[CONTENTID1]Choice: Get warm inside.[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]After being exposed to the cold for a while and with her clothes still damp, the thought of having a warmer environment made it tempting for Haera to follow Jooheon. Although she wanted to sit down for a moment and rest her sore ankle, the sudden shiver down her spine at the brush of incoming wind helped make her decision.

Haera looked at the man who was waiting for her reply. She looked apologetic but accepted his invitation, “I’d love to take your offer, Jooheon. Sorry for the trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Miss Haera,” he beamed. “Would you like me to carry you?” He politely asked, worried that she might strain her ankle.

“I-I’m fine walking, or in this case, hopping, on my own. I don’t want to trouble you any further,” she meekly replied. The notion of being carried by a stranger made her flustered. Aside from the fact that she thought she would be heavy for him to carry, she didn’t want to seem like a damsel in distress.

He accepted her decision with a nod. Instead of carrying her, he lent his arm for her to hold. “Come, let’s get you warm inside.”

Jooheon made sure to be careful and cautious as he led Haera up the stairs towards the entrance. As they reached the top step, Haera noticed an old bronze antique bear door knocker on each of the double doors. Jooheon slowly opened the creaking doors wide enough for both of them to pass. Once he closed them shut with a little thud, Haera began to relax as the cozy interior had a much warmer temperature than the one outside.

The receiving area was well lit by an enormous, intricate chandelier that hung from above. The wide stairs that graced the moment one entered the place seemed to be freshly waxed with gold handrails magnificently bordering each side. It looked just like the staircase in the Beauty and the Beast movie as it diverged into two paths right by the middle leading to the next floor above. The middle of the stairs had a small platform that had a door leading to a hallway at the end with two gold stone statues standing tall by its entrance.

Haera took a few careful steps inside, scanning the marvelous interior decoration. The enormous ceiling had multiple little chandelier lights just like the walls that led to the hallways. The wall behind the stairwell boasted seven prominent large portraits of different men. She saw Jooheon’s picture on one of them, his expression a bit fierce in the portrait. 

“Oh,” Jooheon spoke up when he saw her staring at the portraits. “They’re all the guys I’m living with here at MX castle.”

“Everyone looks so young,” Haera scanned each one of the portraits. One particular man’s image jumped to her attention, painting a light blush on her cheeks. “Not to mention handsome, too.”

Jooheon’s snicker made her look up at him. When she noticed that he looked down on her with a soft smile, eyes forming little crescents, she quickly focused her attention elsewhere. This made Jooheon snicker all the more at her flustered reaction.

“I’m sure the guys will appreciate the compliment just like I do,” he laughed. “Thank you, Miss Haera.”

“You can just call me Haera, you know? I don’t think we’re that apart in age anyway. Plus, hearing the word ‘miss’ used in front of my name sounds weird.”

Jooheon’s lips changed into a flat line when Haera commented about their ages not being too far apart. Since he was already shut down before when he tried to tell her he was a vampire, he decided to not correct her in the meantime and just let her be. 

“Let’s go to the drawing room,” he guided her to the white and gold double doors on the right side of the staircase. “I’m pretty sure the first aid kit’s over there since it’s the closest to the entrance.” 

Once they entered the drawing room, Jooheon promptly led Haera to sit on the beige-colored couch that faced two smaller beige chairs and a fireplace. Haera scanned the room.

Above the fireplace was a picture of all seven of them standing. It was much like a family picture except in this particular portrait, they all wore black with nearly blank facial expressions. On each side of the fireplace were tall, semi translucent glass doors that led to the outside with long beige curtains drawn to the sides. Each corner propped little light fixtures screwed into the walls. On her left, the same styled doors and curtains spread in the entirety of the wall. However, it was blocked by a baby grand piano with a little lamp on top of it. A small rounded table with a brown finish was placed on the opposite corner as a beautiful flower arrangement sat on top of it. Two huge double door cabinets with two little drawers at the bottom stood at the back wall. Each cabinet was marked with intricate gold plate designs that matched the uniqueness of the modernized room.

Jooheon went ahead and opened the cabinet on the left, scanning for the item that he needed. When his eyes came up empty, he squatted down, back curved into a semicircle, and opened the two drawers simultaneously. He scanned the contents again for a few moments before he flinched and a curve made its way to his face.

“Found it,” he enthusiastically grinned. After he took out the first aid kit, he also managed to fish out a blanket. He then stood up, balancing the two things in his hands, and pushed the drawers shut with his foot.

Jooheon went over to Haera and extended the blanket out to her. “Here, to keep you warm.”

“Thanks,” she gave him a smile.

He sat close to Haera and once she was snug under the blanket, he tapped on his lap. “Leg, please.”

“Are you playing doctor now?” She chuckled as she did as told, placing her left leg on top of his thighs. Haera already did the preliminary preparations — taking out her shoes and socks while he was busy doing a little scavenger hunt of his own at the back.

Jooheon didn’t reply, his eyes focusing more into the task at hand. He got out a bandage from the kit and began wrapping it onto the slightly swollen ankle. 

Haera winced at the pain, but she tried to keep it to herself to not worry him.

“Oh, this room is taken,” a voice sounded by the door.

Haera turned her head towards the door and saw a titled top profile of a blond man who had on the same costume as Jooheon. He had two visible scars under his left eye and a cross choker around his neck. He also had dark blue eyes which looked mesmerizing the more you stared into them.

“Hey, Minhyuk,” Jooheon greeted without even looking up from his work. “Kinda busy here.”

“She’s hurt?” Minhyuk darted his eyes to the wrappings that were almost done. He moved his body to a straighter position but still hung around the door.

“Sprain. This is Park Haera, by the way.”

“Hello,” she managed to say, “but please, Haera is fine.”

“My name is Minhyuk,” the new appearance bowed. “A sprain, huh? I’ll go grab some ice.”

Not long after Minhyuk left, another head poked by the door frame. The new guy had black, ruffled hair as if he just woke up from a nap.

“I heard we had a visitor.”

Haera said another round of hellos and introductions. She noticed that he had a piece of bread in his hand while his cheek puffed out on the right, p