"…Why do you have so many?"Hwan-young eyed the stack of talismans with a skeptical look. Even at a glance, it was a ridiculous amount. Just making that many must have taken quite a bit of time. Noticing his expression, Mu-ryeong winked playfully."They’re temporary talismans. I won’t even use all of them."They weren’t formally crafted—just practice talismans he had made from time to time. Unlike the ones he had given to Hwan-young and Seung-joo, these were simpler to create and therefore far less effective."What are you planning to do with them?""To put it simply… I guess you could say I’m setting up a barrier.""A barrier?""Yeah. Evil spirits usually travel through shadows."Mu-ryeong walked slowly as he explained. He pointed toward the gymnasium, Main Building 1, Main Building 2, the new building, the cafeteria, and even the school store. Then, he held up the talismans in his hand."We’re going to place these at key points. That way, even if your brother tries to hide in the shadows, he won’t be able to leave the school."The theory was simple—it was a trap. Blocking every exit from the inside out so that once Hwan-hee was inside, he wouldn’t be able to escape.It would take a considerable amount of spiritual energy, but for Mu-ryeong, it wasn’t a particularly difficult task. Just tedious and time-consuming."And after that?""Then we’ll make him come out in front of us."From the way Mu-ryeong spoke, it sounded easy. Hwan-young frowned."How are you planning to do that?""By getting rid of all the shadows.""…""All of them, except for this one."Mu-ryeong tapped his foot against the ground. The moonlight was so bright that their shadows stretched out darker and longer than usual. Though faint due to the night, if this was the only available exit, then even an evil spirit wouldn’t have many options."…How exactly are you going to get rid of shadows?""You’ll see tomorrow."That was all Mu-ryeong said before dropping the subject. Moving closer to the wall, he ran his left hand along its surface. A slow, mist-like spiritual energy seeped out, covering the entire wall. Then, he crouched down and pressed a talisman onto the lower part near the ground."What are you using to stick them?""Spiritual energy."No glue or tape was necessary. With just a small infusion of energy, the talisman adhered to the wall as if it had been taped down. Since it was placed in an inconspicuous spot, even if someone tried to remove it, it wouldn’t come off easily."…It’s basically magic.""Magic?"Mu-ryeong let out a laugh at Hwan-young’s choice of words. Magic—that was a new way to put it. Exorcists like Mu-heun often joked that they were nothing more than tricksters with fancy skills, but it had been a while since he’d heard an amusing comparison like this.Mu-ryeong continued placing talismans along the inner walls of the school, moving steadily around the perimeter. Once he had made a full loop, he returned to the backyard and stuffed the remaining talismans back into his bag. There was still time before the goblins returned, so he intended to make good use of the wait."Here.""…What?""We forgot to do our energy exchange."Mu-ryeong held out both arms toward Hwan-young. There was only one more exchange left tonight, and after that, they would have only three more—one in the morning, one at lunch, and one in the evening. Technically, Mu-ryeong had already gathered enough energy, but he wanted to make sure everything was as perfect as possible.And, well… if he were to say there was zero personal motivation behind it, that would be a lie."We don’t have many left."Hwan-young pulled him into an embrace immediately, no hesitation in his movements. He had grown accustomed to it over the past few days, though his heartbeat still thundered just as loudly."Your heart always beats so fast.""…""But why is your body temperature so low?"Mu-ryeong mumbled as he absentmindedly counted seconds. The night was stiflingly hot, with news of a heatwave spreading, but being close to Hwan-young made the warmth disappear completely. His natural body temperature was low, and his spiritual energy carried an unusually crisp, cooling sensation.The chirping of crickets filled the air, along with the shrill cries of cicadas. If Mu-ryeong closed his eyes, he could hear the steady thudding of Hwan-young’s heartbeat, as well as the occasional deep breath he let out, almost like a sigh."My dad once told me something."Mu-ryeong tightened his arms around him slightly. His fingers moved lightly against Hwan-young’s back, like playing a piano, making Hwan-young flinch as if ticklish. His grip on Mu-ryeong also grew subtly firmer."He said that when you’re nervous, listening to a heartbeat can help you feel more at ease.""…""Something about it being psychological or whatever…"It was similar to how parents rocked their children to sleep—how the steady rhythm of a heartbeat had a calming effect on others. Mu-ryeong always remembered that whenever he rested in Hwan-young’s arms."…I’ve heard that too."Hwan-young murmured in agreement, his voice quiet but sure. As he pressed his palm against Mu-ryeong’s back, he released a deeper surge of spiritual energy. No doubt, Mu-ryeong could feel the pounding of his heart just as clearly.One minute was a short span of time, but it was long enough for their body temperatures to sync. What started as a cold embrace always ended °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° with warmth, and by now, Mu-ryeong could tell the passage of time just by that shift."One minute’s up."Mu-ryeong declared firmly and tried to step back. Tried to.The moment he started to pull away, Hwan-young tightened his arms and pulled him back in."Uh…?"Mu-ryeong found himself pressed against his chest once again. He blinked up at him, dazed, but before he could react, a large palm settled on the back of his head, holding him in place against Hwan-young’s shoulder.Then, a deep, quiet voice murmured beside his ear."…Just stay like this.""…""Until the goblins get back."Was it just his imagination?Mu-ryeong could hear Hwan-young’s heartbeat pounding faster, and strangely enough, it felt like it was affecting his own. The steady thud, thud, thud reverberated between them, almost infectious. Hwan-young let out a slow breath, his voice low and slightly hoarse as he added,"We don’t have anything else to do anyway."Just as he finished speaking, a goblin fire flickered to life in the air behind Mu-ryeong. Though Mu-ryeong couldn't see it with his face pressed against Hwan-young’s chest, Hwan-young caught sight of it clearly. The flame had halted mid-air, completely motionless, as if shocked by the sight before it."…I’ll let you know when they’re all back."Hwan-young’s voice was dry, almost parched. Without a word, Mu-ryeong tightened his hold around Hwan-young’s waist.Two more goblin fires soon followed, appearing beside the first. They too froze in place, hovering dumbfounded in the air."…""…"The three flames wavered uncertainly, observing the scene before them. Their silent drifting made it clear they had no intention of interrupting. Instead, they subtly widened the distance between them, as if being extra careful.For a long time, neither Mu-ryeong nor Hwan-young moved. Hwan-young didn’t bring up the goblins, and the flames made no move to announce their return.So Mu-ryeong simply closed his eyes, letting the gentle flow of spiritual energy seep into him. He knew they were there. He knew they were waiting.But he didn’t want to step away just yet.‘This feels nice…’The deep, rhythmic thudding of Hwan-young’s heart gave him a sense of peace. And yet, separate from that comfort, the light, heady sensation bubbling in his chest—was that due to Hwan-young’s energy? Or was it the warmth they shared?He didn’t know.***With his body fully charged from Hwan-young’s energy, Mu-ryeong moved effortlessly through the school, weaving through all six buildings one by one. He checked every corner of each classroom, carefully placing talismans in the right spots.Hwan-young followed him in silence.They completed the final round in Main Building 1, finishing in the second-year classrooms."That’s it. We’re done."In Class 2-3, Mu-ryeong stretched his back after placing the last talisman under Hwan-young’s desk. Turning around, he playfully crinkled his nose at Hwan-young, who was still standing behind him."Told you we’d be walking a lot.""I didn’t say anything."Hwan-young shrugged, expression unchanged. He wasn’t particularly bothered or tired—he was just amused by how Mu-ryeong zipped around like a restless squirrel.How does so much energy fit in such a small body?No matter how many times he saw it, Mu-ryeong remained a mystery."Come here. Let’s take a break."Instead of using a chair, Mu-ryeong climbed up and sat on the classroom windowsill. Seung-joo always scolded him for it, saying it was dangerous, but Mu-ryeong liked how it made him feel closer to the sky. He patted the space beside him, and after a moment, Hwan-young sat next to him."Good work today."Mu-ryeong smiled brightly at him, and Hwan-young parted his lips slightly, as if to respond—then closed them again."…Did I do anything to deserve that?"His voice held mild disbelief.Mu-ryeong, his feet barely touching the floor, playfully kicked the air. Hwan-young, on the other hand, sat with both feet planted firmly, even while perched on the window frame.The goblin fires drifted around them, maintaining a careful distance ever since returning from their task. It almost seemed like they were being wary, or maybe just watching for a cue."…The moon is really bright."Hwan-young muttered as he glanced out the window. It was almost like he was trying to change the subject. Mu-ryeong picked up on it immediately and teased,"You sound like Natsume Soseki.""…That phrase is ‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’""Close enough."Mu-ryeong rocked his feet lazily. The brilliance of the full moon reminded him of something he had once looked up the moment he first heard Hwan-young’s name."Hey."His soft voice made Hwan-young turn toward him. Mu-ryeong hesitated before finally speaking."Your name, ‘Young,’ means ‘shadow,’ right?"His parents had given him that name with the meaning “to live like a shadow.” It was a stark contrast to his twin’s name, Hwan-hee, which meant “joy”—a contrast that had lingered in Mu-ryeong’s mind ever since he first learned of it."But when I looked it up, that same character for ‘shadow’ can also mean ‘sunlight.’"Hwan-young’s jet-black eyes blinked slowly, as if to say, So what?Mu-ryeong held his gaze, then curved his eyes into a gentle smile."And ‘Hwan’ means ‘brilliance.’""…""Your name can also mean ‘to shine like sunlight.’"The stronger the light, the darker the shadow. Shadows exist because there is light to cast them. The two weren’t as different as they seemed.Mu-ryeong wanted Hwan-young to know that."I just thought I’d tell you.""…"Hwan-young didn’t say anything. His face remained as unreadable as ever.Then, without a word, he leaned over and rested his head against Mu-ryeong’s shoulder."…When I’m with you,"His voice was calm, carrying something unspoken beneath it. Was it sorrow? Gratitude? Mu-ryeong couldn’t tell.But the words that followed were filled with quiet certainty."I don’t have to feel on edge."The moonlight seemed to catch on his long lashes, making them glisten faintly.Mu-ryeong stayed still, holding his breath.It wasn’t like they hadn’t touched before. But somehow, this… this felt more unfamiliar than even a full embrace."…"His heartbeat quickened.It was as if he could hear it echoing in his ears, thudding in time with the steady pulse of the one leaning against him.One of the goblin fires drifted closer, hovering near Mu-ryeong’s cheek, while the others twirled lazily in the air, leaving faint trails of light behind them.Mu-ryeong reached out toward them absentmindedly, swallowing dryly.A night before the full moon—brighter than any other.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.