trees.
Everything felt fresh—new, like the world was waking up.
But something shifted in Yun Lan's chest. A strange feeling. Restlessness. She couldn't quite place it.
They walked for nearly an hour, the terrain dipping into a lush forest. The sunlight poured through tall white trees, and the ground was soft with moss and glowing petals. Suddenly, a sharp growl echoed through the trees.
Yun Lan stopped in her tracks.
Leon immediately stepped in front of her, hand at the hilt of his dagger. "Did you hear that?"
She nodded. "It came from the clearing."
Without hesitation, Yun Lan sprinted ahead.
"Yun Lan—wait!"
But she was already pushing through the tall ferns and into the open.
There, in the center of the clearing, a young man—no older than twenty-two—was pressed against a boulder. A massive white wolf, even larger than the one they'd met days ago, snarled and circled him.
The boy held a broken branch in his trembling hands, but it was obvious he had no real idea how to defend himself.
Yun Lan didn't think.
She pulled a sharp crystal dagger from her belt and threw it, striking the ground between the wolf and the boy with a flash of blinding light. The creature yelped and stumbled back, snarling—but it didn't attack.
Instead, it growled once more and then vanished into the shadows.
The boy blinked in shock. "What… What was that?"
"Are you hurt?" Yun Lan asked, rushing to him.
He looked at her with wide, gray-blue eyes and tousled dark hair. There was a fresh scratch on his cheek, but he was mostly unharmed. His voice trembled. "No… I think I'm okay. Thank you. You—saved me."
Leon appeared behind them, eyes immediately narrowing on the scene: Yun Lan crouched close to the stranger, hands gently brushing his arm, checking him for wounds.
Leon's jaw tightened.
"Who's this?" His voice was cool. Too cool.
The boy looked up at him. "I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble. I was just traveling when that thing came out of nowhere."
Leon stepped forward and, without thinking, slid his arm around Yun Lan's waist, pulling her slightly back into his side.
The touch was subtle—but possessive.
Yun Lan gave him a sideways glare. "Leon…"
"What?" he said innocently. "I'm just protecting what's mine."
She elbowed him lightly but said nothing more.
The boy stood up slowly, brushing dirt from his pants. "I'm Arin. I've been in this realm for almost a month now. I got pulled in through a storm… I don't know how. I've been surviving on berries and blind luck."
Yun Lan tilted her head. "You're not from this world?"
"No," Arin said. "I'm from a city—technically a realm close to yours, I think. I've met strange creatures and seen temples, but I haven't found anyone else like me. Until now."
Leon remained silent, watching Arin carefully.
"You've survived all this time alone?" Yun Lan asked with genuine amazement.
"I suppose I got lucky. But I'm tired of being alone. When I saw the smoke from your fire yesterday, I followed the trail. I didn't mean to scare anyone."
He looked at them both with a hopeful expression.
"I want to come with you."
Leon scoffed. "Absolutely not."
Yun Lan turned. "Leon."
"You don't even know him," Leon said, voice edged. "For all we know, he could be a thief or a spy—or worse."
"I saved his life," she said sharply. "And you're acting ridiculous."
Arin raised his hands in surrender. "Look, I get it. I'm a stranger. You don't trust me. But I have nothing—no magic, no weapons. Just two feet and a desperate need to stay alive. Let me prove I'm useful. If I'm a burden, you can leave me."
Leon stared at him, unamused.
But Yun Lan sighed and looked at Arin with soft eyes. "Fine. You can travel with us for now. But we move fast, and we face danger. This isn't a rescue mission."
"Understood," Arin said, smiling.
Leon exhaled heavily and stepped even closer behind Yun Lan, his hand still firmly on her waist. "If he slows us down, he's gone."
Yun Lan elbowed him again. "Enough already."
They gathered their supplies and began walking. Arin moved beside Yun Lan, clearly enchanted by everything around him—the forest, the golden-tinted birds, even the moss glowing faintly beneath their boots.
"I've never seen a place like this," Arin said in awe. "It's like a dream… or a fairy tale."
"It's more like a nightmare with occasional pretty moments," Yun Lan replied with a smirk.
Leon walked silently on her other side, now even closer, his body angled between her and Arin like a living wall.
Arin glanced between them. "So… you two are…"
"Travel companions," Yun Lan said quickly.
Leon added, "Engaged."
Yun Lan nearly tripped over a root.
"Leon!"
He didn't look at her. "It's just easier to explain it that way."
Arin laughed awkwardly. "Ah. Well, you two definitely have… a certain tension."
Yun Lan muttered under her breath, "Tell me about it."
They continued their journey until nightfall, setting camp near a stream. Yun Lan started a fire while Leon wandered into the forest to hunt.
Arin sat beside her. "You really saved me back there. I would've been dead if not for you."
Yun Lan gave a small smile. "You were lucky I heard the wolf."
"I've been lucky more times than I deserve," Arin said. "But something tells me… my luck's just beginning."
She looked at him, but before she could answer, Leon returned—with two birds hanging from his belt.
He eyed the scene: Arin sitting just a little too close to Yun Lan.
Wordlessly, he sat between them, pushing Arin over slightly with his shoulder and beginning to prepare the food.
Yun Lan shot him a glare. "Really?"
Leon didn't even blink. "What?"
She sighed, shaking her head.
As the night wore on, Arin fell asleep first, curled in a blanket near the fire. Yun Lan stood, arms crossed, gazing at the stars.
Leon joined her after a moment, his voice low. "You really want him with us?"
She nodded. "He's just a kid trying to survive."
Leon leaned closer. "He looks at you like you're more than just a rescuer."
Yun Lan looked at him. "And you look at me like you're the only one who ever gets to."
"I am," he said, not blinking. "Don't forget that."
Her eyes flicked to his face, and for a second, her breath caught.
"Don't get jealous," she said, voice teasing. "It's not a good look for a devil like you."
He leaned in closer, his mouth brushing just below her ear.
"I don't get jealous," he murmured. "I get territorial."
And with that, he walked away into the night shadows, leaving her heart racing and her thoughts tangled.
Tomorrow, the journey would continue—with one more companion and a growing storm of feelings none of them were ready to face.