Everything that had happened after their entrance into Uee’s house had been a blur to Ji Eun. All she can remember is the pain and calling Cheondung over and over until she lost consciousness.

 

And now…she was standing in a room so white that she was almost blinded by the light.  When her eyes has learned to adjust someone was in front of her, a man in a red cloak, he lift his hands towards her and for some unknown reason she found herself trying to reach the man’s hand as well.

 

When she thought that their hands would touch, suddenly the man’s hand produces a dagger out of thin air and was about to stab her in the chest. She pulled back in surprise but not as shock when another figure appeared in front of her. This figure was of a man; wearing a black cloak, the man hugged her and only groaned in her arms. It was then when she saw that the man had protected her, he had been stabbed in the back instead of hers.

 

She let out a small shout of distress more so when she finally saw the face of the man who had protected her…it was Cheondung. He protected me?! Like he always does?!

 

She cried in agony, along with her anguished, everything disappeared…the once white room turned into darkness…red cloaked man with his dagger…and Cheondung’s body who was hugging her…they all disappear and all that was left was the full-bloomed red rose in her hand.

 

Ji Eun let another single tear drop from her eyes to the dark floor. She was feeling a deep emotion she knew but never felt it before as intense as this. Then she felt a tugged on her arms, a little hand was trying to get her attention and before she can see the owner of the hands, everything become white again and she was awaken.    

 

When she opened her eyes, it was in amethyst color. She felt a hunger…his hunger. She quickly saw the only one person in the room beside her. His hands were holding her hand and his amethyst eyes are silently looking at her.

 

There was sadness and relief on his face upon seeing her awake. She sat up.

 

“Er...I did get hurt again, didn’t I?”

 

He nodded slowly. She finally notices that he is only showing him the right profile of his face. She raise an eyebrow and was about to asked him about it when he suddenly stand up. He made sure that all she could see is the right side of his body. He is hiding something.

 

“I am glad that you’re alright now. It sure is lucky that Uee’s sister know what to do if it was just me, I---“he stopped his words when Ji Eun stand up on the bed and come towards him.

 

In tiptoed, she cupped his face in her hands and makes him turned his face directly in front of her. She immediately saw the very thing that he was hiding from her.

 

Ji Eun traces the black markings on Cheondung’s left cheek with her forefinger. Cheondung closes his eyes for a second as if Ji Eun’s touch giving his body a different sensation…and it must have been because after she touches or traces the mark with her finger it glowed in purple and then slowly vanished.

 

She knotted her brows in wonder then continued what she is doing. “After I touch it, it vanishes…”

 

“I feel a quick heat rush on my face when you touch it and then a cooling feeling…” Cheondung said, looking at her eyes.

 

“If I touch the mark...” Ji Eun’s finger was on a still visible mark on his jaw.

 

Cheondung hold her wrist in place and close his eyes, “That makes the mark grew hot but not in the painful way…”

 

Ji Eun moved her fingers, leaving that mark and down to the black marking on the left side of his neck, “Once I move my finger from the previous mark…it glowed brightly purple and vanishes…”

 

“That’s when the mark feels cold…”

 

She continued tracing the mark from his neck down to his arms and finger until it all vanishes. They silently looked at each other as they did this. Ji Eun sighed, slumped back at the bed, her hands leaning on her back as she looked up at Cheondung’s face.

 

“You’re trying to hide it awhile ago…”

 

“Yes, I was afraid you’ll be frightened by the markings…”

 

Ji Eun did not say anything. Instead she lay in the bed, her feet dangling on its edge while she places her forearm above her eyes, hiding it. “You have to stop doing this”

 

“Doing what?” Cheondung asked in a confuse voice.

 

“Protecting me…being worried that I will be afraid of you” She sat up, gazes at him.

 

“I—I was just—“

 

She stopped whatever was Cheondung was about to say, with her hands in mid-air.

 

“Let’s make one thing clear first…I almost die again tonight…and I bet there will be some more bizarre things happening to me, though I hope not in the near future” she said when his eyes become grim and continued, “But in all that, one thing is clear for me…I will never be afraid of you. You’re my best friend. That will never change how many times you change into---“ she wave her hands over his figure, up and down, “into whatever kind of vampire you are…”

 

She stands on the bed and come toward Cheondung, making her a foot taller for the mean time. She holds his shoulder and locks his eyes on hers, “We’re in this together. You’re a vampire and I am you’re bloodletter, clear.”

 

Cheondung manages to bring back his smile again. He taps Ji Eun’s nose with his forefinger. “Clear. Why do I always forget how hard headed you are?”

 

Ji Eun smiled and rounded her arms on Cheondung’s nape. “Because you like to fantasize that I’m the little sister you never had, so cute and should always be protected” she winked.

 

Cheondung laugh out loud at her statement. “I definitely so not saw you as my little sister, ever…as for the cute…I think I move pass that long ago…”

 

Ji Eun raise an eyebrow, “When?”

 

“When I realize that I love you” he said confidently.

 

Ji Eun was silence by his remarks. She was about to move away but his arms was now on her waist possessively.

 

“You say that we are best friend…we will always be, right?” Cheondung asked

 

Ji Eun sighed. “I don’t know. This connection between vampires and bloodletters still confuses me, that’s why I can’t answer you yet.”

 

“You think that…only because of our connection that I love you?” Cheondung said, hurt.