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Sieun has noticed that Juntae has been off the past two weeks. Whenever he’d ask him about it, he’d always brush him off. He’d say he’d just been feeling sick and that there’s nothing to worry about.
After him being absent for 2 days in a row in the third week though, Sieun decided to check on him, he wasn’t replying to any of his messages and he’d been worried sick.
Sieun knocks a couple of times on the door to no answer, but he could hear shuffling inside.
He decides to try to open the door, and as he suspected it was luckily unlocked. He walks towards Juntae’s room and opens the door, only to find his best friend sitting on the floor next to what seems like an unconscious body. He’s wiping what Sieun assumes is blood off his chin. Sieun stills. Juntae - his sweet little juntae - was a vampire?
Looking back Sieun thinks it all makes sense. Juntae has been pale- more than usual the past few weeks. He’s gotten dark circles under his eyes. He’s been tired all the time. At lunch, he’d bring a thermos with him that held a dark red liquid. He always grimaced after taking a sip, saying it was tomato juice. That he was trying to be healthier.
The pieces clicked. Sieun cursed to himself for not realising sooner. Juntae stands up, bringing Sieun back to reality.
“I.. I can explain,” He starts.
Sieun should be put off by all this, I mean he’s standing in front of a blood sucker. And said blood sucker has an unconscious body laying by his feet. Somehow though, he isn’t. If anything, it sends heat to his cheeks and butterflies to his stomach.
Sieun didn’t condone violence. He always preferred to avoid it by any means necessary.
But, the image of his usually kind best friend standing over this body, blood dripping from his chin and staining his clothes, his fangs shining in the dimly lit room, Sieun thought he looked really hot. He was creeping himself out by how much he was into it.
He looks down at the body on the floor, Juntae seemed to follow his gaze.
“He’s not dead,” Sieun shifts his gaze back to Juntae. “Just..knocked out,” he says sheepishly.
“You knocked him out?” Sieun asks, in disbelief that the little guy that can barely throw a punch knocked out a whole grown man.
Juntae nods.
“You’re a vampire.”
Juntae nods again, avoiding Sieun’s piercing gaze.
“I just jumped by a vampire three weeks ago,” he explains. “He turned me. I.. I’m sorry I didn’t tell any of you. I was.. scared. And I barely processed it myself.”
Sieun sighs and slowly approaches him. He knew Juntae. He’d never be scared of him. He knew that Juntae wouldn’t hurt him, even if he was a vampire. He also knew that whoever this random guy was, he probably deserved it. Juntae wouldn’t hurt someone for no reason.
“Jun-ah, you don’t have to apologise. I understand,” he finally replies.
“I- I don’t want to hurt anyone. I really didn’t but-“ his eyes were glassy, his voice trembling as he spoke. “Really I was starving Sieunnie! I couldn’t take it anymore.. and he was just being such an asshole to my neighbour. She’s such a sweet old lady and he was just yelling at her!”
Sieun nods, urging him to go on.
“So I invited him in, told him I wanted to get to know the neighbours better. He agreed. When he turned his back I pushed him to my room and.. I drank,” he looks back at his best friend as he finished. He could feel tears running down his cheeks. He expected disgust. Disappointment. He’d probably never want to see him again.
To his surprise though, Sieun steps closer and pulls him into a hug.
“It’s okay. I understand Jun-ah.” Sieun rubbed his back.
Juntae pauses for a moment before completely melting into the hug. He sobs, staining Sieun’s jacket with his tears. He finally let out all the pain he’s been holding in for the past weeks. He’s been so tired, he hated this. He wished he could go back to normal, wished that this never happened, wished that he could just eat some human food again without throwing up.
“This wasn’t the best idea though,” They finally pull back from the hug, sitting next to each other on the edge of Juntae’s bed as they stare at the body. “When he wakes up, he’d know you’re a vampire."
“Actually, I researched. He won’t remember anything that happened within the past hour. I could just say he unexpectedly passed out.” Juntae answers, done crying now.
“That's good then,” Sieun hums, leaning back on his hands. “Have you tried alternatives? You might’ve gotten lucky with this guy but you can’t guarantee that you’ll always find an asshole walking around.”
“I have. Red food, raw meats, animals’ blood. The animal blood is the only thing that somewhat worked. Tastes awful, but it helps me not snap. Anything else tastes like ash.”
“Animals’ blood. That’s what you bring to school?”
Juntae nods.
Sieun sighs. “You should tell Humin and Hyuntak. They’ll understand. We’ll help you.”
Juntae knew Sieun was right. He really couldn’t keep doing this on his own. He agreed, saying he’ll tell them the next day at school.
“If you’re planning to lie to the man you should probably change out of those clothes.” Sieun points to his now stained shirt and sweater vest.
“Right.” He stands up, grabbing a shirt from his closet and heading to the bathroom to change.
While he was gone, Sieun dragged the man to the living room and placed him on the couch. He thankfully wasn’t too heavy.
Sieun then went back, grabbed tissues and wiped the blood that had splattered on the floor, making sure to leave no evidence of what happened.
Juntae walks back into his room in a fresh shirt.
“Ah Sieunnie you didn’t have to!” He looks at the spot where the man was, now spotless. “I was gonna do it.”
“Don’t worry about it,” He replied, opening the previously closed curtains slightly to let in some light. “You’ve finally got life in your skin. You’ve been so pale the past few weeks.” Sieun walks up to him, lifting a hand and gently caressing his cheek.
He wasn’t cold to touch anymore. Sieun had noticed that whenever their hand touched the past few weeks he’d always been ice cold to the touch. Another thing that should’ve made this all too obvious.
“I’m glad,” he mumbles. Seeing Juntae’s cheeks immediately flush an adorable pink before the sweetest smile spread on his face, showing those dimples that Sieun loved.
It’s true that just a few minutes ago he’d felt butterflies seeing how hot Juntae looked with blood dripping from his chin, eyes glowing red, and dark splatters on his shirt, but it was this version of Juntae that he fell in love with. The sweetest ray of sunshine that managed to steal a permanent place in his heart.
Him now being a vampire didn’t change any of it. Didn’t change how he felt about him. Sieun doesn’t think anything would change that.
“I’m sorry this is happening to you, Jun-ah. You don’t have to carry this burden alone now, I’m here for you.”
Juntae hugged him tight. “Thank you.”