On a freezing winter day, the field was covered in a uniform color of pure white. The unstained picture of a snowfield became an outstanding background; two black coats, one tall and one small, stood out of the scenery. Without the contrary color of the coats against the background, no one would be able to detect the silky pale skin and the blond platinum wave of hair that almost blended with the single color of winter. The tiny figure walked side by side with the firm torso of an experienced individual. Afterall, they were father and daughter of the Jung clan.

Further away, at the horizon of the sky, a lonely wooden cottage stood in the middle of the snowfield, surrounded by the greenish of pine trees. The two guests halted, observing the fuzzy smoke coming from the small stone chimney on the roof. Slowly taking off the hood of the robe, the face of the handsome and intelligent head of the Jung clan was revealed. He sighed quietly. The blow of white breath dissolved into the cold air. He squeezed the soft tiny hand in his own scarred one, leaning down at his beloved daughter. Kneeling at her lever, Yonghyun gently pulled down the small hood, allowing the long wavy blond hair to fly along with the wind. His hand landed softly on the fragile shoulders. Every single word was delivered with love and sincere.

“Yerin-ah, you are still young and growing. There are so many things I cannot explain to you in just one day. However, I promise you, when the time comes, you will understand everything. In the meantime, I want you to trust me. The people you are about to meet are our family. You need to treat them nicely, no matter what. Alright?”

The little girl could not understand what her father was implying. However, he was her father. The person she loved and respected the most. She knew he always cared about her, always took caution in every action he had done. There was always a purpose behind all of his doing. She was never afraid of him. She completely entrusted her life to the greatest person in her heart.

Seeing her nod, Yonghyun smiled warmly. He took her hand once again and led both of them closer to the cottage. Isolated from the chaotic world of human and the dark gloomy world of vampires, the cottage was made of wood, except for the mantel. The location was hidden behind the thick jungle of pine trees, in the neutral area without any resources attracting the attention of vampires and humans. Even the lack of resource was severe, this place was the safest hideout, avoiding the pain and sorrow of the happening war. However, for some reasons, Yonghyun knew exactly where and why he came.

Standing in front of the closed door, the train of heavy thoughts caused the famous composed person to be reluctant for a moment. Hesitating, he knocked on the door softly. Nothing replied to the dry sound of the wooden door. He allowed himself to enter as if he already expected the situation inside. It was also his main purpose to take the long and tough way to come here.

A small and comfortable area for two people welcomed the guests. The fireplace was the only source of warmth that protected its residents from the chill and freezing winter. Simple furniture was placed neatly around the single room. Taking a tour around, the two welcoming guests finally found their host. Located at the corner of the room, not so far from the fireplace was a single old bed. Lying on it was an old skinny torso of a lady with grey hair and aging wrinkles at the corner of her half-closed eyes. Shallow and heavy breathes, the lady weakly smiled, greeting the guests when they were in her vision. The dreary sight of the lady paralyze on the bed also made them forget about the small figure kneeling beside the bed. It was a little girl with long wavy chestnut hair, with a strange blond highlight at the tip of her hair. The girl was holding on the lady’s skinny hand; a pot of warm water was placed beside along with a few pieces of towel. On the small table, there was an almost empty bowl of porridge. No one would know how long the girl had been taking care of the lady. However, she was too focused on the sick person on the bed to even face the guests. Her gaze glued to the lady, fearing she would disappear at any time.

“Yonghyun... Finally... You have arrived... Come, closer.” The lady spoke, weakly and breathlessly. She was expecting their arrival for a long time.

Yonghyun furrowed his brows. His eyes never left the girl sitting beside the bed. Seeing the concern in those crimson orbs, the lady gently squeezed the tiny hand in her own.

“Eunbi-ah, do not worry... Would you mind leaving me with this gentleman for a moment?”

Yonghyun could never see the girl’s expression. He only watched the girl reluctantly nodding before standing up and facing him for the first time. Even three years had passed already, the girl still left a great impression on him. The girl had grown a bit taller, less skinny. Her outlook was more decent since the messy black hair stained by dust and dried blood had been replaced by the rare color of chestnut and blond. Her milky skin was prominent, although the scars from the past torture were still visible. Her appearance had changed positively, however, Yonghyun could never forget those eyes. Black of the darkness consumed the whole world. Golden orb seemed wanting to hypnotize those who dared to look at it. Those eyes were overflowed with pain and sorrow, causing Yonghyun’s guilt grew bigger. With an emotionless expression, Eunbi politely bowed at them.

Taking a quick glance at his daughter, Yonghyun was looking at how Yerin, a little girl who never had a single contact with the human world, would react to a heterochromia iridium child. Seeing the girl remained calm, he smiled proudly. Yerin was curious, of course. At her young age, this was her first time meeting someone around her age. Not to mention that she could clearly tell the differences between them. The smell of the young girl in front of her was unique. Half of it was similar to the lady lying on the bed. And the other half was really close to her and Yonghyun’s smell. Furthermore, she had been attracted by the soulless pair of beautiful orbs from the beginning. Eunbi’s presence had stirred her curiosity about the girl.

“Yerin-ah. Please keep Eunbi company outside. Remember not to wander too far away. I would like to have a moment of privacy in here.”

“Yes, father.”

Yerin replied politely. She let go of her father’s hand and turned toward the door behind her. Then she gestured to the other girl to follow her. Eunbi made a final glance at the lady on the bed then wore an old torn brown robe before heading out. Once the children were out of the sight, the door was closed. Wrinkles were formed on the man’s face, tracing all the pain he had been holding back. Yonghyun approached the bed, replacing Eunbi’s position and holding on the bony hand of the old lady.

“Noona, your hair finally has the same tone with mine, after so many years.”

“And you, after all those years, you still own that handsome and young face... Even after having a big family for yourself.”

The lady smiled, using her weak fingers to draw all the lines on the face she had been missing.

“You could have been chosen to be like me. I still do not why you chose this for yourself.”

“Yonghyun-ah, you know I belong to nowhere. Only the limitation of life can comfort me...” She paused for a moment and let out a heavy sigh. “However, since the time you brought the girl to me, for the first time in my life, I regret my past decision... I see my past self in her. I wish I could have more time with her... so that she would not follow my mistakes.” A single drop of tear escaped from the black orbs and rolled down on her cheek. “But it is too late... I am already running out of time.”

“Noona...” Yonghyun could not bring himself to say a word, holding back his own sorrow. “My sincere apology for not being able to protect you. I have failed their wishes... It was my fault...”

“No, Yonghyun... It was never your fault... I chose my own path... You never failed my parents... our father’s wishes...” She smiled tenderly. “But you are given a chance to redeem your guilt. Eunbi... she still has an indeterminate future ahead. Would you do me the favor to take care of her, please?”

Yonghyun did no say anything. Instead, his determined gaze spoke for his mind. Seeing that, the lady was satisfied, knowing that the young man had already made his decision a long time ago. Staring back to the ceiling, she was relieved from all of her concern.

“Eunbi is my salvation. Even three years were short but those were my best time living in this world that I have always been dreaming about. My last wish is for her to be able to find her own happiness.”

“Please have faith on me. I will never fail you. I will take a good care of her.”

“You have my gratitude, Yonghyun-ah. Always...” The lady the blond short hair softly. “He would be so proud of you if he was able to see you now. You have changed greatly. I am glad that Yerin did not take after you when you were a kid back then.”

“Noona... You are teasing me again. “Yonghyun grinned.

Suddenly, the ladies breathe became weaker. The strength of the hand his hair disappeared, letting itself falling flatly on the bed.

“Noona...” Yonghyun called quietly.

“Yonghyun-ah... I want to see her... for the last time...” The lady said in a broken word. “That girl... she is stubborn... She will not listen to anyone besides me...”

“Yes... I will call them back now... Please bear with me for just a moment longer.”

********************************************

Somewhere in the forest surrounding the cottage, two tiny figures were strolling between the trees. The brunette girl followed behind the blonde. No word was spoken. The distance was kept securely between them. Whenever Yerin halted, Eunbi would also stop. If Yerin accelerated her steps, Eunbi would also speed up to catch up with the girl. This feeling was too suffocating for the blonde. To be honest, Yerin did not have a huge social life. Not many people she could them as her friends. Being born in an honorable clan, Yerin had always understood her position in the vampire society. She was proud of her family, of her beloved father. Because of that, instead of playing with other kids, she spent most of her time in the grand library of her family’s mansion, educating herself. She always wanted to improve herself, to prove her competence for the name of her family. Thus, she never turned her back to any challenge. She sought for a new experience, to extend her horizon of knowledge. And to her, Eunbi was one of the mystery she could never find in any books she had read so far. There were so many questions she wanted to ask the kid. However, this silence and the emotionless face made her hesitate.

Abruptly, Yerin turned around. The brunette was startled by the sudden movement but reacted quickly enough to keep a safe distance between them. Eyes gazed at each other. For an unknown reason, those heterochromic orbs always attracted her attention. Yerin had read many books about the two worlds. However, the heterochromic eyes were never mentioned in any of those. Being a vampire, she knew that they only had golden eyes when they were young and crimson eyes when they reached the age of an adult. For humans, they had either black or brown eyes. So why does Eunbi have both? Which world does she belong to?

“Hey, your name is Eunbi, isn’t it?” Yerin carefully asked. She did not want to scare the other girl off but it seemed she was worried for nothing. The brunette was not frightened for a tiny bit, simply nodding her head as an answer. “What is your full name?”

The blonde waited patiently. Eunbi could not nod or shake her head for this question. That was her purpose in the beginning. To force the girl to answer with her own voice. Yerin wanted to hear the girl’s voice badly, wondering whether it might be as mysterious as its owner or not. A moment passed, the blonde was still waiting for the answer, determined to get her answer. Seeing that, the brunette sighed, whispered in a soft voice that without the super hearing ability of a vampire, Yerin would be never able to listen to such an angelic sound.

“Hwang Eunbi...”

“How old are you?” Not holding back at all, Yerin continued with her questions.

“... Eight...”

“Oh, so you’re 2 years younger than me. I’m ten years old. You need to call me unnie then.”

Taking advantage of the girl’s lowering her head to avoid the questioning look of the blonde, Yerin reduced the distance between them. Only then the brunette felt a cold touch on her freezing hands, Eunbi realized that the blonde had already stood in front of her. The hand on her own had stopped her from taking steps back. She lowered her head even more. Feeling the hand she was holding shook a little, Yerin caressed the cold palm with her soft tiny fingers. Lowered her own head to the level of the other’s, the corner of her pink lips curled up into a warm smile.

“Don’t be scared. I will never hurt you. I promise.”

The past memory flowed back. Not sure if because the blonde shared a blood-related connection with her savior or not, but those simple words were enough to break the wall Eunbi had been building around her heart. Just like when he saved her from the dark dungeon. She was a kid with painful past. However, she was still a kid with a simple heart, too young and inexperienced to face the cruelty of the world.

Sensing the girl in front of her had finally calmed down, Yerin caught the sight of those unique orbs once again. The blonde grinned satisfyingly, the chestnut hair gently. It was an adorable scene when it was two little girls. However, to Eunbi, that simple act meant a lot to her. The foreign feeling made her wonder. Yonghyun and the lady had always giving pats on her head. But this was the first time someone around her age did that to her. Different from the feeling the adults gave to her, she could not describe it with words. But she did not hate it at all.

After a while, Yerin retracted her hand. She heard her father’s voice inside her head. Yonghyun had used telepathy to send her a message, asking them to come back with haste. Being a wise girl, Yerin could already take a guess about the purpose for their trip. She did not have a good feeling about her father’s message. Sneakily glancing at the girl in front of her, the blonde hid her concern away, dragging Eunbi by the wrist back to their previous footprints on the snow.

“Let’s go back, Eunbi. Father just called us.” Trying to be as composed as possible, Yerin still could not hide her fear The image of the sick lady on the bed was so vivid in her mind that she knew, whatever was waiting for both of them in the old cottage was not a merry moment.

Taking a few minutes to come back, Eunbi wasted no time to push through the door and rushed to the side of the bed. Her usual spot in weeks was returned by the only man in the cottage. Yonghyun stepped back, leaving the two people with their last moment together. Quietly, Yerin took her position next to her father and watched the other two. The brunette hastily held on the cold hands. Using her last breaths, the lady gave her sweetest smile to the girl.

“Eunbi-ah... I am sorry... for not staying longer with you...”

“It’s not your fault... halmeoni...” The lips turned pale from the chilling weather. Eunbi replied with a trembling voice.

“Before I go... Promise me one last thing... Will you be able to fulfill my last wish, Eunbi-ah?”

“Yes. I’ll do anything you wish for.”

“Stay with Yonghyun... He will take my place... to take care of you...”

Eunbi nodded silently. Tears already fell down non-stop. The lady had no regret left, giving the small hand once finally squeeze.

“Please Eunbi... Be happy...”

After that, she took her final breath. Her whole body went numb. The atmosphere suddenly turned icy cold. Only the quiet sobs coming from a saddened little torso could break through the heavy silence. Facing the loss of her beloved grandma who had been taking care of her for three years, Eunbi could not show her weakness. She needed to stay strong, to fulfill the last wish of her grandma. Wiping off the tears filled with love and sincerity, she landed a farewell kiss on the back of the cold hand.

Yerin was speechless. Being the first time seeing the lady, the blonde could not empathize with how her father and Eunbi felt at that moment. However, she could detect the same pain found in both of their eyes. The lady was never mentioned in any of her family meetings but shared a close relationship with her father. There were too many secrets about her own family that she did not know yet.

Breaking the silence, Yonghyun walked closer to Eunbi, comforting the little girl with a pat on her back. With the final lingering moment, the brunette stood up. Before they left the house, Eunbi took a small ring on the table next to the bed. It was a platinum ring attached with a sapphire stone, a memorial gift from her dear grandma.

“Do you want to keep anything else?” Yonghyun thoughtfully asked when he the girl’s tight grip on the ring.

The brunette shook her head. Yonghyun slowly pulled the blanket over the lady’s head, then led the girls out of the cottage. Once the girls were in a safe distance, Yonghyun, holding a torch he took from the fireplace, turned his head back to the girl who never left her sight from the place she had been living for three years. Wasting no more time, he burned the door with the torch before moving back to the girls. The flame took no time to spread through the whole cottage, consuming everything on its way. With a heavy feeling, he held the two tiny hands on each side, guiding them back to their mansion.