We Were Supposed to Dance (4)
Moon Sulin barely steadied her trembling heart and stared straight ahead. The man who had burst from the robe had grown a thicker beard than in her last memory, his wrinkles etched deep like crumpled paper. Purple blotches spewing demonic energy dotted his face, his skin sagging—but she could still recognize him clearly. He was her father.
"Sulin-ah. It's been a long time."
"...Father. Is that really you?"
"It feels like just yesterday you were tugging at my pants, calling me Daddy, and now you've grown into such a fine young lady."
Moon Sulin pressed a hand to her forehead to fend off the pounding headache and squeezed her eyes shut. Her head was spinning. Am I under some illusion spell? But even as she exposed this vulnerability, the man before her didn't twitch. If anything, he lowered his hands, as if showing he had no intent to attack.
"...Daddy."
"I'm sorry it took me so long to show up, Sulin-ah."
Her father apologized with an awkward smile. Even after ten years, that grin confirmed it—the man before her was undeniably her dad.
"Ah, ah..."
She still hated him. She resented him so much for abandoning her alone. And yet, she'd missed him. That was part of why she'd clung so fiercely to Victoria Academy, protecting it with such devotion. To prepare a place for him, should he ever return. Her obsession with her duties stemmed from that very wound.
She wanted to run to him right now, bury herself in his arms like she had as a child.
"You've been through so much until now. Come with me now."
But his words sliced through those emotions, and Moon Sulin unconsciously halted her approaching steps.
"...What?"
"I need your power. Help me. ...For revenge on behalf of your mother."
"..."
Moon Sulin's mind cooled rapidly at her father Moon Sungmin's words. Revenge for Mom. Of course she wanted that too. If this were ten years ago, she might have staked her life on it. Back then, it felt like she'd lost everything in the world. Every hour of every day was empty, her purpose in life shattered.
But time wears down emotions, dulling them. Now, she had so many responsibilities to shoulder. She loved her father, had longed for him desperately—but hearing those words from his mouth, her thoughts simplified to one brutal truth.
You, now? After all this time?
The scared, fragile little girl had endured ten years alone. She'd healed her wounds, forged new bonds. And now he shows up, demanding she follow him? He couldn't possibly mean just grab a meal for old times' sake. Best case, he'd been holed up researching somewhere. Worst case, she might have to become a mine herself. Either way, it meant dismantling with her own hands the foundation she'd built in lonely isolation over a decade.
At the center of that foundation, one man came to mind.
"Let's go quickly. Time is..."
"D-don't come any closer."
"...Sulin-ah?"
Moon Sungmin's face twisted in confusion, as if he'd never expected this. Seeing that expression, the joy and warmth in Moon Sulin's heart faded further. Her father, shocked that she wouldn't obey him. He still saw her as that eight-year-old child.
"...I have my own duties. The academy you left in my care. And the people who depend on me."
The student council that followed her lead without question. Her unreliable grandfather. And Lee Ho-yeon. There were more than enough reasons for Moon Sulin not to leave.
"Sulin-ah... I need your power. Please..."
But her father just kept repeating the same plea.
"..."
I need your power. She'd once accepted those words without thought, but now, unbidden, her father's last words from ten years ago echoed in her mind.
—Get stronger. You have to get stronger.
Moon Sulin had only understood them later. Growing up without parents' love was a heavy burden for a child. Never break, never shatter—be strong. She'd carried those words in her heart her whole life.
But seeing him now... After ten years, still consumed by revenge. Another possibility dawned on her.
What if... what if it's literal?
What if he just needed me to get 'stronger'?
Recently, she'd awakened during a mine attack, her power surging beyond compare. And right on cue, her father appeared. She'd heeded his command to grow strong, and the man who'd vanished for a decade suddenly returns. The timing was too perfect.
Still, Moon Sulin clung to hope. Blood ties weren't so easily severed.
"Father. Just come back home. Grandpa's been worried sick all this time. We can be together like before..."
"Sulin-ah... Please, I beg you. Please..."
But seeing the unyielding fire of determination in Moon Sungmin's eyes, Moon Sulin finally bowed her head.
"I'm sorry. I... I can't go."
She had people to protect, people she wanted to stay with. She couldn't abandon the dream she'd only just found.
"...Sulin-ah."
Moon Sungmin stared at her blankly, mouth agape, then shook his head in regret.
"If that's how you feel... then I have no choice."
And with that, he unleashed a massive surge of demonic energy.
*
The end-of-term celebration at Victoria Academy had descended into utter chaos. Most cadets had fled the party venue, and the prepared food and festivities lay in ruins long ago.
In that wreckage, a single blonde girl walked calmly.
"...Where the hell is this?"
Ellis had lost her way in the sprawling party hall, and her mood soured. After chatting with Nam Da-eun, she'd planned to head straight home but couldn't find the exit. She'd wandered in circles until hunger hit, grabbed a bite, and messaged Sebas Chan to pick her up since she planned to leave soon.
Normally, her temper would have sent her storming out the moment her mood dipped, but today was different. Sebas Chan's words echoed—bond with your friends, enjoy the time—so she'd lingered, like a family breadwinner hiding unemployment from home. No annoying guys had bothered her, which was nice, but now she regretted it.
—Ruuuunn!
—Even the security team's breaking through?!
"...Tch."
If she'd gone home sooner, she wouldn't be caught in this mess. Ellis slipped out of the party hall amid the cadets' screams.
It wasn't a huge deal, really. A terror attack at the academy was bad, but Pandemic had tentacles worldwide—it was practically a force of nature. And it'd be stopped soon enough. The professors would turn the tide the moment they joined the fight.
Which made it all the more baffling.
Why the stupid moves?
Pandemic were idiots, sure, but not wasteful with resources. They were a terror group the whole world feared—they didn't charge blindly. So when she heard they'd breached the front, Ellis had tensed up, expecting some massive force.
They'll handle it themselves.
Truth be told, it had nothing to do with her. She just wanted to get out, rest, escape this damn party.
As she walked, she spotted her: a platinum-blonde beauty facing off against a mine. Student council president Moon Sulin.
"...Hah."
Another mine. Truth be told, she didn't want to run into Moon Sulin. That weirdo was clearly guarding her territory with Lee Ho-yeon. A stray mine that had slipped the net? Moon Sulin could handle it alone. Ellis moved to slip away quietly.
...Huh?
But the demonic energy wafting from the mine made her jolt and whip her head around. Even from afar, it sent chills down her spine. No need to measure—it was obvious. Moon Sulin couldn't take that thing. Even if she jumped in and they teamed up, victory wasn't guaranteed.
It was that dangerous.
"...Hah."
Ellis found it ridiculous that even now, she was calculating pros and cons—but the math was done. The attack had been going long enough. Professors would arrive soon. Holding out until then was feasible. By her estimate, ten minutes max. Ten minutes to save the student council president and rack up a life debt from Victoria Academy's top student.
High risk, but higher reward.
"Tch."
Ellis summoned her mana and approached Moon Sulin.
"Father...!"
'...?!'
Ellis doubted her ears as she charged. Father? To a mine?
Moon Sulin's mana flared, while the mine began summoning something from its back. Demonic energy crackled murderously between them, yet they kept talking.
"Please, don't do this, Father. This isn't you. The dad I remember wouldn't act like this."
"Trust me, Sulin-ah. This is all for your sake."
"Father..."
Moon Sulin pressed on with a pitiful expression and desperate voice. She resented his actions, but she didn't want to fight her father. Not after ten years apart. She wanted to chat leisurely, beg him to care for her and Grandpa more than revenge.
But he was raising his mana against her. He really planned to knock her out and kidnap her.
Why? How did it come to this?
She didn't know when it went wrong, but Moon Sulin had no choice—she assumed a defensive stance.
And watching that, Ellis thought:
Can I even butt in here?
To an outsider, they looked like lovers. But as the mine's mana surged powerfully, Ellis quit hesitating.
"Guess I have to help first."
She closed the distance swiftly and stood beside Moon Sulin, who was still mumbling, too tense to notice her arrival.
"President. Need a hand?"
"E-Ellis?"
Only then did Moon Sulin startle and glance over.
"No idea what you two are to each other... but that guy's a mine."
Ellis ignored the prior conversation, leveling her sword ahead. Focus on the enemy, ditch the distractions.
"Need help? Just say it."
Moon Sulin snapped back to reality at Ellis's follow-up. Her father wasn't open to talk right now. She had to face reality, not get swept by emotions.
Wooduuuduk—
The mana pouring from her father... was shaking the ground. His presence was roughly double hers. The power gap was clear, but she had to resist anyway. Reinforcements would come soon—Moon Sulin knew that too.
With a bitter heart, she stood beside Ellis.
"...Please. Ellis."
"Got it. ...Hold out as long as you can."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Grateful that the rival she'd pushed away had extended a hand first, Moon Sulin faced forward.