Areum was nervously awaiting for Gwi next to the secret door, in the back of the palace, looking left and right for any guards. In order to not get caught she dressed up as a man, which she didn't like but she had no choice since guards and assassins were everywhere. 
      
       Before making his presence known he kept staring at her from afar, admiring how beautiful she looked even in a man's clothing, how cute she looked turning her head in every direction afraid of getting caught. 'No... Love is for the weak' he finally snapped back to reality.

       "Am I late?" Areum jumped after hearing a deep voice behind her, she quickly turned around and gripping her chest, "My heart almost jumped out of my body!" She whisper yelled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" she quickly shushed him putting her finger on his lips and glancing around. "Don't talk loudly! Someone could hear us!" She whispered. 
       
       Gwi was caught off guard by her act, he could feel his face heating up and he could swear that he felt his heart pound. When Areum realized what she was doing she didn't hesitate to pull back her hand. Gwi was still staring at her dumbfounded. 
       
     They stayed in an awkward silence for few seconds and to cut it he spoke, "Shall we head to the town now? I think the festival started already." He told the princess, "Ah yes... Let's go!" She said in a cute cheerful voice. 

         "How can you convince someone that you're a boy with that high pitched voice?" Gwi remarked with a small smirk on his face. 
         
        "Oh... I didn't think of that... Hyungnim, let's go!" She said the last sentence imitating a man's voice. Gwi couldn't hold his laughter in "H-Hyungnim?" He asked still laughing. "Why are you laughing at me! Stop it's embarrassing!" She exclaimed making Gwi calm down a bit. 
        
      "Just call me me Gwi" He said looking down at the pretty girl. "Fine then, Gwinim." she bowed sarcastically. "Also why did you ask me of all people to come with you?" Gwi added, excitement rose inside of him to know the answer.
      
       "You saved my life that night, and I wanted to do something for you since I'll be leaving soon. Plus I'm really bored in the palace, the parties there are no fun. People keep buzzing like insects in my ear. But the food is really good, I think that's the only good thing about it." Gwi chuckled lightly, loving her cute way of talking, no one used informalities with him before or dared to use them but that wasn't the case for the princess. 

      When they were walking together, Areum's mouth itched to talk, "Wait? Why aren't you wearing your dark robes?" She asked him, internally face palming herself. 'What was that question?' she scolded herself.
     
     "And why aren't you wearing your fancy hanbok as always gongjunim?" He fired back emphasizing the last word. She glared at him and he smirked at her. 
     

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      Yang-sun’s father sneaked back into his house and started digging into the ground until he pulled out a box. He shaked as he dusted it off and opened it… and inside is Prince Jeonghyeon’s lost diary.

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      Back at the castle a maid called out for the princess Chun Cha but there was no response, "Gongjunim the king and prince are waiting for you at the ceremony!". Still no one answered, she moved her hands to open the door but Hye Ryung quickly interfered. 
      
      "The princess is a little tired so she's sleeping now, you may leave." She said using her authority. "But-" the maid wanted to talk but was quickly shut by Hye Ryung, "I said leave" she ordered. The maid, defeated, bowed and walked away.

       Hye Ryung knew she was with Gwi since he told her about it and ordered her to cover up for the princess.

       Hye Ryung walked back to the party and sat next to her father, that she despised after giving her away to serve Gwi, leading her mom to insanity.

       "Where have you been?" The minister whispered to his daughter. "I'm afraid it is none of your business, father" She replied spitting the last word. The minister sighed at her insolence and decided to leave it for later.

        Lanterns adorned the palace, high ranked people where the only ones invited. They chatted, watched the elegant giseangs dancing, listened to music and ate different luxurious delicasies.

        The king was sitting in the main seat, his throne, with two other smaller ones on the sides, prince Yoon sat on his right but the chair on the king's left was empty. "Where is Areum?" The king asked one of the servants behind him. The servant moved forward and whispered into the king's ear "Her highness is sick and sleeping right now."
        
      
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       Meanwhile, Gwi and Areum were out in the city to enjoying the festivities there, admiring the dancing and lights. The princess bought lots of food candies and ate them all. A little bit of chocolate stained her cheek, so Gwi motioned to it, she realized what he meant and quickly scrubbed it off with a embroided napkin. Her cheeks were tinted in a rosey colour giving her a pure innocent look, which Gwi couldn't take his beautiful eyes off. He fell in love with her, but doesn't know it.

        "Gwinim? I have something I want to ask you." She said all of a sudden snapping Gwi from his trance. He nodded "what is it?". 

        She told him to come closer and whispered in his ear, "Do you know the vampire who lives in the castle?" She quietly whispered. His small smile faded after hearing her words. He decided to test her, "No... What do you know about him?" He asked the princess. 

       "Not much... But I heard he's the reason why concubines keep disappearing." She answered. He wanted to know what she thinks of him so he added, "And what do you think the reason behind his killings?".

        "I don't know... Maybe for fun... Or he's so vicious and evil that human lives for him are like this peace of bread." She said. Gwi was stung by her last sentence but he has to put on a strong facade. He only nodded and sipped his drink. ',That explains how she was really scared of me that time, but I wouldn't blame her, I'm indeed a vicious monster.' he thought to himself.

       "Gwinim?! Hurry we have to light our lanterns!" She stood up and promptly walked were the people were holding their lanterns.
       

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        "After lighting it you have to close your eyes and make a wish!" Areum told him. He sighed and closed his eyes, the princess did the same.

'I wish I had a human heart, to give to a human girl'

        "Finished?" The young princess asked him, he slowly peeled his eyes open and looked at her "Yes" he answered. 

        "Now watch the magic" She said as she sent the lantern flying upwards with hundreds of other lanterns. The view was astonishing.

       Even after living for hundreds of years he never went to such festivities, he labeled them as useless and time consuming, never understood how humans were very happy when their time comes. But tonight he felt happiness for the first time in too long, he felt human.

       When they were sitting admiring the beautiful view, he felt a light pressure on his shoulder, he turned his head to find the princess asleep. 'She...looks... Peaceful' the vampire thought, he could've stayed like that all night but he knew she would be more comfortable in a bed.

      He put his arm under her knees and put her arms on his shoulders, Areum unconsciously hugged him tighter. "Time to go back home." He quietly said walking out of the crowd.

         It was a peaceful calm night, only cicadas and owls could be heard, Gwi was walking back with the sleeping princess on his back. Suddenly her quiet voice was heard. "Gwinim?" 

         He hummed in response, ushering her to continue, "Do you think... The vampire was the one who killed my father?" She asked, couple years threatened to come out.

         Again, Gwi felt guilty because of what he did. He was remorseless and merciless but when it came to the princess behind him, all of his feelings were activated. 

         "Don't think of this right now. It's the lantern festival tonight, you should only think of happy things." He told her trying to get rid of the negative thoughts running in her mind. She only hummed and put her head back on his shoulder. "Gwinim I can walk..." She hesitantly Mumbled, not wanting to be a burden. He chuckled lightly and put her down. She tidied her self and flashed him a small smile.

        But that small smile melted his insides. Her scent was intoxicating, but since he lived hundreds of years, he learned how to control his instincts unlike new born vampires.

          Suddenly he felt other steps behind them, he abruptly stopped causing Areum to bump into his back, "Why did you sto-" he shushed her and looked around. Then masked men came out from the bushes, circling the human and the vampire.

         "Hyungnim, I think it's time to run..." She pulled his sleeve but he stayed still, he grabbed her wrist and shoved her behind him protecting her from those strangers. "Gwinim what are you doing?!" She whisper yelled to him. He didn't answer and stayed focused on the others, he could easily kill them but not in front of the innocent princess. 

        Before she could retort more, one of the masked man sharged at her but Gwi swiftly grabbed his arm, twisted it making a sickening crack and pushed him away from her. "I need you to run as fast as you can back to the palace." He told her putting his hands on her shoulders, she shook her head stubbornly. 
           
       Gwi was a bit surprised by her braveness, most humans wouldn't have wasted a second to run with their lives but she was different. "I promise you I'll be safe, now go and don't look back." He said looking deep into her eyes. "Promise?" The princess asked, tears filling her pretty eyes.

         Before he could add anything an arrow came flying towards her head, but could've caught it before it reached her head by to make it look more natural he took it for her, "Hurry!" Gwi yelled at her and she hesitantly walked back, let go of his arm and started running. Praying under her breath that he'll be fine.

           When Gwi made sure she was was far, he took the arrow out and threw it on the shooter, piercing his head. He turned towards the men, his eyes were blood red and his fangs were visible, "Well I haven't had fun in a long time, shall we?" He said with an evil grin on his face.
         

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          The princess kept running until she saw the palace's secret entrance, Hye Ryung standing close to it holding a cloak in her hands. Hye Ryung saw the princess in a  rough state and ran towards her without hesitation, putting the cloak over her. 
 
         "I-I... Assassins appeared... And... Gwi bought me some... time to run..." She said between breaths, "We should call the soldiers to help him... I don't want him to die... Because... Of me..." She added pulling Hye Ryung with her, but Hye Ryung stopped making Areum turn around to face her. 
         
        "He'll be fine." Hye Ryung told her best friend, "Don't tell me this! There were lots of them out there!". Hye Ryung sighed and thought of a good excuse, "I'm sure he just distracted them to win you more time to get here safely." Hye Ryung didn't want her to worry about a merciless beast like him, but she couldn't reveal him to her. Some things have to be kept secret.

         "I think that's something he would do..." Areum whispered. "Now let's go back to your room, you have to clean yourself up and sleep, you seem very tired." Hye Ryung said putting her hand on the princess's back, leading her back to her quarters.

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            Blood was everywhere, corpses were scattered on the forest ground, the scene was a definition of a bloodbath. "No please let me live! I won't say anything to anyone, please just let me go" the last man pleaded on his knees. 
            
           Gwi chuckled darkly and stood towering over him. "I know what to do with you." he said before dragging him away from the horrendous scene.

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            After the party, the king, prince Yoon, the counselor and his grandson Yoon were discussing political manners in the royal quarters when Gwi stormed in throwing the assassin in front of them. They all tensed and stood up but the king. He looked very angry, even furious. Blood stained the vampire's clothes but they knew  it wasn't his.

           To lighten their cluelessness he spoke, "A group of men tried to assassin the princess. I killed the others and left this one. He might be useful."
           
          At that the king stood up, he wouldn't allow anyone touch a strand of his only grand daughter's hair. Yoon was quick to ask him about her, evidently worrying about his sister, "Is she safe, they didn't hurt the princess?"

          Gwi shook his head. "But, how did they get in here?" The king asked, the palace was a highly secured place and few people come in and go out. 

           The vampire knew their night walk has to be kept a secret, so he lied, "The secret entrance isn't guarded, so they took it as a chance to get inside." The assassin couldn't say anything, afraid of what that monster could do to him.

           The king walked towards the assassin, who was bowing on the floor, crying his eyes out. "Your majesty! I made a deadly mistake! Please take my life!" The assassin pleaded. 

          "Who are you working for?" The king asked, authority marinated his words. "I'm incredibly sorry your majesty, I'm afraid I can't tell you!" The assassin said, still weeping in front of them.

          Gwi visibly unpleased by the answer, roughly pulled him up by the collar, his eyes red, filled with lust for blood. "I think that you already know what I am and what I'm capable of doing, so far what you saw wasn't even half of it. So if you don't tell us I won't hesitate to make your death very slow and painful, I will hunt down your family and kill them infront of you, one by one." He growled out baring his fangs.

          "G-Gwinim...?"

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Sorry for the super late update, I promise I will update more in the future <3