Pretty soon I woke up & my mother was tending to me. "You're finally awake, Jisoo. I was beginning to worry..." I sat up quickly recognizing I was in my room. "제가 왜 여기 있지요? 무슨 일인가요?" (Why am I here ? What happened ?) I still had some memory, but I was a bit confused. My mother handed me a glass with blood wine in it. "Drink up. Regain your strength, Jisoo ah."

I ignored this as I glared. Did she think she could distract me ? "What happened ? Where is Youngsoo ?" My mother sighed as she sat the blood wine on my nightstand carefully. "영수는 집에서 쉬고 있습니다. 그가 와인을 위해 혈액을 공급하기로 동의한 지 일주일이 지났습니다."(Youngsoo is resting at home. It has been a week since he agreed to start supplying his blood for the wines.) I was a bit bothered by that, but I hope I can avoid Youngsoo being further used. 

I really just wanted a life distanced from my mother & EN- all together. "What is this then ? You've been taking care of me after all that you've done, Mom ?" My mother looked pissed I insinuated that she was here due to her own guilt, but softly smiled in my direction nonetheless. "You're my daughter, Jisoo. I will always want to take care of you."

Conversation only went down from there. I couldn't trust my mom. She always seemed defensive when I brought up my dad. I also wanted to live a normal human life, but she wanted me to continue my life as it currently was... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 Year Later...

I had just entered Youngsoo' hospital room. He had been staying here the last few months since he consistently needed IV drips & around the clock attention as he healed from blood loss, as well as dehydration. 

I sat at his bed side. "How are you feeling, Youngsoo ?", I asked as his pale face offered me a small soft smile. How could he be so happy in this weak condition ? "걱정되시죠, 그렇죠? 지수 씨는 저를 보러 올 때마다 이런 질문을 해요." (You're worried, aren't you ? You ask this every time you come to see me, Jisoo.) I sighed as he always deflected when I asked him. 

I have been visiting as much as I can. I am just worried the worst is happening again... "Then why do you never answer me ? You must be in some pain, Youngsoo. I know your body is incredibly weak right now." He nodded as he weakly grabbed my hand. 

His hand was cold & weak. It honestly hurt seeing him in this position. "You know, right ? You know I have a crush on you, right ?" I had always had a feeling, but I was absolutely terrified I'd hurt him again. Why does he like me anyway ? Which is saying a lot given that I am half vampire. "What does that have to do with anything, Youngsoo ?"

"결국 나는 죽을 거야, 지수야... 하지만 저는 당신의 마음을 알고 싶습니다. 너는 저를 좋아하나요?" (Eventually I will die, Jisoo... But I want to know how you feel. Do you like me ?) Morbid. Absolutely morbid. He was thinking from a stand point of a human who knew too much. He knew giving his blood for the wines would soon be the end of him, but yet he still wanted to live his life to the fullest he could now. "Am I even worth liking, Youngsoo ? Your blood alone could lead to me going into a frenzy & killing you..."

This is when he said the most beautifully morbid thing I have ever heard in all my years. Especially since I didn't get attached to people giving that I knew they'd even be in danger in my presence. Youngsoo said this as follows:

"Intoxicated by my own might, I've strayed from your light. This mystical strength, destined to last beyond time's seam. Oblivious to the illusion's hold, I danced on." (A/N comes from Dark Blood, of course.)

Silence overcame us as we stared into each other' eyes. Time seemed slow & the words just barely were spoken. Frozen still... This moment was truly saccharine.

The END.

끝.