“Oh?! Miss?! Are you alright?!” – I feel someone holds my arm.
“Miss?! You… You are cold. Are you okay?!” – Cold? Did he just mention COLD?! DAMN!
“Oh, I’m okay. Thank yo-u” – I see a fine young man holding my arms tightly with a concern face. DHEG!

(Hmm?! Did my heart just skip a beat?! How… HOW?!)

“Are you really okay?! Your face looks pale too. I think you are sick. You really look not good right now” – He keeps worrying about me.
“(Yeah, I’m just thirsty. That’s all) I swear I’m okay. Thanks for your concern, sir” – I let his hand go from my arm.

I walk casually just like normal person. I don’t want him to find out what I am. I just need to find my ‘prey’ and go back to my place. But I didn’t find anything for an hour and my body started to become weak. I think that man found me when I’m about to pass-out. It kills me when I’m thirsty. I really need to find a criminal now. I have to drink. I HAVE TO.

Badly, that man is following me around. He is calling me and asking me how I feel since he is unsure if I’m really okay. That time, I see a teenager being robbed by someone. GOT IT! I need to catch him! I run to that robber and ‘attack’ him with my fangs. Finally!! I feel really good. But then something hit me. Did the man earlier see that?! I turn my head and look behind. No one is there. What a relief.

“MISS?! MISS?!” – What?! He runs after me?! Really?!

I get up while bringing the robbed backpack. I walk to find the teenager earlier after cleaning up some blood on my shirt. I give her the backpack and she thanked me. I smile to her and tell her to be more careful at night. When she departed, I turn back and get shocked. The man earlier, he is there. We make an eye contact and once again I can feel that my heart skips a beat. How can that possibly happen?! I don’t have even a single heartbeat again after that accident. I’m not human anymore. I’m a monster. But how… it can skip a beat again?!

Suddenly, I feel weak again. I fall to the ground. I feel dizzy. What happened?! He runs to me.

“Miss?! Are you o—“ – That time, I pass out. I can’t hear his voice again.

(A couple of hours later)

I open my eyes. Where I am?! The bed feels comfy. I never had this kind of bed before. And what is this smell?! Smell good. It’s definitely not my room. Yes. This is not my home. WHAT?! I get up from the bed just to find a colorful bedroom and it’s so bright from the sun’s light that comes in through the window. The sun’s beam burns me. NO!! I need to close that window!!  I run to the window and pull the curtain.

“Good morning! Do you feel better?!” – Someone comes in without a knock. He startled me a bit. That man again. He brings a glass of milk and some breads.
“Ye-yeah, I guess. What happened to me?” – I ask him.
“You fainted. I don’t know where you live so I brought you here, to my flat. Last night, you have a cold. I was worried to death but then, your cold slowly gone”
“My… cold… slowly… gone?! (How is that even possible?!)” – I ask again in a low voice while checking my skin temperature. It’s still cold. Or… It has been back to cold.

It seems like he didn’t hear my question. He is looking at the window with a confused face painted on him. He wants to open the curtain but then, I hold his hand and shake my head.

“I don’t like sun” – I say while smiling.
“You’re cold again” – He answers.
“That’s okay. It happens when I’m nervous or scared” – I lie and it seems that he bought that.
“I’m Niel, by the way. What is your name?” – He sits on the bed while giving me the milk.
“I… I’m Minsae. Thank you, Niel-ssi” – I take the milk and drink it. Yuck! I don’t like milk at all. The taste is so different then and now. But I have to drink it no matter what happen. He mustn’t find out what I am.

“Niel-ssi…”
“Yes?!”
“Can I go home at night?! You know I hate sun”
“Uhh… Well… Sure, Minsae. I’m going to have a class this morning and will be back at night after work. Guess we won’t meet again. So, when you leave, make sure you left the key under the mat outside, okay” – He smiles. It makes my heart skips another beats. His smile is so pretty. “But are you sure that you’re okay now?!” – He takes a step closer to me and puts his hand on my temple and once again I can feel my heart is starting to work again. “Wow. You’re a lot better now. You don’t have cold anymore. But, here is my number. Call me when you are feeling not good, okay?! Take care, Minsae-ssi” – He hugs me. This time, I feel that my blood is starting to flow through my body. I look at the mirror across me. My cheek is going back to be pink.

He is going to his class then. I’m alone at his house. What should I do while waiting for night to come. I explore his flat. He is a neat person. Everything is stacked neatly. I smile while exploring his things. There’s a picture of him when he was a child. He looked adorable.

I end my ‘tour’ and sit in the living room. I had this kind of flat once. I miss my flat. I bet someone has taken the flat after that accident. I remember how I spent my times in that flat with my friends, family and even my late boyfriend. Yeah, he is gone. We were in the same accident 3 years ago but I survived. I survive but don’t feel like it at all. Someone took my body when I’m dying. He transforms me into a monster and claimed me as his mate. I believe he is looking for me right now. The picture of my boyfriend dying is still hanging on my head. I cry. I miss him so much. I miss him.

(In a dream)

“Minsae. Han Minsae”
“Jihyuk oppa!! Oppa I miss you!!” – I run to him and hug him tightly.
“I miss you too, Minsae. I miss you so much. I tried to come to your dream but you can’t have a dream anymore”
“Ehh?? But… I’m drea— Wait a minute!! I’m dreaming!! I have a dream now!! After 3 years I never sleep, I… How can…”
“That man, he changes you back”
“What do you mean oppa?!”
“Don’t ever go back to that man who changed you to vampire. The man last night, I believe he can make you back into a human. You two are meant to be. Believe me. His warmth will bring you back to your own-self”
“Oppa… Don’t talk non-sense”
“Trust me. He can heal you. He can break the curse on you. You deserve to be happy and not with that monster”
“But…”
“That’s all I want to say. Goodbye, Minsae”

“OPPA!” – I open my eyes.  

Strange. I believe I never have a sleep after he transformed me to vampire. But I just slept not only now but also last night. And more, I got a dream too. Not to mention, I also feel my heart is started to work again sometimes. When he hugged me, it feels like my all systems are back to work again. My cold body isn’t there anymore. Well, it’s back though. If Jihyuk oppa told the truth, it means that Niel is the one who makes my systems work normal again.

Should I trust him?! But I’m scared of that monster who changed me into vampire. Inside my heart, I don’t want to live like this again. I want to be back normal.

“You haven’t gone?!” – I hear Niel’s soothe voice.
“Niel-ssi!!” – I run to him and hug him. It’s true. Whenever I make a physical contact with him, I feel like I’m back to be the original me. “No. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to go home” – I cry.
“Hey… Sshh… You can tell me why you don’t want to go home. I’m here” – He pats my head and my hair. DHEG DHEG DHEG DHEG! Couple of beats and my skin slowly is going back from pale to normal.

He leads me to sit on the couch in the living room. He even gets me a glass of water just to make me calm down after crying. He pats my back and then he stares deep into my eyes.

“Now, what do you want to tell me?! Ahh… The reason why you don’t want to go home, right?! What is it?”
“First of all, I want to tell you my secret. I hope you won’t frightened by me later”
“Hmm…?!”
“Last night. You saw me ran after the robber right?!”
“Yes. You were too fast. I couldn’t follow you”
“I killed him”
“WHAT?! Is that the reason why you do—“
“I killed him with this” – I cut him and show him my fangs. He looks shock and frightened.
“Mi… Minsae-ssi… It’s not funny!!”
“I’m not joking right now. This is what I am. My cold body doesn’t explain it??”
“B—But”
“I only kill criminals and I only hunt a day per week. But if I don’t find any, I can attack anyone when I feel like I’m dying just like what you saw last night. You found me when I was about to pass-out because I’m thirsty. I’m sorry”
“Then… How… You can be like… this?!”
“3 years ago, I was riding a car with my late boyfriend to a beach. We had a date there. On the way back, our car hit a truck. My boyfriend died and I was dying. When the people there were busy calling an ambulance, a man took me away. He knew that I was dying and then, he transformed me into this monster, just like him. He gave me his venoms and I live once again as a vampire. Not long after that, he claimed me as his mate. I refused but he was so stubborn. He made me live with him and I suffer from thirstiness. I don’t like to live like this. But then, you appeared. I know this is crazy but believe me, I feel my heart is beating again and I can feel my blood is flowing through my body again. I never slept for 3 years but last night, I slept. My cold body faded away, back to warm even just only for a short time”

He doesn’t reply my story. He just sits there with closed eyes. It looks like he is thinking about something. Then, he opens his eyes and looks at me. He smiles.

“You must be crazy. There’s no vampire exist in this world, Minsae-ssi. I think you have to leave. You’ll be okay” – He walks to the front door and opens it.
“You don’t believe me. I get it. Okay, I guess I have to go back to my ‘creator’ and live my whole life as a monster. Thank you for your kindness last night, Niel-ssi” – I walk to the front door. “I thought I could have another chance to be me again with your help” – I smile to him and finally go out from his flat.

I take a walk for a moment around that area. I don’t feel cold since my body is already cold. Then, I meet him. He looks messy. I know that he’s looking for me.

“Where have you been?”
“Just walking here and there”
“Now, let’s go home?” – He holds my hand.
“Okay…”

He holds my hand tightly. I can feel there’s no beat from my heart. My skin is back to pale. Goodbye, my normal life.

(A week later)

I just finished my hunting and get ready to get up after laying my prey on the ground. I get up and turn back just to find a pair of eyes looks at me. Niel. What is he doing here? I walk passed him after giving him a fainted smile.

“You… told the truth” – I stop when he says that. “You are… va—“
“I am” – I continue to walk when I suddenly got pulled by him.
“Sorry for not believing you. I… I… got a dr—“
“Let me go. Someone is waiting for me”
“No. Let me help you. I’ll help you to be back as you again. I saw the look on your face when you killed that . You don’t enjoying it at all. You hate it, don’t you?! Then let me help you”
“Are you sure?! I think I heard you said that you don’t believe me”
“I believe you now! Let me help you, Minsae-ssi! That’s why I’m waiting for you here to get some proofs and you’re telling the truth” – Somehow, it makes me touched. It means that he wanted to believe me but he couldn’t because there’s not enough proves and he deliberately waiting for me here just to get the proves.

By that, he brings me back to his flat. We didn’t know that he holds my hand during the walk and it makes my heart works normally again even though it is just a fainted beat. When he lets my hand go, it stops working.

He really does what he promises. He helps me to get my old me back. At first, he always makes a physical contact to me like holding hands, hugging, patting my head or back, my hair or back and slowly he doesn’t use them anymore. He does all of that while talking to me or even when we are joking around. We live just like usual people live and I love it.

Niel also teaches me how to live like normal people. He even prepares human’s foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But sometimes, I want to drink blood. Niel gave his blood to me so that I don’t have to hunt. No, I don’t bite him. He stocked it before so I drink it from a cup. Honestly, his blood is really something. His blood is the sweetest thing I ever try and somehow, it turns me on. Drinking his blood makes me want him so bad. It never happened before.

Little did we know, both of us attracted to each other. I slowly fall in love with him. His warmth against me melts my heart as I can feel love again. Niel is so gentle. He understands what I need. He is always there whenever I have a bad-dream about my late boyfriend or the monster. He hugs me tightly when we sleep so that I can have no nightmares anymore and before sleep, he will always peck my temple. Niel also likes to do sweet things towards me like he always brings flower home for me or he cooks for me.

One night, Niel asks me if he can bring me somewhere. I really want to go out at night but I tell him that I can’t because I’m scared if someday the monster finds me and drags me back to be his mate. Well, I know that he must be looking for me right now. He understands and he suddenly on his knees. He holds my hand and asks me if I want to be his girlfriend. I say yes with joy and he kisses me on my lips. That time, I feel that my heart has worked completely fine.

Step by step, I change. My skin is now back to normal. No more cold body as I have returned to be warmer than ever. I can stand under the sun again. Jihyuk oppa is right. This is the life I wanted and Niel is the one who gave it back to me. I’m so thankful that I met him that night.

(5 Months Later)

“You have changed a lot”
“Yes, thanks to you, Niel” – I peck his lumpy lips.

We are having a date at a park near Niel’s work place since it’s his break-time. I bring him his lunch. It’s day time and I feel glad that I can feel the summer breeze again. This is life. While having a lunch with him, I suddenly feel strange. It feels like someone is peeking through us.

After finishing his meals, Niel is going back to his office while I’m going to go back to our flat. During the way back, I feel unsecure. I’m sure someone is following me. I turn my head behind and I see nothing - Well, just a bunch of people walking and some transportations like cars, motorcycle, taxi and bus.

When I finally safely reached home, the feeling of scared has gone away. I sit in the living room and look at my ring finger. Niel has given me this ring as he proposed me to be his wife a month ago. I smile to think that I will have my own family after what happened to me these 3 years.

I spend my time to cook for Niel and then sleep. After a couple of hours taking a nap, I take a bath as Niel is going to be home soon. Once again, I feel something strange. It looks like someone is watching over our flat. But I just shrugged it off.

“I’m home, jagiya~” – Niel’s voice can be heard when I just finished showering.

I walk out from the bedroom after dressing up. He sits on the couch while watching TV. He throws a smile to me as I approach him at the living room. I hug him and he pecks my cheek.

“I miss you” – Niel cuddles to me.
“We just met this afternoon, Niel. Don’t be such a baby” – I pat his back and his golden brown hair while smiling. He laughs as he looks at my eyes.
“I love you” – He kisses my lips. “Noona” –He sticks his tongue out.
“YA!!” – I lightly hit his chest. Then, he holds my hand.
“You are a lot warmer now. You are finally back. You’re not a monster again. Look at those dishes you have made. You are the best cook ever. I don’t know that you are such a quick learner. You haven’t back completely but you can make such a good food. I’m glad that I’m the one who help you” – He smiles as he my hair.

“SORRY TO SPOILED THE FUN!” – I hear a scary voice that I scared the most. He is standing in front of the window. Niel protects me by hiding me behind his tall figure. I tremble hard. So this is the weird feeling about I feel today. He knows. He follows me. He finds me.

“Who are you?!” – Niel gives him a death stare. I never hear this kind of his voice. It’s so low and scary.
“You steal her from me! Give her back to me right now!!”
“NO!! She’s mine now!! I would never give her back to a monster like you!!! NEVER!!!”
“WHAT?! DIE THEN!!” – He runs to Niel and chokes him. I’m scared to lose Niel so I hold his wrist and try to let his hand go from Niel’s neck.
“DAEHO-SSI, DON’T HURT HIM!! TAKE ME!!”
“N—No! P—pl—ease! Min—sae! Don’t!” – Niel tries to beg me. “C—Can’t you s—see that she’s ha—happy right n—now?! You can’t gi—give that ha—happiness to her!! NE—VER! D—Don’t you see t—that she wa—wants to live li—ke a no—normal person?!”

After hearing that, the monster lets his hand go from Niel’s neck. He looks at me that is crying on the ground, still holding his wrist tightly. His eyes look sad. He bends down and he touches my face. Cold. I look into his red eyes. The eyes he used to see through into me. I’m totally scared even though his eyes look sad.

“You’re warm” – He holds my arms.
“Your lips look red” – He touches my lips.
“Your cheek is pink” – He touches my cheek.
“Your heart is beating again” – He puts his hand on my chest.
“Your skin is back normal” – He touches my palms.
“Just like when I met you for the first time at that park” – His voice trembles. I look at him in confused. Park? When did I meet him?

“What did you say?! At park?! Which park and when?!” – I ask him.
“4 years ago, when I was hunting for my food around your apartment, you were there with your friends and I saw you. You’re so stunning in my eyes and from that day, I always followed you everywhere. And that night, a year after, I saw your car hit a truck, I took you away. You’re not dying. You are completely fine”

“WHAT?!”
“You heard me. You were fine. Your boyfriend threw himself to save you. You fainted and your boyfriend died. I took the chance to take you away. It’s actually forbidden for a vampire to transform someone fine into vampire but I did it because I want you so badly. I gave you my venom. For someone who is dying, when a vampire gives his/ her venom, that person will completely become a full vampire like me. But your case is different. You were half-half because you’re not dying. That’s why you can go back to your old self easily just by falling in love with a human. I’m so sorry”

I give him a big slap on his face when he says that. I cry. I thought I was dying at that time and it turned out to be that I was just faint. All these 3 years I lived in a lie. I feel so stupid. Niel crawls to me and he hugs me tightly. He pats my back despite of his bad condition after the monster choked him.

“I’m so sorry but I can’t give you to this human!!” – The monster pulls me easily from Niel’s embrace. “NEVER!!! If you can’t be mine, then no one else can have you!! NO ONE!!!” – He jumps from the window, bringing me on his arms.
“NIEEELLLL!!!” – I scream.
“MINSAEEE!!!!” – I see Niel run to the window and see me kidnapped by the monster.

The monster lets me go from his embrace and I fall down alone in fast motion while he smiles to me. I hit the ground really hard. I believe my head hit the sidewalk really hard that I feel nothing but everything go black in an instant. My breath becomes unstable. My heart is slowly hard to have a beat. My tears are flowing through my face.

I feel an existence of someone beside me. When he touches me, I know it’s time. He will turn me into vampire for forever since I’m dying.

“Ni—Niel. Niel. Niel. Nie—el. Niel” – I cry out his name.
“Stop calling his name!! Please, I beg you” – The monster sounds sad.
“Niel… Niel… I love you, Niel. I love you”
“Minsae!! Stop!!”
“Niel…”
“Sorry……” – He bites me with his fangs after saying that.

“AAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH~~~!!!! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME???” – I scream as I feel an extreme pain hit my chest, no, my heart. All of my body is stiff. My breath is almost done.

“Sorry. As I say before, if I can’t have you, neither him can. I didn’t give you my venom. I just bite you to kill you, Minsae. If you’re still alive, even though you are a vampire, you two still can meet each other. No. I can’t let that happen. It’s better to have you die and none of us will fight each other just to get your love” – He says as he laughs.

 BUGH! I hear someone punches the monster’s face. It must be Niel.

“NO!! NO!! MINSAE!!”
“Niel?”
“Yes, it’s me! Open your eyes, Minsae!! Look! I’m here!! Please…” – Niel is crying while my face.
“Niel… I love you” – I give out my last breath.

(Author’s POV)

Minsae has her last breath on Niel’s embrace. The monster laughs really hard. Niel is crying out-loud. Niel is hugging the ‘sleeping’ Minsae tightly. Then suddenly Niel grabs the monster’s collar. His eyes send out angriness. He’s now in rage.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!” – Niel punches the monster’s face again. This time, he punches many times.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! NOW WE ARE EVEN!!! I can’t have her, so do you”
“BASTARD!!! WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
“I KILLED HER!!! I. KILLED. HER!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!”
“YOU CRAZY BASTARD!!!!” – Niel screams as he punches the monster hard.

The next thing Niel does, he smiles to the monster and sticks the monster’s fangs into his own neck.

“I will have her. You won’t. You can’t. You don’t” – Niel smirks. He screams as the poison from the monster’s fangs spread all over his body. The monster is shock by what Niel just did and said. He sits there in disbelief.

Niel crawls slowly to Minsae’s cold body. He her face once again and pecks her lips. He sheds a tear as he looks at his love one.

“Wait for me, Minsae. Wait for me. I’ll be with you in a short time and we’ll be together forever. I promised you that I’ll be with you wherever you are, right?! I love you” – Niel whispers to Minsae’s ear.

Not long after that, Niel’s breath becomes heavy and unstable. He holds his chest hard. It hurts him to feel the pain in his heart. Slowly, his heart stops to beat. He’s gone together with a woman he loves.

“NO!!”

=THE END=