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Chapter Text

∞•°~——Chapter 1——~°•∞

Jongwoo leant against a wet brick wall, sitting on the dirty floor below him. He had thick red blood gushing from his neck and mouth, the last pieces of evidence of what should have been the end of his life. 

Two hours ago, a man had been in the alleyway with Jongwoo, flirting and getting handsy. Jongwoo did nothing to stop him, brain still too dissociated from the events of a year prior. The things that happened in that god-forsaken goshiwon never let him sleep, so he had to resort to these types of coping mechanisms, tiring himself out manually. 

“What’s your name sweet?” The man asked hungrily. Jongwoo noticed something in the way he said ‘sweet’ felt off, like the man was describing him instead of using a petname. Still, Jongwoo brushed it off, the buzz of alcohol from earlier had weakened his ability to sense danger or feel anxiety. Ironically the thing that kept him from breaking down had such strong side effects that left him so vulnerable. 

“Jongwoo” He answered, smirking to himself, his ego swelling at the man’s clear interest, a worthy distraction for the night. This stranger leant next to Jongwoo, using his shoulder as a cushion, pushing into his space as if it was his own. He was far too confident, but Jongwoo couldn't be picky now. Everyone else at the club he had just left would have chosen their partners for the night and Jongwoo definitely couldn't go back to the small bed of his new goshiwon room again tonight. It drove him insane, his paranoia made it feel just like Eden again, cramped and too intimate.

The alley they stood in was lit only by a neon, blood red fire escape sign stuck to the back of a building. It was barely enough for them to see each other, but they weren't on a date, they were two strangers, using the darkness as a cover for anonymous desires.

Jongwoo and the man spoke for a while longer and their touches began to linger. Jongwoo’s tongue stretched to lick his lip, catching on his teeth on its way back into his mouth. The two men's interactions were getting more explicit, less shy. Jongwoo pulled the stranger closer, leaning for a kiss. He was feeling so desperate, but just then, the man said,

“Jagi…”

It was such a sickly sweet coo, meant to seduce Jongwoo, instead it gave him goosebumps. He hated that nickname almost as much as the first person who ever gave it to him. Unfortunately he couldn't do much to protest as the man now held his shoulders firmly, gripping the tender flesh of his arms and pulling Jongwoo closer. Jongwoo finally let himself shout, hesitant to get angry and lose control, but unable to stay silent in this growing tension. Despite Jongwoo’s protests, the man only got closer, lips closing in on Jongwoo’s neck, licking the skin raw.

Something was very wrong, Jongwoo could tell, this man was ignoring his attempts to get away, unbothered by his fists, still going for Jongwoo’s neck. The man began to nip and bite too, usually a welcome feeling, but since that word had been used, any sexual desire had shriveled and been replaced with a growing need to flee. Sadly it was too late for Jongwoo, this man was desperate now, too focused to care about Jongwoo’s harsh fists pushing him away. The man's hard, sharp teeth began growing from his gums in excitement.

Jongwoo felt it as it happened, a sharp pain in his neck, teeth dragging skin and eventually, penetrating. It hurt like no other pain had before, it was unique in its sensation, perhaps the man had damaged a certain nerve, and that was why Jongwoo felt so strange. After the initial pain, Jongwoo felt something relaxing his muscles, he assumed his nerve theory had been correct. Jongwoo’s legs buckled from the weakness spreading through his body, still unable to fall from how tight the man held him. The man's lips stuck like the suckers of an octopus, sucking the sweet blood that would have otherwise fallen down Jongwoo’s neck. 

Jongwoo’s numb body was almost unable to fight anymore, the loss of blood was clouding his thoughts, though just then, he noticed the attackers soft, available neck. With all of the strength left in him, Jongwoo bit down on the man's neck, tasting bitter, almost sour blood. The man stilled, a reaction that, to Jongwoo, seemed to be out of pain, but truthfully it was shock.

“What the fuck have you done?” The man snarled, angry that his night would be cut short. Now that his own blood had entered the victim, his own poisonous blood would work its way through Jongwoo’s bloodstream and render his blood undrinkable. Jongwoo couldn’t answer the man’s question, but he could sense the panic in his voice, which felt out of place, given the situation. He was supposed to be angry by Jongwoo's act of self defense.

Despite how long the man had dragged his attack on for, he left suddenly and without a word of explanation to Jongwoo, who was feeling extremely complicated. Just what had that man been, if not human? Jongwoo saw him as inhuman because of his unnatural teeth, and the way they made his body weak. Questions like that sat unanswered in Jongwoo’s head as everything grew foggier, he was still losing blood, gripping his neck, crumpled against the wall, half sitting. 

‘Perhaps I’ll die like this, killed by someone, just as I killed those people in Eden and have craved to kill since.’ Jongwoo wasn’t religious by any means, but he understood the concept of some type of divine retribution. 

Just as Jongwoo gave up on fighting to stay awake, he felt his throat burn, not from the bite of the man now, but the inside, spreading further down his chest, it felt like there was now a hole being dug at the bottom of his stomach. He coughed up mucus and blood, unable to tell apart his own blood from the man's. As Jongwoo coughed, he found it harder to breathe, like he was coughing out all of the oxygen in his lungs. It hurt, his whole body did now, the pain in his stomach had seeped into every organ and piece of flesh in his body, it felt like being torn apart in all directions, like there were small forks, stabbing into his body, shredding it bit by bit, tearing chunks at random. His eyes were unfocused, leaving him completely vulnerable, laid out on the ground, easy pickings for anyone that way inclined. He really had taken on the appearance of a fallen prey animal, like a wounded deer, he slumped to his side, blackish eyes wide and glossy, reflecting the red light, hair stuck to the blood on his neck, dried like glue. Jongwoo’s lips had sealed themselves, making sure he never called for help, like his body had automatically given up on him. 

Jongwoo’s rational brain knew that help from the police or an ambulance was useless now. His body had begun to change, change in ways he couldn't understand yet, but he knew this was something he needed to figure out alone.

The pain stopped at some point, though Jongwoo didn't notice when it did, he just knew at some point it wasn't burning anymore. That wasn't the right way to put it though, his nerves still tingled, and when he focused, it still felt the same as before. The pain had just become unimportant. 

‘Yes, that’s right…’ Jongwoo had finally found an apt definition for his situation. It all felt the same, his body still screamed with pain, but now his brain wasn’t listening, allowing him to choose what mattered, what deserved his attention. He didn't feel scared by it, something in him just accepted it as natural, like he might not have to stay weak and afraid his whole life, like he had the option to change now. Unfortunately, the peace began to wear off quickly, now that his feelings of pain and fear were gone, naturally something must take their place.

‘Blood

Moonjo

Blood

Kill

Blood

Revenge

Blood

Thirst

Blood

Want’

So many thoughts fought in Jongwoo’s head, sounding like a dissonant hymn, sung to harm the listener. Although nothing had shocked Jongwoo yet, this was certainly new. Well, four of the words were, ‘technically one…’ Blood. Jongwoo had never thought about it by itself, obviously he had thought about things involving blood, it was always on his mind, but not in this way, not by itself, not presented like a holy necessity, not the loudest shout in his mind. This incessant thought was the only thing Jongwoo took issue with, it felt too specific, too unexplainable, the loss of his ability to feel —or care about feeling— pain was at least scientifically possible. 

Jongwoo hadn’t hated any of the side effects of that man’s bite so far, mostly grateful for the possible end to his unbearable pain, no matter what was stopping it. Although part of him assumed he was dead already and was now a spirit, his punishment was eternal life.

Eternal life would really be a tailor made hell for Jongwoo, not that he wanted to die young, he just knew that he couldn’t control himself for much longer than the natural life span of humans. The thoughts he couldn't verbalise would seep out one day, and if he was immortal, what would stop him? As soon as he gave into those… urges, he would lose any moral high ground, become just as filthy as the people he felt so high above, the animals who just gave into their desires.

Jongwoo would have felt scared at that theory if he could, he didn't understand what was happening to him, his body still sat on its side, his stomach exposed to the cold, wet air. Though it was the same position as he had been in moments ago, he understood subconsciously that he was no longer prey. He would have to become a hunter, and still he was ashamed to feel relieved at the opportunity to kill.

As much as he wanted to, Jongwoo still couldn’t move his legs yet, so he was forced to remain on the dirty floor, mind whirring, creating new stories for what might be happening, all the while his brain repeated the same blood chant from before.

About an hour passed, at least it seemed that way to Jongwoo, and his legs were beginning to work again, still in pain, but Jongwoo knew he was stronger than that now, he was able to ignore it. The blood on his body had solidified now and cracked as he got up, crumbling with the friction, like the walls of Eden once had. Getting back to his shitty room in the goshiwon didn't take long. Jongwoo took a taxi, hands calling the number instinctively, his brain was still too loud to fully focus on his surroundings. It was all a daze, strangers looked at him weirdly but Jongwoo couldn't find it in himself to care.

The taxi journey passed in an instant, but during the short drive, rain had started to fall over the streets of Seoul, forcing Jongwoo to step out of the taxi into pelting rain that soaked him through, washing away some of the caked blood on his neck and chest. Jongwoo stumbled out of the taxi, barely remembering to pay the taxi driver. For a while he froze, looking around the entrance of the goshiwon, feeling paranoid. His brain still hadn't stopped that blood chant, and although Moonjo wasn't the focus, just the mention of his name was enough to put Jongwoo on edge.

Jongwoo made his way up the stairs, he was almost surprised he could walk normally, his legs felt like they would give way at any second, but they remained strong. The second floor still had its lights on when Jongwoo arrived, it was strange how late they had been left on, but it could have been anyone staying up late and forgetting to turn them off, it didn't have to mean anything sinister. Jongwoo didn't meet anyone in the hallway of his new housing, leaving him grateful to whatever god or spirit had listened to him for the first time. Maybe he was really powerful now, even the beings above would listen.

Although he felt powerful in front of the spirits and Gods, Jongwoo still feared one man, a human man, capable of more than any spirit or God. He knew he had checked downstairs earlier, but he still couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Nobody was outside, lurking around him, stalking him, yet he still didn’t feel fully alone, he could hear things, though it was unknown to him whether it was truly real or another manifestation of Eden and its previous residents.  

The room that had been assigned to Jongwoo was almost the same as his previous room, a bed, half tucked under a desk with cupboards above that, the only difference was that his window was lower down this time, and a bit larger. The issue with larger windows are the safety rules that follow. Anti ‘jumping out’ windows, held by some thick cord, are made unable to open enough to actually allow any cool air in. They're cruel really, giving tenants the impression of nice windows to breathe some fresh air through when they feel suffocated, only to not let the tenants open them properly. When Jongwoo had found out he almost wondered if it would be better to have no window at all, why tease someone with something if they can't really use it?

The room itself was covered in an insipid cream coat of paint, it was almost exactly the colour of Jongwoo’s teeth, not that he had made that connection before… The floor was made of lino, easy to clean, but unattractive and prone to friction burn, leaving it looking scarred and dirty. To Jongwoo this was all he had, so he usually forced himself to cope, not having the money or the effort to look for anything better. He did wonder to himself sometimes if a new room, cleaner with bigger windows would really help his head, but perhaps he would see filth and violence no matter where he went.

Usually Jongwoo felt frustrated with the room that greeted him, he felt angry at the loud neighbours, whose breath he could almost hear. Today however, he didn't care too much, he still disliked sharing his space, but he was too worked up over his newly discovered condition. Jongwoo finally sat on his bed, the springs squeaked under his weight and the rain and blood dyed his sheets pink. While he sat on the bed, he thought back to his attack just hours before, finally allowing it to take priority in his mind —though it still couldn't outrank his thoughts of blood.— 

‘What had truly happened then? Who -or what- was he? I was with him in the club and he seemed normal. When we left, we went to the back to flirt and then go to some hotel or something… But then he called me jagia and I knew I wasn’t going with him, but he didn't take no for an answer. The way he hurt me though… he didn't hit me in anger or try to kiss me anyway, he just bit me. The bite was weird too, the way it made me feel, and I'm still not back to normal. But why don’t I care that much?’ 

Jongwoo searched his memories of the night, trying to think of an explaination for his current situation, but the weirdest thing to him was that he simply didn't care, he wanted to know obviously, but he wasn’t scared or even angry at the man anymore. In a way he was even grateful, obviously his gratitude was dulled by the knowledge of the man's true desire. He knew it was not the man’s intention to let him walk away from the attack, but why focus on the intention and not the result? People who only worry about the intentions of others get hurt so easily because they do not defend themselves from the ignorant actions of others, instead they forgive constantly because that person hadn't ‘wanted’ to harm them. Jongwoo was not one of those people, least of all now.

As for what that man had really caused within Jongwoo, he didn't know. Something had changed. Mentally he was somewhat the same person, but the way he thought was completely different, like a predator. He had always had… issues with his violence, and Eden —Moonjo really— had brought them out, causing him to kill multiple people, but he had never felt in control back then, never a true predator. It was funny really, Jongwoo felt less angry than he ever had, and yet he felt the most powerful, like his power didn't need to rely on violent outbursts. Like he was more refined now. 

Typically Jongwoo would be heading to bed after coming home from a night out, but he couldn't find it in him to be tried, or even to lie in his bed, it felt almost inconvenient as of now. This did put a frown on Jongwoo’s face, sleep was the only time he could be rid of his thoughts and the noise of life. He was even more pissed off today because of the unrelenting noise in his head. He might have called it a headache before, now it was just inconvenient and distracting, stealing his peace. 

Since Jongwoo couldn't sleep, he figured his laptop was the only thing that would stop him from going insane with the internal monologue. He sat cross legged on his mattress in front of his desk, hunched over his laptop, his elbow balanced on his thigh, chin leaning on the palm of his hand. His habit of biting his nails remained even though he didn’t feel anxious, a familiar form of self regulation. The laptop in front of him turned on and illuminated his small face, causing the dried flakes of blood on his neck to shimmer like glitter. Jongwoo remembered the mess that was still covering him after seeing his hands press the on button of his laptop, discoloured from blood, but he couldn't bring himself to leave his room to go to the communal showers, he was barely comfortable in bed. 

‘I’m changing after someone bit me.

What does it mean when another person bites you?

Why are my senses and emotions almost completely gone?’

Jongwoo wasn't sure what to search for, this wasn't a typical issue people asked google for advice with after all. Just typing in his questions felt strange, he knew what had happened really, who wouldn't in the 21st century? It still felt too weird to just accept it though, too fantastical and fake-sounding. 

‘Vampirism.’

Every answer he could find brought him to it, confronting him with what might just be the truth. It did feel ridiculous, what had happened was clearly no ordinary event, his mind alone had changed so much already, and his body too. But really? Vampires? Like Lestat and Edward, Dracula and Carmilla. The only thing he had ever felt he had in common with vampires was his bisexuality, but now he was supposed to accept the powers too? Not to mention he had no idea exactly what had changed. 

Although Jongwoo wanted to believe it, wanted to believe that he could be more powerful, less anxious and self hating, he didn't quite trust that this wasn't the effects of being drugged or something. 

As if the universe was listening, Jongwoo got his proof a moment after he had asked for it, his nail biting had only gotten harsher as he spiraled, doubting his sanity. His nails were only so long, so it didn't take long for Jongwoo to wear down to the skin, drawing blood almost instantly. The blood entered his mouth, scraped off his fingertips by his teeth, it felt strange, bitter in a way it hadn't before, like he shouldn't be drinking it, he found himself reacting in the way the man had after Jongwoo bit him, as if it was a sin to drink his own blood. Strangely enough, it didn't stop his now sharp teeth from emerging from his gums, instantly piercing a hole through his finger, tunneling almost to bone.  

Instead of shock, Jongwoo found himself intrigued, his finger didn't affect his composure in the slightest, not even causing him to flinch. Just as before in the alley, it hurt, he could feel his nerves screaming to his brain, but he just didn't process it the same way. Jongwoo’s eyes were now lined up with the hole in his finger, staring intensely at the blood flowing out, a line that followed the natural contours of his hand. 

It was interesting how little the blood in front of him satiated his desire, his head still demanded it, yet did not react to the large amounts being poured out in front of it. Jongwoo assumed it was to do with the way he had felt when tasting his blood a moment ago. 

Just staring at the wound was entertaining to Jongwoo, but he knew he should stop the bleeding soon, he liked his room to be as tidy as possible, and pools of blood lying around was definitely not what he wanted. Jongwoo turned away from the wound, looking for some tissues or cloth, hoping it would stop bleeding soon. What Jongwoo found when he turned his head back to his hand after grabbing a box of tissues was a small, angry bit of skin, but no hole. 

‘Was it a hallucination?’ Jongwoo wondered, still considering being drugged as an option for his current state. The blood that remained on his arm and thigh told him otherwise, it hadn't been a hallucination. So his hand had healed itself he supposed, it had healed when he was hoping it would stop bleeding soon. 

Jongwoo’s emotions and nerves weren't the only things that bent to his will now.
It seemed Jongwoo had gained control of his ability to heal too.

“Ah fuck.” Jongwoo hissed, scrunching his eyes at the sudden surge in desire for blood, that combined with tiredness that had finally come left him feeling disoriented. It was the worst he had felt since being attacked, and he knew the two were linked, nothing was as simple as just feeling tired anymore. Thankfully it hadn't taken him that long to understand that, he was always a quick learner before, not one to hold onto tradition or old norms, unless he was forced to play along with them, since he had always been too afraid of the societal consequences. 

Blood. Jongwoo knew what his thirst meant, knowing that he would no longer be able to keep his moral high ground if he was going to actually commit to this… new lifestyle. He supposed he could hold off from drinking blood, but he had no idea what the consequence would be, since most vampire stories are completely different. Some stories said that blood was essential, whereas some said blood enhanced the vampire’s strength. The article his laptop had been left on shone, reflecting in his brown eyes, that article held the belief that vampires would die or disintegrate without blood. That was enough to convince Jongwoo to not wait or experiment with his need for blood. 

Unfortunately, the sun was rising, and hunting in the daylight was probably not a good idea for a new vampire, plus Jongwoo wasn't sure how the sun might affect him. So he waited for the day to come, and took some notes on different theories of vampirism. 

A few hours after that, he had to get ready for work, unfortunately his new abilities didn't make him rich, so he would have to stay chained to the demands of a capitalist society, even in this new form. 

It was 7 when Jongwoo decided to get ready for work and finally shower. Making his way to the communal showers, he hoped to not bump into any of the other residents, they would definitely slow down his morning by asking about the blood on his face. Luckily for him he was left alone in the showers that morning, so he didn't have to worry too much about washing off the blood straight away.

Jongwoo took his time showering, another example of the occasional peace he got in his shit life. Shampoo first, the soap turning into pink bubbles as it hit the floor, forcing Jongwoo to wash it again, lathering it in his hair until it finally ran down clear, then he scrubbed his skin with a rag, rubbing it raw. It had once stung under the hot water, making him feel clean again, the mark of his sinful mind washed clean. Now, he was unable to feel clean in that way, dulled senses meant no pain, even when it could be of use.

Obviously Jongwoo knew he would sin, it was an essential part of his new life, but he could surely maintain some moral superiority. Before this, he had restrained himself for a mix of self preservation and a terrible superiority complex. Both of those entirely self centered reasons, but oh well, whatever kept him out of trouble. Now his reasons had purely morphed into a Purity complex, like his new form could bring him closer to a saint than ever before. If he was going to ‘hunt’ tonight, he would have to think about who he would do it to, the least he could do was not kill any innocents. He would also have to think about how he disposed of the body, and make sure there was no evidence of his sin — at least no evidence that he committed it—. This way he could stay as clean as possible, not a monster, not like eden. 

Another resident walked into the bathrooms, he startled while looking at Jongwoo, who wore a sinister look. It was as if he wasn’t really there, eyes open but filled with soap and water, still unblinking. The resident walked closer slowly, not wanting to spook Jongwoo. He had always been intimidating to the residents, but this felt more sinister, the way he stared into the distance with no cautiousness put the man in the bathroom on edge. 

Jongwoo finally came to, eyes going in focus again, he caught sight of the man in the stall next to him, trying to shower as far away from Jongwoo as possible, making his body as small as he could. Jongwoo found it interesting, the residents had always been cautious of him, but it had usually been accompanied with disdain and prejudice, this time, it seemed to be genuine fear. ‘How interesting… I guess other people have noticed the change too.’ Jongwoo found it amusing how people changed so quickly for self preservation, never moved by the thoughts or feelings of others.

There was a smell in the air as the man rubbed his body, it smelt alive. Jongwoo struggled as his hunger got worse, something in him felt the man’s blood though his veins, like he could feel his heartbeat through the air. He tried to remind himself that this man had never done anything wrong that he knew of, killing him would be wrong, he hadn't even aggravated Jongwoo before so it would be a completely unnecessary killing. But as the man washed himself, his skin moved with each firm wipe. His fists kneaded into his arms and stomach, letting the blood flow smoothly, tenderising the meat.

As soon as Jongwoo had finished his shower, he sped out of the bathroom, hoping to be rid of the temptation of flesh as soon as possible. Thankfully he didn't bump into anyone on the way to his room. Upon entry he slammed the door shut, not caring about his potentially sleeping housemates, and stopped breathing for a while. Every inhale since the shower room was like a step closer to losing control. He needed to stick to his plan or everything would crumble and he would wind up in prison. Jongwoo needed to learn how to hunt properly, just because he had an excuse to kill now didn't mean he could act like a savage and let his urges take over, he had lived this long without losing control, and he wouldn't start now.

Jongwoo bit onto his hand to try to stop his teeth from growing, hoping to lose his appetite at the taste of his own blood. It worked a bit, he was able to get changed without killing anyone, admittedly it was difficult, but all that really mattered was the result. He wore his itchy uniform, finding it more tolerable today, even if he still hated it, it was more because his job kept him from hunting, not the itchy material which used to infuriate him. 

After putting his uniform on, Jongwoo ran to the bus stop, as fast as possible, to save himself from human interaction, both annoying, and potentially dangerous to the human. The sky was miserable and grey, cast over like a net, it felt suffocating. The bus stop was crowded too, every single person seemed to be fighting for first place in Jongwoo’s head. Jongwoo could hear each person’s whispers, their coughs, their sighs and their breaths, it just went on over and over, never a moment of silence. The noise only got worse when Jongwoo got on the bus, the sounds were amplified even more in the crowded space, now accompanied with the low growl of the bus. 

Jongwoo stood up during his ride, standing amongst many other strangers, their shoulders digging into his, faces blurring together. Occasionally, when the bus stopped for traffic, there would be hands grabbing onto him too, as if it was safer to hold him than to let themselves fall. It was interesting, humans can be so trusting of one another, yet that blind trust kills so many. The smell was almost too overwhelming so Jongwoo resigned himself to dissociating for the rest of the ride, forcing his subconscious to obey. 

By the time Jongwoo got to work, he was even more sure of the changes inside himself, he didn't feel angry at the other passengers, instead he wanted to make use of their empty lives. He would take their disrespect and turn it into something he could benefit from. Silence them in a way that would be merciful. 

Of course he didn't, it would be more of a pain to clean them up, and he needed the small amount of income he got from his job. He currently worked in a convenience store, after Jaeho was taken care of by Moonjo, he had nowhere to work so he took whatever jobs were hiring. Ironically he earned more now than he had in that shitty internship. 

Jongwoo clocked in at 8:30, putting his uniform on in the break room before emerging onto the shop floor for the next 5 hours of his day before his break, though even after that he still had 4 hours. Today was no different than usual, he helped customers find items in the aisles and took control of the register sometimes, dealing with kids trying to buy cigarettes without ID’s. It was always like hell, but today was worse, he now had so much more power, he knew he was far more elevated than these people, yet he was still chained to a world that deemed him lower. 

Work went by both slowly and like a blur, it was strange how the time had warped. All that Jongwoo really cared about though was getting his hands on blood. He had planned his hunt in more detail over his shift, first he would go to the same club as yesterday and find some pervert who has nothing to contribute. ‘At least it barely counts as taking a life… people like that don't deserve to take up air in this world anyway.’ Jongwoo knew his thoughts were morally dubious but he was a fucking vampire now, it was literally unavoidable, atleast he could purge the scum of society. 

After he picked his victim, Jongwoo would drug them while they drank together and then take them to a motel. Before going in, he would drag them to the back, nobody would disturb two strangers in the back of a motel, so he would have time to drink. From there he would leave them next to a dumpster, no need to hide the body, as long as he kept his head down and wore a cap the chances of getting caught were low. 

Obviously Jongwoo knew he would have to improve his method, but for now this would suffice. All that was to do now was to go back to his goshiwon and get changed for his big night. 

He left the building at 9, after getting ready, putting on his new perfume and unbuttoning and re-buttoning his pitch black shirt a thousand times. ‘Do I look too slutty? Thats what those fuckers like though… fuckk I have to get someone tonight I’m so thirsty.’ Jongwoo really didn't want this plan to be ruined, he was hungry, and although his emotions were dull, he knew this could trigger a rage, and god knew what that would look like now…

The club was just the same as the previous night, music turning into noise that vibrated through Jongwoo’s body. He moved with newfound confidence, knowing that he could take anyone here, he just chose to find a fucked up one. It gave him a rush of hunger, his instincts taking over and guiding him to whatever prey he could find. There were so many wet bodies pressed up against each other, leaving it difficult to find a target, thankfully one revealed himself not long after Jongwoo began to grow bored. 

He was shouting at a group of girls, calling them sluts, although their rejection of the man proved the opposite, the girls just looked nervous. These days people could snap so easily and they were nervously eyeing the glass in his hand, praying he didn't take a swing. 

Jongwoo stared at the commotion, walking closer with a velvet smile on his face. He was almost shocked internally, how was he so natural at this? The man finally noticed him when Jongwoo put an arm round his shoulder, guiding him to the bar firmly enough to stop the man from writhing out. 

“Who the fuck are you? What do you think you're doing?” The man spat, looking far too up his own ass for someone wasted in the middle of a shitty club. He was so drunk already, but Jongwoo knew he could push him a little more, just to rid the last of his hesitations, make him obedient. 

“Hey. You should calm down, here.” Jongwoo said with enough force to leave the man no choice but to oblige. He watched as the bar staff poured more alcohol into the man's cup, the man just looked at Jongwoo and scoffed, he downed half the alcohol in the cup anyway. After the man put down his cup, Jongwoo snaked his hand over the man’s arm, brushing against his hairs, leading his hand down to the glass and back up, tickling at the man’s neck, causing him to shiver. 

Whether the guy was into it or not, Jongwoo couldn’t care less, though it did amuse him to see how worked up he seemed to be getting. He followed Jongwoo out of the club in an instant, trailing behind him as the vampire put on his cap in the sea of people. The two emerged into the cold light of the moon, the man already groping at Jongwoo’s back. It felt disgusting, this man, drunk and filthy, touching Jongwoo’s favourite shirt. 

The two men stopped at a motel a few streets away, Jongwoo pulling the man's arm behind the motel and finally letting him touch his body. 

“What’s your name?” Jongwoo asked, he wanted to remember his first kill, and wanted to match the name to the taste of his blood. Daeho, the man, pulled Jongwoo closer after answering his question, clearly too aroused to care for pleasantries. 

Instead of letting Daeho kiss him, Jongwoo ducked and went straight for the man’s neck, licking over it, preparing himself for the bite. It was quite disgusting actually, one lick of that neck could leave any normal person drunk, his sweat had been diluted with beer and whiskey and god knows what else, leaving no natural tastes, no salty, fleshy skin, just booze and the remnants of whatever perfume had stuck and not been sweated off. 

Unfortunately Jongwoo was in no position to be picky today, he could refine his tastes in the future, but for now this would have to be it. Jongwoo brought his hand up to the man's mouth, covering it completely and using his thumb to clamp his jaw shut. His teeth had been growing for a while, and now they were fully extended, ready to peirce the neck of poor unfortunate Daeho. 

It felt orgasmic, the entrance of his teeth into the man’s neck, the warm fluid leaking into his mouth. Jongwoo pulled his teeth out slightly to allow more blood to flow and it was perfect. It wasn't just the sublime taste, but also the way he felt drinking it, like he was literally pulling the life from the man. All of the man’s feelings seemed to swell in Jongwoo, and for a moment they were connected, at least one sidedly. 

The connection was completely new to Jongwoo, it wasn't like he could see any of the man's memories, or hear his thoughts, it felt like more of a shared plane of existence, like the man’s soul had been stripped bare in front of him, leaving nothing hidden if Jongwoo had wanted to search for anything inside him.

The blood seemed to be flowing forever, leaving Jongwoo’s eyes fluttering as he tried to take it all in without letting the dark liquid spill all over himself, his tongue massaging the skin around the wound, easing more blood out and forcing the holes to stay open. The more life Jongwoo sucked from the man, the more he felt his body go weak, forcing Jongwoo to lift him up to his mouth now. 

The man hadn’t been making any noises because of Jongwoo’s hold on his mouth, but in Jongwoo’s bliss, he had let go, instead gripping the man’s hair in his desperation to bury his face deeper into the muscle of his neck. Without Jongwoo’s hand, the man was beginning to make noise again, only barely, mostly moans and non verbal cries, but those sounds alone had Jongwoo’s eyes rolling back and moans vibrating against the man's neck.

‘Did vampirsim also make me a huge fucking pervert?’ 

Jongwoo was too gone to really care, but he did make a mental note to google that later. Unfortunately for the newly self-discovered pervert, his victim’s blood was slowing down, and Jongwoo had begun to embarrassingly slurp at his neck, he was still so high on the rush that he wasn't quite ready to face the aftermath of his meal. The closest Jongwoo had ever felt was like an orgasm he wasn't fully able to ride out, not done with the pleasure, but what other option did he have? He would have to sink to the dirty human world soon. 

As soon as his swollen lips parted from Daeho’s neck, he came to. Seeing the body in front of him reminded him of who it was, he felt almost embarrassed, but quickly reminded himself that killing a ‘better’ human would be wrong, more wrong than this. Of course another part of him knew it would feel better, more intense, more pure. But that voice was the same one he had been ignoring his whole life, and he wouldn’t start listening now. 

Thankfully, the wound on the man’s neck had shrunk so small that it would barely be considered suspicious, his death would obviously be linked to the insane amount of alcohol consumed that night. Any saliva on the man would be reduced to drunken makeouts, especially given the location, and the stamp on his hand from the nightclub. It was pretty foolproof, still, Jongwoo would have to be careful for the next few weeks.

Chapter Text

2 years later. 

The last rays of sun shone onto the streets of Seoul, hot air rising and dissipating into the approaching evening. The sun was at a perfect angle to glare orange light into the window of a small apartment. The vampire inside was almost ready for work, having just got back from his day shift. He was putting on his second work uniform. Jongwoo pulled the black polo shirt over his head, ruffling his short black hair, making it stick up in all directions. 

The man’s toned body seemed to shine in the light. His lean, tight muscles formed by a mix of natural vampire evolution, and the exercise needed to hunt. He was what most humans would consider beautiful, perfect even. The way that vampirism worked was to keep the body in top physical form at all times, and it’s able to do so with a generous supply of blood. Fortunately Jongwoo always kept on top of his thirst, never letting himself go hungry, so he had gone years without his body looking anything less than god-like.

The vampire’s apartment was small, but perfect for Jongwoo, he finally had a place to himself. He had saved up for it after getting a nightshift —those paid well— and cutting down on food costs. Jongwoo couldn't exactly call himself happy with his achievements, it was hard to feel anything these days. But he did feel a sense of accomplishment, and he knew that this is what he would have wanted if he was still human. 

His nightshift was at a club, it was an extremely popular venue, so he never ran out of tips. Especially because he felt no shyness when flirting with customers to get more money out of them. Another perk about working at a place like that was the ability to scout out new victims. Often, customers that were extremely rude to him or others in the club would go missing soon after, rarely missed. Jongwoo knew exactly where each of them had gone of course, they had all been taken to his apartment and then killed. 

Jongwoo had gotten a lot better at his security measures since his first hunt, he lived in an apartment complex that only had a few residents, and there were no security cameras anywhere in the building, leaving no room for suspicion. As for the disposal of the bodies, he snuck into the city incinerator at night, leaving his bags closest to the incinerator entrance so that they would be cooked and turned to dust before they were discovered. 

He arrived at work after a short commute on the bus, Jongwoo always hated taking the bus but it was his cheapest option, at least he had got more used to the noisy journey. The building that he worked in was made of mostly concrete, having once been a factory, repurposed by some rich guy who thought it would look cool. The concrete walls were often vandalised, but the staff chose to keep them that way. The tags and doodles ended up giving the club more of a signature look and eventually this brought more customers to see for themselves and make their own marks. 

Now that Jongwoo was in there for his shift, he looked across the crowds of people, there were swarms of them. It was a breeding ground for filth, countless sins happened there every night and yet they rarely received any punishment, it was almost expected at places like these. Fortunately, due to the lack of actual law enforcement, Jongwoo was able to act on his moral compass freely, punishing those he felt deserved it. It was a perfect system, he would never run out of blood, and nobody would notice these people going missing. 

Okay, that’s not entirely true, the police were aware of a potential serial killer but it wasn't given much attention because they couldn't find the bodies or any suspects, it was just a steady stream of missing people. Jongwoo was planning on moving away soon anyway, probably somewhere near Busan to keep an eye on his family. Daegu seemed like a good option, he was closer to his mother and brother, but far away enough from his hometown that he wouldn't meet them, or anyone he used to know. 

The club was getting busier by the minute and Jongwoo could feel his hunger growing every second, smelling fresh sweat and feeling the heat of so many bodies. There was almost a collective heartbeat pulsing through the room, thumping against the walls. It was beginning to drive him crazy, the rhythmic beating of so many hearts, pumping blood around all of those bodies. ‘I have to calm down. I can eat later, for now I have to control myself.’ Jongwoo reminded himself, knowing he would never forgive himself for losing control, straying from purity. It was the only leverage he had over the blood hungry, vampire part of his brain. 

“And I just think that’s rude, don't you?”

Jongwoo only realised then that a coworker had been talking to him. He reminded the vampire of Seokyoon, forcing some kind of emotional response from him towards the younger man. One thing Jongwoo had noticed over the past two years was that although he practically never felt emotion, anything relating to Eden or its residents —most of all Moonjo— would force him to feel again. He had concluded that since that place and its people had made him feel the most, they would be the ones to bring emotion back to him, even in this state.

“Yeah totally…”

Jongwoo replied with what was obviously the answer his coworker wanted to hear, fitting into the conversation with an ease that came from a lack of anxiety around interacting with others. Communication was unfortunately obligatory in this world, if you wanted to be seen as a normal person, that is. Although Jongwoo disliked all of those fake bullshit societal rules, he was pretty good at keeping up appearances. That being said, Jongwoo was still considered rather introverted by his colleagues, but he wasn't about to spend his free time with colleagues, so he would have to settle for being the token ‘introvert’.

The night was finally ending, the music was stopping and the doors opened to bid farewell to the customers. Jongwoo was already practically drooling, just looking at the swarms of people, all that was left to do was pursue one of his picks. He had 3 potentials tonight, he had been observing them for about a week, whenever they came in. They were all bad enough to be chosen, he just had to see which one would be alone and vulnerable to his advances. 

Jongwoo left the building and spotted two of his picks leaving with friends, clearly they wouldn't be available to ambush or kill tonight. On the other hand, he saw one girl he had been watching for a while, she was completely fucked up, the way she treated others, and the way she treated her pet dog was proof enough for Jongwoo. She would be his meal for today. It had been a while since he had last eaten and he was growing agitated, he’d had to slow down his eating habits recently, since the police had been getting suspicious. 

For a while, Jongwoo followed behind the girl as she walked, until he finally approached her, satisfied with their distance to any humans. 

“Hey…” He said softly, to not startle the girl. 

“Hi…” The girl replied cautiously, not wanting to provoke this stranger, though unbeknownst to her, she already had. Jongwoo kept up his seductive appearance for a while, getting closer to her, letting her drop her guard, just as he had once dropped his. 

The girl was obviously aware of the growing tension between them, so she gladly accepted the invitation to Jongwoo’s home, growing hungry with her human desire. Jongwoo just watched with slight amusement at this cruel human becoming tender, just to get what she wanted.

‘How fake.’

Jongwoo hated that human behavior, lying and doing things that you didn't want to, all to appease someone, it was disgusting. He wanted truth from this girl, he wanted her to be true in those last moments, but that was purely for his added pleasure, so he would have to live without it.

The two made their way to Jongwoo’s apartment, they walked because it was only five minutes away. The girl spoke the whole time about what she had, where she had been, who she had met. It was only tolerable because she would be Jongwoo’s meal later. He hated rich showoffs, he always had, now he just felt disgusted at their uselessness. How did she think so highly of herself, what power did she have? There was really no comparison between the two creatures.

They didn't spend much time talking after they arrived, instead the girl went straight to kiss Jongwoo, he allowed it, but didn't reciprocate. Instead, Jongwoo leant down to her neck, leaving his lips there, his nose a few millimeters from the skin. He could smell her blood through the skin, and he could feel her strong heartbeat through his lips, a swell of blood that came every second, never pausing. How kind of him to let the girl’s tired heart rest, a heart that had known no peace in all the time it had existed. 

Jongwoo allowed himself a few seconds more before biting into her neck, his hand covered her cries as he drained her. The vampire felt her blood enter him, he felt her fear enter him too, along with her consciousness that seemed to belong to him now. The girl grasped his short hair, pulling at it weakly, he felt her mental pleas, the begging in her head. It was selfish really, what about her life was so much more valuable than Jongwoo’s? Without her blood Jongwoo would die, so who really deserved to live?

The feed was just as good as always, but again it left Jongwoo with questions about himself and his nature. It shouldn't make him doubt himself so much, but he allowed the doubt and fear to cloud his mind, it made him feel better about his kills, turning the questions into evidence of his empathy, like he could pretend to still be a good person. It was nonsense of course, Jongwoo wouldn't feel bad about killing a family of five, but he would feel out of control, like he couldn't restrain himself, and that was all he could bring himself to hate about his new self.

Jongwoo got ready to drop the body as soon as he had calmed from feeding. It was a regular duty, cleaning his house of evidence and dumping the body. Scrubbing the floors and shining a blacklight over the room to make sure he didn't miss any spots.

Only this time it didn't go as smooth as usual, Jongwoo was almost at the incinerator when he heard what must have been a security guard, they were far off by the sounds of it, but still too close for Jongwoo to hide the body as usual, he would have to hide it the best he could and just escape for now. 

‘Fuck, I’m going to have to move like right now aren’t I? Why the fuck did the guards change shifts? I should just kill the guard too… ugh fuck I won’t be able to avoid all of the CCTV if I do that.”

Jongwoo was mostly disappointed in himself, he felt utterly unprepared, like an idiot, he had almost allowed himself to practically get caught, he even had biological advantages and yet he couldn’t do this simple job. How pathetic. 

The apartment greeted Jongwoo with a poker face as usual, cold and dark, the same way he left it. He would have to pack tonight, even though the chances of him being caught were low, he knew he couldn't hunt in Seoul again, it was too risky now. He didn't have many belongings, only a few clothes, almost all black, some books and his laptop. Jongwoo was completely ready to go in only an hour, heading to the train station for the first train to Daegu. 

Whilst Jongwoo sat at the train station he sent three messages, one to his day job and one to the nightclub, in both he explained that there was an emergency with his family and that he was very sorry to leave with no notice. It felt better to be rid of those human commitments, if only for a little while. The last message he sent was to his landlord, explaining that he would be leaving and the last month's rent was on the table. It pained Jongwoo to be so submissive to all of these people, knowing how much more powerful he was, yet in order to fit in and get the blood he needed, he was forced to comply. 

Other vampires had connections, headstarts in this new ‘life’ and weren’t so confined in their actions. Jongwoo was not so fortunate, he barely even knew his maker, only somewhat remembering his face. The attack of two years ago was hazy now, mostly because he had still been a human and those memories were hard to look back on. Not that Jongwoo particularly wanted to recall, it was not that important, it had only been a mistake to his creator, leaving him alone and forced to learn how to live for himself.

The train eventually made its way to the station and Jongwoo got on, both hands full of all of his earthly possessions. He found a seat alone, not wanting to be stuck next to someone for so long. People spoke too freely on public transport, it was a nuisance. 

The seat was hard and smelt like everyone who had ever sat on it, filling Jongwoo’s nose with everything but the smell of living humans. Though perhaps this was for the best, Jongwoo found it tiring to restrain himself and appreciated the break, even if it was in these circumstances. 

Jongwoo opened his laptop onto his lap, deciding to write for the journey — it was one human interest that had stayed — though just as he began to find the words to type, a notification appeared on the screen. 

‘Recent disappearances linked to possible serial killer.’ 

So they had found it out, fortunately he was far away now. It was unlikely for them to come to chase him, there was barely anything that linked him, and the timeline would be strange, for most normal people to pack up and have left that soon. Jongwoo felt no anxiety about it anyway, even if he had left a note on the body with his name and address, it wouldn't pull emotion from him. Admittedly only half of it was his lack of emotional response, the other half was the sheer power he had, he couldn’t be killed by normal means, so escape would be very easy. Even Jongwoo didn't understand everything he could do yet. 

That train ride would be pretty much the last time Jongwoo thought about that investigation though, there was no point wasting energy on humans, especially police and law enforcement. If he was discovered then he would run or fight, it was simple, he had instincts that could protect him now, no need to overcomplicate it like a human. He would only try not to be caught as much as possible, especially in his new city, but after that, there was no reason to be stressed.

The scenery was distant and through a glass window, yet Jongwoo found more time to appreciate it than before, he felt more clearheaded these days. He only had a short list of desires, which gave him more time to think about beauty. When one becomes removed from emotions, there are no distractions in the face of beauty. Once, one might have not seen the rabbit eating grass with its young because of passing anger or sadness, even joy. But without those distractions, all that is left is unclouded observation and objective beauty and ugliness. The word becomes much more black and white, something Jongwoo may have lacked in the past. 

After three hours, the journey had ended, the last passengers were dissipating, leaving Jongwoo to roam the train platform before he left. The air was different there, purer, less polluted. Perhaps the blood would be purer too…  There was definitely no shortage of evil people. 

Jongwoo had enough money saved up to live alone, not like when he had first moved to Seoul so long ago, so his criteria was less focused on budget this time. He spent 4 hours looking for a new place to stay, most of that time was spent looking into the security of the building, he wanted to remain out of sight of security cameras. Jongwoo knew that he would have to find a new method for the disposal of these bodies, it would have to be different, and his hunting would have to be even more secretive. Police all over Korea would be alert for a while, so any noticeable disappearances would be heavily investigated. Jongwoo would also have to think of some good alibi’s, should he ever get investigated.

The final apartment Jongwoo went to see was pretty much perfect, it was spacious, the floors looked easy to clean, and it was pre-furnished. As for the security level, there was only one camera in the entrance, but it had a very large blind spot, so it would be very easy to avoid. 

A day later, Jongwoo was fully moved in, he had signed the papers and given a deposit, now it was his. He would obviously have to look for a job again soon, though he was close to finishing his book, so hopefully he would publish and sell it after so long writing it. It had taken him a while to get back into writing after Eden, even after becoming a vampire, he was so consumed with thoughts of blood that his book didn't even cross his mind. Not until months after, when he had gotten the thirst under some small amounts of control. 

His apartment was just as empty as the one before, void of personality, as if things like that no longer survived in Jongwoo. Maybe that was true, or maybe he hadn't found anything to provoke the desire to feel again. 

A week passed in that place, Jongwoo came home regularly, never too late, days of looking around his new surroundings, planning. He was getting more tired as the days passed, he was hungry with no food, it was still too risky to feed again. He needed something foolproof, not too hasty, no mistakes could be made this time. Every time Jongwoo got home, he was increasingly unstable. This was the longest he had gone without blood as a vampire, but he was sure he would manage, he still felt strong enough. 

Although Jongwoo was slowly growing tired and irritable, he knew he needed a job. Fortunately he found one about halfway though that hellish week, it paid an okay amount too. It was a small library, filled with the strangest books, but the staff didn't seem too nosy, and it was so quiet. The library was the most peaceful place Jongwoo had been to in a very long time. Jongwoo’s job was to organise the books, repair any damage, and keep on top of customer activity. 

Of course nothing could compare to a hunt, but dealing with books was cathartic to Jongwoo in a way, the pages smelt old and familiar, and the words sometimes spoke to him. This library was much better than any of his old jobs, and when he was done with work he could bring home some books to read, it was a decent arrangement. All that was left was a source of blood, some way to find victims, and dispose of them for good. 

It pissed Jongwoo off, the fact that it was hard to think of anything other than blood for long, every time he began to forget the hunger, it would come back harsher than before. What had also been pissing him off was the recent lack of peace in his library, and he had only been working there for a few days. Jongwoo felt like he was being watched, but he was often working and couldn’t be bothered to deal with his manager. Plus, he wasn't anxious by the mysterious eyes on him, he could take anyone down in seconds, his complaints mostly came from being irritated enough to be distracted. 

Somewhere on another side of Daegu, about two months before Jongwoo arrived, there had been another arrival, another man who had come from far. That man had made himself comfortable very quickly, frequenting the library, one of the only peaceful places in Daegu, but after about two months of living there, he came across something very shocking in the library. 

‘Jagi?’ The man thought it was strange, surely Jongwoo wasn't here, last he had heard, Jongwoo was admitted to a facility in Seoul, admittedly he hadn’t checked in over two years since he was technically dead. Still, was Jongwoo really working in a library in Daegu? 

Jongwoo had noticed this follower stalking him for a few days now, but he wasn't really in the mood to look for whoever it was, he was too hungry and he was running out of self control, so this stalker would have to wait to be found. Jongwoo needed someone easy, and soon. He had even prepared for his first hunt in Daegu by getting a cheap secondhand truck and scouting locations for the bodies. 

As if someone had been listening, the perfect person came in the form of an old pervert. Jongwoo was walking back to his apartment from the library and just as he walked past a group of schoolgirls, he spotted an old man leering at them, his eyes alone told enough, Jongwoo knew this was his chance. The only issue is that he couldn't lure in the way as before, he was clearly going to have to bribe the old man, or he could follow him home and save any suspicion. The latter seemed like the best option, since his stalker was most likely still close and he would rather not get caught so soon.

Thankfully the sun was already setting and the man was heading home, Jongwoo just had to follow without being noticed. The man’s house was on the outskirts of Daegu, remote… A good sign that Jongwoo’s hunt would go unnoticed, by the looks of his house he didn't have any friends or family either. Jongwoo watched the man inside his house for a while, he wasn't in a rush, especially because he didn't feel eyes on him anymore, he was finally alone. The old man stayed at home, after eating he laid in his bed for a while, giving Jongwoo time to walk to his apartment and get his truck. 

After an hour, Jongwoo was back, the man, still in bed. The house was relatively easy to break into, the front door had been left open, this was even funnier to Jongwoo, the man had been so confident as a disgusting pervert that he didn't even bother to close his door. How unfortunate. Jongwoo now stood above the man’s head, watching his eyes widen as hands were fixed over his wide mouth, silencing him. 

The blood didn't taste good, and there was no fun in the hunt, but with how long Jongwoo had gone without food, it was such an overwhelming pleasure that he wondered if he should fast more often. It was like his insides had become colourful again, splashed in red. His head felt more alive too, the rush he got from killing, from consuming not only the blood, but the soul of another. Well, at least sharing the soul for a while. The blood stayed with him, but the soul connection left after his victim died, another one of the reminders of human impermanence.

Jongwoo drove to an area called Jeongdae-ri, it was just hills and trees there, appropriate for a burial. The old man lay in the back of the truck, crushed under a small compartment hidden by firewood, the safest and least discoverable method jongwoo could think of. 

Digging a grave was definitely a dampener on Jongwoo's pleasure from the feed, but he did it relatively fast, having abnormal strength. Before he could really complain, he was back in his car, the body taken care of. The ride back was peaceful for once, his thirst satisfied and dormant, any other thoughts were quiet in comparison so Jongwoo couldn't complain, even if they were somewhat uncomfortable. 

That night, Jongwoo stayed up planning. He thought about killing this new stalker, they would obviously be easy to lure to his place, and he was sure it would be satisfying to get rid of them for good. Stalking surely fit as some sort of sin or crime… Plus, this person kept coming into his library. It was like walking into a bear’s den, how could anyone blame the bear for that? 

By the morning, Jongwoo had decided to find out who this stalker was finally, before actually killing them. It didn't take long for the stalker to make themself known. They were sneaking around the library, still oblivious to the other man’s plans. Jongwoo got closer, passing one bookshelf at a time, feeling himself get excited at this game of hide and seek, he would have to do it more often. The final bookshelf was in front of Jongwoo, one last barrier between the human and vampire’s bodies. The vampire peeked through the books, a small enough gap to not catch the attention of the human. 

Like a shot of lightning to the heart, Jongwoo tensed. The face before him pulled him into a trance, filling his once cold mind with red hot pokers of emotion. It was a man who Jongwoo thought he would never see again, he had used to pray that the man was dead. As he remembered the man, he also remembered the emotions, he felt them for the first time in years, it felt agonising. So long without a thing can lead it to feel suffocating the next time you feel it, and right now Jongwoo felt something close to death, like the night he had been turned. 

Moonjo was changing him again, he still had that ability, even when Jongwoo was an immortal blood sucking creature ‘without’ emotions. Jongwoo felt wrong, every sensation in his body was new to him, reminiscent of things he felt as a human, but so much more intense and unnatural as a vampire. 

Only a second had passed outside of Jongwoo’s mind, so Moonjo hadn't yet noticed Jongwoo’s wide eyes looking up at him. There was still time to avoid a confrontation today, at least at work… Jongwoo quickly stepped back to further bookshelves, he was fast enough that he doubted anyone would notice. Moonjo stayed at the library until 10 minutes before Jongwoo’s shift ended, he had stayed in a corner, reading

and avoiding contact with any of the other humans in the building. 

When Moonjo left, Jongwoo knew he would be seeing him again soon, now he had to decide whether to confront the man or let him keep his illusion of mystery. Typically he would spend no time deliberating such a stupid set of options, but this was different. If he had reacted so badly after looking at Moonjo for a second, how would he even begin to threaten him?

Jongwoo stood in the car park thinking, hoping that when they met again he wouldn't be so distracted. Unfortunately after only 5 minutes apart, Jongwoo felt eyes on him again, footsteps getting closer. He braced himself, knowing that it was exactly who he didn't want to see. 

Moonjo had obviously made the choice for him, he had seen Jongwoo in the library only centimeters from him but pretended not to notice, wanting a bit more of a grand entrance, and here it was… 

“Jagia.” Jongwoo heard that voice, the voice of a man who had haunted him for years, even in his rebirth he could not be rid of him. Jongwoo began to feel hungry despite his last hunt being only a day before, his body instinctively knew who Moonjo was and wanted to kill him, use him for all he was good for. At the same time he noticed he hadn't even turned around yet, not yet faced this fabled man who stood with confidence despite, in Jongwoo's mind, dying — or at least sustaining enough damage to subdue him for good. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Jongwoo could see Moonjo approaching, body still clad in black, today wearing a knit jumper. Unfortunately this forced even Jongwoo to admit that, to the regular person, he could seem harmless. Although Jongwoo had been shocked by Moonjo’s open appearance, he was not afraid anymore, it was only a response that had been programmed into him so harshly when he had been human that it was hard to override. 

“Hello Moonjo.” Now Moonjo himself looked surprised, only for a second, but Jongwoo saw it, he saw the confusion on the man's face and felt pleased. Jongwoo had a tendency to enjoy provoking emotion and feeling in the most ‘Unfeeling’ people, as if he held the cards. Like a god really. Seeing this creature of a man lose composure, even for a split second, urged Jongwoo to go further, to see how far he could go to break the alien outsides of this man and turn him into a fleshy, emotional, human, mess again. 

“I missed you Jagi.”

“Sure you did Moonjo, I’m sure you were miserable when you tried to kill me too.”

“Hm. I don't think that changes my feelings though. I would miss you if you had died  back then too.”

Jongwoo's hatred for Moonjo after becoming a vampire had mostly been instinct, his disconnect from human memories put a wall between fully grasping the past. He was able to understand again though, in such a small conversation he had already heard so many disordered thoughts. The nonchalance with which he answered the question, the twisted sincerity that spilled from his lips like he, for once, was not actually intending to be intimidating or cruel.

‘What should I do with him? He’s showed up in my library and is no doubt intending to stay to fuck around with me, but that could get in the way of my hunts. If I kill him it would just be easier, he's already presumed dead. Fuck it I’ll take him to the apartment and kill him tonight. 

Jongwoo walks towards his truck, leaving Moonjo standing in the middle of the carpark. Only a few steps were between the two when Jongwoo turned his head in Moonjo’s direction, sending a glare that was most definitely a threat. Of course this brought Moonjo straight over, he was almost shaking with the amount of adrenaline building in his body, expecting a fight soon, one that would never come. 

The two didn’t speak in the car, nor in the lift up to the apartment, leaving the silence undisturbed. The space between them buzzed with unused energy, leeching out and mingling, the hot, passionate energy of Jongwoo met the surgical, performed art of Moonjo’s. Each breath Moonjo took was like an attack to Jongwoo, to the lengths he had gone to kill back in Eden, back when he still hid behind his guilt and humanity.

At the apartment, Jongwoo turned to face Moonjo, unsure if he wanted to tell Moonjo he would kill him. Did he want to see the face the other man made? Or should he finish it quickly and put an end to Moonjo’s hold on him for good? Jongwoo tried to ignore his somewhat emotional thoughts, choosing to rely on his instincts instead, leaning down to Moonjo’s neck. 

As if there was a barrier surrounding Moonjo, Jongwoo found himself unable to actually bite. Upon this discovery he crashed his fist into Moonjo’s ribcage, perhaps he needed to see him bleed to stimulate his appetite again… 

Moonjo crashed to the floor, his hands coming out at the last second to cushion himself from the full impact of the floor. His legs bent awkwardly and he spat out blood while gasping, causing him to cough and dirty the floor with a mixture of spit and blood. Moonjo looked bewildered for a second, noticing the extreme improvement in Jongwoo's strength. Only a second though, after that he was back to looking excited, finally Jongwoo fought him openly. Before Moonjo could even get up again, Jongwoo was all over him, firm thighs digging into either side of him, irritating his ribs from the punch moments again. Fists came down on either side of him and he felt a harsh slap on the left side of his face. It was shocking to be slapped in such a situation, it felt almost childish, yet it was strong enough to make his nose bleed, and by the feel of it, break it? Probably not, but it hurt like hell. 

Jongwoo looked down at the man in front of him and groaned, seeing the blood had definitely helped, he felt his teeth grow in his mouth and the hunger return to his body. Leaning down, Jogwoo peered down into Moonjo’s eyes, those dark, curious eyes. It was strange though, for once, when Jongwoo really looked, he didn't feel disgusted, if anything he felt curious himself. It did make sense in a way, Jongwoo had been forced to keep fear as a wall between himself and Moonjo for his own safety, but now he was practically immortal, he didn't have to fear Moonjo anymore. 

All of this did bring on one new question though, why was Jongwoo so hesitant to kill the man beneath him? All this time he had been thinking, inching closer yet not striking, it felt so foreign to Jongwoo. There was something stopping Jongwoo, the same thing that had suppressed his hunger before making Moonjo bleed. His body was going to such lengths to stop him from killing the bleeding man. 

Jongwoo grasped Moonjo’s neck to calm himself, needing to feel some form of control now that even his body was disobeying him. Although he had revised his plans to kill the body beneath him for now, it did feel good to feel his increasing heartbeat under his palms. After he felt more in control, Jongwoo let go, leaving Moonjo to cough and wheeze. 

‘What should I do with him? If he’s not going to die today then he’ll keep bothering me… I need to keep an eye on him, he can’t know any more about me, not until I finally manage to kill him. 

Moonjo stayed that night, he slept on the floor, still disoriented by the attack, he still looked in a daze. After all, Jongwoo hadn’t held back with his violence this time. 

On the other hand, Jongwoo lay in his bed. Although he didn’t sleep, he often meditated there. It was good to free himself from his urges, at least for a while. There was no meditation that night, Jongwoo instead thought about his inability to kill Moonjo, the man he hated most. Considering how easy it was to kill strangers, he thought killing such a man would be a walk in the park. 

Unfortunately it most likely had something to do with the obsession he had grown for Moonjo. Jongwoo typically ignored it, but when he first became a vampire, Moonjo was one of the first things he thought about, and he had stayed on his mind ever since. Until now, Jongwoo assumed that he was supposed to kill the man, but now he was unsure, like there was some other reason for his desire.

If he wasn't supposed to kill Moonjo, what would he do? How could he live in a world with Moonjo so close.