I hear someone rustling about in my room and I groan from frustration. Why can’t I get a decent sleep here? Why does everyone have to wake me up instead of me waking up by myself? Slowly, I sit up from my bed and rub my eyes. Feeling that my hair is sticking up, I run my fingers through it to at least make sure it’s a little bit presentable to whoever is in here. I sigh deeply when I see who it is. “Zelo. What are you doing?”

  Strangely enough he was making his way to the window to pull the curtains, but for some reason he’s trying to be sneaky about it. How do I know? Well, he’s stooped over and on his tiptoes, yet he somehow makes enough noise to wake me up. Zelo stands up straight and places his hands behind his back. His cheeks are a little red and his eyes trail to the side, “Oh. I was just- Uhm- well the curtains- Uh… Daehyun wants to see you after you eat.”

  I scratch my head. What does he want now?

  Zelo doesn’t seem to move from his spot and digs his toe on the ground. For some reason, looking at him like this makes him seem like a child.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He chews on his bottom lip before replying, “About yesterday, I did say you didn’t have to tell me what’s wrong, but I want to know what was troubling you. I didn’t expect you to cry when Daehyun told me to check up on you because he noticed you were acting strange.”

  My heart skips a beat. So Daehyun told him to see me when he left. Just what is with this guy? He’s definitely messing up my feelings toward him. I give Zelo a gentle smile. “I’m not ready to you, but I promise when I am, I’ll tell you everything.”

  “Okay.” His voice trails.

  I come up to him and grab his shoulders while giving a little squeeze. He's much taller than I am, but I do my best to meet his eyes. “When I make a promise, I'll make sure I won't break it. For now, just trust me on this. You don't want to hear what I have to say right now.”

  He nods and repeats, “Okay.”

  Since he doesn’t press it further, I get ready for the night, not caring if Zelo is in the room with me. I mean, I trust him more than Daehyun because at least he won’t comment at me as I take my clothes off.

  Daehyun wasn’t at the dining hall, so Zelo leads me to the kitchen and I’m served with L’s food once more. And of course, it was delicious.

  After I’m done, Zelo leads me through the corridor and I ask, “Where are you taking me?”

  “The library,” I can hear a hint of jealousy in Zelo’s voice as he answers, but he tries not to show it on his face.

  “Oh.” I honestly didn’t know how to reply since even he wasn’t allowed in the library, and here I am, just three nights in and I’m already going to a place where nearly no one in this mansion has gone to.

  We are on the other side of the second floor where Zelo sleeps, but this side seems to reflect the other as everything appears the same with doors on each side and candles lighting the halls. I still wonder why he uses candles when some parts of the mansion uses light bulbs. “Maybe I can ask Daehyun about the candles,” I mutter to myself.

  “That would be the best option,” Zelo says from in front of me.

  I blush a little, not realizing that I said it loud enough for him to hear. “Outside the Dome, we rarely use candles anymore. Most use it for scents and-”

  Zelo chuckles. “You’re explaining this to the wrong person. You do know I’m human, right?”

  “Oh. Right.” I shut my mouth and wonder how much of the outside world does Daehyun know.

  The event from yesterday enters my mind, and notice how Daehyun’s personality shifts differently based on the people he’s with.  When he’s at the bank, he exhibits charisma. When he met with the woman last night, he was a gentlemen. When he’s with Zelo, he’s gentle. But when he’s with me, I experience so many different sides of him to where I don’t know which is the real one. There’s so many things that I don’t understand. The more I stay here, the more I realize there’s more to Jung Daehyun than there is. “I have a question,” I blurt out.

  “And I may or may not have an answer. Better hurry because we’re almost there.”

  I say the first thing that comes into mind. “Do you know anything about Daehyun’s uncle?”

  “No. I didn’t even know he had one until he mentioned him yesterday. I’m assuming he was a human who took care of him when he was younger. Vampires age differently, so maybe he was the first human that took care of him until he left and all the rest came into his life. I don’t know because Young Master doesn’t tell me everything.” There was a bit of sadness in his voice. Zelo is clearly devoted to Daehyun, but even he doesn’t know a lot about him. Just how close do I need to be to fully understand a guy like him?

  We stop in front of double doors, and the patterns carved into the wood are similar to the ones outside, but this time, there’s an image of a girl underneath a tree, reading a book. Zelo knocks and the hollow sound echoes from within.

  “Come in,” Daehyun’s voice comes from the other side.

  As Zelo pushes one of the doors open, the first thing I see is Jung Daehyun sitting on a couch in the middle of the room, reading a picture book. He looks up for a moment before returning to the pictures.

  The height of the room is like all the other rooms, but the width seems to expand nearly to the end of the mansion. All around me are shelves filled with books of all kinds. Many of them are bound with leather with gold or silver embossed letters. Candles lit the whole room, casting shadows all around and providing a tranquil atmosphere, suitable for reading.

  “Wow,” I say under my breath. It’s truly breathtaking. Even the libraries in the outside world don’t have books like these. Most are electronically scanned, and the few that do remain are torn and stained from overuse.

  Zelo bows to Daehyun. “I will take my leave.” He doesn’t wait for Daehyun to respond and leaves me, while shutting the door quietly behind him.

  I stand at the doorway, not knowing what to do. Rubbing my arm, I wait for him to say something. Just looking at this room makes me want to take out every book there is and read each and everyone of them. It’s been so long since I actually touched a book printed on paper and ink and binded with anything other than simply being a file on a screen.

  “Why are you just standing there? I don’t bite,” Daehyun teases without looking up at me. I can tell he’s smirking, but it’s very subtle as his head is down.

  I walk cautiously at him, gazing at the books around me. Honestly, I don’t know where to start, and I don’t even know if he’ll let me read a book. I sit on the couch, leaving space in between us. This causes him to take his eyes off of the book to me.

  Daehyun pats the cushion next to him. “Sit here,” he orders. His voice is softer and not the usual demanding tone he exhibits. It’s strange, but maybe the library allows a gentler side of him.

  My body is stiff as I scoot over, making sure I don’t accidentally make skin contact with him. I forget that the cushions sink as I put my whole weight on sitting in that one spot and tilt over towards Daehyun. Luckily, I catch myself on time before he notices me. I look over his shoulder and see that he’s reading a children’s book about the different types of fishes in the ocean. Instead of photos of the ocean and the fish, they’re childish drawings to simplify what they actually appear like. Truthfully, their colors are more vibrant in real life.

  “Is this what you read all day?” I ask, slightly teasing him.

  He shuts the book and leans close to me. Again, that peppermint scent enters my nostrils, reminding me where I have smelled that scent before. A smile is displayed on his lips. “Why of course not. Are you curious about what I usually read?”

  He’s too close! “No! Not really!” I lean away and can feel my cheeks getting hot. Turning my head, I cross my arms and let a loud, “Hmph!”

  This causes him to laugh. “What are you getting so flustered for? Are you thinking that I read rated books or something?” Another laugh. “Maybe, but that’s only for my own enjoyment.”

  My cheeks get hotter. I don’t need to know that! I roll my eyes. “Why am I here anyways? If you’re just going to tease me, I’m just going to leave!”

  He sighs. “Can I not have a decent conversation with someone who is mine?” He brushes the back of his hand across my cheek.

  I swat his hand away.

  Usually, he would get angry, but this time he shows more amusement and laughs again. “I brought you here because I want to know more about the outside world.” He flips through the picture book. “To me, the outside world are like the pictures from these stories. Even though I have books that reveal what things actually look like, they’re still intangible and out of my reach. They’re basically pictures I paint in my head.” His eyes close and he takes in a deep breath. “I want to know what it’s like to feel the sun on my face and the taste of the salty ocean, but I know I can’t. If I step out into the world, I will burn, and I probably won’t even make it to the ocean without being sent back here or possibly killed.” He falls quiet.

  My eyes drop to the picture book and images of the ocean appear in my mind. “I can say that in some places, the ocean isn’t as blue as you would see in books. Sometimes it’s a murky green, but as you go deeper, away from the land, there’s a reason why they call it the big blue sea. The creatures that lurk are even more fascinating. Colors and patterns of every kind are in the ocean, and because it’s so vast, we still don’t know everything about it. There are still creatures that live in the deep depths of the ocean, but we, personally cannot travel there due to the pressure. Sure, we have machines, but even they can only go down a certain length.” I pause to see Daehyun completely engaged in my words.

  His eyes sparkle in a way that I have never seen before. He almost seems child-like as if he’s listening to a parent telling him an interesting story about one of their ancestors.

  I continue as more images pop into my head. My fingers dig into the velvet cushions and I’m reminded of the one person I don’t want to think about. Now that I think about it, he would also love a place like this. A pain hits me, but I brush it off as I try to remember the things outside of the Dome. I chuckle as I caress the cushion.

  “What?” I hear Daehyun ask.

  “I’m just thinking about pets and how loyal they can be to their masters. I didn’t have one because I was allergic, but a few of my friends did. My favorite are dogs because they’re so welcoming. The moment you step inside the house, they would immediately greet you with a kiss, but of course there are some that bark at you.” My head raises up to the nearest shelf. “Back at home, we don’t have as many books as we used to. Most books are read electronically. Yes, it saves paper, but I wish they could reserve a few books because I miss the feel of turning the pages and hearing the crinkle sound it makes. Ah, sorry, I’m rambling.”

  “No. It’s fine. It’s actually amusing.”

  My blush returns. I don’t know if it’s the atmosphere or the things we’re talking about, but it feels nice to just sit and have a normal, quiet conversation with him. For once, I’m not as annoyed with him and I’m not avoiding his advancements.

  Daehyun leans the other way, resting his arm on the armrest and gazes at his books. “If you wish to read any, you may take some to your room. I just would like you to return them when you’re done, and make sure they’re in the right spot because this was organized by my uncle, and he’s very meticulous with books.”

  His uncle. He’s popping up more than usual now. “Just who exactly is your uncle?” I didn’t realize I said it outloud until I see Daehyun’s body stiffen and he bites his bottom lip, showing his fangs.

  His eyes fall to the ground and trail to the side, away from me. “I don’t usually talk about him since he’s disappeared for a long time, but I can say he’s an old friend of my father. He raised me as a child since my real mother wasn’t around and my father was so busy handling the bank.” He pauses as his brows furrow and I can hear the strain in his voice as he speaks, “I don’t know what happened to him. One day he was here, reading me stories about the outside world and telling me how much he was in love, and the next thing I know, he’s gone.”

  Silence fills the room and a heavy feeling crushes the calming atmosphere. I thought Daehyun would cry, but then, I see him get up and approach a shelf nearby. He pulls out a blue book with no title and opens the first page. Here, I see someone’s name: Zazriel.

  “What a strange name,” I mutter.

  “Yeah. It is, isn’t it. It’s only a nickname because he didn’t really like the name his parents gave him.” He turns another page and it’s clearly a journal, written nearly a hundred years ago. “I haven’t read anything from here because I know it will bring bad memories, but if you’re truly curious about who my uncle is, I will let you read it.”

  I’m dumbfounded. How can he just give something like this to me? I barely even know him! I surely can’t take it! I shake my head and push the book away from me. “I don’t think it will be appropriate for me to read it.”

  He pulls away, but I can tell he’s a bit relieved. Placing the book back where it belongs, he comments about the Blood Moon. “As I’ve told you before, the suit you’re wearing was my uncle’s and everyone will recognize it based on the rose on the pocket, but don’t worry, they won’t do anything. You will receive stares, but do not talk to anyone about it as they will question about my uncle. I will take care of that. Also,” he pulls out a different book and sits down next to me, “I expect you to be on your best behavior.” Daehyun’s eyes shifts from dark brown to red, “Do not embarrass me. I may let it slide, but it will taint my name and I can’t afford that when everyone in my family is watching my every move. They’re already questioning why I didn’t make you my Doll, so I don’t need anymore rumors.”

  Now here is the Jung Daehyun that I met the first night. This tough, intimidating character yet with that same hint of loneliness. I cross my arms over my chest and huff. “Then why am I wearing a suit that your missing uncle wore? Isn’t that strange to you?”

  Again, Daehyun gazes at the book, or more like at his uncle’s journal. “It is, but you look good in it, so that’s why I’m letting you wear it.” He chuckles, but I know it’s a lie. There has to be a reason.

  Tell me the truth. I want to know, but I don’t say anything as I’m enjoying my time just being here, having a somewhat normal conversation with him. If only every other nights were like these, but I know they won’t. Jung Daehyun is just too complicated for that.

  I get up to look for a book. As my fingers brush against the bindings, I notice how none of them were dusty and they were well taken care with no rips or tears. I find classic books on the shelf I’m around and find one that I’ve read a long time ago and loved. It’s not a large book but will definitely take me more than a day to read. I sit next to Daehyun and didn’t even start reading before he says something.

  “The Picture of Dorian Gray? What an interesting choice, and you assume that I read such vulgar things.” He leans in close and whispers in my ear, “You do know what it’s about, right?”

  I blush and almost want to hit him with the book, but since it’s too precious, I decide that it’s not worth it. “Of course I know what it’s about! And that’s not why I’m reading it! It’s a classic literature book and if you look at it in a literature standpoint, it’s a beautiful piece of art.”

  “How ironic. It’s a story about a man who goes crazy all because of a piece of art.”

  “It’s not just about that,” I explain matter-of-factly, “It’s also about social class and the human greed of eternal youth.”

  He doesn’t say a word, but gives me a look of amusement. “You do know your classic books, don’t you?”

  “Somewhat.” I try to avoid his eyes by keeping my eyes down on the book.

  Daehyun says no more and picks another book from the shelf.

  I turn the first page and begin reading. As my eyes are glued to the pages, I can hear Daehyun’s light, rhythmic breathing. I’ve always thought vampires don’t bleed considering they’re supposed to be dead, but in fact, that’s not how it really is. Vampires bleed and breaths just like humans do, but they’re resilient. They don’t bleed that easily which is why their bodies are still cold as ice. I don’t know why they crave human blood so much, but supposedly our blood tastes better than animal blood while for me, I find it disgusting.

  I manage to read the up to chapter 5 until my mind drifts as the sounds around me lose my concentration on the words. Every time Daehyun shifts in the chair, I hear the sound of his pants scraping against the velvet cushions. Sometimes he would sigh and pop a bone when he stretches. At one point, I hear him clicking his tongue and I just lose it.

  “I think I’m done for today.” I shut my book and stand, ready to leave. Ah, I really want to grab another book.

  His eyes widen. “So soon?”

  I just can’t be there with him. Normally, I wouldn’t get so bothered by random sounds, but it’s Jung Daehyun. He’s always bothering me in some way. “I feel like I should do more than just read all day. I want to go out again.”

  “I can’t take you tonight because I will be meeting with my father, but I will try tomorrow since we will need to pick up your suit. I would have done it tonight, but I got caught up on reading.”

  I bow my head. “Alright.” Waiting for tomorrow isn’t that back. It’s just I want to do something outside of the mansion again because going out yesterday wasn’t enough. I’m even thinking that working is a lot better than being here, doing nothing.Then an idea hit me. “Can I come with you to visit your father?”

  His face turns pale and his eyes widen. “It’s usually about business matters, and I would prefer if you don’t.”

  “Why not?”

  Again, he bites his bottom lip. “I don’t think you’ll like it.”

  “If you’re worried about pheromones, you know I can handle it.”

  “That’s not it.” His face remains pale. After a long while of not speaking, he sighs. “I’m sorry Youngjae, but I cannot take you there even if you are resistant to pheromones.”

  I give up. “That’s fine.” At least I get to do something other than being stuck in the castle. A shiver runs down my spine as I think about his father. I know nothing about Jung Daehyun and his family other than them having a successful business. But I think if I can at least see what his lifestyle is like, then maybe I can get a little closer to him. Waiting until the banquet is making me too anxious.

  I’m still standing by the couch, holding my book tight. Daehyun averts his attention towards the door as if he’s heard something and stands. I can’t help, but watch him as he does so. Under the candlelight, his skin seems to shimmer and his eyes glisten as the flames reflect in his eyes. For the first time, I have to admit, he is gorgeous.

  No. I can’t be thinking these things.

  I shake my head. What is wrong with me?

  Suddenly, there’s a soft knock on the door and Zelo calls out from the other side, “It’s almost time, Young Master.”

  Daehyun grins and walks over to the door. He pauses halfway through and turn to me, “Are you going to stay here or would you like to return to your room or would you like to be with Zelo?” Without waiting for my reply, he opens one of the doors. “If you want to stay and you don’t want to be alone, Zelo can keep you company while I’m away, and as I said before, you make take as many books as you like to your room as long as you return them to their rightful place.”

  Zelo bows to Daehyun as he passes by. Even though Daehyun’s back is turned away from him, I can see the longing in Zelo’s eyes as he watches his Young Master walk away. After a few moments, Zelo steps into the library and scans the whole area in awe. “I always see this place from the outside, but I never got to set foot in it.” His gaze falls toward the shelf with the journal.

  I quickly walk over to him and grab his arm out of habit. Maybe the reason why Daehyun doesn’t allow people to come here is because he wants to keep his uncle’s journal a secret, but then, he could just hide it. Or maybe he just wants to preserve this library as everything is placed in a specific order.

  Zelo pulls away from me as if I shocked him. His face turns red and he stutters, “S-sorry. I just didn’t expect you to grab me so suddenly.”

  “Ah. My bad.” Strange, I didn’t think he would get that flustered over it. I sit down on the couch. “I guess all I can do tonight is read.”

  “I guess so.” Zelo chuckles and sits next to me.

  I sit there with the book in my hands, but instead of reading, I begin talking to Zelo. I talk about the things I miss from the outside world and about all the books I’ve read. I talk about my favorite hobbies. I talk about that one annoying dog from across the street and all the weird friends I had. The whole time Zelo attentively listen. At one point, we move to the garden to change the scenery and I talk about my home and how it was a nice, cozy place to go return to after working. But I never spoke about what I did as a living or who that guy with green eyes was. I do this until Jung Daehyun returns with a disgusted look on his face.

Author's Note:

  Dun dun duuunnn! First cliff hanger for this story! Haha I gotta keep you guys on your toes because stuff is about to go down in the next few chapters (just one more chapter and then we'll start getting towards the banquet where more characters will be introduced). I hope I'm not inconsistent with a few things because I'm writing this whenever I have a chance and sometimes I don't have time looking over it. If you have any questions or concerns, let me know and I'll check what I'm missing. Is anyone actually listening to the playlist? I've been constantly updating it when I hear a new song, and as I write this story, I listen to the playlist because it gets me in the mood.

  Oh yeah, I even made a new cover for this fic! Personally, I like it better since I did a lot more editing than the original.

With Love,

       LokiCraze123

  (P.S. I've also read Dorian Gray before and it's one of my favorite books along with Crime and Punishment. That's basically why I chose that book to be the one Youngjae reads.)