Because Of Love

Tap, tap, tap, tap...

The distinct sounds of a pattering keyboard being studiously and incessantly typed on resonated loudly in the quiet office that was only occupied by a receptionist lady who was situated in front of her computer. From behind her thick-rimmed glasses, the lady’s dim eyes were dull and lidded over; her cherry-red lips were passively set into an indifferent line as she diligently sorted through files and inputted necessary information into the data-storing machine. The clock that hung on the wall beside her informed her that it was a quarter till four, meaning it had been almost an hour or so since school had ended.

The lady expelled a long-suffering sigh as she paused amid her robotic-like typing and slid off her glasses so she could rub at the area between her worn-out eyes. She should probably head home now, she contemplated. Because her job was a routine chore of performing the same set of tasks over and over again, it didn’t matter if she postponed her current duties and resumed them tomorrow. There was no excitement or spice in her life, she deadpanned, thinking how there was never a time when something interrupted her work hours, so it was guaranteed that there would be no delays in her deadlines.

Sliding back on her glasses, something caught her eye, and she instinctively glanced up.

And grew dry.

W-wow, she gaped, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. He’s—he’s beautiful!

A young male who was about average-height and decently muscled was leaning over the spotless front counter of the school’s main office. His soft silky hair was a light brown color that had an orange sheen to it under the fluorescent lights, the ends slightly askew as if disturbed by wind. His skin color was extremely pallid, but like a porcelain doll, flawless and seemingly delicate. The reason why she guessed that he was young but not too old was because of his chubby-cheeked face and impish smile. Even his narrow, curved eyes had a playful glint to them, belying the truth of his age.

“Hi, there,” greeted the beautiful stranger in a light, buttery voice.

The lady’s response was delayed and breathless. “Uhhh, h-hi,” she squeaked.

He laughed lightheartedly. “You’re cute when you stutter.”

Blood, hot and red, rushed up to the surface of the receptionist’s cheeks. Her voice shook. “I-I d-do not—” She shook her head wildly, clearing off her daze. She squinted at the male quizzically, wondering how he entered the office without her noticing and for how long he’d been standing there. “Excuse me, but school hours have ended. If there’s something you need—”

“Yes,” he interrupted smoothly. “There is something I need. And I was hoping you might be willing to help me.” His elfin eyes sought hers, as if conveying a desperate plea, but it was just an act to guilt trip her.

Those puppy-dog eyes broke through the lady’s carefully built defenses. She blinked a couple of times, her head foggy with the thoughts and desire to please the beautiful fair-skinned person. “Y-yes,” she replied automatically. “I will help you. What do you need?” Her undivided attention was given entirely to the stranger—to the point where she leaned forward in anticipation to hear his request.

The brown-haired male thoughtfully thrummed his fingers on the marble counter, his thin, petal-like lips pressed together into a musing line. “Hmm... There’s this boy who goes to this school,” he began. “I’m trying to find out his name. You see, I believe he’s my...cousin. In fact, he’s my only relative now.” He feigned a distressful expression of urgency and yearning. “I’ve been searching for him for a long time now, but I need his personal information to confirm if it’s really him. So can I have a copy of his transcripts and other personal information?”

“Transcripts?” the lady parroted dumbly. “Personal information?”

The pretty male nodded enthusiastically. The gullible receptionist was too entranced by his oozing appeal to notice the wicked curve of his teasing smile or the eerie indifference twinkling in his earth-colored eyes.

“I-I can f-find the information y-you need if you can narrow down who—”

“He’s in class 3-B, with copper skin, dark hair, and he works at the public library,” the male generously supplied.

Like a rigid factory machine, the lady quickly fulfilled his requests by identifying the correct student based on those characteristics, digging up all the data the school had on him, and then printing out those files. Standing up woodenly, she retrieved the freshly printed papers from the copy machine, stapled them so they wouldn’t scatter if held, and shyly approached the counter to present them to the alluring young male.

“H-here you go. I hope this is him,” she said timidly, gaze casted downward on the counter’s smooth, glossy surface.

The packet was gladly taken from the receptionist’s numb hands and was quickly skimmed over. Slit eyes shone with gleeful success at the discovery.

Foooooound you! Minseok sang in his head and studied the handsome school picture of an attractive youth in his immaculate uniform. It was the same human male Minseok had spotted on multiple occasions with his young master.

Remembering the human shamelessly ogling at him over the short distance that separated them, Minseok winked at her and chirped, “Thank you so much, miss! Now I can go properly meet my cousin.” He snickered at that and turned to leave. “Ta-ta!” With a jaunty wiggle of his fingers, the sly vampire dashed out the office door, leaving the muddle-brained receptionist behind to gape like a floundering fish, the fading sensation of a chilly breeze caressing her skin with goosebumps.

She shivered and rubbed at her arms. “Burr. When did it get cold in here?”

...

Soon after Jongin’s and Kyungsoo’s cozy reunion at the library, the short, pale-skinned boy unexpectedly declared that he wanted to go ‘explore’ different places instead of lounging around at home. So, to make up for their unbearable separation, Jongin willingly submitted to the request, but convinced his young charge to at least let him change out of his stiff school uniform and drop off his backpack at the apartment before they journeyed out.

Out on the streets during the afternoon, the temperature was dawdling in the fifties and dipping lower and lower as the hours passed. Therefore, Jongin made extra sure that Kyungsoo was zipped up in his new autumn jacket and wore his gloves and scarf to prevent a cold (though the tan-skinned male still couldn’t comprehend how the small boy could be so desolate of warmth). Kyungsoo’s tiny, gloved hand was firmly attached to the dancer’s larger one as they strolled along, a giddy bounce in the boy’s steps and a tuneless hum resonating from the boy’s throat. Jongin’s eyes, warm and protective, watched his little one enjoy the walk with a small, compassionate smile. Kyungsoo was absolutely precious in his snug outfit, radiant with that gummy beam and luminous eyes of his.

In his mesmerizing, bell-like voice, the skipping boy sang a song that was probably taught to him:

“The sun is shining

The wind is whistling

Nature watches over us!

Close your eyes

And enjoy the peace

The present continues on!”

God, Jongin sighed dreamily, feeling like he was melting into a puddle of goop. Kyungsoo sings better than a chorus of angels.

Their first destination was at a music store. What led them there in the first place was the ostentatious window display showcasing colorful posters and shiny merchandise illuminated under fancy show lights from above. Kyungsoo, with his ever-attentive eyesight and natural instinct to fuel his immeasurable curiosity, had been instantly drawn to the spectacular display and had dragged Jongin over into the noisy store filled with a blaring medley of various music. Although the sensitive-eared boy disliked the volume within the store, it didn’t stop him from pawing through the shelves of CDs and pressing random buttons on the music players that played samples. Always hovering close to the child’s side was Jongin, who also answered the outrageously silly (yet cute) questions directed his way.

“This square case has the words ‘Orange Caramel’ written on it. Does that mean we can eat it?”

Jongin choked back a laugh. “...Haha. No, Kyungie. It’s a group name for a bunch of girls.”

Kyungsoo’s pink lips formed an O in comprehension. “Oh. But why would they pick the name ‘Orange Caramel’ of all things?”

“...You know what? I have no idea either,” he confided with an offhand shrug.

After Kyungsoo grew bored with the music store, his attention was immediately captured by the window of a pet store as they passed by it from down the street.

“Awwww!” cooed the cutie pie as he peered through the shop’s glass at the litter of six puppies huddled up in their cage bedded with a fluffy towel. Most of the puny pups were napping, but a brown one was alerted by Kyungsoo’s presence and perked up with immense energy. He clumsily pranced over his siblings so he could come up to the window, raise himself up to his paws, and yip at the owl-eyed boy. Wanting to actually pet the pup, Kyungsoo dashed inside the store with Jongin at his heels.

Inside the cramp store, cages were aligned against the walls and arranged in the center of the room. Shelves stacked with an assortment of animal care products and accessories were scooted close together. Colorful birds perched in their cages preened themselves or emitted trilling chirps and caws. Snakes slithered and hissed under the warm lamp light of their glass tanks. Smaller mammals, like the hamsters and gerbils, were squeaking fluffs of perpetual energy as they ceased to run, snack, and squeal. The store was suffocating in an overwhelming smell of fur, animal food, and stinky dog breath, but, to Jongin, he was already used to the peculiar smell since he did raise three dogs. It might as well have felt like home...minus the rodents and lizards and bugs (Jongin shuddered as he avoided those type of species).

Kyungsoo had darted over to the dog and cat section of the store. Already cradled in his short, skinny arms like a baby was the brown pup from before. Coming closer to his little one, Jongin was bemused to have found out that some of the animals were acting odd around Kyungsoo. A few selected felines and canines, mainly the full-grown ones, he noted, were skittish and edgy, as if they considered Kyungsoo a dangerous predator or threat. But, of course, it must’ve been just a weird reaction of theirs or something because the brown puppy certainly liked Kyungsoo, happily the boy’s cherubic face with his pink tongue to garner more attention. Other kittens and pups began to make insistent noises of meowing and yipping, voicing their selfish desire in also wanting to be coddled after witnessing how their friend was being showered with attention and rubs.

Helpless and compliant, Jongin reached over to tickle and rub at the heads and tummies of young would-be pets. Damn his love for animals, he deadpanned. Or maybe it was actually more suiting to say it was his love for cute things that was his weakness. So much for a manly look. Sighing self-insufferably, the tan male gave a sidelong glance at Kyungsoo who, at the exact same moment, Eskimo-kissed the puppy’s tiny, wet nose. Now that...was an unbelievably cute sight.

Jongin quickly looked away, a silly pink flush coloring his cheeks. Yeah, he admitted sheepishly, definitely cute things.

The well-aged owner of the pet store smiled kindly as he spotted a teenager and a youngster playing with the hyperactive animals. He came by to elicit small-talk with Jongin who answered back politely but earnestly. The old man waved the good-looking pair goodbye as Jongin reminded Kyungsoo that they shouldn’t loiter around for too long.

“Okay, so where to next?” the tan male asked as he managed to steer his reluctant little one away from the pet store.

Though still high-strung with wanting to return to what he referred to as if own ‘animal haven’, Kyungsoo considered the question seriously, tilting his head to the side as he thought.

“Hm... Is there a place called an ‘ar-cade’ around here, Jonginnie?” inquired the boy. “Minseokie told me that you can play tons of games there!”

Jongin’s ears caught that name again. Minseokie. He remembered hearing that name during his first encounter with Kyungsoo and continued to hear it on occasion when the boy blabbered about a bunch of random topics. Minseokie this, and Minseokie that. Who was this person Kyungsoo would repeatedly prattle about out of the blue? The small child seemed to admire this person very much if he referred to him incessantly with a friendly and close inclination of companionship. He must be Kyungie’s older brother or babysitter or something, the dancer supposed with a dent between his brows.

“Yeah,” Jongin said in response to Kyungsoo’s query. “There’s one two streets over. I’m guessing you’ve never been in one before, have you?”

“Nope!”

“...I thought so. Let’s go.”

...

Standing on the edge of a rooftop that gave a three-sixty view overlooking most parts of the city, Joonmyun surveyed his surroundings with disinterest and distaste. A city, he criticized, with its tall skyscrapers and smelly automobiles and filthy streets was such a horrid place to live. The superior one’s mind wandered off to the breathtaking scene of a majestic castle towering over a sea of emerald forests established on an uphill plane. There was always a clear access to the sky throughout the day, and the stars shone brilliantly at night. In bleak contrast, no one in this civilized domain of humans bothered to glimpse up at the sky when it was blocked out by buildings or appreciate the stars when pollution thwarted their shine. It was sad, really, if someone remembered that centuries ago, this city was once a peaceful, healthy expanse of bare land.

The passing breeze teased the ends of Joonmyun’s hair, and he had the decency not wrinkle his nose at the foul scent that the wind carried with it. He stayed, as still as a marble statue, even when he heard a faint disturbance in the air behind him. Footsteps, nimble and poised, suddenly approached him out of nowhere, accompanied by the sound of hands shuffling through a packet of crisp paper.

“Kim Jongin, born January 14, 1994, with the blood type of A. His family consists of his mom, dad, and two older sisters. He’s currently enrolled at a prestigious high school where he maintains the steady scores of As and Bs.” Minseok paused in his report as he perused the documents for further valuable information. “He takes dance classes at a well-known place...works at a library...apparently lives in an apartment rather than at his parent’s house...his father is a respected doctor...” The vampire guard lifted a thin brow in amusement and snorted. “Wow, it’s scary how school systems are determined to gather every piece of information they can get to create a student’s profile.” He shuddered delicately.

Joonmyun didn’t turn around to face his subordinate as he asked lowly, “Does it state where the human’s apartment is located?”

“Yes, it does,” confirmed Minseok, tapping his finger on the address. “Right here.”

“Hm... That’s all we need,” the superior mused.

Minseok grinned. “Understood, Master.”

And, with a careless flick of his wrist, the vampire tossed the packet into the air, bounding it in a layer of frost before it exploded into a shower of sparkling flakes that swirled away in the lazy breeze.

...

Kyungsoo didn’t understand the objective of these bulky game machines, but the moving images and sound effects were fun and stimulating as he engaged himself with ‘gaming’ as Jongin had labeled it.

His tall, dark-haired human had introduced him to the ‘arcade’ that had vibrant neon lights pulsating within a dim, large room. The reason behind the dim lighting, assumed the observant little vampire, was because of these countless array of apparatuses that were ‘game machines’. There were ones where you controlled a fighting character to beat up a computerized character; one where you aimed a fake gun at a screen and shot bad guys; one that you could join a race without actually being in a car. Every game had its own rules and gadgets that made Kyungsoo bounce in anticipation to try out. But considering how Kyungsoo was still too small (he pouted) and still too young (supposedly) to be allowed to play some particular devices, he ordered his human to take his place—to which the human would always complain from under his breath.

“Really? You want me to play this?” Jongin had jabbed his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the platform of a large dancing machine game.

Kyungsoo had peered up at him innocently. “Is there something wrong with it?” he had asked in confusion, then had stated the obvious: “It’s a dancing game, and you like dancing.”

The older male had shaken his head in mild vexation. “It’s not that kind of dancing game, Kyungie. It’s more like a...stepping game.”

“Play,” the stubborn little vampire had demanded, pointing at the platform.

After huffing out a drawn-out sigh, Jongin had shed his coat and scarf, giving it to Kyungsoo to hold on to. Then he had sluggishly sauntered up onto the stepping platform installed with two sets of four arrows to step on—a two-player game at the maximum. Though reluctant, the tan-skinned male had slipped in his money and the machine had blasted in response with loud words. Jongin had gnawed on his lower lip as he mused which level of difficulty and type of song to play. Finally, he had chosen the heavy level and selected a hip-hop song.

“You’re lucky I’m doing this for you,” Jongin had mumbled when he positioned himself in the center of his light-flashing arrows, Kyungsoo standing vigilantly behind him. The dark-haired dancer had appeared embarrassed to have been convinced to play the game by a person half his size.

But that embarrassment had soon faded away to be replaced by an intense display of determination and remarkable swiftness. His human had transformed again—from a quiet, detached soul to a charismatic, powerful male.

Once again, Kyungsoo had been at awe with the human he called his.

Jongin’s outstanding performance of precision and skill on the dance platform had garnered a huge crowd in the arcade—people cheering and exclaiming as if watching an exhilarating sport’s game. Kyungsoo’s skittish vampire senses piqued and he shoved his hungry desires down. The small vampire clamped his plush lips together and tried not to inhale too much air, waiting for his human to finish his three rounds so they could leave.

The game’s screen had declared that Jongin had aced all three of his rounds (and Kyungsoo had noted the self-satisfied look on the dancer’s sweaty face). Wearing a composed, indifferent look, Jongin had stepped down from the platform and gratefully took his coat and scarf from Kyungsoo’s offered arms. He had smirked slightly at the amazed, wide-eyed look the shorter boy had given him and ruffled the latter’s head of silky raven locks. Snaking his arm around Kyungsoo’s narrow shoulders without bothering to shrug on his coat, Jongin had ushered his still-dazed little one through the crowd of chattering people who threw compliments at him and out of the arcade’s glass doors.

So that had been their exciting adventure to the arcade. Now Jongin insisted they go eat an early dinner because he was starving.

At the mention of human food, the little vampire wanted to stick his tongue out in apparent revulsion, but he refrained from doing so. It had been just recently when Kyungsoo was introduced to human food by Jongin, growing acquainted with the soft mushiness and odd taste of bread, meat, and fruit. But just because he willingly ate the edible stuff (to please his human more than anything else) it didn’t mean that he favored the meals of humans over blood. Not at all.

Strangely enough, human food had the capacity to curb his appetite for blood, which was a blessing in itself when Kyungsoo had to hide his unbridled hunger for Jongin’s tempting blood. Regardless of his checked appetite, the thought of Jongin’s blood made Kyungsoo salivate with venom and the scent of it made him become woozy in the head. Control, the young vampire would have to remind himself over and over again. You have to stay strong and control yourself.

Jongin took him to a cozy diner where the two of them sat in a vinyl-seated booth. A sweet-looking waitress swooped by to hand them a menu and inquire what type of drinks they wanted in a cheery, chirpy manner. Drinks confirmed, she informed them that she would drop by later on with their refreshments, enabling them with enough time to decide what their orders were. With a full-lashed wink, she pranced off.

“Either she’s a natural flirt, or she’s really flirting with me,” grumbled Jongin, chin propped on his hand as he leaned on the tabletop.

Hearing that made Kyungsoo jut out his bottom lip in aversion. He may be a vampire of only a few centuries, but he knew what the word flirt meant—and not just in a mild sense of definition. He learned the meaning of the word when he had innocently inquired why his daddy didn’t like (now that was putting it lightly) other vampires flirting with Mommy.

"It’s because those lousy, scraggly, pathetic pieces of garbage actually think they’re worthy enough to earn MY mate’s affection when they clearly don’t," the superior one had ranted with the look of twitching annoyance plastered across his handsome face. "Talking to him... Flirting with him..." he had continued to growl in vehemence. "Trying to advance on him when he’s mine and no one else’s." Joonmyun had bent down to son’s height to stare at him dead in the eyes. "Kyungsoo, listen to me. When someone’s heart already belongs to you...make sure it remains that way."

“You don’t like her, right, Jonginnie?” Kyungsoo accidentally blurted out.

Across the table, the older male looked at him in bewilderment, astounded that he would randomly ask that. “Whoa—what? As in me liking her?” Lips upturned. “Well, of course not, silly. I don’t know her, and I don’t think she’s my type.”

You don’t know me, Kyungsoo wanted to argue but didn’t have the courage to. And yet you took me into your home and spoiled me, completely unaware of the fact that I’m a young, barely disciplined vampire with a mad thirst for your blood.

“And besides,” Jongin added with a tone of seriousness, but his eyes were soft. “The only person I really like right now is...” He reached over to gently poke Kyungsoo on his cute button nose. “...you.”

Heat surged up to the surface of snow-white skin. Kyungsoo shyly averted his flattered gaze elsewhere while his heart thudded an irregular beat.

The remainder of dinner went by swimmingly, with Jongin ignoring the pretty waitress’s subtle hints of advancement and Kyungsoo smiling at her in sweet provocation. The burgers and fries were decently tasty (it was actually too greasy for Kyungsoo), but the petite vampire loved the milkshakes the most. Plates cleared of food, Jongin paid the bill and was nice enough to leave a tip for the persistent waitress who had slipped something into his hand.

Outside the diner, Jongin crushed the napkin cupped in his hand and impassively tossed it into a nearby trashcan, not caring if there were eight digits scribbled on it. Psh. There was no chance in hell that he was calling her.

Kyungsoo loped over to his human excitedly and tugged on his hand. “Hey-hey! Jonginnie! Can we go to the playground where we first met?”

Jongin gently squeezed the shorter boy’s mittened fingers. “If you want...” he said hesitantly. Granted, it’s been a few days since their first encounter there, but Jongin was still concerned about the memories associated with that place—good or bad. He distantly wondered if Kyungsoo was scared of that playground because of the grungy, foul-mouthed bastard who had tried to mug and hurt him, but the child didn’t seem traumatized at all.

The chipper vampire bobbed his head ardently. “Yes, please!”

Too weak-willed against the child’s wishes, Jongin helplessly complied. They hopped onto a bus that would transport them closer to where the apartment was located—which also meant the park with the playground was nearby. As the bus chugged down the streets, Kyungsoo cuddled up against the taller boy’s side in their shared seat, gravitating towards his warmth like a moth to a flame. Jongin silently peered out the window, his arm draped possessively around the raven-haired boy’s slender shoulders, absentmindedly rubbing the latter’s ample cheek with his thumb. Fifteen minutes later, it was their stop. They hustled off the bus.

“Here we are,” Jongin announced when he led Kyungsoo over to the park. The second the huge and colorful playground came into view, Kyungsoo let out a delighted giggle, detached himself from his human’s side, and rushed forward, arms out wide like an airplane. He spun around in ecstatic circles as Jongin watched him with tender mocha eyes.

“This is where we met!” proclaimed the cutie pie, beaming as he pointed at the lip of the winding slide. “I sat there and you came over to talk to me!”

“Yeah,” was Jongin’s terse comment, but his deep voice conveyed a fond and faraway tone as he reminisced about the moment when big, round eyes had captured his very soul.

The dancer leaned against the playground’s sturdy structure while Kyungsoo had his fun—swinging on the monkey bars, running across the swaying bridge, climbing up the miniature rock wall. He frequently fretted over his little one’s condition, thinking Kyungsoo might slip or fall, but, of course, the child was fine. His gracefulness and springiness was pronounced as he played, definitely resembling a feline as he swiftly moved about.

Their voices—one deep and rich, and the other clear and melodic—filled the chilly air of the park.

“Hehe! Jonginnie, look! I made it to the top of the wall!”

“Ack! Be careful, Kyungie!”

“Ooh! Jonginnie! Wanna see how fast I can spin on the merry-go-round?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea—whoa! Slow down, kid!”

“Can you push me on the swings, Jonginnie?”

A sigh. “Sure, Kyungie.”

Jongin strode over to the swings where the pale-skinned boy had situated himself on the seat suspended a good foot-and-a-half or so above the mulch-covered ground by a length of linked chains. Wanting for his little charge to calm down, the dancer gave a gentle push so the kid only swayed slowly back and forth. They fell into a fitful silence as Kyungsoo kicked his short legs every time he was nudged forward.

Kyungsoo’s voice was soft and delicate. “Jonginnie?”

“Hm?”

“If...if I had to go somewhere, would you...follow after me?”

Jongin shot a weird look at the back of Kyungsoo’s ducked head. “Yeah, of course I would, silly.” I would follow you to the ends of the earth and anything beyond that. “Why would you ask that?”

Black brows pinched together as the young vampire debated over his choice of words. “It’s because I—” He his lips nervously. “I want you to be with me forever, and I thought of this idea that will help us, but it’s... The thing is I...”

Words and images from the past flooded back to Kyungsoo.

“Baekkie? Why did Uncle let you keep the human?” Kyungsoo asked in that childish yet perceptive voice of his, a finger to his pouting lips as he stared up at his skinny cousin with his big, inquisitive eyes.

His cousin let out a bright, musical laugh. “It’s because I love him. Father doesn’t have the heart to ruthlessly kill the love of my life—especially when that human is my mate.”

Kyungsoo was only the slightest bit confused now. “But he’s still human,” he stressed. “You’re going to outlive him if he stays that way.”

The skinny vampire leaned over closer to Kyungsoo, cupping the younger one’s smooth cheek with a delicately-shaped hand. Cinnamon-brown orbs bore deep into dark chocolate. “Kyungsoo, my sweet little cousin, I had no intention of outliving him. Father and Uncle have given me permission to...Change him when he’s ready to be Changed.”

Doe eyes rounded enormously in tremendous disbelief. “Wh—what?” Kyungsoo gasped, then spoke in rapid-fired sentences. “R-really? They let you?! He’s going to become one of us? All because you really, really like him?”

The hand cupping his cheek trailed up to ruffle his neatly-combed hair. “Yup,” Baekhyun confirmed, his pretty face adorned with his trademark eye-smile. “It’s okay if you’re confused as of to the reason why, Soo. You haven’t experienced the emotions such as love and want and protectiveness before. You know what a ‘mate’ is, but not the feelings of the relationship that goes with it.”

Kyungsoo pouted grumpily at the unhelpful explanation, and Baekhyun placated him by patting his head.

“One day, when you’re older, Kyungsoo, you’ll understand the meaning and power behind love. It’ll come to you. So don’t you worry your cute, little head about it.”

“...I love you, Jongin. And as long as I love you, my Daddy won’t kill you. He can’t.”

Lips parted in speechlessness, Jongin stared at the boy sitting on the motionless swing who refused to meet his baffled gaze. A wordless moment passed, and Jongin reached out to touch the smaller boy’s slumped shoulder. “Kyungsoo, I—”

“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you.”

Jongin flinched, and Kyungsoo stiffened. The latter’s grip on the chains of the swing tightened as a low, defensive growl rumbled in the back of his throat, having recognized the soft, silky voice that interrupted Jongin.

The sun had set; night had fallen. No other souls were present aside from the one who approached the two now. This person soundlessly emerged from the shadows belonging to a set of trees; he walked with a familiar sense of patience and ease as if he owned all the time in the world. Underneath the lambent wash of the park’s lamplights, the bare parts of his snowy-white skin, like his face and neck, glowed as if it were the luminous moon in the night sky. Tints of faded burgundy made his midnight hair visible in the squinting darkness. His face resembled a statue, stony yet carved with the beautiful, detailed features of what a sculptor had envisioned to be the image of an ethereal being.

Jongin’s breath caught, stunned by the exquisite handsomeness this person exuded. Something about this man seemed familiar...as if he’s seen parts of his face before...

“Who...who are you?” he asked wondrously.

The young man halted in his footsteps, a distance of twenty yards stretching out from between him and Jongin. His eyes—round, dark, and depthless—met Jongin’s deep, tantalizing ones. His gaze was powerful and haunting, paralyzing Jongin helplessly on the spot. He spoke in a clear, razor-sharp tone.

“My name is Kim Joonmyun, human. And I’m here to bring my son home.”

Okay, I don't have a lot of time to explain, because I'm about to go hang out at my friend's house, so I hope I remember what I needed to say.

I meant for this chapter to be updated earlier, but the AFF website on my laptop is missing the text box for me to insert my chapter, so I'm posting my stories on my sibling's computers.

NOTE: I might reedit this chapter when I have the chance to. I just revised this 1/4/14!

Originally, this chapter was supposed to be filled with drama and suspense, but it dragged out too long, so it will begin in the next chapter. Sorry about that. I know every reader hates cliffies. -_-'

And to my lovelies: THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT! Hello, new subbies! My name is SapphireSeptember (or just SS), and I hope you continue to read and comment on my story! *throws heart-shaped cookies at you* <3

Here! Kaisoo!

Cr: to real owners