Irene stares at Seulgi with fresh eyes, sees the knowledge and sharpness in her steady gaze. She straightens up and lets out a defeated sigh.

“How did you know?”

Seulgi’s body tenses at Irene’s indirect confirmation. She watches her squint, trying to make out Irene’s face in the dark. While Seulgi struggles, Irene can see her as clear as day, better even. The dark is her domain as it is for the rest of her kind.

“Monster,” Seulgi growls.

Seulgi’s expression is contorted, and Irene can see the pain behind the mask of anger in her eyes. Irene finds contentment in the fact that the girl can’t see her. She lets her expression drop, decides not to pretend like it doesn’t hurt. Just this once. Because it hurts hearing that word come out of Seulgi’s mouth, deprecating and derogatory.

In human terms, the word “monster” is just as fitting for her kind as it is for a perfectly tailored suit - Irene knows it. human blood so they can live, using inhuman powers to have the upper hand in just about anything.

They are the “living” definition of the term “monster”.

“How do you know about us?”

“Never heard of the Kangs? The infamous vampire slayers,” Seulgi says, spitting the words out like venom.

Irene knows. Of course she knows. And she berates herself because she should have made the connection as soon as Seulgi mentioned vampires. The Kangs were indeed infamous vampire slayers. However, they never attacked Irene’s clan. In fact, the Kangs had worked with them. Irene had known them personally, had known them since they were in their early twenties and just starting out.

Seulgi looks much like her mother.

Irene had heard of the Kangs having a child, but she’d never seen the new addition to the Kang family.

Irene also remembers how only a few years after the news of Seulgi’s birth had reached her, the enemy clan took their revenge on the Kangs, killing the two vampire slayers mercilessly. From what Irene remembers, they had tried to seek out Seulgi, but Irene’s clan had protected her.

“Kang Seulgi. You’re that Kang Seulgi. I’m so stupid,” Irene murmurs.

Irene sees Seulgi visibly start, her brows furrowing. “What?”

“Your parents. They were close to my clan. Our parents knew each other - I knew your parents.” Irene runs agitated fingers through her hair before looking back up at Seulgi who has startled shock painted over her expression. “Can we go talk somewhere else?”

Irene taps the cool glass with the tip of her finger, hesitantly watching Seulgi over the rim of her cup. Seulgi has a familiar blank mask settled over her features, something that Irene’s noticed in the short time they’ve known each other.

The twenty-four-hour coff