(Long chapter, but I hope it makes up for my absense!)

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Three weeks later

Awake.

It was as if a light had been switched, every ounce of darkness finally being consumed by light. That light became her savior — her savior from confusion, from being lost, from death.

Her eyes opened, squinting painfully at the surrounding bright lights of the room. It took a few seconds for her vision to focus, but once it had, she looked around in a daze at the unfamiliar room.

Where was she? How did she get there? Why couldn’t she remember anything leading up to that moment?

Her eyes traveled down her body, revealing that she was laying on an elevated metal table only in her underwear, dried blood dripping down her wrists, ankles, and neck. What was this?

She began to panic slightly, hyperventilating before shortly stopping to grab . It felt dryer than a desert, like she hadn’t drunk in years. She tried to swallow her spit, but it wasn’t working. It only made the feeling worse.

That wasn’t the only thing she noticed. Her senses seemed to be really heightened. Her sense of smell was very sensitive, her eyes focused in on every detail in the room, and her hearing amplified the constant buzzing sound coming from the lights above. All of her senses were intensified, but she had no idea why.

“You’re awake.”

The woman jumped, startled at the loud voice in the otherwise silent room. She turned her head to the right seeing a man with dark clothes entering the room with a smug smile on his face.

The man continued to talk as he slowly walked closer to the table. “I was beginning to worry. I thought you’d never wake up.”

He stopped walking right before he reached the table, busying himself with something on the counter. “With a wound like yours, not many people survive. You should count yourself lucky. I don’t turn many people, but you... I saw something special in you... Taeyeon.”

Taeyeon whimpered, talking with much difficulty, “H-How do you know my name?”

The man chuckled. “I know many things about you. As for how, I make it my business to know everything about everyone that gets involved in this life.”

Taeyeon’s voice quivered as fear began to set in. “W-What are you talking about? How did I get here? Where am I?!”

“Shhh,” he said calmly, giving her a gentle smile. “All of your questions will be answered in due time. As for now, just know that you’re safe.”

“Where’s my family? I want to go home.”

He walked closer, almost touching her hand, causing her to scramble into a fetal position. “Hey, don’t be afraid and don’t worry about your family. I’m your family now.”

Tears started spilling down her cheeks as the situation sank in. She had no idea what was going on. Was she a hostage? Did she get trapped into trafficking? Did this guy harm her or her family? There were so many questions she didn’t have the answer to.

The guy crept closer to her in a stalking manner. “Aww, don’t cry. You’re too beautiful for that.”

She sniffed as she asked, “Who are you? What do you want from me?”

The man took a step back, giving a hearty laugh before answering, “I’m Keun-Suk. I’m going to take very good care of you. But first, how about we take care of your thirst, shall we?”

Taeyeon didn’t know what he meant, but as soon as the man slit his own wrists, her body took over, and within a second, latched onto his wrist out as much blood as she desired. She was so confused on what was going on and why she was acting like this. Her mind told her to stop because this was weird and wrong, but her body told her to keep going, that she needed this to survive.

Her actions were animalistic. As much as the rational side of her told her to pull away, her instincts wouldn’t allow that. She couldn’t even help the satisfied moans that escaped her lips. All she could rationalize was the fact that her thirst seemed to become nonexistent the more she continued to drink from his wrist.

After a while, Keun-Suk tapped her head softly saying, “That’s enough, my little fledgling. There’s plenty more where that came from.”

Taeyeon retracted her fangs from his wrist and sat back in shock. She slowly touched her face feeling the blood dripping down from her lips. She looked up at him longingly, hoping that this was a dream. “What am I?”

Keun-Suk smiled as he leaned forward to Taeyeon’s face. “I’m glad you asked. Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Does the name Kim Jonghyun ring a bell?”

—

Present

Waking up in a new home felt so foreign to Minho. Yes, he had the camper, but it was never cozy enough to be considered a home. He was always on alert due to the constant noises of the woods. Now, living in a place with an actual room, lighting, and AC felt like a dream. He even had cable! Everything in the house seemed like a luxury, a fantasy, and he had Jinki to thank for it.

The older man was simply too kind for words, and Minho felt a little bad for taking up space in Jinki’s home, but he knew that Jinki would’ve kept insisting on him staying if he’d said no. So for now, he’d just sit back and enjoy the moment.

Minho let out a satisfied yawn as he stretched in his new bed. Regardless of him denying that he needed a bed, Jinki insisted on giving Minho his own from upstairs. At the moment, Minho was thankful for that because he had one of the best sleeps he’d had in a while.

The situation was a bit surreal because Jinki was the complete opposite of everything Minho’d ever known about vampires. He wasn’t mean-spirited, greedy, evil, relentless, shallow, or blood thirsty. He was even nicer than most wolves he’d come across in the past. Minho was beginning to wonder if it was a vampire thing or just a Jinki thing.

Checking the clock on his nightstand, Minho groaned knowing he’d have to get up to get ready for work soon. At least he didn’t have to wake up as early as he used to since he was closer to his job now. Still didn’t suppress the dread, though.

He reluctantly got up, but stopped in his tracks when he smelled something in the air. It smelled like food, which confused him because he thought vampires couldn’t eat, and he was damn sure Taemin didn’t have an appetite.

The curious wolf inside him led him out of the bed to check out what was going on upstairs. He walked up the basement stairs towards the kitchen, stopping shortly at the entrance once he laid eyes upon the funny sight. Jinki was standing at the stove with an apron tied around his waist while Taemin stood by his side coaching him, or rather shouting, about how to make breakfast.

“No, Jinki! You have to hurry and scramble the eggs. They’re going to get stuck to the pan!”

“I’m trying! I can’t turn the bacon and scramble the eggs at the same time!”

“That’s why you cook the eggs last! It doesn’t take long and it’s the easiest thing to make. Omg, Jinki, take pan off the stove, it’s on fire!”

Minho snickered into his hand, unable to hold back his laughter, as he watched Jinki run swiftly to the kitchen sink with the burning pan. It was quite theatrical.

Taemin groaned hopelessly before finally noticing Minho’s presence. His mood instantly shifted as he brightly greeted, “Hey, Minho!”

Jinki turned around shocked to see that the young wolf was already up. He was too distracted by the commotion in the kitchen to notice his scent. With a sheepish smile, he greeted Minho, “Good morning.”

 

Minho slowly walked further into the kitchen in amusement. “Hey. What’s going on in here?”

Jinki sighed in defeat as he dried his hands on his apron. “Well, you’re the only one in the house that survives solely on food, so I was trying to do a nice thing and cook breakfast for you before work.”

Taemin piped in, “I tried to help too, but as you can see, it didn’t go too well. He even burnt the toast!”

 

“Hey,” Jinki said in fake offense, “Technology’s a little different these days.”

 

“Oh, please. I’m pretty sure they had stoves back in medieval times.”

 

Jinki paused before asking, “How old do you actually think I am?”

 

Taemin shrugged, “Old enough not to know how to work a toaster.”

Minho watched the two playfully go back and forth, touched that they cared so much and tried to make him feel welcomed. For the past three years of his life, he was used to fending for himself and not having anyone else around to depend on. He couldn’t even remember the last time someone cooked for him, whether they burned the food or not.

 

“Thanks,” Minho said, cutting off their bickering. “It means a lot.”

 

“You shouldn’t be thanking me. I burnt everything.”

 

“It’s ok. I usually just eat cereal anyway, but I really appreciate it, guys.”

 

Taemin gasped and said to Jinki, “See, I told you to buy cereal! You can never go wrong with that.”

Curious about the scene, Minho walked over to assess the damage. The eggs were burnt and stuck to the pan. The bacon was charcoal black. The pancakes looked like lumpy play-doh, and yes indeed, the toast was burnt as well, but it was still salvageable in his opinion.

 

He picked up the toast before saying, “With a good scraping, this toast will be as good as new.”

Jinki groaned in embarrassment before saying with sincerity, “I’ll pay for your breakfast at the hospital.”

 

Minho quickly reassured, “No, no. It’s ok. I’m not a breakfast person anyway.”

 

“Well, at least let me pay for your lunch. It’s the least I can do.”

 

Minho knew that Jinki would keep insisting, so he finally gave in. “I can do lunch,” he said, which made Jinki smile.

 

Taemin said almost too quickly for anyone to hear, “So, is it a bad time to bring up that I want you to invite my brother over today?”

 

Jinki’s smile quickly left his face upon hearing Taemin’s question. “What?”

 

“I was afraid you’d react that way.”

 

“Taemin, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

 

He whined, “Why?”

 

“Because if I remember correctly, the last time your brother was here, he left soaking wet.”

 

Minho chimed in, “Wait, why was his brother soaking wet?”

 

Taemin answered, “I broke the pipes, but never mind that. The point is I just want to see him, to talk to him even though he can’t hear me. I just want to be around someone from my past because it makes me feel alive again. You’ve got to understand that right, Jinki?”

 

Jinki sighed, perplexed by the situation. The main reason why he didn’t want to invite Taemin’s brother over was the fact that Taemin still didn’t have control over himself. It’s dangerous. Who’s to say something worse than the pipes spraying water on his brother wouldn’t happen? Who’s to say Taemin couldn’t do something that could unintentionally harm his brother? It was a risk Jinki wasn’t willing to take.

 

However, Jinki was starting to develop a soft spot for Taemin. The broken lost look on his face always bothered him, and he always wished he could help Taemin figure out this ghost thing sooner. As bright and bubbly as Taemin was, Jinki could always sense a sorrowful presence with the young ghost, and it broke his heart. If inviting Taesun over would help Taemin cope, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

 

“Look,” he started out slowly. “The reason I’m so hesitant is because you still don’t have control over your emotions yet. You get too excited, then a light bulb breaks. You get too upset, then the pipes spray water all over your brother. I’m just worried that something tragic could happen-”

 

“But, I would never hurt my brother-”

 

“Not intentionally, but I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone with him.”

 

“Well, how about you invite him when you’re still home. He’s supposed to come to fix the pipes again right? You can observe and monitor me to make sure nothing goes wrong. Please, Jinki. I never get to see him. Just please do me this one favor, and I’ll never ask again.”

 

There goes Jinki’s heartstrings again. Just the desperate look on Taemin’s face alone was killing him. Even though Taemin’s plea was a good one, Jinki still had some reservations.

 

“I’m not saying yes and I’m not saying no, but we’ll see.”

 

Taemin perked up and clapped his hands in excitement. “Ok!” Whenever his parents used to say ‘we’ll see,’ he always ended up getting what he wanted.

 

Jinki continued, “In the meantime, I need you practicing.”

 

Minho asked in confusion, “Practicing what?”

 

Taemin answered, “How to be a ghost. Apparently, I at it.”

 

Minho still didn’t get it, but he didn’t want to pry. He figured it was something they knew about before he moved in. He turned to go back to the basement to get ready for work, but he was stopped by the voice of someone entering the kitchen.

 

Jonghyun trudged into the kitchen asking, “Why does it smell burnt in here-” He paused once he caught a whiff of the dog smell that overpowered the stench of the kitchen, glancing over at Minho with a blank stare.

 

Minho stood there awkwardly not knowing if he should say anything or not. He decided to be polite and outstretched his hand towards Jonghyun saying, “Hey, I’m Minho. Nice to properly meet you.”

Jonghyun just looked at his hand for a few seconds in a grimace before saying, “Don’t give me a reason to kill you.” At that, he left the kitchen shouting over his shoulder, “I’ll be out late again, don’t wait up for me.”

Once the front door slammed shut, there was a few seconds of awkward silence before Jinki piped in. “Well, that went better than expected.”

Taemin scoffed. “Really? Better than expected? He’s such a prick. ‘Don’t give me a reason to kill you.’ Who says stuff like that?”

Minho shrugged it off. “It’s whatever. I’m not bothered by it-”

“Well, I am. I swear to you, Minho, once I get a control on this ghost thing, I’m getting Jonghyun back so good for the both of us.”

Minho grinned as he moved toward the kitchen’s entrance. “I look forward to it. Anyway, I guess I’ll go ahead and get ready for work. It shouldn’t take me too long, Jinki.”

 

“It’s no rush,” Jinki said kindly. “Take as long as you need.” Minho nodded and proceeded to walk downstairs.

 

Once Minho was out of sight, Jinki turned his attention to Taemin. “Please try to practice again and don’t give up.”

 

Taemin groaned, “But it’s so hard. Even lifting one sheet of paper feels like I’m moving a ton of bricks. It takes so much energy out of me, Jinki-”

 

“All the more reason you need to continue to try. If you continue to give up every time things get hard, how do you expect to progress?”

 

“Luck?” Taemin said in an attempt at humor, but he quickly cowered once he saw that his attempt failed.

 

Jinki sighed. “I need you to be more serious, Taemin. I can’t help you if you don’t want to help yourself.”

 

Taemin sighed, looking down at the floor. “Yeah, I know. I’ll try harder. I promise.”

 

Jinki gave a comforting smile toward Taemin before walking off to get ready for work as well.

—

 

“Well, look at you being all mysterious,” said Kibum as he approached a silent Jonghyun sitting miserably at the bar top. The lone vampire had been there for nearly two hours and still hadn’t spoken to the young bartender.

 

Jonghyun shook his head. “Just a lot on my mind.”

 

Kibum sighed. “You always have a lot on your mind, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah.” Sensing that Jonghyun didn’t want to be bothered today, Kibum walked off to tend to the other customers in the bar. Maybe it was best to leave him to himself, he thought.

 

After the awkward interaction with Minho that morning, Jonghyun’s conscience was clouded with so many competing thoughts, so he did what he usually does and made a trip down to the bar again. Ironically, it was becoming a place where he could sit down and actually think about what’s going on in his immortal life.

 

He didn’t mean to ignore Kibum today, but he was contemplating so many things that it was hard for him to acknowledge his surroundings at the moment, the main issue being Keun-Suk. Jonghyun didn’t expect for it to be so hard to detach himself from the supreme elder. Usually, rogue vampires were shunned and ignored by society upon their exit, so Jonghyun thought he wouldn’t have much of a problem when he decided to leave The Order along with Jinki.

 

However, Keun-Suk was proving that he wouldn’t let go of him that easily.

 

Another situation that rubbed Jonghyun the wrong way was this wolf situation. Jonghyun and Jinki had been in the new city for barely a week, and Jinki was already moving random people into their house? For someone Jonghyun considered to be mature, wise, and regal, Jinki had been acting really irrational lately. Bringing a wolf anywhere near them would draw unnecessary attention towards them and make them prime targets if The Order ever found out. Jinki knew that, so why would he continue to pursue the idea of allowing a werewolf to live with them? Jonghyun had no idea. Nowadays, Jonghyun was beginning to wonder where Jinki’s loyalty lied.

 

That, along with Taemin taking up space, was beginning to drive him insane.

 

However, who’s he to talk? It was barely a week and he’d already killed an innocent woman. As much as he wanted to move passed it, he couldn’t help thinking of her at times. It’s one of the few things in life he regretted, and he wished he could go back in time and reverse everything, but he knew he couldn’t dwell on it forever. He needed to use the situation as a learning experience so the next attractive person he talked to didn’t end up as a victim.

 

Jonghyun was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard some commotion taking place across the bar. He was going to ignore it, writing it off as some annoying rowdy customers, until he heard a person shout, “I said no!”

 

The person sounded like Kibum, and once Jonghyun turned to look at the scene, he saw Kibum arguing with some man twice his height. The guy was staggering and extremely jittery, leading Jonghyun to believe that the man was under the influence of something. What, he didn’t know. But what he did know was that Kibum seemed really uncomfortable.

 

Jonghyun decided to hone in on his senses so he could hear and understand what was going on from across the bar.

 

He heard Kibum say as clear as day with a tired voice, “Please, leave me alone.”

 

The tall man scoffed, answering in a slur, “I will once you bring me another shot!” It was barely noon and this guy was already drunk?

 

Kibum rolled his eyes in clear aggravation. “For the millionth time, I can’t give you another one. You’ve reached your limit-”

 

“Says who?!”

 

“Says the rules! You’re acting belligerent, and I’m not allowed to serve you anymore alcohol if you’re this wasted already.”

 

“Oh really,” the said as he quirked a brow. “Well, if I can’t get a shot, then how about you give me a little something else instead? Think of it as good customer service.”

 

At that, Jonghyun heard Kibum’s heartrate quicken, signaling that he was getting nervous and anxious.

 

Kibum scrunched his face up in apparent disgust. “I’m not interested. Now, get your drunk out of here. You’re causing a disturbance.”

 

“Disturbance? Do you know who you’re talking to?!” The man got closer to Kibum’s face, resulting in Kibum’s quickened heartrate intensifying. It was a thunderous sound to Jonghyun’s ears and it was getting hard to ignore.

 

Kibum stood his ground though, which was beyond impressive. “I don’t give a damn who you are! I need you to leave me the hell alone and get the out! Now, before I call the cops.”

 

A flash of anger spread across the man’s face as he moved forward to roughly grab Kibum’s arm, but before that could happen, Jonghyun quickly sprang into action, shoving his way across to the other side of bar, grabbing the man’s wrist before he could make contact with Kibum.

 

“He said to leave him alone,” Jonghyun said menacingly.

 

The man shoved Jonghyun’s hand off as he shouted, “Stop ing and get your own!”

 

The man made another attempt to pursue Kibum, but Jonghyun blocked his path. “I don’t think you understood me.” Jonghyun really didn’t anticipate getting into a fight today, but he had time. “He’s clearly not interested.”

 

“Bull! I always get what I want, and if I can’t get a drink, then I’m getting his fine . Now, move shorty!”

 

The man attempted to shove Jonghyun to the side, but was taken aback by the shorter male’s strength when he grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall, giving a murderous look. “Leave!”

 

Jonghyun could smell the fear on this guy, and all he could think of was the fact that this guy better be lucky that he’s reformed because if this were Jonghyun from 100 years ago, this guy would’ve been slain already.

 

At that moment, a group of men came and basically dragged the drunk man away, apologizing for their friend’s behavior. And just like that, the few customers in the bar returned to their business and the atmosphere of the place seemed to go back to normal as if nothing happened.

 

However, Kibum still seemed shaken up.

 

Jonghyun looked over at Kibum, taking in his small trembling frame before asking, “Are you ok?”

 

A few seconds passed before Kibum nodded, answering in a low voice, “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

 

Jonghyun went to place a comforting had on Kibum’s shoulder, but before he could, the teary-eyed bartender shoved passed him and made his way out of the bar.

 

Jonghyun felt overwhelmed by the amount of emotion he could sense coming from Kibum. It was almost sickening, and it was quite obvious that the younger wasn’t ok. He quickly followed Kibum into the alley behind the bar, stopping only when Kibum did so, sobbing into his hands as his back faced Jonghyun.

 

“Kibum,” Jonghyun whispered. “Are you sure you’re ok-“

 

“Why do you care?!” Kibum turned around unexpectedly shouting at Jonghyun with a trembling voice.

 

Jonghyun stood there dumbfounded at the outburst, unsure on how to answer. Why did he care so much? Why did seeing Kibum so upset make him want to chase that guy down and finish him off? Why did he feel like he needed to fix the situation even though he wasn’t obligated to do so?

 

He answered slowly, “Because, we’re friends?” At least that’s what he rationalized in his head.

 

Kibum looked at Jonghyun for a moment before scoffing and shaking his head in disbelief, wiping away a fallen tear. Friends? He didn’t have friends. No one wanted to be his friend, so why now?

 

“Oh really? You don’t seem so sure of it.”

 

“I’m serious,” said Jonghyun as he walked closer to Kibum. “I’m…worried. I hate that this had to happen to you.”

 

Kibum sniffed before shrugging halfheartedly. “It’s whatever. Not the first drunk I’ve had to deal with in my life.”

 

“Still, though. That shouldn’t have happened. Is there not security here?”

 

Kibum snorted almost in amusement. “With what money? My boss is so ing cheap, he’d rather we handle situations ourselves or call the cops before he’d ever decide to hire bouncers. Although,” he trailed as he cocked his head to the side, “you seemed to handle that guy pretty well. Maybe you should be security.”

 

Jonghyun quirked a brow. He wasn’t sure if Kibum was joking or not since his eyes were still teary, but he wanted to lighten the mood. “For free? How much do you think I’m worth?”

 

Kibum rolled his eyes, sniffing again before teasing, “A can of Sprite? I mean you’re here all day anyways. May as well put those muscles to use, right?”

 

As entertaining as the thought was, working in a bar full of drunk humans wasn’t a good idea. There’s a reason why Jonghyun spent most of his day there instead of going there at night. There were less humans around in the day, meaning less people to potentially hurt.

 

“I’m flattered, but no.”

 

Kibum gave a weak smile before frowning again. “Sorry for yelling at you.”

 

Jonghyun quickly shook his head. “It’s ok. You were upset, don’t aplogize.”

 

Kibum sniffed again, wiping away the last tear that escaped his eyes. It was quiet for a few seconds before he decided to ask. “Do you really think of me as a friend?”

 

He was little afraid to ask that question because he didn’t want Jonghyun to take it back. He was afraid that maybe he’d misheard the shorter male. He also hated how insecure he sounded, but he had to make sure.

 

Kibum’s insecurity didn’t go unnoticed by Jonghyun. The fact that someone like Kibum, a bartender with a lively personality, could feel this unsure about someone being his friend didn’t sit well with him.

 

Jonghyun gave a small smile as he answered. “Of course. You’re the only person I look forward to seeing most days.” And that wasn’t a lie. It was a shame that he was more content with seeing Kibum nowadays than his own best friend, but it was a truth he couldn’t deny.

 

Kibum smiled slightly before sighing, pushing his hair back in a swift motion. He spaced out again before saying, “How am I going to be able to make it through the rest of the night?”

 

Jonghyun couldn’t help but feel bad. Although Kibum seemed to be cheering up, Jonghyun could still tell that this whole situation was really affecting him. His breathing was still heavy, and although his heartrate slowed, it was still beating faster than normal.

 

He was so used to seeing Kibum being confident and unphased by the majority of things. So seeing the bartender so shaken up really had an effect on him.

 

More than anything, he was confused on why he cared so much. Maybe it was because he wanted to do something nice for once. Or maybe it was because Kibum reminded him a little of Taeyeon. As much as he didn’t want to admit, the bartender was just as beautiful as she had been, and he also had a bold personality with a good sense of humor.

 

A small part of him felt like being around Kibum could be some kind of redemption. It was his chance to get to know someone the right way, without ripping their throat out in the end.

 

Not to mention, he’d grown a little attached to Kibum over the short period of time they’d known each other. So seeing Kibum so upset really hit him harder than he would’ve expected. He just wanted to make things right and help Kibum forget all about what had just happened.

 

He decided to say, “Let’s go somewhere tonight.”

 

Kibum turned to Jonghyun as he raised his brows in surprise. Was he asking him to hang out? He was shocked mainly because no one had ever asked him to go out nowadays besides his family, and that rarely ever happened. He was so used to not having friends, or even acquaintances, that he forgot that normal people actually went out and socialized. Normal people actually had fun with other people.

 

But of course, in true Kibum fashion, and much to Jonghyun’s satisfaction, he toyed with the question by playfully asking, “What makes you think I want to spend my free time you with?”

 

Jonghyun wasn’t expecting that response, but he was slowly starting to realize that Kibum was a very sarcastic person. That’s part of what made him so interesting.

 

Jonghyun answered, “Well, I did save you today. I think that’s reason enough.”

 

Kibum rolled his eyes and walked off passed Jonghyun, shouting over his shoulder, “I’ll let you know.”

 

Jonghyun stood there dumbfounded on the fact that Kibum couldn’t just give him a straight answer, but the smirk on the younger man’s face was enough for him to know that the plan was on.

–

 

As promised, Jinki paid for Minho’s lunch. He still felt incredibly embarrassed at the failed attempt of cooking breakfast that morning. Not only was he embarrassed that he basically burned everything, but getting berated by a young ghost not even twice your age really does something to your ego.

 

Nevertheless, everything worked out. He was glad he paid for Minho’s meal because the guy was ravaging it like a wild animal. Minho was so used to only eating Jell-O and pudding for lunch that when Jinki offered to actually buy him a meal, he was in heaven.

 

“It’s so weird having you watch me eat. I keep forgetting you don’t survive off of food,” Minho said with a mouth full of ribs.

 

“Sorry, I don’t mean to stare,” Jinki said as he continued to look on in amazement at how fast Minho was scarfing everything down, “But maybe slow down a bit? You’re going to give yourself indigestion.”

 

Minho snorted in amusement. “Ok, doc. Thanks for the recommendation.”

 

Jinki chuckled. “I’m serious. If you don’t slow down, you’ll end up being my next patient.”

 

“Would that be so bad?”

 

“Look, when you get heartburn, don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”

 

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you could taste how good this is.” Minho pushed his tray forward and gestured towards a fry.

 

“Go on, try it.”

 

“Minho, no matter how good it is, I won’t be able to taste it. My taste buds stopped working a long time ago.”

 

“But you told me there are some foods you can taste. Maybe this is it.”

 

Jinki knew that fries tasted like nothing but air to him, but he decided to try one anyway so Minho could be satisfied. Minho waited with an expectant look as Jinki slowly chewed on the fry in his mouth. Jinki so desperately wished he could enjoy it, but he didn’t want to lie to the wolf.

 

“Nothing,” he said as he shook his head. “It just tastes bland.”

 

Minho frowned. “That’s a bummer,” He said before turning his attention to the burger on his plate. “It’s really tasty.”

 

“I’ll take your word for it.”

 

Right as Jinki was about to scold Minho on how fast he was eating his burger, he caught a glimpse of someone in the hallway walking passed the cafeteria doors. He hoped his eyes were playing tricks on him. There’s no way this person could be here. It was someone he never thought he’d see again, and who truly didn’t belong on this side of town.

 

“I’ll be right back, Minho.”

 

Minho nodded, swallowing his food before asking, “Where are you going?”

 

“Just some things I need to take care of.”

 

With that, Jinki got up and exited the cafeteria, swiftly following the mysterious man from a distance. Why was he here? Where was he going? What was he looking for?

 

Jinki followed the man all the way to the opposite wing of the hospital where the morgue existed. Upon entering the morgue, he saw the man looking around the room as if he was in search of something. Jinki didn’t know what, but he had a clue.

 

He made his presence known by saying, “There’s no blood in here if that’s what you’re looking for…Siwon.”

 

At the sound of the familiar voice, Siwon turned around with an amused smile on his face. “Nice to see you again, Jinki.”

 

“I can’t say the same. What are you doing here?”

 

“What does it look like? With the clan running low on blood these days, our supreme leader has given me the task of finding more – resources.”

 

“Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but you’ve wasted your time. This will not be a blood shop for The Order. Your supreme leader needs to look elsewhere.”

 

Siwon gave a confused expression. “I thought you were back. Ever since Jonghyun-”

 

“What Jonghyun did was a mistake he deeply regrets. His slipup doesn’t automatically mean we’re back in the society.”

 

“But Keun-Suk said-”

 

“Keun-Suk is very manipulative and will say anything he feels will get him what he wants-”

 

“Hey! Don’t speak ill of our leader!”

 

“He’s not my leader anymore.”

 

Siwon scoffed. “How ungrateful. Keun-Suk took you in, cared for you, was loyal to you, and this is how you show your gratitude? You abandon the clan when we need you the most? You know nothing of loyalty.”

 

“And you think Keun-Suk does?”

 

“I know he does. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m on the hunt for blood for my leader and clan. You’re in the way.”

 

“I told you, you’re not going to find any blood here.”

 

“Maybe not any blood bags, but how about the lovely humans in this hospital? There’s plenty walking around. It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet.”

 

Jinki took a defensive stance, “You will not lay a single hand on any of my patients.”

 

Siwon chuckled in fake amusement. “Oh, Jinki. I wasn’t asking.”

 

With vampire speed, Siwon made a dash passed Jinki in attempt to run out the door. Unfortunately for him, Jinki was just as fast and caught the vampire by his throat before slamming him down onto the ground, creating cracks in the floor.

 

Siwon bared his fangs and Jinki did the same. Too quick for Jinki to register, Siwon sent a powerful kick into his chest, causing him to fly into a wall, cracking in it as well.

 

The two vampires were about to attack each other again when the door to the morgue opened, stopping both of them in their tracks. Minho came in with a confused look as he saw the state of the room. The crack on the floor was massive and the dented wall really threw him off. He had no idea what was going on, but the look on Jinki’s face was telling.

 

“Is everything alright,” Minho slowly asked as he approached Jinki while staring at the guy across the room.

 

Breathing heavily, Jinki answered, “Yeah. Go back and-”

 

He was cut off by Siwon letting out another amused chuckle as he spoke. “Ahh, what have we here? A werewolf? I’m sure Keun-Suk would love to hear about this.”

 

Jinki sneered. “Yeah, well be sure to tell him the hospital’s off limits while you’re at it.”

 

“I’ll let him be the judge of that. Anyway, I best be off now. I’ve wasted too much time here already. But just know this, if my leader allows it, I’ll be back, old friend.” Using his vampiric speed, he quickly left the room.

 

Minho stood there dumbfounded because he didn’t know that guy was a vampire too. Just how many of them were roaming the city?

 

“Should we go after him,” he asked with wide eyes.

 

Jinki shook his head in protest. “No, he won’t do anything for now.”

 

“Who was that?”

 

“A clan member. As to why he’s here, I have no idea.”

 

Minho nodded, examining his surroundings again before asking, “What happened to the floor and the wall?”

 

“We got into a fight.”

 

Minho was astonished. A fight? Jinki was in a fight? The nicest vampire he’d ever met got into a fight? No way. He was kind of proud. He didn’t know the elder vampire had it in him. Minho grinned as he asked, “Did you win?”

 

Jinki groaned and rolled his eyes. “That’s besides the point.”

 

“How are we going to explain this mess to the hospital?”

 

Jinki scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, I haven’t quite figured that out yet.”

 

“Maybe you don’t have to say anything at all. I know I wouldn’t. Maybe just say you walked in on the place like this. Or-”

 

Jinki didn’t mean to zone Minho out, but as he was talking, a figure slowly walking passed the window of the door caught his attention. From where he was standing, he couldn’t tell who or what it was, but it didn’t look normal. After his run-in with Siwon, he wasn’t sure what to trust.

 

“Did you see that?” Jinki asked.

 

Minho stopped his rambling and turned to look in the direction that Jinki was staring. “See what?”

 

“Someone’s out there. You don’t sense it?”

 

“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

Jinki nearly facepalmed. “Aren’t canines supposed to have a sixth sense or something?”

 

Minho scoffed in fake offense. “Well, excuse me. I don’t actually have the hang of this whole wolf thing, now do I?”

 

Jinki shushed Minho as he took a peak around the corner of the door. He wasn’t sure who or what was out there, so he needed to be as cautious as possible. Minho quietly followed behind him still confused, but he wanted to be near Jinki in case something serious happened.

 

Their movements stopped upon the sight of the person in question.

 

It was a male. He looked like he was in his early 20’s, had dark brown hair, tan skin, and he was quite tall. Upon further examination, Jinki noticed dark red blood stains on the center of the white shirt underneath the young man’s plaid long-sleeved shirt. He wasn’t sure if this guy was a patient or a lost guest, but he looked like he needed help.

 

Jinki stepped out further into the young man’s line of sight before saying, “Excuse me?”

 

The young man looked his direction with an expressionless face before turning to walk in an opposite direction. What was going on?

 

Jinki tried again. “Sir? Hey, you with the plaid shirt.”

 

The young man turned around with a shocked expression on his face. He pointed to himself asking, “You’re talking to me?”

 

Jinki nodded. “Yes. Are you lost? Do you need help? Are you hurt?”

 

The young man looked down touching the blood on his chest. He furrowed his brows in contemplation. “No, I-I’m not hurt.”

 

Minho whispered to Jinki, “Do you think he’s a patient here? He’s obviously injured, but he’s saying he’s not hurt. Maybe he left his room and wandered down here somehow?”

 

“Impossible. You know how secure the patients’ rooms are. They’re always being monitored. Someone would’ve reported a lost man with a bloody chest by now.”

 

The young man interrupted in disbelief. “So, wait. You really can see me? This isn’t a trick?”

 

Minho asked, “Why wouldn’t we be able to see you?” He was starting to believe the man escaped an asylum.

 

It took a few moments, but Minho and Jinki suddenly faced each other as they finally figured out the situation. Jinki wasn’t sure yet, but his person reminded him a lot of Taemin. If he were right, something beneficial could come out of this.

 

Jinki asked, “What’s your name?” When the man showed hesitation, he quickly added, “It’s ok. You can trust us. I believe we can help you, but we need to know some things first. Like your name?”

 

“Kim Jongin.”

 

Kim Jongin? From his memory, there hadn’t been any deaths by that name this week, so this couldn’t have been a recent passing. “How old are you?”

 

Jongin gave a pained expression as he struggled to think of an answer. “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

 

He doesn’t remember? Memory loss of basic information is a symptom for most ghosts who’ve been stuck on earth for too long, Jinki noted.

 

Jongin continued, “I remember being 24 when I died, but ever since then, I’ve lost track of time.”

 

Jinki nodded. He was afraid of Taemin getting to that point. That’s why he wanted to help him as soon as possible. The longer his soul lingered on earth, the more complicated things would become such as memory loss.

 

Jongin asked, “How exactly can you two see me? Do you know I’m a ghost? I’ve been marching around this hospital for I-don’t-know-how long, and I’ve never been acknowledged, not even by the other spirits down here.”

 

“I’m a-”

 

“That’s not important,” Jinki said cutting Minho off. He didn’t want to scare away this spirit by admitting they’re mythical creatures. He wasn’t even sure if the guy would believe them. “I’m interested in you, Jongin. How long have you been down here stuck in this hospital?”

 

“I’m not sure. And I’m not necessarily stuck here. I travel outside of the hospital often to see the city. When I died, my family decided to move to another city, I guess to escape the pain. Either way, I don’t have a home to return to. So, I usually just stay at the hospital.”

 

Jinki looked to Minho as he contemplated something important in his mind. He wasn’t sure if this would work, but what better way to teach Taemin how to be a ghost than to actually learn from a ghost. Jinki knew some tricks, but he wasn’t a ghost himself. He couldn’t be there physically for Taemin. He knew that Jongin could do a better job, but that’s only if he could get the young spirit to agree to it.
 

He walked closer to Jongin as he asked, “How would you like to have a new home in exchange for your help?” Minho immediately knew where Jinki was going with this.

 

Jongin looked on in confusion. “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, I have a friend at home who’s just like you, accept he’s a little weak and could use some help. He can’t remember how he died and no matter how hard he tries, he’s unable to leave the house. I’ve been trying my best to help him out, but I’m not a ghost. I can’t physically be there for him and show him the way. But you can.”

 

Jongin still looked unconvinced. “Are you serious? What makes you think I’m any good at teaching someone how to be a ghost?”

 

“You’re right. I don’t know if you’re any good, but that’s how desperate I am to help my friend out. If anything, you can just offer him some advice that’ll help him cope. He’s been having a really hard time and I can’t always be there for him the way I want to.”

 

Minho chimed in, “And I’m sure you’d rather enjoy the atmosphere of our place than this depressing hospital, don’t you think? It’s a little overcrowded.”

 

“You’re not wrong about that,” Jongin said as he looked around at the dingy place. It was really depressing there, and he hadn’t made many friends. He always felt out of place with the spirits there. Maybe it would be a good idea to get out and meet new people. He just couldn’t help feeling weird about it because these were strangers.

 

“And what’s in it for me?”

 

Jinki knew this was probably crossing the line, but he desperately needed Jongin and knew this would get him to agree. “We won’t abandon you like your family did.”

 

That seemed to really hit a spot for Jongin. When he showed no signs up speaking, Jinki pleaded, “Please, Jongin. We could really use your help.”

 

Jongin still wasn’t sure he could trust these two. However, their offer was tempting, and the sincerity on their faces didn’t go unnoticed. “Ok.”

 

—

 

8:37 PM

 

After convincing his boss that he needed the rest of the night off, Kibum decided to take Jonghyun up on his offer. He’d had a really stressful day and if he’d spent another hour in that bar, he would’ve gone insane.

 

Jonghyun decided to take Kibum to the movies because where else do humans go in their free time? Kibum was really persistent on seeing a recent rom-com that came out this year, so Jonghyun happily tagged along.

 

He tried to enjoy the movie. He really did, but for the duration of the movie, Jonghyun’s thoughts were clouded by his own paranoia. Instead of focusing on the movie, he could only focus on the amount of heartbeats he could hear overpowering his thoughts. He could only focus on the mixture of smells coming from the vast amount of people enclosed in the theater.

 

“Jonghyun?” He snapped out of his thoughts when he looked over to see a concerned look on Kibum’s face. “Are you ok? I asked if you were enjoying the movie, but you look spaced out.”

 

Jonghyun raised his brows before quickly giving a smile. “Sorry, I was so caught up in the movie that I didn’t hear you. I’m enjoying it though.”

 

Kibum smiled back before turning his attention to the movie again.

 

Surprisingly after that quick interaction, the rest of the time in the theater went smoothly for Jonghyun, which he was a little confused about. Just a few moments ago, he was struggling to focus on the movie due to the competing noises of his surroundings. However, once Kibum caught his attention, all his senses could focus on was the young bartender.

 

The other heartbeats and smells in the theater disappeared, and the only heartbeat and scent that mattered was Kibum’s. Because of that, he was able to hear the movie slightly over the noise, and he didn’t have any problems after that.

 

Now, what did that mean for him? He had no idea. Why was it that just focusing on one person allowed him to function normally? He wasn’t sure. He’d have to ask Jinki about it later on.

 

Actually, scratch that. He and Jinki hadn’t had any serious conversations in a while, aside from arguing, and he was sure the elder vampire wouldn’t fathom the idea of him hanging out with another human so soon after his tragic mistake.

 

“Jonghyun,” Kibum snapped him out of his thoughts again. “The movie’s over.”

 

Jonghyun looked around noticing people leaving. “Ok. What do you want to do now?”

 

Kibum furrowed his brows in confusion. He was sure that Jonghyun had only taken him to the movies out of pity. The man surely didn’t want to continue hanging out with him, did he? “What?”

 

Jonghyun snickered. “The night’s still young, Kibum. It’s not even 10, yet.”

 

Kibum checked the time on his phone seeing that it was only 9:30. He was used to either still being at work by this time or being home by this time because his dad didn’t like him being out late. However, his dad didn’t know that he wasn’t at work right now. So, he didn’t have to go home.

 

Kibum smiled to himself before asking. “Can we go get ice cream?”

 

“At this time of night?” Kibum almost retracted his offer, thinking it was a stupid request until he saw Jonghyun stand up stretching before saying, “Alright, let’s go.”

 

 

After grabbing some ice cream from a shop near the local park, they decided to walk the park’s trail, which was adjacent to a beautiful river. With their ice cream cups in hand, they set out their journey on the late-night nature walk.

 

“That movie was really cheesy wasn’t it,” Kibum chuckled before taking a spoonful of his ice cream.

 

Jonghyun quirked a questioning brow before saying, “You didn’t like it?”

 

Kibum shrugged, happily taking another spoonful of his vanilla ice cream. “It was a little cliché. The charming prince saves the damsel in distress, and they live happily ever after. That doesn’t happen is real life.”

 

Jonghyun grinned. “It did today though, didn’t it? I won’t go as far as to call myself prince charming, but I’d say my mission to save you was a success right, damsel?”

 

Kibum paused, rolling his eyes before playfully slapping Jonghyun’s shoulder. “Oh, shut up.” They walked for a few moments in silence before Kibum continued. “You didn’t have to do that, you know? At the bar? I could’ve handled that guy myself.”

 

“Yeah, right. You looked petrified. I knew I had to do something.”

 

Kibum sighed, staring ahead. “Yeah, well I just really hate drunks. It makes absolutely no sense for a person to drink so much that they get faced, you know?”

 

Jonghyun nodded in agreeance but decided not to comment. The amount of times he’d been blood drunk was ridiculous, so he’d rather not say something and be a hypocrite. But he also understood where Kibum was coming from.

 

He continued his rant, “I mean it’s not that hard to control yourself and drink responsibly. I understand getting tipsy here and there, but getting sloppy drunk? Where’s the fun in that? It’s only going to lead to a foggy night and ty morning when you wake up with a hangover.”

 

“You’re really passionate about this,” Jonghyun said in amusement.

 

Kibum chuckled before his smiled died down. “Well, when you’ve been dealing with drunks all your life, you’d feel the same way too.”

 

Jonghyun noticed Kibum’s mood shift instantly from content to gloomy. He’d unintentionally hit a nerve with him.

 

Jonghyun piped in saying, “I totally understand. I would get annoyed working at a bar too if-”

 

“I’m not talking about the bar.” Kibum sighed before retracting, “Never mind.”

Jonghyun didn’t have the gift of reading minds like some vampires did, but he had a knack for reading into people’s emotions, and he could clearly tell that Kibum’s thoughts were racing because his emotions seemed to be in a whirlwind.

 

“I’m all ears,” he said to reassure Kibum that he was interested in the conversation.

 

Kibum stopped walking to turn and look at Jonghyun with a shocked and confused expression. No one had ever been interested enough to hear him talk about his life. Not even his stupid ex.

 

“I don’t want to bore you.”

 

Jonghyun shrugged. “I got all night. Go ahead.”

 

Kibum looked down before continuing the walk, thinking of how to start everything off. “It’s nothing. Just my dad and my ex. My dad doesn’t drink anymore since he’s saved or whatever, but when I was younger, he was…difficult to deal with.”

 

Jonghyun listened intensely. Difficult to deal with? What did he mean by that?

 

Kibum continued, “He was just always so angry. He and my mom fought a lot back then. As a child, it was terrifying. Thankfully, he never put his hands on me or my mom, but I grew up thinking he was a monster. He’s changed a lot these days, but there are times that I still think he’s a monster, especially with him trying to control my life.

 

“As for my ex,” Kibum paused again before continuing, “Let’s just say alcohol’s one of many reasons why we didn’t work out. But to be honest, even if he didn’t drink, we still wouldn’t have worked out. He was a .

 

“I gave up so much for him and got nothing in return. The one thing I regret is dropping my friends for him. They warned me about him, and they were right, but I was stupidly in love and didn’t listen. And now, I’m in this town with no friends because I’m too paranoid to let anyone in in fearing that they’ll leave me in the end.”

 

It was almost hard for Jonghyun to believe what he was hearing. There’s so much more than what meets the eye when it comes to Kibum, and for some odd reason, he was curious to find out more. He still couldn’t grasp the fact that he didn’t have any friends.

 

Jonghyun glanced over at Kibum before saying, “If you ever need anyone to hang out with, I’m here. It’s not like I have anything else better to do anyways.”

 

“Obviously not if you spend all day at the bar,” Kibum chuckled.

 

Jonghyun scoffed. “I’m not there all day.”

 

Kibum rolled his eyes playfully. “Most of the time every day.”

 

“I’m not there every day. Just when you’re there.”

 

Kibum paused to look at Jonghyun. Was what he was saying true? He hated being unsure of himself or those around him, but it was hard for him to trust people because he was never sure of anyone’s intentions. But he’d be lying to himself if he said he didn’t enjoy Jonghyun’s company as well.

 

Before he could dwell on it too much longer, the silence was interrupted by the ring of Kibum’s cellphone. He checked the caller ID and nearly groaned when he saw his dad’s contact picture.

 

“Sorry, I need to take this,” he said before walking off-trail towards a nearby tree. Although there was some distance between then, Jonghyun’s hearing was still able to pick up on the conversation.

 

“Where are you?” Kibum’s dad said in an unfriendly tone.

 

“I’m out with a friend.” Kibum didn’t want to lie because his dad always found out the truth somehow.

 

“Out with a friend? What happened to you being at work?”

 

Kibum sighed in annoyance. He really didn’t feel like explaining anything. “I had to leave early due to an incident happening.”

 

“And you chose to go out with a friend instead of coming home and helping with dinner? You’re not even supposed to be out late unless you’re working.”

 

“I don’t have a curfew,” he answered monotonously, already over the conversation.

 

“Nonsense! In this house, you live under my rules, one of those being that you should be home by 9pm. You know this-”

 

“I’m not a child, dad. I’m a 26-year-old man and I don’t need your permission-”

 

“Don’t use that disrespectful tone with me, Kibum! This is not up for discussion.”

 

“But why is it such a problem to just hang out with my friend? I would’ve came home late anyway if I would’ve stayed at work.”

 

“See, that’s your problem. You think you can just pick and choose when the rules apply to you. Come home now or expect the door to be locked whenever you get here.”

 

“But, dad-”

 

“I don’t want to hear it. Am I clear?’

 

Kibum rolled his eyes, brewing in annoyance and anger. “Yes, sir.”

 

“See you soon, son,” his dad said before hanging up the phone.

 

Sometimes Kibum really hated his life. He knew he shouldn’t complain too much because not everyone had a family to go home to. However, he was getting fed up with his family’s antics, especially his dad. He didn’t know if his family enjoyed pissing him off, but he couldn’t take this any longer.

 

Jonghyun picked up on Kibum’s distress, hearing him breathe deeply to calm himself down. It wasn’t really working though because his heart was beating faster than normal.

 

When he noticed Kibum didn’t move away from the tree, Jonghyun decided to leave the trail and walk over towards him. Upon meeting him, he said softly. “Hey.”

 

Kibum seemed to snap out of his thoughts, jumping once he heard Jonghyun’s voice. “Hey.”

 

“Are you good?”

 

Kibum sighed. “Yeah. Look, I’m sorry, but I have to cut our night short. My dad wants me home now and I’d rather not piss him off.”

 

Jonghyun nodded his head regretfully. He didn’t want the night to end. It was a good distraction for him not to go home yet, and it felt really good to allow himself to enjoy genuinely getting to know someone, to allow himself to be normal.

 

However, from the sound of that phone call, he knew it would be best for Kibum to leave. He didn’t want him getting into any more trouble.

 

He had to be honest though. “I hate that you have to go,” he said on the walk back to Kibum’s car.

 

Kibum couldn’t help smiling a little at that comment. “Trust me. I don’t want to leave, but duty calls I suppose. Do you need a ride home?”

 

Jonghyun shook his head no. “No, I’m good. My house isn’t too far from here.” That was a lie. They were on the other side of town and it would take almost an hour to walk home without vampire speed. But of course, he didn’t tell Kibum that. The young bartender worried enough for the night.

 

“Still though. Are you sure you want to walk? It can get dangerous out here at night.”

 

“No offense, but I can handle myself. I mean look at these guns,” he said before flexing his arm.

 

Kibum snickered. “Whatever. Thank you, by the way. This night was definitely what I needed from such a stressful day. I…hope that we can do this again.”

 

Jonghyun gave his signature smirk before saying, “Anytime.”

—

 

The ride home that evening was a bit awkward to say the least. With a vampire in the driver’s seat, a werewolf in the passenger’s seat, and a ghost in the backseat, you’d think Jinki was taking them all to a paranormal halfway house.

 

The whole way home, Jinki was prepping Jongin on what, or rather what not, to do or say around Taemin.

 

“Oh yeah. You may want to button up your shirt too before going in. The blood may freak him out.”

 

Jongin glanced down at his bloody white shirt before buttoning up his plaid flannel covering to hide the sight. “I’m not so sure about this,” he said out of nervousness.

 

He’d been given so much information in such a short period of time, he was afraid he’d forget everything and freak the other ghost out. He didn’t want to ruin his opportunity to leave the hospital. What if Taemin didn’t like him? If so, would Jinki and Minho send him back to the hospital? Would he be abandoned again as he once was by his own family? These were the worrying thoughts that flashed through his head before arriving at the house.

 

“We’re here,” said Minho as Jinki parallel parked on the street in front of the house.
 

“Welcome to your new home,” said Jinki before turning around noticing how quiet Jongin was. “It’s ok. Don’t be nervous. Taemin won’t bite.”

 

Jongin nodded as he gulped nervously. Here goes nothing.

 

He followed the two men up the stairs of the front porch, stopping shortly at the front door once it was opened.

 

Jinki gestured with his hand as he said, “Come on. Follow me.”

 

However, Jongin stayed at the doorway unsure on if it was ok to come in. This was someone else’s house after all. It was a bit more personal.

 

He was used to occupying large spaces such as hospitals or parks, but not someone’s home that they grew up in. It was a ghost no-no in his eyes, and he couldn’t help feeling like an intruder.

 

So he decided to stay outside, scoping out the scene before making his presence know.

 

Jinki completely understood and told him he’d call for him when they’re ready.

 

Upon entering the living room, Jinki found Minho getting his ear talked off by an excited Taemin.

 

“Jinki!” Taemin shouted in excitement at seeing his favorite vampire. “What took you guys so long? I was so bored all day. I practiced like you asked, but unsurprisingly, things didn’t go as planned. So, I just twiddled my thumbs until you two came back.”

 

Jinki smiled. It was always so great coming back home to Taemin’s positive energy. “Nice to see you too, Taemin.”

 

“So I was thinking,” Taemin began, and Jinki already knew it was some plan Taemin thought up. “You can call my brother over for Thanksgiving. It’s a month and some weeks away, so that’ll give us time to prepare-“

 

“Taemin, vampires don’t celebrate holidays, let alone Thanksgiving.”

 

Taemin looked over at Minho for help. The wolf shrugged. “Hey, don’t look at me. I haven’t spent a holiday with my family in over three years. I’m probably the least festive person to get advice from.”

 

“Well, how about we change that? Better yet, you can invite my whole family over. They’d think of it as nice gesture and love you forever, I’d get to see my family again for the holidays, and it’d be a win-win situation for us all! How does that sound?”

 

Both Minho and Jinki gave Taemin a blank look, causing the young ghost to groan in disappointment. Minho spoke up, “If Jinki couldn’t cook breakfast, how do you expect for him to cook a full course Thanksgiving dinner?”

 

“Not to mention,” said Jinki, “Jonghyun’s still unpredictable when it comes to humans. Do you really want to put your family at risk like that?”

 

Taemin rolled his eyes. “Jonghyun’s not even a part of this equation. The guy’s barely home. Why should he be a deciding factor?”

 

“It’s not just Jonghyun. I just think it may be too soon. You saw how broken your dad was the day we moved in. I don’t think spending the holidays in the house where his son recently died would help him cope.”

 

“I disagree,” Taemin said in defiance. He so desperately wants to see his family, and since he was stuck in this house, the only way for that to happen would be for them to come here.

 

Jinki let out a slow sigh, feeling his frustration build. He really enjoyed Taemin’s go-getter attitude, but it could be quite demanding at times. Of course, he understood where he was coming from, but Taemin needed to understand that the world didn’t work around his schedule.

 

It’s not like he was close friends with Taemin’s family. The only form of interaction they had was in purchasing the house. Other than that, he was a complete stranger to them.

 

“Just think about it, please,” said Taemin as he gave Jinki those pleading eyes again.

 

But before Jinki could comment, he noticed Taemin’s eyes shift over his shoulder towards the front door.

 

“Whoa. Who’s the cutie,” said Taemin, the previous conversation long forgotten upon seeing the new face. But knowing Taemin, this conversation would end up resurfacing somehow.

 

Jongin blinked in surprise not expecting such a bold statement. He answered, “I’m Jongin.”

 

At that, Taemin’s eyes widened. If he had any blood left in his body, he would’ve felt it draining from his face. This guy could hear him?!

 

He squeaked in embarrassment before quickly disappearing into thin air. A few seconds later, he appeared back into the room. “Sorry, I still don’t have control over that. Um, Jinki? Can you please explain what’s going on?!”

 

Jinki cleared his throat. “Right. This is Jongin. Minho and I met him at the hospital. I thought you two should meet?”

 

“...Why?”

 

“Because I believe he can help you. He’s like you.”

 

Taemin stood there in confusion before asking, “Like me?”

 

Jinki nodded. “Yeah. You see, Jongin here is a ghost as well. I thought you two could talk and get to know each other. You know, make some new friends besides a couple of vampires and a werewolf.”

 

Jongin quickly sputtered, “W-What?”

 

Minho chimed, “Oh, that’s right! That’s what I tried to tell you earlier. I’m a werewolf and Jinki’s a vampire. That’s how we can see you. Hope this doesn’t change things,” he ended with an awkward scratch to his head.

 

Taemin stared at Jongin, still unsure of the situation before scoffing at Jinki and Minho saying, “A play date? How old do you think I am? 12?”

 

Jinki quickly responded. “No, not a play date, Taemin. I just thought that maybe it would be better for you to get some help from someone who’s in the same situation as you.”

 

Taemin still wasn’t buying it. “What makes you think we can trust this guy? No offense,” he quickly added to Jongin.

 

“I understand your concern, and I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to do, but I want you to trust me on this. I can help as much as I can, but I’ll never be as good as the real thing.”

 

“Also,” said Minho. “If you allow it, he’ll be living with us from now on.”

 

“What-“

 

“It’s the agreement we came up with in exchange for his services. But again, it all depends on if it’s something you really want to do.”

 

Taemin let out a sigh before whining like the man-child he is. He really didn’t like this. He was ok with Minho living with them, and he could barely stand Jonghyun, but another ghost? How was that even going to work?
 

Taemin gave a questioning look to Jongin before asking, “How can I be sure you’re what you say you are?”

 

Jinki was going to reassure Taemin again, but stopped shortly when he saw Jongin walking up to Taemin. He stopped a few feet in front of Taemin before sticking out his hand.

 

“I’ll properly introduce myself then. I’m Kim Jongin. It’s nice to meet you, Taemin.”

 

Taemin stared at his outstretched hand in bewilderment. Jongin realized how weird this situation may be for him, so he gently urged, “Go on. Shake it.”

 

For a brief moment, Taemin wondered if this was how Jonghyun felt when he told him to shake his own hand.
 

With the roll of an eye, Taemin stretched his hand out to meet Jongin’s, not expecting much of anything. He hadn’t felt a person in over six months. Why would this be any different. Except...

 

Taemin’s eyes widened when he made contact with Jongin’s hand, the foreign feeling of skin meeting his hand. There was no air, but actual skin.

 

Taemin gasped before lifting his hands to touch all over Jongin’s arms and face. “Holy you’re real! I can actually touch you!”
 

Jongin gently grabbed Taemin’s wrists in amusement to get his curious hands off his face.

Jinki groaned. “Taemin, please stop touching the guy’s face. I’m sorry about him.”

Jongin laughed. “It’s ok. Believe me, I was just as excited once I learned that ghosts can actually touch each other. There’s actually so much more we’re able to do.”

Taemin’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Are you serious? Ok we definitely need to talk! Let’s go upstairs.”

 

But before he could turn to walk up the stairs, Taemin vanished again before ending up in the kitchen. “Crap!” He called from the kitchen before walking back into the living room. “I at this.”

Jongin chuckled. “It’s ok. Believe it or not, disappearing and reappearing on command isn’t that hard. It’s actually quite simple. You just need a little help.”

Tae smiled in excitement, ready to learn about what he’s been missing out on. “Sweet! I guess we’ll have to walk to my bedroom then,” he said before running upstairs.

 

Jongin watched in amazement because he’d never met another ghost that was so lively and energetic. He was so used to being in a hospital full of depressed souls, that he thought most spirits were like that. However, Taemin was proving to have more energy than Jongin himself, and it made him want to help him even more.

 

Honestly, it surprised him that Taemin didn’t have more control over his ghost abilities because the spirit energy radiating off of him was astounding. Jongin believed that if he could help Taemin realize his true potential, Taemin could become a powerful spirit with limitless possibilities. But first, they had to start from the basics.

He turned to Jinki saying, “I guess that’s my cue.” And like that, he vanished in thin air and reappeared right before Taemin at the top on the stairs.

Jinki and Minho burst out laughing when they heard Taemin shriek before shouting, “Ok, no doing ghost without my knowledge!”

 

Hearing Taemin’s room door close, Jinki let out a content sigh. “That went better than expected, don’t you think?”

 

Minho nodded. “Yeah. It’s a nice thing you did for him.”

 

“Yeah, well it’s thanks to Jongin. I don’t know what I would’ve done if he said no.”

 

Minho nodded before quickly remembering, “Oh, hey can I borrow your car? I need to go get some things I left behind in the camper.”

 

Jinki nodded. “Sure. Just let me put on my jacket-“

 

Minho smiled before saying, “Jinki, I’m a big boy. I can go by myself.”

 

“But-“

 

“You really need to learn how to relax, my friend. Just sit down and relax. You’ve had a long day.”

 

Relax? Jinki wasn’t sure he knew how to. He was so used to taking care of others and being involved in everything, that the only way he could ever relax was knowing that everyone else he worried about was ok.

 

However, Minho had a point.

 

After the werewolf drove off, Jinki decided to sit on the steps on the front porch, looking at the stars in deep thought. It was something he used to do years ago whenever he wanted some alone time to think about life.

 

The past week had been such a roller coaster, he hadn’t had a chance to actually sit back and reflect on everything.

—

 

After about twenty minutes of being caught up in his thoughts, Jinki noticed a figure approaching his front porch. At first, he thought it was Minho, but soon saw that the figure was Jonghyun. He felt like he hadn’t talked to his friend in ages, which was sad since they lived in the same house. He knew that he was part of the reason though because he had taken priority in so many other things that he barely had time to keep up with Jonghyun these days and he wanted to change that.

 

“Nice to see you’re back so early,” said Jinki upon Jonghyun’s arrival.

 

“Hey,” Jonghyun said as he slowly approached the porch, stopping to stand awkwardly in front of Jinki.

 

Jinki patted the empty spot next to him. “Come sit. We need to have a talk.”

 

Jonghyun furrowed his brows. He wasn’t sure if the elder vampire was still mad at him or not, but he did as he was told. “Am I in trouble?”

 

“No,” Jinki said as he looked in front of him. “I just realized that we haven’t had one of our talks in a while. I feel like you’re becoming a stranger, and I don’t like that.”

 

Truth be told, Jonghyun didn’t like it either. He didn’t like feeling like a stranger in his own home, but more importantly, he didn’t like feeling like a stranger to his best friend.

 

Jonghyun nodded. “Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

 

There was a small moment of silence before Jinki looked over to Jonghyun with a small smile. “How are you?”

 

Jonghyun shrugged. “Good, I guess.”

 

“No, really. How are you...after this Taeyeon situation? Are you really alright?”

 

Jinki was bringing this up because after his anger subsided from the situation, he couldn’t help feeling like a bad friend. He felt like he wasn’t there for Jonghyun as much as he should’ve been. Yes, Jonghyun made a stupid mistake that couldn’t be undone. But abandoning his friend when he needed him the most wouldn’t solve anything.

 

Jonghyun was a little taken aback. He was sure Jinki wanted them to never mention the situation again since it was such a tragedy. He hadn’t seen Jinki that angry in a long time, and the fact that he was the reason behind that anger really messed with him.

 

“W-Why are you asking?”

 

Jinki sighed. “Because I’ve realized that I haven’t been there for you, Jong. Even though it was a horrible situation, it must’ve been so hard for you to handle. I’ve seen firsthand how much you’ve struggled with your cravings and you’ve come such a long way. To lose it all in one night must have been heartbreaking.”

 

Leave it to Jinki to still consider his feelings in a time like this, Jonghyun thought. The man was just too kind.

 

Jonghyun looked down at his hands as images from that night flashed across his mind. “Yeah, it was devastating. I’m still upset about it. I...I thought I was stronger than that. I swear to you, Jinki, I would’ve never gone out that night if I thought I would lose control.”

 

“I know,” said Jinki as he placed a comforting hand on Jonghyun’s back. “I believe you, which is why I still haven’t given up on you. I know your heart, Jonghyun. You’re just as warm as I am on the inside.”

 

Jonghyun scoffed, “I don’t think anyone could ever be as warm as you.” Jinki was the nicest person he knew.

 

“Regardless, I know you’ve come a long way from your days with The Order, and I want you to know that you’re better than this. Although it was a tragic event, we can only go forward from here. Take this as a learning experience so this can never happen again.”

 

Jonghyun nodded. “I know. I agree.”

 

“And no matter how unappetizing it is, we have blood bags now. It’s the only way we can stay clean and be sure that no one gets hurt.”

 

Jonghyun almost grimaced. It’s not like the blood bags were completely disgusting, but it wasn’t a good substitute for the real thing. However, if this was how he could keep people safe, he’d just have to put up with it.

 

Jinki continued, “There’s actually something else I need to talk to you about.”

 

Jonghyun didn’t like the sound of that. “What?”

 

“One of our old friends from The Order made a surprise visit at the hospital today. Choi Siwon.”

 

Jonghyun froze. Was he hearing things right? Was this a joke? Siwon?

 

Siwon was a name that brought a lot of fear in their ex-clan, as well as the general vampire society. Just like Jonghyun himself, Siwon was one of Keun-Suk ‘s chosens, which were the select few favorited by the supreme leader. His position was right below Jonghyun’s, and whenever Siwon was around, nothing good ever came of the situation.

 

Jonghyun furrowed his brows. “What the was he doing there? How did he even find you?”

 

 

“You know how widespread The Order is. They have operations everywhere. I’m not surprised that they found us. What I don’t like is that he claimed to have been there looking for blood- “

 

“But The Order has an endless supply-“

 

“Exactly. I’m not sure what exactly was his motive was, but for some reason, I have a feeling it’s connected to you. Blood was just an excuse to infiltrate the hospital.”

 

“What? Why would this be connected to me?”

 

“Well, he said something about thinking I was back in the clan because of you. I feel like this is Keun-Suk’s way of trying to get you back. We all know how much he cherished you, Jonghyun.”

 

Jonghyun shook his head in protest. “No way. I officially ended things with him after the Taeyeon situation. I told him I want nothing to do with him. I haven’t been in contact with him since then.”

 

“Well, it doesn’t look like he’ll give up that easily. Just promise me that you’ll stay far away from them. No matter how tempting it may be to confront them, stay away. The more you stay in contact with him, the more power you allow him to have over you. It’ll be best to just not even entertain him at this point.”

 

Jonghyun nodded. “I promise.”

 

Jinki smiled before giving Jonghyun a light pat on the back. “I guess I’ll go back inside now. I’ve had an exhausting day. This was a really nice talk, Jonghyun. Let’s do it more often, ok?”

 

Jonghyun nodded, smiling back at Jinki as he headed inside the house.

 

“Oh, one more request,” said Jinki.

 

“What?”

 

“Just please be a little nicer to Taemin and Minho. They’re both nice guys. It’ll make living here a little easier.”

 

Jonghyun almost rolled his eyes, but nodded saying, “I’ll try.” Then Jinki turned to go inside the house.

 

Once Jinki was out of sight, Jonghyun’s smiled dropped, a serious expression taking over his face. Unbeknownst to Jinki, Jonghyun had his fingers crossed when he made his promise. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to stay away from The Order. In fact, he intended to after tonight.

 

He just needed to pay Keun-Suk one last visit to set things straight. Then after that, he’d be done with them forever.

 

—

Jonghyun made it to his destination, an alley behind an old building, in hopes of this officially being the last time he’d ever have to interact with this man ever again.

 

He stood there for a while before noticing a man emerging from the shadows. He didn’t even have to look to know it was Keun-Sun. His presence was strong, and he just emitted power wherever he was.

 

Jonghyun shifted nervously, courage slowly fading as the man approached him.

 

Keun-Suk walked up to Jonghyun with a pleased smirk on his face before saying, “Nice to see you again, fledgling.”

 

“Look,” Jonghyun said getting to the point. “Tell your boys to back off. The hospital’s off limits and so am I.”

 

Keun-Suk’s smile widened. “I see you got the message. Honestly Jonghyun, it’s so silly that you think I’m going to let one of my most prized fledglings slip through my fingertips so easily.”

 

“I’m not a piece of property-“

 

“As long as my blood is flowing through your veins, you’re every bit of mines as far as I’m concerned. You’d think you’d be a little more appreciative towards the one who turned you, who gave you this glorious life of the night. A life in which you’re throwing away. And for what? To pretend like you’re human?”

 

“No. To be a decent person in society.”

 

“Which society? The one where killing a woman gets you in jail? Or the society where your killings are celebrated? I’d enjoy the latter.”

 

“But I don’t-“

 

“Oh, is that so? Must I remind you that if it weren’t for this society that you hate so much, you would be behind bars right now- “

 

“And I’m appreciative of that. I told you that last time, but you helping me wasn’t an invitation for you to come back into my life.”

 

“You think that I was waiting for an invitation? Jonghyun, the only reason why you and Jinki have been able to live so peacefully after leaving the clan was because of me. I allowed you to go out and have your fun, because I knew deep down inside that you’d be back. However, it’s taking you a little longer than I would like for you to realize it’s time for you to come home.”

 

Jonghyun hissed, “Bull. I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you once again. I’m not coming back. I have a home here-“

 

“Oh, yes!” Keun-Suk exclaimed dramatically. “I’ve heard all about your unconventional home. A werewolf, Jonghyun? Really? Lowering yourself so low to live with the scum of vampire society? I thought I taught you better than that. I’m so disappointed.”

 

“Trust me, that wasn’t my doing. But if Jinki wants him to stay then so be it.”

 

Keun-Suk shook his head in disapproval. “Jinki this, Jinki that. It seems to me that Jinki has taken my place as your supreme leader.”

 

Jonghyun scrunched his brows not liking the sound of that. “There’s equal power between me and Jinki-“

 

“Are you sure about that? Jinki said to stop drinking live, so you stopped. Jinki said you should leave the protection of The Order, so you did. Now, Jinki says you should allow a dirty, stinky, lowlife wolf to live with you, so you agree. Do you see the pattern here? So, if you’re going to be ruled by someone, at least let it be someone who can provide you with a great life.”

 

“My life is just fine-“

 

“How many times do you have to tell yourself that to believe it? Just look at you. You’re slipping. Even I can see that this route you’re taking is not healthy for you. That’s why I came with an offer.”

 

Jonghyun looked on in suspicion as a woman with a collar around her neck emerged from the shadows. Jonghyun immediately recognized her as one of the volunteer blood slaves they have at the clan’s mansion. He’d fed from her many times, and his body made sure to remind him as he felt his fangs trying to protrude.

 

The woman stood beside Keun-Suk obediently as she awaited his orders.

 

“Jonghyun, I’m sure you remember Tiffany. She’s missed you so much since you’ve left us-“

 

“What are you trying to get at? What is this?”

 

“A truce. For your loyalty. If you agree to remain loyal to not only me, but The Order in general, I can pay you in weekly visits by one of our most beloved donors. Best part? Jinki doesn’t have to know and you can continue to receive the perks of being in The Order, such as a constant food supply. It’s a win-win if you ask me.”

 

Jonghyun looked on in astonishment. He wasn’t sure if Keun-Suk was serious or if this were some kind of joke, but in that moment, he knew he should’ve listened to Jinki. This only proved the Keun-Suk would stop at nothing to get him back. The more he stayed in contact him, the more cunning he became.

 

“Tiffany,” said Keun-Suk, “Don’t be shy. Go say hi to your old friend.”

 

Tiffany slowly walked toward Jonghyun in a seductive way, causing him to gulp out of nervousness. For some reason, he was frozen. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to run away, but his body wouldn’t move.

 

He had to close his eyes as he struggled to control himself once she stopped in front of him. The smell of her blood was so overpowering, and his body reacted to the familiar scent, his fangs finally protruding.

 

“Hey, Jonghyun,” she said softly.

 

“Kneel,” said Keun-Suk.

 

At that, Tiffany knelt down on one knee, staring up at Jonghyun in the process. Then, she lifted both of her wrists toward his face. It was the traditional way to make a blood offering, offerings Jonghyun was far too familiar with.

 

Jonghyun snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Keun-Suk ask, “So what’s it going to be, Jonghyun? Are you going to keep pretending like you’re not a creature of the night? Or are you going to finally give into your desires, into what’s rightly yours?”

 

Jonghyun stood there in contemplation. This was tempting. So ing tempting. Although he knew even considering it was a bad idea, he couldn’t help thinking of how easy things had been in The Order. He never had to struggle with meals. His blood supply was always at his fingertips, and since leaving his old clan, he hadn’t had an easy time converting.

 

Would it really be a good idea to take this offering? Like Keun-Suk said, Jinki wouldn’t have to know. He could continue living with Jinki and only meet with Keun-Suk every once in a while. Maybe it was a good deal.

 

Jonghyun stared at Tiffany’s beautiful face, remembering all the wild nights they had together. She was definitely one of his favorites.

 

However, upon looking at her face, Taeyeon flashing in his head. Her beautiful face once filled with so much life, then her soulless expression after he’d done the unthinkable. Regardless of how willing she was. Tiffany was still human.

 

No. He wasn’t like that anymore. He couldn’t go back to that. He wouldn’t allow it.

 

“No,” he said a little too low for Keun-Suk to hear.

 

“I’m sorry. What was that?”

 

He said more defiantly, “No. I said no. I’m not going to do it. Stand up,” he said Tiffany as he pulled her up, shoving her back towards Keun-Suk.

 

Keun-Suk turned his attention to the dejected-looking Tiffany. “Tiffany, my dear. Head back to the car. I’ll be there shortly.”

 

She nodded, sparing Jonghyun a lasting glance before disappearing back into the shadows. Once she was gone, Keun-Suk gave Jonghyun a disappointed look. “How could you-“

 

“I’m done!” Jonghyun shouted as he backed up. “I don’t want anything to do with you or The Order anymore. My loyalty lies with Jinki. What part of that don’t you understand?”

 

Keun-Suk narrowed his eyes, hissing as he said, “After all I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me? I give you everything you could ever want, but I get slapped in the face.”

 

“I’ve got to start thinking for myself now. I’m committed to this life with Jinki, and there’s nothing you can say to convince me otherwise. I’m sorry, but this is the end.”

 

Keun-Suk walked closer to Jonghyun, stopping by his ear to whisper, “Just a word of advice, fledgling. Never ever forget where you came from. You may need me again one day.” And with that, Keun-Suk disappeared back into the shadows.

 

Jonghyun looked on in disbelief at what just happened. He stood up for himself, said no to live blood, and got Keun-Suk to leave him alone. Although he knew this battle was far from over, he was proud.

 

—

 

Why, hello there beautiful people! I know it’s been centuries since I’ve updated. School’s been a real pain in my and left no room for me to work on my stories. Thankfully, I’m on Christmas break, so I’ve been able to get this chapter up.

 

Please let me know what you guys think of the chapter so far ^. ~