It had been more than two days since Venus returned from the trip, yet the mirror had still not arrived. The delay gnawed at her, leaving a strange unease in its wake.

She sat alone in the college park during the break, surrounded by laughter and chatter she barely registered. The world around her blurred into the background, her thoughts circling back to the mirror—its presence, its absence, the way it had made her feel.

Her gaze dropped to her hand, the same one that had touched the mirror. Even now, she could recall the sensation—a whisper of cold seeping into her skin, yet tinged with an odd warmth beneath. It wasn’t just a touch; it was as if the mirror had responded, as though something within it had stirred awake the moment she made contact.

It had pulled her in. Not physically, but in a way that left her breathless, like a hypnotic force she hadn’t been strong enough to resist. Her mind was consumed by it—the intricate carvings framing its glass, the way time had aged it yet left it hauntingly beautiful. It had felt ancient, significant, as though it held secrets waiting to be unraveled.

...

On the other hand, his situation was no different from the day she arrived. He, too, was lost in her.

He didn’t know why, but something about her felt familiar—like a memory just out of reach, a name on the tip of his tongue that refused to be spoken. He had spent hours, maybe days, trying to grasp why she seemed so known to him, yet the answer remained elusive.

And strangely, for the first time in years—perhaps centuries—he had no thoughts of escaping. The constant weight of his imprisonment, the endless torment of being trapped in the mirror, had faded into nothing. There was no restlessness, no desperation clawing at his mind. He no longer felt bound, no longer fought against the walls of his confinement. It was as if the very concept of being trapped had ceased to exist.

All that remained was her.

The way she had approached, drawn in as if the mirror had called to her. The way their hands had met—brief, fleeting, yet powerful enough to leave something shifting within him. He could still feel it, lingering on his skin like an imprint. A sensation both electrifying and haunting.

And now, she was all he could think about.

But there was one thing pulling him out of his thoughts, stirring a slow-burning anger within him. It wasn’t the thought of escaping the mirror. It wasn’t even the torment of being trapped.

It was the shopkeeper.

That greedy man had promised to deliver the mirror to her house within two days. Yet here he was, breaking his word. Over the past two days, customers had been coming in, eyeing the mirror, asking to buy it. And the shopkeeper—seeing an opportunity to make more money—was now willing to sell it to the highest bidder.

He didn’t know why, but the thought of going to anyone else felt unbearable. He wanted to go to her. No one else.

Each time a potential buyer showed interest, he made sure they never dared to return. A whisper of eerie sounds in the empty store. Objects shifting, toppling over. Flickering lights. The air turning ice cold. He watched, satisfied, as terror filled their faces before they bolted out the door, muttering about the mirror being cursed.

Yet, even as he did it, doubt crept in.

"Are you for real? Don’t tell me a cursed monster just fell in love with a teenager and wants to go to her,” the shopkeeper  muttered, staring at  the glass.

Was he for real? He scoffed at the thought. No. This wasn’t love. It couldn’t be. It was just… something he couldn’t control.

The shopkeeper, who had been watching the strange occurrences unfold, shook his head and ran a hand through his graying hair. “You’ve never done this before,” he muttered, almost as if speaking to the mirror itself. “Plenty of people have bought you, plenty have called you cursed, said they heard strange noises—but you’ve never created destruction. Don’t tell me she awakened something in you.”

His mind stilled at the words.

Awakened something…?

A realization hit him like a storm. It’s true. She had awakened something within him. Before she came, he had never been able to use his powers so strongly. But now? The moment she entered his life, he had been able to manipulate things, influence the world around him in ways he never could before. He had even succeeded in hypnotizing the shopkeeper once. If I had this power all along, wouldn’t it have been easy to lure someone else in and escape?

Yet, every time the shopkeeper mentioned selling the mirror to someone else, his power surged—fed by the anger boiling inside him at the very idea.

"Whatever it is, I’m not selling you to her for 500. No way," the shopkeeper scoffed.

The words ignited something dangerous.

His fury erupted like wildfire. “I said, send me to her!”

His voice wasn’t just a sound—it was a force. A command that shattered through reality itself.

The entire shop trembled. Every single light bulb exploded in an instant, plunging the store into total darkness. A violent gust of wind howled through the space, rattling shelves, knocking down objects. Glass shards rained to the floor, the mirror itself glowing faintly in the pitch-black room.

The shopkeeper stumbled back, his face frozen in terror.

The entire shop had been consumed by darkness.

And for the first time, the shopkeeper understood—this wasn’t just a cursed object.

Something inside it was alive. And it wanted her.

.........

“What are you doing?” Crystal asked as she reached Venus, her voice breaking through the quiet.

But Venus didn’t respond. She was still lost—trapped in thoughts that refused to let her go.

“Venus.” Crystal frowned, shaking her gently.

It took a moment, but Venus finally blinked, snapping out of the trance. Her gaze lifted to meet Crystal’s, dazed and distant.

“Why do I always have to shake you to pull you out of your thoughts?” Crystal sighed, sitting beside her. “Where do you even go when you get lost this deeply?”

“Maybe in my thoughts.” A voice interrupted before Venus could reply.

Leon.

He strolled toward them, his usual air of confidence wrapped around him like a second skin. His smirk was playful as he sat down beside them.

“Isn’t that right, Venus?” he asked, watching her carefully.

Venus simply shook her head.

“Not her, but I always stay lost in you.” Crystal teased, flashing a grin at Leon.

“No thanks.” Lion shot back without missing a beat, making Crystal pout.

He turned his attention back to Venus. “So, where were you lost?”

Venus parted her lips to answer, but Crystal beat her to it.

“She must still be thinking about that mirror.”

“Mirror?” Leon’s brow furrowed.

Crystal nodded. “Yeah, she was obsessed with it even during the trip—just sitting there, staring, completely lost in her thoughts.”

Leon’s expression darkened slightly. “What mirror, Venus?”

Venus hesitated for a moment before answering. “When we were going on the trip, I saw a mirror in an ancient object shop. It was... strange. Too attractive. It felt as if it was calling to me.”

“Calling you?” Leon repeated, his tone unreadable.

Crystal rolled her eyes. “She’s just being poetic. You know how much she loves this kind of stuff. It wasn’t literally calling to her, but in her head? Yeah, probably.”

Venus exhaled sharply. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.”

“You said it was supposed to be delivered to your house. Has it arrived yet?” Crystal asked.

Venus shook her head. “Not yet. And I don’t think it’s going to.”

“Why?”

“I think the shopkeeper tricked me. He told me the mirror was worth $10,000, but then suddenly agreed to sell it to me for just $500. It doesn’t make sense. Maybe he never intended to send it in the first place.”

Crystal scoffed. “Then just forget about it. Why are you still thinking about it?”

Venus hesitated, staring at the ground. “I don’t know. I just... can’t shake off this feeling. It’s like an unknown force is pulling me toward it. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Leon’s gaze sharpened. “What was the shop’s name?”

“Wonder Ancient Object Shop.” Venus replied, looking at him curiously. “Why?”

Leon didn’t answer. He simply clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.

Something flickered in his eyes—something dark.

But he remained silent.

..........

As the shop plunged into darkness, the shopkeeper felt a chill crawl up his spine. The once-familiar space now felt suffocating, the air thick with something unnatural. His breath quickened as his trembling hands reached for the counter, searching for stability.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it.

A massive shadow loomed within the mirror—tall, imposing, its form shifting like smoke yet solid enough to strike fear deep into his bones. And within that darkness, two glowing yellow eyes burned like embers, fixed directly on him.

The shopkeeper’s throat went dry. His legs locked in place, refusing to move.

Then came the voice.

Low. Commanding. Inhuman.

"Send me to her."

The words weren’t spoken—they resonated through the air, vibrating in his very chest.

That was all it said. That was all it needed to say.

Because in that moment, the shopkeeper knew—this wasn’t just a cursed mirror.

It was something far worse.

And it had chosen its owner.

...

The shopkeeper wrapped the mirror carefully, his hands trembling slightly as he secured the final layer. Outside, the delivery man stood waiting, arms crossed, impatient. Together, they loaded the mirror into the back of the truck, its weight seeming heavier than it should have been.

“Here’s the address.” The shopkeeper’s voice was clipped as he handed over the slip of paper.

The delivery man glanced at him, then smirked. “How much are you selling it for this time?” he asked, knowing well how much profit the shopkeeper had already made from this mirror—selling it over and over again, only for it to be returned each time.

But this time, there was no smug grin on the shopkeeper’s face. No greed in his eyes.

Just fear.

“None of your damn business. Just take it and go.” His voice cracked slightly, and when the delivery man didn’t move fast enough, he snapped—“I said, take it away!”

The sudden outburst made the delivery man hesitate. He had worked with this guy for years. Every time he sold the mirror before, he had been thrilled—counting his money, laughing about the poor fool who had bought it.

But today?

Today, he looked terrified.

The delivery man frowned but didn’t push further. Instead, he gave a small shake of his head, turned on his heel, and climbed into the truck.

As the vehicle rumbled to life and began to pull away, the shopkeeper watched, his heart pounding. The mirror was finally gone.

But deep down, he knew better.

His eyes stayed fixed on the disappearing truck as he muttered under his breath—

She’s going to return you soon.

Author note:  by mistake I spelled Leon as Lion lol , it's Leon not Lion.  I will be fixing it