┈━ ◇ ━┈

"Wake up, my child!" the soft caress on his head woke him up.

Where was he? How did he fall asleep? Was it even sleep that befall him after all?

"Kim Taehyung," his name finally stirred him awake from a sleep that felt like a deep slumber.

The hand on his head brushed the hair strands away from his face and eyes as he opened them. The touch was gentle and he couldn't sense anything negative from it. He relaxed instantly before getting up and looking at the person who had been calling his name.

"How have you been, dear?" the voice was unfamiliar yet there was something familiar about it, a known accent and touch of something that was once his own.

"Who are you?" he regained his posture quickly as he lowered his eyes on the lady in front of him.

She was undoubtedly gorgeous, adorning a beautiful, full length dress. She looked like a living angel. Her facial features were extremely soft and her hair had a motherly air around it. Her lips stretched up in a subtle smile as she opened her mouth to speak.

"It is not the most important thing right now. You would not remember me anyways. I just wanted to pay you a little visit in case I do not get the chance again."

Who was this suspicious woman?

"Huh? Why? I do not get anything you are saying, lady." Taehyung asked, confused.

For a while, the lady thought about what to say and then spoke in a soft tone, "just think of me as a mother figure. I have seen you grow up, my dear. You probably do not remember your childhood by now, which is why I am unknown to you."

"Um, okay? I suppose, you are not a threat. What is your purpose of showing up in front of me right now?"

His head felt heavy and he had difficulty maintaining his strength, but he managed to keep his head high in dignity.

"You will realise why this can be my last visit to you after you read that book in your hand." she gestured towards the book he had been holding in his hands. He didn't even realise that he had it with him all this time.

He didn't speak, just glanced at the book and waited for her to continue.

"In this life, I have seen you make countless decisions and have supported them while watching you from afar. To say this, I am very delighted and proud of you that you have grown up into a responsible adult."

"Adult?" Taehyung couldn't help but let out a small laugh, "sorry, but I have been an adult for a while now. It just sounded funny."

The lady only smiled when she saw him laugh like that. It was endearing.

"Right. I should not forget that you are a vampire. But first, you were my child, and that is what matters to me. I will keep an eye on you, to make sure that you have a peaceful and normal life ahead. For now, I wish you all the best for what decisions you have to make." she finished with a smile.

She clearly knew something that was still unknown to him.

Taehyung couldn't remember when he had seen the woman, there was no way he could but, he was sure that she wasn't lying. Her words felt pure and innocent, full of good-will and that put him at ease.

If he could be honest, he fully believed whatever she said. About him being her child. He couldn't question it no matter what. There was just something about her eyes that felt familiar.

They also glistened like small fireflies in a calm forest. It reminded him of his own two pair of orbs. That was it!

It couldn't be false.

"Are you... really my mother?" he asked hesitantly.

Her smile enlarged, "I am everyone's mother. All the animals, trees and even insects in this forest are my children and so are you. Although, I do have a special bond with you and that is why I am here today."

"So, it is true," he muttered, followed by a nod.

"Well then, I hope you are ready?" she asked, extending a hand towards him.

"Mhm?" he subconsciously raised his hand to touch hers even if his face was full of confusion.

And darkness engulfed him. All of a sudden, his surroundings went utterly silent. As if he was thrown into a void of nothingness, he was trapped in silence.

His eyes could see nothing, nor his ears could hear a single noice. At times like this, you would go crazy to hear just anything or to see a little ray of light even if it meant blinding your eyes.

"Open your eyes and walk out. He is waiting for you." a voice guided him as he dared to open his eyes that he didn't know he had closed.

When he finally opened them, the familiar scenery welcomed him. He was still in the same room. He couldn't feel the tremors anymore and so, he thought that it would be safe to get out of there before anything else happens.

The door gave him the way out of the mansion and he didn't look back even once. Although his mind was filled with various thoughts, things were slowly but clearly making sense to him now.

He couldn't be sure but he had a hunch about who the woman was.

Now, he only had to read what was inside the book.

▹◃┄▸◂┄▹◃┄▸◂┄▹◃┄▸◂┄▹◃

"Are you alright? Are you hurt somewhere? Let me see,"

Jungkook ran towards him as soon as he saw his silhouette from afar. His eyes were wavering and were quick to scan Taehyung's face and body for any injuries. His hands roamed around his arms to find anything unusual but his brows relaxed when he found nothing suspicious.

"I am fine," Taehyung replied, a sense of relief in his voice when he looked at Jungkook, "and I am glad that you are safe."

"What happened? Where were you all this time? The earthquake stopped long ago." Jungkook asked after he was sure that Taehyung was fine.

"I... met someone." he answered, looking straight into his eyes.

"Met someone?"

"Let us go back and I will tell you everything," Taehyung clutched the younger's hand in his without any hesitation and started walking.

Once at the vampire's mansion, Taehyung sat them down in the living room before he explained everything to Jungkook.

"So, do you know who she was?" Jungkook asked.

"I do," he replied simply. His eyes were staring out into the woods as he pondered over it and then continued, "although I can never be sure, I think I am right. As Namjoon hyung said, no one knows my origin and as strange as it sounds, she might just be the source of my origin."

"You mean to say that she was your mother?!" the shock was evident on his face.

"She did say so," Taehyung shrugged.

"Then, what did she mean by the last visit? And why hadn't she ever paid you a visit before?" apparently, Jungkook had a lot of questions.

"No idea," another nonchalant shrug and Taehyung stood up from the sofa.

"Where are you going?" Jungkook asked, standing up as well.

"To the bedroom," he was still in a spiral of thoughts.

"Wait, then what about the book? Aren't we reading it now?" he complained, following Taehyung to the room.

But Taehyung said nothing and kept walking.

"Hey, are you ignoring me?!" Jungkook was ready to throw hands.

"How can I?" Taehyung finally stopped, turning around to face him.

"Then why won't you say anything?" Jungkook whined.

"Jungkook, sweetheart, I understand what you are trying to say but, I do not think we are ready for whatever is in that book of yours. By the sound of that kind lady's words, it does not seem like anything normal to me."

"Uh, I mean, you're right but-"

"No, buts, do you not want to meet up with your friends first?" now, this was enough to distract him.

"I do!" he was quick to answer and it put a smile on Taehyung's face.

"Let us go, I will let Namjoon hyung know."

▹◃┄▸◂┄▹◃┄▸◂┄▹◃┄▸◂┄▹◃

"I thought I'd never see you again, Jk." Hobi was clearly close to tears.

"How wouldn't you? We promised to get through this together," he said as he patted Hobi's back. For what felt like forever, that hug actually lasted quite a while.

After hearing that, Hobi's hands felt limp though!

He moved away to look at Jungkook, "I don't think we deserve to say that. We didn't really go through it together. You had to do everything on your own. It still pains me to think about it."

"Huh?" Jungkook exclaimed in confusion.

Hobi glanced at Taehyung.

"He does not know anything," he said while avoiding their gaze.

"For real?" Jimin stepped out, surprised, "well, I thought you guys were already lovey-dovey, I didn't think there'd be any secrets here-"

"Jimin!" Jin stopped him before he could say anything more.

"What is he saying, Tae?" Jungkook turned to him, a faint smile still present on his face.

"They have been here all this time. They did not have to go through as many things as you may have thought."

"What? Would you mind elaborating it a bit?" Jungkook asked, surprisingly composed.

"Wow, never thought I'd hear him speak such fancy words," Jimin whispered to Yoongi.

"Shut up for a while, will you?" Yoongi whispered back. Jimin shook his head but went silent.

"All the time that we have been playing the game, your friends have been here, in the mansion only." Taehyung said, eyes on Jungkook. He was going to be sincere about whatever he says.

"Then, does that mean their lives were never in danger?" Jungkook was flabbergasted now.

If what he was thinking was true then, the game would really be a child's play. He could be considered as a fool.

"That would still not be true. Although they were not physically present and what you saw was the combination of your true perception of their personalities and their own real inner self, whatever happens to that image of them would surely affect them sooner or later. In short, their lives somewhat depended on what happens to their illusions." Taehyung broke it down in the simplest way he could.

"Oh," was all Jungkook could say.

"That means, we were sitting here with our hearts on our sleeves. Crazy!" Jimin couldn't stop himself again.

"But we trusted you, Jungkook-ah!" Jin came forward, putting a hand on his shoulder which brought him back.

"I knew that you're smart and strong enough to get through it!" Yoongi also joined in.

This certainly brought him near to tears.

"You guys-" he covered his face, putting his forearm in front of his eyes, voice muffled.

"Aw, there, there!" Hobi, who was standing just next to him, pulled him into another warm hug.

"I'm just happy that we're all safe and sound," Jungkook sniffled, speaking even though he was trying not to cry.

"Give him to me," Taehyung said, more like ordered and Hobi was intimidated enough to hand him over to the vampire in no time.

Taehyung, without any change in his expressions, embraced him in his cold arms as he slowly calmed down. Jungkook didn't resist at all and this was something that they were all seeing for the first time.

"Wow," Jimin was just really unhinged today.

"Jimin, I swear-" Yoongi started to threaten him but Jimin gave in first.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." not ruining the romantic atmosphere anymore. Who knows, he might still be feeling a little jealous? Jungkook hadn't found the chance to ask him about it yet.

But this was certainly not the right time to talk about it.

"It's not even that bad, Jk, why are you crying?" Jin laughed, lightening up the mood a little.

"It isn't, I think I just wanted to cry, no matter the reason." Jungkook finally looked at them, wiping away the last bits of tears from his cheeks.

"So, are you guys...?" Jin attempted to ask without actually asking.

"What do you think, hyung? This vampire probably did some magic on me, wouldn't you agree?" Jungkook said in a cheerful tone.

"Vampires can't do magic, sweetheart."

"Mine can,"

Taehyung: 1 ; Jungkook: 1

"Oh, my! Look at them go," Hobi commented as they both stared at each other.

Jungkook had a sly grin on his face, the one that said, 'I know I got you this time!' And Taehyung was truly taken aback. He wasn't expecting him to be so bold in front of his friends.

"If we are openly flirting now, should I step up my game too, hm?" Taehyung crossed his arms in front his chest, the soft fabric of his loosely fitted shirt's sleeve dangling elegantly.

"Um, you sound dangerous Taehyung." Jungkook quickly put his feet back on the ground. It seems, he'd been floating on cloud nine ever since he got to meet his friends again.

"Very well, then, if you are done talking to them, shall we leave?" Taehyung asked.

"Um, I was thinking..." Jungkook trudged closer to him, almost speaking into his ears, "can I get some more time with them? I promise I'll be back once the sun sets. I still have so much more I need to talk to them."

Taehyung glanced at all of them and sighed, he couldn't refuse Jungkook's doe eyes.

"Alright, find me in the bedroom."

"Sweet! Thanks," he cheered and planted a smooching kiss on Taehyung's left cheek.

Jimin almost gasped at his friend's boldness. What had Taehyung done to him?

Taehyung just nodded as he turned around, ears slowly turning red and quietly exited the room.

Taehyung: 1 ; Jungkook: 2

Jungkook sure was having the time of his life teasing him.

"Ahem!" Jin cleared his throat, sensing the tense atmosphere.

Everyone bursted out laughing at that. Jungkook just shyly laughed along.

He wanted to ask about Jin's condition and also, if time permitted, settle things with Jimin too. He didn't want to keep anything unfinished anymore.

The book was still waiting for him anyways. And it was a total mystery too.

■□■□

Vote and comment please! Sorry for the delay! <3 I love you all! ♡