The holding room for the festival is a mess, but what's new? Jimin is sleeping, Mina has a curler on the back of her head that no one has mentioned as of yet, Choa's revising forgotten lines, and Yuna can't get her heels on. Nothing new. A glint of a sharp canine in the mirror. Nothing new. Not really, anyway.

Hyejeong fixes her skirt, watching the pleats move in the mirror as she twirls. The blue-yellow colour combination is especially satisfying for this promotion cycle. They accentuate her frame, the colours pop. Only, the safety shorts are a bright blue and slightly more attention-grabbing than usual. Hyejeong bites her lower lip helping Seolhyun to fasten them to her skirt. There is a soft tugging in Hyejeong's stomach. Bloodthirst or lust she can hardly tell. Seolhyun's that sort of confusing. She even throws a smile behind her shoulder in thanks.

“Can someone help me wake her up?” Chanmi slips into the holding room, waving a script about. “She has a leaders' interview to do. The other leaders are waiting outside.”

“Was that scheduled?” Choa looks up from her lines. She's in charge of Shin Jimin and the world knows it. It's not just because she's the oldest; it's because Jimin only listens to her.

Their manager looks up from his coffee. “Don't look at me, they didn't tell me anything.”

Hyejeong, looking down at the girl sleeping on the couch some distance from her, lifts her leg and delivers a swift kick to Jimin's hip. Jimin doesn't budge an inch, only frowns and spits something cruel in her sleep. Seolhyun smiles.

“Jimin-ah,” Choa walks over to rip the blanket off Jimin's body. “Wake up already.”

“Mm, no,” comes the response.

There is a knock on the door. A young man sticks his head in and whacks the schedule on the clipboard with the back of his free hand once, indicating the need for Jimin's presence.

“A group representative, please?”

The girls look around the room. Their manager is about to place his hand on Choa's shoulder to urge her forward, but Hyejeong stands and volunteers before that can happen.

“I'll do it.”

Hyejeong follows the man outside, sighing. Things might have become a disaster if Choa had gone in place of Jimin, not simply because of Choa's tendency to slip up and mispronounce things under pressure, but because Hyejeong can't possibly send a frail human to perform a routine monitoring job.

Hyejeong admits to herself, however, that she and Jimin aren't much better than the innocents in their group. But the additional innate boosters in survival skills should count for something. And disappointing a mutual monitor isn't something people like Hyejeong do.

“Good evening,” Hyejeong greets upon reaching the hallway where the cameras and lighting are being set up. “Sorry to be late.”

The staff barely acknowledge Hyejeong's presence in the eleven- or twelve-strong group of leaders and replacement representatives. A few are going through cue cards as their stylists hover, hands moving swiftly over the flashy sets of attire. Hyejeong bows several times before their eyes meet across the small space.

It's that boy again, that one that has been around them too often than their schedules permit. He's known for his smile, so he's obviously flirting with danger. Not a single blood-er in South Korea is unaware of his identity, or so it's said. He's said to be the soft sort, untrained and unrestrained, but well-adapted to the human society such that suspicions rarely come upon him. Recently he and the other have been throwing their nets wider for some reason, though, intensifying the monitoring vampires typically do of each other (especially for the nomads) and risking allegations of unsolicited surveillance and illicit involvement in private activities. Jimin's been edgy for some months now, more so than when EXO first debuted as a promising rookie group. Even more worrisome to her was that Yixing was discovered late. Thr group, she says, could conceal more than we know.

Jongin flashes a quick smile, canines splitting the red lips. An absolute pleasure, Hyejeong spits in her mind. He's been perfectly polite so far, but they're not taking any chances. He and Yixing do have the capability to make the rounds, for sure, thoroughly going through this nook and the next. Hyejeong's not sure how they're planning to slip away from the scene with all the spotlight they bear on their shoulders; even the exits have been high-profile and not without bitter residue. Hyejeong knows the stakes, as all blood-ers in showbiz do; it's just alarming to know there are so many who've accepted them and raised bets.

“Just beside him, yes,” the camera director ushers Hyejeong towards Hakyeon, who smiles and pats her once on the shoulder.

The interviewer makes his rounds, cameras moving through wide shots and close-ups. All the while, Hyejeong keeps her eye on Jongin. She knew why he would show up instead of Junmyeon. It's because of the monitoring business. Other than during shared stages, Jongin and Yixing seem to make every effort to stick around AOA whenever possible. There's a glint in Jongin's eye across the pond; he looks inquisitive, focused.

“Hyejeong-ssi, you're here for this leader interview?” upbeat Brian Joo asks, pushing the microphone towards the girl.

“Yup, because dear Jimin was really tired. She's asleep in our waiting room,” Hyejeong replies, making sure to offer a sharp smile to the camera; Jimin will get it later, it says.

“Is AOA doing anything special for this combined stage?” Brian continues.

“Our vocal line is doing a cover of “Empire State of Mind” which we originally prepared for our first New York performance. Please anticipate much from it, because we spent a lot of time preparing for this stage,” Hyejeong smiles, taking on a professional attitude.

“And are you girls looking forward to anything tonight?”

“We're looking forward to seeing the performances of all our seniors, especially CNBlue. We heard they were doing a mash-up from our staff. It's going to be great.”

Brian nods, the camera directors indicating to move on quickly. “Thank you, Hyejeong-ssi.”

Looking away from the bright sets of lighting and reflective boards, Hyejeong sets her eyes on a character behind the staff. His hair is bleached a blond-white colour; he sits on his haunches, chews on gum, and even smiles sweetly at the interviewees. Charmer. Hyejeong was only convinced of his nature upon Jimin's discovery of blood-bags in the uni toilets during a college-day event last year immediately after his exit.

Yixing's eyes fall on Hyejeong. She avoids his gaze, smiling into the cameras as she lets him study her. His eyebrows furrow in her peripherals; he's confused about something. Jongin wasn't in the beginning, so there's something they haven't agreed on. For Yixing's benefit, Hyejeong smiles toothily, letting her canines extend and her gums gradually lose colour from this – the telltale sign of a vampire, albeit a full one. She just had a bag in the van.

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