"I think I've fallen for you."

Wheein could only blink at the sudden confession of the Werebeast in front of her. This was not how she thought this grandiose party would be. At least, not so early into the festivities. It also took everything in her power to not look at Hyejin's nearly exposed cleavage. While everyone else was dressed prim and proper, Byul with with fitted dress pants, shirt and vest with gold flourishes, Yong with an elegant, yet simple, blue dress with dragons embroidered on the side, and herself dressed in less flamboyant dress that made her blend in, it was Hyejin that stuck out. Black fitted pants that emphasized her natural curves, a black sheer jacket with a popped collar and billowed sleeves that was only tied where it met her pants and thus leaving the center of her torso nearly exposed. In fact, how there hasn't been any indecent exposure so far is something that somewhat fascinated Wheein. Just how in the world is that jacket staying in place?

"Hyejin, we're supposed to be celebrating and gawking at my "relationship" here while celebrating history in the making," Yong huffed with annoyance as she chugged whatever was left in her wine glass. Careful to not make a spill and get a stain on her new dress like the last time. 

"We did enough gawking! And now it's time to fully let loose!" Hyejin exclaimed. Her yellow eyes were amber underneath the dim lights of the candles high in the chandeliers and sconces. Part of her collar dropped to the side.

"Ok, but why Wheein though?" Byul questioned. Her voice on the edge of careful calculation while still maintaining that hint of playfulness. A sign that she isn't bothered. Yet. 

"Why not?" Hyejin shrugged despite the twinge of nervousness in her own voice. 

"Oh, so you think I'm easy then?" Wheein squinted at Hyejin. 

"Wh-- No! How did you reach that conclusion?" Hyejin's voice went up a pitch in confusion.

It was Wheein's turn to shrug. 

"You haven't been anywhere else since this celebration started and the first thing you do when we're finally free to mingle is turn around and blurt out those words to me," Wheein's judging squint never left, "Not to mention the fact you said those words to me when we've only known each other for a couple of days at most."

"Honestly, Hyejin-ah, you could at least test the waters a bit," Yong sipped from her now refilled wine glass. Her tone was neutral but her eyes were glaring daggers into Hyejin's soul. A clear indication about their unspoken feud. 

"Oi! Why are you encouraging such bad behavior??" Byul asked with furrowed brows. 

"Bad behavior? How is it bad when it's just Hyejin? Is Hyejin bad then?" Yong countered with a raised brow. Giving Byul minimal attention while still focusing on how close Wheein and Hyejin were. Despite their minimal interactions it would seem to anyone looking from the outside that these two have known each other for centuries. Their bickering would ease into other topics of conversation that had nothing to do with the initial topic. Also the fact that they couldn't be more than five feet from each other didn't help matters either. From their first interaction and through the minor interactions up till now, they had always been playful. Much to Yong's dismay and hope that maybe there is something for her yet. 

"My my, it's early in the night and already asking personality questions? Well, I suppose that's the new way to get to know other people nowadays." 

A deep, suave voice reached their ears and shook their core. The tone was friendly and teasing, but the power was still there. 

"Mother, when did you get here?" Byul asked with a small chuckle. Unknowingly moving closer to Yong as a shield. In return, Yong partially covered Byul with her arm. One part playing up the act of being a couple and another part being her unconscious protective nature. 

"Hm? Can't I join in and check in on my daughter on this newfound day in our history?" The ancient vampire stood tall before them all, and even with her face hidden behind the elegant porcelain mask, there was a hint of sarcasm. 

"Honestly, Byul, how you managed to hide this from me...." A deep, resonating chuckle emanated from the white mask, "Well, I shouldn't be surprised. Like everyone else has pointed out, you do take after me."

"You were young?"

Silence surrounded them all as all eyes turned towards a now grimacing Hyejin. 

"I-I mean that...uh.." Hyejin began to stammer as she looked towards Yong for help. 

All she got in return was a sigh as Yong motioned the death signs towards her. A foreboding farewell. 

"I see the tales of the young lion are true," A soft, kind, light, chuckle emanated again with a slight shaking of the powerful shoulders, "Well, don't let me keep you. Oh, and Wheenie?"

"Hm?" Wheein immediately perked up. Her once closed off stance opened up at the comfort of hearing her mother's voice in all the buzz. 

"Try not to break too many hearts tonight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The celebration was long and time began to blend together. Any indication of the passing of time was removed in order to let the guests enjoy themselves and become comfortable with this new page in their history. Once mighty and proud vampires, who would turn their nose towards the lower ranked peasantry, now found themselves on equal grounds with those that they once sneered at for centuries. Seeing the social hierarchy begin to break down was fascinating to witness, along with the awkwardness of it all, but eventually the quartet found themselves bored. 

"I swear, if this doesn't change their attitudes the next time we see them then maybe I won't have to beat them up," Byul muttered as she sipped the last of her bloodwine. 

"You keep saying them but never give any indication on who in particular," Yong pointed out as her eyes tried to look where Byul was directing her anger towards.

"Simple. Yes."

"That's not an answer," Wheein sighed as she let Hyejin grab her empty wine glass to set it on the passing tray specifically for dirty glassware. 

"But it is," Hyejin pipped in as she grabbed fresh glasses for her and Wheein. Passing the fresh wine over and receiving a nod in return. 

"See? Hyejin gets it!" Byul huffed, "I know we're doing this 'thing' and all, but to be fair, if this can also help break down some of our long standing prejudices within our own society then maybe it's not that crazy."

"Hmm. That's one way to look at this predicament," Yong hummed as she eyed Byul curiously. She knew Byul was carefree to the point of seeming not caring. But seeing how deep she actually cared was a relief. Maybe she can survive this fake relationship until she finds a better suitor. Well, until the suitor she wants is available if Hyejin doesn't get in the way. 

"Gotta see the bright things sometimes, even if they hurt," Byul said as she shot the last of her bloodwine, "Speaking of, can we leave now? Like, maybe back to the surface?"

Such an innocent question. 

"Yes please!" Hyejin whined as she draped herself across the table they occupied throughout the night, "It's getting cramped in here and I need to stretch."

"Cramped? You've been taking up table space all night!" Wheein exclaimed as she shoved Hyejin off the table. 

"Oi, it's the only relief I have ok?" Hyejin pouted but let Wheein push her off anyway. 

"You could've walked around? Talk to different people?" Wheein countered. 

"What? And leave open a vulnerable spot? Yeah, no." Hyejin huffed as she stood tall again. Stretching in the process. 

"Vulnerable? Wh--"

Before Wheein could inquire the meaning of Hyejin's words, Yong interrupted before another rabbit hole opened. 

"It's evening up top so maybe the coffee shop again?" Yong suggested. 

"Yes please! I wanted to try the espresso everyone kept talking about," Byul began to beam with excitement, "Oh, and another one of their cakes!"

"And stretch!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hyejin-ah, no."

By the time they made it to the surface, the sun had fulfilled its last dance and the moon started it's own. 

"Come on, Yong! It's killing two birds with one stone!" Hyejin said as she stood in front of Yong to make her stop walking. 

"There's a time and a place--" Yong started. 

"We make the time and place, Yong," Hyejin's tone turned serious for once, "You know that. Besides, is this not fulfilling your duties as being an exemplary role model? It's not like last time...."

Byul's brows raised at this new tone. Hyejin had always been so playful and carefree that this new tone meant it was serious indeed. It was concerning but it also silenced her own concern about Hyejin being too carefree. There was just one horror in the back of her mind. She hopes serious Hyejin isn't anything like her own serious self. 

Yong's mouth turned into a thin line as her azure eyes stared into an amber inferno. 

The two werebeasts stared at each other for what seemed like five hours. 

Wheein could sense the tension between the two as they communicated in their own silent way. Knowing that Hyejin can be serious and that Yong can be fallible eased her own unconscious worries. Maybe in these two she can find the companionship she desperately craved. 

"Fine," Yong sighed before turning to face the vampire and dhampir, "So, did you two want to see our true forms now or later?"

A blunt question begets a blunt response. 

After some confirmation.

"Huh? A-are you sure?" Byul spoke first. 

"Since we didn't get to show you guys last time might as well do it now, right?" Hyejin reasoned. Her tone and face still somber. 

Byul and Wheein glanced at each other before turning back to the two werebeasts and gave them a firm nod. 

"Alright, then step back. Over there by the edge of those trees should be good," Yong pointed to the exact spot.

Without delay, Wheein and Byul obeyed and patiently waited.

What happened next would be forever ingrained in their memories. 

Yong and Hyejin stood a good distance apart and looked at each other. Hyejin immediately gave a thumbs up with a big grin to which Yong could only laugh. 

As Yong laughed, the wind picked up, rustling the trees and picking up any loose leaves and dirt. The duo continued to look in front of them and they had to blink and rub their eyes. The debris and wind seemed to encircle Yong and Hyejin and even their forms seemed to shimmer in the light of an enclosing aurora on earth. It was dazzling and frightening to witness. 

With one final gush, both Byul and Wheein had to cover their eyes to protect themselves from the debris of the earth. Once they opened their eyes again, they had to pause and marvel at the sight. 

There, right in front of them, stood a dazzling dragon and a marvelous lion. 

The dragon stood on the earth, despite how powerful the talons and fists looked, they were placed gently on the soil. The scales glistened underneath the moonlight and some of the light was blocked by the awesome horns that adorned the head. Such a drastic and powerful form stood in front of them but the eyes told them that it was indeed Yong. There was no mistaking that dazzling azure. 

The lion on the other hand let out a yawn and stretched. The fur was beige but the mane was black. Next to Yong, Hyejin seemed tiny but they know it's not a fair comparison. It would stand to reason that Hyejin is probably bigger than normal lions. If the size of her mane, paws and teeth were any indication. Shaking her head one more time, majestic amber eyes looked at them, and just like Yong, it was the eyes that told them that it was Hyejin. 

Yong let out a huff and began to gently float above the ground and started to move in a circle. Her tail swishing about as Hyejin gently trotted towards the dumbfounded vampire and dhampir. Getting as close as arms distance before they finally snapped out of their wonder and tried to regain their composure. 

"S-so," Byul began, her amazement still in her voice, "What now?"

Hyejin just huffed and moved towards Wheein. Yong touched the earth again and waited at the edge again. Her eyes carefully watched the trio. 

Wheein blinked at the big cat, curious as to what Hyejin can communicate while in this form. Hyejin sniffed her hand, before nuzzling it and looking at Wheein expectantly. 

"Wh--Oh my god, you're not a lion," Wheein said as she started to scratch Hyejin's chin with both hands, "You're just a big cat."

Hyejin huffed and her tail swished but her enjoyment of Wheein scratching her was obvious. Her eyes closed as she let out small huffs of pleasure. Wheein's hands soon moved into Hyejin's mane as she found the ears to scratch. Hyejin pressed herself into Wheein, careful to not push her over, but just enough to get more scratches. 

Byul only sighed and shook her head. Although she had to admit it was kind of cute. Seeing her baby sister being almost overpowered by a needy lion. But there isn't just a lion here. 

Byul turned her attention towards Yong. She saw the mighty dragon, huge and hulkling, stay in the clearing and watched them. Byul shrugged and made her way over to Yong. Her most basic of instinct tells her to be afraid, but she knows better. She knows Yong won't hurt her in this form. 

"Hey Yong!" 

The dragon gave her full attention to the now tiny vampire. 

Byul gave Yong a big smile as she finally got to ask the question she's been dying to ask.

"Can you fly?"