"And then Jacob asked me to dance, and we all started dancing, and it was really early in the morning when the party finally stopped and everyone went to bed," Chaeyoung said excitedly, looking at her parent's faces through the phone screen. The party had ended a few hours ago, and she'd managed to sleep for a bit. But her body still wasn't used to the time difference, she still wasn't used to being awake all night and sleeping all day. It was an adjustment that would take a little longer to get used to.  

It was the afternoon when she woke up, and now she was perched by one of the many windows in her room as she spoke to her parents. She'd almost cried when she saw them. It had only been a few days, but it felt like forever. She missed them. 

"Shouldn't you be asleep now?" her mother asked, her voice almost scolding. 

Chaeyoung laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Probably. But I couldn't go back to sleep, so I called you. Oh!" she said brightly, her eyes lighting up as she remembered. "I stayed up to watch the sunrise. It was beautiful and I took a bunch of pictures... but it was obviously so much prettier in real life. I'll have to send them to you," she said, tapping her chin in thought. 

Dusk and dawn were her favorite times of the day. 

Being a half-blood meant that her vision was neither as good as a human nor a vampire's. At night, she could see quite clearly, but not as well as full vampires could. During the day she could also see well, but not as well as a full human. 

It was during dusk and dawn, the transition points of the day, when she could see the best. Those moments between light and dark were when she felt the happiest and safest. 

"You better," her dad said, his eyes joking. "You seem really happy. Are you... are you happier there?" 

Chaeyoung frowned, chewing on her bottom lip. She didn't want to admit it to her parents... but she was. She really was. Younghoon and his vampire friends accepted her wholeheartedly, and she already liked them way more than any humans she'd ever met. Except her father, that is. She loved her father, and she didn't want to hurt him by admitting she liked being with the vampires better. She opened her mouth, ready to say that she liked being in the human and vampire world, she liked it exactly the same. But her parents were both looking at her knowingly, and she closed her mouth again, words failing her. 

"I'm sorry," her dad said after a moment, she saw her mother reach for his hand. "I selfishly kept you here for so long," he said softly. "I'm sorry you suffered because of me." 

"If I suffered in the human world, it wasn't because of you," she assured him. "It's because of those other annoying humans. Honestly, why can't they all be as cool and accepting as you?" she joking, tilting her head and staring at her father through the screen, relieved when the sadness melted from his face and he laughed. 

"We talked about sending you to the vampire nation," he told her. "Many times. But we always decided that... we wanted to stay together. All of us. I can't go there, as you know." Her father frowned. "Maybe it would be better if you both stayed there together-" 

"No," her mother said, cutting him off. "I made my choice a long time ago. I'm staying here with you," she said, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder. 

"You guys are so cute," Chaeyoung sighed, watching them. "And I am so single." 

Her parents laughed, and her mother blinked at the camera curiously. "Have you met any particularly nice vampires? And handsome ones?" 

"Mom, they're literally all nice, and all handsome," she said dramatically, fanning herself with one hand. "I'm low-key crushing on all of them," she half-joked, making her parents laugh again. "But seriously, next time I call I'll try to introduce you guys to some of them, okay?" 

"Deal," her father said, and her mother nodded in agreement. 

"Now go to sleep," her mom said gently. "You have to get used to sleeping during the day." 

Chaeyoung gazed wistfully outside her window, watching the sunlight glisten on the flowers below, making them sparkle in a golden hue. She wanted to go outside, but just nodded, knowing her mother was right. She had to get used to this new schedule. 

"Alright, I'm going. Goodnight! Or... um... good afternoon?" she asked, laughing and shaking her head at herself. "Anyway, bye," she said, waving at her parents before ending the call and going back to her giant bed.