Title: Safety Zone - one shot #2 - No Honesty 

Characters in this chapter - Shin Sekyung, Infinite's L, DMTN's Simon, f(x)'s Krystal, Boa, 2PM's Nickhun, Lee Hyori, 2PM's Taecyeon, Kahi, Song Seunghun, 2AM'sJinwoon, CN Blue's Yonghwa, Rain

Summary: Sekyung doesn't deal well with dishonesty. But that doesn't mean Myungsoo or Simon do. 

_

 

The sight of Myungsoo and Monster!Simon strangling each other was the last sight Sekyung remembered before she woke up. Blinking her eyes she got up wondering how she ended up in her bed. She was in her tank top and underwear, and cocooned underneath her warm comforter. Yesterday's events replayed over and over as she washed up, only to look at her clock and realize that she was up at 7am on a Saturday. Feeling oddly refreshed she pulled on a warm red sweater and dark skinny jeans. Sitting down at her desk she took out her homework. 

 

Perhaps yesterday was just a dream. Sekyung knew that she often dreamt of people she met during the day, like Myungsoo and Simon. It would make sense to have them in her dream, but not when it came to why they were about to kill each other. Shrugging the images aside she managed to get her notes typed up on her half-tablet half-laptop ultrabook. Starting on her statistics problems her thoughts kept going back to the image of Simon and Myungsoo. Shaking her head as if that would make the memories go to the back of her mind, she persevered on finishing up her homework. 

 

- Looking at questions 10-20 below, answer a) What are the independent and dependent variables? b) Is there a confounding variable? If so, what is it? 

 

Before Sekyung knew it she read the question as "Why did Simon and Myungsoo, who were independent variables,  strangling each other? Is there a confounding variable? Am I the confounding variable?" Realizing that trying to finish up her statistics homework would be futile until she found out the answers, she called up Simon. His phone went immediately to voicemail. Figuring that he was avoiding her calls she was angry until she checked the time. She called him at 7:30 am on Saturday morning of course he wouldn't pick up. No college student would answer at such an ungodly time unless they were just up for more partying or were busy emptying out their stomachs in an unpleasant manner. 

 

Figuring that trying to study on an empty stomach was the cause of all this distraction, she went to her kitchen. Opening her fridge she was mildly surprised to see her to-go box containing the yaki udon from the previous night. Putting the food in a bowl and reheating it, a knock on her door prevented her from getting her hot food out of the microwave. Curious as to who would be wanting to see her at this time of the day Sekyung looked into the peek hole. From the looks of what she could see it was a guy. Considering she wasn't close with all of her male classmates in her major and grade she opened the door. 

 

And it just had to be that Myungsoo was on the other side when she did. 

 

"U-Um hey! Myungsoo hey. What's up?" Forgetting that she wasn't in her pajamas Sekyung partially hid her body behind the door. 

 

"I was hoping if you wanted to do the history homework together. I noticed that you took notes whereas I didn't and I don't remember much about the actual lecture, just that the professor was moving his mouth." 

 

Myungsoo's charming statement earned a giggle and a nod from Sekyung as she allowed him inside. Taking out her yaki udon and a fork, Sekyung went to fetch her history notes and her laptop. They were to review the chapter and to write a post online answering a thought-provoking question that was to be at least 6-10 sentences long. 

 

Sekyung was typing up the last sentence to her post when she decided that she needed to find out the truth. 

 

"You know I had a dream about you last night." 

 

"You did? Oh my already? Don't tell me you've already fallen for my dark and mysterious charms." He was grinning and teasing her but she proceeded on with her answer as serious as her first statement. 

 

"It's normal for me to dream about people that I meet throughout the day, especially friends. The funny thing is my close friend Simon was in it too. In fact, you two were choking each other." Having submitted her post she looked him square in the eyes, awaiting what excuse he'd used to brush off her heavy words. 

 

7 hours earlier 

 

Myungsoo let out a frustrated sigh as he paced near the crackling fire place. He had to compel Sekyung, the mortal girl he had taken quite a liking to. He ignored his guard Soojung who was sitting on a couch, unamused at his childish antics. She would never publicly admit that the mortal Sekyung was pretty, probably prettier than her, but she consoled herself repeating in her head Just another mortal Just another mortal. She would never show Myungsoo how threatened she felt by his attraction and liking to this human because it would be a waste of emotion and time. But the fact that he was upset over compelling her would eat her up, burned her up with outraged curiosity and soul-breaking sorrow. 

 

"Your highness, why are you so bothered that you had to compel her? Would you rather have just let her be and have her deal with her pondering if she was insane or not? You have kept our species' secret and protected it by doing so, so please calm down my prince." 

 

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? It's not just the fact that I had to compel her. It's the fact that she watched the entire fight and interrupted not because of me, but because of HIM." 

 

Myungsoo threw a dart at the dartboard that had Prince Park Junho or Simon's picture on it. For both vampire and werewolf royal families, there is the king and the six princes in chronological order. Should the king die via assassination, poisoning, in battle, or other ways the second prince will take his place, and so forth. As the youngest prince Myungsoo was prone to bratty temper tantrums. The cause of them was usually the werewolf sixth prince Simon. 

 

Due to the numbers the second, third, fourth, and fifth princes have been raised with a rivalry for their opposite. However that doesn't mean the rivalries will always carry on. Both the current second-in-line princes have created quite a ruckus for their amicable and polite friendship. Each of the royals have their own personal guard. Some are assigned one and others have ended up choosing their own. For Prince Myungsoo he was assigned Soojung due to his stubborn refusal to select one. 

 

What Myungsoo hated was that he was hoping to get a male guard because he wanted a friend like his older brothers. Instead he ended up being the only prince with a female guard. Despite the fact that she was trained in special techniques that even the other guards did not know, Myungsoo just wanted a friend, a confidant, another male to be his companion. A male who would understand better. A companion who wasn't so calm, composed, and boring all the time. Someone who seemed more alive and emotional rather than dull and stoic. 

 

"Ok I'm calmer now. What am I supposed to say when she asks about what she saw? When I compelled her I only put her to sleep, I couldn't erase her memories." 

 

He was hoping to see some sort of reaction but he knew that she had kept track of his other vampire skills, that they weren't as advanced as his older brothers'. 

 

"Just tell her it's a dream. It is quite possible to have such vivid dreams. I have them quite often and they usually contain you in them." Myungsoo never knew this about her. She was usually quiet, she never revealed much details on her personal life or herself in general. This piqued his interest. 

 

"Really? What am I doing in your dreams?" Drawing closer to her he used his index finger to lift her head up by her chin. When she was with him she always had her head down, as instructed to guards assigned to Royals like him. Looking into her large blue eyes he remembered that she is actually quite beautiful. It's a shame she always has her head down, her face hidden by her long hair. 

 

"Endangering yourself and as always, I am unable to protect you, Your Majesty." 

 

Pulling away from his touch, a thing he didn't share with her often, she berated herself internally. Krystal wish she hadn't mentioned that she dreamt of him because when she did, they were often nightmares. Her worst fear, her failing to protect him, her failing to keep him safe, the possibility of such a deed haunted her often. Myungsoo said nothing in return but the way he was looking at her confused her. He never looked at her for more than 5 seconds unless he was giving her one order after another. Among the princes and their relationship with their guards Myungsoo and Krystal were famous for not getting along. 

 

"Fine. I'll just blatantly lie to her. It doesn't seem like Simon has told her so I won't either." 

 

Letting out an annoyed sigh he went up to his room. Silently following behind Krystal kept her head down, staring at the floor. The princes and their guards often slept in the same room to ensure maximum safety. Stretching out his arms Krystal ed his shirt and took it off for him, and did the same for the rest of his clothing. Having been trained to be his guard since she was assigned to him, Krystal knew of his daily routines and from the beginning she was also ordered to take the place of his personal maid. 

 

Going to his large walk-in closet she fetched his pajamas only to see that he had fallen asleep on his bed already. Watching with longing eyes she gently lifted his head so it would rest on a pillow, and pulled up the blankets to cover up his bare upper torso. Not wanting to dream another dream where Myungsoo died, Krystal stayed by his side, watching over him as she waited for the sun to rise. 

 

Right Now

 

"Who? Who's Simon? I don't know anyone by the name of Simon. I just transferred so I don't really know that many people here yet. Sounds like you have some crazy dreams though." 

 

He was lying to her face and they both knew it. Myungsoo just decided to not tell her any details about what she saw the previous night. Before Sekyung could decide when to ask Simon, Myungsoo started a conversation with her. 

 

"So do you have any siblings?" 

"Huh? Oh no, I'm an only child. I grew up being the spoiled only child." 

 

Chuckling as she sarcastically answered him, her smile broke down a bit to see that Myungsoo was staring at her for a bit too long. 

 

"What about you Myungsoo? Do you have any?" 

"Yeah I'm the youngest of five boys and one sister so I was never that lonely." 

 

Another lie Myungsoo thought. As soon as one of his older sibling got a guard, they would stop playing with him and would instead hang out with their new companion. Eventually there was a point where he was all by himself, disappointed and jealous to see the other vampires in the coven finding guards and mates. 

 

They kept up the small talk and soon got to find out about each other's childhoods, what foods they like and don't like, and fond memories with friends and family. It was lunch time when Myungsoo asked her if she wanted to eat lunch together. Taking up the offer they left her dorm in Myungsoo's car. It would be a lie if Sekyung said that she didn't enjoy his attention. She wasn't sure what made her stand out from her other pretty classmates who at this very moment were probably talking behind her back, but oh well he initiated the conversing, not her. 

 

They shared more small talk when Myungsoo got a call. From the way his expression quickly went from bright and happy to annoyed and frustrated she could tell something was wrong. He apologized, that he had to attend to a meeting that he forgot about. Taking her back to her dorm she told him it was fine. For her sure it would be fine she could eat lunch with him another day. But for him it was another problem another issue that he didn't care about or be involved in. 

 

Ignoring the way that his guard Soojung was immediately by his side he let out a sigh as he sat down in his seat. From what he could tell his other siblings have not arrived yet. His older cousin Boa was and by her side was her own guard Nickhun. She found him while traveling in Thailand, having gotten very injured after failing to save his family from a deadly rogue tiger. She saved him by turning him and ever since he has never been away from her side. Playing with his fingers and enjoying the way their fingers fit so well filling up the empty spaces in each other's hands Boa looked up and smirked. 

 

"Aw is the baby having a fit? Is he angwy that he had to have his toy taken away for the day?" Taunting him was a thing she tended to do and for a reason. As the youngest Royal Myungsoo had grown spoiled and their relationship wasn't the best. 

 

"Aw shut up noona. And get a room will you. Everyone knows that yours isn't as sound-proof as it should be anyway." Boa's crooked grin was immediately swiped from her face and was replaced with a glare. 

 

"Well maybe if you slept with Soojung here she'd be able to take care of that temper of yours, everyone knows YOU haven't had any recently." Unable to think of a witty comeback and with his older siblings arriving with their own personal guards, he ignored her haughty disposition and focused on his eldest brother. 

 

"I called for a family meeting because in light of recent events, there has been… unsettling accusations against us, against this household and all the others. Lately in our area more innocent mortals have gone missing. Both university students and locals in the area have been targeted. The news and mortals suspect a serial killer, but the werewolves have suspected it's our doing, that our blood supplies have run low." The way Seunghun talked captured the attention of Kahi his mate, Boa, Nickhun, Hyori, her guard Taecyeon, Myungsoo and Krystal. 

 

"We all know that it's the mongrels' doing. They would rather just point claws at us than admit it." Myungsoo chimed up, his eyes close to boring a hole in the wooden round table they have gathered at. 

 

"Actually I have talked to Prince Jihoon and he assures me that they have no involvement in this. He has talked to the other princes and all of the others have suspected that it was our own doing. That it was some of our numbers who have been doing such an uncivilized thing." Seunghun stared at Boa, Hyori, and Myungsoo, all of whom who refused to look him in the eyes. He knew of the fight that happened between Myungsoo and Simon, and that a mortal that knew them both had witnessed it. As Myungsoo's elders Boa and Hyori should have ordered him to not go and do such a thing but both were too preoccupied with their own "hunting trips" that they didn't. But what bothered him most was that a mortal witnessed it, and she had to be compelled. 

 

"So what do you suggest we do love?" Kahi's soothing voice broke the tension and prolonged silence. He softened at her question. Whenever Seunghun got upset, it was Kahi who could always make him calm down and come back to logical thinking. 

 

"I suggest that we start having patrols around town at night. I have already talked it over with the other princes, and they have decided to join us here. By the end of this week Prince Jaejoong, Prince Seunghyun, and Prince Jonghyun will stay in this household along with their guards. The three princes are responsible for investigating, if it really is those of our side or the werewolves' who are causing this chaos. Myungsoo and Hyori will be responsible for patrolling at the university. Boa will be in charge of patrolling the town with the other princes." The other Royals let out annoyed sighs and started to talk about their personal lives outside of the household and aside from being vampire Royals. As a student and a teacher's assistant respectively it made sense for Myungsoo and Hyori to be placed at the university; Boa on the other hand was a free spirit and hated being told what to do. Her power of clairvoyance wasn't unpredictable as it is she didn't need to be tied down somewhere. Soon everyone was yelling but were silenced by the sound of Seunghun's punch, cracks spreading across the ancient table. He had never done such a deed before for he was usually patient and very humane. That's why he was a doctor and renowned researcher in the field of pathology and blood, as well as the COO of several of their biomedical companies. 

 

"Everyone will do their job and do their best to cooperate with the other Princes, understand?" Boa, Hyori, and Myungsoo nodded reluctantly. Getting up and leaving to their respective rooms Myungsoo shut the door rudely in front of Krystal's face as the other two Royals were joined by their guards. Seunghun gave Krystal a sympathetic look while Kahi gave her a kind pat on the shoulder as she quietly reopened the door and entered the room. 

_

 

Simon on the other hand was restless as he sat in his lecture. Sitting by his side Jinwoon observed the agitated Prince. Jinwoon knew of the feelings Simon had for Sekyung but last night's events had given the mortal girl a glimpse of a world that she wasn't supposed to know about. Simon had made it clear that she was to never hear a single thing about them being werewolf royalty. Simon even ordered Jinwoon to call him Hyung instead of the usual "your highness", "your majesty", "my prince", etc. 

 

"Hyung, please calm down. We'll be attending the family meeting after class and I'm sure Prince Rain will be able to help us out." Jinwoon wrote on a piece of notebook paper and handed to Simon. Letting out a sigh he nodded and proceeded to writing down notes again for the rest of the lecture. As they were leaving Simon got a text from Sekyung. As Jinwoon drove them back he continued to text her, a smile on his lips as he did so. It dropped when she mentioned to him that she had a dream about him and Myungsoo:  

 

SK: Do you know Myungsoo? Because in my dream you did... 

 

SM: No I don't. Never heard of him before. So how was your morning?

 

SK: I studied with him this morning. It was nice :P

 

Letting out an empty chuckle he told her that he had to talk to her later as they walked into the official meeting. Looking at the other princes Yunho, Kangin, and Yonghwa and their guards he immediately paid his attention to his eldest brother and head of the pack, Rain. 

 

"I have gathered you all here because of what is happening. Someone is killing off the locals and university students here, all of the bodies missing. From our previous conversations each of you have assured me that it was none of your men who have done such a deed. I have talked with Prince Seunghun and he also has assured me that it was none on their side." 

 

"But you can't trust those vile leeches Hyung!" Yonghwa blurted out, the other princes agreeing. 

 

"I trust Prince Seunghun's word and he mine. I expect you to interrogate all of your men and find out as much as you can. The vampires have agreed to patrol during the night and we will do so during the day. I expect nothing but cooperation with them or there WILL be consequences." Unlike Seunghun, Prince Jihoon or Rain was a bit more forceful and intimidating, he wasn't one to tolerate disobedience or back talk. The others nodded and agreed. Simon personally admired his eldest brother who had been groomed to take the throne ever since he could remember. Unlike the vampire virus the werewolf gene could only exist in males, for every female born died before they could reach childhood. It was also impossible to turn females for they could not survive through the first transformation or endure to have the werewolf venom in their blood stream. So instead they took human women as their mates to pass on the bloodline. 

 

After Simon was born he heard many stories of Rain out in the battlefield centuries ago, that he used to be the most fearsome warrior. He would make the field "rain" with blood wherever he went, merciless to those against him. Probably why he did so well during the Korean War. Walking up to his room he took out his homework and proceeded to study for the three exams he had. Hopefully he could focus on all of the material long enough to pass. But it would be hard when all of the vampire and werewolf princes were in one place. Something nagged at his gut feeling, that there was someone behind the scene and this would only result in war. 

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A/N: Hello! For those who are reading I wrote out a bunch of chapters a long time ago but the inspiration died before I could write out everything that I wanted. I know pace wise it's not that great but please leave any comments - compliments (are always welcome~) constructive criticism, grammar errors, etc. Please comment it gives me hope & encouragement to continue this series!!