Lunch went off without much of an issue but it was definitely tense. For once it wasn’t Saerin’s fault though, the boys had been giving each other looks as though they were speaking telepathically. It could have been one of their affinities but Saerin was pretty sure that they weren’t really understanding each other. Eunjung and Hyun Bi were the only two that seemed entirely unaffected by what was passing across the table.

“Hyung we have something we need to discuss with you after lunch,” Zico said before taking a deep drink from his opaque tumbler that Saerin was pretty sure held his real lunch.

“Alright, should I get the van ready to go to the company?” Hyun Bi asked around his mouthful of rice.

“No I think that we could just have it here in the living room,” Zico replied.

“You two should be apart of it too but you should probably just listen for now and we can have a deeper discussion later,” Jaehyo leaned over and whispered so closely to Saerin’s ear that she felt a shiver run from the nape of her neck to the bottom of her spine. It was a sensation that she had never felt before. She nodded and shoved a piece of kimchi into to keep from showing the reaction that he caused in her.

Jaehyo didn’t miss it though and smirked to himself before turning back to his own meal. There was a wall that was slowly breaking down between them and Saerin wasn’t sure that she liked or understood it. To an extent it felt like she had known him before but that was such a cliche that it had to have come from his vampiric charm.

“Would you two please stop flirting? You’re going to make me vomit,” B Bomb said as he practically slammed his chopsticks onto the table.

“If you don’t like it you’re always welcome to have your lunch in your room like you usually do,” Jaehyo replied with a grin at him.

“Okay but B Bomb has a point,” Kyung said with a pout and crossing his arms. “Why does he always get to flirt with the beautiful women?”

“If you weren’t such a creep I’m sure you could flirt with beautiful women too,” Taeil said with a snort into his rice.

“You wound me!” Kyung said dramatically with a hand over his heart and his jaw dropped.

“There are worse wounds than emotional damage that have been dealt today,” P.O said under his breath.

“And those wounds wouldn’t have been dealt if some people understood that sneaking up on someone you don’t know is a bad idea,” Saerin said as she tilted her head sarcastically to look at him.

“That’s enough. If we’re all done eating let’s take this to the living room and have this meeting,” Zico said as he stood from the table, taking his tumbler with him.

“I mean some of us actually need to eat the food,” Saerin said under her breath, drawing a look from the leader as he passed her. “Okay, whatever. Come on Eunjung let’s play follow the leader. We’ll just eat our food cold later.”

“It’s fine Unnie, I’m full anyways,” Eunjung said as she practically bounced into the living room and taking a seat on the floor in front of the coffee table like she would have at their own apartment.

“I’m full anyways,” Saerin mimicked sarcastically while tilting her head back and forth. Jaehyo chuckled as he stood and offered his hand to help her out of her seat. Saerin ignored his hand and stood to walk into the living room. She didn’t see the look of disappointment cross his face.

“Can we just get this meeting started so we can go on with our lives?” U Kwon asked as he flopped down onto a chair. “I need to go see Sun Hye.”

“You act like you can’t go three days without seeing your girlfriend,” P.O said as his brows scrunched together.

“Do I hear a hint of jealousy Maknae?” Taeil said from his spot near Zico. Saerin sat on the floor near Eunjung while Jaehyo took a spot leaning against the chair that Hyun Bi had taken up residence in.

“Alright what’s this meeting all about Zico?” Hyun Bi asked effectively cutting off what was sure to be a scathing retort from P.O.

“Hyung, we talked about it today and we’re starting to feel a bit burnt out. With Friday having been our last show of this tour we think it might be best if we take a break,” Zico said very carefully, watching Hyun Bi’s reaction.

“Oh yeah, I’ll talk to the company for you. I’m sure we’ll be able to let you have a few weeks off,” Hyun Bi said with a smile.

“Hyung,” Zico said solemnly hanging his head. “We mean that we want to take a hiatus.”

“Wait. A hiatus? How long exactly are you planning on taking?” Hyun Bi asked with obvious shock written across his face.

“We’re not sure. I think this might be the time for us to serve our military terms,” Zico replied. Saerin almost scoffed but somehow managed to keep herself in check.

“I guess I can bring the idea to the company. It is about time for you all to serve your terms. That might work out for the best,” Hyun Bi was obviously skeptical and hesitant but also understading.

“Thank you Hyung. You’re the best,” Kyung said with a sigh of relief.

“Not the best just yet. You’ve got to get approval from the company first,” Hyun Bi said as he rubbed the back of his neck out of stress.

“I can always come with you Hyung,” B Bomb offered, though Saerin was pretty sure that it wasn’t so much an offer as a statement of intent.

“Alright. It might be better to have one of you there to explain it. Should be Zico to be honest but I guess you’ll do,” Hyun Bi said as he stood from his chair. “Well, probably better to get this done earlier rather than later.”

B Bomb nodded and stood to follow Hyun Bi out of the dorm. The others breathed out a sigh of relief when the door clicked shut. Taeil beelined to the kitchen where he opened a hidden door in the pantry that apparently led to a second fridge with their blood bag stores. He came back with six bags and handed them out after scrutinizing the bags a bit.

“I don’t think I really want to know but what are you looking at so hard before you hand them out?” Saerin asked as dragged her hand down her face in regret. She knew she didn’t want to know but she could not help herself.

“Blood type. We all have a preference,” Taeil said as he looked down at the blood bag in his hand. “I like AB-, Jaehyo likes O+, Zico like O-, P.O like B-, B Bomb likes AB+, U Kwon likes A-, and Kyung likes B+.”

“Yep, I didn’t want to know. That was a stupid question,” Saerin said as she grimaced. “Stupid games, stupid prizes apparently.”

“You act like it was unexpected,” Kyung said with a chuckle.

“Yep, shouldn’t have asked,” Saerin said as she got up and walked towards the kitchen. As she reached the table they had been eating at she felt the world spin around her and had to grab a chair to stabilize herself.

“Are you okay?” Zico asked as he stood and Jaehyo moved to stand by her side and help her.

“I’m fine just a bit dizzy,” Saerin said with her eyes still tightly closed.

“Did you drink what I gave you earlier?” Zico said as he moved closer to her.

“Would you drink something if you have no idea what’s in it?” 
Saerin asked as she felt a hand on her back and her dizziness dissipate.

“It’s a simple strengthening potion. I made it myself,” Saerin turned to stare at him with a slack jaw and knit brow.

“How did you even make a strengthening potion?” She asked in disbelief.

“When you’ve been alive this long you learn a few tricks along the way,” Zico said with a shrug as he looked her over.

“But a strengthening potion is magick and only witches should be able to use magick so how could you possibly make it yourself?” Saerin said as she tried to wave Jaehyo off.

“Supernaturals are capable of more than you even know then,” Zico said before turning to Jaehyo. “Take her to her room and have her drink the potion. Keep her wounds in check until she can properly rest.”

“I really don’t need a babysitter,” Saerin said with a glare at Zico. He made a face that she couldn’t quite understand.

“You should let people take care of you. You’re just as stubborn as ever,” It was hurt, Saerin realized. The look on Zico’s face was hurt but she couldn’t understand why.

“Please just come lay down. You don’t want your wound to reopen do you?” Jaehyo asked, drawing her gaze to him.

“Ugh, sure. Whatever,” Saerin finally gave up and allowed Jaehyo to help her to her room.

“She has such a limited view of what we’re all capable of,” Saerin heard Zico say as Jaehyo was closing the door. “She can’t even imagine what she’s capable of herself.”

“Okay could you please explain to me why you all keep saying things like that?” Saerin said with a huff as she laid down on her makeshift bed.

“We say it because you don’t seem to understand how powerful you are and you don’t seem to understand how thin the lines separating every Supernatural are,” Jaehyo said as he grabbed the bottle from her bathroom and came to sit next to where she was laying.

“But we’re literally different species!” Saerin said as she threw her hands in the air and drops them back to the blankets.

“We may be but we’re as closely related to you as you are to humans,” He said with a chuckle as he began to run his fingers through her hair.

“But I am a human. I’m a human with gifts from the goddess that’s all,” She said as she rolled her eyes. She could feel his energy spreading through her body with every touch of his fingers. “You guys on the other hand, you’re immortal! How could that be anything closely related to me?”

“Have you ever spent time with Supernaturals other than witches?” Jaehyo asked.

“No. My mother and I didn’t have many Supernaturals in Korea that we could interact with and when we were in America we were so focused on our training that I had no time to find any others there,” She replied. 

“It makes so much more sense now,” Jaehyo said as he brought his hand to brush her cheek. Saerin gasped unintentionally at the sensation making him smile lightly. “You need to be introduced to your own world. Of course you wouldn’t recognize how closely related we are and why we can tell that you’re so much stronger than you know or allow yourself to be.”

“If I was stronger than I believe myself to be, then I would have been able to protect my Eomma,” She felt the tears prick her eyes but she took deep breaths to stop them from breaking free.

“It’s okay to be strong and still have not been able to protect your Eomma. Sometimes fate is cruel. Your goddess wouldn’t want you to doubt your own power that she blessed you with just because of something that was entirely out of your control,” Jaehyo said as Saerin’s eyebrows creased together.

“How would you possibly know what my goddess would want?” She asked, maybe a bit more harshly than she should have.

“Once upon a time, a few centuries ago, I once knew a witch, who quite like you, doubted herself. I’ve seen your goddess prove herself and her sadness of being doubted by her child,” Jaehyo said in such a sad voice it broke Saerin’s heart. “I never want to see someone go through that again. So, please, don’t doubt your goddess.”

“Okay. I won’t doubt her,” It was odd to have a Vampire tell her not to doubt her goddess but she had learned long ago that her goddess’s words can come from the most unexpected of places.

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A/N: Well to be honest I kind of forgot about this story for a very long time but when I remembered it I remembered how much I really loved this story and the ideas that I had for it. I am excited to continue it though it might be a slow update (If anyone is even still reading it at this point lol). I can’t wait to continue this. As always, Thank You for Reading! Kamsamnida!