004

“There doesn’t seem to be any other route for me to take now, just the one that leads directly towards you.”

Yoongi is waiting outside his boss’s office waiting to be called on. His results of late were not satisfactory so he guesses he’s here to be reprimanded. As he waits, he pulls up his sweater sleeve and examines the spot on his arm where Hoseok had injected the sun-protection serum; the surface of surrounding skin all the way down to the back of his hand is full of raised bumps, red and swollen.

It’s already been a two weeks since Yoongi’s “adventure” to the beach and just yesterday since he saw Sooyoung again, he would have thought that his reactions would have stopped by now, yet his arm still stings. He’s glad that Sooyoung didn’t notice. It’s still better that the day after the beach, where he had such purple patches of rashes all over his body and face that Hoseok had actually gasped in shock when he saw him. Although his vampire blood was trying very hard to heal him, his body was struggling to keep up.

It’s almost like a constant reminder of what he really is and what he cannot have.

But despite all of that, he does not regret seeing Sooyoung again. There is no dead weight in his chest, the feeling he usually gets when he regrets a decision. Instead he feels light on his feet and almost too fearless. It almost feels like an addiction, because all he does is want to see her over and over again.

He remembers that time in the park when they lay on the ground and watched the stars. But he already forgets how the stars looked like because all he can remember are her expressions and her words. He remembers all too well. When he had asked her who makes her sad, he wasn’t expecting such an honest answer. He wonders why she thinks of him, for her to give such a response. Yoongi knows that exposing things that hurt and make you feel vulnerable is not easy. It makes him feel special (proud almost) that Sooyoung felt comfortable enough to tell him.

But his happy thoughts are broken as a vampire in a well-dressed black suit finally opens the door and says, “The boss will see you now. Please come in.”

Yoongi walks into the luxurious decorated office, pass the black leather couch on one side, a cabinet filled with alcohol bottles, while another cabinet full of mysterious bottles. He never asks about the contents but he suspects they were probably poisons of some sort. His boss had always been quite the sadist. He greets his boss as he sits down in the spare chair facing the boss’s desk.

Yoongi was actually meant to meet his boss 2 days ago but because of his allergic reactions, he had postponed for as long as he could. His boss is sitting in a luxurious armchair tapping his chubby fingers on the leather armrest. It’s not common to see a well-rounded body shape of a vampire like his boss. Yoongi doesn’t know what his boss feds on and he knows better than to ask.

“You usually don’t disappoint me Yoongi. Why have you been slacking lately? Do I need to put you in a team?”

He worked in a dangerous business, pairing up human clients with vampires to let them their blood. There were humans who enjoyed the intense sensations from blood- as well as the money that came with it. Vampires would pay generously to be able to human’s blood, said to be the most divine taste compared to animal blood. And no, the humans don’t become vampires when they become bitten, instead they become hollow and almost like drug addicts high on being on constantly. It was a world that Yoongi was brought up in so although he didn’t agree with what was happening, he was numb to it all.

“I will do better next month, I promise.”

Yoongi had not brought in a sufficient amount of humans to be fed for the vampires and his boss was not happy. It was actually rare to see the boss so the fact that he had been called to his office in the middle of metropolitan Seoul is very unusual.

It was uncommon for them to work alone. But Yoongi requested it from when he was older enough not to depend on other vampires. He couldn’t stand working with anyone else.

“Boss, I bring in more people than the average per vampire in a team. I don’t think putting me in a team is going to improve my results.”

“As blunt as usual. Fine, but if you don’t improve, I’m putting you with Jihoon. You could teach them a few things anyways.” Yoongi cringed.

He hated that gang of vampires. They all worked for the same boss but Yoongi always stayed far away from them. They were trash. They played dirty. And they thought everything was a game.

The boss pauses, his eyes focusing on Yoongi’s swollen hand. Yoongi tries to hide it behind his back but it’s too late. His boss has already made an assessment.

“And who has had the honour of seeing Yoongi in the sunlight? The Yoongi that I know hates using sun-protection serum. He has no need for it and never asks to be paid with serum, only in cash.”

“Just wanted a change in pace.” Yoongi replies easily.

“I’ll tell you a secret then Yoongi since you are one of my best workers. The reason why you have reactions is because the serum contains something deadly to vampires.”

Yoongi perks up because firstly it is strange for his boss to be so indulging of information and secondly, this is the first he has heard about this secret. The boss smirks, his chubby cheeks bunching up on one side of face.

“Over the ages, vampires have lived for thousands of years. They were almost seen as immortal. However in today’s world, they live the same lifespan as humans. Have you ever wondered why?”

Yoongi knows exactly where his boss was taking this conversation. It had