CHAPTER FOURTEEN : "Newfound Bond"

•••

Hongjoong POV:

Waking up to sunlight cascading through the window in its usual fashion, my eyes fluttered open to welcome the start of another day. After last night's unexpected encounter, I felt a deep concern looming over me about Seonghwa. There was a gut feeling that something was wrong, but despite my attempts of getting any sort of answers from his friend, I was left with accepting my newfound position in the matter.

"I hope you're okay..." I whispered to myself. However, the moment I realized the words left my lips, I brushed it off quickly before scolding myself. "Stop that, Hongjoong. You don't know him at all."

As I composed myself to get out from under the sheets, a sudden smell of food began to make its way into my bedroom. My eyes grew wide in shock before darting out to the kitchen, catching sight of Wooyoung cooking with a smile plastered on his face. "What the hell do you think you are doing?!"

Wooyoung turned to me and his smile grew wider. "Good morning! And I'm cooking breakfast, silly!"

"Obviously...but I did not give you permission to do that?"

"Well, based on your lack of actual food and..." he paused, surveying me up and down slowly before continuing, "your unique figure, I decided to get you some groceries and at least contribute in providing you meals. You need to eat, or else Seonghwa will have my head."

The mentioning of Seonghwa brought a faint blush to my cheeks, but I refocused my attention on the indirect comment on my body. "I'll have you know, my job requires me to be as fit as possible."

Wooyoung playfully rolled his eyes before turning his attention back on his task. "Your job doesn't say you shouldn't eat, and trust me, Seonghwa is worried about you in more ways than one."

"Fine, how much did the groceries cost? I'll pay you back right now!"

"Don't worry about all of that!" The male giggled, "you're under his protection, which means you don't have to pay for anything."

Part of me couldn't help but feel a wave of happiness wash over me at the gesture, a gesture where for once someone had wanted to take care of me without any sort of consequence in return. Although, another part of me felt hesitant in accepting such a thing, as all I knew was the mindset of give and take.

Never in my life would I have imagined meeting a vampire, let alone meeting another one with an abundance amount of joy radiating off him..

With a heavy sigh, I turned around to head to the bathroom, muttering quietly while fighting the blush threatening to rise onto my cheeks. "Whatever..."

"Don't take too long, the food will be ready in a few minutes~!" Wooyoung yelled in a singing tone.

"I will be out in a minute!"

Reaching my bathroom, I shut the door before letting out a sigh of relief. Replaying the conversation with the male last night back in my head, I felt a mixture of gratitude and resentment.

"We need to have ground rules, okay? These are non-negotiable." I stated firmly.

Wooyoung nodded as we made it back to my apartment. "I'm listening!"

Shutting off the car engine, I sighed. "You can stay in my living room since I have a pull-out bed in the couch, but I don't think you'll even need it since I doubt you sleep."

"Well I usually don't, but sometimes I take naps to rest. So, thank you."

"Right, um..." I paused, "please don't rearrange anything. I have my apartment set up in a specific way for a reason."

Wooyoung grinned. "Understood. Anything else?"

"I have my job to still do, so you need to allow me to do it without any sort of pressure." I added firmly.

"I can do that, but I'll still be protecting you. Even if it's from a distance. I won't interfere unless necessary."

"I'm already regretting this..."

Finishing through my oral routine, I mentally prepared myself for the day filled with the male who was tasked with protecting me. The idea itself was ridiculous, but based on the determination he held to uphold his task, I decided to accept it for the time being. All he was doing was completing an assignment, and just as I would for my own, I'd be determined to complete it to the best of my ability.

Stepping out the bathroom, I trotted back towards the kitchen and noticed a full display of food arranged on the table. There were dishes including fruit, kimchi pancakes, omelettes, and other side dishes. Wooyoung hesitantly spoke as he stood beside his chosen chair. "I hope you like this? Maybe if you don't, I can make something else? Or maybe it's too much food for-"

"Wooyoung stop..."

"It is too much, isn't it? Okay, I can take some off the table and then we can-"

"Wooyoung," I sighed, taking my seat at the table with a genuine smile on my face, "it's fine. It's actually the first time in years since I've ever had a real breakfast like this...so...thank you..."

I could see the tension in his shoulders ease up and slowly, a smile grew onto his lips as he sat down happily. "Really?! I feel so much better hearing that, and don't worry, whatever you don't finish, I'll just pack up for later so it doesn't go to waste."

"I'd appreciate that..."

A comfortable silence encompassed us as Wooyoung watched me eat, and I couldn't help but wonder about who he was. Had he been born as a vampire, or was he turned into one just like the rumors surrounding Seonghwa. If I had to guess, I would assume he was the latter end of the spectrum.

Placing my fork down for a moment, I glanced up at the male who raised an eyebrow at me in return. "I am just curious...are you always this happy?"

The question seemed to catch him off guard as his smile faded away. However, a small giggle escaped his lips as he shook his head. "If I'm being honest with you, the answer is no. It's just easier being happy instead of dwelling on my dark thoughts all the time."

"You're probably wondering if I was born this way or turned, right?"

My eyes grew wide and he laughed once again. "I promise I didn't read your mind, but it's the usual question. To put it simply, I was turned when I was ten years old."

"You don't have to share your story with me..." I said softly, picking back up my fork to continue eating, "it's not my business to pry into your life."

"Would it help you trust me more?" Wooyoung asked curiously. "I want us to at least be on understanding terms if I'm going to be around you for the time being."

"It's your choice, either way. I'm not forcing you."

Wooyoung smiled. "I think I'll share, and maybe it'll help you understand Seonghwa a little better in the long run..."

Once again, the mention of his name perked my ears as my eyes darted up again at the male. "So it's true...? He was also turned into a vampire?"

"Mhm..." he paused, picking up a strawberry to munch on before continuing, "but that's his story to tell, not mine. I have a feeling my story will catch you off guard."

"Doubtful, but I'm game."

For dramatics, Wooyoung cleared his throat. "Before I was a vampire, I was a normal kid to a two-parent household. Only child too, but my lifestyle itself was the picture-perfect visual of the ideal family on the outside..."

"However, there wouldn't be a night where I wouldn't get beaten by my father or burn with cigarettes by my mother. I endured that life from the age of four until the fateful day I was turned, which was actually on my birthday."

Placing my fork down, my eyes remained glued on the male as he told his story, and I couldn't help but feel eerie similarities to my own story as he continued.

Wooyoung leaned back into the chair as he spoke, his eyes closed while uttering each word. "My birthday was the one day I'd be spared of beatings, and I thoroughly enjoyed that about it. However, on each birthday, I'd always make the same wish: I wanted my parents dead. A morbid wish, I know, but I wanted it to be free from the torture."

"I remember the night like it was yesterday. There was little me, walking passed my parents bedroom to brush my teeth for the night when I noticed their bodies bloodied while laying in bed. There was a figure with red eyes standing in the corner staring, and for some odd reason, I felt...safe? Happy? I don't really know how to explain it."

"You finally got your freedom..." I whispered knowingly.

Wooyoung opened his eyes and looked at me with surprise, and for the first time, no words needed to be said to explain. We both a deeper understanding that our younger lives were not as different as we thought.

He smiled softly and nodded as he concluded. "Long story short, the person who saved me was indeed a vampire, and deep down at that age I knew, and when he offered me the option to leave with him and become one, I did without hesitation. Ever since then...I've been like this."

"Is he still here?" I asked curiously. "The person who saved you, I mean."

"No, he was killed." Wooyoung smiled sadly, "but he left our court in the hands of Seonghwa and we all agreed to have him lead us."

There was something about Wooyoung I couldn't help but find myself slowly letting my guard down around him. The mere fact that he was willing to share his past to me after just meeting me was something admirable, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of likeminded gratitude for it.

Clearing my throat, I chuckled. "So you're really not a happy person are you?"

"Nonsense!" Wooyoung giggled, "I'm happier than I've ever been. I rather live my...undead life...making up for all the days lost to crying and being in pain. It's better to smile and do things that make me happy now instead of dwelling on the past!"

I couldn't help but feel my throat closed up hearing those words, and a wave of sadness washed over me in complete understanding. For the first time ever, I found someone who could truly feel and express the same pain I've endured in my life.

The only irony is that he's immortal while I'm still living through the pain...

"I can see why Seonghwa sent you to protect me..." I whispered quietly.

Wooyoung tilted his head in confusion. "Why do you say that?"

Granting the male a smile, I chuckled before grabbing more food to eat before answering.

"I think we're going to get along just fine..."