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Dark, mysterious and enticing. Three words that Yeosang would use to describe the forbidden woods resting just outside his village. Ever since he was warned of its horrors he had been drawn closer and closer to its edges and the potential thrill that lay just ahead of it. Yet his lust for adventure was restricted by the laws of his own town.

1.One must not enter the forbidden woods
2.Those found conversing with evil shall be fined with treason
3.Report anyone who fails to abide by these rules

Yeosang was often reminded of these rules even as he stared into the vast forest from the window of his home. The sparse glimpses were just enough to lure him to it. Only to be snapped back to reality mere seconds later. "You're staring again," Stated Wooyoung, the young blonde's roommate. He was often the one to take him out of his traces, which was obviously never appreciated.

"And what about it?" Was his grumpy reply. The older male lounged by the window, his frowning face resting on its cill. "Is it so wrong that I long for a bit of adventure in this godforsaken town? What is there to do here anyway?" He heard Wooyoung hum. The older's moment of indolence was interrupted when a basket of bread was shoved into his arms.

"You can make yourself useful and send this to Mr Kim. I am sure he would appreciate seeing your face. It's not like anyone really does nowadays..." Yeosang scoffed at the way he simply walked off, leaving him with the chores. One Wooyoung himself was meant to do yesterday, in fact. Working at a local bakery to earn their living, they spend plenty of their time delivering bread and baked goods to the villagers of their town.

However, recently, Yeosang couldn't bring himself to so much as leave the house. Why? It simply wasn't worth it. Nothing in this tiny town of tedious troubles was worth leaving the comfort of his home for. Apparently, Wooyoung seemed to think otherwise, and shouted for his roommate to get going.

Begrudgingly, the young male trudged out of his home, hissing at the bright rays of the blinding sun above him. Mr Kim's house was on the other side of town. A walk that, when strode with purpose, wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes. However, for Yeosang, there was no ambition in the way he ambled through the village streets. Annoyance was the only feeling present and it made it difficult for him to care about his final destination.

Yeosang stared at the sky as he walked down the road, potentially looking like some sort of mad man due to his uneven stride. It was because of this wonky walk that he began to inch towards the outskirts of the town. He smacked his head, cursing himself for being so clumsy yet didn't change course. Instead, his eyes travelled towards the groves.

They were so uncanny yet so alluring. Why were the forbidden woods forbidden? It was something Yeosang had always wondered. Whether he knew it or not, his legs began to shift towards the forest. Each step he took gave him a greater sense of enthusiasm as his thoughts became clouded by what may lay ahead of him. It wasn't long before he was in.

His world was encased in instant darkness, surrounded by black plants and ominous glowing eyes. Vines more akin to snakes, bugs the size of monsters and what was once a blinding sun was now a desolate moon resting comfortably in the night sky. The atmosphere was nothing but eerie and to any normal person, uncomfortable. Yet Yeosang found a strange sense of solace in this peculiar setting, urging him to continue his trek forward. He brought out one of the loaves of bread in the basket meant for Mr Kim and munched on it with a grin.

He wondered if Mr Kim would be looking for his delivery and out of curiosity, glanced back to see how far he had walked. To his surprise, there was not a hint of sunlight in sight, when he could've sworn he hadn't been walking for that long. Frantically, his eyes travelled for some hint of familiarity. Yet there was nothing.

The wind blew through the forest, intruding on the thin sleeves of Yeosang's shirt. He shivered, feeling a sudden urge to be back at home by his fireplace. To achieve this, however, he would need to find a way out of here. He would need to think of a plan before one of those eyes watching him decided to strike.

A low growl filled the blonde's ears and it was just enough to send him sprinting. Yeosang dropped the basket of bread, using all of his strength to dash through the deeper parts of the forest. Constantly glancing behind him, he could still hear whatever the creature was chasing after him. It all came to a halt when Yeosang's foot collided with a tree root, sending tumbling to the ground. He screamed, rolling and falling from what felt like an endless cliff until he finally pummeled to the dirt floor. Yeosang groaned in agony and clutched his bruised stomach.

After collecting his fleeting breaths, the male trembled to his feet, eyes going wide at what he had landed in front of. It was a mansion. Yeosang didn't give himself much time to admire its dark exterior before he scrambled to the front door.

Isolated and seemingly left to the harsh elements outside, the house was lifeless. Cobwebs rested in the rooms corners, sheets covered the living room furniture and when Yeosang removed them he was met with a whirlwind of dust. The holes in the floorboards made him cautious of every step he took. Each one followed by the pained croak of the wood beneath him - all on the first floor. He hadn't even gotten to the staircase yet.

From the brief glance he had gotten from outside, the mansion was huge. Far too big for its inhabitants, regardless of how many may have resided there.

The waxy smell of candles filled Yeosang's senses. Torches? Here? In such a desolate place? A shiver ran down the hairs of his neck as the familiar breeze from outside blew through the room, fizzling out the candles and removing any sources of light. Ignoring his natural instinct to run, Yeosang followed the vague smell of smoke emitting from the once lit sticks, now faced with a wide and winding staircase. His eyes went to the interesting paintings on the wall, each of a dignified noble.

The one that intrigued him the most, was of a young man. Though his sight was limited, Yeosang could clearly see his distinct features and sharp red eyes. He was, dare you say, ethereal.

"Well now, what an interesting surprise," Yeosang whipped around. His heartbeat quickened at the massive shadow casting over his small frame. The same glowing eyes as in the painting stared down at him, only now, they were going right through his soul. "A human? How peculiar..."

Yeosang wasn't sure what to do, and from the looks of it, neither did the stranger. They both just stared at one another, examining the other's features. His hair shady blonde, several large strands sticking out, and dark eyebrows creased with unpredictable intent. It was difficult to see, with the only reliable light source coming from the stranger's bright red pupils but it was enough to keep Yeosang captivated.

After one minute of silent gawking, the blonde cleared his throat. "Are you not going to say anything?" This question snapped the older man out of his odd trance, as he leaned closer to Yeosang as if to be sure he had heard him correctly.

"Pardon me?"

"Why are you so silent? I would expect you to at least have some sort of reaction other than confusion. Maybe anger? Irritation? I have broken into your home after all. As...grim as it is, a home nonetheless." The stranger did nothing but blink at such a statement. His evident confusion made Yeosang scoff. "Of course, you're a homeless man that lives in the woods. That must be the reason it is forbidden. It is for the unemployed."

Expecting to just be able to walk off, Yeosang moved away from the man, only to be yanked right back. The stranger glared down at him, his eyes now baring a furious crimson, opposed to their neutral colour before. Yeosang gulped, the man's hand looming over his throat, the other raised. Yet instead of a strike, he snapped his finger. The candles were suddenly relit, giving Yeosang back his full vision.

The man's pale skin accentuated his eyes and his lips were a light shade of pink. His teeth...Oh...now Yeosang understood. Deadly sharp canines pointing out as he dragged his tongue over his upper lip, relishing in the new found fear on the human's face. "Y-You're...a vampire..."

"Well now, don't you catch on quickly? Not quick enough, however," The vampire got ready to bare his fangs, only to be sharply interrupted by the pure look glee on Yeosang's face.

"Amazing!" He cheered, to the pure bewilderment of the vampire in front of him. He was so shocked, that he stood a step back from the smiling male.

"Are you alright?" He asked with genuine concern. "That's not usually the first response someone has when meeting a vampire..."

"Why is that? What could be better than this? You're a vampire for god sake! And by far the most interesting thing to walk into my life!" The vampire didn't like the sound of that, and as far as he was concerned the only thing he planned to do was suck his blood and throw his body outside for the wolves. Yeosang, on the other hand, seemed to have much different plans in mind. "I'm Yeosang, and you are?"

Understandably, the vampire was hesitant to answer anything to this strange man. Yet he told himself that the sooner he got this over with, the quicker he could help himself to a meal. "Seonghwa..." Though the way he phrased it, he sounded unsure. Not the Yeosang minded, or even noticed.

"You're a rather strange human..." He murmured. "Why...?"

"Did you just ask me when I'm strange?" Yeosang gawked at the oddity of this sort of question. Yet it seemed Seonghwa was genuinely expecting an answer. As absurd as it sounded, the blonde shrugged at him. "Boredom will do that, I suppose."

"Bored? Why are you bored?"

"You ask quite a lot of questions, you know that Seonghwa?" The vampire lowered his head, apologising under his breath. His sincerity made Yeosang giggle. It was clear that he didn't interact with many people. Not that there would be many people to talk to in the forbidden forest anyway. "I'm bored because my village is miserable to live in. Nothing ever happens and I would much rather be anywhere in the word but that dull dump."

"I suppose that would explain a bit..." Seonghwa finally saw the way Yeosang, clutched his stomach from his fall earlier and furrowed his brow. "You're hurt..."

"I fell..." The younger murmured in repose. He heard Seonghwa sigh and before he knew it, he was hoisted into the vampire's arms. "H-Hold on! What are you-"

"You're wounded and I refuse to let you walk around injured." Faster than Yeosang could have imagined, the vampire sped to the top of the stairs and into a bedroom. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at a new location and Yeosang was amazed by Seonghwa's speed. He was gently placed on the soft fabrics of the bed and left to get comfortable while the vampire fetched a few bandages. In contrast to the rooms on the first floor, the second level of the mansion, this room, in particular, was practically spotless. Purple wallpaper, black carpet and a pretty, candlelit chandelier to brighten it up - this room was much more to Yeosang's liking.

"Remove your shirt," Seonghwa instructed. Yeosang did as he was told and slipped his long-sleeved shirt off. The vampire sat down next to him and began to clean his wounds. There was silence between them, as Seonghwa focussed on Yeosang's torso rather than the human himself. Yet Yeosang's eyes kept travelling to the vampire's face. His features were absolutely exquisite and the longer he stared the more drawn to him he became.

Questions began to circulate in the young male's mind, and he was dying for some answers. "What are you doing alone here? The forbidden woods are quite dangerous you know..."

Seonghwa chuckled. "I could ask you the exact same. What's a human of all creatures doing so deep in here?" Blush rose to Yeosang's cheeks at the memory of the embarrassing fall he had and the way he had gotten lost so easily.

"I asked first, didn't I?" Seonghwa could hear how defensive his tone had gotten, but laughed regardless.

"I've always been here," He replied. "It's my home after all." Yeosang hummed. It was a simple response but he supposed it made sense. He winced when Seonghwa pressed down just a little too hard on his stomach, causing the vampire to apologise immediately.

"It's alright...But...When are you alone?"

The older paused. His gaze went dark for a moment, evidently trying not to look towards Yeosang and frighten him. "You may want to ask the people in your little village that." He hissed. The moment his torso was wrapped up, Seonghaw stood to his feet, allowing Yeosang to put his shirt back on. His eyes travelled towards the window, something interesting catching his attention. Just outside the house was, what could only be described as a graveyard of plants. A part of Yeosang wondered how nice it would be to fix it up.

Yet before he could dwell on the thought, the vampire said that caught his attention. "You're all done. I'll escort you back to your town so you don't get lost on the way back."

"No!" Yeosang shouted to Seonghwa's surprise. "I can't go back! There's nothing for me there. Please...Allow me to stay with you."

"You can't..."

"Why not? I'm not scared to live with a vampire!" Seonghwa growled. Before he knew it, the human was shoved to the bed, his back hitting the soft cushion below him. Yeosang moved to pull himself up but was pushed right back down. The same hand that had held him to the mattress slowly began to caress the soft skin on his cheek.

"You're not scared because I'm not allowing you to be. If I wanted you to be scared, it would've been when I sucked you dry of the delicious blood in your system," Shivers were the only thing Yeosang felt, as Seonghwa's cold fingers traced his face. "You can't survive in this forest. You may not feel anything now, but trust me, you will."

"S-Seonghwa..."

"And that's why I'm taking you back." Once again, he was hoisted into the vampire's arms, this time, protesting by shouting and smacking at his chest. All his efforts were in vain, however, as Seonghwa was able to speed through the forest with ease, hardly phased by Yeosang's difficult reaction.

It was pitch dark once they arrived at the village. Not a soul in sight. Just the way Seonghwa wanted it. With that, he tossed Yeosang onto the ground. He watched, his hand on his hip and a blank, yet still amused, expression as he watched him roll to his feet. Yet again, they stared at each other. Yeosang noticed the way the vampire bit the inside of his cheek like he was holding himself back.

"Am I ever going to see you again?" The human asked. Seonghwa hated the way his eyes fell. His hands went to Yeosang's face, surprised when the younger blonde didn't even flinch. His soft lips pecked his forehead and Seonghwa smiled at him.

"Not without reason," He told him. "It is forbidden for you to converse with evil. I don't wish to cause you any trouble." The soft hold on Yeosang's face began to slip and away, and he instantly attempted to grab it back, trying to feel what little warmth the vampire's cold body had to offer. It made Seonghwa's face soften. "Though our first encounter may have been short-lived, had the circumstances been different, I would have loved to see you again, Yeosang."

Then he left. Leaving nothing but a breeze and Yeosang, frozen in grief. His one taste of life. Gone before his eyes. Slowly, he drew his hand back, solemnly realising that it was left where Seonghwa's hand once was.

The blonde trudged back to his home, a new wave of exhaustion washing over him. He lit a candle and made his way through the empty house. There was usually a light or two no matter how late it was. Wooyoung must have been out. Yeosang shrugged it off though, too tired to so much as think of where his loud roommate may be.

Seconds within touching the bed, Yeosang was out like a light. There was only one thought on his mind when he went to sleep that night.

Seonghwa.

That same name was on his mind even as he was shaken awake that very night. A plank of wood harshly slammed onto the back of the young male, causing him to cry in pain as he slowly inched up. Yet, to his surprise, it wasn't only Wooyoung standing over him, but guards and the local priest as well. "What's going on? What are you doing in my room?"

"Kang Yeosang, you have been fined with high treason." The guard stated bluntly.

"And for what?" He shouted back, sliding off of his bed. "What crime have I committed?"

The priest stepped forward, a book and bottle of mysterious liquid in his hand. "I can sense it all over you," He ominously spat. "The scent of evil. You reek of dark magic!" Yeosang scoffed at such an accusation. His eyes travelled to Wooyoung, expecting the younger to say something. Yet he did nothing.

"It's true. I saw him leave the forest with a vampire..."

"What? Wooyoung..." His roommate did nothing but watch with a cold face as the guards grabbed Yeosang's arms and began pulling him out. His kicks and screams were useless and they managed to tear him from his house with no strain.

Yeosang wasn't sure how long he had been knocked out, or when he was even knocked out for that matter, but when he awoke his eyes went wide. Surrounded by his fellow town's folk, each scowling with disgust, his arms tied behind his back and to a wooden pole a few feet off the ground. It took a moment too long for him to adjust to his surroundings because the moment he came to, the torches were already moving towards him.

"On this day, we rid ourselves of the evil that has invaded our town," When the priest said those words, the crowd shouted in approval, leaving Yeosang to tremble at the stake. "Darkness has filled this boy's mind and he has allowed it to poison him! And for that, he must be made an example."

Fear was all Yeosang felt, his arms desperately trying to free themselves from the thick rope surrounding him. Then he saw it. The bright flames of torches shining in his direction. And with two words, he could see his life flash before his very eyes: "Burn him."

Panic rose through Yeosang's body and then, terror. A terrified scream left the petrified boy's mouth. His legs kicked and wiggled as the fire raced towards him. He could feel its flames begin to pierce his soft flesh.

This is it.

He wept, eyes filling with tears. Yet before Yeosang could feel the true burn of the fire, a violent breeze swept through the village. People were pushed back, their arms thrown up to block the winds while the fire at Yeosang's feet flickered. Screams echoed from the crowd when the priest suddenly fell to the ground. His face pale and his neck impaled by fangs.

Before Yeosang could so much as react, his bondage was cut, leaving him to fall to the ground. Instead of hitting the floor though, he fell right into a pair of strong arms. "S-Seonghwa?" The blonde marvelled.

"You idiot..." Sure enough, the vampire stood over him, blood staining his lips and a bit of his chin. His dark figure, while frightening, was still radiant under the bright rays of the moon.

"D-Did you kill the-"

"There's no time," By now, the townsfolk had recovered from their shock and the sight of the bloody demon laying ahead of them as well as their dead priest quickly turned them to an aggressive mob. The dark grimaces of abhorrence were enough to signal anyone with a functioning brain to run.

So without wasting another second, Seonghwa fixed Yeosang in his grip, allowing his eyes to wander towards him, saying: "You'll be alright," before rushing as fast as vampirically possible out of the town. Yeosang held onto Seonghwa the whole way. His eyes were pressed shut, not daring to be reopened even if he knew they were far from the village.

Whether he liked it or not, it was still his home. Boring and uneventful as it was. Now, he could never return.

Yeosang felt his body become weak the moment his feet touched the floor of Seonghwa's house. He was supported only by the arms of the vampire holding him. The adrenaline was wearing off. "Are you alright?"

The human's throat felt parched all of a sudden, too dry to elicit a single word. Seonghwa took note of his lack of response and perceived it as exhaustion. "It's okay. I'll take you upstairs." Opposed to last time, where Seonghwa carried him, the vampire opted to walk next to Yeosang while they made their way up the stairs, slowly but surely.

The last thing Seonghwa wanted to do was overwhelm the younger. Especially in the state he was in. So when Yeosang finished hobbling up the stairs, Seonghwa thought it would be best to leave him be once he was under the covers of the blanket. Yet a slight tug on his sleeve kept him in place. "Stay...?" The human pleaded, his voice soft and frail, nearly on the edge of breaking.

"Yeosang, you should rest. I shouldn't-"

"Please..." It was so strained. Hardly a whisper escaping those chard lips of his. This human, so frail and weak, with an attitude like fire - Seonghwa found him hard to resist. As idiotic as he thought he was for actively seeking danger. Nevertheless, the vampire slipped off his coat and circled to the other side of the bed. The two never broke eye contact, not even as Seonghwa rested himself under the soft fabrics of the bed.

Yeosang shifted closer, Seonghwa did the same. Though his body may be cold, his eyes felt warm, filling the blonde with a strange sense of hope and safety.

That was how Yeosang ended spending years with the vampire. Two years, to be exact. He kept Seonghwa company, entertaining him with plentiful banter and silent nights of comfort. Yeosang lived off the foods in the forest and despite not having to eat, Seonghwa had proved to be an excellent chef. Every night, he would provide the human something better than the last. The two had even taken to fixing the unruly first floor of the house. It was a good way to spend time with one another.

They would curl up with one another on the couch, staring at the blazing fire, try, and fail, to bake, and never hesitated to be in the comfort of the other. Seonghwa treated Yeosang as if he were the most precious being on Earth. Rubbing away his sores and attending to his every need. He'd even massage his shoulders as they sat together in the bath.

Yeosang spent much of his time in the back of the manor, tending to the garden of black roses that rested outside its dark walls. He smiled contently at how he had managed to turn this dishevelled swarm of weeds into something lush and wonderfully atmospheric.

"They're gorgeous," Marvelled Seonghwa. The vampire strutted over to the smaller, amazed at the beautiful array of midnight flowers. "Never did I think I would see this garden return to its former glory. Yet you've done it. A true miracle worker you are."

Yeosang giggled at such a compliment. Seonghwa didn't fail to notice the way he tucked his hair behind his ear, a sly grin starting to form on the vampire's face. Carefully, he plucked one of the roses, cautious of their thorns. Its scent was heavenly and when he handed it to Yeosang, the human caught a whiff of its amazing blackberry-like smell.

"For the most radiant person the world has gifted me, not even a rose from the most stunning depths of heaven could compare to you, Yeosang." The blonde, taken aback by such a proclamation, allowed his face to grow warm at Seonghwa's words of sentiment.

"When did you become such a poet?" He chuckled, head facing downwards to hide the blush. Yet he let Seonghwa slowly lift it back up, a gentle smile on his ethereal face.

"The day I became so in love with you, of course."

However, not all was well. Over time, Yeosang began to feel his body start to give out on him. Basic things such as moving felt near impossible for his feeble form. Seonghwa had warned him of the risks of living in the forbidden forest. It was a realm for those of dark descent. A land that would practically shatter the soul of any human if they so foolishly chose to stay.

By the first month in the woods, he was sleeping for longer. By the sixth month, he was hardly awaking at all. One year later, he had lost his appetite, and by two years...

Seonghwa kept the human in his arms, holding him close to his chest as he stroked his soft locks. "Stupid human, I told you..." His face had grown pale, his eyes gone dull and his hair a sickly shade of grey. "You'll be alright, Yeosang. Just hang on a little longer, will you?"

"Seonghwa..." His voice, once firm and commanding, was relegated to nothing but a vague whisper. "T-Take care of the r-roses..."

"No, no stop that! You're not going anywhere!" The weak chuckle he received nearly broke Seonghwa's heart.

"I know y-you don't know the f-first thing about p-plants...but do it...for me?" Tears welled in Yeosang's lifeless eyes that Seonghwa gently brushed away. He could do nothing but hold him tighter, promising that he would do whatever was asked of him.

"Just stay with me," Was all he pleaded in return, even if he knew it was hopeless. Gently, a hand as cold as Seonghwa's cupped his cheek. A sweet smile was the most Yeosang could offer him, but it was just enough. His desolate eyes, although hollow still told him that everything would be okay. The last thing Yeosang wanted to see was him cry.

So he gathered the remainder of his fleeing breaths and told him: "You've made every part of my life worth living. And for that, I will always be grateful. I don't have much, but I hope my love is just enough to repay your kindness." Before resting his eyes.

Never to be opened again in this lifetime.

There he was, left with the body of the first and last man he would ever love. Why god? Why? He didn't deserve this...Seonghwa kept his eyes up, for he knew the moment he looked down at the corpse in his arms, he would be sent to an unending world of grief.

With much anguish, he tucked Yeosang under the blankets of his velvet, purple bed. Seonghwa placed one final kiss on his forehead, before exiting the room. The clicking of the key in its hole was the last activity he would ever hear from that door, as he tossed the object to reopen it through an open window just ahead.

His hands clawed at his hair, desperately attempting to not let his thoughts get the better of him. Yet there was one thought lingering in his mind. And it came from that damn village.

As Wooyoung cleaned off his hands, he whistled a light tune to himself. A soothing sound to scathe off that irritating tinge of guilt had still been feeling. It had been two years, yet even now he thought back to his lost friend. "He was asking for it," He told himself for what could have been the hundredth time. "He shouldn't have wanted to go into that forest so badly, now that damn vampire's killed him..."

"You sound like a man with no regrets. Now that doesn't sound very right to me," Wooyoung froze. A strange breeze blew through the windows of his home, a large shadow casting over his shaking frame. Seonghwa hissed when he didn't turn to face him, yanking by the shoulders and harshly shoving him against the wall.

Wooyoung stared in horror at the obscene amount of blood staining the man's attire. Lips red with metallic liquid of a human's inside spilt gleefully on his pale face. His eyes showed no mercy and no semblance of goodwill. "He wouldn't want you to do this! T-This won't bring him back!"

The dark chuckle rumbling in Seonghwa's throat only told Wooyoung that this wasn't someone willing to be reasoned with. "I know, but sure will make me feel a hell of a lot better."