This time, a pained groan leaves her lips. Twice was enough to take a toll on her. And it wasn’t the bed that welcomed her like previously – it was a couch. Hearing voices quite near, Haneul sat up to look behind her. In the dining room, the audience stare back at her. 

“Can you move your neck?” Seunghoon questions.

She couldn’t shake her head to answer. “I rather not.” She says softly. She felt a slight twist would be anything but easy and pain-free. 

Taken aback, her eyes met Mr. Yang’s… then the two security guards and finally, a face she didn’t think she would see again. 

“…Hello.” She managed to utter.

“Haneul, funny how fate works.” Mr. Yang greets her and the statement rings true.

“So, what is the human doing here?” Bom asks suddenly and while leaving everyone speechless. 

“She’s just with me, alright?” Mino says, almost in exasperation. “Why are you so curious about her?”

It seems while Haneul was knocked out, Bom was more concerned about the individual sleeping on the couch rather than the person they were all running from. 

“I’m just asking a question, Mino. Don’t have to be so defensive about it.” Bom merely shrugs his attitude off. 

“Why the hell is she here?” Mino voiced aloud. He didn’t see the logic behind that.

“Mino, be a little grateful, would you?” Bom retorted. “When everyone was keeping a distance from you, I gave you a chance, remember?”

“Shut the hell up.”

It had gotten so rowdy that Haneul could do nothing but to stay silent and observe from where she was on the couch. Now, that she had a moment where the attention wasn’t on her, she had a chance to take a look. Surely enough, they had moved somewhere else. A place possibly safer than the first. Given the appearance lacked in comparison but Haneul couldn’t deny the comfort feeling that the new cozy home gave off. 

Blinking back upon the disagreeing voice belonging to Mino, Haneul tried to figure out what in the conversation had made him sound unhappy. 

“God, you told that guy?” He questioned Mr. Yang. 

“He should be here soon – “ Before Mr. Yang could finish his own words,  he was already at the door to let another guest in. “Come on in, Jiyong.”

Mino held his tongue but his face said everything. 

“You didn’t share the information with anyone else, correct?”

“Not even the Society.” Jiyong responds as he makes quick eye contact with Haneul. Paying her no further attention he joined the others at the table. “But, there is something else.”

“What is it?” Seungyoon questions.

“You five have been summoned.” Jiyong looks from Seungyoon to his friends. 

The sudden news renders the whole room quiet. “What for?” Seungyoon manages to ask.

“I don’t question my orders.” Jiyong responds, their guesses were as good as his. 

The small group shared looks and Mino turns in Haneul’s direction. Mr. Yang catching his subtle action, spoke out. “We’ll watch things here so you all can go.” With him here, that should be enough to comfort them. 

“We’ll be back soon.”

***

The travel wasn’t hard, it was the fact that they didn’t like leaving a trail that got them stiff with anxiety. The Society couldn’t have picked a better time to summon them. Standing before the Elders, Seungyoon thought of what to say but Mino seemed to have beat him to it.

“What do you oldies want?”

“Mino.” Seungyoon hissed at him for his choice of words.

“We’re tired of waiting for Jeeun’s capture. We know very well that she made her appearance known to you all.” One of the Elders replied. “Yet, you all have not taken advantage of the opportunities.”

“Then you try having a go at it.” Mino makes no attempt to refrain from being blunt. He couldn’t help getting into this mood whenever they would meet.

Seungyoon completely gives up and allows Mino to have his way. He’s going to have to learn on his own.

“If you aren’t already aware, Jeeun needs to be subdued.” The Elders emphasized. “So…whoever finishes the job with Jeeun, they are given the seat to be the next leader – this goes for every one of our kind.” 

The five along with Jiyong reacted negatively to the news. Predictably.

“Is the position so trivial that you make it the prize for a scavenger hunt?” Seungyoon is unable to hold his tongue and voices his opinion. 

“Kang Seungyoon, mind your manners.”

“We thought you would be happy to hear that.” Another Elder spoke. “You’re receiving a break your father never did.”

In response, Seungyoon can only offer silence.

“We gave you all, along with Jiyong, many chances to prevent Jeeun from becoming a bigger problem. She is out there building an army of humans and vampires…this can’t go on any longer.”

“And you expect that the six of us stop her plus an army of humans and vampires?” Mino voices the ridiculousness of the request. 

“Mino.” An Elder calls out. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you’re not even trying.”

Mino glowers. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you’re accusing me of something.”

“Maybe you’re happy to have her