The heavy scent of putrid blood and decaying flesh flood through your nostrils and settle in your lungs. The warehouse is empty and silent, except there is one who stands above the broken bodies whose heart is still like theirs; but he is all too alive.

“You’ve made quite the mess, Youngjae,” you sigh, stepping over several lonely limbs.

The man turns, not surprised in the least at your presence. You eye the blooming stains on his white shirt and the splotches of crimson on his smiling face. He lost control again.

“Ah, too bad, dear. You’ve just missed all the fun,” he laughs, poking his tongue out from between his red lips to away a running trail on his hand.

“Mhm, I must have,” you speak through tight lips, counting up all the pieces on the floor and converting them into whole bodies. “At this rate, you’ll have killed more than most do in a hundred years.”

“I’m trying my best to beat your record, master,” he smiles coolly.

You flinch at his words. Memories of a scarlet past invade your mind—memories you have long-since tried to push down.

You square yourself up to Youngjae, hands balling up into fists at your side.

“If you continue like this, I’ll hunt you down and rip that smug head off your shoulders.”

Youngjae barks out a laugh, over exaggerating the humor he finds in your threat. He pretends to wipe away a tear before his face falls dark and the monster returns to flicker behind his eyes,