"So these are the four you have selected to bring my Sunshine to me?" the young looking vampire asked Mingi who nodded silently. "The Doll keeper, the Dreamer, the Puppeteer and the Dancer."

"Is there really a need for 4 of us?" the one dubbed the Dancer asked with a snort as he looked at the others. "Just me alone would be enough." 

The vampire smirked and knew that such a question would arise. "It wouldn't be wise of you to underestimate my Sunshine. He will be the next vampire lord." 

"But he was human and if he just turned, he is still human. Will he really want to be a vampire lord?" the Dreamer asked in a low tone. "For all we know, he might use that against us." 

"That's why your mission not only includes bringing him back but also the one most precious to him. Seonghwa's adopted son. Choi San," the vampire said while bringing up a reflection to show the vampires who their targets are. "This is Wooyoung and this is San. They are both very important to my prophecy. I want you to retrieve them, unharmed and back to me. Will that be possible?" 

"Of course, Overseer. They are only guarded by mere past humans too," the Dancer scoffed as the four of them bowed. "We will deal with them swiftly."

The Overseer merely smiled a thin smile. "Then I'll await the results but remember as I said, do not underestimate them." 

÷÷÷

"I can't! Hah... let me out," Wooyoung whined as he tried to leave the room again but flinched back from the spark that jolted through him. 

"You have barely even started and you're giving up already?" Jongho scoffed. 

"How am I supposed to do push ups... with you sitting on me?" Wooyoung hissed. 

"You're stronger than you think, Wooyoung. Stop thinking that you're still a human or you'll never be able to utilize your full strength." 

Wooyoung scowled and dropped down to his arms again. Jongho sat on him and the male grunted. It wasn't that Jongho was heavy or Wooyoung was weak but it was difficult when he felt Jongho leaned his weight more towards one side rather than balanced out. Complaining to him didn't work either since Jongho was literally like an unmovable mountain. 

"Ugh... if I can do this, you better call me hyung. I'm...hah...technically older than you!" Wooyoung hissed as he raised his body up again. 

"Only the year I died. I'm years older now," Jongho said with an eye roll. "And besides, this thing should be simple with the strength you can pull forth. I don't understand why your body is like a little baby bird's." 

"Oh, you're mocking me now." 

Meanwhile, San was trying to figure out how he was going to survive the few days without Seonghwa at home. He never realised how important food was since Seonghwa usually settled everything from lunch to dinner for him. He had a bunch of snacks but they were mostly for emergency purposes as Seonghwa would put it. He started to cook ramen for himself since that was probably the only thing he could do without potentially poisoning himself. 

"...." 

"San sshi? San sshi. Um... San sshi!" 

"Wha?!" San jumped and moved away from the stove, surprised at his name being yelled out. He looked at Yunho who looked at him worriedly. "Sorry. Yes?" 

"You seem pretty upset. Something on your mind?" 

"Ah... well... everything, I guess." 

"Right. It'll be fine, San sshi." 

"Ah... Yunho sshi, maybe we can drop the formalities since you're much older than me," San said awkwardly and Yunho beamed. 

"How about this? Let's just call each other comfortably? You call me Yunho and I call you San," Yunho said and San raised his brows. 

"But you're older..." 

"Well, I don't really age anymore so am I really older?" 

"Ah... okay, Yunho." 

"San. The water is boiling too much." 

"Huh? Ah!" San quickly lowered the fire and tried not to sigh. He felt like an old man who was just unsatisfied with everything and it was draining him. 

"Hmm... There's not much I can say which is of much comfort right now but I can assure you that Wooyoung is doing his best," Yunho said and San perked up a little at the mention of his friend. 

"Really? What about his thirst?" 

"He's working on it. He tried to bite us a couple of times already and it's proving a bit difficult when he can smell your blood but he's still holding back better than we thought."

"My blood?" San asked and tilted his head. 

"Yes. We have heightened senses so we can sniff someone's blood. But I have to say, you don't really smell that normal...," Yunho said and San sniffed his arm. He didn't think he smelt weird. 

"Is it my cologne?" 

"It's just more enticing to Wooyoung than you would expect," the vampire said with an indecipherable smile. 

"Should I leave the house then? Would that make it easier?" San asked, willing to do anything to make things better for Wooyoung. 

"Probably not. In fact, you being here will teach him to control it faster. Not to worry, Seonghwa hyung has a lot of blood stocked up. If he ever gets too thirsty, we can feed it to him." 

"Yunho...uh...what happens if a vampire doesn't drink blood at all?" San asked nervously. He was afraid to know more but he had to for Wooyoung's sake. 

"We gradually grow weak and just like humans who don't get to eat or drink, we eventually wither away."

"So you'll die?" 

"In human sense, yes, we will die but of course, it takes more time to kill us that way since we are technically already undead." 

"I see... has Wooyoung drank any blood?" 

"We have tried feeding him some but he refused to take it."

San pursed his lips and wondered if he really was at fault for wishing Wooyoung to not have died. If he hadn't, Seonghwa wouldn't have turned him and his friend wouldn't have to suffer like this. Just thinking about it made his eyes tear up a little. No, no regrets, San. Seonghwa already warned him and he understood now. Every single time he thought about it, he felt regret like no tomorrow. 

"San!" 

"Hah! Ah. Yes?" 

"Your noodles will get soggy if you don't eat them soon," Yunho said and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "I'll go into the room now. Jongho might be too mean to Wooyoung if I don't save him." 

"Oh okay," San said and looked at his noodles. He had already lost his appetite but knew that he still had to eat and keep his energy. 

"Knock knock," Yunho said as he knocked on the door before opening it. He walked in and blinked as he saw Wooyoung on the floor, panting heavily while Jongho sat on the bed. "How's training?" 

"I don't... hah... see the point in this," Wooyoung whined. "I'm just... tiring myself out." 

"It's strength training, Wooyoung." 

"What exactly am I going to use this strength for?" he sulked. "I just want to go back to college and hang out with San like before. We even have the field trip coming up and-oh no. The field trip! What are we going to do about that..." 

"No point sulking like this. You no longer have the same body as before," Jongho scoffed. "We already told you. If you don't train your body and learn to control your strength, you might end up hurting your precious San." 

Wooyoung sat up and pouted. "Can't I even talk to him? He's just right outside... I won't even go out. Just... I want to hear his voice." 

"We aren't trying to stop you from talking to him," Yunho said and pulled out Wooyoung's phone which they had confiscated before. "We just don't want you to end up tiring San out as well." 

"Why would I do that?" Wooyoung whined again and reached out for his phone. "Please, please, please?" 

Yunho exchanged glances with Jongho before allowing him to take his phone. "Just try not to break it. If you do, we can't help you." 

"Thank you, Yunho! You're the best," Wooyoung piped and immediately video called San. Usually, he would try not to show how clingy he was but he was and San knew it. They both clung to one another and loved to do so. San was surprised when his phone started ringing and he answered it without thinking when he saw the caller. "Sannie! Oh my god, Sannie!" 

"Woo... Wooyoung?" San said with an uncertain tone. "Where are you?" 

"I'm right here, San ah. What are you saying?" 

"No, you're not.." 

Wooyoung blinked in confusion and looked at the other two vampires who averted their gaze. He gasped and clicked on his camera, startling himself when he couldn't see his own reflection. 

"What..." 

"Wooyoung? What's wrong?" 

"That's why we took your phone away," Jongho sighed. "Vampires don't have reflections. We didn't want to spook you out but Yunho here is too nice." 

"I... I don't have reflections anymore?" Wooyoung whispered and stared at the screen that showed the ceiling and everything else behind him. 

"Wooyoung?" 

"San... San," Wooyoung mumbled, unsure of what to say at the moment. Every time he finds out something new about being a vampire, he didn't feel fascinated or awed. He just felt horrified but he couldn't let San know. He knew his friend would do nothing but continuously blame himself. "Sorry. I think I need some time out." 

"Huh? Okay... Feel better soon," San said in a tone that tugged at Wooyoung's heartstrings. He ended the call and bit his lower lip. 

"Why couldn't you have just told me earlier?" Wooyoung asked and looked at the two of them. 

"It was easier to show you than explain," Yunho said and Wooyoung fought back his raging emotions. 

"What else should I know? Are you still hiding more? What more do you want from me..." Wooyoung felt frustrated and hated himself for being this way. He was a relatively open person and he could understand people well but right now, he couldn't handle his own self. How was he supposed to live like this? He couldn't even have a social life anymore. No pictures, no videos. San wasn't even a vampire so he was going to outlive him eventually and live a life that was so long that he might even forget about him. Wooyoung didn't want that. He didn't want to be this. He just wanted to be him again. 

"Wooyoung, calm down," Yunho said and squatted down. "We understand how you feel. We were both humans too." 

"Is this just going to be my life now?" Wooyoung asked in a strained voice. "Not being able to meet anyone... not being able to hang out with my friends... my family." 

"It doesn't have to be," Jongho said. "But it won't be easy. There's a lot of things to learn so if you want back that normal life of yours, you'll have to work hard for it." 

"But I don't even appear in cameras anymore... if anyone finds out, I'll... I... what will happen to me?" 

"Anything that you want to happen," Jongho said and stood up. "Stand up, Wooyoung. Now is not the time to be self loathing or wallowing in your own pity." 

Wooyoung looked up at Jongho and felt pathetic. He had decided that he was going to do all he can to be able to see San again but one small knock felt like it would shatter him again. Because the stakes were higher now, he realised. It wasn't just San that he needed to care about. His family, his other friends, his college. His future. 

"Yunho and I are still living until this day so you're not allowed to give up. Not until you've fought with everything you have and lose all reasons to live, we won't let you waste yourself away." 

Wooyoung took a deep breath and pushed himself up. "You're right... I still have people that I love and want to protect... I can do this. I have to." 

Yunho smiled at Wooyoung's determination and nodded. "You do. San is waiting for you too. The faster you learn what we can teach you, the better you will fare out there. Also, we are here for you, Wooyoung ah. Don't worry. You're not alone." 

Wooyoung looked at the two vampires before he rushed to them and gave them a tight hug. 

"You're right.... I'm not alone. Thank you for reminding me." 

Even though Wooyoung was feeling much better, the only human in the house felt worse. San stared emptily at his phone and had stopped eating. He wished his dad was home so he wouldn't feel alone at least but Seonghwa didn't even read the texts that San had sent him. San had never thought he could feel this lonely before. Seonghwa had always been there and after he met Wooyoung, the other had always been there too. Not being able to have either by his side made him feel strange and uneasy. 

"Appa, Wooyoung... Don't leave me behind," he whispered to himself as he pushed away his bowls of noodles to lay his head on the table.