Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Once upon a time, in the middle of Seoul, laid a big house like a castle. It was a huge house in white, every inch of it. Big pool at the backyard, large garage in which up to fifteen cars could be parked, and strong pillars that kept the building stood sturdy.

It was a beautiful house indeed, yes yes. But no ordinary creatures could see it that way. If you were an ordinary human then you saw that house otherwise. Dirty, old and decay building.

You might be curious what kind of house it was. Then all I could tell you was this house belonged to the strongest sorcerer alive. Or he’d more prefer to be called as The Greatest Warlock of Seoul.

The infamous warlock had lived more than a hundred years if he recalled. He never kept up with the years because he was given an infinity, he just needed to live.

Just like how he lived in the Underworld all this time. A world beyond the human world that was hidden from naked eyes, where monsters, folklores, legends and creatures proved their existence.

Especially this warlock’s existence we would meet. Every creatures in the Underworld knew of The Greatest Warlock of Seoul. Every creatures in the Underworld tried to befriend this guy. But again, not everyone could stepped their feet on his house that easily. No one.

Nothing came easy when it came to him. No one could say his name without goosebumps all over their skins. No one could ever beat, Jo Jinho, The Greatest Warlock in Underworld.

Like every other night, right now there was a party going at his house. Loud music could be heard from a few blocks. The lights could be seen from afar. This was a big party which was visited by invitation only. Special invitations.

Jinho walked around his house, wearing grey t-shirt and white sweatpants, matched with long robe from satin over it, colored navy. Wine in one hand and cigarette in another. He rounded his swimming pool only to check on the snacks.

Jinho raised his hand, calling one of the waitress, “Girl! Please fill in the cocktail near the chocolate fountain will ya? Thanks.”

He continued his patroll just when a figure he was familiar with approached him from the back doors. He squinted his eyes. It appeared the familiar figure had followers behind him.

“Go Shinwon. What are you doing here? I don’t remember I invited Vampire clans to my party tonight.” Jinho put down his glass on the table nearby. The guy named Shinwon stopped in front of Jinho, looking panic.

A few vampires followed him, almost crashed at the sudden stop. Jinho peeped at behind Shinwon. One with purple hair, fair skin and looking cute, his name was Hyunggu. Another one was taller than Hyunggu with darker hair and came from Japan, name was Yuto.  The last one who was the tallest amongst all, long hair and white skin, whom Jinho knew named Wooseok.

Wooseok was carrying someone who seemed like a human. Body was weak, head was hanging to the back, face was pale.

“I need your help hyung.” said Shinwon, almost begging.

Jinho diverted his eyes from the lifeless human to Shinwon. “What have you done this time?” asked Jinho, eyes staring at Shinwon fiercely.

This was not the first time Shinwon and his kids brought an almost die human to Jinho’s house. They always acted carelessly. Not once had Jinho told them to be careful and not to kill any human beings. But they seemed to ignore him all the time.

One rule that vampires need to follow everytime they feed on human; don’t kill. This lifeless human looked like he could be dead any seconds.

“We didn’t do it, hyung! It’s not our doings! Trust me!”

“Then what happened to this boy?” Jinho gestured them to follow him.

“We were out tonight to prey on some animals in the dark forest. Something was suspicious from the moment we arrived. We smelled strong scent of blood all over the woods and we knew, it was no near any animals’ blood. And we found him, in the middle of the woods, with this condition.” explained Shinwon, whose steps were trying to catch Jinho’s.

“Any signs who did this?” Jinho asked as he opened the door to the room at the back of his house. Shinwon shook his head as a reply.

The vampires followed him inside. The room was huge, twice size of suite room at expensive hotels. The room was dominant with navy. Jinho’s favorite color.

Jinho asked Wooseok to lay the boy on the U shaped sofa in the middle of the room. Bending down, Jinho checked on the human’s pulse immediately. “He’s still alive but barely breathing. It’s a vampire doing.” Jinho snapped his head to Shinwon’s direction. “Are you sure it’s not you or any of your children?”

Shinwon shook his head quickly. “No hyung. I swear. We have stopped feeding on human. You know it.”

Jinho got his attention back to the poor human, “He’s gonna wake up as a vampire tonight.” He looked at his watch, “He’ll be awake in two hours aproximately or in the morning.”

“Can you take care of him here, hyung? Please?” Shinwon was begging, throwing away his pride as the leader of the clan.

Jinho snapped his head toward Shinwon, “No. He can’t.”

“But hyung—“

“You know what happened the last time a newborn vampire under my watch! No. Not again.”

“Please hyung. You’re the only one that I trust to introduce him to a whole new life of Underworld. I can’t be patient enough to train him.”

Jinho let out long sigh, “He can stay here, only until he can control himself. Then you take him to be a part of your clan.”

Shinwon widened his eyes, “MY clan? But... We didn’t do it hyung!”

Jinho got up, made Shinwon took a step back. The Warlock indeed had a small body, but he was still The Greatest Warlock, he could be intimidating.

“Then you find the clan that turned him into this and bring them to me. Choose.” said Jinho without even looking at Shinwon. Instead, he was playing with his fingers, creating a patern, which Shinwon could assume, was a spell.

Shinwon and his kids exchanged look. “Alright. We’ll take him in. But after you train him!”

Jinho scoffed, “You are the leader of your vampire clan, why am I the one who train him?”

“Because you are the Greatest Warlock and stronger than Shinwon hyung?” said Hyunggu.

Shinwon elbowed Hyunggu, followed by a soft whimper from Hyunggu.

Jinho smirked, “How are you so smart. Hyunggu right?” Hyunggu nodded. “I like you already, kid.” Jinho patted Hyunggu’s shoulder, made Hyunggu smiling wide and straightened his upper body.

“So hyung, we can go now?” Shinwon paused, “We haven’t had our meal yet, hyung.”

Jinho rolled his eyes, “Go. Before this newborn wakes up.”

The vampires’ face lit up, although they didn’t make any different because their faces as white as cottons. They went off and back to the dark forest to have their meals at night.

Jinho looked at the unconcious boy on his sofa. He looked rather handsome under the dimmed light. Jinho wondered how he would look like when the morning came.

—

It had been four hours since Shinwon brought this unconscious boy to him and he had not woken up yet. Jinho had been sitting on his queen sized bed, watching over the boy restlessly since. Jinho had also prepared the equipments he needed  to handle the boy by the time he woke up.

The unconscious boy swifted his body. The sofa had been moving. Wait, no. Not the sofa. The boy’s body was twitching violently. His body fell onto the floor. Jinho was out of his bed right away.

He held down the boy’s head and leg to the floor. The boy’s whole body was rigid, his eyes were open and his eyeballs were rolled back, giving a sight of the white side.

Jinho closed his own eyes and started to channel his energy to the boy. He was trying to calm the boy’s body, afraid that the boy would kill his own soul.

Jinho put his index finger on the boy’s forehead, sliding it down to the boy’s nose, lips, chin, neck, collar bones and chest. His finger stopped there and moved to where the boy’s heart stopped beating.

His finger, on the boy’s chest, radiated purple beam on inside and gold light on outside. The mix of the colors was a sign of the process of what Jinho was doing and it was getting the boy to calm down. Also he was absorbing the painful transition the poor boy was having. It wouldn’t make it all gone, but at least he tried to make it less painful.

The boy’s body had stopped twitching and trembling. His eyes were now closed. His legs had stopped moving. The shining beam had now gone. Jinho fell backward on his back. He tried to gather his breath as he looked at the boy on the floor.

The boy’s chest, which was still moving four hours ago, had now completely stopped. Jinho reached to the boy’s wrist to check on his pulse, gone.

The boy’s skin had now changed too. It was now looking so pale. His lips were now bright red and his hair was vantablack. He had transformed into vampire.

Jinho stood up and drank a glass of water at the mini bar, feeling tired. It was not an easy work but what was going to come, would be harder than that

Jinho’s eyes were observing the new vampire. The more he looked at him, the more handsome he got. Jinho wondered how life was for him. How could he run into vampire and got bitten? He was supposed to be sleeping in his own room, not on Jinho’s sofa.

Jinho was about to pour in more water when a whimper was heard from behind him. Jinho should have known that it was the time the sleeping boy woke up.

“Ugh. My head.” He brought up his body to sit and let out another whimper. Jinho turned around just to see the boy touched his vampire-bitten scar on his neck.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t do that.” said Jinho, startling the boy. “It’s new scar so it’ll sting. But your new body immune will work just fine. It will heal any wounds on your body faster than when you...” Jinho paused, trying to find good word into the sentence. “....were normal.”

The boy looked at Jinho clueless. “Who are you? Where am I?” He squinted his eyes.

“One question at a time, if you don’t want to be confused even more.” Jinho lit up his cigarette, breathed in the smoke. “What is your name? Do you remember it?” He leaned back on the mini bar behind him.

The boy nodded. “My name is Hongseok.” Hongseok rubbed his stomache. “Why am I feeling so hungry?” He sniffed, “What is this smell?”

“What smell?” asked Jinho, confused. He looked around his room, no food was there. But then he realized, Hongseok was no longer a human. His sense would be different toward ‘food’. “Oh. Shit.”

It came to Jinho’s realization that the ‘smell’ Hongseok talked about was most likely blood. Human blood. Yes, Jinho invited humans to his party too. Without second thinking, Jinho rushed to the door and locked it.

“Oh My, I forgot you might feel hungry.” said Jinho making Hongseok even more confused and a bit scared. Jinho could sense the fear Hongseok was feeling right now. “Stay calm. Don’t be scared.”

Too late. Hongseok was already on his feet, turning around frantically. “Where am I? Who are you? Why am I feeling weird? Why am I so hungry?”

Hongseok was practically dead, but Jinho swore he still could see his chest moving up and down by the uneasy feeling he had. “I’m gonna explain it all to you. But I need you to calm down and take a seat.”

“This smell. It’s so strong and nice. I want it. Dear G—“ Hongseok widened his eyes. “Why can’t I say G—“ Hongseok clasped his hands on his mouth. “What the fuck?!”

“Stay calm, please Hongseok. I need you to—“

Before Jinho got to finish his sentence, Hongseok flew to the door and banged on it loudly. “LET ME OUT! ANYONE! PLEASE SAVE ME!”

The strength a new vampire had was really strong. He could break the door. “Stop it! You’ll break my door!” This had to be stopped.

“LET ME OUT! ANYONE OUT THERE! HEEELLLPPPP!” He got cut off.

Jinho raised his hand toward Hongseok whose body turned stiff. He was lifted up and moved following Jinho’s hand movement. He was now above the sofa when he was unconscious.

Jinho raised his eyebrows, “Can you fucking calm down?”

“What....are you....doing....to....meh....”said Hongseok in between his attempt to breathe.

Jinho curled his fingers at Hongseok, choking him from distance, “I can kill you right here and right now. But I’ll spare your life if you promise me to calm down and take a seat like a nice boy you are. I will also promise you I will explain everything and answer every question you have.” Jinho loosen his curl a bit, “Will you do that for the sake of your safety?”

Hongseok’s head bobbed up and down slowly, giving Jinho the answer he wanted. Then Hongseok was free. His body fell on the sofa then he held his neck right away.

Jinho moved a chair with just a swing of a hand, barely touched it. He took a seat on that chair and faced Hongseok who was still processing everything.

“First question please.” Jinho crossed his legs on the chair, leaned back, trying to make comfortable position. Because it would be a really long night.

—

After hours and hours of asking question, Jinho thought it was enough for him getting all the information about his new life, the Underworld life for tonight.

Hongseok was staring at the blank space on the floor. He just asked the last question and Jinho just gave him the answer.

“Go ahead. Try to process everything that will make sense to you.” said Jinho as he smoked his tenth cigarette for the night.

“Sense? I don’t even know any sense anymore.” Hongseok’s eyes never left the blank space.

“Fair enough.” Jinho licked his not-dried lips. He knew the kid would be in great shock to process the whole thing. Him being a vampire now, him being away from his family and him being immortal.

“So I’m practically....dead?” Hongseok touched his chest trying to find any beats, but failed.

“Yeah. But you’ll live forever. Isn’t that great?”  Jinho tried to lift up his mood.

“Nothing about forever is great.” Hongseok’s words hit Jinho hard, because Jinho was offered an eternity too. “When my family is living together, I’ll be stuck with this age, look, voice and face. I should be out there living my life and growing old with my loved ones. I should feel pain, hurt even death. I—“ Hongseok couldn’t finish his sentence. He cried, but no tears came out. He laughed out loud, “I can’t even feel any tears on my cheeks anymore, can I? Great. Just great.”

Jinho went silent. What Hongseok said was true. Yes, Jinho’s family had long gone. Jinho was alone forever because of this immortal shit. He didn’t choose this path. He was cursed with it.

“I’ll go to the kitchen to see if I have anything fresh enough for you to eat.” said Jinho quitely.

He walked out of his room and closed the door behind him. All this time he tried to hold it in. All this time he ignored his poor heart and tried to fill it back in with the party every nights.

At least he didn’t feel lonely. At least, this huge castle didn’t have to be empty.

—

Hongseok was better than yesterday. Jinho gave him two buckets full of goats’ blood on his first night. Hongseok didn’t like it. Jinho was sure, they were not enough for a newborn vampire like Hongseok.

It was the next morning when Jinho came to the room where Hongseok would be staying during the training. Jinho opened the door only to find Hongseok was sitting at the corner on his bed, hugging his knees.

Jinho sat on the edge of the bed, “How are you feeling?”

No answer. Hongseok was staring at the darkness on the side of the cupboard across the bed.

“Just come to me when you need to talk to someone. Only me.” said Jinho as he was getting up.

“Will I ever kill human feeding myself?” asked Hongseok without looking at Jinho.

Jinho was taken aback by the question. He lit up his cigarette and answered,  “No. You won’t. As long as you follow my lead and stay here with me. We’ll learn to control your instinct and even your new power.” said Jinho, looking at Hongseok.

Jinho felt pity for Hongseok actually. He could tell that Hongseok still had dreams to reach in his human life. Most importantly, he had family who loved him and he loved so much. Especially his parents and his older brother.

Hongseok scoffed. “I have powers now huh? Who would imagine, having super power requires you to be dead first.”

Jinho knew it was not the right time to have arguments with Hongseok. He was unstable. It would only bring a mess to the trust issue between them. He still needed to gain that trust, not to lose it from the start.

“Not that super actually. My power is still better.” Jinho smoked in the cigarette before leaving Hongseok’s room. “I’ll leave you alone so you can have time to gather yourself.” said Jinho as he closed the door.

Hongseok really stayed in his room for days. Never came out, he held in his hunger. Jinho understood. It would not be easy for Hongseok to process all the information about Underworld. He could not even accept his new identity yet.

Days passed, Hongseok felt hungry and spoke to Jinho at last. Fortunately, Jinho had it all prepared, the food for Hongseok.

He had so many bags of blood in his fridge. “Whose blood?” asked Hongseok, sitting at the bar in Jinho’s large kitchen.

“Cows. I went to this famous farm and asked them to sell me their cows’ blood. I still have twenty bags of them.” Jinho pour the blood in to a bowl and gave it to Hongseok. “Suit yourself.”

Hongseok drank it to its last bit. “It’s better than goat’s.”

Jinho raised his eyebrows, surprised. “Really? I thought all blood tastes the same?”

Hongseok shook his head, “No. They’re different. They— Why don’t you taste them yourself?” Hongseok sounded annoyed, still.

Jinho crossed his hands in front of his face, “Not a chance. I’m The Great Warlock not a vampire. I’m still satisfied with omelette and bread.”

Hongseok took another bag of his drink and got it done. “Let’s start the training. I want to be able to walk under sunlight and get out like a normal human I used to be.”

Hongseok looked straight at Jinho’s eyes. The warlock just gave Hongseok a strong stare. He didn’t know whether Hongseok was ready or not, because he seemed still in denial. Jinho could sense the impatient feeling Hongseok was having right now. He might just want to learn to walk during midday so he could escape.

Then again, who was Jinho to decide? It was Hongseok’s decision to make. He might be really ready. Or he might be trying to distract Jinho. Well well, Hongseok should have known that Jinho was not an ordinary warlock. He could do anything at the spot if Hongseok was going to betray him. “Sure. We’ll start the training and don’t expect me to have mercy.”

—

Not only Jinho would want Hongseok to walk under sunlight, he also wanted Hongseok to be an extraordinary vampire.... “...that could even fight another warlock.” said Jinho during another training.

Hongseok had gone through a lot of things in order to be able to go out of the house when the sun was at the top of their heads. He once burnt his feet, which he could not feel the pain, but it gave him scars to remember.

Jinho also taught Hongseok how to manage his emotion and feeling. Jinho told Hongseok that... “...is the most important thing if you want to nail every powers you have. Clear your head, heart and focus on your target as well as purpose. When your purpose is clear, you’ll make it in no time.”

“You said that you want me to fight another warlock.” Hongseok was sitting on the floor in living room. Jinho was on a U letter shapped sofa. Even if Hongseok rejected Jinho’s request before, he finally gave out and watch Netflix with the warlock.

“Yeah. Warlock is actually stronger than vampire but without fangs.” said Jinho playing with the remote control.

“Then why would you want me to be stronger than warlock? Am I going to get in fight with a warlock soon?”

“I just want you to be a stronger vampire. Not a weak and emotional one.” Jinho discovered one movie which got him interested.

He picked a movie called ‘Interview with The Vampire’.

“Really? Out of all thousands of movies there, you decide on a vampire movie?” said Hongseok, annoyed.

Jinho shrugged his shoulders, “Just watch and learn.”

They spent hours watching the movie until late of night. Hongseok overslept on the floor while Jinho was still awake. He examined Hongseok’s face from up close. The vampire looked really pretty with pale skin and bright red lips. A strand of hair fell upon his eyelid. Jinho took it off of his face and he moved a bit.

“Poor you little one.” Jinho whispered more to himself, but without him knowing, Hongseok could hear him clear.

—

After weeks of training, Hongseok now could walk at midday. It was a progress of course. Jinho was glad for it. But of course, the vampire was still cold toward Jinho.

“May I visit my family?” Hongseok asked Jinho during dinner.

Jinho was having steak and wine, while Hongseok was having a bowl of red blood, still cow’s.

Jinho halted, put his knife and fork down on the plate. He looked up at Hongseok across the table. “I’m afraid you can’t hold yourself.”

“I can. I promise you. I can. I just... I want to see my family for one last time.” Hongseok leaned his body in the table. His gritted his teeth, showing off his fangs.

“Alright. You can see them from distance. I’m coming with you.” said Jinho calmly as he drank his last drop of wine.

“From distance? No!! I want to visit them! I want to talk to them and hug them!!” Hongseok hit the table hard enough that the blood from his bowl splattered onto the table cloth.

Meanwhile, Jinho remained calm. He crossed his legs and leaned back on the dining chair. His eyes looked straight to Hongseok’s, “You’ve been missing for two weeks and declared dead by the police. Now you want to suddenly show up at their doorway? With this new look?” Jinho eyed him from head to toe. “What are you gonna tell them? That you’re now a vampire? That you’re no longer eating mummy’s morning breakfast but a cow’s blood?” said Jinho.

Hongseok’s lips drew a straight line. The vampire went silent while Jinho was waiting.

Jinho knew what he said was kind of harsh, but he didn’t want Hongseok to feel even more sad or disappointed.

Minutes passed and no one broke the silence. Jinho was about to leave the big dining table when Hongseok finally spoke up. “Fine. I’m going to see them from distance. I just want to make sure they’re okay.” said Hongseok with fists on both sides and eyes were fixed on Jinho’s.

Jinho let out a short sigh. He threw his napkin on the table then raised up, “Have some good rest tonight then. You’re gonna need more energy tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

Jinho drove his blue Mini along the road. They were now on their way to Hongseok’s house. It was located not that far from Jinho’s but near countryside.

Jinho stopped and pulled his car off side of the road, parking his car across the house. The warlock lowered down his window so both of them could see it.

It was such a nice house according to Jinho. The house itself showed you that the family was living inside was good and harmonious family with nice kids.

“Give me your hand.” said Jinho as he reached out his hand for Hongseok to hold. Hongseok took the hand then electricity flowed through their bodies, making a bond between the two. “Close your eyes.” Hongseok did it. “Now open them.” Hongseok opened his eyes.

“Oh wow. Now I feel so energized. Geez. Thanks.” said Hongseok sarcastically then he tried to released his hand.

Jinho rolled his eyes at the vampire, then he pulled back Hongseok’s hand and held it tight, preventing their bond to break. Sometime this kid could be a pain in Jinho’s head. “Look towards the house. What do you see?”

Hongseok diverted his eyes. Jinho knew what Hongseok could see actually. He could see through the house’s walls. He could see what was happening inside his house. He could see clearly how his mother was at the kitchen, cooking something. His older brother was in his own room, listening to music on his bed. His father was in his library, working.

“I can see them.” said Hongseok quitely, almost whispering.

Jinho was in silent. Their hands were still holding each other. He felt a hard squeeze suddenly from Hongseok. He looked at the vampire. Hongseok’s eyes were locked on the house in front of them.

“My mother...she is cooking something but she...she is crying. She’s holding on to the sink. She is crying. She is crying...” Hongseok’s  squeeze on Jinho’s hand harder. Jinho could only draw circles on the back of Hongseok’s palm with his thumb to reassure him. “My father is there too. He is hugging my mother now.. they are... they are crying together... No. No...” Hongseok closed his eyes, hand let go of Jinho’s to cover his eyes. He didn’t want to see any more.

Their bond broke off. Jinho had no longer given out his energy to Hongseok and the vampire’s eyesight had gone back to normal. “You don’t need to cover your eyes. It has gone now. You won’t be able to see them from here anymore.” Said Jinho, giving Hongseok small rub on his arm.

Hongseok didn’t say anything. Jinho knew at the first place, the sight of his family would just hurt him even more. It would just give him more pain. Jinho knew, because Jinho had been there.

“Could you do me a favor, hyung?” said Hongseok whose face was still pressed on his hands.

Jinho was surprised. This was the first time Hongseok called him by ‘hyung’. It might be a good sign, but also, Jinho had a feeling that the favor he talked about would be worrisome.

“What favor?” Jinho asked him.

“Could you please erase memories of me from their lives? So they don’t need to suffer everytime they think of me.” said Hongseok, surprising Jinho.

“Yang Hongseok—“

“I know you can.” Hongseok gave Jinho a weak smile, “You’re the Greatest Warlock after all.”

“If I erase you from their memories, there will be no turn back. You won’t exist in their lives or in any lives of the people you know.” said Jinho. He wanted Hongseok to realize the concequency of the action he asked Jinho to do.

“That’s better. Please consider it as my closure hyung. Just one favor?” asked Hongseok.

Their eyes now were set on each other’s. Jinho with his firm stare and Hongseok with his begging eyes.

At the end, Jinho stepped out of his car and walked up toward the house. He knocked on the door twice before Hongseok’s mother answered him and opened the door for him.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Yang.” greeted Jinho, the sweetest smile on his face.

“Good afternoon. May I help you?” replied Hongseok’s mother nicely, giving back the warlock a bright and beautiful smile.

Everytime Jinho stared at Hongseok back home, he always wondered how the vampire did get such good look. He got the answer at last.

Jinho was scared, what was about to come would hurt her and wiped away that smile. He braven himself and finally...

“I’m Jinho. A friend of Hongseok’s.” Jinho was right. He could see the change of expression on the mother’s face at the mention of her late son’s name.

—

Jinho bended down his body to talk to Hongseok through the open car window, “I need you to come with me.” Jinho gestured Hongseok to get out of the car and followed him.

“Did you do it?” asked Hongseok as he was following Jinho toward the house. “What are we doing, hyung?”

They were at the doorway and Jinho suddenly stopped, “Just follow me okay?”

They came inside the house. Hongseok’s parents and older brother were in the living room, talking happily. They raised from their seats upon seeing Jinho and Hongseok coming. They were smiling, like they always did.

“Oh. So this is your friend, Jinho?” said Hongseok’s father as he was approaching Hongseok and reaching out his hand to Hongseok. “Hongseok, right?”

Hongseok was surprised. His father offered his hand to him for a shake. Hongseok took it. He looked at Jinho who was standing next to him. Their eyes met and Jinho mouthed to Hongseok, “I did it.”

Hongseok gave Jinho a small nod in reply.

“Yes, Sir. I’m Hongseok. Nice to meet you, Sir.” Hongseok shook his father’s hand.

“Wow what a firm shake. Have you been outside for too long, son? Your hand is very cold.”

Hongseok let out nervous laugh, “I’m sorry. I just had a big size of slurpee. My whole body is freezing right now.”

Jinho eyed Hongseok, he wouldn’t need a slip of tongue at this very moment.

“Come here then. Take a seat and have some tea to warm you up.” said Mrs. Yang.

Hongseok joined his parents and his older brother in the living room and took a sip of the tea. So did Jinho.

“I want you to meet my son. His name is Hongjin. Quite similar like yours, don’t you think?” asked Hongseok’s father as he introducing Hongseok’s older brother to Hongseok.

This all feels weird, thought Jinho. Hongseok was being introduced to his own family. Jinho couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for Hongseok.

“But I guess Hongseok is a lot younger than me. Look at his face, really young.” said Hongjin. “I always wanted to have a younger brother.”

If Hongseok could cry, tears would have been flowing down his cheeks by now, thought Jinho.

Without him realized, he already squeezed Hongseok’s thigh to support him. Hongseok put his hand on top of Jinho’s and held it.

Hongseok’s coldness met his warmth. It always gave Jinho a bit of surprise everytime they touched. Not the first time he ever touched a vampire, but with Hongseok, it felt different.

“I’ve always been wanted to have an older brother too.” Hongseok held Jinho’s hand tighter. “May I call you hyung then?”

Hongjin smiled so wide that two dimples on both side of his cheeks appeared, “Of course you can! Please do! I’d be happy to!”

Hongseok replied, “You’d be a really great older brother, hyung.”

They spent the night talking, mostly about Yang family. Hongseok wanted to keep up with the recent events that happened to his family. It was nice to Hongseok, being able to be this close with his family without worrying about his new identity.

Jinho knew better how Hongseok was feeling right now. He knew better, Hongseok would never let go of his hand at the moment. He just hoped that Hongseok would not regret his decision later or in the future.

—

Ever since Hongseok paid a visit to his family, he was now more open to Jinho. Hongseok would go eating at the dining table with Jinho without being summoned first. He would tell Jinho stories that the warlock had not heard before.

Jinho could easily talk to Hongseok now that the vampire seemed starting to accept his new identity. In fact, Jinho started to grow more and more fond of the vampire. The more he knew about him, the more Jinho found out that Hongseok was indeed a fun guy.

It gave Jinho much easier time to spend with Hongseok. Now he kind of got used to have the vampire around him every seconds.

“I still can’t control my instinct! Everytime I smell human blood I just want to rip them apart.” Hongseok was walking back and forth by the pool.

It was also weird to Hongseok that he still had an urge to drink human blood. He had been drinking animal blood, but the need to taste human was really strong. It sometimes could give Hongseok a hard time when he walked around the neighborhood and met human.

Like right now, he just got out to pick up his blood supplies from the farm and he got to meet many human there. Hongseok had a really hard time to control his vampire instinct. Thankfully he went to the farm with Jinho that he got the warlock to back him up.

They were now at Jinho’s pool. Like a routine, they would go swimming before training. But today Hongseok was not in mood to swim because he just had nightmare of him feeding on human last night.

Jinho was now sitting on the edge of the pool, topless and wet. Water was dripping down his hair all over the ground. He could feel Hongseok’s eyes on him, staring.

A smirk was drawn on his face, eyes closed and head looked up, “Chill. You’ll get used to it.” Jinho peeked at Hongseok. He was still staring, “You heard me?”

Hongseok flustered, “Yeah. Hmm.” He coughed, “But hyung, I won’t! Get used to it I mean! It’s been a few weeks since my transition and I’m still in need of human blood!” Jinho felt like Hongseok was now more energic and on fire, he even asked so many questions about the Underworld now that Jinho was sick of it.

“Give yourself some credit. You can walk in the middle of day, that’s a progress! A really good one.” Jinho opened his eyes and looked at Hongseok in the eyes, “I’ll give it months until you can completely control yourself.” Jinho got up. “Let’s feed you something.”

Jinho got dressed and took Hongseok to the dark forest. They preyed on a deer there. Yes, Hongseok now would prefer to feed on animals. It would feel like a hunting in the dark forest.

Like now, Jinho spotted one deer. He nudged Hongseok on the waist and pointed to the direction. Hongseok took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and then opened them. The brown colored eyes had now turned into red ones.

It always gave chills to Jinho how vampires in Underworld could change their eye colors when their vampire instinct was out. They would change their eyes to red.

Hongseok then just sprinted towards the deer, attacking the animal from its side. The poor deer fell to the ground and moved its legs, trying to fight Hongseok. But unfortunately, the vampire was much more stronger than the deer. Hongseok successfully paralyzed it.

The deer helplessly laid on the ground. Without waiting to long, Hongseok bit the deer on its neck. It didn’t fight back but instead it closed its eyes slowly. It was dead. Blood flowed down from the deer’s body to the ground.

Jinho watched Hongseok feed on the deer from afar. He could not bear the sight of blood from up close. It would make his knees weak then he would faint eventually. So, since Hongseok was living with him and he needed to eat something, Jinho would just stay as far as he could and watched over him from behind.

Hongseok was a strong vampire to Jinho’s knowledge. He was quite smart too. Jinho didn’t need to train him that hard, he nailed every vampire powers pretty much by himself. All Jinho had to do was providing the food he needed. Which was blood or freshly killed animals.

Hongseok was back to Jinho’s side in a blink of eyes. He was just sprinting from where the deer’s body laying to Jinho’s standing spot in, literally, a blink.

“A whole deer in five minutes?” said Jinho as he looked at his watch on his left wrist, “Are you THAT hungry?”

“I still am. Actually.” Hongseok wiped off some blood from his lips. “Do you still have the leftover blood from the other night?”

Chapter Text

The relationship between Jinho and Hongseok had gotten better. They were like kind of friends now. Hongseok would just whine to Jinho to get something he wanted. Childish according to Jinho. But he granted Hongseok’s wish anyway.

Like what Hongseok had been asking from early morning today. It was the premiere day of The Avengers: Endgame and he needed to see it tonight. Jinho refused of course, because... “You know how you are around human.”

“I‘ll be able to control and hold it in. I promised” whined Hongseok, close to crying. “I know I’m dead and now a vampire, but I cannot miss any Marvel movies! Please hyung!”

“No. Still no.”

“Then I’ll stay silent until you give up.”

“I won’t”

But he did. At the end, Jinho always gave up. They went to the cinema later at night while Hongseok smiled widely on the way.

Jinho was relieved that they chose midnight showtime so the studio was not in full packed. Jinho thought Hongseok was too focused on the movie so he entirely ignored all human in the cinema studio.

It was already really late when they got out of the studio. Thankfully, Jinho wore long coat so he didn’t need to bear with the cold breeze. Meanwhile, Hongseok wore only sweatshirt and jeans trousers.

“Whyyyy. Why would they make such a perfect movie like that?!” Hongseok was still bawling his eyes out on their way home.

“Stop crying. You have no tears anyway, it’s useless.”

Hongseok snapped his head toward Jinho on his side, “But I still have feelings and emotion!”

Jinho rolled his eyes. He didn’t know how many times he had rolled his eyes since Hongseok was staying with him. “But you’re practically dead.” murmured Jinho.

Hongseok didn’t catch the words, but he was sure the Warlock said something, “What did you say?”

Jinho fastened his step, “Nothing. Be hurry. I’m hungry.”

“Let’s eat deer meat! Shall we?”

“I’m not a vampire. I still need a well-cooked food.”

Hongseok pouted. “I’m so freaking hungry.”

They both were walking side by side, Jinho’s hands inside his pockets because of the cold weather. Then someone bumped into Hongseok.

It was not someone Hongseok knew. It was a stranger to be honest, but it got Hongseok’s attention.

Jinho, who was now a few step ahead of Hongseok already, just noticed that the vampire was no longer walking beside him. He looked behind, Hongseok’s head hung low and he growled. Jinho could see his white teeth even at night.

Hongseok was now holding the stranger’s wrist. That stranger was confused and asked him, “Excuse me? Could you let go of my hand, buddy?”

Jinho walked back to Hongseok and grabbed the vampire’s sweatshirt, “Hongseok. Don’t.” Hongseok just stayed still. He kept on growling and his eyes started to turn red. Jinho knew that Hongseok was hungry but he also didn’t want to kill anyone. His instinct. His vampire instinct of human blood was taking over him.

This human was just so close with Hongseok that the smell of his blood triggered Hongseok. The fight inside Hongseok was still going, it made Jinho had no choice.

Jinho raised his hand and drew circle all around the three of them then a dome appeared above their heads. Hongseok was still having a war within himself and the stranger was scared finding himself inside the transparent protection. Jinho pushed Hongseok so hard that he had to crashed against the dome wall and made him fall, unconcious. “Damn it.” cursed Jinho silently.

The stranger was ready to leave when Jinho grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. “I’m sorry for what I’m about to do, but you’ve known things much more than you should.”

The human shook his head feeling scared for what was about to happen next to him, “No please. No. Please let me go.”

Jinho gave him his sweetest warlock smile, “I won’t kill you. Just stay still. It won’t take long.” Jinho’s other hand was on the human’s forehead. He moved his finger on the human’s skin and drew a triangle as well as a cube inside it without breaking the line. Then something sparkling was seen in the middle of the two shapes.

Jinho pulled it out of his head that appeared to be a white colored smoke. It was a memory.  Its length was not that long as the memory Jinho wanted to remove was just less than thirty minutes of event.

After he successfully pulled out the memory, he crashed it inside his palm and blowed away the dust. The human fell to the ground and went unconcious. Jinho shook his body but no response. He seemed to be falling in deep sleep, so it was good.

“One more thing.” Jinho walked up to Hongseok and hit his face a few times. “Hey. Get up!” Jinho flicked his fingers in front of Hongseok’s face and he opened his eyes, shocked. His red eyes had now gone, replaced with his normal and beautiful brown eyes, which Jinho had been used to. “Can you get up?”

Hongseok raised his hand to check on the back of his head. “Ouch. What happened?”

“You almost killed an innocent human.” said Jinho casually.

Hongseok got up straightly upon hearing the words Jinho was saying. He looked around frantically and stopped. Jinho followed his stare, it was on the weak human sleeping on the ground. “I...is he dead?”

Jinho folded his arms, “You didn’t pay any attention, did you? I said ALMOST. He isn’t dead. Thankfully you have me to handle all this.” Jinho brushed the dust, from the human’s memory, off his jacket. “He’s just unconcious. Don’t worry.”

“What did you do to him?” Hongseok was on his feet and walked closer to the sleeping human.

“I erased his memory of you wanting to eat him and he fell unconcious afterwards. He’s fine. You should just leave him here. He’ll be awake soon so we need to get move, now.”

Hongseok glanced at Jinho, “Just like what you did to my family?” Jinho nodded. Hongseok touched the human’s body and shook him. Nothing happened and he seemed to be in a deep sleep. “Are you sure he’s going to be fine when he’s awake?” Hongseok asked, concerned.

“I’m sure. He also won’t be able to remember you. So you’re going to be fine too.” Jinho got up and raised his hand to remove the dome.

They went back to be visible. Jinho pulled Hongseok’s cold hand and dragged him out of the street. Hongseok just followed the warlock anywhere he was going. The thought of him almost killing somebody hit him hard.

“What if I really killed him back then?” Hongseok looked at both of his hands, they were as white and cold as snow. He couldn’t find his veins. He couldn’t feel any more sweats even when he almost had a nerve-wrecking event minutes ago.

He almost killed somebody.

Hongseok just realized, this was not the road to Jinho’s house.

“But you didn’t. We really need to practice your instinct on human blood.” Jinho looked over his shoulder while walking into the woods. “You won’t want anything like that to happen again, especially when I’m not around.”

—

They kept on walking inside the woods, through the trees and into darkness. Jinho was leading Hongseok to the center of the woods where they met the open.

“Sit.” Said Jinho, ordering Hongseok to sit on one of the big rocks in the middle of the woods.

“What are we doing here?” Asked Hongseok clueless. He took a seat on the smaller rock, having no idea what would happen next.

Jinho sat on a bigger rock in front of Hongseok. He pulled Hongseok closer to him, their knees touched, their thighs crossed. Jinho rested his hand on Hongseok’s knee and leaned in. He tilted his head and exposed his white neck to Hongseok.

“Feed on me.” whispered Jinho softly that only Hongseok could hear him.

Hongseok was taken aback. “Wait. Hyung. What are you doing?”

“In order to be able to strengthened your instinct on human, you need to drink its blood. Now drink mine.”

“But you’re not a human?”

“I’m all the creatures walking on earth.” Said Jinho. “Drink up Hongseok. But don’t finish me, or I’ll die.”

“I thought you were immortal?”

“I am. But I can die out of blood too. Now do it.”

“No. Are you crazy?” Hongseok pushed back Jinho a little. “What if you turn into a vampire?

“I’m damned and cursed. I’m an exception.” Jinho pulled their bodies closer again. “Just do it.”

“I don’t understand—“

“Just do it, Yang Hongseok.”ordered Jinho assertively.

Their eyes met for a while before Hongseok leaned in. He opened his mouth widely and landed his fangs on Jinho’s white skin.

Sting was all over Jinho’s body. He felt helpless and body fell in Hongseok’s arms. He threw his head back further, exposing his white neck to Hongseok even more.

He knew that vampire’s bite was painless but this was beyond his expectation. He felt so light. Like he had no body weight.

Then he could feel Hongseok starting to suck his blood slowly. His venom was spreading his whole body. It mixed with his blood and ripping out of Hongseok’s mouth. He felt cold and hot then went back to cold.

Again, Hongseok sucked on him. His arms wrapped around Jinho to hold the warlock’s body. Then Jinho felt something strange. He felt good, even worse, addicting.

It gave him feeling that couldn’t be disclosed. It felt good. Jinho let out a soft moan that also surprised him. This couldn’t happen.

Jinho grabbed Hongseok’s arm and squeezed it hard. Like it was a sign, Hongseok pulled his fangs out of Jinho’s neck.

Jinho’s body was too weak. Eyes remained close. He went unconcious and couldn’t move.

“Let me take you home Hyung.”

Jinho could feel his body was brought up and held tight by Hongseok. He wanted to reply the vampire but he couldn’t bring any sense to himself. He just couldn’t.

Then his body met something soft. His cold body was covered by blanket. He was home.

“Have a sweet dream Jinho hyung.”

The lights were off. The door was closed. Jinho had drifted off.

—

The next morning Jinho woke up, his body was still weak. His eyes were heavy to open. His head was really hard to raise.

He tried to get up, but he couldn’t. He could move his arms and legs, but he was just too weak to leave the bed. He was hungry though. His energy was drained. He needed to eat something to regain it.

Jinho was surprised as someone opened the door to his room, revealing Hongseok at the doorway. He was holding a tray, bringing what Jinho supposed was breakfast.

“Good morning.” greeted Hongseok as he put the tray on top of the table beside Jinho’s bed.

Jinho brought himself up and leaned back on the bed board behind him. “You cooked?”

Hongseok brought well-cooked rice, a bowl of chicken soup and steamed tofus. “I only found these ingredients. So I make the food out of them. And, I didn’t really do tasting early on because I’m no longer eating those food. So please bear with the taste okay?”

Jinho smiled, “Thank you.” He took the tray and put it on his lap. He tasted the chicken soup and well, it was not that bad. “It’s good.”

“Glad you like it.” Hongseok was not sitting on Jinho’s bed with hand on Jinho’s legs, rubbing them slowly. “How are you feeling now?”

Jinho nodded, “I’m feeling fine. Still a bit shaky, but It’s fine.”

“I’m sorry if I drank too much of your blood—“

“No you didn’t. The fact that you stopped when you thought I already lost conciousness, that’s a good start. The only thing that matters is, you didn’t kill me.”

Hongseok took Jinho’s fingers, playing with them, “I was scared that I hurt you.” He clasped their fingers together, “But then I remember, you’re the greatest warlock alive, you’re gonna be fine.” Hongseok drew himself closer to Jinho, “Thank you hyung. Thank you for always helping me. You almost put yourself in danger for me. I haven’t gotten the chance to thank you.”

Hongseok gave Jinho a smile that Jinho had not seen before. It was wide and bright and sincere, he was even showing one small dimple bellow his cheek bone. Jinho never noticed the dimple beforehand. It was beautiful.

Hearing Hongseok was once scared of killing him, gave Jinho strange feeling in his heart. It had been so long since he felt like this. Butterflies were flying around inside his belly. Heartbeats were going quickly.

Both of them were offered eternity. Both of them would be friends with forever. Both of them had lost families. Both of them only had each other.

He cared about Hongseok and God knew, he wanted to protect him no matter what. He didn’t know if Hongseok would feel the same. But one thing Jinho knew, he wanted to keep the vampire before his eyes with him all his life to keep each other from loneliness.

—

“Okay so, goat, deer or cow? You pick.” Jinho was looking at his phone and about to text someone.

“Can I have your blood instead?” Hongseok was reading newspaper in the living room and looking through Netflix once in a while between the reading.

Jinho grabbed the newspaper from Hongseok and hit the back of his head. “You wish.”

“No seriously hyung. Does every human’s blood taste like yours?”

“What do you mean?” Jinho joined Hongseok on the sofa.

“Your blood tastes really good. Sweet. Addicting. Even better than ice cream.” said Hongseok innocently, not knowing that the warlock was blushing from ear to ear at the compliment.

“I don’t even know. I’ve never drunk any human blood.” said Jinho, still blushing. “Besides, you drank MY blood. Not human’s. So, that’s different.” Jinho hit Hongseok again at the arm, “Now choose! Goat, deer or cow?”

Hongseok leaned back his head on the sofa, “Tough question. Cow.”

“Cow...” Jinho typed on his phone and then turned his head toward Hongseok who was now half lying down on the sofa. “You have nothing to do today, don’t you?”

Hongseok lifted up his head a bit, “Why?”

Jinho shrugged, “It has been really long since I threw a party. I used to have lots of people here every nights.” Jinho swifted and pulled legs up, crossing them on the sofa. “What do you think if we’re having a party tonight?”

“Why should you ask me? This is your place.” asked Hongseok.

Jinho just realized that he missed all the glamour night life. The parties had been off since Hongseok stayed in his house. Not that Jinho was afraid those creatures would find Hongseok. He was more afraid that Hongseok might feed on one of his guests.

“It’s alright then? You would not feed on my guests, would you?” asked Jinho, sounding really concerned.

“Nah. I don’t think your guests would tastes better than you.” Teased Hongseok. Jinho rolled his eyes at Hongseok. “But you need to prepare everything don’t you?”

“Well that is easy. I’ve called up someone I know to supply everything I need for a party. We should indeed throw a party for three days. Straight. Yup. Good idea.” Jinho jumped off the sofa and started to call every one he knew to come to the party that night. And honestly, Hongseok knew nothing about party and he let the warlock did everything he wanted.

—

“You invited how many?!”

They were at the kitchen to prepare everything. Hongseok was now drying the plates, cups, bowls and every stuff three-days party needed. And Jinho? Let’s just said that Jinho was using his magic for good purpose.

The warlock was swinging his hand here and there, resulting such a beautiful sight of party decorations decorated his house on their own. The plates and bowls were flying around the house and found their places. The music was on with a single flick from Jinho. A clap was heard and the party lights were on.

“Perfect.” Jinho was satisfied with his works. “You asked earlier right? I invited four hundred guests.”

Hongseok shook his head as he took out the turkey off the oven. “Do you like partying that much? Who did you invite anyway? I thought the only friend you had was me.”

Jinho looked at Hongseok over his shoulder, “You’ll see and just consider it as a moment for you to know your fellow Underworld people.”

“Whatever.” Hongseok now was arranging the tables. “I can’t imagine how your house will look like tomorrow, hyung.”

“Not tomorrow, duh. Two days after tomorrow.” Jinho was now throwing big flaminggo, duck and unicorn balloon on the pool.

“Damn it. I forgot it’s going to be a three-days party.” said Hongseok, suddenly remembering it.

Jinho just smiled at Hongseok. He actually wished this party could cheer him up a bit and got him into the Underworld society. Eventhough he didn’t invite any vampires, most likely Shinwon’s clan.

He thought it was not the time yet for them to meet Hongseok. Or more like, he was not ready yet to give out the vampire to his actual people.

The two were decorating and preparing until they lost at time. Guests were coming when they were not really ready and Jinho was busy introducing Hongseok to everyone.

Jinho grabbed a cup of cocktail and Hongseok was more like a soda person so he got a can of coke. Jinho lit up his cigarrette and leaned closer to Hongseok. “You see a group of shining human-look-alike over there?” Jinho pointed his finger toward a crowd by the piano inside his house. Hongseok nodded, “They are nephilim.”

“They what?!” Hongseok took a closer look at the group, “No wonder they look too perfect to be human.”

“They are the Children of Angels. Not a single human even close to them.” said Jinho. “And the groupd behind them, is medusa.” Jinho pointed out a group of, again, human-look-alike who were wearing head cover; hats, beanies, even beret.

Hongseok widened his eyes to the name, “You invited them? What if their head covers fell off and those snakes killing us?”

Jinho tilted his head, “Don’t be stupid.”

Jinho was smoking his cigarrette when Hongseok suddenly grabbed his arm, “Hyung.. is that a goblin? What? You invited dwarves too?” Hongseok moved his head around the house, looking for those creatures he only knew through tales all this time. “Is that a group of Cyclopes by the pool?! Woooow.” Hongseok turned to Jinho.

Jinho threw his cigarette on the floor and pulled Hongseok’s hand to follow him. “I have some people I want to introduce to you.”

“Who?” They were walking through the house, passing the party goers.

“You’ll see.”

Jinho lengthened his neck in order to find the people amongst these guests. Then he spotted him, leaning on the silver pole at the side of Jinho’s swimming pool. That someone was drinking cocktail while observing the guests before him.

Jinho was pulling Hongseok around, approaching that guy. “Changgu-yah!” called Jinho to a really tall and handsome someone.

“Oh. Hyung.” that Changgu guy smiled and hugged Jinho right away. “How are you?”

“Good. How are you?” asked Jinho as he released the hug.

“Never better.” Changgu grabbed Jinho’s hands and never let go. “To be honest, I was quite surprised to receive an invitation from you this morning. I thought you’ve retired from partying.” Again, Changgu smiled to Jinho.

Jinho was beyond glad to see Changgu again. He was one of the Underwold people who was close to Jinho. He was dear friend to the warlock.

“Well I thought I did. But I just missed having party here. And meeting the others just gives me positive vibe.” said Jinho, smiling too.

Hongseok looked at Jinho, those hands, then Changgu, then Jinho and back to those holding hands. “I’m sorry for interrupting but can I be introduced and getting involved in this conversation?”

“Oh my. I’m sorry. Changgu-yah I want you to meet Hongseok. Hongseoka, this is Changgu, my dear friend.” Jinho introduce the two.

Changgu reached out his hand and Hongseok shook it. “Hongseok.”, “Changgu.”

“So this is the friend you want me to meet.” asked Hongseok.

“Indeed. Changgu is a dhampir. I think if you have any question about vampire that I can’t give you the answer, which I doubt it, you can come to Changgu.” Jinho turned to Changgu. “And before you ask me, yes, Hongseok is a newborn.”

Changgu was about to say something but he aborted it. Instead of saying something Changgu just went hugging Hongseok and patted his shoulders, “You’ll get there.”

“He’s not....that new actually.” Jinho scratched the back of his head. “He’s there already. I just want him to have someone to talk to beside me.”

“Can I ask you guys something?” said Hongseok still in Changgu’s arms. “What is a dhampir?”

Changgu released the hug immediately and held Hongseok’s both forearms tightly, “You’re joking right?” asked Changgu and he got a shake from Hongseok as the answer. Changgu turned to Jinho surprised.

“Well, let’s assume that I haven’t told him anything about dhampir. Yet.” said Jinho.

Changgu rolled his eyes and turned back to Hongseok. “Dhampir is results of the union of human and vampire. So basically, my parents are both, my father is vampire and my mother is human.”

Hongseok widened his eyes, “Wow I just found out such thing. So, you drink blood too?”

“That is what makes you and I different. Because I’m half human, I don’t drink blood. I only inherit vampire powers such as your speed and clear sight as well as flawless looks.” explained Changgu while grinning after seeing Hongseok’s face in respond to him. “Are you really that amazed?”

“Of course I am! I never thought this world existed beforehand.” Hongseok clasped his hands together.

“Some dhampirs work as vampires’ trainer in order to control their powers. Newborn like you should have been handed to dhampirs instead of me.” Jinho scoffed.

Hongseok smirked, “Well I think I’m used to you now so, I’d prefer you.” Hongseok leaned in closer to Jinho and intended to whisper, but it was heard by Changgu anyway, “And you taste better too.”

This made Jinho’s face burnt up. Changgu was shocked and raised his eyebrows, questioning the two, “What was that?”

“Nothing!” Said Jinho right away. He hit Hongseok on the arms a few times.

“Did I miss something?” said someone from behind Changgu, looking so much taller than the three of them. Skin was as white as snow and face as pretty as mannequin.

“Yanana!” uttered Jinho when he saw the source of the voice.

Jinho launched himself to the newcomer and Yanan hugged him back tightly. “Oh how I miss you lots hyung!”

Hongseok was in awe. The Yanan guy looked so handsome and tall. He also seemed close with Jinho. “Well yeah. You are so busy with Changgu that you’ve forgotten about your hyung. Not that I’m complaining.” Said Jinho as he released the hug.

Yanan smiled shyly and Changgu just grinned widely. Hongseok just stood there, getting more confused. “You were the one who brought us together hyung.” said Changgu, still with that wide grin.

“Ya ya.” Jinho turned around and stepped back a little bit to pull Hongseok into the circle. “Yanana, please introduce my new friend here. This is Hongseok.”

Yanan’s face lit up, he walked closer to Hongseok to reach out his hand and shook his hand. “I’m Yanan, warlock.”

Hongseok didn’t know how many times his eyes got bigger as this convo going. First a dhampir, now another warlock? He thought Jinho was the only warlock though?

“I thought you are the only warlock alive Jinho hyung?” Hongseok glanced at Jinho.

“You idiot. How could I be the only one warlock alive? There are more warlocks around the world than you think. Yanan is the Greatest Warlock of Shanghai. But recently he’d like to stay in Seoul more than Shanghai. Right Yanan?” Jinho teased Yanan whose cheeks were now blushing.

“Yah hyung. Stop it already. Poor him. He is going to cry soon.” said Changgu and linked his arm with Yanan.

Hongseok scratched his forehead, he thought that he got the whole idea here, Yanan and Changgu were a thing.

“Is this the new me and Changgu?” said Yanan suddenly, made Hongseok choked on his cocktail.

“Well, Hongseok said Jinho tasted the best. So, I guess, maybe?” teased Changgu.

Jinho rolled his eyes while Hongseok still tried to get himself together. “Don’t joke around you two.” said Jinho as giving the couple a glare.

Yanan and Changgu just laughed out loud, loving the sight before their eyes. The two clearly had something going on, they just had not realized it yet.

Hongseok leaned closer to Jinho and whospered to his ear, “Are they like...’together’?”

Jinho nodded. He replied, “For years now. They’re still going strong.”

“What are you two whispering about?” asked Changgu suddenly.

“Hongseok just asked me if both of you are a thing.” said Jinho.

Hongseok glared at Jinho with disbelief look. “How could you?”

Yanan put his arms around Changgu and pulled him closer, “We are, Hongseok. Been going for quite long time.” Yanan nodded to Jinho, “You two will too. I can tell. For quiet a very long time. Perhaps, forever?”

“Cut it out. This kid will think it’s true.” Jinho started to look for an escape from this convo.

“It is. I can sense it. You two complete each other and make good pair. Don’t lose it. Promise me.” said Yanan.

“What are you now? Fortune teller?” asked Jinho jokingly.

“I’m a reader. You know I’m good at this. Trust me.” said Yanan seriously this time. “Forever will not be easy, but as long as you two have each other, you’ll go through it just fine.”

—

“Okay. That’s confusing.” Now Jinho and Hongseok were in the room near the pool where Jinho brought Hongseok in for tge first time.

They were lying down on the floor with coke for each. “What’s so confusing?” asked Jinho as he was sipping on his coke.

“Dhampir. I couldn’t process the whole thing when Yanan told me, as I think about it here. That is so confusing. The concept of dhampir.”

“It’s not a concept, silly. They are real.”

Hongseok swifted and turned around. Now he was lying on his belly and faced Jinho, “Think about it. Dhampir is half human and half vampire. They were born because of the relationship between the two. Like Changgu, his father is a vampire and his mother is a human.” Jinho nodded. “That makes him a half blood vampire half blood human. Why can’t he drink blood too? Why just inherit the powers?”

“It just comes like that naturally.” Jinho took another sip of his coke. “You can’t live in both world.”

“That’d be the best of both world.”

“Not really. It could be a fireback to him also. When human and vampires are at war.”

“Seriously? Human and vampires ever had wars?”

“Back then. Many years ago.” Jinho brought up his body, “Which, I didn’t really talk about.”

Silence lingered around them for a moment. Each of them was busy with their own thoughts. “It just occured to me. If Dhampirs are half human that means they are not immortal?” Hongseok broke the silence.

Jinho nodded, “Yeah. They are not.”

“But Yanan is a warlock like you. Which is an immortal too. But Changgu....?” Hongseok stopped.

“That is not our business to worry about. We’re just gonna have to leave it to them.”

Hongseok tileted his head to the side to get better view of Jinho’s face, “Can I ask you something hyung?”

“Hmm.” replied Jinho.

“Is that true? What Yanan said about us? Will we make a good pair and complete each other?” Hongseok looked straight to Jinho’s eyes.

“Why are you curious?” teased Jinho.

Hongseok shrugged, “Not really. I just wonder...” Hongseok took a glance at Jinho quick then shook his head, “Never mind.”

“You wonder what?” pressed Jinho. Now he really wanted to know what Hongseok was going to ask about.

“Nothing. Just forget it.” Hongseok rolled on his back.

Jinho stood up, “Alright then. You want to stay here? It’s not nice to be hiding when you’re hosting a party.”

“Yeah. I’ll stay here for awhile. I’m tired.” said Hongseok, stayed on the floor.

Jinho walked out of the room, “Don’t think too much. You really can’t find any sense in this world. Just live.” said Jinho before he closed the door.

—

It was a nice morning when Hongseok asked Jinho to cook breakfast. “You want your cow’s blood well-boiled?” grumbled Jinho.

Not that he disliked being awake early nor he was a morning person, but he just got a nice and beautiful sleep that night due to the three nights in a row party at his place.

“No. I don’t want you to do anything to my blood. I just want to eat your breakfast.” said Hongseok from behind Jinho as he was pushing the sleepy warlock into kitchen.

“You will eat it?” asked Jinho as he was yawning.

Hongseok nodded, “Of course I will! I’ll just try to taste it. Who knows there was still some human in me.”

“You’re dead.” Jinho rubbed off his eyes, “What do you want me to cook?”

“Spaghetti. Aglio e Olio. Spicy with mushrooms and sausage.”

Jinho was sleepy, yes, but he couldn’t help it to open his eyes widely hearing Hongseok’s food request. “Are you joking young man? You want to eat pasta? What if your body didn’t digest those food?”

“No worries. I’m a vampire anyway.”

“Whatever.”

Hongseok clapped his hand and sat on one of the stools at the kitchen bar. “May I ask you something hyung?”

“Hmm.” replied Jinho as he proceeding the spaghetti.

“Is there any other warlocks in this neighborhood?” Hongseok pulled his chin on his palm, watching his hyung cooking his spaghetti.

“You met him the other night.” said Jinho as he was preparing the ingredients. He took some sausage from freezer and mushrooms from the fridge.

“Other than Yanan I mean.”

“In this neighborhood, no. But in Seoul, a few. Why?”

Hongseok shrugged, “Well, you don’t seem to know other warlocks. You didn’t even invite that many, I thought it was because of me.”

Jinho was stunned, he never brought up about other warlocks to Hongseok. “Let’s just assume that I don’t like other warlocks, beside Yanan.”

Jinho continued his cooking as Hongseok asked again, “You don’t want to introduce them to me though? The Warlocks from Seoul?”

“Why? You want to stay with them instead?” The words just came out of his mouth. He was surprised himself too. It made the atmosphere around them a bit awkward and the fact that Hongseok didn’t respond right away made it worse.

Then Hongseok got up from his seat and approached Jinho, “I’m just asking.” Hongseok rubbed Jinho’s arm and smiled at him.

“Go back to your seat. It’s almost ready.” said Jinho as he released his arm from Hongseok’s hand. Hongseok did what he was told and waited patiently.

Jinho put two plates in front of Hongseok and the empty space which would be seated by him.

“Wow! It looks delish!” shouted Hongseok.

“Yah. Shut up and eat.” Jinho took a seat and started eating.

Hongseok tried to eat the spaghetti, he swallowed, but nothing happened. “I just chewed the pasta and swallowed it.” uttered Hongseok, looking like an excited child.

“So?” Jinho took a bite. “Haa. Too spicy.”

“No. It’s perfect! Waaaah hyung! I love it!”

“Glad you like it.”

They were focused on the food before their eyes, then Jinho just stopped. Hongseok didn’t seem to notice though. “Hongseok-ah. I need to tell you something.”

Hongseok looked up from his plate with some spaghetti inside his mouth. He nodded his head and his chubby cheeks bobbed up and down along.

“There is actually—“

DING DONG

Jinho’s doorbell was rang, interupting the conversation Jinho was starting right now. Someone was outside their house. Jinho looked at the cctv monitor on his main door, but no one was there.

“Who is it?” asked Hongseok who was coming behind Jinho. He tried to take a look on the monitor, but nothing was to see. “No one?”

DING DONG

Again, the doorbell rang and again, still no one at sight.

DING DONG

Rang. Again.

Hongseok was still looking at the monitor while Jinho was already heading to the door. Jinho thought he knew what was going on and honestly, Jinho didn’t like what he was going to find behind his main door.

Hongseok was following Jinho from behind. Jinho was stopping before the door.

DING DONG

The guest seemed impatient huh? thought Jinho.

“Can you tell me what’s going on here?” whispered Hongseok.

It was like a lightning struck when Hongseok whispered to his ear, he just realized Hongseok was following him all this time. “You. Hide in your room upstairs.”

Hongseok looked at Jinho and the door alternately. “May I know why? Should I be worried?”

“Just go. Please...” said Jinho. “....and lock your door.”

He could tell Hongseok had lots of questions right now but Jinho had no times for some explanations at this time. Hongseok went upstairs with confused feelings but at least, he was safe. Jinho really didn’t need drama in early morning.

He took a deep breath and hold on the door knob, ready to turn it open. Then he did. He was welcomed by a big smile from a figure that he knew too well. He didn’t like what would come next.

The guest raised his hand up to greet Jinho. He really didn’t want to meet him all his life.

“Good morning, hyung. Long time no see.”

Chapter Text

“Who was that?” Hongseok kept asking this question over and over again since the uninvited guest crashed on their morning breakfast.

Jinho was a bit more quiet than usual since then. He talked less and was not responsive to Hongseok’s jokes. He never answered Hongseok’s question too.

It kept playing inside Jinho’s head, how intimidating the guest was.

He could still remember that cold smile the uninvited guest gave him when he opened his door, “Good morning, hyung. Long time no see.”

Jinho could recognize the one who was standing before him really well. “Hui.” said Jinho, almost whispering.

The uninvited guests turned out to be one warlock Jinho would avoid to meet. He brought nightmares to Jinho’s life once. Jinho didn’t want that to happen again.

Hui was a warlock in Seoul who was not as strong as Jinho even when he had help. But he had evil minds, which Jinho would never dare even to think about.

“Hello hyung. Have you been well?” asked Hui again. His smile grew wilder, it sent Jinho chills.

“I’m good. Thank you.” Jinho was holding on to his door tightly, he really wanted to just slam the door on his face and continue his breakfast with Hongseok.

If these days Hongseok was the one who got Jinho’s support, this time Jinho felt like he could just scream help right now so Hongseok heard him and took him away from here. But he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t involve him into his mess. He just didn’t want to. He cared about Hongseok a little bit much.

“Don’t you want to invite me inside hyung? We’re old friends right?” asked Hui.

Jinho opened his door wide, taking two steps backward to let him in. His eyes didn’t leave his guest.

“Nothing changes huh? Eventhough parties at this place every night. Parties that I never got invited to. Not even once.” said Hui while walking inside Jinho’s house further with his black shadow following behind.

Hui reached the kitchen bar. He obviously found the two unfinished breakfast there but said nothing. Hui turned around, now facing Jinho. “So. Rumors said, you’re not living alone here anymore hyung?”

Jinho leaned back on one of the pillars near the stairs, hands folded in front of his chest, “You know that rumors could not be true.”

“But it also could be.” Hui spoke with deep voice which Jinho hated so much.

“Why is it your problem whether I live alone or not?” asked Jinho, pretended to be calm. Truth be told, his heart was racing so fast. He kept chanting inside his head to tell Hongseok not to get out of his room. But of course Hongseok could not hear his mind.

“Because the one who is living with you is...” Hui paused. “....a vampire?” Hui walked toward to Jinho, bringing them closer. “You still look beautiful, hyung. Nothing changed from you. How I wish your heart wouldn’t too.” Hui brought his hand up to touch Jinho’s face.

Jinho just stood there, looking at Hui’s eyes. The boy he knew had completely gone. The boy who was nice and cute and be able to make Jinho laugh out loud. “I never changed. You did.” whispered Jinho, making it only Hui who could hear him.

Hui rested his hand on the pillars behind Jinho and brought his face to Jinho’s ear. “I changed to be better, hyung.” whispered Hui, giving Jinho chills.

“What do you want?” Jinho asked Hui with eyes still fixed on the other’s.

“Just visiting an old friend. Aren’t you happy?” Hui took step backwards and stretched his arms, like he was welcoming Jinho into his arms. “I want to meet your little friend too. Is he somewhere around this house? Shall I see him?” Hui turned around in front of Jinho.

The action scared Jinho, it was like Hui had lost his mind. “You’ve met me. You can go now.” said Jinho firmly.

Hui scoffed, “Pushing me away already, hyung? Like you did years ago? Have you told your little friend about me? Have you told him about....us?” Hui let out a long sigh, mocking Jinho. “Alright, alright. I’m gonna stop playing around. I can not meet your vampire now. But don’t ever think I will stop. See you next time.”

Hui gave Jinho his evil smirk then came out of the house and left. Jinho was still standing there, processing everything. He gulped. He was sweating.

He could not let Hui do what he did last time. He would not let anything happen to Hongseok this time. His brain worked hard. He was thinking the way to avoid that warlock’s plans.

“Jinho hyung?” Hongseok’s voice startled him. “Why are you looking like that? You’re sweating. What happened? Who is he?” Hongseok was running down the stairs and coming to check on Jinho. Hongseok was worried because Jinho looked like he just saw a ghost.

The warlock could not think straight. He could not answer those questions just yet. He always avoided Hongseok’s question about his fellow warlocks since then.

Until days later, Jinho had not recovered from his own thoughts. So many scenarios were playing inside his head. Scenarios about what would happen to Hongseok and those scenarios had the same antagonists characters playing their roles, Hui.

One morning, Jinho was sitting by the pool, holding his phone, twirling it over and over. He finally made up his mind. He needed to hide Hongseok at the best place that Hui might not find. It was the time.

—

“Have you talked to him about this?” asked Shinwon to Jinho. They were in Jinho’s room upstairs one night when Hongseok was out, taking his blood supplies.

“I haven’t.”answered Jinho.

“You have to. You also need to tell him about Hui and what he did to you years ago.”

“He doesn’t need to know, Shinwona.”

“You know that he gets involved in this whole thing already right? He needs to be prepared.”

“If he knows, he wouldn’t want to leave. He would have wanted to stay with me here.”

“Well maybe, that’s the best thing to do. To have him with you and let him to protect you.”

“I don’t need protection. He does.”

The door in the room was open suddenly, “Hyung, I’ve brought the supplies you—“ Hongseok stopped, “Oh.. you have company.”

Jinho nodded, “Yes. Hongseok meet Shinwon. Shinwon. Hongseok.” Jinho was massaging his forehead gently.

Shinwon sighed and got up then he shook Hongseok’s hand. The moment their hands met, Hongseok was surprised, “You’re a vampire.” It was more like a sentence than a question.

“Yes. I am.” said Shinwon.

“Shinwon’s here to take you to join in his clan.” said Jinho suddenly, causing Hongseok to stare at him in disbelief.

“What did you say?” Hongseok frowned, he could not believe his ears.

“You will live with Shinwon and his clan from now on.” said Jinho without looking at Hongseok. “The night you were brought to me. I refused to take you in. But Shinwon insisted, so I let you live here and trained you. Then Shinwon promised that he would let you join his clan when you were ready.” Again, Jinho massaged his forehead, he had a major headache now. “And you’ve mastered all your power. You can even control yourself around human now. It’s time for you to go with him and fullfill his promise. You need a clan of your own sooner or later.”

Hongseok was processing the whole information. “You’re joking with me aren’t you?” Hongseok now was approaching Jinho whose head was hanging really low. He didn’t want to see Hongseok’s face. He could not. “Look at me hyung.” ordered Hongseok.

Jinho obliged, lifting his head up at last, looking at Hongseok’s eyes. He had been living with this boy for months now. He knew him better than anyone and vice versa. He would die slowly living life befriending loneliness once more. For another forever.

How Jinho wished he could say otherwise, and tell him that it was indeed a halloween prank, Jinho replied Hongseok, shortly. “I’m not.”

—

“How is he?” asked Jinho to someone at the end of the phone line.

“He is... fine I guess? He didn’t have breakfast though? He said he wasn’t hungry.” It appeared that Jinho was having a phone call with Shinwon.

Since early morning, it bothered Jinho how Hongseok was doing. He had not heard from him since the day he moved out of his house. He was worried.

Jinho sighed, “Can’t you make him have his breakfast? What blood did you offer him?”

“Goat’s? We only have goat blood here.” said Shinwon.

“He likes Cow better than goat. Or deer.”

“That’s expensive. You spoiled him a lot didn’t you?”

Jinho rolled his eyes, “I tried my best for him not drinking human blood as his first meal.” His own sentence hit him hard. It reminded him of someone he used to know. “Anyway, I’ll send the cow blood he always drinks from here. Give him that so he has energy and not hungry.”

“May I and the other drink it too? Sharing is good you know.” asked Shinwon.

“Whatever. I’ll send a lot so you guys have supplies and drink it together.” Jinho was about to hang up, “Shinwon. Make sure he eats okay? I don’t want him to get sick.”

He hung up this time. He knew it was not because of the blood that made Hongseok would not eat. It was because he hated it there. Jinho hated it being alone too.

Jinho contacted the farm where he usually asked for blood supplies. He was ringing the farm and asked them to send the blood supplies to Shinwon’s house.

Jinho himself felt hungry, but he had no one to eat with. Then his bell rang. He walked toward the cctv monitor and found someone stood by his door. He felt relieved that someone came to his house.

“Hello hyunggg.” greeted Yanan as Jinho opened his door.

“Hi.” Jinho hugged Yanan tightly. “Hmm.. I’m so glad you come.”

Yanan replied, “I’m so glad too.” Yanan released the hug, “I heard what happened.”

“Who told you?”

“Shinwon?”

“That kid.”

“He is worried about you.” said Yanan as he walked past the doorway.

“You guys, don’t need to worry. I’m okay.”

“You don’t seem to be.” Yanan looked at Jinho from head to toe, who was now wearing his silky robe over a simple gray shirt and white shorts. “Let’s go out shall we? It’s been so long since you and I hung out.”

“Just the two of us?” Jinho asked and Yanan nodded. “What about Changgu?”

“Changgu is chilling at the house. He has a class for baby vampires anyway, so, let’s not think about him for today.” Yanan smiled at Jinho.

“I need to get change then.” Jinho was about to turn around and went upstairs before Yanan stopped him, asked him to stay.

“Nope. Let me do the job.” said Yanan. The younger warlock put his hand under his chin, thinking. “What would look good on though? Well, you look good in anything anyway.”

The older warlock rolled his eyes at Yanan who then swung his hand in front of Jinho. His fancy robe was replace by a long coat, his simple gray shirt changed color to be black and now was a turtle neck sweater while his shorts had been lengthened to be black trousers.

Yanan moved his hand up to Jinho’s hair and circled his finger above his head. Jinho’s hair was moving on their own while Jinho could only stay still. Yanan styled Jinho’s hair to have bangs and looked really neat. “There.” Yanan clasped his hands together, looking satisfied, “Wow you handsome old warlock!”

“You idiot. Let’s go then. I’m hungry.” Jinho dragged Yanan out of his house and they both went to their favorite brunch diner.

It was a fine restaurant with indoor and outdoor tables. The place was filled with various type of flowers. It was really colorful and theuraphetic to Jinho and Yanan. They both liked this place because it served whole day menus all day; breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The two had known each other for the longest time and they needed time to catch up. This place had been their favorite place to tell stories.

They picked their table on the second floor, on the balcony. So that they still could feel the cool breeze from outside.

“How are you?” Yanan asked after they were done deciding their food to eat. Jinho gave the waitress the menu board and folded his hand on the table.

“Worry. Anxious. Scared. Afraid. It’s all mixed up.” Jinho rubbed his face with his hands, hiding his urge to cry from the younger warlock.

“Hongseok is fine. Shinwon told me.” Yanan rubbed Jinho’s hand softly, “You are the one I’m worried about.” Yanan pulled Jinho’s hands away from his face, revealing the older’s red face. “Why didn’t you tell me Hui came to your house?”

They held hands, Jinho needed this at the moment. “I don’t want to bother you. He is my problem to handle.”

“He is everyone’s enemy, Hyung.” said Yanan in serious tone. “What did he say to you?”

Jinho’s eyes burnt. He was scared all this time, but he never told anyone. He hid it well within himself, even from Hongseok. But not today. Not when he finally gave up in front of his best friend. Not when he got the support he needed.

“He wanted Hongseok. He wanted to make Hongseok his slave, like what he did to Kino.” Jinho choked up to the name. “I won’t let that happen again, Yanana. I won’t.”

“I know you won’t, hyung. And you did your best hiding Hongseok with Shinwon.” said Yanan.

“I’m afraid he’ll find him.” said Jinho, shaking to the thought.

“He won’t. Shinwon will keep Hongseok safe.” Yanan squeezed Jinho’s hands, reassuring him.

—

Jinho was sitting at his kitchen bar, alone. The sky was already dark. Night would fall in no time.

It had been a week since Hongseok left to live with Shinwon. He regretted it of course. He could no longer swim with him. He could no longer cook him breakfast. He could no longer be with Hongseok.

It killed Jinho inside and outside. He had lost weight because he just could not eat. His magic had slowly weakened, because his heart was now sick too. Bottles of wine he had drunken but they still could not mend his broken heart.

It still lingered in his mind the day Hongseok left. Hongseok didn’t want to but Jinho pushed him away. Hongseok packed his stuff and got out of Jinho’s house with weary heart.

Jinho told Hongseok that this was a promise to fulfill between Jinho and Shinwon. A promise that was made the night Hongseok was turned. Hongseok asked Jinho though, “It’s not a sacred promise. If Shinwon is willing to let me go, then I can be staying here with you.” Hongseok turned to Shinwon, “Right?”

Shinwon could not say anything because this was not his place to decide. It was Jinho’s. “You can’t.” Jinho replied, “Just go, okay? Please. Just make it easier.” said Jinho wearily.

If he had to choose, he would have chosen Hongseok to stay. He would want him to live here, to be his partner inside this empty castle. But he couldn’t. Not when Hui was targeting Hongseok. Not if that would mean his nightmare from the past could happen with Hongseok involved. He would not be able to survive this time.

Jinho stared at blank space. His mind had stopped from thinking. The house that was used to be a place for parties every nights, had now turned to be a very dark house. Because the owner was having broken heart at the moment.

He hated it to be honest. He should have said no to Shinwon when he asked him to train Hongseok. He should have walked away from this whole situation from the start, but he didn’t.

Jinho tried to pour more wine into his glass, but none came out. He ran out of it. He walked towards his basement to grab another bottle. Jinho was looking at his cellar full of bottles from various places and years. He was about to pick one bottle when he saw a movement from the side of his eyes. He almost dropped his glass to the ground.

Jinho turned his head to his right. He found the source of the movement. A familiar figure had visited him.

The said figure leaned on the cellar on his side and smirked at Jinho, “You missed me?”

Jinho let out a sigh and put down his glass on a table near him. “You wish.” Jinho combed his hair with his hand to the back, “What do you want, Hui?”

Hui shrugged, “To meet you.” He walked towards Jinho slowly, “and your little vampire.”

“He’s gone. I’m living alone again here.” Jinho crossed his legs.

Hui began to walk around the basement in circle, thinking. “You’re trying to fool me.”

Jinho took one bottle out of the cellar and opened it. He drank the wine straight from the bottle then continued. “If you don’t believe me. You could search the whole house. But you wouldn’t be able to. It’s too big.”

Hui stopped moving and lifted up his head to stare at Jinho. Hui then disappeared in a blink of eyes, searching the whole house. Jinho was drinking his wine for a few more round, waiting. Hui came back with dark expression on his face. He was mad.

“I told you. I’m not lying.” said Jinho as he gulped down his wine again.

“Where is he?” asked Hui.

Jinho shrugged, “I don’t know. And I don’t care.”

Hui came across the basement and pushed Jinho against the walls, causing the bottle of wine in Jinho’s hand fell out of his grip and spilled the liquid all over the ground. Hui pinned down Jinho with his arms on the neck, choking him. “Tell me. Where. Is. He.”

Jinho gasped for some air, “Even if I did know, I would not tell you. I wouldn’t let you did the same thing like years ago. I made mistake. Not again.” Jinho hit Hui on the arms and released himself from the younger. “You. You’ve made Kino a monster. He was a nice and kind kid until you turned him into a killing machine for your own good.” It was now Jinho who pushed Hui. Jinho lifted him up off the ground by neck and pushed him hard to the walls across them.  Hui was on the ground, gasping for more air. “You made him kill human so you could revenge them. You made that sweet kid to do the dirty while you stayed clean....”

Jinho paused, he began to cry in low sobs, “...and you. You made me kill that boy to stop him do more killings. You are the toxic. It’s always been you. “

Hui smirked, “It’s always been me that love you for so long. I’ve always been your one and only love.”

Jinho kneeled down in front of the wounded Hui. “Really? You’re so full of yourself that you think no one is better than you. I’ve found love and it’s not in you.” Jinho ran his fingers on Hui’s face, “Do you think I will let you do the same to Hongseok? Do you think I can’t read you?” Jinho cupped Hui’s cheek and lifted his head up. Jinho pulled Hui’s face closer to his own, his nose touched Hui’s skin and he whispered to the younger’s ear, “I won’t do the same mistake this time. I won’t get Hongseok involved into your mess. He’s much more worthy than you are.”

Jinho looked at Hui and didn’t realized that Hui got a knife inside his coat pocket. Hui stabbed Jinho on his waist causing the older to whimper in pain. Jinho touched his waist and blood was smeared all over his hand. The wound was deep and his blood flowed like river.

Hui tried to got up and gave Jinho his evil smile, seeing the older crawled back towards the walls behind him. “You see. That’s the different between you and me. I’m less worthy to you. While you, are never worthy to me and I’m sorry.”

Hui didn’t seem sorry at all as he did what Jinho did to him, choking Jinho and lifting him up by neck, higher and higher until Jinho’s legs no longer touched the ground. Jinho was holding onto Hui’s hands like his life depend on them, because it did.

Jinho tried to hold on. He gasped for some air even though he knew it was useless. But then he felt like Hui’s handgrip on his neck was loosen up. He fell down to the ground and coughed. He was free. He tried to get some oxygen. His sight was blurry but then it was getting more focused.

He saw Hui’s body got thrown away, but he managed to get up. Someone was standing before Jinho’s eyes. His body was big, his shoulders were moving up and down. That someone seemed out of breath.

Hui walked closer to the mysterious figure while speaking, “Well. Well. Look who is here? I don’t need to do anything to lure you here. Oh wait, I did. I hurt your lovely warlock.” Hui grinned.

Jinho’s vision was getting clearer. “Stay away from Jinho hyung.” said the mysterious figure whose voice Jinho knew too well.

No. Why did he come? thought Jinho.

“I will. If you come with me and leave him here.” said Hui, eyes were straight on Hongseok’s.

“No. Hongseok, don’t—“ Jinho felt even worse pain as he spoke. He couldn’t continue and hoped Hongseok would listen to him.

“I’ll go.” said Hongseok without even turning around to see Jinho.

Hui’s grin grew wilder, “That was easy.” He took a look at Jinho and said, “Shall we?”

“No. No. No. No. Hongseoka..” cried Jinho.

Hongseok started to follow Hui going up the stairs before a yell of pain was heard. The vampire had hit Hui’s head to the cellar beside him, made Hui fell on the ground.

Without wasting time, Hongseok grabbed Hui’s head backwards by hair and bended down to level with him, “I was trained by the Greatest Warlock in Seoul, do you think I will just come with you that easy? You’re a fool then, Sir.” Hongseok’s eyes had now turned to red and his fangs were out.

Hongseok sat on Hui’s back and put his whole weight on his body. He grabbed Hui’s both hands and kept them behind his back, preventing him to do any magic that would harm Hongseok.

Hongseok hit Hui’s head against the floor, “This is for hurting Jinho in the past.” Hongseok threw his head to the floor again, harder this time, “This is for haunting him all his life.” Hongseok leaned in and whispered to Hui’s ear, “And this, is for wounding him badly” Hongseok thrusted his fangs in to Hui’s neck.

Hui’s scream was heard throughout the basement. Hongseok bit Hui on the neck and ripped him apart. Hongseok was opening Hui up. The view before Jinho’s eyes was like a trick to him. It was scary. Jinho never saw Hongseok killing someone, but he did it now. He killed a warlock to safe Jinho.

The pain on his waist got worse, Jinho just couldn’t take it anymore. Jinho crawled back to rest his body against the walls. He rested his head on the wall behind him, closing his eyes. Breathed in and out. He tried to calm down himself.

The scream was no longer heard. He knew, Hui was dead. Hongseok killed Hui and Jinho felt rather relief.

Jinho whimpered as he felt another pain came from his waist. He pressed his hands on the wound, trying to prevent the blood came out more. Hongseok ran towards Jinho and kneeled down in front of him. Blood all over his face, but he still looked so beautiful to Jinho’s eyes.

“Hyung....” Hongseok put his hands on Jinho’s to give him more pressure on the wound. “Hey. Please hold on.”

Jinho’s eyes were half closed, they were so heavy that Jinho just wanted to sleep. “You came.”

“I did. And I killed him.” Hongseok cupped Jinho’s face. “No. Hyung. Please. Don’t close your eyes. Please hold on. We’re getting help soon. Please.” said Hongseok wearily as he kept pressing Jinho’s wound.

There was so many questions Jinho wanted to ask Hongseok. How could he get here? He wanted to say something, but the pain was too strong he could not think clearly.

Hongseok kept on looking back and forth from Jinho to the basement’s door waiting for help. But nothing came. In between his lids, Jinho could see Hongseok started crying. No tears, but he cried. He pressed on Jinho’s waist, keeping the pressure because he didn’t want to let Jinho go or leave him alone down here.

Jinho was trying his best to keep awake. He held Hongseok’s hand on his waist and drew circle on the vampire’s palm with his thumb. It made Hongseok stopped looking at the door and fixed his eyes on Jinho’s. With a weak smile, Jinho said, “I’m sorry Hongseoka.”

Hongseok shook his head, “Don’t. Just don’t talk okay. Just sshh.” Suddenly, footsteps were heard from above. “DOWN HERE!” Hongseok shouted.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer. Hongseok turned back to Jinho, he then tried to keep Jinho awake. He wouldn’t let him lose conciousness.

“Hyung.. hyung. Do you remember when you brought me to beach? You let me pick any car that I wanted and asked me to drive it to there. We stayed for a few hours and you started lecturing me about underworld life until sunset. I wondered why did you take me to beach to study? But then I realized, you wanted me to feel alive again. With the sunlight hit my skin and the wind blew my hair. Taking me there also gave you the freedom to discuss all the odds of this world without worrying anyone overheard us.” Hongseok’s hands on Jinho’s waist were shaking uncontrollably.

Jinho gave him a weak smile. He was almost closing his eyes when he heard a few people approaching them. “Oh God.” the voice was familiar to Jinho. It was Changgu’s. “Oh God. He is badly wounded, Yanana.”

“Hyung... can you hear me?” this time, it was Yanan’s voice Jinho heard from his side. Jinho had no energy to reply but he gave Yanan a slight nod. “Alright hyung. This is gonna hurt like bitch. But I need you to be strong okay? I need you to be awake and stay with me.”

Another small nod from Jinho.

“Are you really sure about this?” it was Shinwon who asked.

“Not a hundred percent. But we had no other option.” answered Yanan. “Hongseok, hold him still.” ordered Yanan to Hongseok.

Hongseok got himself leaning on the walls and put Jinho’s body agains his. He laid Jinho’s head on his shoulder and wrapped his arms around Jinho, hugging him tightly from behind. “You’re going to be okay.” He whispered to Jinho’s ear.

Yanan already closed his eyes and rubbed his palms slowly. Everyone went silent and let Yanan to concentrate.

His one hand was on Jinho’s wound while his other was on Jinho’s free hand. Yanan clasped their hands together, “Please work with me hyung.” Jinho nodded.

Like it was a nature, Jinho was transferring his energy to Yanan through their hands. This work would require two men’s involvement. Because they knew, to heal human wound was easy but a warlock wound was another thing. It had to be done by more than one warlock alive and at this very moment, the other warlock who presented there was only Jinho. So Jinho was willing to help Yanan to heal his own wound.

Yanan’s hand was above Jinho’s wound. Green smoke appeared from his hand. He ran his hand around the wound to cover it up with the green smoke. Jinho started to yell in pain and released his hand from Yanan’s. His body was shaking badly, causing Hongseok to tighten his hold around Jinho’s body. Jinho held on to Hongseok’s arms and straightened his legs, feeling the pain.

Yanan was still running his hand all around the wound, burning it from the inside slowly up to the surface and close the open wound completely.

Jinho kept yelling in pain because it was really hurt. His flesh was being burnt from inside in order to close the wound and stop the blood from flowing out.

“Hanging there hyung. It’s almost done.” said Yanan, reassuring Jinho.

“AAAAAHHHHHH!” Jinho was yelling and yelling. He was gripping Hongseok’s arms as well as scratching them in order to hold in the pain. Hongseok could only shushed him and once a while put a kiss on Jinho’s neck to calm him down.

Jinho’s body had slowly stopped moving. His grip on Hongseok’s grip was loosen up and his yelling was no longer heard. But Jinho’s eyes were closed. “Is he okay? Yanan, is he okay?” asked Hongseok, panic.

Jinho seemed not responding all the calls from Hongseok and Changgu. Shinwon grabbed his wrist and checked on his pulse. “He’s still alive. But his pulse is really weak.”

“Let’s put him on bed. Let him rest.” said Yanan.

Hongseok nodded and immediately carried Jinho in his arms, bringing him to his room.

Hongseok put down Jinho’s body on to the bed and it felt like de javu. But this time, Hongseok was afraid and scared seeing Jinho like this. He was scared that he had lost him forever.

Yanan put a hand on Hongseok shoulder. The vampire was now sitting on the bed, beside Jinho. “Don’t you want to go out and have some rest too?” asked Yanan.

Hongseok shook his head right away, “I don’t want to leave him. I don’t need rest anyway.”

“Alright. We’ll be right outside if you and Jinho need anything okay?” said Yanan.

“Okay.”

Yanan, Changgu and Shinwon finally left Hongseok alone with sleeping Jinho.

Hongseok brushed off a strain of hair from Jinho’s forehead and caressed his hair. Hongseok’s free hand reached out to Jinho’s hand and held it tight. The warmth and the coldness had finally met again. “Wake up hyung. Please.”

—

Hongseok was woken up by a movement inside his palm. He lifted up his head to see Jinho’s eyes opened a bit.

“Hey.” whispered Hongseok.

Jinho moved his head toward the voice and smile immediately. “Hey.” The face he had been missing was there.

Jinho raised his hand to touch Hongseok’s face. The vampire leaned on the touch and held Jinho’s hand. “How are you feeling hyung?” Hongseok caressed Jinho’s hair.

“Still hard to move I guess. But all is good.” Jinho pulled himself up on the bed, making Hongseok got up immediately to help him.

“Can’t you stay laying on the bed?”

“This feels better.” Jinho breathed in and out with eyes closed.

Hongseok went back to his seat and stared at the warlock silently. He never thought he would feel that scared like how he felt last night when he saw Jinho laid on the floor, wounded and covered with blood. He was scared that he was too late. He once was scared that he killed Jinho when he fed on him, but last night was different. He was scared to death.

“Are you okay?” asked Jinho, disrupting Hongseok’s mind.

“Yeah. I’m just glad that you’re awake.” said Hongseok as he smiled.

“I’m curious. How could you come to rescue me on time? Did you spy on me?”

Hongseok licked his lips before spoke, “Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”asked Jinho, confused.

“Well I don’t know how to explain this? But I kind of sense and feel what you feel or whatever it is that happens to you.”

Jinho straightened his body but then groaned in pain. He forgot that he still had fresh wound. “I don’t understand..”

“Neither do I, to be honest.” Hongseok inhaled, “It all started in the morning after I drank your blood in the dark forest that night.” started Hongseok. “I started to be able to feel what you feel. Angriness, sadness, happiness all of it. I feel your emotion, it effects mine too. And that’s not it all. I could see what threathens you or if something bad happens to you through vision. It just comes to me like a flashback or a preview of movies and I can see it clearly at the back of my eyelids...”

Hongseok paused, “...I didn’t understand it at first. I was dying to tell you. But I was afraid it will freak you out and cause you to push me away. Well, without me telling you, I was casted away eventually.” Jinho was about to reply but Hongseok cut him off, “No I’m kidding.” the vampire chuckled. “Last night when that crazy warlock attacked you, I saw it. I was about to have my dinner but then a vision of you talking with someone I don’t know came to me. At first I wanted to ignore it. But then I remembered his voice. It was exactly the same like the one who came to your house when you told me to hide and lock my room. Then I thought that he must be dangerous that you didn’t want me to meet him. And I was right.” Hongseok took Jinho’s hand and held it tightly. “But I didn’t come on time. I’m sorry...” Hongseok lowered his head, “I’m sorry that I let him to stab you. I should have come sooner.”

Jinho swifted and cupped Hongseok’s face, “No. No. No. I’m really glad and thankful that you came. Had you not come last night, I couldn’t imagine where I would be. Thank you.” said Jinho as he looked at Hongseok’s eyes.

Then something both of them never expected, occurred. Hongseok leaned in and kiss Jinho on the lips. The warlock gasped at the sudden move and gave in anyway. He released his hand from Hongseok’s face and wrapped them around Hongseok’s neck, pulled him closer. Hongseok needed to climbed up the bed to sit next to Jinho and put one of his arms on Jinho’s thigh rubbing it while his free hand was on the bed, supporting his own body from falling.

Jinho was in need of air and broke the kiss first. Hongseok leaned his forehead against Jinho and breathed in the air together.

Jinho started, “That was...”

“Sexy?”replied Hongseok.

“...unexpected.” Jinho pulled back his head to get clearer vision of Hongseok’s eyes. “Why?”

“Why? You just kissed me and then ask me why?” Hongseok did the same, but with a really big smile. Jinho raised his eyebrows, demanding an answer to his question. “Because last night, I realized that I don’t want to lose you. I can not lose you.” Hongseok touched Jinho’s face and rubbed his temple, “And I’ve been thinking about Yanan’s words that we make a good pair and how great it is for us to spend forever together. It’s like...I feel complete when I’m with you.” Hongseok rested his hand at the back of Jinho’s neck, “I wonder, do you feel the same?”

Jinho reached to Hongseok’s hand on his neck and held it on his lap. “Complete? Are you a puzzle?” Hongseok pouted at Jinho and the older just laughed. “I replied your kiss, didn’t I? If I didn’t feel the same way, I would have pushed you away.”

Hongseok leaned in closer again and pecked Jinho’s lips quick. “Can I say I love you?”

“Do you really?”

Hongseok grinned so wild that Jinho felt it a bit creepy, “I love you.”

Jinho laughed, “I love you too kiddo.” Hongseok was about to kiss Jinho again when a knock disturbed them. “Come in.” ordered Jinho.

Yanan and Changgu went into sight. “Hyung.” said the two of them in unison. They walked closer to Jinho’s bed and hugged the older.

“How are you feeling?” asked Yanan.

“Good. Never better.” Jinho held both Changgu and Yanan’s hands. “By the way, Yanana, thank you for coming with Hongseok last night. Both of you. Thank you.”

Yanan smiled, “Don’t mention it hyung. This kid right here is the real hero.” Yanan pointed at Hongseok, “Shinwon came to our house, telling us you were in danger and needed our help. So we came. Shinwon told us that Hongseok was the one who asked Shinwon to get us. He ‘sensed’ you?”

Jinho glanced at Hongseok who shrugged, “He saw me.”

“I wonder how could you guys share such connection?” asked Changgu curious.

Instead of Jinho, it was Yanan who answered the question while smilling widely, “Because Hongseok had once drunk Jinho’s blood. Right hyung?” Yanan turned his head to Jinho whose face was already red.

“Is that why Hongseok said... wow you two!” uttered Changgu excitedly.

“He did it only once. Chill.” said Jinho, massaging his own neck. “I let him drink my blood for him to block his need of human blood. And it worked.”

“Well it’s enough to make him share connection with you.” said Yanan. “Anyone who drinks a warlock’s blood will be able to feel like how the warlock feels; sense whatever happens to the warlock. It’s an unspoken ties.” Yanan eyed Jinho and Hongseok. “You guys are practically married.”

Jinho rolled his eyes, “You’re exaggerating. Besides, I didn’t remember about this whole connection thing, I thought it didn’t work that way anymore. Because I didn’t pay attention last time...“

“Last time?” asked Hongseok, a bit surprised. “There is a ‘last time’? Before me?”

Jinho looked at Hongseok and nodded, “Kang Kino. I haven’t told you his story, have I? He is the reason why I didn’t want you to get close to Hui; the reason why I sent you to live with Shinwon.” Jinho sighed, “He was connected to Hui too. The same way like you are to me.”

At first Hongseok looked a bit mad but then, he softened himself. “Will you tell me?”

“Then we get to go. We’ll leave you both alone.” said Changgu. “Get well soon, hyung.”

“Bye hyung.” said Yanan as he and Changgu left the room.

“Will you ever tell me about this Kino guy?” Hongseok braven himself to ask. He was curious what happened to Kino that made Jinho was really afraid of the idea of Hongseok and Hui meet each other.

“Kino was like you. A newborn. He was brought to my house by Hui himself. He told me that he found Kino on the street near my house. He was panic and took Kino with him immediately, he even let Kino drank his blood as Kino’s first meal. He brought Kino to me and asked me to take care of the poor boy. I agreed. Because at that time...”

Jinho breathed in slowly, “...at that time, we were lovers.” the statement made Hongseok gasped. “Hui was such a nice kid. He laughed and joked around a lot. He never wanted to even kill any flies. But something that night, when he brought Kino out, changed him. I always knew he hated human, because human killed his parents. But when he brought Kino in, I thought that he might have found closure to himself and forgiven human, even helped one of them that just turned into vampire...”

Jinho stared at blank space, “...we trained and raised Kino together for a few months, but Kino showed no signs of sharing connection with Hui. So I thought it didn’t work to vampires anymore. Until one night, Kino went home with blood all over his body. It didn’t surprise me because when you fed on animals too, blood would splattered anywhere on your clothes. But that night, it was different. Kino was shaking hard and covered in blood. What suprised me more, Hui followed him from behind; blood everywhere too...”

Jinho stopped and took a deep breath then continued, “...I was shocked and scared. What had happened to both of them? Then Hui told me calmly, that Kino had killed his first human. ‘His first’ that means there would be second and third and so on. I asked Hui what did he mean? He told me that this had been his intention all along; to train Kino to be a well-prepared vampire and used him to kill human beings, to do his revenge on the killings of their parents. After Kino killed the human, Hui would throw their bodies away, let them rot like trash...” Jinho’s hands were shaking, Hongseok held them to help him calm.

“...some human did saw them doing the dirty works, but got silent; killed. The wars between vampire and human that I told you about? It happened during that time, when a few humans caught them off guard. I was disgusted and could not take it any longer. I wanted peace between the two worlds. I wanted us to live untouched as well as human. He was under Hui’s spell and he was connected to Hui, so he could not resist it. In order to get out of the spell and connection, he needed to be killed and he asked me. No...”

Jinho paused, he started to sob, “...he begged me to kill him. He didn’t want to live like that. He wanted it to be stopped. And I killed him. I did what I had to do. I killed Kino in front of Hui, because that was what Kino wanted too...”

Jinho covered his face with his hands, he was sobbing. “...I killed that nice kid. The kid who always greeted me in the morning. The kid who always told me to fight him so his power got stonger. I can still see his sad eyes when he begged me; when he was about to be free from the spell that tied around him.”

Hongseok raised up and hugged him. Jinho’s body was shaking in Hongseok’s arms. “I’m sorry that I asked you to tell me this. I’m sorry.”

Jinho shook his head on Hongseok’s chest. “I should have told you sooner though. I was scared to death when Hui came that night in a long time. He knew that you lived with me.”

“Now he is gone. Don’t think about him anymore okay? I’m fine. And you should be too.” Hongseok held Jinho really tight in his arms. He rubbed Jinho’s back up and down slowly, soothing him.

The two of them didn’t release the hug for awhile. They stayed like that on the bed until they drifted off together in each other’s arms.

—

“Cow blood for the vampires and real food for the non vampires.” said Yanan as he put down the plates and bowls on the dining table.

The squad was now gathering at Jinho’s house. Shinwon with his clan members; Hyunggu, Yuto, Wooseok. Then Yanan and Changgu. They were now at the dining table, ready to have dinner.

“I’m offended. The blood is real food, to vampires like us.” said Wooseok innocently.

“Yeah right.” said Changgu teasingly and Wooseok scoffed.

Hongseok put his hand around Jinho who sat next to him. “I have something in mind you know.” Hongseok brought his face to Jinho’s ear who turned his head immediately upon hearing the younger spoke.

“And what is that?” Jinho tilted his head to the side.

“What about we get out and take a walk, just two of us?”

Jinho lifted his eyebrows, “Leaving them?” Hongseok nodded. “Then I’ll be the worst host ever.” Jinho poked Hongseok’s nose.

“Lovebirds at the corner. Stop whispering. What are you two talking about?” said Shinwon from the other side of the dining table.

Jinho chuckled and Hongseok growled. “He is just bored and asks me to go outside.” said Jinho causing Hongseok bulged his eyes to Jinho.

“Well I agree. It’s Halloween night, we should have gone outside and haunted people.” murmered Yuto.

“I don’t really want to trick or treat around but it’d be fun to enjoy Halloween night together.” said Changgu.

Jinho looked at Hongseok then smiled. Hongseok was caught off guard by the action and questioned the warlock, “What?”

Jinho whispered, “I have an idea.” He then clapped his hands, trying to ge the other’s attention. “Guys. What about we enjoy Halloween night a bit further than here.”

Yanan smiled at his hyung, knowing the direction of this conversation, “Seriously hyung? You want to do that?”

Jinho shrugged, “Why not? It’ll be fun.”

“Don’t tell me that you guys are talking about teleportation.” said Changgu as he sipped his wine.

Hongseok got up immediately, “What?!”

“Let’s go!” said Hyunggu with big smile.

“Where to?” asked Yanan calmly but looking excited.

The others were dicussing their destination on Halloween night but got no final answer. Then Jinho spoke up, “What about Paris?”

All the heads there turned to the Greatest Warlock with no words but shining eyes. “You are indeed The Greatest Warlock of all time.” said Changgu on behalf of the others.

Jinho scoffed, “Whatever. Now gather around and hold each other’s hand. Let’s make a circle.”

They all gathered together by the dining table and held hands. Hongseok who was standing next to Jinho, whispered, “You never told me about this teleportation thing?”

“Sshh! Let me concentrate.” said Jinho, whispering back.

“Do you want me to do it? Or the honor is yours, hyung?” asked Yanan who was on the other side of Jinho.

“Let me.” answered Jinho with his big smile. “Close your eyes. Whatever happens, don’t break the circle nor open your eyes okay? Do it when I tell you to.” Jinho took a deep breath.

He was the only one whose eyes were still open. He then concentrated on the spell and everything went blur. The circle was moving forward to cross continents and oceans in an invicible tube. Miles and miles away from the warlock’s castle.

Then the circle met with a sudden stop. Everyone was jolted and bodies were unstable. “Don’t open eyes yet.” ordered Jinho. The warlock looked around and gave a signal when he thought it was safe. “Now.”

They all opened their eyes and gasped at the same time.

“Seriously? Is this real?!” Hyunggu let go of the hands he was holding and ran towards the bright lights. Right there, stood the big tower of Eiffel in the middle of the romantic city, Paris.

Jinho smiled at Hongseok, while Yanan and Changgu were already all over each other, and Shinwon’s clan members were running to catch up on Hyunggu.

They didn’t plan it to travel all the way to Paris. Hongseok just wanted to spend a night with Jinho alone but they ended up in this city instead. It was an impromptu idea from Jinho and everyone agreed on it. They didn’t need any planes. They only had to hold each others’ hands and Jinho took care if it all with Yanan. That was the beauty of having warlocks in your lives. They came in handy.

“Why didn’t I know about this power of yours for being able to take us wherever we want in a blink of eyes?” asked Hongseok as he slid his arms around Jinho and pulled him closer.

“It’s a good power but I don’t want to overuse it. For special occasion only.” Jinho winked at Hongseok. “You’re not going to drink any of these human’s blood, are you?”

“How many times should I tell you that no human blood could compare to yours.” Hongseok swung their hands fro and back as they headed to the Eiffel tower. Jinho glared at him, “No. I will not.” said Hongseok.

The vampire stopped walking and looked up at the Eiffel towering both of them. The bright lights of the tower gave Hongseok much clearer view of his lover. He bended down a bit and kissed Jinho on lips.

The breeze lingered around them, giving them a bit of chills. Jinho pulled Hongseok closer and deepened the kiss. Hongseok smiled between the kiss and Jinho moaned against his lips. “You tastes a lot like espresso.” said Hongseok as he took a breath.

“What does that mean?” Jinho tilted back his head and smirked.

“It’s bitter, but addicting.” Hongseok pecked Jinho on his cheek and moved to his lips, kissed him again. Then he lifted up Jinho whose legs wrapped around Hongseok’s waist immediately and arms lingered around Hongseok’s neck to keep balance. “I really want to know what the eternity has for us.” Hongseok pulled away for a bit.

“Stop talking. We’re just gonna have to find out.” Jinho kissed Hongseok again, shut him up. “Happy Halloween, my little vampire.” said Jinho in between the kiss.

Hongseok replied, smiling. “Happy Halloween my little forever.”

The two kissed for the rest of the night. Ignoring other people around them as the eternity was waiting for them.