Chapter Text
The rain was unforgiving.
In an aimless endeavor to outrun the storm, the sight of shelter was nothing short of a miracle. Jihyo stood in front of the looming manor doors, water slowly dripping onto the wooden floor from her soaked hair. Her wet clothes stuck uncomfortably against her skin, the veranda providing only momentary shelter from the rain. She shuddered, chills running all over as she clutched her arms tightly in a futile attempt for some semblance of warmth.
Jihyo just wanted a single relaxing weekend to herself. Camping, hiking, exploring the great outdoors, ignoring all of her problems from the real world for a precious two days. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.
Exhaustion consumed Jihyo’s limbs as her legs buckled, causing her to stumble to the floor with a dull thud. Her chest rose and fell in a shaky rhythm as the adrenaline slowly wore off, all while she laid motionless on damp wooden planks.
She needed to call someone.
With a heavy breath, Jihyo turned to her side before reaching into her pocket to fish out her phone. Her digits hovered across the screen, not quite touching yet. A moment of hesitation.
Seeing as she got up and left for a vacation without a word, there weren't many people she could call without being interrogated or feeling guilty. She wasn’t exactly in the mood to have those types of conversations considering her current situation.
Before she could talk herself out of it, Jihyo shakily dialed a number, Jeongyeon’s number, on a damp screen that failed to register her taps. Jeongyeon wouldn’t question her too much as long as she knew Jihyo was okay. Her finger drummed anxiously against the device as the line rang once, then twice before going dead with a mocking beep.
Jihyo tried once more, only to be met with the same, disappointing sound. With a defeated sigh, she dropped her phone back into her pocket. No reception, and no hope of contacting anyone. Her eyes peered hesitantly at the door; this was her last resort. She could only hope the owner of the manor would take pity on her and let her inside.
Forcing herself to her feet, Jihyo took a few cautious steps before raising her hand, fingers clasping tightly around the grooves of the intricately designed door knocker. With precise hits, Jihyo knocked repeatedly against the door.
A moment passed, and then another. Jihyo stood awkwardly as she waited. She was cold, wet, and exhausted; not many things could make her situation even worse. She prayed she wouldn’t be met with rejection.
Suddenly, with a low creak, the two doors slowly opened to reveal a woman. As if she was still stuck in the Victorian ages, she wore a ruffled white dress shirt and a black overcoat to go with it. A bit outdated by today’s fashion standards, but maybe she was into the vintage style.
Even so, compared to Jihyo’s disheveled appearance, she was certainly more put together. Her hair, dark brown tinted with red hues cascaded past her shoulders and framed her impossibly flawless face. Her gaze was soft but alluring, dangerously easy to get lost in. It was as if she could see right through Jihyo, analyzing every fiber of her being with calculated precision. It wasn’t hostile, but it left no room to hide.
“Can I help you?” the woman asked.
Jihyo was stunned, and much to her dismay, at a complete loss for words as she was taken aback.
“I— uh,” she fumbled before clearing her throat. “I’m sorry for disturbing you this late. I just need a place to stay for the night until the storm passes. I’ve been running for a bit and came across your place. I was wondering if I could…?”
The woman tilted her head curiously, eyes running along Jihyo to take in her features. It should’ve made her uncomfortable; uncomfortable with how her eyes never left and the way she looked at Jihyo. She wanted to look away.
But she couldn’t. It was strangely captivating how her eyes captured Jihyo. Addicting, even. It sucked her in, and to look away would be a crime.
Jihyo blinked as a humorless laugh filled the air and snapped her out of her trance. The woman stood off to the side, gesturing her over with a smile.
“Come in.”
The woman was kind enough to start a fire and lend Jihyo a change of clothes, even if they were a simple dress shirt and slacks. Not comfortable by any means, but certainly better than wet clothes. Jihyo wasn’t picky, she’d take what she could get. She was thankful to have even a roof over her head, clothes were just a bonus.
The fireplace crackled as the woman prodded around with the poker. Jihyo could feel the heat radiating from the fire, enveloping her in a comforting warmth. She let out a pleased hum, holding her hands out towards the flames like a kid who had just come back from a numbing winter’s day. She almost forgot what feeling warm was like, it was nice. And yet–
Even from the corner of her eye, Jihyo could feel a gaze fixed on her again, steady, unblinking, almost predatory, like waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Maybe the woman was just being cautious; a stranger was in her home, after all. Still, Jihyo couldn’t shake the feeling of unease crawling up her spine.
Lowering her arms, Jihyo took a careful breath before she turned, giving a polite smile.
“Thank you again for your hospitality. I really hope I’m not a bother.” Jihyo bowed her head gratefully.
“Not at all. It’s been some time since I’ve last had company,” she said.
“Really? You live here alone?” Jihyo asked.
Her eyes widened as they quickly scanned around the room. The living area itself was probably bigger than her own house.
“Somewhat. I have two close friends that like to stay over when they’re in the area. Aside from them, it’s not often I encounter another person, seeing how far out this place is from others. Which makes me want to ask–”
“You want to know what I was doing alone in a forest?” Jihyo interrupted.
“Correct.”
Jihyo shifted awkwardly on the couch cushion, swallowing. Her hands silently reached out for a nearby pillow, fingers digging deep into the fabric.
“Solo camping trip. I needed an escape from the real world for a bit,” she laughed sheepishly, a free hand finding its way to the side of her neck. “And then the storm picked up so it wasn’t safe to stay out there. I tried calling people, but it turns out there’s no reception out here. I was really lucky to find your place.”
“I see.” The woman’s eyebrows knitted together, contemplative. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you need to get away?”
A silence passed between the two as harsh rain drummed against the windows relentlessly. A flash of lightning, soon accompanied by thunder. Jihyo was desperate to change the subject and fill the quiet. Surface level or not, she wasn’t expecting to get personal with a stranger that night.
“I’m sorry, I don’t think I introduced myself. My name is Park Jihyo. What’s yours?” she asked softly.
There was an edge to her voice. A faint plea. Unspoken words begging to not be questioned further.
The woman stared at Jihyo for a moment before laughing gently, the airy sound filling the room. Strangely, it eased her nerves, even if just slightly.
“Park Jihyo,” the woman said slowly, testing the name on her tongue. She hummed thoughtfully before nodding, a satisfied smile making its way onto her features. “Cute. My name is Minatozaki Sana.”
Jihyo tried to pay no mind to the pounding in her chest.
“Sana?” Jihyo repeated, voice a higher octave than intended. “Your name is… cute too?”
Sana laughed again. It rang out, and just like her gaze, it was equally as intoxicating. Jihyo could feel heat threatening to creep its way onto her cheeks as her thoughts tangled themselves into knots. She needed to get a better hold on herself, she usually wasn’t like this, smitten like a lovestruck puppy.
Especially not over someone she just met. A stranger.
A beautiful stranger, but still a stranger.
“Thank you, Jihyo.”
Jihyo wanted to ignore how her chest tightened. The sound of her name in Sana’s voice hit a place she almost forgot existed, something small and aching. Longing. With a slow breath to compose herself, she lifted her head to meet Sana’s eyes.
No matter how flustered Jihyo felt, she couldn’t let go of one thing. The last shred of reason she hadn’t lost to Sana.
“Sana, can I ask you a question?” Jihyo asked suddenly.
“What is it?”
Jihyo could feel her muscles stiffen as Sana looked back with a simple tilt of her head.
“Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Sana blinked innocently.
“Like– I mean,” Jihyo stumbled over her words, unable to get them out. “You keep watching at me.”
She wanted to crawl in a hole.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Jihyo.” A smile tugged at Sana’s lips, barely noticeable.
Correction, she wanted to be buried alive in that hole now.
“Wait— That’s not—”
Jihyo heard a now familiar laugh ring out followed by the faint rustle of fabric. Before she realized Sana had even moved, the cushion beside her dipped under new weight. Sana slid into the space next to her with an ease that made Jihyo’s breath hitch, much too close for comfort. The air shifted between them, thick and suffocating like smoke.
Sana made her move.
It was sudden, but calculated.
“Do you want to know why?” she whispered, fingers reaching out to ghost along Jihyo’s forearm.
Jihyo swallowed hard as her whole body tensed. She tried to breathe, tried to think, but every thought simply went blank.
The weight of her hand, the sensation of it, all of it made her dizzy.
“I can’t help myself when you smell so sweet.” Sana confessed, her breath tickling Jihyo’s ear. “Your scent, it’s… addicting.”
Sana leaned away from Jihyo, a teasing smile on her face as her hand continued to trail along Jihyo’s arm. Her fingers traced light, deliberate paths down Jihyo’s arm, each touch sending a spark that shot straight through her nerves as her mind struggled to remain focused.
Any shred of sensibility was falling apart by the second.
“…Sana?” Jihyo managed to choke out.
Too fast, it was all escalating too fast.
“And you know what else is cute?” Sana hummed as she continued, voice dipping. “I can hear it, the pounding of your heart. How your blood flows and rushes through your body because of it. It makes me thrilled, knowing it’s because of me.”
Jihyo felt lightheaded as her mind raced, one incoherent thought after the other piling up. She took a shallow breath, focus wavering.
“Can you keep a secret, Jihyo?”
Sana’s hand suddenly went still, the gentle touch slowly turning into a firmer grip onto Jihyo’s wrist. Her head tilted once more, lips twitching as if trying to suppress a smile, like a child trying to keep a secret.
Their eyes locked together, unwavering. Jihyo didn’t look away. She couldn’t look away, nor did she want to.
Sana’s eyes… were simply hypnotizing.
Her chest fluttered with each touch, each look, knowing it was all and only for her in the moment. She wanted more, craved more.
Jihyo couldn’t say anything. She only managed a nod.
“I’m a vampire.” Sana stated simply.
“Huh?” Jihyo blinked, the words barely processing through her head. It almost snapped her out of her stupor from the bluntness.
Almost.
Sana didn’t speak. She just looked at Jihyo, small and hesitant. A faint shift in her demeanor.
“What… What are you trying to say?” Jihyo asked, voice carefully measured.
Sana’s grip wavered.
“I haven’t fed in a while.”
Jihyo swallowed, breath hitching in her throat. It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together.
“Jihyo, I wouldn’t do anything if you didn’t want me to,” Sana reassured. “I know we just met, and it’s a lot to ask for.”
Sana’s grip tightened again. Her fingers curled into Jihyo’s wrist, trembling like she couldn’t stop herself.
“It’s just… you smell so enticing, I can barely control myself. It makes me wonder…”
Sana’s eyes narrowed, flitting to her neck and then wrist, as if envisioning the blood flowing underneath the skin. How it’d taste on her tongue, how it’d quench a thirst that longed to be satiated.
“...How you taste because of it.”
A rational person would say no. A rational person would probably try and run away. Jihyo was anything but rational.
It was strangely tempting.
A selfish, irrational part of her wanted to know how much of an effect she had on someone like Sana.
And she was willing to try and see.
“...Because you’re letting me stay here–” Jihyo’s voice cracked. “Consider it as a repayment. For your kindness. It’s the least I could do.”
Sana stilled. She studied Jihyo closely, staring deep into her eyes for any sign of uncertainty.
“Are you sure?” Sana asked, pulling closer to her ear once more.
Jihyo paused before nodding, firm and resolute.
“Okay.” Sana exhaled carefully, any remaining restraint crumbling with her breath.
Sana leaned in, her breath warming the sensitive skin of Jihyo’s neck. For a split second, the touch felt almost gentle before something sharp grazed the skin of her neck.
A warning.
Before Jihyo could fully register it, the warning became a bite, piercing the skin. Crimson liquid spilled as Jihyo gasped, more out of shock than pain. Her hands flew up instinctively to shove Sana away, but her limbs felt limp, falling uselessly to her sides as her body sank further into the cushions of the couch. The pillow that was once in her hands fell to the ground without a second thought.
“Sana…” Jihyo breathed out, though the word barely managed to form.
Sana held her tenderly, even as her grip prevented Jihyo from moving around. Jihyo’s hands found their way to Sana’s shoulders, fingers curling tightly into the fabric as she tried to steady herself. Slowly, she felt her strength dissolve into a numb, heavy nothingness. The room tilted. Her heartbeat pounded, then slowed, each beat sounding distant, swallowed by the rushing in her ears.
Jihyo’s vision blurred at the edges.
Sana finally pulled back with a soft exhale, eyes shut as if she was trying to savor the lingering taste. She wanted to engrave it to her memory; it was as if she tasted the nectar of the gods. She brushed her bloodstained lips with her thumb, smearing red across porcelain skin with a satisfied sigh.
Jihyo blinked, or at least she thought she did. Her eyelids fluttered weakly, fighting a losing battle to stay open. The world dimmed around her, sounds muffling into a soft haze. She was tired.
Jihyo felt Sana’s fingers move in soft circles over her neck, smearing the blood that still clung to her skin. Every inch of her body ached, her neck most of all.
Sana hovered close, breath hitched with restraint. Hunger was still sharp behind her eyes. She was desperate for another taste, aching to sink her teeth into Jihyo again, but she’d already taken too much. With a shaky exhale, she lifted her fingers to her lips, licking them clean of Jihyo’s blood. A soft, indulged hum escaped as the faint flavor touched her tongue again.
Jihyo felt her body sink deeper into the couch, heavy and unresponsive. Just before she succumbed to the temptation of sleep, she managed to catch one final, blurry glimpse of Sana leaning over her. Her expression was no longer satisfied, but filled with unmistakable concern instead.
Then the world went dark.
“Oh goodness,” Sana frowned, panic quickly lacing her voice. “I overdid it a bit…”
Sana paced in tight, restless circles, her gaze drifting to Jihyo’s unmoving body every few seconds. She bit her lip before quickly making way to a nearby rotary phone, fingers unsteady as they fumbled through the dial. The ring barely finished before a muted pickup crackled through the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Mina? Momo? I need your help with something,” Sana paused, her eyes wandering to the unconscious body on her couch. “...And I don’t think you’ll be too happy with it.”
“Seriously, Sana?”
Jihyo heard an unfamiliar voice slowly come into focus as her consciousness returned.
“I’m sorry! I hadn’t fed for weeks! You know my powers get all wonky when I haven’t, I lost control!”
“For someone as old as you are, you’d think you’d have more of that.”
A huff, unmistakably belonging to Sana.
Hesitantly, Jihyo opened her eyes. Sana and two unfamiliar faces hovered over her, crowding her field of view.
“She’s awake,” one of them muttered.
Jihyo blinked, confusion and fatigue tugging at her features.
“...Hello?”
Sana knelt beside her, hands settling gently on Jihyo’s shoulder. Her head bowed, her face soft and remorseful; nothing like the entrancing woman from earlier. It was almost endearing, if she ignored the circumstances.
“Jihyo, are you okay?”
“I’m okay. Um… Who are–?”
Sana’s eyes widened with sudden realization.
“Right!” Sana clapped her hands together before gesturing to the two faces beside her. “Jihyo, this is Mina and Momo. Mina and Momo, this is Jihyo.”
“Are they the friends you mentioned?” Jihyo asked.
Sana nodded.
“Hi there. Sorry to hear Sana almost sucked you dry.” Momo said.
Before Jihyo could even react, Sana’s hand shot out and smacked Momo across the back of the head so fast Jihyo barely saw the blur. Momo yelped, clutching her skull.
“Ow! What was that for?” she whined.
“You know exactly what that was for,” Sana hissed through gritted teeth.
“So… you two know then?” Jihyo bit back a smile.
“Oh, totally,” Momo said with a grin. “The three of us go way back.”
“Centuries,” Mina added as she sat down on a nearby armchair, her voice calm but her eyes entwined with amusement. “Sana called us after everything. She was worried about you.”
“Mina,” Sana groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Please don’t.”
Mina simply shrugged with a delicate, unbothered lift of her shoulders.
Momo made herself comfortable beside Jihyo on the couch, leaning towards the woman. “She was pacing holes in the floor when we got here, by the way.”
“Momo, I swear—” Sana sighed heavily with the roll of her eyes.
But Jihyo just laughed softly, the tension in her chest loosening. Somehow, despite the eventfulness of the past however many hours, the new faces, and having her blood drained…
Jihyo had been more relaxed now than before she left.
“Jihyo, are you sure you’re okay?” Sana asked again quietly.
Sana’s hand snaked around Jihyo’s neck, fingertips gently brushing against the bruised skin. Jihyo winced at the dull ache that spread from the bitemark, but she could feel heat slowly rise to her cheeks from the tenderness of Sana’s touch.
“Sana, really, I’m fine–” Jihyo stammered.
“At least wait until we’re gone,” Momo teased with a laugh.
“To be honest, if everything is good here Sana…” Minia raised an eyebrow.
“Right! Right,” Sana straightened herself, dropping her hand to Jihyo’s shoulder. “Thank you guys for coming so fast, I missed you. Next time let’s make it under better circumstances.” Sana shot an apologetic look towards Jihyo before continuing. “I appreciate you guys. You're always there for me.”
“Of course, Sana,” Mina said gently.
“Next time, invite us over sooner so we can have a taste too,” Momo added.
“Momo, I am this close to stabbing your heart out with a stake.”
Momo rose from her spot on the couch and pulled Sana into a tight hug, her laughter muffled as she buried her face into her shoulder. Sana let out a startled noise but hugged her back without hesitation, fingers curling tightly into the fabric of Momo’s jacket. Mina joined them a moment later, slipping her arms around both of them with quiet familiarity.
Jihyo watched as the three of them wrapped around each other with ease, their movements familiar and worn-in; it was the kind of bond that couldn’t be forged in a single lifetime. Centuries of unspoken words and events Jihyo couldn’t even fathom.
“Call us again if you need anything, Sana,” Mina said, pulling away.
“You’ll be the first ones I call,” Sana reassured.
“We’re the only ones you call though–”
Another smack.
“Alright, alright! We’re going!” Momo laughed.
Their goodbyes, filled with teasing comments Jihyo couldn’t quite catch and soft smiles were exchanged before they slipped out the door.
“Take care, Jihyo!” They both yelled before the door clicked shut behind them.
The room felt noticeably quieter once they were gone.
“Sorry about those two, especially Momo,” Sana sighed with a gentle laugh. “I hope they didn’t overwhelm you.”
“Not at all. I think they were great,” Jihyo shrugged with a smile, shifting against the cushions. “How’d you guys meet? Mina said you’ve known each other for centuries? I’m guessing she wasn’t exaggerating?”
Sana’s smile softened, her eyes drifting toward some far-off memory. She shook her head slowly, almost fondly.
“No, no she wasn’t. They’ve been by my side for as long as I can remember. I honestly can’t imagine a life without them.”
“Did you guys grow up together?” Jihyo asked.
“We grew up together in Japan,” Sana answered, settling deeper into the couch. “We relocate every few years, which is why we’re here in Korea at the moment. Conflicting timelines and all of that.”
“When was the last time you were in Japan?” Jihyo titled her head curiously.
“It’s been… quite some time,” Sana’s brows furrowed together, as if trying to recall.
“Any reason you haven’t gone back?”
Sana’s expression dimmed. Briefly.
“There isn’t really anything for me back there anymore. My family’s gone, and all I have anymore is those two,” Sana lips tightened, a slight frown forming.
Jihyo bit her lip, carefully meeting Sana’s gaze. The air between them felt heavier. Much less of the teasing from earlier, instead more unguarded.
“Can I ask… how you guys turned?”
Sana paused. Her shoulders subtly stiffened before she exhaled, eyes fixed somewhere on the floor rather than on Jihyo. When she spoke, her voice came out steady but sounded more practiced and rehearsed.
“I don't remember my own turning. I blocked out that memory a long time ago.. For Mina and Momo…” Sana trailed off, faltering for only a moment. “I was the first to turn out of the three of us, long after we became friends.”
Jihyo didn’t answer, instead choosing to remain silent. Sana wasn’t teasing, wasn’t playing coy. Instead, she was being raw and exposed. Sana continued, her words coming out slowly.
“It was a robbery gone wrong,” Sana said quietly. Her gaze was unfocused, as if replaying the memory behind her eyes. “They were the unintended casualties.”
“Sana–” Jihyo started, instinctively reaching forward only for Sana to cut her off with the lift of her hand.
“It was selfish of me,” Sana said, swallowing hard. “I turned them because I was so scared. Momo was my best friend, and so was Mina. I didn’t want to lose them, I didn’t know what else to do at the time,” Sana’s voice wavered, shaking her head as the words came spilling out faster. “I just knew I didn’t want to be in a world without them, so I cursed them to a life of immortality with me.”
The unsteadiness of her voice, the vulnerability, it made Jihyo’s heart sink in her chest. She placed her hand over Sana’s, gently grounding her.
“But you still saved their lives, Sana.”
“At a cost,” Sana murmured. “I try not to think about that day too much.”
A silence passed between them. Soft, heavy, but not entirely uncomfortable. They sat in the quiet, their breathing and the rain against the windows the only sounds filling the space. Jihyo squeezed their hands together.
“I’m sorry that happened,” Jihyo said quietly.
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago,” Sana said, a weak smile forming on her lips.
“It doesn’t change the fact that you went through it,” Jihyo replied. She hesitated, adding softly, “Do you want to know why I left everything?”
Sana blinked, lifting her head slightly.
“Only if you want to share. I know you didn’t want to earlier.”
“I think it’s only fair since you did too,” Jihyo shrugged, leaning back into the couch. “It’s not as interesting of a story as yours, but… life just sucked. Work was a mess, I barely had a social life anymore, and I was just in this horrible slump I couldn’t get out of. I needed an escape. I just knew I couldn’t take one more thing going wrong.”
“But one more thing did go wrong,” Sana raised an eyebrow. “The storm that ruined your trip.”
“It didn’t really ruin it if it let me meet you,” Jihyo said, smiling before she could stop herself.
Sana stared at her, eyes widening slightly.
“Jihyo–”
“Look, Sana. Honestly, all of this is hard for me to process. Vampires are real, actually real, first of all, and you’re one of them,” Jihyo shook her head, laughter bubbling in her chest. “But you gave me that escape I wanted. The thrill, the new adventure. Not in the way I was expecting, considering I literally got my blood sucked, but still.”
Jihyo laced their hands together as a faint blush dusted her cheeks.
“I’ve said more to you tonight than I’ve said to anyone in months. It’s weird how open people get around someone they don’t know, but I’d like to get to know you more.”
Sana’s lips parted slightly before she gently tightened her hold on Jihyo’s hand.
“If you want… you can stay here a bit longer,” Sana said softly. “I wouldn’t mind your company.”
Jihyo felt her heart flutter.
“I’d like that a lot. If you need, um… a consistent blood supply, I don’t mind stopping by every so often either. So the same thing doesn’t happen with some stranger. I don’t want you going hungry."
“Oh?” Sana leaned in, her playful smile returning. “Or are you just saying that because you’re jealous at the thought of me drinking someone else’s blood?”
“You wish,” Jihyo scoffed, nudging her with her shoulder. “Did I at least taste good?”
“The best I’ve ever had, actually,” Sana admitted without a moment’s hesitation.
“Really?” Jihyo smirked. “How does blood even taste to a vampire?”
“Kind of sweet?” Sana knitted her eyebrows together, thinking deeply. “It’s like how everyone has their own unique scent, everyone has their own unique taste. I definitely prefer yours though.”
“Aw, you flatter me, Sana.”
Sana rolled her eyes playfully, gently shoving Jihyo’s shoulder with her free hand.
“How often do you even need to feed anyway?”
“Excited so soon, are we?” Sana teased.
“As if,” a smile tugged at Jihyo’s lips.
“As tempting as it is, I took a lot of blood earlier,” Sana sighed, her expression softening. A hand reached out, cupping Jihyo’s cheek with unexpected tenderness. “You need time to recover and let your blood replenish. I can make some food for you instead?”
“I’d like that a lot,” Jihyo murmured, her heart tightening in her chest as she leaned subconsciously into the touch.
Sana offered her hand, and with a gentle tug, guided her toward the dining area.
“Anything you want,” Sana promised.
“Dangerous words to say.”
Sana only looked back with a smile that made Jihyo’s knees weak.
They stepped into the warm glow of the kitchen, the storm still hammering against the windows. Jihyo couldn’t explain the calm settling over her. Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe trust, or maybe it was simply Sana’s presence, steady and disarming in ways she wasn’t ready to unpack.
But for now, some food sounded nice. That was enough for her.
“Park Jihyo, I’m going to kill you.”
Jihyo winced at the familiar voice yelling in her ear, and yet a smile found its way onto her features.
“Good morning to you too, Jeongyeon,” Jihyo answered in a whisper, laughing softly as to not disturb the person beside her.
The bedsheets rustled in response. Warmth pressed against her side as a limp arm, heavy with sleep, draped across Jihyo’s waist to tug her closer. Jihyo sighed as she settled into the curve of Sana’s body, her back pressed against Sana’s chest. Sana buried herself into the pillow with a soft grumble.
“Jihyo,” Sana whined, muffled by the pillow. “Can you try to quiet down? I don’t get how you can do all of that with those new phones, it was already hard enough to understand with a rotary.”
Jihyo mouthed a quick ‘sorry’ over her shoulder before returning her attention to the screen in her hand.
“Where on earth have you been? I was this close to filing a missing persons report.”
“I’m okay Jeong, really,” Jihyo reassured. “I was just on a camping trip but then there was this huge storm. I lost reception so I wasn’t able to call or text you. I tried to, really.”
A cold nose brushed against her shoulder as Sana shifted, still mostly asleep. Without lifting her head, Sana’s lips brushed her skin as she muttered quietly in Jihyo’s ear.
“Tell her you’re busy.”
“...Who was that? Are you with someone right now?”
Jihyo froze, her spine straightening as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand.
“I’m fine, Jeongyeon. I’m safe. I’m just staying with someone for the time being.”
“Someone? Who?”
Jihyo bit the bottom of her lip.
“She let me stay at her place until the storm passed. That’s all, it’s not a big deal.”
“Jihyo, I really expected better out of you. You walked into a stranger’s house? And stayed there?”
Behind her, Sana groaned into Jihyo’s back, her grip tightening in mild annoyance. An eye fluttered open.
“She’s very loud,” Sana mumbled, her voice raspy. “She asks a lot of questions too. Is she usually like this?”
Jihyo squeezed her eyes shut, trying to recollect herself. It was too much this early in the morning.
“I can explain,” Jihyo muttered, slumping back into the pillows with a long exhale.
“You better.”
Sana nuzzled into Jihyo’s neck, completely unbothered as she laid comfortably in her slumber.
“Okay, but promise you won’t freak out?”
“No promises.”
Jihyo opened her mouth to explain, only to feel her phone taken out of her hand.
“Huh–?”
Jihyo twisted around just in time to see Sana propped up on one elbow, phone held delicately between her fingers. The vampire blinked sleepily, but the mischievous curl of her lips gave away that she was far more awake than she pretended.
“Sana,” Jihyo hissed under her breath, reaching out for her phone. “Give that back–”
Sana had already brought the phone to her ear, clearing her throat.
“Hi!” she said brightly. “I drank your friend’s blood as she stayed over, she was very tasty. I hope you don’t mind.”
“What?” Jeongyeon’s voice blasted through the speaker.
Sana bursted into a fit of laughter before hanging up, tossing the phone haphazardly onto the bed.
“Sana!”
“Whoops.”
As if on cue, Jihyo’s phone lit up again, vibrating violently against the blankets as the caller ID flashed Jeongyeon’s name.
Jihyo groaned, dragging her hands down her face.
“She’s going to think you’re crazy.”
“Tell her you’re in good hands,” Sana said sweetly, patting Jihyo’s shoulder.
“No way!”
The phone kept ringing.
“You should probably answer that before she hunts you down.” Sana rested her chin on Jihyo’s shoulder, her voice warm with amusement.
“You’re explaining this with me.”
Sana smiled innocently.
“Sure, I love making new friends.
This was going to be a long morning.