Changjo couldn't believe his eyes. In his arms, lying limp, is his beloved Salma. Lifeless. Dead.

When the realization caught up to him, he let out a loud cry. One could only hear from a hurt animal in the forest. Its cry echoing from the mountains and giving chill of terror down people's spine.

Well, that is how Changjo is right now. He couldn't believe that he just killed his beloved one. That he's the one who took her precious life. He let his thirst win over his rational thinking and just went on with his feast without thinking.

He sat there grieving over her. Coiled up, he took her in his arms and caress her cheeks that's growing pale and cold by the minute. He tried to call out her name. Shake her to wake her up. But no response. She just lie there motionless. Lifeless.

This is all their fault. They schemed this up to trap me. This is the ultimate punishment you thought to give me? Changjo has been fuming with anger as he stood up and face his fellow vampires that are still cloaking behind the shadows. Fired up by agony and rage, Changjo moved to strike each one of them.

He focus his strength to his legs to make them move faster. But when he's about to land his first punch, he found no one there. He quickly turned the other corner and still find no one there. Could they have fled quickly upon realizing what he might do to them? He might not be the strongest vampire in their group but given that Minsoo is his maker, his power is no laughing matter. He knows it for himself, and he is sure that the Elders know of that as well.

He is fuming with anger. How can they mock him like this? How dare they scheme a plot where he would be driven to kill the only girl he loves?

He was about to fled out of there and hunt each of them down when a grave realization hit him. Hit him hard. So hard that he slumped down on the floor as though a cannon just struck him. He went down on his knees, his forehead rubbing the floor. He's crying. He couldn't believe just what happened.

Nobody has been there in the first place. It was all him. It was his vivid representation of the thoughts running inside his head the moment he smelled that blood. It was all him. No one pushed him into it. It was all his doing. He killed Salma.

Changjo crawled towards his beloved. He couldn't muster the strength to stand. He crawled and crawled until he's beside her again. That's when he's silent cries turned into cries you wouldn't believe coming from a man. Changjo is so hurt that he couldn't even control the volume of his cries. He cry and cry not minding that it's far exceeding a human's hearing.

He heard commotion building up. He heard Minsoo. Oh yes, he heard Minsoo. He's flying towards him. To his aid. But he is too spent to care about whatever it is he is saying. He feels so tired to even continue living.

--------

It's been way past over a year when Changjo found himself walking the same alley where he first met the girl that made him see the world in a brigher light. She made him see the world as a beautiful place to live in. She was the star in his dark nights. She was sole flower that blooms in a vast field of grass. She was one of a kind. And she was gone..

When he woke up after blocking out that very day outside of his cell, it was Minsoo who was waiting for him. Though why he is out of his cell and into Minsoo's mansion, he couldn't tell for sure. He was obviously puzzled why they let him live and didn't got killed right then and there after breaking that door and killing a human.

Killing a human..

His thoughts drifted back to how he killed his beloved one. Automatically, his tears started welling out of his eyes. Though for them, it's no ordinary tears. It's blood. He would pass to be a blessed saint with his perfectly smooth face and his eyes welling out blood. But he couldn't care about anything right now. He wants the world to swallow him whole. To stop this suffering.

He wanted to do what Minsoo has been doing when everything has proved to be too much for him to handle. Right. He decided to do just that. Even with Minsoo's protests, he went out that night to bury himself on the ground. He will stay there until he can face the world again. He knows that putting an end to his existence wouldn't do any good. It would only favor the Elders so he's not giving them that satisfaction.

He will keep on living. Keep on walking this earth. But before he could do that, he needed to hide away first. Hide away from anybody. Hide away from everybody. And the heart of the earth seems the best place for him.

And so he buried himself. It's actually enchanting how the earth opened up to welcome him when he willed it. It opened and made room for him. Then it closed against him into a cold and damp embrace.

And now as he walk that same alley again, it's as though everything has been turned back from the way it started. The night is chilly with the winter air, the soft drops of rain drenching him. But he's too occupied with his memories of the past to even notice anything around him. After burying himself down and finally deciding to come out and live again, he decided to try to live this time trying to do the things he used to do before meeting her.

Is he going to forget all about her to stop the pain? No. Absolutely not. He decided to continue living in behalf of her. Since it's him that took her life away, it's only fair that he live this time with the thoughts of another life depending on him. Just trying to reason this out might sound strange to some. But this are the thoughts that made him decide to live again. To continue living despite the pain and suffering.

He stopped walking. That's when he noticed someone staring at him as though the person has seen a ghost. The rain has started to pour heavier now. The person staring bewildered at him is all covered up with thick clothing to combat the cold of the winter night air. Though he couldn't see the face, something inside him is telling him that this person know him. Know who he is. Know what he is.

He contemplated on approaching the person. But he's busy with his wandering that he decided to just ignore it and continue walking.

One word stopped him though.

“Changjo.” It was softly spoken. As though in disbelief or in utter surprise. But he couldn't mistake the voice. It's... Salma's.

He quickly turned to look at the person still standing there staring at him. He erased the space between them so quick that the surprise in her eyes is evident when he moved and pulled down the hood of her jacket from covering her small face.

Then and there he saw her. He saw Salma. She is his Salma.

He couldn't believe what he is seeing. He couldn't form words to speak. He can feel himself shivering. Not because of the cold. Certainly not. He couldn't believe that the another lifetime that he's been dreaming to come, that another lifetime where he wishes to meet with her again, is finally here in front of him. How could this miracle happen?

Changjo didn't waste a single second and quickly pulled her into him. He hugged her tight. So tight it assured her that he's never letting go any second. She hugged him back. For a time, they stood there under the rain, drenched, but without care. Their hearts are singing in glee that they could be together again.

He bent down to kiss her. The kiss was deep. Full of longing and love. Passionate. When he pulled away, he remained staring at her eyes. He still couldn't believe how this can happen. Thousands of thoughts came running inside his head about the possibilities how Salma can be alive.

From the millions of thoughts and possibilities, one thing stood out from the rest... Minsoo.

--------

“Did you made her into a vampire?” Niel asked.

“Nope. I did not.” Minsoo answered.

“Then how come she's alive? I thought Changjo killed her?”

“No, he didn't.”

“Can you be more vague and just fill me in with what happened?” Niel sounded irritated. Sometimes, Minsoo's lack of emotion really gets into his nerves. But he also knows that no matter what, Minsoo is on the side of his fledglings. That's why he couldn't really stray away from him.

Minsoo heaved a sigh and switched his weight from one leg to the other. The two of them are standing on top of a building, looking down on the busy street where Changjo and Salma has been bathing in the rain.

“Changjo didn't really killed her. He stopped right before he could drink the last drop of her blood. Now, for a human, that can be fatal. But that girl, Salma, she's strong for her kind. Though her heart stopped beating for a few seconds, it started to beat again and continue beating until her condition was stabalized. By that time, Changjo has been in total black out that even I couldn't shake him off of his sleep. We tried what we can to nurse the girl back to her health. Losing almost all of your blood is no easy matter.”

“But you could give her your blood, right? Why didn't you do it?”

“I didn't because I don't want.”

“Why?”

“It's for Changjo to decide whether he's going to turn her into one of us or not.”

“But you could give her a drop of your blood and that wouldn't turn her into a vampire. It would only make her recover faster. So why didn't you do it?”

Minsoo stared at Niel for a few seconds as though what he's telling him is pure gibberish and that he couldn't comprehend a thing he said.

Finally, he heaved a sigh.

“I didn't thought of that.” Then he smiled. Much to Niel's annoyance.

A/N: Now now! It's finally done!! Yay! What do you think of this? Better ending, right? Hahaha! It's funny how you didn't noticed that it's not yet labeled as “Completed” :-P. Well now, it is complete! Thank you for reading and I hope you had a great time with this short birthday story of mine.

Can you support my on-going fanfic then? It's titled, My Detective Babysitter. :)

Thank you!

This has been Takeshima Taki.

Over and out!