I enter the bank and don't see the manager anywhere but spot Jongup at his station, staring blankly out in front of him. I walk up to him and greet, “Good morning.”

  “Ah, good morni- Where's your uniform?”

  I clench my fists and try not to look him in the eyes. I tug at my oversized shirt. “I hate to admit this, but I'm no longer working here.” I've thought long and hard about this decision all Day, causing me to lose sleep. At first, I was 100% sure I didn't want to become Daehyun’s Doll, but something in the back of mind changed me. Maybe I can trust Zelo’s words and not become his Doll but be someone by his side. I think that will be enough to keep him sane.

  “You're not working here anymore? Why? Is it because of what happened when Daehyun was here? Did the manager fire you because of that? Is it my fault?”

  “No! No, it's not your fault. This was all based on my choice. There's just something I have to take care of and it requires my full time,” I explain as calmly as possible. Maybe it's a mistake for coming here just to tell him this.

  “What do you mean? What are you going to do-” He stops and his shifts to the side, looking behind me.

  I spin around to see Zelo standing there, towering over me. “Oh, Zelo.”

  He bows. “Young Master Jung is not at his office today, so I am here to pick you up.” He pauses and nods his head toward Jongup. “My name is Zelo. It's nice to meet you.”

  “Yeah… Uhm. I’m Jongup.”

  “Is that your real name?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I see.” Zelo’s attention turns towards me once more. “I have something to talk to you about before we leave. I want to make sure that you're ready for what is to come.”

  “Is me standing here not wearing my uniform not enough?” Why are we talking about this now? I didn't want Jongup to find out.

  “I want to make sure. Can we talk in private?”

  “Yes.” I didn't want to look at Jongup because I know he has a million questions for me right now. I pull Zelo to the side and make sure I keep a distance so no one can hear.

  “What is it that you want?” I ask.

  There is no hesitation in Zelo’s voice when he answers, “I'm here not because I came to pick you up and bring you to my master. I'm here because I want to know if you really are willing to stay by his side. I care about him, and I don't want someone who will come and go after they learn the truth of Jung Daehyun. I swear to you that he's not like other vampires and if you try to hurt him, I will do whatever it takes to save him.”

  “I don’t understand why you’re defending him. Yes, he had his downfall yesterday, but just because he’s unstable doesn’t mean I have the power to cure him. If you’re not able to, what makes you think I can? It seems like you know him more than I do.”

  His eyes drop towards the ground. “I don’t know everything. I know he’s hiding something, but he doesn’t tell me. That’s not the point though, I want to save him, but with his strong pheromones, it’ll be difficult for me to help him.” He shakes his head and inspects my clothes. “I told myself I wouldn’t beg you to come, but here I am trying to convince you that he needs you. Are you truly willing to give up this life?”

  Just seeing Zelo this way confuses me even more. It also makes me curious why he’s so passionate and loyal to him. Just who is Jung Daehyun? “I’m willing to be part of Jung Daehyun’s life, but I do have two conditions. I wish to visit Jongup whenever I can and I do not want to become his Doll. I’ll be more willing to be his servant rather than his Doll,” I pause, “That is, unless he gives me a reason when he needs me to fulfill his needs.”

  A sparkle glints in Zelo’s eyes and his mouth twitches slightly until he returns to a serious expression. “I will let him know of your conditions.” He glances as Jongup. “I will let you say your goodbyes to Jongup that way he doesn’t worry about you while you’re gone. I will wait here.”

  “Thanks.” I return to Jongup and reach over his desk to flick his forehead. “You know if you continue to scowl like that, you’re going to get wrinkles between your eyes.”

  He doesn’t laugh at my joke. Instead, he gives me a look. “What was that all about? I still don’t understand why you’re quitting this job.”

  “I’m sorry Jongup, but I can’t tell you. However, I will tell you later. That’s my promise to you. And I’ll try to visit you as much as I can because only I can be the one who can save you.”

  He’s still not convinced, and he crosses his arms over his chest while pouting. Then, all at once he relaxes. “As long as you come and visit, I guess I won’t feel so lonely.”

  “And who knows, maybe a cutie will start working next to you.”

  He blushes and attempts to punch me in the shoulder, but I evade him. “Shut up. That’s not funny.”

  “Sure.” I know Zelo is waiting, so I have to wrap this up quickly. I reach out to him once more and a heavy feeling presses down on me. I touch his chest and something breaks in me. This all too familiar gesture pains me but I hide it with a smile. “I promise I’ll come to your aid when you need me.”

  “And I'll make sure the next time you see me, I’m not going to be as weak to pheromones as I am now.”

  I laugh. “You make it sound like I won't see you for a whole year, but I'll keep those words in mind.” I give him a wave. “See ya later, Jongup.” I make sure I whisper his name and I hope he does the same.

  “Bye, Youngjae,” he mutters.

  My heart sinks as I’m leaving him. I really don't know if he'll be able to improve his resistance to pheromones, but I need to trust him just like how I'm trusting Zelo. Next time I see Jongup, I'm sure we will be different people no matter how much I want things to remain the same.

  I walk over to Zelo. “I'm ready. Take me to him.”

  He nods and heads out the door. “Your manager already knows you're not returning so you do not have to worry about telling him.”

  “I know.” A part of me wishes I can at least tell him my farewells since he's one of the only vampires I like.

  I'm lead outside where a carriage drawn by two white horses are parked in front of the bank doors. Vampires of all classes watch me as I enter the carriage. Normally, it would be high class vampires getting in and out of carriages.

  “Is there anything that you need from your home?” Zelo asks before he closes the door.

  I stuff my hand in my pocket and rub my fingers against the all too familiar wooden carving and shake my head. “No. I have everything I need unless I need to get some clothes.” Even though I literally only have three different shirts and pants and one of those pairs are my uniform.

  “There’s no need. We will provide you clothes.”

  “Then, there’s nothing.”

  Zelo bows and shuts the door. I can feel the carriage shake as he climbs in the front to steer the horses. In one quick movement, I jolt backwards and hear the turning of the wheels below me as the carriage runs over pebbles and other little things.

  There are no windows for me to look at the outside world. All I can do is listen to the creaking from the carriage and the sound of the horses’ hooves as it clack on the ground. I close my eyes as the gentle sways lull me to sleep.

  My body jerks forward as the carriage comes to a halt. I can hear the horses snorting and stomping their hooves on the ground. A loud thud comes right after and the doors swing open. The first thing I see is the Moon shining above, casting shadows on the mansion. As my eyes trail, I see marble everywhere and pillars holding the balcony above. Down below is a long path leading towards large and wooden double doors. On both sides of the path are two statues of phoenixes with their wings spread out as if ready to take flight. On the perimeter are hedges, concealing the lawn.

  My jaw drops at the beauty. I carefully step outside without taking my eyes off of the statues. Just who designed this whole place?

  Zelo walks in front of me. As I pass the two statues, I find patches of grass to my left and a fountain to my right.

  “This place is amazing,” I say in awe.

  “Yes, it is. Young Master’s ancestors designed the place and his family tries to preserve it ever since.”

  “Wow.” I’m lost for words. So this is what it’s like living rich.

  We stop in front of the door. I have to tilt my head up just to see the full design carved into the wood. It appears to be telling a story of how a phoenix would rise from the ashes to start anew. I caress the wooden carvings.

  “You’re really amazed by art, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah. I don’t have the talent to create these kind of things, but I do love admiring them.”

  Zelo unlocks the doors and pushes them open.

  I’m immediately greeted by the scent of peppermint and a foyer with two staircases meeting in the middle of the second floor. There, I see a large painting of Daehyun’s family all with a serious expression on their face. Daehyun’s father sits on a chair while his wife stands behind him. Little Daehyun was standing next to his father with one arm resting against the armrest while the rest of his siblings stand behind him.

  A maid passes by and curtsies. “Welcome back Zelo and…”

  “Youngjae,” I greet.

  She nods her head. “You may call me Nagi.”

  “Nagi?” What a strange name.

  “Yes. We were all given nicknames to prevent other vampires from learning our true names. Young Master Daehyun thought of using it for our protection.”

  “I see. Then does that mean Zelo isn’t your real name?”

  The tall boy shakes his head. “Not at all.” He chuckles. “Young Master gave us all nicknames, but I always find them strange. I mean, who would name their child Zelo anyways? I can’t complain since he gave it to me, but he could have chosen something cooler like Icarus.”

  I laugh at his response. “Icarus? Isn’t he the man who flew too close to the sun, thus causing him to fall from the skies and land into the sea?”

  Zelo’s silent for a while. He doesn’t say a word and makes his way towards the stairs.

  What a strange boy. This also makes me wonder what kind of lives they live within these walls. If they’re able to talk so carefree here, does that mean Jung Daehyun really is a kind vampire? I want to talk to Zelo more, but he stops in front of a door and knocks.

  I hear Daehyun from behind the door shout, “Come in!”

  Zelo walks in and I follow suit. He bows. “I’m here with him, Young Master.”

  We are inside Daehyun’s room. A single candle is lit next to his bedside table and I find him sitting on his bed with a book on his lap. He stands, places the book on the bedside table, and walks to his dresser where he pulls out his gloves. He slips them on before coming up to us. “I told you I will make you mine.”

  I sneer. Just when I have a good impression on him, he ruins it with that mouth of his. “First of all, I’m not yours, and second of all, I’m staying here as long as you meet my requirements.”

  He an eyebrow and purses his lips. “And what are these requirements?”

  I feel a sudden confidence rushing through me and pump out my chest. “I wish to visit Jongup whenever I want and I don’t want to be your Doll.” As I let that out, I’m certain that he cannot deny my offer if he really needs me.

  “Zelo, did you agree to this?”

  Zelo shrinks back. “You wanted me to bring him here, so I told him that you will listen to his request.”

  Daehyun smirks and rubs his chin as he looks at me up and down. “Those are certainly interesting conditions, but I’ll have to kindly refuse.”

  I protest. “What? I thought long and hard about this. I even decided to come here to accept your offer as long as you give me something in return. This is all I’m asking.”

  “I would like to modify your criterias.” He paces in front of me as he continues to inspect me. “I’ll let you visit Jongup, but only when I allow you. This is to ensure your safety now that people will know you belong to me.”

  “What? But-”

  He grabs the back of my neck and pulls me close to his face. His dark eyes pierce through mine. He his lips, giving me a glimpse of his fangs in the dim lighting. “Other vampires will be able to smell my pheromones on you and knowing that other vampires noticing your uniqueness, I can’t take the risk of letting you go off as you please.” He relaxes his grip on my neck and traces my hairline with his gloved hand, sending a shiver down my spine. “I won’t mark you like other Dolls. However, you will still do what Dolls are meant for, and there’s no other way around that.”

  I open my mouth to object. Becoming a Doll is definitely not on my agenda, mainly because I don’t want to be controlled and I don’t want my blood to be by this guy. But I close my mouth as I can see the desperation in Zelo’s eyes. Reluctantly, I complied. “Fine. You better promise me that I can see Jongup once in awhile, alright?”

  “Deal.” He releases me and walks up to his window on the left side of his bed. As he pulls the curtains, the soft glow of the Moon radiated on his skin. His eyes glisten. “Zelo, show him his room and let him settle. Dinner will be served soon and I want him dressed for the occasion.”

  “Yes, Master.” Zelo bows and steps outside. He shuts the door behind him and gesture towards the room right in front of Daehyun’s. “Your room will be here.”

  “Here?” I can’t believe he actually made my room across from his! He must be crazy! “Can’t I sleep somewhere else? I mean, I’m going to be seeing him nearly every hour at night, so why can’t I have my own freedom in a room far away from here. Where do you sleep?”

  “I sleep on the Eastern side of the mansion,” he replies with a blank expression. “The reason why he wants you near is because he wants to keep an eye on you.”

  “That’s just weird.”

  “Just a bit, but don’t think too much about it. He won’t enter your room unless you let him. Let’s get you ready for dinner.”

  We head inside the room. It’s as big as Daehyun’s with a king size bed, a bedside table, a dresser with a mirror, and single window facing the other side of the mansion. Zelo opens the window to let the Moonlight pass through and lights several candles.

  “Why does he like using candes?” I ask. The only place that had actual lights was the foyer.

  He shrugs. “To save energy, I guess? Or maybe it’s because he doesn’t want too much lighting. I don’t know. This place is usually dim except for the entrance, the ballroom, and the kitchen.” Zelo makes his way to the drawers and pulls out an outfit for me. As he lays them down on the bed, I’m in shock.

  “I have to wear this?” On my bed I find black dress pants and a black button up shirt. Honestly, I prefer wearing my oversized shirt and loose pants over this. This is too fancy when you’re living inside the Dome. Plus, all I’m doing is eating!

  “Yes. You have to be presentable.”

  I pick up the shirt and hold it in front of my face. I probably stand here for five minutes before making my move. I know I gave Zelo a hard time tonight, so I do my best to not refuse. “Fine.” I wait to see if he would leave. He doesn’t budge, so I pull my pants off and shimmy into the pants I’m given. Surprisingly, they fit nicely despite being random clothes from the drawers. I then throw my shirt off and quickly try to put on the button up shirt. I struggle to put it on considering all the buttons but managed in the end.

  “What happened to you?” He asks as I button my shirt.

  I look down where he’s staring. There’s a scar along my stomach from years ago. I trace the scar. “A vampire did this to me long ago.”

  Zelo’s eyes widen. “There’s vampires outside of the Dome?”

  “Yes. There’s not many, but they’re around.” I suddenly don’t want to talk anymore as a heavy feeling weighs down on me. A memory flashes, causing me to feel even more dread.

  I fix the collar of my shirt and spread my arms out. “How do I look?”

  “Good enough. Come now.”

  Good enough? That’s all he can say? I check myself to see if I missed a button or wrinkled anything, but I find none. I don’t know what he’s seeing, but I think I looked fine.

  Zelo leads me to the dining hall, and along the way I meet more of Daehyun’s servants. Each have their own unique nicknames and each have something good to say about their master. It makes it seem like it’s scripted, but their actions reveal their true colors. Just who is the real Jung Daehyun? Everything the servants tell me does not match what I have experienced. It’s strange.

  Daehyun is sitting at the end of the dining table at the other side of the entrance. There’s no one except him with a glass of blood and plates and silverware set out for me. I’m surprised that he’s already at the table, waiting for me, but at the same time I’m not. This seems like the typical Jung Daehyun I know. He appears everywhere I go.

  Zelo bows to both of us. “I will take my leave. Please enjoy the meal.”

  “You’re not joining?” Right when I ask the question, I know immediately how dumb it sounds.

  “A servant and a master cannot eat together.”

  I want to ask him why I’m able to eat with him, but I bite my tongue. I really shouldn’t give Zelo such a hard time since he’s been kind to me ever since I met him. I let him go and walk down the table to the seat reserved for me. Pulling out the chair, I can’t bring myself to look into Daehyun’s eyes.

  “My cook prepared something nice for you tonight. It’s roasted chicken, and it’s fresh from your human farms,” he announces. As if on cue, a servant brings in a plate of a full chicken while another follows behind to bring in mashed potatoes and green beans.

  My mouth waters at the sight, but I refuse to take a piece. “Don’t you think it’s unfair that I’m eating things like this while everyone else eats…” I stop. I don’t know what everyone else eats, actually.

  “What I serve everyone else has nothing to do with you. Please, go ahead and eat. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

  Part of me really wants a piece of that meat, but the other part of me is too stubborn to do what Daehyun tells me to do. It’s just, it’s been way too long since I had the taste of fresh meat. Not only that, but it looks like it’s been cooked to perfection. I give in to my greed and slice several pieces of chicken while grabbing a spoonful of mashed potatoes and green beans. With no care in world, I stuff it in my mouth and groan in delight. I nearly forgotten what chicken tasted like.

  As I’m halfway through my meal, Daehyun chuckles and I’m taken out of my trance. I’m in mid chew of my fourth slice of chicken and spoke, “What?”

  “You really are hungry, aren’t you?” He takes a sip from his drink. He crinkles his nose as the thick liquid touches his mouth and makes it’s way down his throat.

  I almost gag as I remember that red liquid is blood. I swallow my contents and wipe my mouth with a napkin. “Well, yeah. I haven’t had a meal like this since I got here at the Dome.” There’s a rush of embarrassment flooding through me. “I mean, if you hadn’t have your favorite type of blood, wouldn’t you have acted the same if you find it in front of you?”

  He raises his glass and swirls the contents. There’s a strange look in his eyes as he gazes at me and the grin he has widens. “Yes, yes I would.”

  I blush. My heart is beating fast at those simple gestures, and I don’t understand. What the hell is wrong with me? He’s clearly looking at me as a food source. I eat slower and finish what I have left on my plate, realizing I’m full.

  Seeing that I’m not grabbing anymore food, Daehyun interviews me, “When did you arrive here at the Dome?”

  “About a month ago.” I tap my fork on the plate just to hear the clink of metal against porcelain. “I found a job at the bank immediately and worked there ever since. My neighbors both farm. One has a cow farm while the other has a strawberry farm.”

  “Strawberry farm?” His eyes light up.

  “Yeah… He has a greenhouse to keep the strawberries alive. I hear he’s one of the few people who harvest fruits considering these long nights don’t suit many plants’ needs. Normally, we just get items shipped to us from the outside.”

  “I see.” He rubs his chin. “About that strawberry farm, how big is it?”

  “It’s not that big, but it’s enough to give him some profit to keep him alive. After all, people trade his jam for other things like blankets and such.”

  “So that’s how humans live in their town?”

  Why is he so curious about the way of life for humans? “Sort of. Where I live, we have it easy since we work, while other live in slums and end up becoming slaves for vampires. At least at the neighborhood I live in, vampires leave us alone for the most part unless they need blood cultured.”

  Daehyun says nothing and leans back on his chair. He sips at his glass, winces, and puts it down. “Tell me, what’s it like outside of the Dome?”

  I nearly choke on my water when he asks this question. I swallow what I can and place the cup down. “Outside the Dome?”

  He nods his head and leans towards me.

  “Well, I don’t know where to start. It’s definitely a lot different than here because there’s not a whole society of vampires roaming the place.” I force a chuckle. “And we definitely have longer days.” The image of my past comes back to me and I close my eyes. “I miss the warmth against my back, the sound of birds chirping to greet me in the morning, and the smell of blooming flowers in spring, but the thing I miss the most are the soft orange, pink, and yellow hues of the sunset.”

  This piques his interest. “I always wonder what the sunset looks like. Sometimes I would look out the window to see the Sunrise, but I know they’re just pixelated images created by you humans. What I’m mostly curious about is your flowers. What are they like?”

  “Flowers?” The image of a rose is the first thing in my mind. I pretend I the petals and sniff the sweet fragrance. “The flowers are beautiful. I remember my garden at the back of my house and find all sorts of colors greeting me in the morning. I even remember a single rose blooming among a dead rosebush.” That heavy feeling returns and I don’t want to say anything else. I stand from my seat. “Thank you for the meal. I will be going now.”

  “Wait.”

  My attention goes towards him and my heart skips a beat.

  His eyes are softer than usual and there is a kind smile plastered on his face. His voice his gentle as he says these two words, “Thank you.”

  I stiffen and I’m lost for words. Did he just say thank you to me? Just what is really going on in his mind? “You’re-you’re welcome,” I stutter and work my way out of the dining room. As I’m rushing up the stairs, I fist at my chest. My heart feels like it’s about the leap out of my chest. Why did he say those words to me? All I did was tell him what he wanted and nothing else. There’s nothing that special in my words, and it’s not like he hasn’t seen or felt some of the things I talked about because the people who created the Dome tried to make it as life-like as possible.

  I shake off my thoughts of him. Man, surely my first day here was eventful.

Author's Note:

  Yes, this is the longest chapter I've written so far. Honestly, I think this is one of my most successful story I've written because I kept the mystery (but I hope it's not too overwhelming) and I also got to write about the characters while revealing who they are based on their actions. I really am on a roll with this fanfic. Hope you liked it! 

  P.S. I didn't get a chance to edit it so excuse my grammar (Well, either way my grammar is a bit iffy sometimes).

With Love,

             LokiCraze123