Seowoo:

“Abbuji!” You exclaim, skipping into your father’s office.

He looks up from the laptop on his clean-cut, simple desk. You plop yourself down on one of the chairs and lazily spin around on it with your head thrown back, “You called?” You ask, still spinning.

“Darling, you’re going to break that chair one of these days.” He warns softly, typing away.

You pull the wheelie chair right up against the desk and rest your head in your hands, “Well, I’ve been thinking…”

“Oh no…” He groans with a chuckle.

“Let’s do something fun…” You say, pretending not to hear him, “I never see you anymore.”

“But I see you every day…” He sings.

“Appa…” You whine.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” He smiles, shutting his laptop and giving you his undivided attention, “There’s actually something I want to show you. How about we go to a café tonight?”

“Café?” You ask, eyeing him warily.

“Mmh. Just give me a few hours to finish things up here and then we can go, okay?”

“Okay…”

“I swear there’s so much going on these days; I don’t know what the world’s coming to.” He sighs and as he rubs his face, you realise just how grey he looks with his long salt and pepper hair pulled back into a low pony tail, the wrinkles just starting to form around the corners of his mouth and the darkened bags of his tired eyes.

“Appa, we don’t have to go if you’re busy.”

He smiles and tugs your cheek, “Nonsense, I could never be too busy for my sweetest daughter.”

“But you’re too busy to feed yourself?” You ask sternly, crossing your arms.

“I’ve fed.” He says defensively.

“Really? Who fed you?”

“Mina.” He answers quickly.

“Appa, Mina’s been on maternity leave for two weeks now.”

“That’s Lee Mina.” He laughs nervously, “I meant Kim Mina.”

“We don’t have a donor by that name.”

“She’s new.”

“Appa…”

“Argh, okay, I haven’t fed. But I will, just as soon as I finish this one thing.”

You dig around in your bag and pull out a juice box, opening and sticking a straw in for him, “I’m not leaving until you drink this.”

He pushes it away and shakes his head, “Ugh, you know I don’t like this new age stuff.”

“Fine…” You say nonchalantly, getting up with the ‘juice’, “Walk around looking like a sixty-five-year-old human if you want.”

He quickly snatches it from you, smoothing his hair as he takes a sip, “I do not look that bad.”

You smile, having achieved your goal, “Drink up, okay? I’ll go find you a donor in the meantime.”

~

Growing up together in what you’ve all come to call ‘The Castle’, the donors were really the only friends you had apart from your siblings. You dash over to the donor’s quarters and find a bunch of them gathered in the common room.

Looking around the room for your father’s primary donor, Song Hira, you clear your throat, announcing your presence and Minseo looks up from her spot on the couch and smiles, “Oh Seowooyah! Come sit down.” She rolls her sleeve up and pats the space next to her, “You feeling a bit hungry again?”

“Where’s Eomma Ppalgang?” You ask, sinking into the couch.

“Song Hira?” One of the guys, Namjoon, asks, “She had to leave in a hurry this morning because of a funeral.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I think she’ll spend a week or two in her hometown. Why?” Minseo asks.

“My father hasn’t eaten today. Someone needs to feed him please, he’s in his office.”

“I’ll go.” Namjoon stands up and heads off in the direction of his office.

“Don’t take no for an answer. He absolutely must feed.” You call after him, lying back and lifting Minseo’s wrist to your mouth.

The movie they’re watching tells the tale of a group of kids who grow up together and conquer all the obstacles life throws at them using the power of their friendship. The boring movie is a favourite of yours and Minseo’s and is so familiar that you could probably still quote it line for line, and you think back to the times -there were many of them- when the two of you had re-enacted the scenes.

You glance sideways and note her awe-filled expression as she watches on in silence.

Somehow, this happy-go-lucky dork that is the exact opposite but also in many ways the same person as you, wormed her way into your life and rooted herself deeply into every memory you have after the age of eight. You’d met in school when you were both that age and very quickly became inseparable.

Despite how close you were, you’d managed to keep your identity from her until you were fourteen, although you later found out that she had suspected you were a vampire for a good three years already.

Like most humans, what she didn’t know though, was that you are the youngest daughter of the leader of the Emotional Clan, one of the four recognised clans, the others being the Physicals, Manipulatives and Intellectuals.

“Seowoo…” Minseo mumbles, nudging you, “Yah, Sun Seowoo.”

“Uh?” You ask, absentmindedly.

“Are you lost in your head again?” She asks, trying to pull her wrist from your mouth, “I mean, I’m loving the vibes you’re giving off but you can’t just sit here with my hand in your mouth if you’re not going to drink.”

“No, no!” You quickly pull her hand back to your mouth, “I was thinking.” You explain and softly nick the familiar spot on her wrist.

“You mean reminiscing?” You ignore her and