Chapter 25

Han Jisung

"I talk like your parents? Huh?" I muttered, confused.

"Yeah. The only difference is you care about the people you're trying to get away from you. But they? No. Never." I can sense pain and sadness in his voice.

He must have gone through a lot because of his parents.

Like me...

"I heard your parents wanted you to take over their business?" I asked him quietly, stealing a glance at his face.

He was looking up at the sky. His hair was moving with the breeze of the wind. His eyes look sad.

"Yeah, they do. I didn't say no because I wanted to pursue being a producer. It's just... That business..." I waited for him to continue his sentence, not wanting to butt in since I was pretty curious.

"That business isn't for me. I don't want to have anything related to it. I honestly didn't want to be with them. That's the last thing I would want to happen."

I sighed, those words hitting home.

"You know what, you basically summed up my life and my family with those words." I chuckled deeply, shaking my head softly.

"Now that you said that, I don't really know much about you. I know it wasn't your choice that we're tied now but you know, we need to know more about each other."

"What for?"

"Just so we know what each other is like. We might stay with each other for God knows how long."

"You first. I'm not comfortable about other people knowing what I've gone through." I mumbled, my voice lifeless as I sighed.

"It's alright, Jisung. I understand. It might be tough. For that, I'll grant your wish and I'll go first. But you must share a bit about yourself after I'm done."

"Deal." I can feel his eyes on me but I didn't look back. I kept staring at the passing clouds, wondering what it will be like after Luther conquered the land.

How it'll be like after we failed to stop him.

"Okay. So... I've been always the 'bad guy' since elementary. I've made so many people cry and bleed. I was nearly sent to jail because of my actions at a very young age." He started his story a bit too dark.

"My parents couldn't even admit that I was their own son when they were called by the police. They wanted to disown me and have me live behind bars." He continued, moving a bit to change his position to something a bit more comfortable.

"I didn't know my parents' business. They're rarely home and that made me a rebel. That's why I kept hurting people around me. I just didn't care since I thought my parents didn't care about me even though I'm obviously hurting."

"If you look at me as a child, I was pretty complicated and problematic. People around me must have thought that I'll grow up being a psychopath or a serial killer at some point." He chuckled, shaking his head.

I kept staring at him, listening to him intently. I wanted to know everything about him even though it's nothing like I expected. I thought it'll be a bit brighter since he was human. But I guess not all humans got a happy and peaceful childhood and life.

"Then I discovered the wondrous world of Vampires. The creatures I once didn't care about even if I found out one day that they're real." He mumbled giddily.

"You sound so excited talking about Vampires even though you're talking to one now and you're obviously living with them now." I shook my head, running my fingers through my hair to send them back, revealing my forehead.

"Hey! Shush! I'm still not done!" He whined, looking back at me with a small pout. I chuckled before nodding.

"Go on, I'm sorry." As if on cue, his pout disappeared and his eyes twinkled. I couldn't help but smile softly.

"Then I started to change, miraculously. My parents and the people around me noticed it. I was starting to go to school, carrying books about Vampires. My parents often found me in my room or in the living room, watching every movie and series that have Vampire casts in them. I was obsessed with them when I was young."

"And then my parents talked to me one day. They told me everything about their job and why they have to leave me with my nanny every now and then." He looked at my eyes, smiling bitterly.

"They're hunters. Not just regular hunters but hunters of weird creatures lurking in the dark. They kill people they thought are Vampires. That's how they explained it to me." His voice faded more and more as he continued speaking.

My instincts got the best of me and I pulled him into a soft hug. My body just moved on its own and I didn't even think about Felix or Changbin anymore.

I wanted to comfort him.

"They're constantly killing people that are proven to be a real human after on. It's disgusting. They're with a hidden agency and they wanted me to be a hunter too. They told me because I know a lot about Vampires, it'll be easy for me to found out if that person is a Vampire or not." His voice was laced with sadness.

"I didn't believe them because Vampires aren't real, right? I packed my things and left. And the rest is about me going to dorms and going to your university." He sighed, hiding his face on my chest.

"I thought vampires aren't real and if they're real, I wouldn't kill them. I wouldn't hunt for them. No... I wanted to be with them. I want to see them. I wanted to live with them. It's my dreams."

"You're with us now, Minho. You've seen us. You're living with us. Did we fulfill your dreams?" I whispered in his head, wrapping my arms around him tighter.

He nodded slowly, looking up to my eyes. He smiled softly.

"Of course. My dreams are already fulfilled. Your auras are different from us. Your eyes are different from us. Just everything about you is different from us and I love it." He giggled softly, shaking his head.

"It's just, I still couldn't believe you all are real. I kept thinking I'll wake up one day, find out that it's all a dream and none of this is real." I wish this is all a dream.

"I wish this is all a dream too, Minho. I wish I'm not a Vampire and Vampires aren't real. I wish none of this hatred and anger inside me is real." I whispered again, smiling bitterly.

"Don't worry. I'm here. I'll try to be worthy to be around you. I'll try to understand you. I'll try not to hurt you." He mumbled softly, his eyes full of worry and concern.

"Don't worry about it. None of this is your fault and you don't need to do anything. But I need you to pick between two things." I slowly let go of him, sighing softly.

I need to do this. I don't want to force him more.

"What is it? Tell me. I'll pick honestly." He smiled softly.

"Changbin or me."

"W-what... Why do you ask that so suddenly..." He mumbled, looking away from me. His smile faltered as he gulped.

"If you pick Changbin, I'll let you go. If you pick me, I'll keep you beside me and protect you. But even though you pick Changbin, I'll still protect you even though you're not beside me." I was hoping for him to pick me.

I promised myself I wouldn't fall for someone else after what happened to Homin but I couldn't help myself. Maybe being tied with him also affect this desire for him to be mine.

Even though, technically he's already mine.

"If I pick you, I'll need to tell Changbin myself, right...?" He mumbled softly, unsure of what to do.

"Yeah... Look. I know this is a hard decision for you bu-" My words were brought to a stop when he spoke.

"You! I pick you!" He exclaimed, his eyes got filled with tears.

I immediately cupped his cheeks, caressing them with my thumbs. "Hey, hey..."

"Look, I know it's hard but you need to be strong, okay? We'll face Changbin and Felix together. If they do or say something bad to you, I'll say it's my fault so they won't need to blame you, okay? Come on, cheer up. You've cried so much already because of me."

I couldn't stop it. The loud and fast beating of my heart. The happiness radiating all over my body. The butterflies in my stomach.

I know this isn't the time to feel this but I couldn't help it. I want Minho to pick me and he did.

He looked up to me, trying so hard to blink his tears away.

"What if Changbin and Felix hate me after my decision? What if they hate you after my decision?" He mumbled quietly, his hands latching onto my shirt, gripping it slightly.

"Don't worry, hate won't make me feel bad. All I need to see is you smiling and I'm already fine. If they hate you, I'll do everything for them not to hate you even if it means that they could do anything to me."

"We'll face them together and explain everything to them. Together. You and me. Don't worry about it, you big baby." I couldn't help but be soft in front of him.

It's been a while since Homin... Nevermind. This is Minho, not Homin.

"You and me. Together. Promise?" He whispered, pouting slightly.

"Promise."