Haewon’s POV

    I stared wide eyed at the group sitting in my dining room. Hongbin had just told us that he invited the hunter over for a game of charades, and Hakyeon seemed to think the idea was great.

    I slowly set my spoon down, and tried to sound calm. The “Excuse me, what did you say?”

    Hakyeon finished chewing and swallowed. “It’s not a bad idea. I mean--" he paused to take a drink. “--we would have a home court advantage as well as the advantage of numbers.”

    “Yes, but if he discovers what we are, he will send for more hunters, or if he decides to try to attack us and we hurt or kill him, he will send more hunters. There are so many ways this can go wrong.” I pleaded trying to get him to change his mind.

    Hakyeon smiled.  “There are also ways it can go right. What if everything goes fine, and he goes home without suspicion?”

    “You said ways, plural, I’m still listening.” I prodded. Wonsik and Miyoung snickered, causing Soyoung to giggle. Hongbin grinned, but managed to hold back his laughter.

    “Well, that is the most probable positive outcome.” He took another bite.  “You worry too much.” he grumbled around his kimchi and rice.

    I shook my head, “You don’t worry enough.”

    I knew there wasn’t a way to talk them out of this great idea of theirs, meaning I would have to join them to keep them out of trouble. I was looking forward to the excitement of a social gathering. I usually prefered to be alone, mostly because there were very few people who knew that I was a monster.

    I didn’t enjoy being seen as a monster, but over the years I had grown accustomed to the finger pointing and name calling that came with being a Vampire. When I had first gained control, I tried to blend in as a teacher, but soon people realized that I wasn’t aging, and they wanted to try me for being a witch. I fled to a new town, where I tried again, this time to run an orphanage. I foolishly thought that children without parents wouldn’t cast out someone who treated them with kindness.

    When I first moved to this town, I decided to try running a small inn. I purchased a large home, and for a while I did well. Being an inn, people cycled in and out, not caring enough to notice anything substantial about the owner.

    One night, about 15 years after I had opened the inn, Miyoung and Soyoung came into town. They were pretty girls around 19 or 20 years old. Miyoung was more foolish and adventurous, and Soyoung more timid. One day during their stay, I heard them arguing in the hallway. Miyoung was pleading with Soyoung for an adventure, and in her excitement Miyoung fell into the railing. She landed with a sickening crunch on the floor below.  Soyoung rushed to her side, but Miyoung was already fading.

    After witnessing the incident, I rushed to Miyoung. Soyoung was in a panic, pleaded with me to save her. I turned her. Soyoung was the first human I had met, who didn’t mind that I was a Vampire. She stayed with her sister through the turning, even crying when her sister was in pain. Once Miyoung had turned completely, she came to me asking that I turn her as well. I warned her against it many times, but she adamantly wanted to remain with her sister, and I enjoyed her company as well. I turned her, and set out the story that two young girls had perished here. Soon my inn closed from lack of business and I resumed my life, this time not completely alone, but with two new companions.

    I looked up at the girls, I often considered them as precious as if they were my own children. They smiled and laughed through the meal. I was glad to see them happy. My eyes landed on Hakyeon who was studying me, and my stomach turned. It felt as though my blood was boiling. He made me angry, and frustrated. I didn’t know what to do with myself while he was in the same room.

    I picked up my dishes and made my way to the large kitchen.  “Noona?” Hakyeon called after me. I ignored him, but he persisted. “Noona?” I shot him a glare over my shoulder and he grinned. “Noona, can I help you with the dishes?”

    “Stop calling me Noona, I was younger than you when I was turned.”

    Hakyeon shrugged.  "Not by much I'm sure.  What year were you born anyway?”

    “A woman never reveals her age.” I set my dishes in the sink, and turned to take his.

    “See?  I knew you had some sass." He shimmied his shoulders, and I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

    “I think you have enough ‘sass’ for both of us.” I a dry towel toward him, and began to wash the dishes.

He picked up the freshly washed dishes and dried them. “So why do you pretend to be so prim and proper all of the time?” He set a glass down with a soft klink.

    I opened my mouth to answer him, but was interrupted by the rest of the group bringing their dishes in.  They set them down and left us alone again.

    We worked in silence for a few minutes before I opened up. “It’s difficult, watching everyone I get close to grow old and pass on.”

    He nodded.  “I've always lived in a shifter community, so I can’t say I have much experience with growing old. We did have humans living among us, but there were so few.  I wasn’t really close with them.”

    I smiled at him sadly.  “What about Kyungsoon?” He looked at me in confusion.  “She’s human, and it seems like all of you are getting close. What will you do when she grows old?”

    His eyes grew wide and he stuttered, “I-I’m not sure, I hadn’t thought about that.”

    “You’re young, but 80 years pass faster than you think.” I turned back to the dishes, "Not to mention there are human illnesses.  What about cancer, Alzheimer's, Dementia?”

Hakyeon was silent. I looked over at him and saw tears on his cheeks. I turned off the water and dried my hands on the towel he was holding.

He sniffed and wiped at the tears, “P-poor Taekwoon.”

Reaching out to hold his face, I smiled and wiped away the remaining tears. I grabbed his hand and lead him to a barstool at the island counter. Once he was sitting. I pulled him to my chest and rubbed circles on his back. “I didn’t mean to upset you, but it’s better to be thought of now, before it’s too late.”

    Once his crying subsided he looked up at me and blinked. “How do you do it?”

    I looked at him, confused. “Do what?”

    “Know what needs to be said, and then just say it.” As he spoke, I tried to pull back, but his hands held me firmly in place. “I have five boys who trust me and look up to me. I talk like I am confident, but I have no clue what I’m doing.”

    I chuckled. “Really? They don’t think there is anything wrong with how you lead them.”

    “I don’t know how to take charge. They talk over me, and pick on me. Taekwoon hides from me. How can I get them to respect me?”

    “You need to work on respecting yourself first. Once you respect yourself, they will start to respect you too.”

    “So I should act more confident.” Hakyeon perked up.

    “No, that’s not what I said.” I laughed, “A leader doesn’t have to do everything on their own. An important part of leadership is being able to delegate. If there is something they are better at, ask them. That shows you respect them, and acknowledges that you aren’t perfect.”

    “Where did you learn all of this?” He asked, eyes wide with a touch of awe.

    “Books." I shrugged, “It’s been 500 years, you think I didn’t learn a thing or two?”

    He stood up.  “Thank you.  You've helped me a ton.”

    Before I knew what was happening, he slid one hand behind my neck and left a quick peck on my lips, before darting into the kitchen, calling after Wonsik and Hongbin.

    I placed my fingers to my lips and silently let my breath out.  “You’re welcome.”