[Jungkook]

Taehyung let go of Jungkook after what seemed like an eternity. 
“How can you talk of losing me after this?! Don’t you know how much I love you?...I don’t care what your name is. I don’t care who you are…I just know that I love you. I don’t care about anything else.”

“I love you, Tae…”

Taehyung withdrew his arms from around Jungkook and kissed him.  When he broke the contact, he observed that Jungkook’s eyes had something he had never seen before. 
Sadness…
Not the emotionless wall that had always been there in those sapphire blue eyes, ever since the first time his own eyes had locked with them, at this very place, not many nights ago. This was the very first time, Taehyung looked in them and found something that seemed like helplessness…

The face of a person who was losing something or someone very dear and knew he had nothing left to do but watch.
But why?...It made no sense that the boy he had declared his love for and who had just reciprocated it, should stand in front of him with such sadness.

Taehyung lifted his hand and brushed Jungkook’s cheek.
“What is it?...Why are you so-…”

Taehyung didn’t know how to put his thoughts into words. In reality, watching the vulnerability in this boy’s face…the face that had come to be the dearest in the world to him…watching pain in those blue eyes…it only increased his love. 

He wanted to hug this boy so tight that whatever was bothering him crumbled…He had never thought that it was possible to feel this way for this boy- the one who had protected him, saved his life, and shielded him from harm all this time.

Him, Taehyung, the fragile one. And the strong fierce formidable vampire in front of him, whom Taehyung had held onto for support.

And standing there at that moment, this weak Taehyung felt the urge to protect this Jay, who looked so helpless and beaten up at that moment.

“Taehyung…”Jungkook whispered. “I…I need to…tell you…”

Taehyung listened to Jungkook without a word.

“I need to tell you the truth….” 

Taehyung shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I told you, Jay….ok, not Jay, whatever your name is…I told you, whatever the truth is, I’m yours. I love you and I won’t let you go, doesn’t matter what you tell me here tonight.” He said and smiled.

“I’m the reason your hyung is missing, Taehyung.” 

There was a pause where Taehyung’s smile disappeared and he blinked, staring at Jungkook with a blank face.

“What?...J-Jin hyung?”

“I’m the one who captured Seokjin. I’ve kept him away all this while. And I hurt him as well…” 

Taehyung stared at Jungkook for a while. Then he burst out laughing. Jungkook watched him silently as Taehyung almost doubled over, laughing hysterically.

“Wh-what?!....Ca-Capture?!!! Soekjin hyung?!” Taehyung laughed.
 Jungkook took a few steps back, creating a distance between himself and Taehyung.

 “You know who my hyung is right?...He’s the last surviving Centanaio hybrid…The last survivor of the most ancient bloodline of hybrid vampires. The strongest and most feared vampire in the dominion. All your strength considered, Jay, you could never even ruffle a hair on my hyung’s head. I don’t mean to demean you but seriously-…fighting and overpowering Jin hyung! What gave you such an absurd idea?!” 

Jungkook had taken a few more steps away as Taehyung spoke without noticing.

“My hyung is away on a mission. And even if that weren’t true-…who would ever have the strength to fight my hyung…and defeat him too?!” Taehyung chuckled, throwing his arms up in the air.

“Only another Centanaio would.” Jungkook said, his voice almost a whisper.

“Well, yes technically.” Taehyung rolled his eyes, giggling. “But there aren’t any other survivors from that bloodline. I’m not a true Cent, I have human blood. The only other survivor of hyung’s bloodline would be-…” Taehyung’s smile slowly faded and he looked up at Jungkook with a soft face. “-…Would be my cousin…Jungkook. But he died.” 

“No…he’s alive.” 

Taehyung looked shocked for a while after Jungkook had said this. But slowly, the shock gave away to a harder expression.
“I didn’t expect such a joke from you. Anyone but you.” Taehyung said. “I told you…everything about my family. How my cousin died. How much I wish he were-…”

Taehyung looked genuinely hurt.

“I think of my cousin so much, Jay…there’s not a day that goes by when I don’t think about him. I’ve never been able to accept what happened to him and I – I…I believed for so long that he must still be alive. The way he was taken away from us gives me sleepless nights. And you know the way I feel. How could you make such a joke?! How could-…” 

“He wasn’t taken, Taehyung. That’s another lie that I won’t have you believe anymore. He was given away.” 

Taehyung stopped mid-sentence, his eyes going wide. “Wh-what?....what did you say?” 

“Sold, should I say. As a payment.”

“How dare you?!” Taehyung shouted this time. His face was red, full of anger and tears had started to run down from his eyes. “How dare you?!...how can you say this-…” 

“By your hyung. Your Seokjin hyung gave away his brother. As part of a deal. As a payment…a life in exchange for a life. To save a life.” 

“How dare you?!” Taehyung whispered. His eyes were red with anger and disbelief. He was almost shaking from emotion. “Don’t speak another word or else-…”

“I’m telling you the truth, Taehyung.” 

Taehyung stood without words, like a statue, tears running down his red cheeks.
“Whose life?” He whispered.

“What?” Jungkook asked, thrown off track by the sudden question.

“Whose life was it that Hyung wanted to save?...Who was important enough that Hyung would sacrifice his own brother to keep them alive?...” Taehyung asked. “You have no idea about my family. About my hyung. You’re trying to make him look like a bad person…He would never do this. What you’re saying is ridiculous.” 

Jungkook stayed silent.

“Even if I did believe you…Whose life, are you claiming, was so dear to hyung that he would give away his own brother for them?...Go on, tell me. If you can tell me that, I’ll believe you.” 

Jungkook looked away from Taehyung and kept silent.

“WHOSE LIFE?!” Taehyung shouted. Jungkook flinched and closed his eyes.
“I ASKED WHOSE LIFE?!” 

“Yours.” Jungkook said, opening his eyes.
He looked up and met Taehyung’s eyes.

I hate having to do this to you. I wish I didn’t have to.
Watching this pain in your eyes, the shock on your face…It makes me want to say that whatever I just told you was a lie and I was joking…if only it would bring back the happiness that was there on your face just a few moments ago. I wish I didn’t have to tell you the truth…
But I’m not going to let you be blindfolded any longer…You deserve to know the truth.

 Taehyung lowered his eyes to the ground, slowly shaking his head. He looked like a man who had shut out his surroundings, trying to deny the reality.

“No…it’s not…not possible. Who are you? Why should I even believe you?...What proof do you have?” 

Jungkook held up his hand so that the tattoo on his wrist was in front of Taehyung’s eyes.
“Perhaps you were too young back then…but if you try, you’ll remember this symbol. Do you remember a young warlock?...Who came to visit you at the castle right before my-…your uncle’s death…can you remember this symbol on-…”

“On his robes!...This symbol in golden on his black robes!...Now I remember, yes. His name was-…” 

“Sehun.”

Taehyung looked up at Jungkook his eyes widening. “How do you know this?”

“Because he is the person who brought me up. He’s the person I refer to as Hyung.” Jungkook said.

Silence again. It was broken by Jungkook after a while.

“Sehun hyung is the one…with whom Seokjin had the exchange. You were ill…you would have died. Sehun hyung would save your life. But-…as in all dark magic, a sacrifice is required. And Sehun hyung asked for-….” Jungkook closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath before continuing. “-…asked for the life of the baby prince, for saving your life. And Seokjin loves you more than anything else in this world. You know that. He wanted to save you at whatever cost it took.” 

“And you’re this warlock’s brother.” Taehyung said. “The one who broke our family apart.”

Jungkook looked up at Taehyung. “Who did that?...Sehun hyung or Seokjin?”

Taehyung stared at Jungkook without words.

“His own brother?” Taehyung said and a tear fell out of his eye. “How can this be true?...How could JIn hyung?”

“It is true, Taehyung.”  Jungkook said. “I wish it weren’t.” 

“My life…for his?...” Taehyung whispered. “Why?...Why keep me alive at that cost?...All of this time, I’ve been whishing he were alive. And this is the reason for his absence?....Me.”

“Taehyung-…”

“But you said…Jungkook was…alive. How’s that possible if-…” 

“Sehun hyung did not kill him. For whatever the reason it was at that time…He kept the prince alive.” 

“I don’t believe you…” Taehyung said. “You don’t have any proof that this happened. My hyung would never have done something like this. There-…there was a siege by rebels at the castle…”

“It was a show put up by Seokjin and Yoongi. The reality is what I just told you.” 

Taehyung covered his eyes with his hands and shook his head.
“No! No! No!...I don’t believe you!” 

“That’s your choice, Tae. But I had to tell you the truth. I couldn’t lie to you anymore.”

Taehyung held his head in his hands. “I can’t understand…all of this…everything you said…it doesn’t make any sense…you said you hurt Jin hyung!...you said Jungkook was alive…that he was sacrificed because of me!...” Taehyung closed his eyes and shook his head, tears running down from his eyes. “No…it can’t be true.” 

Taehyung opened his eyes slowly and looked up at Jungkook.
“Jungkook…where is my cousin, Jungkook?...How is he?!....Is he safe?...You said Sehun brought him up and you-…Where is Jungkook?!...I want to see him! Where is he?...Please, take me to him.” 

Jungkook looked into Taehyung’s eyes without any words as a few silent moments passed.

“Don’t stay quiet!...Speak! Where is my cousin?!...Where is Jungkook?”

“Remember you asked me why I carry this symbol on my skin?” Jungkook held up his wrist once more, showing the inked symbol, before letting his arm drop. “You asked me why I carry it if it doesn’t mean anything to me…”

“Yes…I remember…But why are you-…”

“It is meaningful to me. This is what my entire life means to me. I don’t know about my birth-…but my life started right here. When I got this symbol etched on my skin. As a proof. A proof of a deal between two brothers of mine. Between the brother I share my blood with and the brother whom I love as my own…this symbol is a reminder that I was nothing but a toy to both of them.”

Taehyung seemed to stagger a little. He went back a few steps, his feet shaking as his eyes remained on Jungkook, but his tear stained face was blank.

“You asked me why I carry this symbol. Here, I just gave you your answer. This was the same day that you told me that-…that if I were alive…you would have had a friend. All of my life, I’ve grown up hating you, Taehyung. Because I felt that no one had loved me for real. But…you did. You loved me so much that I’m afraid for the first time in my life. I’m afraid to lose you.”
Before Jungkook could say anything further, Taehyung ran and threw his arms around Jungkook, pulling him as close as physically possible in a tight embrace. Jungkook wrapped his own arms around Taehyung and felt Taehyung’s lips against the bare skin of his neck, his tears trickling down against it.

“I knew it…I knew you were alive.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

[Luhan]

Luhan opened the door to the large dorm where