Ji shook his way up. He touched his shoulder, ready to calm down his friend, but he was taken aback when Seunghyun snapped at him and covered up his mouth.

“Ssst…” he whispered taking a look outside the small window, then he rushed out the door.

“Sir?...” RinNah whispered uncovering her face from under the big hood. “Sir, are you here?” she kept on whispering even though she knew she’d have to speak a lot louder if she wanted someone to actually hear her. She stopped in front of the small burning room. She rolled on her heels trying to find someone who could help her take out the fire, but there was no one there. Hesitating, she squeezed the big book in her arms. After another two panicky glances she turned around to flee the place, but a deep voice threw her on the wet dirt.

“What are you doing here?” Seunghyun asked severily.

Her eyes doubled when he appeared in front of her even bigger than the last time.  He stretched out his hand to help her up, but she refused it. She crawled twice until she managed to get up on her own. She was about to speak when Ji came along, rubbing his arms to keep them warm.  He froze at her sight and his mind blocked on her two words “You won…”

“You…” they both whispered at once.

“What are you doing here?” Ji asked.

The answer didn’t come. She could only see him back there, laying on his back, with his hands smoking in the cold, wet grass, when the dark silhouette grabbed his shoulders. She couldn’t yet forget those teary eyes begging to let him take away ‘his friend’.

‘ “Where you’re taking him?” ‘ she could hear herself again asking the silhouette.

‘ “Somewhere safe” ‘ she remembered the dark silhouette’s answer.

‘ “May I help you?” ‘ she heard herself again. Because she wouldn’t receive an answer she asked again: “May I come too?” “

‘ “Why?” ‘ the silhouette asked while carefully placing fainted Ji on its motorbike.

‘ “I can explain to him…” ‘ she answered.

‘ “Orchid lane, no. 63” ‘ were the silhouette’s last words before it disappeared riding the motorbike loudly.     

“Is this your house?” the shaky voice of Seunghyun broke her memory chain.

“NO!” she answered louder than she was supposed to. “Shouldn’t we call the firefighters…” she lowered her voice close to whispering.

“No, not really!” Ji rushed to answer.

“How did you get here?” Seunghyun asked again grabbing her arm.

“What I won?” Ji asked in the same time.

“HE told me to come here!” she defended jerking herself free, totally ignoring Ji.

“Who’s HE?” Seunghyun eagerly asked.

“The guy with the motorbike! The one that brought him here” she answered pointing towards Jiyong. “Umm… is he ok?” she asked watching him as he changed colors from an unnatural white to an earthy shade and his mouth clenched in a continuous chatter.

    “JI!” Seunghyun finally reacted covering up his friend with his black, thick coat. “Let’s get inside!”

“In there?...” RinNah hesitated.

“The house it’s empty…” Ji barely muttered.

Rin followed them without a word. Every step she made was carefully estimated and certified by quick, short  glances. The house indeed wasn’t as she thought, it was spacious, bright and welcoming.

“Feeling any better?” Seunghyun’s deep voice caught her eyes again, making her to silently  follow them as  they get seated at the round wooden table.

“Yes, thank you” Ji nodded with a shy smile, snuggling in Seunghyun’s big coat. “What is it that I won?” he muttered from inside the coat.

Seunghyun would’ve had his own questions but for now he decided to simply listen and keep an eye on her. As he thought this morning, she might not have all the answers he needs.  Piecing together the ruby necklace and the distorted heads from the room, she might only be one lucky victim that he never got to slaughter.    

“You did not won, but you defeated” she answered grabbing him away from his dark thoughts.

“Who I defeated?”   JI renew his question.

“The vampires…” she answered as serious as she could be, slamming the thick old book on the table.