I opened my eyes and saw a different surrounding, facing the white spotless ceiling. I sat up from lying in the comfy black leather sofa. It was appealing with its curved-style. The place was dark like my life, the room where I was painted all with black even the furniture. It was not dirty and wrecked which you could describe where I had been for five years. Vintage looking things are everywhere but they seemed expensive and they were neatly set on their spot. It was surreal that I wondered if I was dreaming. I stood to where I was seating so I could properly scan the place. I turned around and a tall person was standing near the black-curtained-window, the man down the pavement.

“How was your sleep?” He asked in his baritone voice. Even I closed my eyes, he sounded so handsome to my ears. I could not respond to him because I was overwhelmed by his presence. It was the first time I saw his eyes and it was my first time I saw red colored orbs, so crimson that as if it was blood formed into two spheres.

The silence was too long due to my appreciation of his outstanding profile. I snapped myself. My brows were furrowed when I gulped, analyzing a question that I could ask him. And, I had it prepared.

“How did I get here?” The man smirked at my question, unhurriedly walking closer to me. Hands clasped behind him, his posture was as fine as I expected.

I anticipated his answer but another lengthy silence went through between us. One more question was formed inside my brain.

“Who are you?”

The slant on his lips became symmetrically curved.

“Cannot remember what happened last night?” He asked. We had an approximate distance to each other.

I shook my head. I tried thinking about it but it only made my head hurt. On the other hand, he clicked his tongue, yet he did not look angry that I could not remember a thing.

“I was sure I did not erase your memory, young boy.” He said. “But, if you really want to know, let me tell you one thing that will refresh you. The man with you in the unit next door — he's dead.”

 

The last words keep repeating inside my thoughts pulling me into the truth that occurred in the past night.

 

Blood kept on dropping from my head to the floor, my world was spinning but I tried to stay still. I had a faint view of the figure in front of me. I shook my head to see things clearly and found the head of a broken wine bottle in my grip; blood was also dripping at the tip of its sharp end. I shifted my gaze to my father who was struggling on coming near me. He was holding his stomach and I saw the crimson liquid escaping from there.

 

That's right, I stabbed him. He was going to jump over me after he had beaten me hard. I struggled so he could not do what he wanted but he saw the empty bottle of his alcohol on the floor and hit me with that on my head. He thought I would stop, not thinking that he just gave me a weapon against him.

 

“You damn brat.” He hissed.

The terror and pain from my head mixed in taking over that I could not bear standing on the ground any longer. I wobbled then collapsed, bumping myself to the wall and to the floor. His hand clawed my shoulder so he could push my back flat the ground. He was almost going through his plan when he moved down with me, not until he suddenly lifted himself away.

My mind was starting to black out and could not see anything. I could only hear him scream like someone was attacking him.

 

 

 

“What happened next after his shout?” Cold sweat was draining all over me without my own self noticed it. I was back to the present and the man was calmly staring at me while I was getting nervous in his front. “D-did you kill him?” I did not want to ask but it came out of my mouth uncontrollably.

He smirked once more and nodded to my question, his face showing the task of taking one's life was not difficult at all. I tried taking myself away from the fright that was buzzing in my entire body, by locking my eyes into something. And, my sight ended up falling to the sharp tooth peeking at his slant lips, watching the motion of his mouth as it talked.

“It was tough to ignore the scent of your blood spreading in the air I have smelled so I followed its trail and found you, a familiar boy, about to die with a hemorrhage.” He shrugged then sat at the sofa I was sitting before. “That man was badly injured as well. You seemed to have an unresolvable fight when I found you two.”

 

I did not want to jump into a conclusion but it looked like he saved me when he saw the danger was approaching. Why would he do that? I also noticed my head was clean of blood and covered with bandage as I touched. My clothes were different from the dirty ones I always had, replaced by a white polo shirt, black slacks and black leather shoes with white socks. I was well-dressed.

 

“His blood tasted so bitter but it was better than nothing.” He said.

I could not understand what he meant. He kept telling confusing things like following the trail of my blood's scent and the taste of my father's blood. I did not know why blood was always part of his statements. His eyes were the same color as that, and his extraordinary features confirmed that he was not a normal human being, but that was all I know.

He glanced directly at my eyes and he was like amazed by the expression I was doing. Instead of getting uncomfortable with those red orbs watching me, I broke the short silence that gapped between us.

“You did not answer my question before.” I know to myself that I did not say that steadily and my hands were fidgety at my sides. What am I doing here? Who are you? Those were what I supposed to ask since they were my questions initially but they were replaced in my mind with. “Why did you taste my Dad's blood? ...What are you?”

He laughed loudly and I was sure that was due to my cracking voice and puzzled face. It was belittling and I wanted to hide myself to somewhere he would not locate forever. I didn't know what I was asking too but I was clueless of things he was saying.

“Isn't that too obvious? Have the locked down made your mind unaware of my kind’s existence?” He asked as if he was playing with me.

Seriously, what was he? How did he know what I had gone through? Was that too readable? I blinked in panic and glanced at his face. I could not deny the fact that he looked so beautiful but there was something intimidating with him, must be his red eyes, white skin or his fangs. I could not say if he was a beast. He could not be one.

I shook my head and escaped his judging eyes.

I said. “I don't really know what you are, sorry.”

He laughed once again that echoed to the thick wall of that room. His laughter made me dizzy like I wanted to return to unconsciousness.

“You really don't know?” I shook my head as a response.

He sighed, turning his back to proceed to the black painted bookshelf near the door. His long fingers drummed each book it passed till it stopped to a thick-red-leather-one, a golden “V” carved at the side.

He smirked once he stared back at me and before tossing the book that I almost unable to catch. My heartbeat rose once more. I rotated the book so I could read the title in front.

“Encyclopedia?” I asked then glanced back at him.

“Yes. Good thing you can read.” He said. “Now, I want you to find the term vampire. That's what I am. I'll be outside if you need me. And...” He faced the shelves to get another book from it. “This one is somewhat close or somewhat far from our description but worth to read. Mortals are a funny kind of creatures after all.”

He tossed that book to me as well entitled “Dracula”.

 

When my eyes tried to look where he was standing and away from the reading material, he was no longer there.

 

I sat on the sofa and searched for the word he mentioned. “Vampire?” It was new to me. I skimmed the book until I found it.

 

vampire/ˈvampʌɪə/

noun

(in European folklore) a corpse supposed to leave its grave at night to drink the blood of the living by biting their necks with long pointed canine teeth.

 

My movements were slow after reading that section. He was undead? It was still vague to me so I switched from that book to the other one he gave me. I read the story and I did not know how long I was there but it felt like I was living for a purpose to finish that.

 

From my conclusion, vampires were a life-size mosquito living by it host's blood. They have the capability to kill their prey instantly — a huge possibility that my father died the same way. Was he full that he’s saving me for his later meal time?

I froze and thought that draining up to the last drop of my blood—was beyond the expectation of my death. I did not wish to go out or him coming inside this room anymore. If that door opened, I knew what's next for me.

 

And I didn't wait so long as the door clicked; the opening was killing the pulse of my heart.

 

I stood nervously, anticipating his presence.  The smirking man seemed to know that I had done his task which was too easy to figure out my reaction which was on pins and needles.

“How was it?” He slipped his body into the room, folding his arms in front of his chest.

“Are you hungry?” I knew I sound strange but I was unable to build a better reply to him after what I read.

He lazily shook his head, cherry-colored lips pouting but still slant. “Nope. Although that drunken man didn’t taste good he made me full for a week.”

He talked about his identity in a more carefree manner than before, after he knew that I gained knowledge.

“A-are you… are you…” I gulped and stepped back. My balance was uneven that I need the armrest beside me to support my stability. “…going to eat me too?”

His guffawed was deafening that made me return from sitting on the sofa again. I hold the armrest with my dear life. His voice was evil, distinct from my father but the terror I felt did not change.

“Listen.” He began. “You're not a wine. I did not let you live for seventeen years—just to guarantee myself that your blood will be sweeter as you age.”

“Seventeen years?” That was my age. “What are you saying?”

“The parents that you’ve been with all your life were not your real parents.” He firmly explained. “I came from a long hibernation when I found and killed your biological parents in one rainy night. You were along with them and should have the same ending, but your real mother begged me from her last breath not to devour you.”

While he was telling the story of my unfamiliar past, I pictured a happy couple, one of them holding a baby, when he attacked them. I could see how they struggled to survive but this person was stronger than them. The father died but the mother crawled near the ferocious creature for mercy to save her young.

What he revealed made sense that's why I did not look so alike in either the parents I grew up with.

However, it was difficult to accept.

 

I was choking while crying over the event that he opened up. He sat beside me, in which I avoided. I did not want to be near to the murderer of my first and second parents in one place. I stood up, going to the middle of the room.

He continued. “I honestly regret taking your parents away from you so I hunted a young couple to replace them. I thought you’ll be in good hands but your blood smeared violently in the air I breathe.”

“After telling these things to me, do you think it helps me?” I forced myself to ask even I was sobbing. “Do you think it’ll make a lot different from my already miserable life? What’s the whole point? I—”

I was unaware of the subsequence as my world twisted. All I could only see was white.

 

 

 

I was awakened by the bright light above me. It was actually 3-round-bulbs in one metal plate. They were blocked by a pale face, whose beaming at the view of my blinking eyes.

“Hi, I'm Dr. Zhang.” He cheerfully greeted, helping me to sit up from where I was resting. My parents' murderer was just right behind him and leaning his back against the wall. I was uncomfortable to look at him after his revelation. "My friend here said you passed out.”

It was inappropriate not to respond to such an enthusiastic doctor. So even I was recovering from the incident, I gestured my head and open my mouth to say.

“Y-Yes.” In the time of my politeness to the latter, my stomach grumbled.

The jolly doctor blocked his mouth with his gloved hand as he chuckled at me, his dimple showing on his left cheek.

“I guess to know the problem.” He pulled something out of his white gown and it was wrapped in a brown wrapper. “Here. You need it.”

Reluctantly accepting his gift, I tore the wrapper and a chocolate bar appeared to me. It was so mouth-watering in my eyes that I did not ask for a signal to consume the whole thing. My weakness might have stubbornly taken over my control that I could not guise. The doctor resumed his giggle while he glanced at the man behind him. That was when I simply noticed they shared the same-snow-like-skin-tone.

 

I let the doctor and the vampire talked inside the room by themselves as I was waiting at the bench outside. I could hear their conversion from my end but I didn't allow myself to be obvious with my eavesdropping.

“Why would you babysit a food? That was bizarre of you, my friend.” The doctor commented.

“I did not intend this stuff to happen.” He replied.

“Really?” The doctor sounded doubtful about my company. “Well, clean this up before the committee questioned you.”

The doctor’s words verified he was one of his kinds. I could not help but to glimpse at the small opening of the door and stunned when I met eyes with them. I went back looking at the blank space of the wall in front of me instead.

“You better go, Mr. Li.” I heard the doctor said faintly since one of them closed the door. “If you choose to keep him for a while, don’t forget to feed him.”

The talked was finished since the man went out of the room as well. He was wearing his usual shade. I did not know if it was still the right time of the day to wear that.

“Let’s go.” He quietly said. I had no choice but to follow along.

 

We walked the street that I was ignorant with. For the first time of being imprisoned in five years, I was able to see different faces other than my non-biological father. It was nostalgic to see the neon lights, cheery laughter from people and bustling sounds everywhere. I did not realize how my lips stretched so wide at the ambiance, not until a leather-gloved-hand hold mine and snapped me to reality.

“I set my plans for you that you will hear later on. For now, we have heaps of stuff to do within this night.” He said while I just remained silent.

We entered a mall then went straightly to the bookstore. He picked up a bunch of books that kept me thinking that he was not satisfied with what he had in his shelf that I’d seen at his house earlier.  He put them in the cart he was pushing along us.

“What does a seventeen-year-old read these days?” He murmured as if the seventeen-year-old he was referring to was not beside him. Wait, the books were for me?

“Are you smart?” I was stiff but I nodded.

His face was smug and looked at me with criticism. He threw more in the trolley before we headed to the counter and swiped his black card which came from the leather wallet in his pocket.

 

The next stop was the clothes. Calling the saleslady, he pointed from one end to another in a line of white long sleeves, then on the black blazer, then on the black slacks. He clawed neatly-plastic-packed underwear and undershirts, maybe a dozen of them, then gave it to the woman. Lastly, he placed his black card on top of the mountain of garments.

“On his size please.” He said shortly.

I was unsure what this man did for a living, that he bought almost the entire department store for a mere human like me. I tried to catch with his speed and I did not know where next to go.

“Mr. Li.” Exhausted, I called him with the name the doctor said hours ago from this shopping.

He paused, only to comment. “Don’t call me with the name I had from the era of the Han Dynasty.” And, he continued walking forward. If I only had a will to stop there and I would not chase after him; but, my stupidity and ignorance pulled me to go on.

We ended up in a restaurant, so flashy and I believed I had never been in such a place. We sat in the corner while I scanned the area, finding no souls with us. Instantly, the waitress offered us the menu that none of the names of their food rang a bell to me.

“What would you like to eat?” He asked me.

I did not talk. Other than my hatred for him, I was taken aback by all of what we were doing inside this mall.

Instead, he spoke for me. “Wagyu Beef Ribeye Steak, well done. Or if you don’t have that, this La Terre menu, please. Do you have Tieguanyin tea? And for dessert, Biscuit Soufflé, Crus de Chocolat. That’s all for him.”

The presentable waitress nodded. “What about you, sir?”

“Espresso will do.” The woman repeated his order on her list before leaving.

Once that lady was gone, I was not ready to speak with him yet, but I was itching to ask him. I tried to ask like I was almost mouthing the words. “How’d you know all of those? And, you drink coffee?”

“Of course.” He smirked. He heard it after all. “There are times that it’s necessary for me to pretend like you guys, although your foods are dull to my tongue.” Quickly, the waitress brought the meal in front of us. He held his cup and gestured. “Dig in.”

I was hesitant to feed with the dined food because my situation was comparable to an eating prey that was watched by his predator. But, it was such a waste to ignore this expensive feast. It was possible that this will be my final day so I bit by bit moved my hands to the utensils and lifted them. The man's lips across me curved upward to my action.

 

After dinner, the two of us were alone in the vicinity. I felt the air was turning serious again and the man across me put his hand together like praying, nuzzling his nose at the tip of his fingers.

“I had a proposal for you.” He started. “I will let you live normally by means of giving you a good education and have you find a decent job after graduation. I will erase your memory of your dark past so you will truly refresh anew. In a condition of…”

I know it would not be a piece of cake to have that promising future.

“…be my servant as that progresses. Will you agree?”

I scoffed. “Why don't you just hire someone and kill me instead? That will be easier for you than supporting me to stand again.”

“No.” Smiling, he rebutted. “It will be easier for me to have you work under my umbrella than anybody else. Why? It was uncertain that I’ll let a human stranger live with a little space between us, my kind. But, with you, it was proven that I can endure it. And, why are you selling yourself to death? Don’t you really have the will to live anymore?”

I could not speak since he shot me bull’s-eye there.

He asked once more. “Will you agree to my terms? Uh… what’s your name by the way?”

 

If I was going to tell him my name, which meant that I would acknowledge his appeal. Was that what he really wanted, to serve him? And, I would achieve those perks? I would have an opportunity to reset my life?

 

“Chanyeol,” I said at last.

“Oh hello, dear. You can call me Kris.”

“M-master Kris?”

He laughed and ruffled my hair with his bigger hand. “Take the master out of it.”

This person, who killed my real parents, killed my insane father, a horrifying monster and a beautiful creature at the same time. He would be my master for days, months, and years to come. His eyes were about my level and our heights were almost similar.

I was not sure of myself—but I was going to skate on thin ice in trusting him.

 

***