[5 years after the prologue] 

<Taehyung's POV>

It is well known that young vampires have to study hard and practice their skills to be the best and honour their family. Taehyung is no exception. Though he was known to be the best student in his classes, he never really put any efforts in anything. As long as he succeeds, why try harder? What's the point of being the best anyways? Life is long when you're immortal. There is a lot to accomplish... His father always pushes him to be the best but he can't be bothered; Taehyung would much rather enjoy his time with his friends Seokjin and Namjoon in the library or the winery. 

Things that are so official, like school, ceremonies, or even balls, always bore Taehyung to death. He hates dressing up and having to put on a smile in front of high ranked people to get "connections" as his mother says. Ugh... What was the point? Taehyung wasn't interested in power, or wealth, or knowledge, or anything like that. No, what he loved was adventure, the thrill of something new and unknown... Something like what he felt that night five years ago when he dreamed about that boy with green eyes in the forest. In fact, he wasn't even sure it was a dream... It felt unreal. For the first time, something unexpected happened, and he remembers that night ever since. For the first time, his life wasn't a predictable routine of fake laughing and bad champagne. 

Sigh... He hates looking at his reflection when he's getting pampered up. He hates the way his hair are slicked back like when he was still a kid, he hates how flat it looks, he hates the clothes they make him wear... But he has to deal with it doesn't he? For his family. Since he is part of a higher ranked family in the Kim clan, his presentation matters most. He is well aware anything he does or says impacts his family and their honour. Such a pain... He just stares into his own bored and plain eyes, zoning out as his maid finishes dressing him up in his least favourite suit that his mother insisted he should wear. 

"It's a very important ceremony, son, probably the most important of your life!" she said as she was looking in his closet just an hour ago. 

Taehyung scoffed. The most important of his life? If that was supposed to be the most important, then everything else seems even more boring and pointless. Every vampires his age were probably nervous or excited about this ceremony but Taehyung just couldn't wait for it to be over already, even though it hasn't even started yet. 

"You look so beautiful..." 

His mother's voice interrupts his internal ranting. He looks over at her, and notices she is wearing her favourite dark red velvet dress, the one she keeps only for the rarest occasions. He forces a smile as she comes closer, a proud look in her eyes. She comes and stands behind him, fixing a few details, looking at him through his reflection;

"You will make us so proud, Taehyung, I know it. You will be such a strong alpha, like your father, I can feel it!" 

He tried to return his mother's excitement with a smile, but deep down, he couldn't care less. Whatever his rank was, he didn't care. That was the whole point of the ceremony; classify young vampires at the end of their studies into ranks depending on their powers and grades. For now, the only thing keeping him going was his family. He wouldn't be able to bear breaking his mother's heart, or upsetting his father or destroy the status he worked so hard to reach... He doesn't want to fail and disappoint them. 

"You look pretty too, mother..." he replies softly in his deep voice, looking down shyly as she gives him a fond smile and pecks his cheek. 

"You are such a gentleman..." she sighs, cupping his face.

"Stop, mom-" he blushes, embarrassed, and pushes his mother's hands away gently. She giggles a little and nods.

"Fine, fine, just meet me and your father outside, the ceremony is about to begin..." She leaves after saying those words and abandons Taehyung alone with his thoughts again. 

There was one thing he was looking forward to for this boring party, however. One little detail that could make things so much more exciting; the fact that other vampire clans are attending this ceremony. This is also when the leaders of each four clans choose an apprentice to take their place as the next generation of clan leaders. It is a tradition for the future clan leaders to meet on that one night, the turning point of any young vampire's life happens tonight, and that is the one thing that motivates Taehyung to go a little. Who knows, maybe he will be there? Who am I kidding... It was just a dream.