In the Witch's Claws

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October again and a long silence...

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      In the dark room, in the dim light, a girl with red hair was reflected. The girl was the last witch of her kind. Yeji lost her parents at the age of ten and remained under the guardianship of her grandmother.       Her father left when little Ji was only five, leaving behind nothing but photographs. According to her late mother, he left them so that people from the town wouldn't be able to find them.       The mother also did not live long, and five years later she passed away from a heart attack. The late Hwan protected her daughter as if she were her own life. Little Ji meant everything to her and could replace the whole world.

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      In the memories, there were moments where Grandma comforted Yeji, telling her that her mother always hears her and will continue to love her as before. Guardianship was not difficult for Yuima, because it was Hwan's mother who raised her as well. It was she who taught Yeji dark magic. The deceased daughter had always been against Yeji getting involved in witches' affairs; she wanted her little princess to not risk her life for magic. But since there was no other way, Yuima taught young Hwan how to handle the spellbook and use the wand.       Studying lunar witchcraft, Ji grew even closer to her grandmother and always followed her instructions and requests. At that moment, Yuima was the only person Yeji trusted before the arrival of HIM...       A tall, dark-haired boy of about fourteen years old. He looked like her. The boy was also from a family of wizards, and his parents were acquaintances of her grandmother.       He was the first person Yeji ever fell in love with. It all began with a strong friendship between a boy and a girl. Hyunjin also taught the girl many things: archery, writing, and diligence. All of this was passed on to the girl by Hwan. She wanted to be just like him, cried when he found other girls, and desperately waited for the moment he would look at her.       But Hyunjin didn’t have to wait long for reciprocity. The guy noticed Yeji’s strange behavior when he talked to her alone, or when there were completely harmless touches of the shoulder or hand, etc. The girl reacted violently. Soon, Hwan understood the reason for his friend's reactions.       Deciding to find out everything about cleanliness, Hyunjin invited her best friend to another meeting without saying anything about the topic of conversation.       Essentially, there was a friendly atmosphere, questions about well-being, about magic, musings about the moon, and much more. But deciding not to prolong it, Hyunjin looked into the girl's eyes with a concerned expression.       Not expecting this, Yeji looked at the tree that stood nearby. A wave of anxiety engulfed the girl's mind. "Why is he looking at me like that?" echoed in her head.       But exactly what Yeji never expected happened. The guy lifted the woman's chin with three fingers, turning her face toward him. "— Yeji, what happened? For the past five months, you have been acting very strangely." - Hyunjin spoke in one breath, standing dangerously close to the girl. "— You most likely imagined it, Hyun." - Hwan waved it off, shifting her gaze to her sleeve. "— I don't think so." - The guy stood his ground, not letting go of Yeji's face. "— You can trust me." "— I don't know what you are talking about." - the girl did not back down. "— Since you don't want to talk, it means we will act differently." "— What are you..." - she hadn't finished speaking when she was silenced with a kiss.       A rush of heat instantly flooded my cheeks, and Yeji would have fallen if not for strong hands. Hot lips were driving me crazy. Hyunjin's grip was tightening, pulling harder and tighter by the waist. The girl had already begun to hide and respond to the kiss.       Smirking in his thoughts, Hwan suddenly pulled back sharply. "— It was so hard for me to admit, Yeji?" - Hyunjin smirked, leaning down to look into the girl's lowered eyes.       Suddenly, sobs were heard. Gently taking both wrists in his hand, the boy pushed them onto the bench they were sitting on. Her red curls scattered in all directions. Her flushed eyelids and green pupils made the girl unbearably beautiful. "— Kiss me... Please." - Hwang whispered in a trembling voice, exhaling convulsively.       Clinging to the pale pink lips, Hyunjin forgot how to breathe. How to live on while she is in his arms, pressing close and kissing in return...

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      But not everything lasts forever. Soon the girl moves to another country, just as at that time Hyunjin also left his hometown for another city. And now they hide their true nature, living like ordinary city dwellers... But where is happiness?       And so we return to the moment where Yeji is diligently writing another work. But this time, the novel must turn out beautifully. Hwang will write it in honor of his late grandmother Yuima.       But then someone rang the doorbell. Today the girl was not expecting anyone and, at her own risk, went to open the door. "— Hello! You are Hwang Yeji, right?" - on the porch stood a young man about eighteen years old. It seemed to be the postman. "— Yes." - the girl spoke with distrust, glancing at the boy's appearance. "— Great! You have a letter from California." - The guy handed her an envelope sealed with black wax. "— Yeah, thanks." - Hwan took the letter, twisting it in her hand. "— Happy Halloween!" "— You too."       As soon as the door slammed shut, the girl immediately began examining the envelope from all sides. It seemed ordinary enough, but the black wax puzzled her. "Why black?" A thought came to her mind, a guess about who it might be from.       When I opened the envelope, a twice-folded note and a quill fell into my hands. The eyes instantly widened, because it was exactly the hairpin that Yeji had given to Hyunjin before leaving.       Unfolding the paper, Hwan noticed quite familiar ink. It was black, with shades of burgundy. It was already clear who had written this letter.

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"Dear Yeji, If you are reading this, it means the letter has reached the address. Grandma Yuima learned about the future before her death and told me everything before she passed away. I want to say that I miss you very much. So get ready, I will come soon, possibly around November 15th. Write to me soon. Hwang Hyunjin"