Yuri had come running as soon as the news that Wendy had gotten hurt spread like wildfire in their small knit community. Taeyeon mostly felt apologetic as she watched the younger girl be fussed over by her older sister--after all, it had been her stubbornness that had gotten the two of them in trouble in the first place.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Jiyong raged at her from his place at the windows, the rest of the girls outside while he paced in her hospital room, rifling a hand roughly through his dark hair as he glared at her with those enchanting purple eyes. “Didn’t I tell you that Sirens were dangerous? Especially one as newly turned as your sister!”

“Hayeon’s my younger sibling. You can’t expect me to simply dump her and leave her be when I wasn’t sure if she was fine, right?” Taeyeon crossed her arms angrily, narrowing her own eyes at Jiyong’s own. There was a moment of tense silence as both of them glared at each other, neither backing down until Jiyong deflated, his tense shoulders sagging as he exhaled a low sigh.

“Are you always like that?” He massaged his temple with one of his hands agonisingly.

“Yes.” Taeyeon snapped, still mad at him for shouting ridiculously at her. “I am. You’d know if you’d taken the time to know me, but you don’t want to, don’t you?” Jiyong sighed at her words, shaking his head.

“Absolutely not--”

“Whatever, Jiyong. Lets just get this ritual ceremony of getting married over and done with.” She leapt off the hospital bed lightly, ripping off the heart rate monitor with her spare hand as she sauntered through the door, blood boiling.

~~~

“The elders have been pushing for the date of the marriage to be set forward, Jiyong.” Jiyong sighed heavily through his hands as a shaggy haired male sauntered into the room, throwing a file full of petitions onto his heavy loaded table. “From my point of view, I think they just want you to quickly get married so that they can effectively start throwing concubines to you.” Daesung shrugged, pouring himself a glass of blood tinted wine. “Have you fed?” He sighed softly as Jiyong shook his head, leaning to the side to ring a bell quickly.

“Not hungry.” Jiyong mumbled through his hands that covered his face.

“Please don’t tell me its that human thing that you’re so infatuated with that caused you to fall into such a depressive mood.” He drained his drink with one long sip.

“What do you do when the person you like is mad with you?” Jiyong leant his head against the table morosely, picking and playing with the metal balls on his desk.

Daesung coughed.

“I don’t know. Send her flowers? Bring her out for a wonderful candlelight dinner?” He flipped over as he somersaulted onto the couch in Jiyong’s workroom. “Or maybe just get to know her a bit more.” He looked pointedly at Jiyong. “The fact that she accepted to your ridiculous proposal just shows how forbearing she is as a lady, and how much she loves her family. You’ve already manipulated that point she cares about. Show her that you’re different.”

Jiyong cleared his throat, nodding his head lightly.

“Yeah.”

~~~

Taeyeon was in her chambers, or more specifically, Jiyong’s chambers when the door creaked open and Jiyong peeked in shyly. She turned, her eyes glancing off his own fleetingly.

“What is it?” Jiyong flinched at the sharp and cutting tone of her voice, wincing slightly as he the bouquet of flowers that sat inclined on his back.

“Just..nothing?” Jiyong scratched the side of his head bashfully. “I thought you’d feel better with some flowers in the room.” He shuffled awkwardly into the room, holding out a bouquet of purple hyacinths,acacia blossoms, ferns and white, light and dark red carnations. Taeyeon blinked in surprise, instinctively reaching out a shy hand to take the bouquet, a light smile gracing her lips effervescently as the sweet smell of freshly picked flowers wafted up to her nose.

“Getting flowers for me out of nowhere. Its not nothing.” Taeyeon could barely stop the sweet but bright smile from crossing her lips as she smelt the delicate flowers for another time before placing them on the table. “There’s something you need me to do for you, isn’t it?” She eyed Jiyong suspiciously. “Out with it.” Jiyong puffed out his chest, squirming right in the same spot as he fidgeted nervously. “Kwon Jiyong--”

“Come out to dinner with me.” Jiyong blurted out after a second’s hesitation. “Just the two of us alone. I promise it’ll be good.” He scratched the back of his head again, feeling terribly awkward. “I know that we didn’t start off on good terms, so take this as a fresh start?” He offered quietly, looking earnestly into her deep brown eyes. Taeyeon’s cheeks flushed at his sudden preposition, her hands chafing against each other for a moment as she contemplated a potential answer.

“Alright--”

“Yes!” Jiyong cheered, pumping his fist excitedly into the air, much to Taeyeon’s amusement. “I promise you won’t regret it!” He disappeared behind the door before Taeyeon could stop him, her hand half extended and mouth half open to call him back, before a low nervous chuckle escaped her lips, her eyes landing pleasedly at the bouquet of flowers that he’d given with a gentle smile.

~~~
Taeyeon raised her eyebrows at the long queue at the edge of the beach, her fingers clutching tightly to Jiyong’s own as she jerked at the unfamiliar surroundings and individuals, some having more feral features than the others---a issue that she had not experienced or come across with in the human world.

“Relax. You’re scaring them.”Jiyong murmured to her lowly, squeezing her hand gently in reassurance.

“I’m scaring them?” Taeyeon whisper-yelled in his ear, her hands shaking as a half wolf half man grunted from behind her. “I’m sorry, in case you didn’t know, I’ve only been here for half a day, of which I spent most of my time trying to reconcile and get used to what I saw my younger sister turn into.” Jiyong grinned apologetically at her, sheepishly rubbing the side of his head, pulling down the front of his cap awkwardly as someone glanced in their direction. “Though I’m surprised at how normal everyone dresses.”

“What, you mean wolves run around buck ? Vampire have to have high collars and long capes?” Jiyong snorted, finding the notion ridiculous and amusing.

“I mean...all I’ve