[CONTENTID1]Choice: Go inside and explore.[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]Intrigued by the marvelous interior of the castle, Haera had the urge to explore what else was inside the mystic home. 

“Hello?” she heard her voice echo after she closed the door behind her. Her body started to warm up after it got enveloped by the heat emitting around the house. “Anybody home?”

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. 

“They all look 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.”

Since no one responded to her earlier announcement of her arrival, she decided to pursue a tour of the castle. Taking her injury into consideration, she decided to explore the first floor first. Perhaps by then, she would stumble into a resident who could help her.

Firstly, Haera hopped towards the left side hallway of the staircase. Placing a hand on the cold, marble wall to aid her balance, she continued through the path. At the right side of the staircase was a double door that opened to what looked like a drawing room for guests. By her side of the staircase, she stopped to poke her head into another double door.

“Wow,” she gaped at the huge office space complete with a fully stacked bookshelf by the left wall and a prominent black desk in the middle of the room. There were two leather seats in front of the desk with a small square glass table in between them. A huge window at the back had beige colored curtains that revealed the darkness outside. The right side of the room had a glass desk that stretched from the door to the window. It had three black leather swivel chairs on each long side plus one other chair at the end by the window.

“Seven seats,” she counted, seeing a recurring number. “Are there really only seven people who live in this gigantic castle?”

“Indeed,” a chipper male voice replied from behind her. 

Startled, Haera almost lost her balance as her hand shifted a few inches from the wall she was leaning on.

“Whoa there!” The man reflexively took hold of her shoulders to help her regain her posture. “Whew, that was close. You're hurt, so you should be more careful.”

“Thanks,” she said, to which the man gave her a smiling 'No problemo!' reply. “Um, who are you?”

Now that she took a better look, she noticed that the blond haired man in question was in a vampire costume. His eyes had a dark blue hue that was mesmerizing to stare into. He wore a buttoned black suit over a white dress shirt with dark black slacks and shiny dress shoes. A black cape that was red on the inside was tied neatly under the collar of his shirt. He also had on a black cross choker and two distinct scars under his left eye.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” the man bowed, hand on his chest. “My name is Minhyuk, a vampire.”

“Right,” Haera chuckled. “Love the vampire costume you have on.”

“It's nice, right?” Minhyuk excitedly twirled. “It was my idea to dress up as a vampire this year. Thought it'd be ironic in a sense.”

“Ironic how?”

“Because we're actual vampires,” he laughed. Then in a split second, his face contorted in worry. “But we should tend to that ankle wound first.”

“How did you know it was my ankle?” she skeptically looked at him.

“Vampires are perceptive,” he replied as he guided Haera into the office room. He motioned for her to sit on one of the leather chairs that faced the desk. “Sit here. I'll be back.”

Before Haera could say another word, Minhyuk was out the door. She turned around in her seat and saw his blond head going into the drawing room that was on the opposite side from where she sat. Twisting her body back into a more comfortable position, she patiently waited for Minhyuk to return.

“Oh my,” she admired the leather seats, gently brushi