KOOKIE POV:

I listen with fascination as Tae hyung tells me of a human he's seen- a human who helped a young vampire tonight, helped him overcome his worries and fears. Who told him that he wasn't a monster. He tells me of how under a starless sky, that human became a light for the vampire- gave him hope and faith that things would turn out fine. And that somewhere out there, even if their paths never crossed again, there was a human who saw him as a person and rooted for him.

The story is fascinating, warming, entrancing. It gives me a rare glimpse of the possibility that maybe just maybe- there was the chance of coexistence, and yet it seemed so far away, out of grasp- almost as if it was a fairy-tale spun simply for the sake of storytelling.

But the glimmer in Tae hyung's eyes as he tells me, the wriggle of excitement, the way his face becomes animated as he speaks, assures me that it is the truth. That he has seen it. And it has excited him just the way it flares a seed of hope in my now cold and unbeating heart.

But the feeling is bittersweet.

Because I wish when I had been human and was suffering- I had found someone like that to help me out of the dark, to provide me with a shred of comfort when the days seemed long and endless and the night failed to provide me with security. I wish that back then someone had stretched out their hand for me- seen me suffering and offered to help me out.

It's those small things that could make all the difference.

And maybe if that had been the case- I wouldn't have died that night.

-----

There's a noticeable tension at breakfast, Jin hyung who usually mans the stove is sitting despondently at the kitchen table, pallor whiter than usual, eyes on Yoongi hyung and Hobi hyung who bustle about making breakfast- but there's a vacancy in his eyes, as if his mind is somewhere else.

Namjoon hyung smiles when I plop down next to him, placing a chaste kiss on the mating mark on my neck, mumbling good morning into my skin before he straightens, dimples appearing but he too has eyes that show his mind is whirring away busily, occupied by something.

I smile back at him, quietly fretting for the two of them and hoping that they don't burden themselves alone with whatever the issue might be.

Jimin hyung and Tae hyung are conversing on the other end, a low stream of conversation interjected with laughter, teases, and casual tactile gestures. But seeing them happy and normal, settles a sort of unease in me- that surely whatever it is, isn't so bad if the two of them are able to smile and laugh.

Hobi hyung and Yoongi hyung set down plates, blood-infused drinks sitting amidst the pancakes they've made.

"Come on, eat up" Hobi hyung chirps at everyone, bringing a forkful to my mouth. I open my mouth allowing him to slip the morsel inside, his eyes crinkling happily at this small gesture.

"Always such a good boy for hyung." He says pleased, fingers lingering against the corner of my mouth before moving back to eat.

Breakfast passes by in its usual manner but I know I'm not the only one wandering what it was that had happened last night. What it was that had caused Jin hyung, the voice of reason, to go storming off, Namjoon hyung hot on his heels.

Yoongi hyung's eyes have narrowed, silently contemplating, and examining the two of them, fingers playing with the fork in his hand.

And then Jimin hyung beats us all to it.

"What happened last night hyungs?" he says lightly but the words have the opposite effect, a sudden heavy silence descending, clinking of cutlery ceasing, mugs raised to mouths slowly lowered and placed with a small thunk onto the table.

Jin hyung's eyes raise from where he's been vehemently staring at his plate, cheeks flushed now that he's had some blood in him.

His eyes flicker uncertainly, shifting from brown to red a few times, before he glances away, throat bobbing slightly as he turns, face ducking out of sight.

Namjoon hyung's hand goes to gently rest on Jin hyung's, eyes meeting ours as he speaks.

"You know the dream hyung had about our final mate?" he hedges carefully but everyone sits up straighter, eyes alert as we all lean forward.

"Yes?" Yoongi hyung voices.

"Well hyung's dream was based at the exhibition hall and he's just disappointed that he didn't find her." hyung finishes.

There's small barely inaudible sighs, disappointed but each person trying to hide it for the sake of the others.

I didn't even realise a part of me had leapt up at the news when hyung had first told us, didn't realise I had quickly grown to anticipate the day she'd join us, but hyung's words sends that same hope plummeting a bit.

But hyung's prophetic abilities have never failed him- it guided him to me all those years ago. So what happened this time?

And why does Namjoon hyung look slightly guilty, body fidgeting uneasily as his legs jostle slightly under the table. Why does he look like he's nervous about something?

JB POV:

Receiving a text in the early hours of the morning in itself was ominous. Finding out that it had been Namjoon to send it made it worse.

The brief message, polite but urgent, asking if we could meet today had me staring intently at it, even as breakfast was being cleared away from the table, the others bustling around me.

What did he need?

What had happened?

I already felt drained, when we learnt that (Y/N) had vanished from the exhibition- everyone had become frantic, eyes searching intently in the crowd but unable to find her. The late message Yugyeom had sent saying she'd made it home had brought a crashing wave of relief that had finally allowed me to sink into a couch after all the frenzied pacing- an offset of all the built up raging instincts demanding me to go out, to find, to hold and to keep safe.

And now this?

And then someone pressed themselves against my back, fingers deftly plucking the phone from my slack grip.

"Namjoon? What does he want to meet for?" Mark hyung asks, voice curious as he eyes the message before widening when they undoubtedly see the time it had been sent at.

"I don't know...but I'm planning to call him over." I reply, fingers itching to send the reply- the quicker it's done, the quicker he comes and the sooner all my jumbled thoughts and questions can be put to rest.

Hyung passes the phone back.

"I've already texted him; he'll be here late afternoon." He adds, leaning down to press a kiss to the back of my head.

"Don't worry Jaebum-ah, vampires don't age after a certain point but I still wouldn't want you to get grey hairs. Don't fret, I'm sure it'll be fine." He murmurs, a brief reassuring squeeze to my shoulders before he steps away, going to help Jinyoung with the dishes.

----

Of all the thoughts and worries had in my head, for all the endless scenarios and questions my mind created, nothing could've prepared me for this.

That when I swung open the door, it wasn't only Namjoon but also Jin hyung standing there- mouths tight, eyes flashing red- with a mix of anger, worry and confusion.

We'd sat down, Jackson plopping down onto the couch with Youngjae in his arms- Mark hyung not too far away from me and the two of them seated in a manner that is a bit tense and stiff.

And then Jinyoung came in bearing a tray with two clear glasses filled with blood-infused juice.

And then came the curt abrupt question.

"So you have two nestlings?" and just like that, the tray clattered slightly as Jinyoung set it down, and the room descended into an icy chill for all that it was kept warmed in preparation of (Y/N) arriving.

And I found myself lost for words.

(Y/N) POV:

I fidget impatiently at the door, tapping my foot against the floor.

"Gyeomie HURRY UP!" I yell into the apartment and am responded with a loud groan and the slightest sound of him shifting in his bedroom before he appears in front of me, smiling down at me.

"Gosh! From the way you're acting, it would look like you're the one being courted by the coven." He teases, and then my eyes catch onto his outfit. He's clearly spent time choosing out clothes and I don't have the heart to say anything to his silent gesture of taking extra care of his appearance. I just straighten the sleeves and neckline of his jumper, brushing away some of the errant strands which flop around his face endearingly.

"Let's go Gyeom-ah, your hyungs will be swooning over you." I tease before pulling him out of the apartment behind me, not missing the small complaint that he hasn't been dressing himself up at all.

The short drive there is largely for my benefit, Gyeomie had taken one look at my pink nose and the way my eyes watered in the cold and hailed a taxi. The inside was warm and toasty- and I wondered not for the first time whether the coven feel uncomfortable because of the heating- whether it affects them.

"Hey Gyeomie, do you guys ever feel overheated?" I ask, twisting to look at him.

He looks at me curiously before he understands the question.

"You mean the heating...it's never that high that it becomes bothersome. You know I'd let you know and let you freeze instead." He says with a serious expression but the teasing lilt to his voice says otherwise, that he wouldn't push that worry onto me.

And yet again, I wonder how I ever got so lucky with someone like him in my life.

I really don't deserve him.

When we step out of the taxi, it's Gyeomie who's tugging me forward, a noticeable spring in his step and visible excitement and eagerness on his face as we walk towards their front door. A small fidget as he bounces on the balls of his feet.

I squeeze the hand that has grabbed my own.

"You look amazing Gyeom-ah, and besides, they're already head over heels for you." I say, watching as his face shifts into something calmer, more natural and at ease.

My eyes catch onto a car that I haven't seen before, parked near the Ims' driveway but the sound of the door opening draws my attention back.

Bambam opens the door, face lighting up as he spots us and he takes no time at all in grabbing Gyeomie by the lapels of his coat and drawing him into a kiss, a small hum of pleasure as he joins their lips together in greeting. It's brief and chaste. And then Bambam is drawing me into a hug too, squeezing gently.

His hair is tousled as if he's just woken up and I eye his blue tee and loose trousers with slight envy, at the vampire ability to remain unaffected by cold before we're stepping into the warm hallway, toeing off our shoes. There's two pairs that also sit on the floor, unfamiliar to my eyes, and then we're walking in.

But suddenly I crash into Bambam who has frozen in the doorway, rubbing my forehead ruefully. I can't see past him, his frame blocking the room from view. Gyeomie looks confused too but a quick dart over Bambam's shoulder has his own face blanching slightly, feet backpedalling, as if he's been shocked by whatever lies inside.

"Oh hyungs, I didn't know you were here." Bambam's voice comes out a bit strained, forced joviality in it.

My eyes dart to the two unfamiliar pairs of shoes.

And then there's the sound of someone getting up, approaching the doorway despite the way Bambam shifts to block me from view.

And then gently nudging him aside, coming into view so we're standing in the same space is the male from yesterday- the one with the broad shoulders, but this time his gaze isn't curious and fascinated. This time his eyes widen, and lips twist, body recoiling silently, jerking back away from me.

"You're human?" the male asks, disbelief colouring his voice.

But his body had reacted instinctively to me, even if his voice was somewhat measured and reserved. His body already gave away what his initial reaction was. Repulsion. For me.

Someone I didn't know. But he looked like he knew me.

(THERE YOU GO! NOW WE ARE GONNA BE GETTING TO SOME ANGSTY ACTION- ARE YOU READY TO GET HYPED UP? HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS CHAPTER? WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN? GOOD STUFF, BAD? WILL IT BE REVEALED THAT SHE'S THEIR MATE OR WILL THINGS BLOW UP IN THEIR FACES? AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY- WILL SHE WANT TO STAY THERE LONG ENOUGH FOR THE CONVERSATION OR NOT?? LET'S SEE! THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY WRITING SO MUCH! EVERY DAY THE READS KEEP JUMPING AND IT'S SO MOTIVATING TO READ YOUR COMMETNS AND HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! THANK YOU LOVELIES AND STAY SAFE!)

Open your hearts so you can live fully, live without restraint, live without barriers and walls shutting things out. Live each day to the max, and better than the last. Live doing what makes you happy, what makes you smile and what it is that catches your eye. Go forth and seize the day!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3