Minjeong sighed. She had not been sleeping well for the past few days, it's because of the nightmares. She can't get back to sleep after waking up from the nightmares. She wiped the glass, then glanced up. No one's there.

Minjeong asked for some space. At first, Jimin refused, but suddenly she agreed. Only if Minjeong agreed to let Ning to always be there for her. Minjeong was okay with that, but she asked for only Ning. 

So, Jimin listened to her. Though, Doyoung would still be nearby just in case if anything happens. 

"The car is ready outside." Ning said, sitting on the stool.

"I'll be done in ten." Minjeong nodded.

Yunjin glanced at Ning, she noticed that Jimin and Aeri were not around these past few nights. There was only Ning.

"Yunjin ah. Are you sure you're okay doing the closing alone?"

"Yeah. I'm good. Chaewon will come and help later on."

"I still don't understand why she wants to work only for the closing."

"She's busy with her games. You know, her obsession with the games." Yunjin grinned, and Minjeong chuckled.

"Okay. Say hi to her for me."

"Sure!"

Once Minjeong left with Ning, and all of the customers have left, Yunjin stretched her arms before going to the store room. 

"Did you manage to hack the CCTV?" Yunjin asked the person who was at the very end of the room.

"Of course."

Wonyoung stepped forward, allowing the light from the corridor to flicker on her face. Her wide grin greeted Yunjin.

"Where's Chaewon? She's late."

"She's coming. Let's go. We have some work to do."

"Okay!"

 

 

... 

 

 

"Here." Yunjin gave a small sealed bag to Chaewon.

"Just the hair?" Chaewon asked.

"What?"

"Where's the nail?"

"You can't possibly ask me to do the impossible, right? I can't hurt her, or I'll be dead in no time." Yunjin glared.

"Your leader is amazing." Yujin chuckled.

"Fine." Chaewon sighed.

"So, leader Chaewon, what's next?" Wonyoung asked.

"I'm going to do some test by using Minjeong's hair first. We are going to make a stronger liquid, I'll try to combine it with the vampire's blood too."

"You're crazy." Yujin shook her head.

"It's for Stella." Chaewon said.

"But Minjeong is still your friend, right?" Yujin asked.

"She is. We just didn't expect that she'll be the one who'll wake up Yoo Jimin." Yunjin ruffled her hair in frustration.

"We can still save her. As long as she doesn't choose Jimin. For now, we'll take care of her. She's the reason for Jimin's energy to grow weak now, which is good." Chaewon said.

"So, basically, we're going to use her to get Jimin?" Wonyoung asked.

"Yes."

 

 

... 

 

 

Minjeong thanked Ning for helping her carrying the snacks and some other things she bought before going home. 

"You can just put them on the table first."

"Okay."

Minjeong bit her lip as she watched Ning moved like a flash. She was still getting used to the vampire's presence around her, but Ning has done nothing to scare her. She wasn't as scary as Jimin. 

She leaves when Minjeong ask her to. She keeps quiet when Minjeong doesn't want to talk.

"I'll be outside." Ning said before she left.

 

 

... 

 

 

Yunjin pulled out the syringe out of her arm, and drinks a cold water right after. 

"Damn, so this is how you guys have been doing."

"Yes. It's working."

Yujin and Wonyoung looked at their supply of human blood in syringe in the fridge.

"Yunjin and I made a self curse, just so they can't smell us."

"And you're using the humans, their blood, to cover it as well?" Yujin asked.

"Yes. It is the only way." Chaewon answered.

"Will they be able to track me and Yunjin then?" Wonyoung asked.

"No. You saw us spraying earlier right? It's something I've been working on, to cover the hint of our scent. So they won't be able to smell your scent at the club." Chaewon said.

"Okay." Wonyoung nodded.

"Where are the girls though?" Yujin asked.

"Oh, right."

Yunjin then entered the back room, going down to the basement to call the girls.

"If you can cover your scent, then why don't all of you just come out so we can do the job faster?" Yujin asked Chaewon.

"We can't just risk everyone, Yujin. If anything happens to me or Yunjin, at least the girls will be there to rescue us." Chaewon said.

"Makes sense." Wonyoung mumbled.

"Guys!"

"Hi, Sakura! Oh, Zuha, you look different now."

"Am I?"

"Yes. Getting prettier, aren't you? Hm. No, can't do."

Everyone rolled their eyes at Wonyoung. Then Yujin smiled at the youngest of them all. 

"Eunchae. Come, give me a hug."

"Yujin!"

"I'm glad that everyone's okay." Yujin said.

"Yes. We just need Stella, then we'll be complete again." Chaewon smiled.

"So, what's the plan next?" Sakura asked.

"A distraction." Yujin said.

"A distraction?"

"Yes. We are going to distract Jimin and her members." Yujin said.

"And then what?" Kazuha asked.

"I'm making a new liquid, to kill Jimin." Chaewon said.

"Will it work?" Eunchae asked this time.

"Hopefully. Let's hope that Minjeong will help us."

"Minjeong? Jimin's human? Your friend? Does she know?" Sakura asked many questions. Yunjin sighed, shaking her head.

"Minjeong found out that Jimin is a vampire, she's scared of her, and she can't accept her. Which is good for us. It gives us some time to get prepared as Jimin is slowly growing weaker now." Yunjin explained.

"It'll be great if we can get Minjeong's blood for Chaewon's experiment." Wonyoung said.

"Like I said, we can't. The most we can do is to get her hair and see if it'll help with the making of the new liquid." Yunjin said.

"Getting Minjeong's blood is a suicide. The scent of Minjeong's blood is too strong. Jimin will track her human's scent from the blood so fast and she will find us, so we can't." Yunjin added.

"It's so complicated." Eunchae sighed.

"Do we kill Minjeong too?" Wonyoung asked, and everyone looked at her.

"We don't know yet, but we might have to." Chaewon said, gritting her teeth.

She does not want to kill Minjeong. No, she's a sweet girl. But if it's the only way to stop Jimin from being revived, to kill her for good, then they have no choice.

Stella comes first before Minjeong. Their sisters come first before anyone else. Even if they have to sacrifice a good friend.

"If it's hard, I offer to do it myself." Wonyoung said, winking at Chaewon.

"Don't you get excited to kill Yoo Jimin's mate? Imagine her agony." Wonyoung chuckled.

"She's crazy." Eunchae whispered to Kazuha.

"No. She's evil." Sakura whispered as well.

"What do you expect? She spent her time so much with Stella." Kazuha whispered.

"That's why she's powerful, even if she can be very playful." Chaewon said, as she heard her girls were whispering.

"But of course, you're still the stronger one, leader." Wonyoung said.

"Yeah, yeah."

"But then, we can't be sure yet that Minjeong is Yoo Jimin's mate." Yunjin said.

"The reason why you're holding back." Yujin commented.

"Yes."

"Ah. I don't know. Just tell us what we need to do." Eunchae said, refusing to think further. 

 

 

 

 

.....

 

 

 

 

"Ugh." Minjeong wipe off her hands on her jeans after throwing the trash. She turned around, only to gasp upon seeing Jimin standing there with her hands in her overcoat pocket.

Minjeong blinked her eyes, it has been almost two weeks since she last saw her. She never asks Ning about her, even if she was curious where could Jimin be, when she does not seem to leave her alone for a long time before. Minjeong opened , but realised that she does not even know what to say, so she closed back.

She was about to take a step, when Jimin appeared in a flash, right in front of her. A small frown on Jimin's face as she slowly wrapped her arms around Minjeong, pulling her body against her own body.

"Ji-"

"Shh. Someone's here." Jimin whispered.

Minjeong's body grew tense when she heard a loud sound of whistling. Jimin then glanced over her shoulder, her arms were still protecting Minjeong. Jimin's jaw clenched. She slowly turned around, pulling Minjeong behind her.

"Hello, the great Yoo Jimin. We finally met."

Jimin's eyes slowly changed into dark red. She knew that a witch has been around, she came to check on Minjeong as soon as she received the news from Aeri. Doyoung was the one who found out that he senses a witch's presence.

"Oh, silly me. My name is Wonyoung, I am... Well, I'll be the trouble that you wish you never met." 

Wonyoung stopped chuckling when one by one, Jimin's members appeared in front of Jimin and Minjeong, covering them, and getting ready if Wonyoung would attack. There were Aeri, Johnny, Jaehyun, Mark, and even Jeno. Ning and Doyoung appeared behind them instead, making sure to look after Minjeong.

"Don't you think that this..." Wonyoung gestured to all of them.

"Is unfair? I'm alone here." Wonyoung pouted.

This could be a trap. 

But I can't sense any other witches.

No other, just her.

Should we end her?

She's strong.

The vampires communicated silently while keeping their eyes on Wonyoung who looks relaxed. Jimin tried to read her mind, but Wonyoung did a good job in preventing her from doing so.

"W-What's going on?" Jimin glanced at Minjeong behind her. She looks scared, and she was holding onto Jimin's back tightly.

Ning, take Minjeong away.

To her home?

No. To the castle.

Okay.

Ning patted Minjeong's shoulder, and offered a hand. Minjeong looked at her warily, before looking back at Jimin.

"Go. I'll see you later. Just follow Ning, no questions." Jimin said sternly. Minjeong frowned, but she didn't say anything.

When Minjeong stepped back, following Ning, she managed to see how Jeno, an unfamiliar vampire who she never saw before, looked at her with unreadable eyes. Before she could think further, Ning held her again, and they disappeared from there.

"You shouldn't have sent your human away." Wonyoung said, still smiling.

Get her.

Rough growls echoed in the alley, before Jimin's members dashed towards the witch to attack and to capture her. Wonyoung fought back, using her power and some spells against them.

Jimin jumped behind her back, grabbing her neck, but Wonyoung suddenly summoned a rope on Jimin's wrist, tied to the lamppost nearby, and Jimin's got pulled away harshly. Jeno then tried to grab her as well, Wonyoung kept swatting his hands strongly, flying away using her power before she stopped on the rooftop.

Jimin easily took off the rope, before jumping up to the rooftop as well. She dashed forward again, but Wonyoung flew further away. She laughed, and took out a wand. She pointed it at Jimin, muttering some spells, but Jimin avoided her attack. Jeno appeared in front, to block her. She hissed and her wand on his chest, Jeno groaned, but grabbed her wrist, pulling her hard.

Jeno was about to grab Wonyoung's face as well, but suddenly his body was hit by a strong energy causing him to stumble far and off the rooftop.

Aeri was standing beside Jimin.

My movement becomes slow, Aeri.

Aeri tried to not show her concern, they can't make it obvious.

"Vampires. We've been looking for you."

Yujin finally came to join the fight, she stopped beside a grinning Wonyoung.

"They made a mistake, Yujin." Wonyoung chuckled.

"Is that it? Then, we're going to have our way." Yujin said.

Attack!

All of them listened to Aeri, and went to attack the two witches. Aeri glanced at Jimin, noticing how her eyes turning into pale red instead, which had never happened before. Aeri and Jimin glanced at Jimin's wrist, Wonyoung didn't just tie a rope earlier, she secretly put an unknown liquid around it, there was a tiny wound around Jimin's wrist, and the liquid managed to flow in before Jimin's wound closed, and healed by itself.

We need to bring Jimin back to the castle! 

Jeno stopped attacking, glancing nervously at the quiet Jimin, while the others continued fighting to not let the witches get to Jimin. Jeno then appeared beside Jimin.

"Let's go." Jeno said.

"We can't let them run." Jimin growled.

"But your health is important right now, Jimin." Jeno hissed.

"I thought vampires never run away." Wonyoung said as she managed to get off of Mark's grip and sent him to the ground.

"We aren't running away." Jimin's low growl, and her eyes keep turning to dark and pale red a few times.

"We need to kill them." Jimin whispered, before standing up straight. 

She jumped forward, strong hand gripping Wonyoung's neck as she growled, and tossed her to the alley.

"Wonyoung!"

The others distracted Yujin, while Jeno followed Jimin.

Jimin jumped down, and Jeno as well, to the other end. Wonyoung was in the middle now. Wonyoung sighed, slowly getting up.

"I just need some more time." Wonyoung said.

Jeno didn't let her speak some more, as he attacked her. Both Jeno and Jimin ran at a high speed towards her, nails grew longer, ready to aim for her head, but Wonyoung bends down just in time. She grabbed Jeno's ankle, twisting it and threw a spell to make him freeze in the air. 

Wonyoung turned to Jimin, and smirked.

"The great Yoo Jimin, I've been dying to hurt you." Wonyoung's wand appeared in her hand, and she pointed it towards Jimin for the second time.

Jimin, wanted to move, but her hand was stuck, and she couldn't move it. Wonyoung laughed, and was mumbling a spell already. Just when she wanted to throw a spell on Jimin, a few drops of water was poured on her hand, wetting her wand as well. 

"What the-"

"Jang Wonyoung. We met again."

Wonyoung's eyes widened, and she looked behind her. Irene was smiling, with her hands wet, as she was the culprit who stopped Wonyoung from throwing her spell.

"Irene Bae."

Irene then ran towards her, grabbing her hand before flipping her off. Wonyoung's body hit the ground hard, and she groaned in pain. Jimin panted, falling to her knees, she closed her eyes tightly. Something is happening to me.

Irene almost gets Wonyoung when she got up almost immediately. Irene hissed, she hates fighting Wonyoung. She was one of the strongest witches, almost like Stella.

"This isn't the end." Wonyoung glared, then flew to the rooftop, to help Yujin, and ran away.

"Do not let them- Argh-"

Irene was alarmed by Jimin's painful voice.

"Jimin! . They managed to use a new liquid on you." 

"Jimin!" Aeri jumped down.

"The witches-"

"Johnny and Jaehyun went to go after them." Aeri quickly said, before helping Irene to pull Jimin up. Mark went to help Jeno.

"Who the hell was that witch?" Jeno coughed.

"Jang Wonyoung, she was trained personally under Stella. That's why, she's too strong for us to defeat her. Jimin can easily beat her if she was in her best condition, and her usual self. But not now, not when Jimin's energy is slowly draining." Irene explained.

 

 

...

 

 

"Did you manage to do it?"

"Of course. Stella will be proud of me." Wonyoung said happily. 

Chaewon nodded, and checking her other liquid.

"What will happen to Jimin now?" Yujin asked, she got hurt during the fight. After all, she was fighting with Jimin's strong members alone. So, now, Yunjin was trying to heal her using her power.

"Her body will grow weak, even faster."

"But Minjeong is with her." Yujin said.

"Sigh. It was great already that she sent Minjeong away. I could've hurt her more, if only Irene didn't interfere." Wonyoung crossed her arms.

"Irene? Irene Bae?" Chaewon asked.

"Yes. Seems like she's out of her hiding as well."

"We need to be fast then. If Irene and Minjeong are with Jimin, there's a possibility that Jimin can recover from the liquid faster." Chaewon frowned.

"Irene learned about our power, and she managed to create cures for some of our liquid weapons. She is a huge threat." Chaewon said angrily.

"Should we call for the others?" Yunjin asked.

"Yes. We need to plan an attack soon. There's no use in hiding anymore, they know that we're out. They will track us."

"Well, at least they got distracted with Jimin's health for now."

"Yes. So, we need to make a plan as soon as possible."

 

 

...

 

 

Jimin's face is pale, her red lips were now in a pale pink instead. She can't move like usual, her strength was decreasing.

"Irene, what did they do to me?" Jimin asked, feeling upset about the whole thing.

"Jimin. It's the liquid, the liquid is slowly infecting all of you inside." Irene said in worries.

Irene asked Aeri and the others to hunt for Jimin, to get Jimin as much blood as they can. Jimin will need more blood in a short period of time, for her to not grow weak too fast.

"Irene, we're here." Jimin's parents appeared, they had just finished meeting with Ning and Doyoung, asking about Minjeong when Irene called for them as soon as she brought Jimin back to the castle.

"She needs your blood, sir." Irene said.

Jimin's father and mother nodded, before slicing their wrist using their sharp nails. They squeezed their blood on an empty glass, filling it until it was full before giving it to Jimin. Jimin drank it in just a few seconds. Jimin's body felt slightly better, but still tired.

"I'm going to create a cure to get rid of the liquid from Jimin's body. I need a room to do it here. The witches know that I came out from my hiding already, they might come after me too, as they don't want me to heal Jimin." Irene said.

"You can use one of the rooms here." Mr Yoo said right away.

Jimin got up, finally able to stand up without feeling dizzy. She's angry, she has never felt this weak before. She clenched her fist.

"Jimin, make sure to get as much blood as you can." Irene told her.

 

 

...

 

 

"Ning, why am I here? I want to go home." Minjeong said, eyes shifting nervously. She gulped as she scanned the huge room.

"You can't. It's dangerous. The witches decided to come out, which means that they know what they're doing, and they can hurt you too."

"But why?! I- I am not involved in anything, and I-"

"Because you are Jimin's lover." Ning said.

"W-What?"

"I-"

"Leave us alone."

Minjeong was startled when Jimin suddenly appeared in between her and Ning. Ning mumbled a quick apology, before she disappeared from the room. Minjeong stepped back from Jimin.

"Ning said that I'm in a danger..."

"I won't let them do anything to you."

"It's because I am your lover."

Jimin kept quiet. She closed her eyes as she read Minjeong's mind.

"No. I'm not going to break up with you."

"I don't- I don't want to live in fear like this!" Minjeong said frustratedly.

"You don't have to be scared."

"How can I not? You- You are a vampire, Jimin. And they, who were the girl earlier? A vampire too?"

"She's a witch who-"

"A witch?!"

"Minjeong."

"No. No, no. I want out. I can't- I-"

Jimin suddenly grabbed her and pushed her against the wall.

"J-Jimin-"

Jimin sighed. She squeezed Minjeong's waist hard, and she glared at Minjeong.

"Jimin you-"

"Don't." Jimin whispered.

"How can you ask me to let you go again and again, Minjeong. I keep telling you, that I want you, and that you are solely mine." Jimin growled and grabbed Minjeong's face with one hand.

"I am just a human, Jimin. We- shouldn't be together."

"I don't care!" Jimin shouted, and Minjeong flinched.

"The day that you'll be free from me will be the day when I am dead. So, no. Stop asking me to leave you." Jimin said.

 

 

...

 

 

Minjeong sits down near the door, leaning her head against the wall. The talk with Jimin didn't end well, and Jimin left her without saying anything. She wanted to cry, but it's useless. She's tired.

"Minjeong." Ning appeared inside the room, bringing some food and drinks for her.

Ning smiled at her and gestured her to get up. Minjeong sighed, getting up from the floor, and went towards the round table, sitting at one of the chairs.

"You need to eat. You must be hungry." Ning said.

"Is there really no chance at all for me to go back to my normal life?"

Ning paused when Minjeong asked her that. She sits down on the other chair.

"I thought you like Jimin. You were happy with her." Ning commented.

"That was before I knew that she-" Minjeong was hesitant to continue, but Ning only smiled.

"Because we're vampires?"

"Ahem. Y-Yeah."

"But you like her for who she is, even if you didn't know that she was a vampire."

"You don't understand. It's- no- I'm only a human. She's a vampire and- we don't match." Minjeong frowned.

"But you are her mate."

"No. Impossible. There must be a mistake." Minjeong said seriously.

"But-"

"Ning."

Both Ning and Minjeong looked at Aeri who suddenly appeared in the room as well, her eyes were cold.

"Go and take a rest. I'll accompany Minjeong for a while."

"Okay."

Minjeong didn't dare to say anything, though she preferred Ning's presence than anybody else. Aeri didn't sit with her, instead, she went towards the window, looking at the view outside.

"You are scared, but mostly angry."

Minjeong raised her head, looking at Aeri's back.

"I understand that he was your friend, and Jimin killed him. But have you ever thought why?"

"..."

"For centuries, his descendants have been killing many of us."

"You're a vamp-"

"We are vampires, but we didn't start the war, Minjeong. We just want to live peacefully."

Aeri sighed, turning around and leaning her back against the wall.

"Hundred years ago, we offered a deal, to ignore each other's presence, to let us live quietly. We only hunt the animals, we drink blood from them, never from humans. We never kill or hurt the humans."

"..."

"Until one day, the human decided to betray us. They got influenced, brainwashed by the witches, that we are the devils, that we murders the humans. We didn't, it was all the witches' doing. The witches were greedy for some power, they keep studying how to become powerful. They don't like the fact that we're stronger, so they want to kill us."

"..."

"Of course, it won't be easy. They can just do it by themselves. So, they manipulate the humans, and make them work with them to hunt us, to kill us."

"..."

"We are who we are now, because of what the witches and the humans did to us in the past. They killed first, they started the war, and we can't just keep quiet, and do nothing. We fight back, we protect our kinds."

"..."

"We never choose to be this brutal. No. But we had to, it's for our own safety. We got betrayed too many times to be soft against them."

Aeri smiled, and looked at Minjeong.

"I'm not going to ask you to accept us, to accept Jimin. Of course, you have the right to either accept or not. But all I'm asking you is to try and get to know about us, Minjeong. We, vampires want to protect our family too."

 

 

...

 

 

Jimin was surprised when she saw Aeri just appeared right outside of the room where Minjeong was staying in. Aeri looked at her calmly.

"I asked Ning to get some rest, and she needs to hunt as well." Aeri told her. Jimin nodded.

"Have you drunk some blood?" Aeri asked.

"I have."

"Okay, I'm going to join Ning first."

"Hm."

Jimin sighed, and opened the door. Her energy was too low now to use her ability like usual. Minjeong was surprised, usually Jimin would just appear like a wind.

Jimin ignored her, and looked at the empty plate on the round table. She nodded, thankful that Minjeong at least didn't starve herself like before.

"Did Sunghoon ever hurt you?"

Jimin stayed still when that question came out of Minjeong's mouth.

"He didn't get to. I didn't let him." Jimin answered honestly.

"You didn't even spare him."

"The same way he didn't spare the other vampires when he caught them."

Jimin's sharp eyes looked at Minjeong, and Minjeong looked down immediately. Jimin haven't been gentle with her ever since Sunghoon's death. She kept pushing her away, and she didn't know what to do with Jimin.

Jimin walked slowly towards her, she knelt down and put a hand on Minjeong's hands that were on her lap.

"Minjeong ah."

Minjeong blinked her eyes at Jimin's soft tone.

"Everything that I do, I do it all for you. To keep you safe, to keep you with me. If that'll make me a devil, then yes, I am one. I was asleep for a decade, and you awakened me. My saviour, that's you. I can't live without you." Jimin said.

"Do you... regret it? That you have awakened me. Do you?" Jimin asked. I don't know...

Jimin's heart burned, and she felt every part of her body stings. She clenched her jaw, slowly standing up, walking backward. She sighed, turning around, going towards the door. Just as she was about to open the door to leave, she stopped.

"It's hurting me that you can't even look me in the eye, I can't even feel a single affection from you anymore, and that you keep praying for us to break up." Jimin said.

"But all of that didn't change how I feel for you at all, Minjeong."

"I still love you, with whatever there's left of me." Jimin whispered, and got out of the room.

And after a long time, Minjeong can finally feel Jimin's pain through her words just now.