by Zhu Hsia
Being the sharp-eyed bloodsucker that he was, Mun Oh didn't miss that. He frowned at her, examining her closely.
"What's wrong?" he asked in the same hoarse voice. "And why are you here? Who brought you here?"
"I should be the one asking you the questions! Why did you leave without telling me? Selfish pest!" she said, pointing a finger at his face. That's when she noticed how pale his face was. Not that it wasn't always pale. But at that very moment, it was pale beyond comparison, as if he had some rare blood disease or had seen a ghost. His beautiful features looked dull up close; his dark and mysterious eyes were lifeless.
"I can't explain everything right now. I just didn't want you to see me like this," he said in a sad tone. It was not like him to speak to her in a mild manner, especially after she had just slapped him in front of his whole clan.
She bit her lip and sunk down on the chair at his bedside. "Is it...?" She twiddled with her fingers. "It already happened...?"
He coughed and she could practically hear the agony with every sound coming out of his mouth. She closed her eyes, unable to look at him. He was right; she could not bear to see him this vulnerable, defenseless and almost lifeless. Maybe she really shouldn't have been here. Now she had to blame Han Kyung for bringing her here again.
"Hyeon Jin," Mun Oh called out, his voice still hoarse. "I... I'm glad that you're here."
She looked up, confused.
"I thought I could do this without you… that it was better that way. But I guess I couldn't do it after all," he said.
"What's happening to you? I thought you were just gonna sleep..." Her voice trailed off as she looked away again. "Why are you so pale and why do you look like you're... so sick...?" She couldn't hide the fear and grief in her voice.
He looked away from her as well, staring at the moon outside through the wide-open windows. A cool breeze entered the room and he coughed some more. His eyes started to droop.
"I don’t know... it's my first time, remember?" he said, and then he yawned. "You know, I... I like the movie I was watching before they took me away." He focused his eyes on her; she was still staring at her fingers. "It was beautiful. A love story between a vampire hunter-turned-werewolf and a human. It was..." he thought for a while, then slowly shook his head. "I can relate to it. You should watch it sometime— it's called 'Van Helsing,'" he said, and paused to smirk before saying, "You want me to spell it out for you?"
She shot him a look and went back to stare at her fingers.
"Hyeon Jin." Although his voice was hoarse, it still had that strong and dominant effect that she had to look up. "I'm... I feel sleepy now..." He yawned again. She took in a sharp breath and her eyes filled with tears again. "Stupid..." He smirked at her. "Why are you crying? I said I'm sleepy—I'm not dying."
"I'm not crying!" she snapped at him, rubbing her eyes furiously. "Why would I cry for you? You didn't even want me here."
He flashed her that impish grin—the grin that used to annoy the hell out of her. Now, she wanted nothing else than to take a picture of that grin and stare at it forever. She would definitely miss that.
"Back when I was ten," he began, clearing his throat, "I watched this movie called 'The Legend of Johnny Lingo.' I was bored and I'd been watching English movies all day long. Back then, I was still naive when it came to love. I knew what it meant and everything, but I had no idea what it felt like. I'd read and watched so much stuff that discussed the word 'love' and I think I had too much of it. I was confused because it had so many different meanings, connotations, definitions and stuff." He paused to yawn again. "One of the characters there said this line about love and I think that was the only definition of love that I remembered. I don’t know why, but it has stuck in my mind ever since."
He stared deep into her eyes and tried to hold her gaze. That's when she noticed the true colors of his eyes. All this time she had thought they were simply dark like Ji Sun's, but she had been wrong. Now she could see that those striking dark eyes had a splash of ruby red in each iris. It was very unusual, but it gave off that mysteriously, tantalizing effect.
"Love is the most expensive commodity..." Mun Oh continued, quoting from the movie. "The more you are willing to pay, the more valuable the price." He closed his eyes as he tried to memorize her expressive and smoky brown eyes. "The only question is: how much are you willing to pay?" He ended with a relish, opening his eyes again.
Slivers of bluish white moonlight shone over his face, making it glow beautifully. He yawned for the umpteenth time and Hyeon Jin could see that he was fighting off the lethargy with all his might. His eyelids felt so heavy now that he had to pinch his arm in order to stay awake. He chuckled gently.
"You probably don’t know what it means..." he teased. She pouted at him. "It simply means," he said as he locked eyes with her again, "I'm a stupid bloodsucker who's willing to sleep forever if I had to, just to be with a mere human." They both chuckled without humor.
She reached out to hold his hand. "You're not gonna sleep forever. If you have to do that, then I'll do it with you." She winked at him. "We'll do it together."
"You remember your promise?" he asked, squeezing her hand tightly. She looked away bitterly. "Do you remember your promise, Hyeon Jin?" he repeated.
"You make it sound like it's gonna take longer than two years, when I couldn't even wait for a year!" she protested.
"You're always impatient. If you can't wait for even a year, then go and find some other boyfriend. Make sure he's better than me, though, or I might kill that jerk."
"Haha. Very funny, Mun Oh." She clicked her tongue. "You’re still good at giving empty and stupid threats."
"What did you say?!" He glared at her but it didn't have much effect, for his eyes were narrowed in a sleepy manner. She giggled as he raised his hand and attempted to flick her on the forehead, only to realize she was holding his hand and therefore in control of it. In the end, he got that flick on the forehead, but they just laughed it off.
"Don't break your promise," he reminded her, taking her hand close to his lips and placing a light kiss on it. His lips were so cold now; it sent chills up and down her spine.
"I won't," she promised.
"Park Juno still likes you," he added. She threw him a reproachful look. "That day at your school, when I came back... he talked to me. He said he's letting go of you because... well, he figured out that you'd be happier with me." He smirked. "That bastard was kinda smart and perceptive. But he said he's not getting back with you because of me. He knew he was no match for me." He sniggered arrogantly, and Hyeon Jin rolled her eyes. "So he told me to take care of you and make you happy."
"What did you say to him?" she asked, curious. She had never seen Park Juno after that day.
"Nothing. He's dumb and dumber all rolled into one big, stupid farthead," Mun Oh replied, seemingly angry. "So I just gave him a good smacking right in his ugly trying-hard-to-be-the-boy-next-door face." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Not sure if I killed him, though. You heard from him?"
"LEE MUN OH!" she cried out in horror, cupping both hands to her mouth.
Mun Oh doubled up in laughter. It was the sweetest and most natural laugh she'd ever heard from him. It was laughter from the heart. Her mere presence seemed to ward off the lethargy, and he was thankful for that.
"Kidding! I didn't kill that loser. Who'd take care of you while I'm gone?" He rolled his eyes in an exaggerated way.
"I'm not getting back with him while you're... asleep," she said.
"But it's part of your promise," he said. "After seven years, if I still don't wake up, you should get back with him. He's a nice guy. I can trust him with you."
She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up a few inches off his bed. "Listen to me. If you don't get your ugly, sleepy pest face off this pillow after seven years, I am gonna pull out those bloodsucker fangs of yours and sell them on eBay! And then I'll drink your blood so I can turn into a vampire, too! And then I'll hook
up with Park Juno and... and Han Kyung at the same time! And then—"
Before she could think of any more threats, Mun Oh did the unthinkable. He reached up with both his hands and roughly pulled her face towards him. With no time to react, she got a little off-balance, lost her grip on him, and her face ended up on top of his, their lips glued together. It lasted longer than before and this time, it really felt like a kiss. Realizing what had just happened, she blushed furiously and pushed herself off him, crossing her arms irritably.
Mun Oh touched his lips with two fingers and frowned. "That's the second time you stole my lip-ginity."
"I stole your what?"
"You stole a kiss from me."
"No, I didn't!" she protested, staring at him in shock. "You were the one who— and there wasn't even a first time; how could this be the second time?!" She was livid and utterly humiliated.
But I had to admit… It was the best kiss I've ever had... she thought shyly. Not that I've kissed that many guys before…
"Now you're thinking of how much you enjoyed stealing kisses from me," he said, interrupting her train of thoughts. "Tsk, tsk. You little pervert."
"Hey!" She reached out and punched his arm playfully. "I did not steal kisses from you! Besides, you enjoyed it too! Ha! If only I could read your mind! I bet you're thinking that you're gonna miss everything about me—especially those stolen kisses!"
"So you admit that you stole them?"
"Yeah— what? No! Shut up!" She looked away.
Mun Oh was about to snigger when he felt his whole body go rigid. He felt cold and paralyzed again—like when he had been inside the movie theater. Looking at her one last time, he opened his eyes as wide as he could, afraid that if he closed them, they might not open up again.
"Hyeon Jin..." he called out in a voice heavy with sleep.
"What—" She froze when she saw his face. It was so pale now that he could've been mistaken for a dead person. She leaned closer and touched his hand, only to pull away the next second. To say that it was cold was like saying that bee stings are equivalent to ant bites. His hands, and his whole body for that matter, were extremely cold—freezing cold. It was as if he was enveloped in ice. She hastily covered him up with the blanket and reached out for his hands again.
"Don't... It's... cold. You'll get your hands numb..." he warned, yawning. His eyes were barely open now and all she could do was stand there next to him and stare down at what used to be the most fearless and prominent bloodsucker she had ever met.
He managed a half-smile, even though his face no longer showed any signs of life. A teardrop slid down her right cheek and, taking in a sharp breath, she reached out and grabbed his cold hands, taking them in hers, trying to warm them up. The coldness bit at her skin but she didn't mind. She hugged his hands close to her chest and smiled at him, closing her eyes.
"Hyeon Jin..." he said.
"Yes?"
"Maybe... I can bite you... in my dreams, or... in another life..."
She chuckled sadly. "No, I bet you still can't."
"Hyeon Jin..."
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry... but... I have to..." He paused to yawn. "I feel tired and... sleepy now... Sorry, if I... I can't stay longer..." His voice was barely audible.
Hyeon Jin shook her head and kissed his cold hands. "Don't be sorry. It's okay. I'll be fine." She opened her eyes and released his hands. "Go to sleep now, Lee Mun Oh."
He locked eyes with her for one last fleeting second. "If... whenever you need me... just..." He closed his eyes and did not utter another word.
She drew in a sharp breath and leaned closer to his face. "Mun Oh? Mun Oh..." She kissed his cold cheeks and was just about to stand up straight when his lips parted slightly. She leaned in to listen.
"...keep your mind blank."
« EPILOGUE »
“Lee Mun Oh... Wake up... Wake up!”
“What the hell!” Mun Oh fell off the couch and scrambled to get to his feet. “What the hell is wrong with you two?” he stared at the laughing toddlers in front of him.
“So, is he coming or not?” they asked in unison.
“Min, Kwan, do you realize what time it is?”
They looked at each other, confused; time wasn’t exactly something they kept track of. Min and Kwan saw that he was upset, and in a flash, they disappeared down the hallway.
“I see that you are awake,” said a young woman with long, black, layered hair, who was leaning against the door’s entrance.
“Yes, I am awake,” said Mun Oh, a smile spreading across his face.
She sat next to him on the couch and gently touched the shadow of stubble appearing on his face. They looked into each other's eyes and smiled broadly.
“You know he is coming today, right?” she said.
“Yes, I am well aware of that,” Mun Oh replied in a slightly serious tone.
“It’s been almost ten years, but it still feels like yesterday.”
Min and Kwan came running into the room and almost knocked the wind out of Mun Oh when they jumped on his lap. He looked at them and smiled.
“Ji Sun could not have kids because they said it was impossible for a human and a bloodsucker to procreate, and yet here we are,” said Mun Oh.
“Sounds kind of like the 'Twilight' saga,” she said with a laugh.
“Sooooo… is he coming or not, Dad?” Min and Kwan asked in unison again.
“Yes, my little terrors, harabeoji is coming,” Mun Oh replied.
She got up from the couch and looked out the window. Memories from the past decade went through her mind. Hot tears started to well up in her eyes and when she smiled, they ran down her cheeks.
“Hyeon Jin, please don’t be sad. We knew this was coming when you became pregnant and it’s going to be fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not sad or worried, I’m just being emotional. Kwan is so young. What does he know about being the heir?” said Hyeon Jin.
The doorbell rang and within a split second, Mun Oh was at the front door. He took a deep breath before opening it.
“I… I… I thought,” he said, confused as he looked at the two standing in front of him.
“Aren’t you going to invite us in?” the woman asked.
“Sure, please come in. Follow me,” he said.
When they reached the living room, they stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the toddlers. Min and Kwan looked at the couple for a few seconds and then looked at their parents.
“The girl looks like her mother, but the boy is all Mun Oh,” the woman said with a warm smile.
“Welcome to our home,” Hyeon Jin said nervously.
“Dad?” said Mun Oh.
“Change of plans. Your mother and I thought that it would be best if we came together; after all, this is a family matter,” said Ji Hyun.
Mun Oh and Hyeon Jin looked at each other, surprised at the words that his father had uttered. There was something different about him. He wasn’t the staunch traditional bloodsucker of a decade before, and he seemed to have softened up… a little. Although Min Ah stood like a prim and proper bloodsucker, they could see she wanted to do nothing else but hug the toddlers.
“Go ahead. They don’t bite... yet,” Hyeon Jin said with a nervous giggle.
“Twins, I can’t believe this. Come and give me a hug,” she said as she opened her arms to them.
Kwan and Min almost knocked her over as they ran into her arms. Tears ran down Min Ah’s face as she hugged her grandkids. Never in their wildest dreams could Mun Oh and Hyeon Jin imagine that a family reunion would take place after everything that happened after he had woke up.
The first year was the hardest for Hyeon Jin, and Mun Oh’s parents didn’t make it any easier for her. Several of the times that she had wanted to see him, they had refused to let her in. They saw her as the stupid human who was fascinated by a bloodsucker, nothing more. But Hyeon Jin did not give up, and with Ji Sun's help, she found ways to get into the mansion. T
he mansion had a blueprint and there were tunnels, entrances and escape routes that led from Mun Oh’s room. She would make use of these tunnels to get to Mun Oh, where she would sit for hours holding his hand.
As much as Ji Sun tried to convince her to give up on Mun Oh and to move on with her life, she had refused. She had followed the same ritual once a week when his parents were out hunting. One night, while she visited a sleeping Mun Oh, his parents had come home unexpectedly and caught her off guard.
“How the hell did you get in here?” an enraged Ji Hyun had asked. “It’s because of you that my son is in this state!”
“I… I… I didn’t know how else to see him, because you wouldn’t let me,” Hyeon Jin had said, tears welling up in her eyes.
“It’s been seven years… didn’t he tell you to move on after that?!” Ji Hyun had said.
“Get out of here this very moment. You have trespassed and we could have you arrested if you like,” Min Ah had said, her eyes squinting in anger.
Hyeon Jin had felt their anger radiating towards her, but she wasn’t going to give up that easily.
“He said I should move on after seven years, but it’s not what I want,” Hyeon Jin had said.
“Stupid human girl. Move on with your life. You are wasting your time waiting; it might take decades for him to wake up. He is a bloodsucker: his aging process is much slower than yours, and you might be an old woman by the time he wakes up,” Min Ah had said.
“I tried to forget him but I can’t… I won’t. I love him,” Hyeon Jin had told Mun Oh's parents.
Ji Hyun had been infuriated with Hyeon Jin’s stubbornness and had grabbed her by her arm. She had felt his fingertips painfully digging into her flesh, and she'd let out a soft moan.