January 28, 1940.
It's been a month since Seohyun was saved by Tan. Although at first, he was indifferent towards her and showed no emotion, when she told him her story, the hell she went through at a young age, something inside him changed.
He began to look at her with compassion in his eyes, and after spending almost every day with her, he began to open up to her, telling her about his relationship with his brothers and about Inha, whom he hated.
Tan felt all the heaviness lift from his heart as he shared his pain with someone else, someone who understood him perfectly.
Even though she was a young girl, hurt by life, he felt a connection with her. In that short time, he trusted her so much that eventually, one day, he decided to reveal his darkest secret to her.
- How scared will you be if I tell you that I'm not human?
They both sit in a wooden hut, somewhere on the outskirts of town, where Tan brought her on her first day to keep her safe. Seohyun, wrapped in a thick blanket, looks at him with wide eyes, expressing no surprise.
- I'm not scared, because the worst creatures in the world are humans. They are beasts that know no mercy, and being with you for a month, I've noticed that you're good, regardless of what you are. You can even be a Goblin in human skin.
This answer is so surprising to him that at first he doesn't know what to say.
- What if I'm worse than a Goblin?
Seohyun pulls her legs to her chest and rests her chin on her knees, never taking her eyes off him.
- I only know that you are inhumanly fast. I remember that from the first day when you saved me from under the wheels of a car - she says. - And that when you come to me, you never eat a meal with me, explaining that you ate with your brothers.
- And you never asked me what I am?
- You are the person who kept me safe. I wouldn't dare ask you who you are. I simply feel gratitude and trust in you.
She is not a human being, she is an angel who was wronged by demons. The only human on earth who deserves the best.
- So, will you still think the same if I tell you I'm a vampire? A bloodthirsty, monster who once couldn't control himself?
"You can do it now. You're no threat to me, though? If you were thirsty, I'd let you drink my blood in exchange for keeping me safe."
"You can't say that to a vampire!" Tan looks outraged. "No matter how much you trust me."
Seohyun gives him a slight smile.
- Why? You're everything to me right now, Tan.
The boy watches her with a surprised look, unable to believe what she is saying to him.
"You're the first person to tell me I'm everything to her," he chokes out.
The girl suddenly closes her eyelids, causing tears to flow from under them.
- I'm saying it from the heart, what I feel. Because of what happened to me, I'm afraid of all people, but not you. You're everything to me.
- But you realize that our relationship won't last long?
Seohyun opens her tearful eyes and looks at him with sad eyes.
- Why? Don't vampires live forever? Why can't you stay with me for the rest of my life, keeping me safe?
"I'm not your bodyguard, Seohyun," he tells her, making something inside her break. "I've helped you, I've kept you safe, but our paths will have to part soon."
- Why?
- Because I can't get too attached to a human. You're the only person I've ever been able to open up to. It's too much. I want to remain a cold-blooded vampire, living in solitude.
The girl doesn't understand this.
- Why are you trying to hurt yourself?
- Because I know how quickly human women fall in love, and I can't feel feelings for anyone. I don't mean to hurt you. I don't know how to love.
Seohyun is scared hearing those words. Did he notice something? Did he see the way she looked at him? Did he hear her heart beating faster?
"Did you come today to say goodbye to me? To break my heart?" she asks. Tears stream down her cheeks as she stares at him.
- Yes, this is our last meeting. I believe that you will take care of yourself properly. A broken heart will help you with that, you will be stronger.
She still can't believe what she's hearing. She thought that this deeper connection they've reached would make their relationship last a long time, but he suddenly decided to break it off.
- We've only known each other for a month, is it that long? You just told me your darkest secret. Why did you do that if you wanted to leave me?
Tan closes his eyes.
- Because soon I will disappear from this world, along with my brothers.
***
- Did you tell your brothers about this? - Inha looks at Minki with reproach in her eyes. - This was supposed to be between us for now. If this gets back to Jay, he'll kill me before I can help you.
They both sit on the couch in the living room. They are completely alone in the house. Minki grabs the girl's hands, making her go cold.
Even though they both have deep feelings for each other, they can't be together because she's human and he's a vampire. Their love is platonic.
- Calm down, Inha. They don't know I have information from you. I didn't tell them about your connection with Jay, that you are forced to serve him - he claims, looking at her with tenderness in his eyes. - You know I will protect you until the end.
"Is this what you really want? To die?" Tears well up in her eyes.
- Believe me, it's difficult to live as a monster. What we want most is to be reborn as a human in the next life.
- What about Jay?
- He must remain a vampire for all eternity. This is his punishment for what he did to us. You can't let him die, Inha.
- I know he has a golden sword in his possession, but what he desires most is the golden dust. He believes that you have it. Without it, he cannot die.
Minki nods.
- Yes, the golden sword will kill us, but as an original vampire, he also needs the golden dust that was in my father's palace.
- Do you know where the dust is now? - the girl asks. Minki looks at her carefully, as if considering something.
- It's in a place where he'll never find it. In a place where I, personally, hid it.
"That's why he asked me to get close to you, to find out," Inha admits. "We're running out of time. We have to find the sword before he gets there first. Remember... never tell me where the gold dust is stashed, so he can't get it out of me. It's supposed to be a secret you take to your grave, Minki."
The boy touches her cheek with his hand and gives her a light smile.
- And how will we find out where the golden sword is?
- Even if I have to be torn apart by Jay, I'll find out. I'll help you fulfill your last wish. I owe it to you.
Standing behind the front door, Wonsung narrows his eyes angrily, clenching his hands into fists.
The girl he saved from the Japanese barbarians many years ago, the girl he secretly has a crush on, hating her for preferring his brother, has actually been conspiring with Jay from the beginning. The worst part is that his brother knows about it and protects her, bringing the danger of the original upon them.
At that moment, he feels like killing Inha for everything; for breaking his heart and being a traitor, and yet something holds him back, and he can't do it.
Cursed feelings.
***
Tan is about to leave the hurt Seohyun and leave the house when she unexpectedly grabs his cold hand. She looks at him with sad, tearful eyes, worried about what awaits her if he leaves now and never comes back to her.
- I beg you... don't leave me. Give me a little more time before you leave me.
The boy purses his lips in anger, cursing himself for helping her that day and opening up to her so much, bringing problems in the form of her feelings upon himself.
- I repeat, this is the end of our relationship. I'll die soon anyway.
The door to the cottage opens and Tan's eyes widen in horror. He takes three steps back, and Seohyun lets go of his hand, realizing that their guest is the person who helped her leave the brothel in exchange for a favor.
The girl watches Jay with frightened eyes, fearing the worst.
"Exactly, you're going to die soon, Tan," he states, closing the door behind him. "I need a sacrifice to make your older brother angry and judge Inha for it. I'm tired of both brothers adoring her."
From behind her back, she pulls out a sword that shines gold. Terrified, Seohyun jumps up from the floor and shields Tan with her body, wanting to protect him until the end.
- I beg you, don't kill him, he says in a tearful voice.
Jay pouts.
- Doll, I love you because you did an impressive job gaining his trust, but now step away.
- I won't let you hurt him! - she shouts.
The Original Vampire rolls his eyes, sighing loudly.
- Seohyun, you're going to protect him, even though he just broke your heart? He played with your feelings!
Tan frowns, wondering what Jay is thinking. He and his brothers hate him because instead of letting them die that day, he acted selfishly and turned them into monsters.
"What do you have in common with Inha?" the boy asks, causing Jay to laugh.
- Tell you before I die? Sure! I'm the one who sent her to your house! - Tan looks shocked. - This little creature was also sent by me - he claims, pointing at Seohyun. - But she proved herself, unlike Inha, who conspires with your oldest brother!
"I'm sorry, I had no choice," Seohyun whispers as she turns to face Tan." I was honest, after all, and I really liked you."
Jay grabs her arm and pulls her closer, a wicked smile on his face as he looks at his youngest brother.
"You will receive my reward by dying. If your middle brother does his job, I will let him go to the afterlife too. The only person who will live in eternal suffering will be your oldest brother, who I hate the most!" he declares, then turns Seohyun to face him, looking deeply into her eyes. "Kill Tan for breaking your heart," he orders her.
The girl running amok takes the sword from the original vampire and stands before Tan.
- That's for breaking my heart. - Without thinking, she plunges the sword straight into the boy's heart, looking at him with hatred in her eyes.
Tan's body dissolves into thin air, transforming into a soul that floats up and disappears.
Seohyun falls to the floor, staring blankly at one spot. Behind her, Jay smiles with victory in his eyes.
- I made the middle brother go crazy and kill Inha, and Minki will live in pain and suffering for all eternity, alone like a finger.