"Is that Seonghwa hyung and Wooyoung?" Yunho asked as he and Jongho had just arrived back at the arena. 

"It is. What is Wooyoung doing?" 

"Getting rid of competitors, it seems," Yunho replied. "Seonghwa hyung isn't going to be able to stop him." 

"Doesn't seem like he intends to either." 

"At least they're whittling down the numbers fast enough." 

"Maybe the Overseer is doing it on purpose. He knows Wooyoung isn't strong enough to actually compete in such a competition with experienced vampires so he has to end them quickly," Jongho said and Yunho nodded in agreement. "It makes me fear what would come next. There's still the mental battle and the final."

"He won't pit Wooyoung against Seonghwa hyung in the mental battle for sure. His only chance to get rid of him is either now or the final."

"Is there really nothing else we can do to help?" 

"No... we shouldn't make things more complicated than they already are. Even if we save San, there's no guarantee he would actually be safe with us."

"We did let him get kidnapped..." 

"That too." 

~

San sat by his lonesome as he could only hear the sounds coming from outside. It was loud and it made him antsy. He didn't know what he could do except to be patient. The door opened and a guard walked in with food, sliding it through the compartment about the size of a tray. 

"What's going on outside?" he decided to ask but the guard just shrugged and left him alone. He puffed his cheeks and took the food. He was glad that they didn't try to serve him blood since he knew vampires only feast on that but he didn't have much of an appetite either. He still ate it all to keep his strength up just in case he needed it and also rested enough. He snuck a few exercises in between to keep his stamina up too. 

But that was all that he could do right now. Hoping and praying that everything would be over soon. 

~

"Are you alright, hyung?" Jongho asked once Seonghwa rejoined them. 

"Yeah. He didn't hurt me. So did you guys find out anything?" 

"Not quite. We only know the person who can remove it is the one who attached it," Yunho replied. 

"That's not much help. But a small bug like that has to have a weakness of some kind."

"Maybe fire. But there's hardly any fire around here," Jongho added. "So what's the plan now, hyung?" 

"I'll need to be able to hold him down somehow and also do something akin to surgery," Seonghwa said. "The mental battle isn't possible... and sneaking into the Overseer's quarters is just as dangerous. But how do I catch the Overseer off guard too? He would try to stop me if he knew what I was planning." 

"Maybe he already knows? I mean, we have no idea what else he saw in the prophecy." 

Seonghwa sighed, trying to think of a way to execute their plan. If they waited for the final battle, it might be too late too. The Overseer would do whatever it takes to make Wooyoung the winner. 

"It feels like we are missing something crucial," Seonghwa said as they entered his home. He froze when he sensed someone else at the window. "Hongjoong?" 

"Yeah, it's me," Hongjoong answered him and climbed in with a bag. "I just arrived." 

"I thought so." 

"How did the competition go?" 

"Made it to the semi finals." 

"I got what you asked for. A type blood," Hongjoong said as he held the bag out but Seonghwa made no moves to take it. 

"Hold on to it."

"Huh?" 

"Yunho, Jongho, come here. We just might be able to pull something off." 

The 4 of them huddled to discuss their plans and not long after, they were joined by someone who Yunho and Jongho weren't expecting. 

"Min... gi?" Yunho whispered and Mingi awkwardly smiled. 

"Hongjoong hyung told me you guys would be here." 

"That's besides the point. What are you even doing here?" Jongho asked. 

"To help? Ever since Yeosang captured Wooyoung, he's not so strict on me anymore." 

"Because he's got what he wanted," Seonghwa said. "Having more help would be better, provided you don't get controlled by him during crucial moments." 

"There are a few ways to get rid of it," Mingi said to everyone's surprise. "But it puts us in danger too. Still up to hear it?" 

"Tell us." 

~

Wooyoung was starting to get real tired of Yeosang muttering away in front of him every so often. His muscles had been aching from either exerting himself without warming up or just being unable to lay down and have proper rest but Yeosang wouldn't listen to him. He was in his own world, talking about the past while Wooyoung had no interest in it. He just wanted to move on into his own future, not become someone else that he wasn't. 

"Are you listening?" 

"I'm not. You're boring," Wooyoung sighed as he let his body sink as low as it could go. "I want to lay down..." 

"Wooyoung, why don't you just stay here willingly?" 

"Haven't I already answered you? I'm going back to my own home regardless of what you say." 

"But you're a vampire now. The sun will hurt you and your thirst will drive you mad." 

"You're hurting me and driving me mad now!" Wooyoung hissed in response and a flash of hurt crossed Yeosang's face but it went away as quickly as it came. 

"Only because if I let you go, you would run back to that human right away."

"And what's so bad about that? I was human too." 

"No, you are meant to be a vampire." 

"Open your eyes, damn it! I'm no longer the Wooyoung you knew or loved. Why can't you accept that?" 

"Because I promised you... I'll find you wherever you are." 

Wooyoung pursed his lips and shut his eyes as he took a deep breath. "Look, Yeosang... That promise you made belonged to you and the me from before. The me now doesn't want anything to do with you or the vampires here. In fact, Seonghwa appa will figure out how to turn me back. So I'll be human again soon enough."

"I won't let him." 

"It's not a matter of if you'll let him or not. It's what I want now. I want to go back to being human. I want to be with San and my family. There's still so many things I want to do. Why can't I?" 

"Because..." Yeosang looked down and fiddled with his thumb. "We have always been together... You...and me. In that room. No one else but us." 

Wooyoung couldn't understand what Yeosang meant. He had no recollection of his past life, after all. He almost pitied Yeosang but there wasn't anything he could do for the other. He just wasn't who the other wanted him to be and he can't be. 

"I'm sorry. You should snap out of it. Forget about me and move on," Wooyoung said gently in hopes that Yeosang would come to the same conclusion. 

"I'm afraid I can't." Yeosang looked up with a stoic look and reached out to touch his cheek. "I've let you go too many times. This time, I'll make sure you stay." 

"Huh?" 

"I'll put the same spell I placed on myself onto you. That way, you'll revive again and again as yourself. Just like me. For eternity." 

"Wait. That's crazy." 

"I know. But it's the only way to make you stay." 

Yeosang moved his hand away and turned around. 

"Once the human and the others are gone, you'll realize that the only one who will be at your side is me." 

Wooyoung sat there and stared into the darkness, wondering how everything turned out like this. What did he do to deserve this? All he wanted was to go on that field trip with San, graduate and figure life out from there. How did he get involved with vampires and even end up being their main target? 

When did things get so messed up? 

Where did he go wrong? 

"Sannie." 

"Yeah?" 

"I found this really cool line that resembles the two of us." 

"What is it?" 

"Amicus ad aras." 

"What does that mean?" 

"Friends 'til the end. What do you think? Pretty cool, huh?" 

He could still remember San's giggles and eye smile from that day. "You really think we will be friends for that long?" 

"Are you saying we won't?" 

"Not at all. I'm just happy if you think that. I've never had friends before."

Wooyoung had asked him then, "What do you mean?" 

He still remembered San's smile faded, replaced with a forlorn look.

"I'm just... I never had many friends before. Everyone is kind of... Afraid of me. Wherever I go, I'm like the new kid. The one with a single dad. But it all changed after I met you. You make me feel normal. Not the odd one out, not the weird kid." 

"Are you...trying to say that I'm important to you?" 

"So much that you don't even know." 

"Hmm... I can live with that. You're important to me too, San."

"I am? I assume you would... well, see other people and all that. You're really friendly after all." 

"I am, aren't I? But... compared to all of them, being able to hang out with you is the best." Wooyoung grinned and San's smile returned as well. 

"Geez. We are being so cheesy now." 

"You started it." 

"Says the one who found the words, friends until the end." 

"Ah. Are you saying you don't like it?" 

"I do!" 

"Woo!" 

"San!" 

"CROSS!"

Wooyoung blinked at that particular memory replaying itself in his head as if it was encouraging him not to give up. Not yet, not when he hasn't even told San how he actually felt about him. Vampire or not, who cares. San would accept him no matter what. 

No matter what.