When speaking of the past, it usually went along the lines of reminiscing the enjoyable memories, or trying to forget the painful ones. The painful ones are always hardest to forget, and Kim Jiwoo knew that for sure.

Every night, as she laid herself down on her stiff bed, she would shut her eyes tightly, forcing the sting to tire her, and for the empty silence to lull her to sleep. Instead, the darkness would only fuel the visions, the memories. Sometimes, she could still hear the screams and the look of terror plastered onto the faces that she once knew, the faces that she once loved, as they slowly disappeared one by one.

Sleep was supposed to be a time of rest, but for Jiwoo, hers was filled with tossing and turning until she could find the right spot to let the tears flow. Not enough to drown, but just enough for her to wear herself out. But even with the feeling of the salty stream cooling on her cheeks, her dreams always seemed to be no more vivid than the last one. And they were usually very vivid.

The auburnette still remembers. Everything. She remembers the time when she could look up to the sun, feeling free out in the open and not have to feel a sense of vulnerability. She could still remember the time when the other kids' laughter ringed through the playground, where they all played freely, without much worries as the sun had started to set. But what she also remembers was the sight of the adults around her falling to the ground, writhing in pain, a great amount of blood being coughed out.

Jiwoo didn't understand, she didn't know what to do. All the other kids were fine, physically, but many ran to their parents or guardians, shaking their bodies to try and wake them as their entire body convulsed. Jiwoo stood there frozen in fear until a small hand reached for her, dragging her away. It was Jungeun, Jiwoo's closest friend since the womb. The girl didn't look back as they ran away, Jiwoo putting all her trust in the girl that she knew where they were headed, only focusing on the girl's brown locks flowing through the air. She assumed they would return to at least one of their homes, hugging their parents tightly, trying to forget whatever had just happened, whatever that was that they had witnessed.

After running, they reached Jiwoo's place, and Jiwoo felt her pulse returning at a normal pace. If it weren't for the tender hand that held a firm grip on her arm, Jiwoo knows she would have collapsed on the floor from the sight in front of them as they entered.

Boddies laid out on the ground much like at the playground. Jiwoo's parents lay still in a pool of their own blood in the kitchen. They had been preparing for dinner, only waiting for Jiwoo to come back.

She stood in shock, her eyes starting to gloss over. She wanted to drop to her knees and cry right then and there, wishing that this entire thing was just a whole scheme, a prank. But the two noticed that Jiwoo's parents, and the others at the playground weren't the only ones in this situation. The sound of coughs and the hacking up of blood echoed through the streets like an orchestra. Cars had crashed into one another, assuming that the driver had gone through the same thing.

With Jungeun's hand still tight on Jiwoo, she raised her voice at her, telling her to snap out of it. With a stern gaze, Jungeun had told her that they should check out her place, hoping that her parents must still be alright.

The scene on the streets and sidewalks and all the stores you could look into was a bloody one. Adults were dropping left and right. But not only adults, teens too.

iwoo tried her best not to look, but hearing the painful groans coming from everywhere around them, she couldn't help but glance, but only for a second, being easily disgusted by the sight.

Jungeun's place had been a bit farther away, meaning they'd have to run more of a distance. The two didn't understand why this was happening, but they understood. Was there even any hope left for her parents?

The thought stuck to them like glue. But they hoped that some adult they knew and trusted would still be fine, still capable of walking on two legs, still okay. Maybe that's why they kept running despite having to brace themselves for the unbearable truth. But their run was abruptly stopped when the two were yanked by the collars of their shirts and thrown to the ground. Jiwoo let out a groan herself, although not as deep as the groans heard on the street.

"What are you running from, little livestock?"

Stock? What are they saying?

Sirens blared all throughout the city. Maybe even the rest of the country.

A high-pitched voice was heard.

"Oh, you poor, poor humans! It seems that this is the end of mankind!"

Looking up, Jiwoo sees a figure. An adult! And she looked perfectly fine! Albeit a little too pale and smiley for the situation they were in. And the outfit was too strange for their environment. Jiwoo understood that it was mid into December, and that the temperatures weren't the warmest, but was a cloak necessary? Especially with the white being so contrast against the darkening hues of the sky. Looking closer, what she wore wasn't a smile, but a smirk with a sadistic glint to her eyes.

"J-Jiwoo..."

"If you haven't already noticed, to all those still alive, a lethal virus has spread amongst you all. Luckily, this virus hasn't killed off you human children, right?"

The auburnette whipped her head to her friend that had been clutching at her shoulder. Rushing to her side, Jiwoo crouches and holds her closely, tightly.

"Aww, so sweet! I wonder what type of backstory these friends have! Probably some cliché childhood friends type, I supposed. What would you say, Seunghee?"

A second figure, presumably this 'Seunghee' that the first had called out, approached them, their face shadowed by the hood of the same white cloak they wore.

"Can you shut it, Seungyeon. Hurry up and take them. Make it quick or else she'll punish us for sure."

The second voice was softer, but it sounded less annoyingly playful than the first. Still, Jiwoo felt extremely uneasy.

"Hehhh how sad. All children are now orphans. But fear not! We'll take you into our care~"

The one without the hood widened her smile, revealing sharpened canines. Fangs, they were fangs, and Jiwoo's eyes widened. She noticed the way her ears pointed outwards, visible through her hair. And Jiwoo hadn't noticed at first, but her eyes... they were a deep crimson, something no normal human would be able to naturally obtain. What were they?

More footsteps could be heard, and the dying groans and fits of coughs were being replaced by cries and wailing of children, with more of the same cloaked figures dragging them away, one by one into trucks, driving off.

Jiwoo knew what was to come, looking at Jungeun, still in her arms. Both had the same look on their faces. Confusion, terror, and the same look they would give each other when they know they did something that would result in their parents whooping their . But this time, they absolutely know has gone downhill.

"Follow our instructions with cooperation and you'll be just fine.... Everything will get better soon. You’ll be safe with us!

Seoul is under my hold..."

***

Days passed by, turning into a few weeks, to a couple, into a few months, and Jiwoo was already starting to tire. It had been a few months since that day happened, since the day almost the entire population of the human race had simultaneously been wiped out, the main target of this unknown virus; adults.

She and Jungeun and many, many other children were taken away in the trucks to an unknown place underground. It was as if the place was a whole kingdom built below, with mansions, different streets leading to different paths, different areas of residency. The only source of light was artificial ones, those such as light bulbs.

After being dropped off, they were forced to strip and change into the same clothing everyone else had, the main colour scheme being white with black linings. The girls had to wear a sleeveless one-piece dress, while boys wore capri shorts and a shirt. Everyone had to wear a black collar as well, with a little tag attached. On it was each person’s full name and a code unique to themselves.

Kim Jiwoo, age eight, always imagined growing up to live an eventful life, her main goal being a world known singer. But she wants to share that dream, making a pact with Jungeun, promising that either they debut together or they don't debut at all. It seemed unrealistic, but it was alright for children to dream, as long as they had guidance from their parents. But those dreams would truly stay as dreams now.

2012, the year the virus spread all throughout the world, causing more than 90% of the human population to fall (at least, that's what Jiwoo has heard since being transferred to the underground). Children were left as orphans, and bodies were left on the streets above ground. Perhaps they were cleaned, but Jiwoo wouldn't know. She hasn't seen the light since.

At least they were safe, more or less. Jiwoo wouldn't call this place home, but this was the closest to home that they had now, being that there was nowhere else to go. And she doubts they would even be able to leave with how tight the security is here.

All the children were promised safety and food to eat, as long they promised their cooperation and a little bit of themselves in return. Blood. They needed their blood to feed. The vampires needes the blood to feed.

Vampires exist and had finally shown themselves above ground, claiming all the last of the human population in order to use them as livestock. That's all they were now. Like hen raised in a farm, only to serve the purpose of providing. The vampires feared that their only source of food would be lost, so in order to survive, they decided this was the best way for them.

Since the first humans, vampires have always existed, with only very little humans actually knowing of their presence. Few interactions between the species were ever made, but now, the blood ers took this as their chance to gain their control over mankind.

Jiwoo wished this was all just a nightmare. And she wished she woke up soon.

Each night that passed was another night of Jiwoo's hope starting to fade. She couldn't even tell what was night and what was day anymore, really. They had to rely on what the vampires had given them. A set time and schedule to follow. Although, the main thing held on the schedule would be their curfew and blood collecting time, where all the 'livestock' would be gathered in one big area to have their blood mass collected.

This went on for months, and Jiwoo knows his would be their life until the day they wouldn't be of use anymore. Still, there was always a little part of her hoping that someone, or something was out there, ready to save them at any time. It was easy to feel like giving up, but if not for a little optimism, Jiwoo knew for sure it would begin to drive her crazy. Jiwoo knew, because her best friend was losing it much earlier than she would have thought the other girl would.

Jungeun used to be just as bright and loud as Jiwoo was, only a leaning a bit more towards the shy end, contrast to Jiwoo. Over the course of their stay, Jungeun had lost the light in her eyes. She became more recluse, prone to sleepless nights that resulted from crying herself to sleep way past the late hours of midnight, only gaining a few hours of sleep. But if it weren't for Jiwoo being by her side, Jungeun wouldn't have any sleep at all.

The auburnette would sing soothing lullabies to the girl, enough to distract her from the dark thoughts that played over in her mind. It happened almost every night, Jiwoo waking up to Jungeun's sobs and having to cradle her in her arms, humming sweet tunes close to her ears. Jiwoo always teased before that Jungeun was a big baby. And maybe she really was.

For a while, it was always just Jiwoo and Jungeun spending their time together. They didn't know anyone else there, often eating alone together or off playing by themselves.

One day, the two happened to be approached by a group of other kids around their age. There were three of them, one boy and the others girls.

The boy had fluffy dark hair and slanted eyes, a bit shorter than the other two. His name was Mark Lee. They were curious about his background, as his given name had obviously not sounded Korean. He says that he had grown up in Vancouver, Canada, so he was used to being called by his English name, but he did have a Korean name, Minhyung. He doesn't use that name much due to his ears being tuned to the name Mark instead. He says their family had moved back to Korea only a year ago. How unfortunate this situation was. For all of them, really.

Beside him was a girl, taller, with shorter hair cut just above of her shoulders. She introduces herself enthusiastically, Kim Yerim, although she insists on being called Yeri, saying that it makes her seem hip. Jiwoo was utterly surprised at how loud and optimistic one could be at a time like this. Jiwoo had assumed almost everyone had already accepted their fates. Yeri says that being sad makes her bored, so she might as well make the most of it all. Jiwoo admired that.

Behind the two new people they had met, a shyer figure hid. Her name was Son Chaeyoung, with droopy, tired eyes. She was the second oldest out of the trio, and Mark mentions that they had all been friends since their younger days. She didn't talk much, only smiling lightly.

Jiwoo and Jungeun asked why the three had approached them, saying that not everyone here tend to be so open and friendly. Yeri refutes, saying there's no reason to not be able to speak to new people, and the two just happened to be the first people in their line of sight when they were scouting for potential new friends. Jungeun was skeptical at first, weary that they only wanted to gain something from them. Mark agrees. He says they wanted friendship. A new family. Start anew with the environment they were thrown into. It didn't hurt to have people by their side. So Jiwoo accepts the warm hand extended towards her, squeezing it with little force, and Jungeun did, too, with reluctance.
 

***

"Jiwoo?" Jungeun asked, her back facing the auburnette as she faced the wall on the bed.

"Mm?" Jiwoo, who had been close to falling asleep, lifted her head, turning towards the other girl who laid beside her, although Jiwoo could only see the back of her head with the position they were both in.

There was a moment of silence, and Jiwoo was about to let her head rest once again before the same voice spoke up.

"Do you think we'll ever get to see the sun again?"

Her voice was weak, unguarded, a little shaky. Jiwoo bit her lip, not responding. What did Jungeun want her to say? 'Of course we will' or 'Someday' or anything along the lines of hopeful? Jiwoo knew, and Jiwoo knew that Jungeun knew that the both of them didn't know. They just didn't.

Jiwoo didn't reply, only moving closer to the girl that Jungeun could feel Jiwoo's warmth against her back and her arms around her waist, being pulled into a tight hug.

Jungeun didn't cry that night.
 

***
 

Almost a year had passed since two became five, and things were much livelier than they had been before the three entered Jiwoo and Jungeun's lives. Everything felt... lighter, and Jiwoo felt relief. They may just be nine now, but the circumstances had forced them to mature earlier than when a normal child should. Still, having Mark and Yeri around, they brought a sense of the childhood that was taken away from them. Chaeyoung was quiet, but her innocence was nice to have around.

Jungeun had started to open up a bit more, learning to be playful and cracking a genuine smile every now and then. When Jiwoo watched her friend's lips curve upwards the way they did, Jiwoo couldn't help but smile to herself as well.

When they weren't playing tag, or manhunt, or whatever it was that they did, the five hung out at their residency, entertaining each other just by talking. The same would go for when they'd have dinner together. It was usually Jungeun who had was in charge of the cooking, with Chaeyoung helping out at times. The other three weren't allowed inside any kitchen, for fear of blowing something up or setting things on fire. It was only one time, Mark claimed, but Jungeun and Chaeyoung agreed that things would better be safe than to be sorry.

At the table, different flow of conversations would unfold. Their conversations ranged from their lives before the outbreak, what their favourite somethings were, and what futures they had hoped for. Sometimes they would compare jokes with one another, too, but lately, their subject of conversations quickly changed whenever Jungeun found a way to bring up vampires.

When Jungeun spoke of them, her tone would darken. Her hatred of them was obvious with the way she would hold her utensils mid-sentence into speaking. There was a passion, a certain fury in her. She spoke of how they were stupid mindless blood ers and they were pathetic because all they know how to do is feed off of children. She spoke of how life would be much better if they escaped from the vampires' hold, and how they could survive out there, no matter how alone they were, as long as they were together. Jiwoo found it endearing, in a way, but there was always a feeling of unease. Could they really survive by themselves out there? For all they know, more vampires could be beyond the boundaries set upon them. But Jiwoo let Jungeun continue, as always, not wanting to crush the older girl.

These conversations went in the same cycle for a while everyday, until there was a shift in topic one day. The dinner table would always be talkative and loud, but this time, they were all quiet, except for one voice. Jungeun's fixation of escaping had turned to the idea of killing vampires. The air around them had tensed. They never thought about it, not even daring to let the idea cross their minds. Them? Kill a vampire? No way. Yes way, was always Jungeun's response. She was tired of having to always succumb to their power over them, saying that they would have a better chance living if their numbers lessened.

Jiwoo would part as if to say something, likely to express her uncertainty, but when she looked at her best friend's eyes... She was serious, wasn't she? Worry started to grow within the auburnette ever since that one dinner.
 

***

Two years have since passed, and things have changed in subtle ways. Chaeyoung had started to open up a bit more, participating in tag more often than she used to, and Yeri had started to be able to catch up to Mark a lot more. The daily tag games had definitely given Yeri a chance to get faster. But Mark and his weird sudden growth prevailed. He would still be able to become the only one not tagged yet.

And Jungeun? Boy was it possible to change in two years.

The dark haired girl found it easier to express herself, maybe a bit too much. She seemed to throw all care away when vampires would be patrolling the area, totally fine with showing them hostility when they would approach their group. It was more than a few times that Jiwoo had to tend to bruises that grew on Jungeun's body every time they went back to their home. Jungeun's aggression had certainly grown, and there was no stopping her now.

"You're an idiot,” Jiwoo would say.

"No, those stupid mindless ers are!"

Jiwoo wiped at the bloody corner of her best friend's lip, making her wince at the little jolt of pain.

This scene started to repeat almost every week, and every time, Jiwoo would be the one to patch the girl up.

The auburnette sighed, lowering the damp hand towel onto her lap, looking the girl into her eyes.

"Why are you like this, Jungeun?" Jiwoo asked.

Jungeun shook her head. "I won't let them know that I'm fine with them treating me- treating us like this! Like we're livestock, Woo!"

"But we are Jungie..." The auburnette's forehead creased. "Openly picking fights with vampires?? That's like suicide! Can you imagine them finally getting tired of your little outbursts and deciding they didn't want you anymore! I'd rather have my blood for a lifetime than to see you get hurt..."

For a moment, Jungeun seemed to have faltered, a little surprised with Jiwoo's statement. The brunette felt heat growing from her neck.

"...If those ers ever even lay a hand on you, I won't hesitate to kill them. I promise."

Jiwoo sighed, but grinned less than a second later. "You ... you wouldn't even be able to lay a finger on them."

***

One day, as the they were playing tag as per usual, Jiwoo had not paid attention to her surroundings, ending up colliding with someone and falling flat on her rear end. She cursed to herself, rubbing at her behind, only for her eyes to widen in fear at the pair of glowing red orbs that looked down on her.

It was a vampire, a noble vampire, in fact. She had long, wavy black hair, like that of a raven's shade that reached all the way down to her waist. She had piercing eyes that seemed like they could go straight through Jiwoo. Her lips were tinted a bright red, and she wore an unreadable expression.

Jiwoo could feel herself start to shake. Behind the noble, there were two other common vampires. Three to one? That's not fair. Absolutely not. Jiwoo was scared. Absolutely scared.

A couple seconds have passed, both sides not making a move until the noble did. She crouched slightly leaning towards Jiwoo, her pointed ears twitched. She extended an arm, and Jiwoo thought that she was about to be helped up. Were vampires kind? Jiwoo wouldn't find out, since a familiar voice and several steps got closer, and a figure had blocked Jiwoo's view of the noble in front of her.

"Don't touch her you filthy er!"

The noble vampire had been taken aback, clearly. She hadn't expected a human, much less a child to take their chance against a full on vampire. Jiwoo moved her head to the side of Jungeun to get a better look, and Jiwoo could have sworn that a smirk had grown on the vampire's lips.

Swords were drawn from behind the noble, readying their stance, and Jiwoo didn't know if she was utterly frightened for herself or for her best friend. Was this the final straw for Jungeun and her behaviour? Was this how they die? The auburnette didn't want that, especially not in front of the new family they had made.

The noble flicked her hand, her back still turned towards the two behind her.

"Sheathe," she says with a nonchalance, and they follow.

Jiwoo expected for her and Jungeun to be gone right then and there, instead, the vampire had grabbed onto the both of them, a hand on a wrist of each of them, pulling them both up off the ground, then making them stand on their two feet again.

She chuckled, her voice deep. "My, my! Brave, aren't you?"

There was a glint of amusement in her eyes.

Jungeun growled. "What, vampire, got anything else to do to us?"

"J-Jungeun, stop! That's a noble!" Jiwoo whisper-yelled into her best friend's ear, holding onto her arm to stop her from trying to run up to the noble and do something she would regret. Mark had helped, holding onto Jungeun's free arm as well.

"Let go! As if I care!"

Laughter erupted from the vampire, and all heads turned.

"How amusing! If I had known this area was filled with such fun kids, I'd come here more often!" She placed a hand on her hip. "You kids must be lively... you know what they say about the blood when it's from a healthy, active child..."

"Over my dead body would you even lay a hand on me!!"

"Jungeun, stop!"

Jiwoo was more than frightened now. She's scared as . What was Jungeun saying? Did she want all of them to be killed? If she didn't shut up now, their entire existence would be gone.

The vampire made her way over to them, closing the gap. Bending forward, she levelled herself to the kids' eye levels.

"Don't worry, kid. I only drink from obedient children." There was a tone sing-song tone in her voice, almost mockingly, and that seemed to only aggravate Jungeun further. The vampire's smirk only increased. "Hmm... Jungeun? Quite a feisty one you'll turn out to be. It'd probably be easier to talk to your little friend over here. Jiwoo, was it?"

"Don't talk to her, you rat!"

"Rat? That's a new one," the noble said, ignoring the furious Jungeun and putting her focus on Jiwoo. "...So..." She began, using her index to pick at the tag on her collar. "Kim Jiwoo? ...Ah, many Kims around here. I wonder, could you possibly be from..."

A kick.

"My, I may have gotten a bit too close! Too bad a measly kick like that to the face isn't enough to hurt me, Jungie~"

Jungeun grit her teeth, seething.

"Sunmi!" A voice had called out.

When Jiwoo had looked over to the direction of the new voice, she saw another girl. She looked much like a younger version of the noble, only if the noble were a young human.

"Oh? What are you doing here, Sooyoungie? Did you miss me that much?"

The noble had shifted her attention to the girl, and Jiwoo hoped that the noble would forget them entirely now that the girl was here. It's not like Jiwoo is suggesting she wanted her to be hurt in their place, but Jiwoo was panicked, and all he wanted to do was get out of there, hopefully with Jungeun's limbs still intact.

A giggle escaped the girl's lips. Jiwoo praised the girl for being a good actress. "Of course, Miss! I just ran back because I forgot to ask when I should come to your mansion again is all."

The auburnette quirked a brow. Her grip was still firm on her friend. Mansion? This girl visits a vampire, a noble vampire at her mansion? That's more than just a little strange, she'd say.

The noble tapped her finger on her chin. "Maybe next week, Sooyoungie, I'm going to be quite busy in the next couple days, but I wouldn't mind you stopping by after that time."

"Looking forward to it, Miss."

"Me as well! Ah, look at the time. I must be heading back now. Take care, all of you!" She said before staring back at Jiwoo. "I'll see you again soon, little ones."

With that, she stalked away, a sway to her hips, with her lackies following closely behind her, heels clacking and echoing as they hit the stone ground beneath them.

When the vampires couldn't be seen anymore, Mark and Jiwoo had loosened their grip on the still squirmish Jungeun. They wish they hadn't, since they were sure if Yeri hadn't pulled at the brunette’s collar and Chaeyoung hadn't used her sweet voice to call out to the girl, then Jungeun would have booked it and ran after the noble. It was one thing picking fights with common vampires. It was another entirely trying to pick a fight with a noble.

Jiwoo sighed. "Jungeun... that was-"

"-Stupid as ."

The older girl had a stern face now, not the soft and cheerful face she had shown the noble from earlier.

Hearing those words returned the seething Jugeun. "The you calling stupid, huh?!"

Mark had to hold the girl, wrapping his arms around her waist just to keep her from being reckless.

"Hmph," she scoffed. "I came running here because I noticed you kids were in a bit of trouble. Or, more like your friend here is causing you kids a bit of trouble. At least I bought you guys time for Sunmi to realize she's late to for a meeting." She ran a hand through her black locks, the other hand placed on her left hip.

"Why, you- !"

"-Thank you, for saving us..." The auburnette paused, trying to recall what name the noble had mentioned. "Sooyoungie...?"

The older girl looked at Jiwoo with a raised brow.

"Sooyoung," was all that came from her. She had already her heels when Jiwoo had blurted out.

"Wait!" Jiwoo's voice hadn't been any louder, since her voice had still been partially stuck in since that little fiasco between her friend and the noble. "Please, have dinner with us? You can leave right after, but it's the least we could do for you."

"You want some random to come eat at our table?"

Sooyoung cackled. "Woah, who taught you how to be a potty mouth, kid..."

"Aren't you the same age as us?!"

"Guys! Can we please calm down for a moment?" Mark asked, letting out a sigh, a few seconds longer than it should have been. His dipped head rose to meet Sooyoung. "We'd really love to have dinner with someone new for once. Would you stay?"

Jiwoo felt like the older girl would decline, but when Jiwoo noticed the way Chaeyoung pleaded, she noticed the softening of Sooyoung's features.

"I... alright. I guess it wouldn't hurt a bit."

***
 

Light sounds of chitchat could be heard from the dining room. The kitchen was directly to the side, and so the conversations could be heard, and Jiwoo couldn't help but beam.

Sooyoung had agreed to be taken back to their place for dinner, seating herself between the rambunctious kids. As Jiwoo watched, she was surprised the older girl could even keep up with the loud personalities that Yeri and Mark are. She was even more surprised when

Chaeyoung engaged in the conversations actively.

"Look, Jungeun, she's talking more!" Jiwoo nudged at her friend's shoulder with the palm of her hand, but Jungeun didn't even spare a glance.

When the brunette didn't give her a response, Jiwoo turned to poking at one of the girl's number one weaknesses; her sides, which resulted in Jiwoo being hit with a slight pain on her head after the repeated tickles. Jungeun only pouted and frowned, returning to the soup she had been preparing for dinner.

"You don't help with cooking anyway. Why don't you go sit with your new friend over there..."

Jiwoo tilted her head. "Is something wrong, Jungie?"

The brunette pursed her lips, as if holding back on something she had on her mind. "She's weird."

"Who, Sooyoung?"

"Yeah. Didn't you catch what she said earlier? She visits that noble's mansion!"

Jiwoo raised a finger to . "Shh! They might hear us talking about them," she said, lowering her voice.

Jungeun's brows furroed. "I'm just sayin' be careful. I wouldn’t trust her so easily if I were you."

"But Sooyoung seems really nice… Hah, I def thought you'd be all 'let's ambush her when she leaves' or something."

"Don't give me ideas. Now go, before you ruin the soup with your presence."

"Rude!"

Jiwoo chuckled, smiling warmly at Jungeun. The smile wasn't reciprocated, but a light squeeze on the arm was given in its stead before the younger of the two made her way back to the dining room.

Jungeun felt a burning in her stomach, and it wasn't the hunger.
 

***
 

Dinner was nice, Jiwoo thought. They all sat on the circular wooden table and were fed with

Jungeun's warm, homemade soup. The world may have already ended for them, but being able to gather around for dinner like a true family. Jiwoo could cry then and there if it weren't for their guest.

Speaking of their guest, Sooyoung had made herself quite comfortable despite the awkward tension from earlier. She was participating in many of the different topics their conversations flowed to. Jiwoo and the other kids didn't know Sooyoung too well, if at all, really. Maybe it was from the other kids talking her up, or maybe she was just that naturally sociable, but Jiwoo knew one thing, and that would be the fact that she finds herself adoring the way the older girl’s lips moved.

When the she spoke, the auburnette would zone out at times, not listening to the words coming out of , but listening to the way her voice sounded. Maybe the presence of someone closest to Jiwoo's idea of mature was what made Jiwoo feel safe, even if it sounds weird saying that, considering that they had only met a few hours ago. But that didn't stop her from staring at Sooyoung for as long as she can. One of her moments lasted too long that the older girl had actually caught her staring. A blush creeped from the embarrassment of being caught, but the older girl didn't seem to mind seeing as she had given her a grin, which didn't help with the growing redness on Jiwoo's face.

To the side of Jiwoo was a Jungeun, more quiet than she had usually been (well, at least since the other three came into their lives). She played with her food, swirling the soup from side to side, slowly, with the use of her spoon. Jiwoo wonders what was on the girl's mind that made her not realize the auburnette poking at her cheeks several times. It was only until the tenth poke that Jungeun seemed to finally budge.

"Hey, what're you doing??"

"You aren't eating the food you made, Jungie. You'd usually be boasting about how well made it is," Jiwoo said in a hushed voice.

Before replying, Jungeun snuck a glance at the older girl in front of them, which was caught. Sooyoung smiled, but Jungeun frowns. The older girl's smile didn't falter, only returning to the other three.

Jiwoo sighs, realizing that her best friend's skepticism had gone so far as to distrust the one other person that showed them kindness these past few years.

Their dinner gets wrapped up not so long after that little moment. Because Yeri, Mark, and Jiwoo aren't allowed in the kitchen, their main job would be setting up the table and washing the dishes. Sooyoung offered to help, but Jiwoo insisted that they wouldn't want to make their guest do any work, so that left the older girl having to sit in the living room with Jungeun and Chaeyoung, but Chaeyoung felt sleepy,

Which left Sooyoung and Jungeun alone.

Jiwoo hopes Jungeun won't try to start a fight with the older girl. She doesn't want to make a ruckus late into the night. People living nearby are already fed up with Mark's late night games of hide and seek with Yeri, and those games tend to include loud yelling.

The concern didn't leave Jiwoo's thoughts, so she resorted to rushing the cleaning process, leaving a few drops of water on the counter and on the floor, making her way out, only to almost be pushed against the wall due to Jungeun's quick steps.

"Jungie?"

The brunette turned around. "Sorry, I didn’t see you. I'll be going to bed now."

"Huh? Isn't this early, even for you-"

She wasn't able to finish as Jungeun had already excused herself, running up the stairs. Jiwoo looked over to the couch Sooyoung had sat at, an expression on her face that Jiwoo could only interpret as amused. What was there to be amused about? Why was Jungeun so keen on heading to bed early? And had the two conversed about that left such an ambiguous feel to the air. When Jiwoo asked what had happened, Sooyoung only gave her a sloppy smile and a shrug.
 

***
 

"She was just still hung up over the vampire visiting thing."

"...Yeah."

Jiwoo hugged her knees as she looked up at what should have been the night sky, only the illuminations were weak from the street lamps. They weren't enough to fill the void that Jiwoo longed to be able to fill up again.

Sooyoung sat beside the auburnette, leaning against her arms that supported her weight. The two sat on the roof of their house. It wasn't hard to get up on, since the elevation was pretty low, but the only way to get up there is to climb up from the outside. Curfew had long since passed, but the city guards didn't really care enough to pass by this area, so Sooyoung was confident when she told the younger girl that they'd be hanging out above, much to Jiwoo's dismay. She wasn't so sure about the guards, and she didn't really like heights. Never did. But she would like to trust Sooyoung, so she followed her steps all the way through. Jiwoo assumes everyone else is asleep, so it wouldn't hurt, would it?

"If I had known vampires would take over the world, I would have watched that Twilight movie, or whatever else it was called. I think the third movie was called Breaking Bad??"

"What's that?" The auburnette asked.

Sooyoung twisted her lips. "The new movie came out in 2012. I don't know, but it had something to do with werewolves and vampires, so it has to talk about survival. At least, I'd think so. I was only ten."

Shifting to the side a little, Jiwoo's gaze drifted to the older girl, and she found herself staring again.

"What did you mean, when you said that to the noble?"

The older girl scratched at her cheek. "Hm?"

"About her mansion. About you coming back."

Sooyoung tilted her head, looking off wherever but at the younger girl to her right.

"I come by every week to Sunmi's place to let her drink my blood."

Jiwoo gasped. "B-But vampires aren't allowed to directly feed from a human!"

"Yeah, that's why it's a secret," the older girl said with a nonchalance, hinting at what she was getting at.

A second gasp. "Did she... force you into it...?"

Sooyoung raised her brow and nudged at the younger girl's sides. "No... she offered. She likes young human blood, and I get special treatment, you know?"

It seems that Jiwoo would need a little more explanations, as she donned a puzzled expression.

"By special treatment," Sooyoung began, "I mean that I get all the good food. Sometimes, I get to sleep on her comfy guest beds. Other times, I get to read whatever book I want in her library and stay there for hours and hours, so I've got something to entertain myself with."

"But don't you have friends or family here? Anyone your age that's worried for you?"

Sooyoung's eyes darkened. "I've always been alone, even before the catastrophe..."

Jiwoo's ears perked. She looked into the older girl's eyes, and she could tell how distant they seemed.

"Do you... mind telling me?"

"Pfft, you, a kid? My backstory is quite tragic, I don't think you can handle it if you grew up with Winx Club. Or Barbie."

"For one! Those are some great shows, and two! Two... you can trust me."

She waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, some eleven year old kid."

"And you're only thirteen!"

Sooyoung released a chuckle, and she ruffled the aburnette's hair.

"...You know, you'd look nice in bangs."

Jiwoo pouted, not too fond of being treated the way she's being treated, but the feeling of the warm hand lingered on her head, and she wished it stayed, even for just a bit longer.

They stayed there longer than they thought they would. Despite knowing the situation they were in, there was a feeling of serenity, just sitting up there, beside each other. Jiwoo was sure that if things were different, and she had met Sooyoung on different circumstances, the two would be stargazing at the top of an open, grassy hill, watching the night pass by. Even if they weren't able to do so, this was good enough.

In one night, Jiwoo learned a few things from the older girl, aside from the whole letting a noble drink her bood for priveliges thing.

For one, the older girl was indeed only older by two years, but for some reason, she believes that it sets as a huge difference between them, something along the lines of 'two years is a huge difference in mentality,' and Jiwoo doesn't quite get it much, but she listens on intently.

What Jiwoo also learns is that Sooyoung wasn't lying when she said that she had always been alone. Sooyoung had been given to an orphanage when she was only five. Her unstable parents had passed away from a severe car accident, and that left her with no one else to turn to. Her relatives didn't care much, and she was pretty sure if her parents were still alive, they would have thrown her into an orphanage anyway, saying that they were never really there. Saying that they only ever saw her as a spawn of evil, and that she was a mistake. She was too young to really grasp why they would even say that. Heck, even a normal person wouldn't understand. But the second half of Sooyoung's life had been eventful, only that it wasn't the sort of change that most people would really hope for. Her past surname had been changed to the orphanage's. Kim. Kim Sooyoung, is what was on her name tag as well, but she urges the younger girl to only call her by Ha, saying that she'd rather not take on the name of the orphanage that treated her like a little guinea pig.

Jiwoo gawks at the fact that they technically have the same name.

"It's like we're family, though!"

Sooyoung was quick to shut that thought down. "I'm not a Kim. Kim's are just a mistake. At least, those that come from the orphanage are."

Jiwoo pouted. A mistake? Why would they be a mistake? Why would Kim's from the orphanage Sooyoung speaks of be a mistake?

"I don't know what kind of Kim you are, but I'm confident that you're one of us..."

A pout again.

Jiwoo's eleven year old mind really didn't understand. What was she meaning to say? That Jiwoo is one of the Kim's that Sooyoung talks about? Would that make Jungeun one of the Kim's, too? Jiwoo does recall her parents not really being hers biologically. The same thing would go for her best friend, but she'd long since accepted it. She doesn't even remember her original name. Was that a bad thing? To forget where her roots were from? It's not like she really remembered who her real parents were. She knew she was at least happy with her adoptive parents, despite them not paying the most attention to her... She still loved the fact that they cared enough to raise her like their own.

Sooyoung made it clear that she wanted to drop the subject, and Jiwoo complied.

It was getting late, meaning that Sooyoung had to go, but Jiwoo pleaded for the older girl to stay, and with a reluctant smile, she did.

This scenario would happen as time went on. Sooyoung mostly lived a couple blocks away, but their home had begun to become hers as well. She'd come to visit them in the afternoons, sometimes evenings, when she isn't headed for the mansion. When her presence wasn't asked for by the noble, the older girl would rest on their rooftop, with Jiwoo by her side. She'd tell the younger girl different stories she had read from the noble's library, tales of princes and princesses, and knights in shining armour, and stories of kids that lost their way back home, having to rely on some witch that lived in a candy house. There were many other fairy tales, and only Jiwoo was the one to hear them from Sooyoung. It was mostly just Jiwoo and Jungeun who really knew about Sooyoung's situation (which Jiwoo later found out is what the two had discussed when Jungeun had rushed to go to bed that one night. And it's the main reason for her to distrust the older girl). Sooyoung insists that the other three didn't really need to know about her visitations, as she doesn't want to risk the same reactions Jungeun gave her.

The storytelling came with an enthusiastic Jiwoo and a very much disgruntled Jungeun. The brunette doesn't get why her best friend would skip on sleep and her, her best friend, just to listen to whatever stories the mysterious older girl had. Jungeun was irked- no, pissed. Some random girl, friendly with a vampire noble, decided to show up and play hero, and all of a sudden, she's become a regular guest at their dinner table. Distrust and uncertainty was all Jungeun went to sleep with whenever she knows that the two were on the rooftop. Jungeun later finds out that Sooyoung didn't have any other friends in this place, and all Jungeun could conclude with was that she was trying to steal their family, trying to claim them as hers just to satisfy her lonely self. Fumes would come out of the brunette's nose when the thought would resurface. Whenever Sooyoung was around, Jungeun wouldn't dare spare her more than a glance, because the sloppy smile the older girl wore annoyed her to no end.

It only took several months to a year of repeatedly seeing Sooyoung that Jungeun would eventually join the two's rooftop stories. It all began when one night, Jungeun pulled Jiwoo to the side before the auburnette was about to join Sooyoung, asking if she could be there. For supervision of course, totally not because Jungeun was tired of sleeping alone at night without the warmth and safety of her best friend by her side.

Jungeun was so sure that the older girl would reciprocate her behaviour of ignoring her after doing it for so long, but the older girl welcomed her with a warm smile. It was small, and she tried her best to act aloof towards the older girl, but Jungeun felt her lips move on their own.

Jiwoo was glad to see that her friends were getting along now. Perhaps Sooyoung's story about an orphaned son of wizards who attended a magical boarding school helped, since listened in closely, intrigued by the story’s premise. Jungeun's tough act had loosened up, even if it was just the tip of the iceberg.

The three made it their routine now. Theirs and theirs only, staying up past curfew just to enjoy each other's company. Sure, Sooyoung's stories were enjoyable to listen to, but what was more enjoyable was to be able to share a bond knowing that they were the closest to family they had now. They’re family, and they wished to stay that way. Yes, they had Mark, and Yerim, and Chaeyoung, but those three had already been established way before the virus outbreak and the vampire's reign. All six of them were a family, but these three just so happened to become the closest, and the next few years together just strengthened their bonds.

The next few years made Jiwoo grow attached to Sooyoung as well, but not in the way she thought she felt. It should be obvious that if they became such close friends, they would most definitely be close friends. But Jiwoo's gaze seemed to linger a little longer than she would like, and she'd always look away, like a flustered mess whenever she would get caught. Another example of strange behaviour would be Jiwoo's quick reflex to swipe her hand away whenever the older girl's own would lightly graze against hers. It wasn't like she felt uncomfortable. She is, in a way, but it wasn't from any form of hatred. Jiwoo admires the older girl, as she’s like the guidance they needed, the shoulder to lean on. But sometimes, the older girl's shoulder felt so soft that Jiwoo could melt, and that made her wonder. What was Sooyoung to her?

Nevertheless, Jiwoo cared a lot for the older girl and considers her as her best friend, alongside of Jungeun, of course.

Between Jungeun and Sooyoung, there was always a little rivalry that sparked in them whenever Jiwoo was around. Little petty moments as to who could make the best dinner, or who told the best stories, or who could answer riddles the quickest (Sooyoung always won that one). Despite that rivalry, they had a mutual respect for each other, knowing that they can depend on the other. Sooyoung even taught Jungeun how to read and write from the books stored in the mansion's library. The others would be taught as well, but Jungeun was the most keen on learning, and it was something that Sooyoung knew would help keep her mind off of being on the more violent side. At least Jungeun wasn’t going on and on about vampire killing and was more focused on knowing the difference between using ‘your’ and ‘you’re’. Seeing that her two best friends have finally dropped their guards around each other heartened Jiwoo.

Well, at least Jungeun lowered her guard, but Sooyoung?

Now that Jungeun had finally put her distrust against the older girl aside, it was replaced with worry. Over the past few years, Jungeun had grown to fret over Sooyoung's disappearance every now and then, and Jiwoo would feel the same. Sooyoung would always say that she was only doing it for the 'privileges' that she always spoke of, but Jiwoo and Jungeun weren't convinced. The older girl finally had friends, a family, she was finally not alone. Why would she need some dirty vampire noble to entertain when she had them? Sooyoung was always quick to shut down their interrogations, saying that they'll understand someday.

The two would always look at each other with the same quizzical expression whenever Sooyoung dismissed them. What was the older girl hiding? There wasn't anything to hide, was there?

Jungeun's impulsiveness had struck again when she pinned Sooyoung against their kitchen countertop after the older girl returned from the mansion.

"Why?! Are we just not good enough for you?!"

"Shh." Sooyoung put her hand onto the brunette's that was currently grabbing a fistful of her collar. "You'll wake the other kids up."

"J-Jungie, let her go!"

"No! Not until she finally tells us what makes her keep coming back, or else!"

"Or else what?"

There was a smugness in Sooyoung's voice, and Jungeun didn't like that.

Jiwoo tried prying Jungeun off of the older girl, but she just wouldn't budge. She gasped when Jungeun raised her fist, as if readying to punch the older girl. Sooyoung kept the smirk on her face, and Jiwoo was pulling at her arm.

"Do it."

"Shut up!"

"Do it, coward."

"I said, shut up!"

Jungeun brought her fist down, against Jiwoo's will, but instead of the sound of a fist against flesh, it was the sound of a fist against the hard countertop. That was sure to leave a bruise.

"I... I thought we were family..."

Sooyoung's eyes widened when she saw the tears strolling down the brunette's face. When the grip on her collar loosened, Sooyoung pulled her into a hug.

"Jungie. We are."

A sniffle.

"T-Then why do you still go to that filthy vampire's mansion?!"

From behind, Jiwoo's clenched the hem of her dress. She too wanted to know the reason why Sooyoung still acted secretive. It wasn't like there was much to hide, anyway. True family didn't keep secrets from each other, did they?

Promptly after wiping the tears away with her slender fingers, Sooyoung pulled the auburnette into the hug as well, her arms now around both girls.

"You too, Jiwooming. You're family. And so are the rest of the kids. That's why I only want the best for all of you... Even if it means my life would be on the line."

Jiwoo's forehead creased. "The best? What are you saying, Soo?"

Unwrapping her arms, Sooyoung reached for a bag on the kitchen floor. "If little Miss Impulsive over here didn't decide to assault me, I would have shown you something of value."

"Hey! I'm not-"

Jungeun was abruptly stopped when the older girl pulled out a shiny object. It was a gun, and a pretty fancy looking one at that. Another shiny object was pulled out, a dagger with an equal amount of fanciness.

To the side, Jiwoo's breath hitched. The dagger was worrisome, yes, but a gun? Why does Sooyoung have a gun? That's dangerous! Does she know how to use it? But why would she even know, much less want to know how to-

She spun the trigger guard on a finger with ease and a confident smile.

"See this baby~? I was able to pinch it when I visited that filthy vampire's mansion, as Jungie called it," Sooyoung says. Turning to the brunette, she noticed a spark in the her eyes. "Here, you can hold onto this since you can't stop talking about killing vampires. A shot to the head and I'm sure they'll be dead. Pew pew, you know?"

Jungeun's hands quivered as they reached for the gun, almost instinctively, but another hand had reached for hers.

"Sooyoung?! What are you doing? Why do you have this?!" Jiwoo angrily shoved the gun back at the older girl. "First you come back later than usual from the mansion, and now you come back with- with freaking weapons? Do you realize how worried we've all been?!"

A hand rested on the auburnette's shoulder with assurance. "Relax, Jiwooming. It's not like we'll be staying here for long, anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jungeun asked.

Once again, the older girl reached for the bag, only this time, a rolled up piece of paper was in her hand. Setting the gun down on the countertop, she unrolled it slowly, making sure or eyes were glued to the paper the entire time.

"A... map?" Jiwoo asked, looking at it with questioning eyes.

"Not any map. It's a map of all the possible exits out into the human world... back to our world." Her voice lowered.

Jungeun gulped audibly. "T-The human world? You mean we can go home?!" Her voice quivered. "But... what about that virus? What'll happen to us?"

Jiwoo bit her lip. It's been so long since they saw the outside, the human world. They've spent almost half their life living in the vampire's world, being treated as livestock to satisfy their needs. This map is like their one way ticket back to freedom... the only problem is that they have no idea what it's like outside. No news, no updates of what it's like. For all they know, everything could be destroyed, and nothing would be left. Is this a risk they were willing to take?

Their silence spoke many words. Sooyoung was intent on leaving, that was for sure, but Jiwoo and Jungeun? Doubts plagued their mind. What of the others? Mark, Yerim, Chaeyoung. Jiwoo was sure that they had already accepted their fates, even if they had to sit through almost an hour long rant that Jungeun would make them listen to about killing vampire. Jiwoo was sure.

At least, she thinks so.

The older girl puffs her chest out, hands on her hips. “If there are still people out there, we’ll find them. If we don’t, then we can start everything over, together. We’ll go with the flow, you know?”

“Aren’t you going about this a little too confidently, Soo? I want to leave just as much as you do, but I’m not sure about the risks…” Says Jiwoo as she rubbed at her forearm nervously. “We should think this through-”

“-We leave tonight."

“What?!” Jungeun raised her voice once more, earning a ‘shh’ from the older girl. “How? It’s wayyyy past midnight at this point. Chaeyoung and the others would probably still be too asleep for this-”

“-Then wake them up."

“But-"

“-Wake. Them. Up.”

Sooyoung kept her adamance, and the two younger girls knew there was no argument. It had already been settled on long before Sooyoung had even came back home.

They turned towards each other, still feeling a little unsettled with the uncertainty.

The older girl sighs, reaching her hands out to hold one of each of their own. “It’s now or never. No turning back. I want to leave, but I can’t do it without you two. Or the others. We stick together or we don’t at all.”

Her grip tightened as the seconds passed by without a response.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

“Hah… Jungeun, let’s go wake them up.”

***

It must have been past one in the morning at this point, maybe closer to two as the teens walked down tight, dark alleyways and navigated through the hidden streets of the vampires’ city. Aside from the three that briefly discussed the plan, the others were still half asleep.

Mark, Yerim, and Chaeyoung followed closely behind Jiwoo, with Jungeun in front, hands clutching onto the gun. Sooyoung led, holding out the map while her dagger was sheathed on the side of her hip. Jungeun and Sooyoung were the most able-bodied of them all if they end up accidentally crossing paths with a vampire. Hopefully, they would be the ones to be able to take them down. Hopefully.

Every now and then, Sooyoung would glance behind her, making sure the others weren’t falling behind. But her eyes would frequently travel to the auburnette. Even if she could barely see the younger girl’s face from how dim it is, her heart would beat faster at the thought of being able to finally see the outside world. Of being able to finally be free, to do whatever they wanted. To be able to start anew together, even without adults. And Sooyoung wanted nothing more than to experience all that with her family.

Especially Jiwoo. But that time will come.

Currently, the thought of freedom was there too for Jungeun, but being able to hold a blood er’s neck with her own two hands and blasting a hole through their head filled the brunette with adrenaline. The entire time of walking, Jungeun kept replaying the image in her mind that if they come across one of them, she’d be the first to shoot. Maybe fighting shouldn’t be their top priority right now, but whatever floats Jungeun’s boat. Whatever keeps her feet moving.

“Sooyoung? Are we almost there?” Yerim asked, rubbing groggily at her eyes.

“Almost,” the older girl said, not turning to even look back at the girl.

This worries Jiwoo, feeling as though they may not even be on the right track. She gestures for Mark to take over her position before making her way towards the older girls.

“Psst, Soo!” Jiwoo tried whisper shouts to grab Sooyoung’s attention.

“Yeah?”

But Sooyoung didn’t turn her way.

“Hey!” She tried again.

“What is it?”

“Come on, Soo, I'm trying to talk to you!”

“And I’m trying to get us out of this hole- ow! Jungeun!”

Sooyoung rubbed at the back of her head, glaring at the brunette that threw a fist at her.

“What, I wasn’t able to hit you earlier. It was pent up inside me,” Jungeun says with a shrug. “Now pay attention when she’s trying to speak to you, .”

A scowling Sooyoung turned to face the two, still keeping up the pace. “Urgh… I’m sorry, Woo. Did you need something?”

The auburnette shook her head. “I just wanted to ask if you know how far it is until the exit… it just feels like we’ve been walking forever, and these alleyways all look the same to me!”

“...We’re almost there.”

“That’s the third time you’ve said that.”

“Gee Jungeun, didn’t know you could count.”

“Seriously? Of all the times you-”

Jiwoo tapped at Jungeun’s shoulder lightly, pleading for the two to not get into any other arguments over little things.

“Sooyoung… I know you keep saying that we’re almost there, but exactly how far is it?”

“Look, Jiwoo, the exit isn’t too far from now. I mean it this time. It’s just…”

“It’s just what?” Asked Jungeun, quirking a brow.

“Nothing…” Sooyoung trailed off. “I’m a bit nervous.”

Jungeun scoffed at the older girl. “Nervous? I think we all are, considering we could literally die any moment.”

Sooyoung hesitated for a moment, wanting to clap back at the younger girl’s sass, but decided to hold back. “Yeah. But the stakes are higher where we’re headed.”

“And what do you mean by that?”

“Every closest exit… is located near the seventh progenitor’s mansion.”

Jiwoo frowned. “Seventh progenitor? Y-You mean a noble?”

“Mm.” Sooyoung’s nod could barely be seen, but her hum was enough of a confirmation. “The seventh progenitor, the one that Jiwoo bumped into. Lee Sunmi…”

Jiwoo and Jungeun’s eyes widened.

“The scary lady looking vampire?!” Jiwoo exclaimed.

“You mean the one that looks like an old vampire version of Sooyoung…”

“Shut up Jungeun!”

To be fair, Jungeun wasn’t quite wrong. Sooyoung has that noble woman’s facial features, and it was quite easy to tell. It was an uncanny resemblance that Jungeun teases the older girl for from time to time, although it was never really appreciated by her.

Sooyoung grumbled to the side, quietly, before returning to the conversation at hand. “Whatever… but as I was saying, we are going to have to be extremely careful since we’ll be near a ton of vamps, alright?”

“Would that mean I won’t be able to use the gun if we see some of those ers? The gun would be too loud, then,” Jungeun asked.

“That should be for worse case scenarios. A last resort. I don’t even know if that gun is working or not. I didn’t test it.”

Jungeun frantically waved the gun around. “W-What?! Then why did you give this to me! What if we die because it wouldn’t work and we get killed by them instead!”

“Guys, can we just… go? Please? What happens, happens.” Jiwoo looked down on the stone ground they walked on, letting her shoulders fall limp. She wasn’t in the mood to be dealing with Sooyoung and Jungeun’s banters right now. “But we’re already too far to change our minds, and the vampires go back to doing patrols at three.”

Sooyoung looked at the auburnette who walked by the right of her. All three of them went silent again, something that always happens whenever Jiwoo would have to calm them down after things get even the slightest heated. Sooyoung could swear that if it were only her and Jungeun around, they would’ve kept arguing into the evening.

“I’m sorry. Let’s keep to where the map wants us to go and deal with whatever comes our way when it happens.” Sooyoung turned to Jungeun. “You cool with that?”

“Hmph. Yeah, whatever.”

Jiwoo sighed. “I can’t wait to leave,” she says, quiet, but enough for the older girl beside her to hear.

The older girl heard it, even if it was almost too soft. But she agreed. She just can't wait to leave. Neither can the rest of the group. Finally leaving this place and being with the people she loves, with the person she loves, the joy fed the butterflies in her stomach. Instinctively, her hand reached to hold the auburnette's. Jiwoo was surprised at the sudden action, as she was about to go back to watching over Mark and the other girls, but she guesses they were fine. She liked the feeling of the older girl's fingers intertwined with hers. It felt natural to her. She didn't want to let go.

From behind, the brunette clasped at her gun tighter. It may be dimmer than what they can usually see, but it wasn't hard to make out the silhouette of her two friends holding hands. She rolls her eyes, wondering why this would be the best time to act sweet. And she wondered why ever since Sooyoung came into their lives, Jiwoo would neglect her own affectionate advances, only to turn to the older girl.

Shaking those thoughts away, Jungeun kept her eyes trained on the older girl's back instead. The moment they get out, she can finally be free with her family and her best friend. Maybe they could be together forever, like they had promised each other before the catastrophe. She only hopes her best friend remembers that promise.

She hopes they can reach the exit soon.

And soon came by quicker than they thought.

Their eyes travelled to a large cave, with markings engraved to the side. Things like human-shaped figures and bats spread out. There were other figures, a few that looked like a vampire, another one that looked humanoid, but with six wings sprouted. It looked like there was some light coming from the end of the cave, and that made Jiwoo's heart skip a beat.

Here they finally were. Their ticket to the outside world. Jiwoo wonders if the sun still looks the same. Would they truly be the last humans alive if they stepped out? Were there vampires that still roamed, or did they all stay in the recesses of Earth? Many questions flowed, but Jiwoo knew that they were together, alive. And nothing felt more amazing than the sheer excitement that coursed through her veins.

With her fingers still intertwined with Sooyoung’s, Jiwoo turned around to look at her family one last time. Smiling as bright as she could. She was filled with so much emotion that she swore she could have a heart attack any second.

Before Jiwoo could take another step further, Mark tapped Sooyoung's shoulder. “Is this really it?” He asked. “I don't know… it just feels all too easy for us to just escape like this.”

“I know how to read a map, Mark. And the maps says we're in the right place,” Sooyoung says.

“It's not like those damn vampires think we would try to escape in the first place.” Jungeun laughed. “They take us for weak livestock that can't think for ourselves. Take us for fools.”

Sooyoung nodded. “But we're not.”

“And we're gonna leave this hole.”

“Come on, Jungeun,” Jiwoo says with a wide smile. “Let's go.”

All six of them shared a tight group hug, one that would remind them all of the memories that they shared. But the sound of heels clacking against the ground ran a shiver down their spines.

It was the same sound Jiwoo heard from the vampire that she had ran into. And it was the very same vampire that started to walk closer towards them, a disturbing smile on her face.

Their eyes widened in horror.

“Ahh, my little ones! You finally came! Don't worry, I wasn't waiting for too long~”

That voice made them weak in the knees.

“Ugh, so unfortunate… the very same expression that every human makes when their hope is shattered to pieces?” She ran a hand through her hair. “Oh my, I could never grow tired of playing this game.”

“S-Sooyoung…” Jiwoo's hand that was in Sooyoung's was now pulling at the older girl's dress. “This is was all a trap…”

“Wow, you're quite a smart one for a human, Jiwoo!”

“Shut up, !” Jungeun raised her gun in the vampire's direction, pulling the trigger. The brunette recoiled from the lack of control and training.

“My gun…?” The vampire bellowed. “I can't believe this!”

“She… she dodged it…?!”

“Jungeun, get back!” Sooyoung pulled the brunette aside as the vampire started to walk closer.

“You didn't only manage to steal my map, but you also managed to steal my gun, huh.” She was clearly amused with the way her tone would swing around with her words. “The fact that you kids have the balls to do this is just hilarious! But I didn't think you had the guts to bring your petty little family along with you, Sooyoungie…”

The older girl grit her teeth. “Stop calling me that, you hag…”

“Hag? My, but you would always only call me ‘Miss’ or ‘Sunmi’! I must have ticked you off greatly, then.”

By now Chaeyoung and Yerim were hiding behind Mark while they tried to inch backwards, towards the cave. Sooyoung was trying to gesture them all to keep moving.

“You know what? Maybe this'll rekindle your hope a bit! That map you have there?” The vampire pointed at the paper in Sooyoung's hand. “That isn't fake. Run out there and it won't be easy for me to follow you. Now, let me hear your screams and your face distort when you're trapped between hope and desperation…”

For once, Jungeun didn't know what to say, her voice was caught in and sweat rolled down her temples. Jiwoo's mind went blank, and she could hear her heartbeat with how dead silent it was. A pin could have dropped and they'd be able to hear every time the pin would bounce.

“All of you… go, R-RUN!”

Sooyoung stuttered, but there was enough power in her voice for everyone to snap out of it and run for their lives. Literally.

They were so close, almost there, but it was like there was a gust of wind that passed. And Yerim was on the ground, still, with the vampire's body hovering over hers, away traces of blood on her lips.

“Aww, dammit. She died so quickly. I didn't even drain her that fast!”

“No!!” Jiwoo cried out.

“Keep running!”

If this were a marathon, they sure would've been in the top runners with how fast they were going. But they weren't fast enough. Chaeyoung was next. Then Mark. Then they were left with three.

The vampire turned around, slowly. A disturbing grin on her face as she eyed them up and down.

“Didn't I say… I want to see your faces distorted by desperation,” she said.

Tears strolled down their eyes. They couldn't believe this. The hope they once felt was now despair, and they were lost. Were they really ever going to leave this place, or were they going to be killed and rot in the very place they despised.

Sooyoung clenched her fists and took a deep breath. She held onto Jiwoo and Jungeun's shoulders, looking them straight in the eyes.

“I love you two, you know that?”

Jiwoo's lips quivered. “Sooyoung… w-what?”

“You're both strong. I know you'll do well on your own, even though I know you're a little stronger, Jungeun, aha.”

“What the hell are you trying to say?!” Jungeun ripped the older girl's hand off her shoulder. “Sooyoung, I swear to God…”

The older girl only threw them the most apologetic smile and unsheathed her dagger.

“Jiwoo, you shouldn't cry. You're prettier when you smile.”

“Sooyoung?!”

“Just go, you two. I'll distract her.”

She didn't let them speak any further as she ran at the vampire.

“Ah. I really loved your blood, Sooyoung. Too bad you're going to have to go like this…”

Sooyoung slashed her dagger at the vampire, but she dodged, kicking the girl's side. It hurt, but Sooyoung kept going, trying to land a hit.

Jiwoo and Jungeun didn't know if they should listen to the older girl. Their brains were telling them to pick up their feet and run, but their heart was also telling them to get in their and help the girl that they had all depended on.

“Jungeun…” The auburnette pleaded for answers.

“It was fun playing with you, Sooyoungie! But I'm going to have to say goodbye!”

The sound of flesh being ripped apart echoed as the vampire's hand went through Sooyoung's abdomen. Her neck was being wrapped around by the other hand, and her body was held above ground.

If those were tears earlier that flowed out of their eyes, then now, they were crying a river.

“This was all too easy… huh?”

While the vampire was busy in her glory, she hadn't realized that Jungeun had gotten close enough for her to aim the gun to the vampire's head.

Not only was the brunette's eyes filled with tears but they were also filled with the anger that she had stored for the last six years. And now, it had burst her open.

“Die…” she says as she pulled the gun's trigger.

The vampire fell to the ground, blood seeping from her head.

The moment Jungeun could tell that the she was dead, she ran to Sooyoung's side, with Jiwoo following behind.

“Sooyoung!! You ing idiot… I can't believe this…!”

“Come on, I'm pretty sure the city guards heard those gunshots. Let's get you out of here before they catch us!”

Jiwoo and Jungeun each had one of Sooyoung's arms slung over their shoulders, acting as the older girl's support, only for them only to make a few steps for the exit before Sooyoung collapsed to the ground.

“Sooyoung?? What're you doing, we have to go!!” The auburnette tried pull her up once again, but an arm pushed her away.

“You guys…c-can't you see?” The older girl spoke in between of coughing up blood. “I'm done for. Just leave me behind…”

“Huh?! What the Sooyoung. You promised we'll be together when we leave this place. We're leaving together!” Despite the harsh tone, Jungeun's voice was faltering. “You can't be serious...”

“Please, Sooyoung,” Jiwoo cried, “just try to get up!”

“...My first real family. You all were my first real family.” The older girl coughed once more. “I want you to find happiness out there-”

-“But Sooyoung! You brought happiness into our lives the moment you start telling us those stories on the rooftop every single night!” Jiwoo shook Sooyoung's arm. “If I'm not with you, I don't know what to do!”

Tears fell from Jiwoo's eyes, some landing on the girl’s face beneath her.

“And I only realized how much you mean to us, Sooyoung…” Jungeun wiped at her eyes aggressively. “I can't abandon you… now that I… now that I could finally call you family…”

That struck a chord in Sooyoung, and her pants became heavier. She wanted to shout out everything that was on her mind, everything that she wasn't able to tell them before, but the blood was growing thick, and the sound of multiple footsteps coming their way.

“Urgh… go-”

“Sooyoung?!” Jiwoo wavered. There's no way this was happening. Absolutely no way. This was the very scenario that she hoped would never happen.

“Hurry up… GO NOW!” With every bit of strength left in Sooyoung, she shoved the two away from her. “If you… argh… if you don't want my sacrifice to be useless…”

The younger girls’ faces twisted as they realized what they had to do. This really was it for their family. After rebuilding something that was taken away from them, they were taken away again.

With a heavy heart, they ran full speed towards the exit, not looking back at their family's bodies laid out on the ground, and the very person that gave them hope once again left to die.

Sooyoung’s pants grew slower, and she could feel herself slipping away. But at least they were safe, and at least she could finally feel like she did something useful for once, even if this is her ending.

“I'm… glad,” she managed to say with her last breath.

***
 

Jiwoo and Jungeun kept running, not stopping at all. But their screams were easily heard. It was all too painful for them to hold it in. Their faces were messy from the tiny amounts of blood splattered, along with the salty stream of water that mixed with it.

As they kept running, they finally reached the end, and they trembled from the feeling of something cold beneath their feet. It was snow. They were out. Outside in the world.

“We're free…?” Jiwoo looked around. They looked over the ruined buildings of what once was a city. It looked like a ghost town. “Jungeun?”

“Jiwoo. I- I'm so-” The brunette was only able to say so much before running into her friend's arms, so forceful that they collapsed into the cold, wet snow.

Even if the temperatures were enough to freeze, they didn't care. They were both overjoyed and grieving over their loss. But now that they were free, all they could do was wail out in each other's arms. It didn't matter that snot was dripping from their noses.

“Oh? Two escaped? I was so sure only one would.”

An unknown voice popped up out of nowhere, and for a moment, the two thought it was another vampire, but by taking a look, they could see there were three figures. Two were cloaked in black, but the main one stood tall.

The woman had light brown hair with a pinkish tint. She wore a black, long-sleeved jacket, with red details around the collar and the sleeves, along with red epaulettes on her shoulders, and gold aiguillettes from her right shoulder to the center of her chest.

It was all part of a uniform that Jiwoo didn’t recognize, but what surprised her wasn’t what the woman had been wearing. It was the fact that she was an adult, right before her eyes. But Jiwoo thought all adult human died.

Pulling herself and Jungeun up, they were still ready to run if they had to, as they weren’t sure if they were friendly or not.

“You two must be tired,” the woman said in a soft voice. “Come, we’ll take you somewhere warm. You’ll be safe with us.”

It had been awhile since Jiwoo heard those words, but they were heard through speakers and said in an unbearable tone. Still, they didn’t know whether to trust the woman or not, but something tells them that they should.

When the woman noticed their reluctance, she took off the cloak that she wore herself, and asked for one of the other’s cloak as well, wrapping them around Jiwoo and Jungeun’s shivering bodies.

“I promise you won’t be hurt. Is that alright with you?” She asked.

The two turned to each other. This is what they were always hoping for, right? To miraculously be found and saved by? This was it. This was what they hoped for. There was no point in saying no, and they knew that.

“Please… help us…” Jiwoo croaked.

The woman smiled. “Of course.”

That was the start of their journey, their story, trying to fight for their survival, and for the rest of humanity. It was a struggle that they had to go through together, but if there was nothing else to live for, then it was revenge that would be the fuel to their fire.

But all Jiwoo wanted was to bring back the person that gave her hope in those dark times. If she could turn back time, she would. Unfortunately, there was no way to turn back time, and instead, the past would only return to haunt her in more ways than one.

***

A/N

PHEW that took some time... this is my first fic that reached over 10k in the first chapter

feedback or other comments are appreciated! follow me on twitter @ideallyves or @ideallyvesaus for more content and i hope you are anticipating future chapters :D