Louise understood one truth since her earliest memories of wandering the streets and scavenging scraps alongside stray cats and dogs: to survive this harsh world, you had to do whatever it took.
No food? Steal. Rob. No clothes? Snatch a garment from a smaller child and run.
No one ever taught her manners. No one ever told her to be kind or compassionate.
More than once, she’d pretended to be a pious believer just to get bread. Every day, she’d pray in church while the kind-faced priest handed out slices to orphans like her, preaching about mercy and the watchful eyes of heaven.
Each time, she’d nod obediently on the surface while stuffing bread into her mouth, already planning which church to hit next.
After months of this, she was caught. Naturally, she ended up at Saint Peter Orphanage.
Life there wasn’t paradise, but it wasn’t hell either. At least there was shelter, food, and clothes. But the stingy headmaster made one thing clear: no free meals. Every child was forced to sell matches daily. Return without copper coins? No dinner.
Robbing other orphans’ earnings was old news to Louise.
Luna had simply been around longest—and got dragged onto her boat of trouble.
Before this ambush, Louise had sized up her target carefully. Lia was perfect: solitary, cold, friendless. The headmaster disliked her. No one would defend her. No one would even notice.
Watching Lia clutch a fistful of gleaming copper coins, Louise’s eyes burned with envy. *So many!* How much food could she buy? Keep half for herself, hand the rest to the headmaster—perfect.
Her movements turned vicious. A low growl rumbled in her throat as she straddled Lia’s back, shoving her hands roughly under the girl’s clothes.
Just as her fingers brushed the hard coins—searing pain exploded across her skin. She shrieked, tumbling backward.
Luna stared, dumbfounded, at her partner’s reddened fingers. Then a strange heat crept over her own body.
She looked down—and nearly fainted.
Her outer clothes had ignited. Orange flames licked up her side, devouring fabric in seconds.
Screaming, the girl rolled frantically in the snow. The fire died quickly, leaving charred rags clinging to blistered skin.
Luna collapsed, too terrified to cry. Louise sat frozen, mouth agape, eyes vacant as if struck by divine revelation.
Under their horrified gazes, the girl rose silently.
Dark-gold hair swayed gently, each strand shimmering with an otherworldly light—like liquid flame.
Lia straightened. Faint firelight danced across her pale skin, tracing delicate crimson patterns. Her deep green eyes glowed with molten gold flecks, sharp and terrifying.
When she turned, Louise and Luna nearly shattered.
“I hate when people touch my things,” she said softly, her calm voice chilling. “Not even a finger.”
“I’m sorry—I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have touched your coins—” Louise sobbed, kowtowing on the snow.
Heat radiated from Lia’s body. Snow melted rapidly around her feet, as if recoiling from her presence.
Lia smiled—a bright, beautiful smile that made them tremble harder. She crouched before them, shaking her head gently.
“You misunderstand. It’s not about the coins. They’re replaceable.”
Her pupils darkened. Her expression twisted. “But *these* coins… they’re the first we earned together. They matter.”
“I won’t allow *anyone*,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “to erase what’s his and mine.”
Huddled together, the girls couldn’t even beg for mercy.
Then—a voice cut through the silence.
“Hey! What’s going on?”
Yihan approached, two warm loaves of bread tucked under his arm.
Lia flinched. The heat vanished. Flames died.
Yihan gaped at the soot-streaked, trembling girls, then at Lia standing untouched. “Did… did you burn their clothes with matches?”
Before he finished speaking, Lia lunged. She seized his wrist and yanked him toward the town’s edge without a word.
Yihan stumbled, clutching the bread. They ran—staggering, supporting each other—until finally stopping.
Bent over, gasping, Yihan grumbled, “What was that about? You almost made me drop the bread—”
Lia, barely winded, ignored him. She stared at the snow-blanketed forest. Thin sunlight dusted the trees, making the whole world glitter.
She remembered the fear in Louise and Luna’s eyes. *Monster.*
*Heh. Monster?* Her gaze dimmed.
“Yihan…”
“Yeah?”
“If… I mean, *if*…” She hesitated. “If I became a monster someday… would you still… talk to me?”
She forced a smile, trying to look casual. Her lowered lashes hid her fear.
Yihan blinked. For a wild second, he wondered if she’d guessed her role as the *Little Match Girl*. But *monster*? Since when was this fairytale scary?
Honestly, it didn’t matter. She, this town, this world—it was all his dream. He was the glitch who could rewrite anything. Her fear was pointless.
Besides, he couldn’t picture this radiant girl turning into some grotesque beast. That wasn’t the story.
He almost teased her—like always—but the raw sadness on her face stopped him. Sometimes, truth mattered more than jokes.
His palm cupped her cheek, tilting her face up until their eyes met.
Yihan smiled, bright and warm as winter sunshine. “Yes.”
Two words. A promise.
Lia looked away, hiding her smile.
*Remember your words.*
*Even as a monster… don’t hate me.*
*I’ll remember. Forever.*
*No matter how many years pass.*
