The next few days passed in utter silence. Jina and Hongbin didn’t speak about the quality time they spent together knowing it was just the spur of the moment. Myungsoo and Hongbin were bickering almost every time they were together in the same room while Joonyoung was suspiciously quiet.

Besides the three troublesome vampires, Jina still had her father’s family to complain about. The girls were always whining about something or another and Jitae had to work  overtime in the hospital.  

It was Saturday and Jitae had to go to work but before leaving he had to ask his daughter one little favor.

“No. I’m not doing it.”

Jitae glanced at his sister and saw her glare at him from the kitchen.

“Please. Do this for me. She will start annoying me with how I didn’t raise you right and I don’t need her on my head too.” He whispered to his vampire daughter.

“What about me?” She whispered back, narrowing her eyes. “They are already here. If they see me, you’ll have a whole city on your head. I don’t need more than I’m already dealing with.”

Jitae sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Do you think we can put a bag on your head? Or sun glasses?”

Jina stared stupidly at her father. “I don’t think so, dad. Tell Joonyoung to do it.”

 She was ready to leave when he grabbed her hand. “Take Hongbin. He should take care of you. I trust him more than Myungsoo.”

Jina raised an eyebrow bemusedly. “And what about Joonyoung?”

He shook his head and sighed disappointed, glancing up the stairs.

“It’s something different. He wants to find his personality back. I’m afraid he seeks what he cannot find.” He glanced down at the still curious Jina. “I’m afraid he wants to fins some memory of what he has done on his own. There might not be such a memory and Joonyoung  might feel used.”

••••••••

Well, in the end, Jina could find any other explanation why she should go out so she ended up taking her niece, Hana, to the park. Thankfully, it was right in the center of the town so no vampire would attack her with so many humans around.

“Auntie! Come, come!”

It was hard to hate the small girl. She looked so innocent and had no idea what was going to happen in the near future. Jina took a seat on the nearest bench and looked up at the sky. The clouds were moving slowly, like boats on the ocean, slowly and graciously, seeking for adventure.

“Already falling asleep?”

Jina’s eyes popped open and glanced at the male that just appeared next to her.

“Your father called me, which was quite a surprise. It seems I have to play bodyguard for today.” Hongbin said, looking like he quite enjoyed being there.

Jina chuckled and glanced at her niece. She was playing with a few other children in the sand. When she saw her looking over she smiled and waved before her eyes moved on the stranger. Hongbin smiled, his whole face brightening at the sight of a child and waved at Hana.

“I don’t understand why he put me in charge of a kid. She’s in danger as long as she’s near me. Everyone is. I might even snap and feed on her.” Jina grumbled.

Hongbin rolled his eyes. “You underestimate yourself, as usually.”

“What about my brother? Am I underestimating him too?”

Hongbin leaned back and tilted his head to the side, confused, “What do you mean? He’s a nice guy.”

“He is but he’s been so peculiar lately. Shouldn’t I be the one in that situation? I snapped once, I’m going to snap again and my old self wants to break free. I should be feeling differently not Joonyoung.”

She was really worried so when Hongbin started to laugh loudly, she narrowed her eyes at him.

 “I’m happy my life seems so funny to you.” She snapped, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Hongbin stopped and narrowed his eyes. “You never cease to surprise me.”

“Aunt Jina!” Hana screamed, running towards the vampire. Jina caught her easily and placed her between her and Hongbin. Hana stared at Hongbin’s face before hse suddenly asked, “Is this your boyfriend, auntie?”

Jina froze, her mind suspiciously empty. She wasn’t prepared for that question.

“Maybe I am.” Hongbin joked, smiling brightly at Hana.

“I like you!” Hana suddenly exclaimed and wrapped her small hands around his bigger, manlier one. “Let’s go play!” She added, dragging Hongbin after her.

••••••••

While Hongbin was getting acquainted with Jina’s family, eyes were watching intently the bond between the two.

 Myungsoo was drinking coffee at a local coffee shop, the one having a very clear view over the park.  Thanks to his heightened abilities, he could hear Hana ask Jina if Hongbin was her boyfriend. She didn’t answer and that only caused Myungsoo’s hand to twitch under the table.

Vampires usually don’t have feelings and when they have, the supposedly feelings are just lost emotions, pieces that link vampires to humans. The younger vampire sighed and closed his eyes, calming his nerves.

Actually, Myungsoo couldn’t be bothered to give a about vampires coming to Bucheon. He returned for Jina and nothing else. Out of reflex, he grabbed the small pendant from his back pocket and stared at it.  Glinting into the sun, Myungsoo noticed someone walking in the shop and ordering a beverage before joining the young vampire. He put the small silver Caduceus back and swiped from his drink.

“You should go into the forest. Some of them are here and they’re getting close.” Hakyun said nonchalantly.

Myungsoo nodded and took one last glance at Jina before flashing into the forest. Hakyun took his place and looked at what was once the most dangerous vampire in the world.

••••••••

Myungsoo’s eyes reddened as soon as he entered a thicker part of the forest and growled. He could feel them but couldn’t see them just yet. He turned to the side in time to avoid an attack and throw him hardly into the distance. After that one threatening vampire came more. Myungsoo found himself cornered by five furious vampires.

“Finally found. You’re a hard one to catch, aren’t you Kim Myungsoo?”

The culprit rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m sorry. Next time I’ll go somewhere else, in a clearing or maybe the dessert. That way you’ll be able to find me in a second. I’d be the only dead body walking around.” He stopped for a moment, seeing as the vampire who talked got annoyed. “Like a zombie.” Myungsoo finished snickering.

Another unknown vampire launched at Myungsoo but he simply got out of the way.

“That’s all you’ve got?”

 Other two vampires launched at him and he threw one in a tree while he punched the out of the other. When he thought it was enough he stopped and threw that one too. He turned back to the gutsiest one and smirked.

“Aren’t you going to fight me too, Ame?”

The vampire, Ame, glared at the much younger vampire but didn’t do anything. Both vampires felt someone stronger lurking in the shadows and Ame ran away. Myungsoo snarled at the newcomer but Hakyun looked like he was just taking a walk.

“I thought I was supposed to get rid of them?”

Hakyun shrugged with the most easy-going expression he could muster.

Myungsoo glanced at the vampires thrown around the clearing and sighed, grabbing a hand through his hair. “What about them?”

Hakyun smirked and flicked his fingers. It looked like he didn’t move an inch but he was actually so fast in killing that Myungsoo only heard the screams of pain.

“Done.” Hakyun’s smirk was very much like the one Jina used to have: sadistic, evil, scary.

“How did you do that?”

Hakyun chuckled and turned his back, ready to go back home. He had a date that night and he was anxious to meet his dinner.

“Family secret.”

That was the last line he said before flashing out of there. Myungsoo rolled his eyes and went back to watching Jina.

••••••••

In the park, Hongbin proved to be a very good company. Hana took the freedom to grab both vampires by their hands and swing them while walking to get ice cream. Jina didn’t want to get her to the park yet it turned out to be a pretty good idea.

“So, Jina…You never really told me about your life.”

 Jina raised an eyebrow amused. “Which one?”

Hongbin chuckled and shook his head. “The one where you didn’t become a killing machine.”

Jina narrowed her eyes playfully at him and smirked.  “Oh, that! You’re seriously interested?”

He nodded and made an approving noise.  

“Alright. But it might not be what you’re expecting.”