In-Su sprinted through the rain without stopping, breaths coming in heavy gasps.
His clothes were soaked, and the cold rain chilled him to the bone.
When he finally reached his home, he collapsed onto the floor, hand pressed against his chest as he stared into the mirror.
His reflection showed a figure with glowing red eyes, the scar on his body pulsating with a purple glow.
The straps on his body, which seemed to be part of some internal or magical armor, shimmered with purple and grey, and his fangs appeared sharper than usual.
He looked at himself, confused and disturbed.
"What happened? I never reacted this way when I see blood," he whispered softly, his voice low and uncertain. "Maybe it was too much blood... maybe I lost control."
Slowly, he sat down on the floor, his legs pulled to his chest.
The straps on his body began to fade away, dissolving into thin air. His eyes remained glowing as he closed them, trying to regain composure.
When he opened his eyes again, they returned to their normal self, red. His hair was wet and clung to his face.
"Ah... Ha-Joon," he thought regretfully. "I'm sorry. I reacted like that... I was so tempted to see fresh blood." His voice trembled with remorse.
He let out a deep sigh, the weight of his emotions pressing down on him.
Tears started to stream down his cheeks silently—he was afraid. Afraid of Dracula and Vespera, afraid of who he was becoming.
"I am too weak," he whispered. "I don't want to fight. I don't want to hide forever, hiding behind my brother's mask, In-Su..." He wiped his tears with trembling hands.
"I'm sorry, Ha-Joon," he murmured softly. "I hope you find it in yourself to forgive me. I'm sorry..." His voice cracked with emotion.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He hesitated before pulling it out and seeing it was a call from Ha-Joon.
His heart pounded with shame, fear, and nervousness. He didn't want to face him—too ashamed of himself—and so, trembling, he pressed the hang-up button and ended the call.
Ha-Joon felt a sharp pang of disappointment when the call disconnected.
He whispered to himself, "Is he mad that my parents acted so harsh? And... is he really a vampire?" His voice was filled with worry and guilt.
Leaning back onto his bed, he repeated softly,
"I'm sorry, In-Su. So sorry... so sorry..." His voice was quiet but full of heartfelt remorse as he closed his eyes, wishing he could undo what had happened.
--------------------
Ha-Joon sat quietly with his head lowered, giving him a small and somewhat fragile appearance.
Despite his tired expression, his uniform was neat and tidy, showing he cared about his appearance.
His eyes were red and swollen, hints of tears still lingering, and his nose was red, likely from crying. His straight grey hair swept smoothly across his forehead, framing his face gently.
When he finally took his seat, a soft voice said,
"Hi…" He responded quietly, and Joy greeted him with a bright, friendly smile and waved. Ha-Joon glanced at her briefly and nodded—his response brief and reserved.
Joy wondered if that was all he had to say but chose to focus on the lesson instead.
As the class continued, Ha-Joon looked around the classroom with a disappointed and very tired expression.
Casually, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small mirror.
He glanced at himself, and his eyes widened in surprise. His reflection revealed red eyes, red on his pale skin, and his nose and lips were also red.
He whispered to himself, "Did I really cry that much?" letting out a sigh.
He was about to put the mirror away when he paused.
Instead, he slowly tilted the mirror, curiosity flickering in his eyes, as if he was trying to understand something deeper about himself.
Ha-Joon hesitated as he slowly tilted the mirror to the side, trying to get a better look at his reflection.
Just then, he caught In-Su glancing over his shoulder, already staring at him with wide, surprised eyes.
Feeling exposed, Ha-Joon quickly shoved the mirror back into his bag and let out a nervous sigh. His heart was pounding fast, a mix of anxiety and discomfort.
-----------
Ha-Joon sits alone at a table, silently praying that no one notices him. Despite his efforts, Ji-Hoo approaches and ruffles his hair playfully.
"Hey, grandpa… how you doing? You look sick," Ji-Hoo says, taking a seat beside him.
Ha-Joon glances at him with tired eyes and rolls his eyes. "I was praying no one should see me…"
Ji-Hoo chuckles softly. "But I did," he replies cheerfully.
Ha-Joon responds with a rough voice, "What do you want?"
Ji-Hoo crosses his arms and says, "You've been avoiding In-Su lately. It's making me think differently about you guys."
Ha-Joon sighs and replies, "Yeah, it's nothing. Just focusing on myself."
Ji-Hoo looks at him with a hint of concern, then softly says, "Oh, Silver… I never thought you'd… Anyway, I'll leave you," and then he gets up and walks away.
----------------
Ha-Joon, who had been feeling down lately, was walking peacefully through the street. He was too tired to bother bringing his bike, feeling worn out and sluggish.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand grabbed his waist, yanking him into a dark corner of the street.
Startled and panicked, he instinctively blurted out, "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't have any cash with me. I used it all to wipe my boogie nose—I didn't have a tissue, I..."
Before he could finish, a serious voice cut him off sharply. "Shut your mouth, Silver…" it said firmly.
Ha-Joon's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the voice. "Joon-Seo? What the frick?" he exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice.
Joon-Seo released his grip and stepped closer, his expression serious. "Keep your mouth shut and listen to me," he said with a commanding tone.
Ha-Joon hesitated but remained silent, eyes fixed on Joon-Seo.
Joon-Seo looked at him with concern in his eyes. "Why are you acting like this? You and In-Su have been separated, and I'm worried about you," he said softly.
Ha-Joon crossed his arms, curiosity and defensiveness coloring his voice.
"And why do you care?" he asked.
Joon-Seo rolled his eyes but continued calmly, "Yeah, I care because I saw the truth. You and In-Su share a bond—your friendship is strong, and I believe in that."
Ha-Joon's tense expression softened slightly, a hint of vulnerability showing.
"I'm just ashamed that… he had to leave yesterday like that," he admitted quietly, his voice low.
Then, hesitantly, he looked at Joon-Seo and asked, "Do you really think he's a vampire?"
Joon-Seo hesitated for a moment, appearing skeptical but thoughtful. "Yeah… I mean, we saw proof. He saw blood, and he lost control. Yeah, he's a vampire," he said firmly.
Ha-Joon sighed deeply, whispering, "Thanks… you."
Joon-Seo smiled for the first time, a genuine, reassuring smile directed at Ha-Joon. "Don't worry. Everything will work out," he said confidently.
'' Now go... go home okay?''
----------
In-Su stood in front of Joy, his arms crossed, a somber expression on his face.
The wind played with their hair as he spoke softly, almost to himself.
"Now that everyone knows I'm a vampire, instead of looking at me with admiration… they look at me with fear. Fear for their lives… Blood… and now they're all scared of me. Even Ha-Joon is keeping his distance," he said, his voice tinged with sadness.
Joy looked at him sympathetically, a teasing smile on her face.
"Yeah, they probably would be afraid. But… aren't you right?" she asked gently.
'' I don't think that's why Ha-Joon's avoiding you, he's just you know shy...maybe?'' She said raising one eyebrow.
In-Su nodded, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.
"Yeah sure he's shy who wouldn't am too Handsome. please. '' In-Su said proudly .
''And… thanks. I just wish they didn't see me differently. It's been hard for me…" he admitted quietly.
Joy reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I know. I've seen you sneaking off to see Mire a few times. It's clear you're obsessed with our side of the world," she teased with a playful smile.
In-Su chuckled softly, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "Yeah, I am mostly because of Ha-Joon…"
He looked at Joy with a determined expression.
"Okay… I'll try talking to Ha-Joon. Maybe he'll listen… and maybe he'll even face you, You're thinking about him too much." Joy said, a flicker of hope and teasing in her tone.
Joy nodded encouragingly. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay," she reassured him.
In-Su looked at her gratefully, feeling a little more hopeful about what's to come.
''Thanks Mysta''
''Don't call me that.''