“So this is where you live, huh.”

Jihun can’t help but look around the poorly lit living room, taking notice of how broken and old everything is. He hasn’t exactly been living in the lap of luxury, but he’d have expected something less dreary for someone that has to have at least a hundred years on them – vampire or not.

“This is home,” Seungjun says, a toothy grin slapped on his face as he shows Jihun around. “Stay as long as you like.”

He isn’t psyched about that offer, but there isn’t really anywhere else for him to go. The lighting in the room is so bad that Jihun has to keep the oil lamp nearby, which seems to mildly annoy Seungjun into keeping a distance.

“I thought it was only sunlight you couldn’t stand?”

Seungjun lets out a soft sigh. “Sunlight kills me. Artificial light cannot harm me, but I am used to the darkness. My eyes do not adjust that greatly even with the faintest of lights.”

It’s information Jihun has already known, but hearing it directly from the mouth of a real vampire is a new experience. It’s odd, the way Seungjun moves and talks, he’s clearly from a different time period, yet there’s something annoyingly familiar with being around him. He scans the room quickly, taking notice of the oddly shaped furniture hidden underneath off-white sheets. They must have been here for longer than Seungjun has been living here, the atmosphere making Jihun’s skin crawl. He isn’t the least bit fond of this place.

The upstairs is just as depressing, if not more. All the windows are boarded up and the floorboards creak much much more than downstairs. Jihun is positive that if a rat or something were to scrury on by, he’d be able to hear each little footstep. Seungjun is unbothered as he leads Jihun to the first door on their right, a rusty old door knob with an ornate design on it that turns with an unsettling jangle. Everything is almost straight out of a horror film and Jihun can feel his knees buckle. He’s never been particularly fond of the genre, but being in a house that personifies all his childhood nightmares isn’t enjoyable at all. Perhaps, coming here really was a mistake on his part. Seungjun grins coyly behind him as he stands by to allow Jihun into the room that mimics a possible murder room.

“It hasn’t been used for some time, but you’ll find it homey enough.”

He sounds amused, but Jihun can’t be bothered to shoot him a look as a few moths suddenly advance on him and his oil lamp and he nearly drops the thing. Quicker than he can register, Seungjun has grabbed him by the arm, steadying him and his grip on the lamp.

“Scared of a little bugs?” He teases, but Jihun slightly trembles at the way the moths still seem to flutter around the room. “I guess I hate the light, but they seem to like it.”

“Stop, you .” Jihun hisses, his shoulders pressing back against Seungjun’s hands as he tries to put some distance between him and the fluttering assailants. He really wishes he could just drop to the floor and become one with it. “Do you really live here?”

“Of course,” Seungjun confirms. “We’ve spent the last decade here.”

“It’s horrible,” he immediately says.

Seungjun’s hands on him are gentle as he straightens Jihun up, swatting away an incoming moth with ease as if it were– well, an insect. “If this is too daunting for you, I can offer my room along with my company.”

Before he can even call Seungjun out on whatever it is he’s doing, a particularly large moth attaches itself to his mouth and his scream can most likely be heard all throughout the entire neighborhood.  

-

The wards of the underground house chime softly as Inseong is woken from his sleep, the smell of an intruder wafting silently through the halls. It isn’t unfamiliar for such a thing to happen, the occasional feeder coming to the house every now and then when called upon and Inseong himself hasn’t fed in quite some time. It must be for either one of the other two occupants, perhaps Haeryung as she seldom leaves home to feed. However, Inseong cannot shake the uneasiness that begins to settle in his stomach as whoever their human guest is tonight gives off a rather unpleasant but familiar scent.

He dresses quickly, dark hair falling over his eyes as he doesn’t bother with styling it like Seungjun normally does. He doesn’t feel much of Haeryung’s presence, assuming she must be in her own room perhaps still asleep. The strides to Seungjun’s room are quick and though Inseong isn’t fond of knocking or asking permission to enter, his hand is tentative as it hangs in the air. Their privacy is so little that it’s quite rare for any of them to even lock their own bedroom doors, but something in Inseong’s gut tells him that whatever is awaiting on the other side isn’t going to be something he should see. Ignorance has always been the better card to play, but even now Inseong struggles with wanting to know what mischief his blood brother is up to this time.

He knocks, short and curt, but loud enough that whoever is in there has to hear it. There’s a panicked shuffling sound before the door is flung open and Inseong is face to face with a calm looking Seungjun.

“Can I help you?”

Inseong blinks at him. “What? No rude joke?”

“I can only be as rude as you are if you enter my room without invitation,” Seungjun says dryly and his lips curve into a sarcastic smile. “I’m actually a little preoccupied at the moment.”

“Feeding?”

“Yes and I’m trying to make my guest feel at home without interruption.”

Inseong rolls his eyes, clearly not buying it. Exactly how foolish does Seungjun take him for? “That human is in there, isn’t he.”

It isn’t a question, because Inseong can already tell from the scent hitting him full force through the open door. Of course, of course Seungjun would bring the daywalker to their home with so many casualties laying around. Haeryung wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, but had Yuji still been here then–

“Are you stupid? The scent will linger, she will know you brought another one here.”

“Another what?” The human says, popping his head up from behind Seungjun’s shoulder. “There are other daywalkers beside me?”

“No,” both vampires immediately answer, irritation creeping on Seungjun’s badly placed mask.

“I thought I told you to stay hidden,” he says, turning to squint his eyes at Jihun.

The mortal is unfazed as he remains behind Seungjun’s frame, curiosity seeming to win him over. “Are there other vampires here?”

Inseong isn’t inclined to answer, instead keeping a stony gaze on Seungjun. How could he have brought the human down here despite all the dangers?  Had he learned nothing in the past hundred years?

“You haven’t told him anything, have you?” It’s more of an accusation than a real question and Seungjun averts his gaze to the ceiling, annoyed.

“You and I can talk later,” is the response Seungjun gives him, shutting his door in Inseong’s face. It isn’t the first time that has happened, but it’s enough for Inseong to huff silently. He could care less for the rude gesture though, knowing he’s most likely gotten the human on Seungjun’s case.

He carefully passes Haeryung’s room on his way out, noticing that the other must not have taken notice of their little intruder and he decides that whatever she sees or doesn’t see isn’t his concern. Her role is little if anything in the grand scheme of things and Inseong isn’t going to waste time like Seungjun. After all, humans are such short living creatures.

The moon yet again is beautiful as Inseong watches her wane behind a few clouds, light soft and sad in a way that Inseong can only map out in his memories from after being turned. His human life wasn’t a marvelous one and he can only recall strange bits and pieces of it, but no matter how hard he searches, he can never remember what the moon used to look like in his old human eyes. The years have just been long and unforgiving, Inseong can hardly recall much of his past even as an undead. His footwork is light and quick as he traverses through the city, odd scents here and there, but nothing of importance as he makes his way to the witch’s.

He lands softly on the pavement, barely making any noise as he steps in, the front door as welcoming as ever. It isn’t until he’s inside that he notices something arguably different than before. The witch Hani has always kept her place under heavy enchantments, making sure that her shop be as obscure as possible to not only the blind eye, but also a very trained one. The magic is always thick in the air, so much that even a normal human could tell there was something intriguing about the little shop that stood surrounded by red lanterns. It could be from the heavy rainfall, but something smells a bit off tonight and Inseong clears his throat loudly to get the attention of whoever may be waiting for him. When no one gives an immediate answer, he strides to the beaded curtain, popping his head into the back.

Hani is huddled by her cauldron, a twisted look on her face and Inseong has never seen the witch wear that expression before in all the years he has known her. Something is very off.

He isn’t sure how to approach her, but finds that he doesn’t need to as she makes it apparent that his presence is known.

“For the first time in my life I am conflicted on which side I am to take,” she says, voice low and yet loud enough for only Inseong to hear over the bubbling of her cauldron. “I took no blood oath to the Hunter’s Association and I am not under contract like you are to that woman. I have always been free in my decisions and have done things as I saw fit and yet…I am still conflicted.”

“What happened?” Inseong asks, a knit in his brow. What is she going on about?

“You know, there was a time in my life that I would have followed that woman to the ends of this Earth. I would have sacrificed everything just to please her and be by her side, but when she refused to turn me to keep my magic, I–” Something flashes across Hani’s face and she blinks away whatever memories swim across her eyes as she looks up and takes notice of Inseong standing in the room. “I promised myself I would do what I could to let her rot.”

“And you can’t keep that promise?”

“Not this time,” she clicks her tongue in annoyance. “Everything happens for a reason in this world. She gave me fair payment for my services and I have always delivered on my word.”

Inseong watches as she grips her hands on the edge of the cauldron, a displeased look on her face. There’s something unsettling about what is unfolding before him and part of him wonders if this is what Hyeyeon had left for him as well. “That woman is so unfair. I want to see her suffer for what she took from me, for what she has taken from so many of us.” She glances up at Inseong, the two both knowing what it is like to have someone like Yuji – someone powerful and yet so terrible – take everything away from you. “She doesn’t deserve the luxury she has and yet…it is difficult to despise her as much as I do for the hunters.”

“The hunters?” Inseong takes a hesitant step forward. “Tell me what it is you know.”

Her eyes are dark and spiteful, but none of that is directed towards Inseong. He knows she is aware of something he is not. “The one who has been troubling you came here. He is working with a clairvoyant.” She doesn’t give him a moment to process that information, instead continuing as if telling a horrible, horrible fairytale. “They held no siren spell, if Seungjun has properly relayed that bit of information to you then you would know that it is not a spell. That human hunter is very cunning and a bad actor. He came here the night before, asking for a human named Kim Jihun. Lied that he was a criminal who had been aiding in the trafficking of feeders. He really believes that a witch such as myself wouldn’t know that feeders are willing creatures who require no glamour to give up their blood. But, I played along, made him think I was going to help him find this Jihun.”

“Once payment was surrendered, I found that human for him, but there was a bit of an issue with his obvious lie. So, I begun to do a bit of digging myself, figure out who this supposed criminal was and what do I come across? A noble bloodline of hunters that have been around since the dark ages. Can you guess for me who the heir of such a prestigious little family is?”

“…Jihun,” Inseong says, voice barely above a whisper. The pieces are coming together and Inseong recalls what he had read about a few nights ago. The family crest was that of Jihun’s. So, his speculations were true – Seungjun’s little pet was more than they thought he was. “The hunter came to bring him back to the Hunter’s Association.”

“The blood in that boy is special,” Hani spits out. “There are practices in this world that are forbidden even for users of dark magic and with his ancient bloodline there is absolutely no telling what the hunters will use him for. As much as I would like to see that woman squirm, I don’t think I can keep my neutrality in check knowing what that hunter is after.”

“What exactly is it that the hunters will do with him?” Inseong’s tone has changed and he can’t believe all of this happening now.

“I cannot say for sure but…there is a reason that his family has managed to be the only standing one since the dark ages. Whatever they have planned will not be good for anyone who isn’t…human.”

“You’ve already told him where to find the human, that means he will most likely strike during daylight when Seungjun can’t protect him.”

“He’s with Seungjun? With that woman?”

“Not exactly, no. Yuji and Dahye left just a few nights ago. He is with Seungjun, but…” Inseong trails off awkwardly, not knowing how to tell Hani this. “You mentioned his blood being special, but what if is has recently changed? What if…the human is no longer human?”

“What do you mean?” She squints her eyes at him, her voice getting lower. “What has that idiot done?”

Inseong sighs. “You know him…how he can get restless. How he can– cling to the past.” Hani only raises her brow at him and Inseong lets out another sigh. “He’s turned the human into a daywalker.”

He’s almost certain Hani will pop a vein or possibly break her cauldron under her iron grip, but the twisted look she has been carrying all night seems to almost immediately bleed away and she breaks out into a crooked smile. It isn’t one of exact happiness, but there’s some kind of mirth found in the way her eyes glint. “That absolute idiot,” she shakes her head in silent disbelief. “His entire DNA structure will have changed with that. I doubt he has fully become a daywalker with the way his bloodline works, but I do believe it is enough to buy time.”

“You seem more pleased than I thought you would about Seungjun turning someone else into a daywalker.”

“Well, it isn’t ideal but doesn’t this…” Her voice becomes a bit wistful and something in Inseong’s chest tightens. “…doesn’t this feel like Hyeyeon’s doing?”

It’s been so long since Inseong has heard Hani say that name and he can’t help the small grin that also spreads across his face.

“It does.”

-

“So,” Jihun trails, arms crossed in annoyance as he stares down Seungjun. “You haven’t been completely honest with me, have you?”

And well, Seungjun honestly hadn’t. He was only teasing his human, later showing Jihun downstairs where the vampires actually lived. The house upstairs was a simple ruse, a fake planted to make people think it was just another deserted home that had long ago been emptied by some kind of curse or haunted spectre. Jihun hadn’t quite liked the journey to the underground home, finding that moving in vampire pace was almost like riding a rollercoaster that came with no seat belts.

“I was only playing a harmless joke on you,” Seungjun says in the most innocent way he can muster.

“I didn’t mean about where you lived, I meant about whatever it was that Inseong was talking about.”

Oh, right. Damn that Inseong.

“I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, pet.”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that,” Jihun huffs and with his arms crossed he looks like a little kid. Seungjun has to take all that he has not to laugh.

“Right, right, I’m sorry. But, what do you want to know?”

Jihun scrunches his eyebrows, seemingly not ready to trust Seungjun’s words, but the curiosity seems to win over as he unfolds his arms and relaxes back against the desk chair. “Are there other…vampires here? Besides you and Inseong?”

He purses his lips, nodding. “Yes. Currently one other.”

“But usually–?”

“There are five of us that reside here. The other two have left to meet with some friends of our’s.”

“Oh.”

Seungjun wasn’t quite expecting that response, but Jihun keeps his face artfully blank, blinking slowly as if he’s seeing the world around him expand.

“So, you guys are like…a family?”

The words sound so ridiculous that Seungjun can’t help the scoff that escapes his lips. “You could say that. We’re all the children of our maker. However, our dynamic isn’t really familial.”

“That’s…I don’t know, I didn’t really know what to expect to be honest. I just thought this entire time it was only you and Inseong.” Jihun’s eyes avert to the floor and Seungjun grins at him.

“Were you jealous?”

“No! That’s not what I meant !” He quickly glances back up, a scowl on his face. “Next question, are there other daywalkers?”

“Possibly, I don’t keep track of who gets turned into what–”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Jihun interrupts, lips in a straight line. “Who was the other daywalker Inseong was talking about?”

Seungjun frowns, clearly not pleased with Jihun’s persistency. He blinks slowly at the human, deciding that he cannot avoid this topic forever. “There was a girl before you. She was…very close with all of us and well…”

“Well?”

He sighs. There’s something so simple and straightforward about Jihun that makes Seungjun both infuriated and yet he cannot deny the human of an explanation. He inhales deeply though he doesn’t need the air. “She was the previous clairvoyant. She wanted to be turned into a vampire to be– to be with us forever. My maker was afraid that she would lose her Sight and refused her, but I turned her into a daywalker thinking it was the solution. It wasn’t, she died and now exists a new clairvoyant.”

He expects another dumbfounded “oh” to escape Jihun’s lips, but what the human says has him pleasantly surprised.

“I’m sorry.”

The words are so simple and yet so genuine that Seungjun isn’t sure how he feels about it. Jihun is biting on his lower lip, his eyes a little rounder than usual and his hands folded neatly in his lap. Seungjun lets out a breathy laugh. “Don’t be. What do you have to be sorry for? It isn’t like you’re the one who killed her.” He doesn’t realize how sharp his tone has become until Jihun winces back.

Even in this moment however, the human still keeps his grounding. “It sounded like you really were close though. You must care for her deeply still, and for that I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry that I still care for her?” He scoffs lightly, amazed at how easy it was for him to say something so pitiful.

“Yes, because it’s difficult to stop caring for someone. It’s difficult to not feel like it’s your fault for losing someone you wish were still here.”

It’s hesitant and odd and the most unexpected thing Seungjun has ever witnessed in his entire five hundred years, but Jihun places his hand gently over Seungjun’s, holding his hand carefully as if the horrific monster of a vampire were anything but. His skin is rough yet soothing, a small spark shooting out from the human’s ward, but Seungjun can barely register it as all he can feel is how warm Jihun’s skin is against his.

He swallows thickly, laughing silently to himself. “I can’t believe I’m being comforted by a human right now.”

“Stop being a .” His words are sharp, but with no bite and his lips curl into the tiniest of smiles. It’s the first time Jihun has ever shown him that expression and Seungjun can feel something inside him stir.

“Oh my God, do that again.” He pulls his hand away from Jihun’s grasp, instead grabbing onto the human’s shoulders and shaking him gently.

“Do what–” he blinks in surprise, smile long gone as he scrunches his face up at Seungjun’s closeness. “What the hell are you doing?”

“You’re not doing it,” Seungjun groans and then releases Jihun, a frown spreading across his face.

Jihun continues blink in a stupor. “I have no words for what just happened.”

Seungjun sighs at his human, but before he can say another word, his phone vibrates softly against the wood of his nightstand. Jihun shoots him a curious look, but Seungjun takes the phone from its spot, squinting his eyes as he reads the rushed out text. It’s from Inseong with possibly the worst news Seungjun has heard since learning that their underground lair does not get wifi connection.

“I can’t believe–” He blinks up, meets Jihun’s eyes and then looks away. He promised his human he would keep him safe. There’s the possibility that the hunter could be tracking them this very moment, that he could have found their lair already and is advancing. However, Seungjun knows that it must also be a huge risk. The hunter doesn’t know how exactly to enter their underground home and even if he did figure it out, there still laid the question of just exactly how many vampires would be waiting for him. Even if he were powerful enough to get the best of Inseong, surely he must be smart enough to know that taking on a whole coven of vampires in the dead of night was suicide. He would wait until sunrise, but before then, Seungjun knew he and Jihun must be long gone by then.

Quickly, he sends a response to Inseong, his face only frowning more.

“What is it?” Jihun asks, tentative in his movement. He looks as if he wants to peer over, but knows better not to. “Is it something bad?”

Seungjun smiles reassuringly at him. “Not anything I can’t handle. The hunter knows where you are, but it’s unlikely he will attack now. He’ll wait until sunrise when I can’t do anything, but you and I will no longer be here for that opportunity.”

“How are you so sure he isn’t already outside waiting for us?” Jihun’s expression looks worried, so Seungjun keeps the smile.

“The wards installed upstairs would have alerted me of a hunter. Don’t worry, even if he does manage to find us tonight, I can handle him.”

“You’re sure you can?”

Seungjun makes a face like a puppy that’s just been kicked. “You wound me, Jihun. You don’t think I can handle him on my own?”

“It’s not that, I just–” he gets flustered so easily, running a hand through his hair. “Youjin is strong too, you know? Just because he’s human–”

“I won’t underestimate him if that’s what you’re worried about,” Seungjun assures him calmly. “If the hunter can overpower Inseong, then I myself know that he’s very strong.”

“You trust Inseong, huh?” There’s nothing incredulous or envious in Jihun’s voice. It’s just a simple question and Seungjun can’t help but feel like his human isn’t the least bit interested in him as a person.

“I do.”

When they step out of Seungjun’s room and down the hall, they’re greeted by none other than Haeryung. He had made sure to be as quiet with Jihun as he could, but running into her was inevitable. She’s tall and pretty in a way that’s obvious even to Seungjun who has hardly paid her any mind in all the years that he has known her. He wonders if this is Jihun’s type. Her expression however is painfully stoic and she takes in the sight of the little human. There is no possible way for her to tell that he is a daywalker, her senses not quite as sharp as Yuji’s, but her perception is still there.

“You were feeding?” She asks, eyes flickering over to Jihun. She doesn’t take much of him in, but Seungjun can tell that she will at least remember his scent if not his face. “So soon again?”

“I’ve been restless,” Seungjun lies easily. Normally, she would mind her own damned business, but Seungjun knows that her curiosity comes from Yuji’s order of keeping a close eye on him. She’s becoming just as nosy as their maker now. “If you’ll excuse us, I will be seeing him off as he is new and gets lost very easily.”

Haeryung steps aside, letting them pass by without incident and Seungjun can’t help but notice how gobsmacked Jihun is in the heavy presence of two vampires. It reminds him of the first time he had fed Jihun and how small and little the human looked when face with he and Inseong. Even his bold human had his weak moments.

He can tell that she keeps her gaze fixed upon them even after they’ve gone far down the hall and it isn’t until they’re reaching the steps to the decoy house that he can feel himself loosen up a bit. The moment only lasts briefly as Seungjun becomes aware that another presence lurks just beyond the shadows.

“He’s found us,” Seungjun says under his breath, his hands coming up to wrap around Jihun’s shoulders, pushing him behind his taller frame and the hairs on his neck stand up. He had been expecting this to happen sooner or later, magic advancing so far and the hunter being able to have so many unknown resources that Seungjun regrets not preparing properly.

“Youjin?” Jihun asks tentatively and Seungjun nods in response. The human doesn’t say any more, simply standing behind Seungjun where it is safest.

“There is a thick veil upon this place, even if he has been able to track us, I doubt he will know exactly where we are. He will not be able to enter either.”

Seungjun grabs his little human by the waist, noticing how petite the other is in his grasp and he pulls him back under, not going to risk a confrontation with Jihun so clearly frightened. It’s something pleasant to him – experiencing the other man so shaken when he usually puts up such a brave front. He doesn’t take him in too far, knowing Haeryung is still lurking and will question why he has brought the human back.

“What now?” Jihun asks, watching as Seungjun closes the door behind them. They’re in one of the empty storage rooms where Yuji hides some of her valuables, age old artifacts that may or may not be entirely cursed. Seungjun makes sure to keep his human close.

He hadn’t quite planned for this, knowing the night is slowing burning away and that in the morning Seungjun will be completely useless. It’s a good plan and even more so with Haeryung keeping him from hiding Jihun in the underground home. The hunter is quite smart, but Seungjun is smarter.

“You’re not claustrophobic are you?”

Jihun blinks slowly at him. “…No?”

“Good,” Seungjun gives him a big grin and then once again is grabbing him by the waist (much to Jihun’s dismay) and in a wisk he’s travelling at vampire speed, taking a secret tunnel that leads deeper underground, miles away from the city and outwards towards the edges of the woods that line the sleepy little island. When he finally manages to slow down, it’s because they’ve reached their destination and he has to stop in front of an old wooden door covered in moss and tiny little mushrooms growing in patches. There’s a terribly old inscription written on the rotting wood of the door and Seungjun squints his eyes trying to recall how to break the seal. Unfortunately for him, Jihun chooses that exact moment to throw up his insides on the floor.

Blood soaks the sand underneath their feet and the sides of one of Seungjun’s favorite shirts.

“–” Jihun heaves again and more blood bubbles out of his mouth. A string of curses follows after and Seungjun awkwardly sets him down, an annoyed furrow in his brow as he fumbles around with Jihun. What’s wrong with his human?

When he voices the question, he gets a venomous glare from him. “I can’t – my mouth tastes disgusting – My body can’t keep up with you when you go that fast.”

Oh. Right. Seungjun hadn’t been aware of how fast he was apparently going, but the reaction from his human makes him forget about his ruined shirt. “If you can’t keep up with that then how will you manage in bed–”

Jihun is smacking the backside of his head before he can finish the sentence and even though the human used a bit of strength, the pain is numbing as Seungjun barks out a laugh. It’s loud and clear and something he hasn’t really felt himself do in so long that the strangeness of the situation is completely forgotten. He hasn’t let himself laugh like that in such a long, long time.

“So you do have a non laugh, though the circumstances sure make you an .”

Jihun is eyeing him curiously, but he’s managed to straighten himself up now and Seungjun immediately goes back to a more suave smile, shaking his head lightly. “We’ll clean you up once I remember how to get inside.”

“What exactly is inside?”

The markings are faded and Seungjun brushes back a bit of moss to uncover some more scribbles and he racks his brain for a moment or two before the proper words come to him and he’s reciting a password of sorts before a soft glow traces over the inscriptions and a small click is heard. He swings the door open without care and unearths a few mushrooms in the process.

“A hideaway.”