-A MOTHER'S WARMTH-

______

- FLASHBACK -

"Do you want to be my son, kid?" The nobleman offers with a gentle smile.

Jungkook recoils in terror. "No, you're a bad guy. You killed my family. I hate you."

He rushes to his family's lifeless bodies, tears streaming down his face. The guard takes a step back.

"He could be infected. Kill him!" The guard points at Jungkook, and the other men fix him with hateful stares. Fear courses through Jungkook as he steps back, desperate to live. Tears flow down his cheeks, and he pleads with a trembling voice.

The nobleman approaches Jungkook and cradles him in his arms, his voice filled with reassurance. "He's not infected! He's not sneezing or coughing, and he doesn't have any marks or pimples! Look at him. He's healthy."

Jungkook gazes up at him, nestling into his shoulder to escape the menacing eyes of the other men.

"But, your grace, how can he not be infected? His whole family is. Even this 3-year-old girl has marks and pimples," one guard argues, his voice loud and defiant.

The nobleman's patience wears thin. He unsheathes his sword and points it at the guard, causing Jungkook to flinch in terror on his shoulder.

The other guards swallow nervously, exchanging glances.

They all kneel before Jungkook and the nobleman, their voices humbled. "We apologize, your grace."

The nobleman turns away and strides off, speaking to Jungkook. "Kid, I know you hate me for what happened to your family. But if I leave you here, you won't have a safe place to go, and the guards will hunt you down."

Jungkook remains silent, his small arms wrapped tightly around the nobleman's neck.

The nobleman smiles gently. "I'll take that as a yes."

"You should know my name if you're going to live with me. My name is Jeon Sung-woo. You might have heard of it at least once."

Jungkook lifts his head from the nobleman's shoulder, his eyes shining. "You were my hero. Jeon Sung-woo saved this country from evildoers. My mama used to tell me stories about you."

Sung-woo chuckles and continues walking. "Were, kid? Am I not your hero now?"

Jungkook giggles. "You are."

"You need a surname. You don't have one, right?" Sung-woo inquires as they approach a carriage.

Jungkook shakes his head.

Sung-woo turns to him. "From now on, you're Jeon Jungkook, my son. We'll keep your commoner status a secret. Get into the carriage, close your eyes and ears, because your hero has to deal with some noisy men outside."

_______

Commoners are not given a surname, unless if it has a specific reason.

______

"Mr. Vampire?!" Alita exclaims, her voice echoing through the forest. She looks around anxiously, then sighs, her enthusiasm fading. "I think I should go back. That girl from the university must be lying." She shrugs, resigned, her shoulders slumping. Shaking her head, she starts to give up.

But then, she hears a voice that makes her eyes widen with surprise.

"Hey! Can you stop yelling? My ears will bleed," a deep, masculine voice scolds her, the words reverberating through the forest. Alita turns her head, searching for the source of the voice.

"Hey?" Alita greets, puzzled, not seeing anyone nearby. She's confused about who spoke to her.

The man chuckles as he steps out from behind a tree, "What's a girl doing in the forest so late at night?" he asks, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Alita's brows furrow as she grimaces, "Excuse me? Can't a girl go to a forest?" She's ready to defend herself against the man who appeared out of nowhere.

"You've taken it the wrong way, lady," the man rolls his eyes, uncrossing his arms.

"What are you? A vampire? Or a werewolf?" Alita takes a step back, adopting a defensive stance.

"Vampire," the man confirms, his smirk widening as he takes a casual step forward.

"Nah, they don't exist. I was just joking with Y/N," Alita dismissively waves her hand, not taking this situation seriously at all.

The man's smug expression grows even wider, "Yeah, they don't, right?" he asks, taking slow steps toward her.

Alita backs away protectively, "I have a black belt in karate. Don't think of doing anything."

"Black belt?" The man chuckles with an amused smile. He finds it amusing that she's boasting about her martial arts skills in front of a vampire.

"Go home, lady. It's the night of the full moon. You don't want a werewolf to attack you," he warns, tilting his head in a sincere manner.

"Werewolf?" Alita curiously inquires, her interest piqued. She wants to know more. This is her chance to shine and brag to Y/N and Raya about how she met a vampire and how much she knows about supernatural beings.

"They haven't transformed yet, since the full moon takes time to reach its peak. Take my advice and go home," he points to the moon, which is currently only half full, indicating that she doesn't have much time left.

"Do you really believe in all these things?" Alita asks, doubtful.

"Of course, I do," he laughs shamelessly, waving his hand to gesture for her to leave. But Alita isn't ready to go just yet. She has more questions.

"What's your name?" Alita blinks, looking at him curiously.

"Taehyung."

───── ☾ ─────

"I'll kill you!" Jungkook roars and grabs Baekhyun's shoulders pushing him to the ground beside him and punching his face again and again till it was bloody. Jungkook clutches onto Baekhyun's collar and Baekhyun was still laughing. Laughing at his pain. He knew what he was going through.

Jungkook instantly appears beside a tree with his vampire speed, quickly tearing a piece of bark from it. Baekhyun's eyes widen, realizing Jungkook's intentions. He prepares to use his own speed to confront Jungkook and protect himself.

But before he can strike, someone intervenes with a shout, "Jungkook!"

Namjoon steps between Jungkook and Baekhyun, shielding the werewolf from Jungkook's impending attack. Baekhyun snickers at the sight of Namjoon.

"Jungkook, do you realize you were just about to take someone's life?!" Namjoon angrily questions, his frustration boiling over.

Jungkook's eyes widen as he gazes at the piece of bark, dropping it to the ground. He takes a step back, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

"What was I about to do?" He mutters miserably, questioning his own actions. Jin approaches him swiftly.

"It's alright, Jungkook. You're safe now," Jin reassures him, wrapping his arms around Jungkook and patting his back in an attempt to soothe him.

Jungkook's hands tremble, and he pushes Jin away, his self-loathing evident, "I'm a killer."

"No, Jungkook," Hoseok steps in, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I am, Hyung. Even if he was my enemy, I crossed the line and attempted to take his life. Anyone near me, whether it's by my hand or not, ends up suffering," Jungkook says, tears streaming down his face as he wipes them away.

Baekhyun wears a puzzled expression, asking, "What?" in utter confusion.

Namjoon turns to Baekhyun, his tone dismissive, "Now that you've had your fun, can you please leave? You're about to transform. You need to be restrained. Look at the full moon." He points towards the moon, which is approaching fullness within minutes.

Baekhyun quickly gets to his feet, alarmed, "Damn! I forgot."

After Baekhyun departs, Jungkook is still visibly shaken.

He turns away and walks off without saying a word.

"Jungkook!" Jin calls out, but all he gets in response is a faint whimper.

"I need some space, Hyung," Jungkook eventually replies, his voice distant. Jin, being a vampire, hears him clearly.

Namjoon sighs, "He can take care of himself. Let's go back home. He won't listen to us."

Namjoon's words prompt nods from Jin and Hoseok.

"Wait, where's Yoongi?" Hoseok inquires, looking around, realizing someone's missing.

"He's at home. He wanted to stay there," Namjoon informs him.

"Oh," Hoseok acknowledges with understanding.

───── ☾ ─────

Jimin enters the house, his voice echoing as he calls out, "Hyung?!" However, there's no response to his calls, and he sighs, realizing that nobody is home. He understands that they might still be outside searching for Jungkook.

As he walks further inside, Jimin's eyes fixate on the fireplace, which blazes with intense flames. A sudden flashback washes over him, causing him to clench his hand in a moment of deep contemplation.

- FLASHBACK -

"Dad?" Jimin enters the living room of his house, spotting his father comfortably reading a newspaper by the roaring fireplace. Jimin's gaze falls upon him, and he tilts his head inquisitively.

"Did you arrange for Y/N to become Jungkook's secretary without consulting her?" Jimin questions, his eyes widening with curiosity.

Jimin's father calmly sets the newspaper aside, removing his glasses in the process.

"It's for her own benefit, Jimin," he replies while organizing his belongings, then looks up to meet Jimin's gaze.

Jimin leans back, massaging his forehead, and glances away before refocusing on his father from across the room.

"But why make her a secretary when she could establish herself as a successful businesswoman in her own right, especially with your guidance?" Jimin inquires, intertwining his hands on his lap.

His father leans forward and provides a reason with a hint of amusement, "He's one of the wealthiest businessmen, and there's potential for them to develop a personal connection. I don't want her to remain single, as it seems you do."

Jimin remembers the night Y/N returned from the party and shares his perspective with frustration.

"I saw them, Dad. The way they looked at each other, their closeness, and the warmth in their eyes. I sent her to the party to meet him, and this is what happened," Jimin expresses, clearly displeased.

"Wait, so you came back home early because you spotted them together?" Jimin questions, raising an eyebrow and shaking his head.

"She was with that guy?" Jimin vents his anger, striking the couch's armrest with his fist.

His father gives him a stern look, addressing the matter seriously, "Enough of your immaturity, Jimin. I believe she should move forward, and he's an excellent candidate. I arranged for her to be his secretary to create opportunities for them to get closer. This is for her own benefit. Promise me you won't tell her."

- END OF FLASHBACK -

"Date?" Jimin scoffs, his eyes filled with anger and disappointment.

He glares at the roaring flames of the fireplace, his emotions spilling out. "Best candidate? You've ruined her life, Dad. And not just hers but mine and many others. It was your simple decision that brought us to this point. I resent you for that. Thank you for turning my life into a living hell," Jimin bitterly expresses, his voice laced with resentment.

───── ☾ ─────

Jungkook sits by the river, the sound of gently flowing water filling the quiet forest. His fingers idly pick up rocks, one by one, sending them skipping across the water's surface. But there's something distant in his eyes, a void that seems to swallow his thoughts.

A soft whisper, like a breeze through the leaves, calls his name. "Jungkook?" He frowns and looks around, searching for the source of that voice.

"Y/N?" he responds hesitantly, his voice carrying a mixture of hope and uncertainty.

From behind a nearby tree emerges a woman, her ethereal white gown flowing like moonlight. Her face remains obscured from view.

"Y/N?" Jungkook repeats, a smile beginning to form as he takes a few steps towards her, his curiosity piqued.

She moves away from him, and he doesn't hesitate, using his vampire speed to appear behind her, his arms encircling her in a gentle back hug. It's as if he's trying to hold onto something precious.

But she halts abruptly, and he turns her around, his smile fading as he realizes who stands before him.

"Blaise?" he gasps, disbelief and anger etched into his features.

She responds with a smirk, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Yeah, Jungkook."

Questions and fear spiral in Jungkook's mind. How could she be here? He had killed her with his own hands. Is he hallucinating, trapped in a never-ending nightmare? The forest around him seems to close in, amplifying the eerie encounter, leaving Jungkook in a tense and suspenseful moment of uncertainty.

"Is it?" She asks and Jungkook broadens his eyes, "Let's show you if it is." A knife appears in Blaise's hand.

She comes closer to him and harshly grabs his hand slicing his palm.

"Urgh!" Jungkook's pained grunt echoes in the quiet forest as he staggers back from the unexpected slice on his palm. He clutches his bleeding hand to his chest, his eyes wide with shock and terror. The pain feels excruciating, far more intense than it should be.

His heart races erratically, pounding in his chest as if it's trying to break free. Cold sweat beads on his forehead, and his trembling hands only worsen his distress.

Suddenly, Jungkook's eyes snap open, and he finds himself lying by the riverside. Confusion clouds his thoughts as he tries to piece together what just happened. Did he fall asleep while tossing those rocks into the water?

"Ugh!" he groans, his attention drawn to the sharp pain in his palm. His eyes widen as he stares at the deep, bleeding wound, the blood staining his hands and clothing. Dread washes over him, realizing that what he thought was a dream might have been a terrifying reality.

The wound . . .

It was there.

Fresh.

Not healing.

The shirt,

With red bloodstains.

Blaise is still alive.

───── ☾ ─────

You unlatch your window, gazing outside at the serene night.

"Vampire. Vampire. Vampire." Raya's voice suddenly fills the room as she enters, her voice carrying a sense of urgency and frustration. She grips her own hair in exasperation, her gaze focused on the ground.

Concerned, you approach her swiftly, placing your hands gently on her cheeks. "What happened, Raya?" you ask, searching her eyes for answers.

"Y/N, you wouldn't believe this," Raya says with unwavering determination, clutching your hands as they rest on her cheeks.

"I saw a vampire!" Her words are grave, and her grip on your hands is firm, leaving you momentarily stunned.

"Really? Is it April Fools today? Wait, let me check the calendar," you reply, half-teasing as you start to withdraw your hands, moving towards your phone to confirm the date.

"Y/N, I am serious," Raya insists, her expression resolute.

Your eyebrows furrow as you turn back to her. "They do exist," she asserts, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

_______

VOTE