N relaxed the second he opened his eyes and say the living room, filled with his friends. Looking around, he found Suji, Hongbin, Nara, and Jiwook sitting around and Bora standing where her statue had been, brushing dust out of her hair and off her clothing. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, especially when the portal closed behind him seconds later.

As N walked over to Bora, he felt his strength returning. It felt nice to have that power back, to feel everything as strongly as he had before Bora and her siblings had been sealed away. It felt normal, like things were finally right again.

“Mother,” Bora said, turning to the witch who’d made it all possible.

“Bora,” Mihyun smiled holding her arms open as if expecting a hug from her children. Bora, Suji and Jiwook exchanged looks before slowly making their way over to the woman and giving her a hug.

“Thank you, mother,” Bora said, her tone betraying the confusion of emotions she was feeling.

“I love you, my children,” Mihyun smiled brightly.

“We love you as well, mother,” Suji spoke up, causing the witch’s smile to grow.

Everyone watched as Mihyun suddenly dropped to the ground. Bora made a move to catch her before realizing what had happened. Mihyun was dead. For good this time. Bora never imagined that she’d actually feel remorseful over that news. Silently, those in the room watched as Mihyun’s body finally started to decay, the twelve thousand years finally taking effect, until she was nothing more than a pile of dust.

“Goodbye, mother,” Bora whispered, just loud enough to be heard.

--

Three days had passed since the seal had been broken. Bora stood in the living room, surrounded by her vampire family who were waiting for her to talk. Taking a deep breath, glancing at her mother’s urn on the mantel as if hoping that it would give her the strength she needed, Bora turned to face everyone.

“I’m sorry,” she began, “my foolish, stupid actions caused you all a great deal of trouble and I’m very sorry that I dragged you all into this mess.”

“We’re used to it,” Ravi laughed from his seat on the couch, “you’ve gotten yourself into worse messes before that we’ve had to get you out of anyway.”

“And it wasn’t that much trouble,” Ken smiled, “not if it meant getting you, Jiwook and Suji back.”

“I’m not done,” Bora frowned, “I’m also sorry for not always telling you everything.” Leo interrupted her before she could get much farther.

“If we had that much of a problem with how you run things,” he shrugged, “we would have left you a long time ago. Don’t act like we didn’t know what you were doing, or why you were doing it.”

“I’m still sorry,” she muttered. She’d had a whole speech planned out, but apparently she didn’t need it.

“Just stop doing that and we’ll be fine,” Leo smirked slightly.

“Yes,” Bora nodded, “no more hiding, no more controlling.”

She’d been gifted a second chance thanks to her mother. She’d be damned if she wasn’t going to use this chance to change her life for the better.

--

That night found Bora sitting on the back porch, looking up and the night sky. It amazed her how the night sky never lost that element of amazement, beauty, and wonder. Even after twelve thousand years, she was still amazed by how beautiful it was.

“I thought I’d find you out here,” N called, coming outside to join her.

“I figured you’d end up joining me,” she replied with a small smile, “truthfully I’m more surprised it took you so long. Ever since I got back you haven’t stopped checking up on me once.”

“Just trying to reassure myself that you’re still here,” he shrugged, sitting down beside her.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she laughed, “I promise. If I was, then I’d have told all of you at dinner. No more secrets, remember?”

“Right,” he nodded, “no more secrets.”

“This feels like a fresh start,” she smiled eyes returning to the night sky above them, “a new beginning.”

“That’s because you’ve come back from the dead,” N replied, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

She laughed, something that had been happening a lot more now, and said he might be right about that. N smiled to himself, happy to see her so happy. If someone had told him last year that Bora would be wearing a small smile almost twenty four seven every day now, he’d have laughed in their face and called them crazy. But now that was exactly what was happening. He was beyond please with this change.

“I love you,” Bora said suddenly.

“What?” he blinked. Had he heard her right? She loved him? Sure her mother had told him as much when she’d been helping bring the originals back, but he hadn’t really believed it. He’d hoped the witch was right, but he hadn’t let himself hope too much, telling himself that the only one who knew Bora’s feeling was Bora herself.

“I realized that on the other side,” she explained, turning to face him, “amazing the realizations you have after you die. Or get sealed away in stone.”

“You love me?” N asked, still unable to believe that the object of his affections for over a thousand years actually loved him back.

“Yes,” she nodded, “I love you, Hakyeon.”

“I love you, too,” he smiled, pulling her against him and hugging her tightly. Later, he’d kiss her, but for right now he was happy to just have her in his arms with the knowledge that her heart belonged to him. All that cute couples stuff could come later.

A/N: and that’s it. This story is done. And I’m trying not to cry a little because it’s done. Thank you so much to all of my subscribers, people who left comments, and people who upvoted this story. It means the world to me. And for all those interested, I’m going to be starting another supernatural story that features VIXX and EXO very soon (yes, all I do is write *attempts to look ashamed that all I do with my life is write*). The foreword & cast is already posted, so check the link below if you’re interested. Again, everyone, it’s been a pleasure having all of you as readers

http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/674343/dark-lake-academy-vixx