{09}

“Agent Jae, there’s been more murders of the OtherWorlds’ political figures.” Agent Booth came rushing into Youngjae’s office, with a brown folder clasped in his hand and brows deeply furrowed.

“Put it up on the board.” Youngjae told him as he got up from his work desk, rounding it to make his way to the whiteboard in the middle of the room.

Youngjae watched as Agent Booth clipped up photographs of the crime scene on the board and with each image his eyes scanned through, the expression of his face turned grimmer.

While pointing to the photographs on the board, Agent Booth turned to face Youngjae and said, “This is definitely the work of Vampires.”

Youngjae looked into Agent Booth’s eyes. “I know, I can tell from the way their body was drained of blood.”

Agent Booth put his hand down slowly and let out a soft sigh. “Jae, I know it’s hard for you to investigate a case that has a connection with your own people. If you want, I can ask the Deputy Head to take you off the case.”

Youngjae waved him off. “This gives me an advantage, Booth. I know my people so I’ll know who may be the one behind this.”

“Ones.” Agent Booth corrected him. He turned back to face the board, picking down a photograph to pass it to Youngjae. “Multiple footprints were found at the crime scene, there’s got to be more than one of them.”

Youngjae analyzed the photograph and nodded. “I’ve a few names that you can look into.”

Agent Booth looked straight into Youngjae’s eyes. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Youngjae smiled in response and that was enough to answer Agent Booth’s question.

“Okay, before we get down to work, I need to know everything that you do.”

Not everything. Youngjae thought while nodding at Agent Booth.

···

“Hey, what are you still doing in the office?”

Youngjae glanced up from his desk to see that Yongguk was standing by the door of his office.

“You need to see this.” Youngjae said, holding up the brown folder that held all information and evidences to the case.

Yongguk’s brows pinched together immediately and although he didn’t say it out, Youngjae knew that he wanted to say ‘I thought we weren’t allowed to share information about our individual cases?’

But the look on Youngjae’s face convinced Yongguk that the case was different, for Youngjae wasn’t an agent that would break the rules.

Yongguk stepped into Youngjae’s office, shutting the door behind him before he walked over to join Youngjae who was already standing in front of the board in his office.

“Look at this.”

“Do you think…” Yongguk trailed off without finishing his sentence, after taking in all the photographs of the crime scene up on the board.

Youngjae rubbed his chin, thinking hard. “I know that Daehyun wants revenge but he would definitely not authorize the killing of these political figures that has a family.”

“As much as he wanted bloodshed, he wouldn’t do this, not after what happened to his family.” Youngjae added on with a soft voice.

“So you think that this has nothing to do with Daehyun?”

Youngjae shook his head, turning towards Yongguk. “No. Whoever is doing this; they are doing it for Daehyun. Daehyun wanted blood and these people are out to satisfy what Daehyun wants. They want to impress him, their King. I think that someone, who’s working for Daehyun, is playing his own game while pretending to follow Daehyun’s orders.”

The air was laden with suspense and the both of them stared wordlessly at the photographs, both realizing the weight of the situation now.

“We need to warn him.” Yongguk said in between sips from his cup of tea. The both of them have been looking through the profiles of the victims, figuring out the reasons behind their death.

Youngjae snorted. “He’s too clouded with his want and thirst for revenge to listen to us. It’s not like I didn’t try to warn him before.”

“There are already huge red flashing signs, he just need to open his eyes.” Youngjae said while throwing a case file on the desk, standing up for a stretch.

He walked over to the window in his office, glancing at the sky that was gradually lighting up. The sun was about to rise soon.

“There’s only one person in this world who can stop him but I'm unsure if it still works or not, after how he has treated her. Hot and cold attitude plus lies are often things that are hard to be forgiven.”

Meanwhile, as Youngjae was stuck in his own thoughts, at the other end of Milan, a girl sat in front of her windows in a wheelchair. She gazed at the sky, deep in thoughts as well.

“Honey, you shouldn’t be off bed now.”

Soah glanced back and saw her mum rushing over towards her. She smiled softly as she wheeled her back to her bed. “Mum, I’m 19 years old, I’m alright.”

Soah’s mum chuckled softly. “Just let your mum take care of her little girl while she still can, okay?” She said while lifting Soah off her wheelchair, tucking her back into bed.

“Anyway, your friends are here, I’ll bring them up.”

Before Soah could ask her who exactly came to visit, her mum was already halfway out of the room.

“Vampy! Are you okay? Goodness, you gave me a scare!” Caleb came bursting into the room a few seconds later.

Soah jumped at his loud voice that appeared out of nowhere. Caleb plopped down on the bed beside her, poking her cast around her arm and leg.

It all happened so fast that Soah couldn’t even react, she was still staring at Caleb, looking completely shocked.

A soft chuckle was heard and Leah strode into the room. “He knows how to make a grand entrance, huh?”

Leah took a seat at the couch that was beside Soah’s bed. “Man, you look kind of horrible.”

Soah chuckled. “I looked much worse yesterday.”

“So how did your date with the Vampire King go?” Caleb asked while chomping down on chocolates. Where did he even get those chocolates?

Caleb shrugged and pointed to Soah’s table nearby that had snacks on it, answering Soah’s unspoken question.

She arched one of her brows at him while answering his question, “I guess there isn't hope anymore.”

“What!?” Caleb exclaimed with his mouth wide open. Soah cringed and covered part of her eyes so that she would not have to look at the gooey pile of chocolate in Caleb’s mouth.

“What do you mean it’s over?!” Caleb spoke again after swallowing down the mouthful of chocolate he had in his mouth.

Soah shrugged and lowered her hand. “He seems to not want me to be around him that much anymore.”

“That was not what you told me, Enchanted.” Caleb said while pointing an accusing finger at Leah.

Leah rolled her eyes at Caleb, waving him off. “I know what I saw, fairy.”

“What did you see?” Soah whipped her head towards Leah.

“I saw your Soulmate, Soah. I saw Daehyun with you and the both of you looked really happy together.”

Soah shook her head slowly, not buying Leah’s words. “That’s not possible, Daehyun told me that my Soulmate was The Devil.”

Caleb snickered. “The Devil? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that it was totally a big, fat lie, Soah.”

“But why would he lie to me?” Confusion was lined in Soah’s voice.

Leah held Soah’s hands, patting it softly. “Maybe he has his reasons.”

Caleb glanced at Leah knowingly, she definitely knew and saw things that he and Soah didn’t. But what he didn’t understand was why would she withhold what she knew from Soah.

Was it better off that way? Caleb couldn’t help but to wonder.

···

“Sir, I can’t let you through.” Daehyun didn’t even have to guess that it was Youngjae causing a ruckus at the other end of the door.

“I’m sorry, Teddy, but get out of my way.” Youngjae snarled and shoved him aside with just enough force. Youngjae barged into Daehyun’s room, not caring if he had just damaged the doors by pushing them open with such force.

Daehyun glanced up at the stack of papers that he held in his hands. “It’s okay, Teddy.” He said to the man who was trailing behind Youngjae with his head bowed down.

Teddy nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the doors behind him.

“What is it now that you’ve to barge into my room?”

“What the hell are you doing?” Youngjae slammed the newspapers down on Daehyun’s work desk, causing the table to shake slightly under the force he used.

Daehyun’s eyes fleeted to the newspapers. On the front of the paper, in large bold prints, it wrote ‘Senator Nikkie murdered in cold blood. The work of Vampires?’

Her body was discovered a few hours ago, making it the third case so far.

“This is the kind of war you want?” Youngjae jabbed a finger at the headlines.

Daehyun looked him straight in the eyes. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what? Your twisted logic?” Youngjae sneered.

Daehyun snatched the newspapers up from the table and held it up right in front of Youngjae’s face. “These are the people who sanctioned the right for the OtherWorlds to hunt us down like preys. These are the people who took away my family, and yours, too.”

Youngjae’s lip thinned at the mention of his family. “Do you think that they will be happy with all the things that you’re doing now?”

“Don’t. Go. There.” Daehyun said through clenched teeth.

Youngjae jabbed a finger into Daehyun’s chest. “This is not for them. It’s for you. Because you can’t let them go. You think that you’re doing this for them, in their names, but the truth is, you’re just a pathetic being who doesn’t know how to let them go.”

Daehyun had Youngjae pinned against the wall by his throat in the next second. “Don’t you dare say that. You didn’t go through what I went through.”

Youngjae smacked away the hand that Daehyun was using to hold him with, to get free himself off Daehyun’s hold, and he took a step forward, his face just inches away from Daehyun’s.

“I didn’t go through what you did? I saw my Mum being staked through the heart and my brother, being drained of blood before they did the same thing to him. And what was I doing? I was hiding underneath the bed because I was too weak and scared to stop them. You think that I don’t hate them? Or myself?”

Youngjae slowly backed away from Daehyun. “You weren’t the only one who lost your family, I did too. But you don’t see me acting like you do.”

Youngjae turned, making his way out of the room. But he paused when he was at the door and he threw one last glance back at Daehyun.

“I’m disappointed in you, Daehyunnie.” He said softly before leaving the room.

Daehyunnie. Daehyun repeated the name over and over in his head. It was such a familiar name but it was so foreign to him as well.