Alrose Depths

@☥ Kim Minjeong She observed the younger vampire as she conjured ice familiars which she can make only a dozen of them, a dozen little snowmen. Seulgi looked into each of the avatars before looking back at the younger vampire, "Hmm, okay..." She said before walking to the campfire, she picked up one burning wood and throws it directly to the dozen of small icemen. Some of it melts when the flames touches them.

"The way you made your familiars are still not up to par with stronger foe, they melt as soon as they are close to heat." She said as she looked at the familiars that Winter made. "In a matter of grave danger, you have to make one avatar that is equal to your own strength." Seulgi told her before walking up to the makeshift tent she made, getting a blood bag from her knapsack. "Remember, Minjeong-ah." She opened the blood bag and the content floats around Seulgi as she only and strictly manipulates blood due to her family's signature ability to manipulate blood.

The blood around her slowly turned into a crimson grizzly bear, the blood solidified once it became a familiar. "The familiar's strength should be based on how strong your will can be." She told the other then she looked at the large boulder not far from their camp, Seulgi's avatar rushed towards the boulder and in one hit of the crimson bear's paws, it shattered the boulder into pieces, showing how strong the elder vampire's familiar is.

She looked back at Minjeong and went closer to her before smiling towards the other, breaking the seriousness between them. "To be honest you have a very exceptional ability to manipulate ice and the coldness around you, but that doesn't mean you have to be complacent with it. You still need to enhance and know your ability more than others already knew." She said.

"Now, let's start with the amount of energy you have." She went to the trunk and beckons the other to seat across her while circling the campfire. "Upon my observation in your mana, you exerted much to create your little snowmen. Why not try to focus on one avatar and spend your mana on it?" Then she stared at the campfire, "The only challenge you have to face is how long will you be able to hold your familiar while the weakness is in front of you. The heat." She points at the campfire, "Make one avatar and maintain its figure while in front of the fire and tell me how long would it take until you can't hold it any longer." Seulgi instructed before she stood up from the trunk, "That's your first step. I will go make a stew for our lunch." She grinned and went out to the wilderness to catch some rabbits as their main course for their lunch.

@☥ Kang Seulgi She was about to apologize for being late when she already felt a hit to the back of her head. Caught by surprise, Minjeong stumbled forward a few steps before turning back to face the older vampire with wide eyes, though her expression quickly darkened. She had already been in a foul mood because of her intrusive roommate, now being treated like this without even getting a chance to explain herself didn't sit well with her. Not to mention the implication in Seulgi's question that she was late on a regular base.

But she knew better than to talk back to the older woman, her strict upbringing in a very traditional family preventing her from doing that. It didn't seem like her mentor wanted to know her side of the story anyway. Taking a good few couple of steps back and away from her, Minjeong faintly nodded in response to the request, her eyes closing for a moment as she emptied her mind, trying to focus on her powers, on the steady flow of mana through her body. When the blonde opened her eyes again, she lifted her hand. Using her powers, she drained some of the water from the ground, a small puddle forming a few steps away.

Although it hadn't been what she had shown Seulgi during their lunch a few days ago, the other had asked to see her 'avatar creation', so that was what she was showing her. From that small puddle soon a little snowman formed, then another. And another. She only stopped when there were about a dozen of little snowmen, neatly lined up in front of her, as if waiting for her command. A faint smile rose to Minjeong's lips when she looked at the cute creatures before she lifted her gaze to look at her elder with a raised eyebrows, awaiting her next instructions.

@☥ Kim Minjeong Seulgi waited while sitting on a dead trunk, when she heard the younger vampire had arrived. The elder vampire turned to look at Minjeong with a smile on her face, "Oh, there she is!"

Whack!

The smack on the younger vampire was instantaneous as Seulgi is already behind her when she smack Minjeong on the head. Not that hard smack but a penalty for her tardiness. "You're late!" Seulgi scolded her, "How many times do I have to tell you to be on time, Kim Minjeong-ah?" She placed her hands on her hips as she looked at the horizon where the sun is already up.

"Anyway, let's begin with avatar creation training." Seulgi went back to tbe campfire and sat on the trunk again, "Can you show me what you did back when we had lunch together?" She asked Minjeong to show her ice avatars once again.

@☥ Bae Joohyun Despite growing up in a fairly strict and archaic family, where public display of affections was frowned upon, Minjeong still had been fortunate enough to experience the warmth and comfort of a loving elder. Where her parents had lacked in affection and care for their eldest daughter, her grandmother had stepped up to fill in the void left by the two parental figures, giving the young girl all the attention and love for her to remain a warm and compassionate soul underneath the cold and aloof armor her father had taught her to put on. Perhaps if her upbringing had been different, if her grandmother hadn't been in the picture to help her stay on the right path, this meeting with this stranger would have ended differently.

Staring at the other vampire for a moment, her lips soon began to curve into a faint smile. She hadn't expected her to care, yet somehow, for some reason the other seemed to worry over her and her relationship with her father. Even though she really didn't have to. "Should I remind you that when we fought, you didn't even manage to put a scratch on me?" Going with a playful, teasing approach to keep the mood light, she grinned cheekily at the dark haired woman. "Don't worry about you. There aren't many people in the world who could seriously do me any harm. As for my father....it's not like we've been particularly close anyway. But we're still family. It'll be fine." Even if he were to get angry at her, Minjeong was fairly certain that keeping up that perfect image of the stoicly noble and tight-knit pureblood family was far too important to her father that he would really cut ties with her.

It was the first time during their conversation that she saw a smile appear on the other's visage, which in return made the corners of her lips curl upwards as well. It felt nice, now that the initial tension had dissipated and their situation didn't seem as dire as expected. Playfully rolling her eyes at the other's response, she still couldn't wipe that smile from her face when their pinkies finally intertwined, sealing her promise to the raven haired vampire. Their fingers were still linked the other introduced herself, reminding Minjeong that she herself had been avoiding that topic, despite the direct question earlier. Part of her still wanted to keep her identity a secret, knowing just how much influence her family had all over the world, which had let many to try to befriend her just for their own gains. But it seemed impossible now, especially since it looked like they would spend a lot of time together from now on.

"Irene...", she softly repeated the name, a chuckle leaving her lips. "The goddess of peace." If looking at her appearance alone, it seemed a fitting name, seeing how ethereal and serene her features were. Yet given their circumstances, Minjeong doubted that there was much peace left in the other's life. "It's a pretty name." For a second she hesitated, before giving the linked pinky a faint little squeeze, as if to greet her. "It's nice to meet you again, as well. I'm Minjeong. But most people here call me Winter." Holding onto her pinky just for a little longer, she eventually pulled her hand back. "So...do you live closeby?" Depending on Irene's answer she might have to consider moving out of the dorms to be closer to her. Just in case anything happened.

@☥ Kim Minjeong irene’s hand tightened involuntarily beneath the gentle pressure of the blonde’s hand. a shiver, not of cold but of unfamiliar sensation, ran through her. the gentle touch, so foreign to her rough past, caught her off guard. she was unsure how to react. even though under the influence of the previous frenzy, she herself initiated much worse than this, at least that was what she remembered. how could she feel so awkward about something so innocent? until the blonde gently withdrew her hand, irene wondered if her reaction had been too obvious. even as the physical contact ended, something lingered, a strange aftereffect of the brief shared moment.

seeing the blonde nodded in agreement without any resistance, irene couldn't help but smile. a strange sense of relief washed over her, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. listening to the other intently, irene appreciated her honesty. in such a situation, most people would resort to comforting lies. but the blonde’s frankness was somewhat refreshing. it had been a while since she'd encountered someone so genuine.

an amusement glint sparkled in irene’s eyes as she pondered the other’s offer of protection. a mix of amusement and feeling touched filled her heart. cute, irene thought, that this seemingly stranger would offer to shield her. irene, with her own history of combat and survival, could have easily handled herself. however, she cherished the sentiment, the thought that someone cared enough to risk their own safety for her. a warm feeling spread through her veins. she decided to keep her secret to herself for now, letting the other vampire believed that she was vulnerable than she truly was.

“even if that happened, just don’t get yourself hurt.” irene muttered. “and also, you shouldn’t rebel against your father’s orders just to save me. it’s gonna break your relationship with your father..” if a fight broke, she would feel so guilty. so guilty if she disrupted the harmony of the other’s family for her own sake. it was unfair to burden the other with the consequences of her uncontrollable thirst, a flaw that was entirely her own. but after all, there was no point in dwelling on the mistakes anymore. the least thing she could do to prevent worse things from happening was feed on something in time.

irene blinked momentarily in surprise as the stranger extended a pinkie finger in front of her. a soft smile crept across her face as she playfully responded, “that’s…… cute. sure, o dear mysterious rescuer,” she joked, her voice light and airy. the gesture itself was coming unexpectedly from her but still with a gently hook of her own pinky finger, she intertwined it with the other vampire’s. “promise sealed, then.” the simple gesture marked the beginning of an unexpected connection between them, a budding friendship, she hoped. “anyway, i’m irene. i must have forgotten to introduce myself earlier. it’s very nice to meet you again,” irene added.

@☥ Bae Joohyun She was silently observing the other vampire, eyes trained on her delicate face, analyzing each and every little shift in expression. When she had offered her help, Minjeong could see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Which in return made her feel a little more at ease as well, even sharing some of the hope that perhaps everything would wok out right, that things were still salvageable, that she hadn't completely ruined someone's life. But as quickly as that spark of hope had appeared in those dark eyes, it was already gone just a moment later.

Giving her hand another gentle squeeze, Minjeong eventually let go, starting to feel a little more self-conscious. She really wasn't usually someone to initiate skinship, especially not with someone she barely knew, but in that moment it had just felt like the right thing to do, a small gesture to cheer up and encourage the other woman. Which seemed to have been received well. But she really didn't want the raven haired vampire to think of her as some touchy and promiscuous person after their first encounter.

At the confession, she tilted her head, her silvery blonde locks swaying in the cold wind as she looked at the woman, a flash of guilt visible in her eyes. Quickly averting her eyes, Minjeong simply nodded in response to the request. Though part of her knew that should the situation arise when the other craved her blood more than anything else to the point where she would enter another frenzy, she wouldn't just stand by idly. If necessary, she'd even go as far as force the other to drink her blood again to calm her down. That part she kept to herself though, not wanting to unsettle the stranger even further.

Tilting her head back, Minjeong stared up into the starry night sky, absentmindedly connecting the shining celestial bodies into their respective constellations. Even when the other spoke up again, her eyes remained glued to the sky as she gave the question a thought. "If we fail...." Her voice trailed off for a moment, before she softly cleared . "I guess?" Of course she could have also just lied, told the other that nothing bad would happen to her, but she knew that she deserved the truth. "Knowing my father and his outdated views...he would probably try something like that." She admitted quietly, eventually turning back to face the raven haired vampire. "But...I won't let it come that far. You're my responsibility now. I won't let anything bad happen to you."

Thinking for a moment, she held out her hand, pinky finger stretched out towards the other. "I promise. As long as I'm with you, I'll make sure you are safe. And I promise, we'll find a solution for this. So that you can return back to your normal life again."

@☥ Kang Seulgi Of course when coming to Castlebay, Minjeong knew that part of being a university student living on campus was the dorm life experience, something everyone else seemed to be raving about. But after having shared the same room with a way too friendly and extroverted girl for the past month, the blonde vampire could confidently say that she was not a fan of it. Perhaps if her roommate had been a little less invasive, a little more considerate of personal space, she would have even somewhat liked living with someone else. But unfortunately luck wasn't on her side when it came to such matters.

Waking up early in the morning, Minjeong had tried to be as quiet as possible when slipping out of her bed, her backpack for the trip with professor Kang already packed and ready the previous evening. Yet somehow her roommate had still managed to catch her as she had quietly put on her boots. What followed was a barrage of questions, all of which the vampire had tried to answer as vaguely as possible, knowing that this was supposed to be a secret between her and Seulgi. Dissatisfied with her answers, the other girl had blocked her path, continuing to pester her until Minjeong gave in, giving her some made up story of meeting a guy and going on a romantic camping trip, hence why the other needed to keep this a secret. A ridiculous story, in her opinion, but the other seemed satisfied with that, a grin on her lips as she told her to have fun before eventually stepping aside to let her go.

Rushing through the thick forest, she only slowed down when almost at her destination, eyes carefully scanning her surroundings in search of a familiar figure. When her eyes finally caught the older vampire, a smile appeared on her lips as she stepped closer, one hand lifted to wave in greeting. "Hey."

@☥ Kim Minjeong the air hummed with an intoxicating scent, a floral sweetness that tickled irene's senses. it surely wasn't the usual scent of the forest, nor the earthy aroma of the nearby village. it was something different, something alluring. irene never knew that one’s blood could be so addictive like the other’s. she was used to the rotten or disgusting smell of blood. but this one, a potent elixir that drew her in. her gaze never averted away from the other’s neck until the other shifted her position, few strands of her blonde hair obscuring the tempting prize, that was when irene’s focus wavered, her attention momentarily diverted to anywhere else. it was definitely a mistake that she had neglected the need to feed on something at least to quench the thirst a bit.

the other’s voice, soft and reassuring, easing the weight of her worries. her touch, cold yet gentle, offered a sense of comfort. the promise of help, the hope of regaining control, kindled a spark of hope within herself, a flicker of light in the darkness. for the first time in years, irene allowed herself to hope. hope for the best to overcome this new situation.

yet, a part of her remained skeptical, a voice of doubt whispering in the back of her mind. how could she, a creature of the night, ever hope to control her insatiable hunger? what if she lost control again, this time with catastrophic outcomes? the thought of harming the other woman, a kind and compassionate soul, filled her with dread. even though irene knew that the other woman, with her abilities, could easily overpower her.

"i guess so," irene murmured, her voice barely audible. the words hung in the air, heavy with uncertainty. she had thought that by taking a job as a librarian, she could escape her monstrous existence, live a normal life, drowning herself with knowledge and fantasies that she was yearning for. but now, reality had struck, and she was forced to confront her true nature. gulping the nonexistent lump in , she confessed, “just don’t let me drink your blood because i’m afraid that i won’t be able to stop this time.”

irene sprawled out, her palms pressed firmly into the rough bark of the ancient tree. she allowed herself to relax, pushing all her worries and doubts to the back of her mind. yet, a nagging suspicion persisted. the other woman's explanations, her familiarity with the situation, seemed almost too perfect. did she or any family member of hers have a case like this before? ”what if we fail?" she asked, voice filled with unease. ”would your family hire someone to look for me and make me disappear? after all, i'm just a low-life vampire, and you're a pureblood."

the memory of her past, a life of servitude and violence, flashed before her eyes. she had been ordered to kill, to eliminate those deemed unworthy, a mere pawn in a dangerous game. irene knew the harsh realities of this world, the ruthless nature of power and influence. she had been the one wielding the knife, the one carrying out the dirty work. now, the roles had reversed, and her life depended on the mercy of another. a chill ran down her spine as she pondered the grim reality. she had escaped the clutches of one powerful family, only to find herself entangled with another. the irony was not lost on her.

@☥ Kim Minjeong Seulgi was already up 3 in the morning to trek her way up to the highest point of Alrose Depths. The more higher they are, the more energy they could gain. She brought down her camping equipment and she starts to prepare their tent and campfire. It has been weeks since Seulgi notified Minjeong about her 'vacation leave' for a week with Minjeong.

She also wondered how the other was doing since they could only meet at lunch every day, that young vampire is hardly friendly to people around the school, let alone urging her to make the first move to interact. At her age she should know how to crowd herself with people around her, but who is she to dictate Minjeong's decisions? Seulgi is only giving her advices but she doesn't want to force her to do what is best for her dear little student.

It is around 8 in the morning, and her student isn't around still. Seulgi's brow twitched as she tapped her hiking shoes against the soil while sitting on a dead trunk in front of the fire place, she doesn't like waiting for this long. She groaned and stood up, "Where in the seven hells is she?" She asked frustratingly.

@☥ Bae Joohyun Minjeong quickly fell silent after she had uttered the soft whisper, the guilt still gnawing at her mind. Especially since she knew that, even with the knowledge that she gained, she would have done it again, willingly potentially ruining someone's life just to save them. Not because she was a good person. Oh, she was far from it. But simply because she couldn't stand the thought of being responsible for someone's death. After having experienced the mortality of loved humans (and other vampires) quite early into her young life, she had sworn to herself to only kill when necessary, when there was no other way out. And had quite successfully lived that way for the past hundred years.

The moment of silence between them, in which the other seemed to process all the new information, seemed to last an eternity, making her feel more and more uneasy with each passing second. She wouldn't put it past her if she got angry and blamed her for all her misery, after all Minjeong really was at fault. Just because of her stupid savior complex, her inability to sit still when she saw someone in need. First the human that the other had been chasing and then the vampire herself. If only she were able to turn a blind eye.....

Although just a soft whisper, it still managed to jolt her out of her thoughts, another wave of guilt crashing over her. Her lips parted, as if to say something, but no words would come out, so Minjeong simply nodded. Again, there was silence, her gaze now lowered down to her hands that were sitting in her lap, nervously fumbling with the fabric of her coat's sleeves, a habit she had never grown out of, despite her parents' many tries to make her unlearn it. Only when the dark haired vampire spoke up again, she lifted her gaze, looking at her for a long time, a contemplating look in her eyes.

Would it really? Be fine. She too wondered. Realistically speaking, the other didn't have too much of her blood, so those side effects shouldn't kick in all too soon. Had it been a mistake to tell her? Minjeong could feel her gaze on her, knew that right now she was eyeing her neck. Unconsciously, she shifted, moving her head just enough for strands of blonde hair to fall over her shoulder, though it barely did anything to cover her neck. So what now? Contemplating about what to do next, the last line of her father's letter came to her mind.

'...take responsibility and solve this matter the right way. If you can't, I will have to send someone over to take care of everything.'

Of course, with 'the right way' he meant killing the other vampire, leave no traces behind of the obvious mistake she had done. But as she looked at the raven haired woman, how could she possibly? Surely, there had to be another way to revert the situation. Perhaps if she looked into some old scriptures in the school's library....But first, she needed to reassure the other that things would be alright. And make sure that she wouldn't go anywhere too far away, just in case.

Reaching out, she carefully took the other's hand, willing a smile onto her lips as she spoke up again. "Don't worry. We'll be fine. I can help you. With you powers, help you learn to control them again. The things my family taught me, about focusing and fine tuning your senses, I can show you. You'll be back to your normal life in no time. And your urges....we'll figure something out. It'll be fine." She whispered the last words, gently squeezing the other's hand, though it was more to reassure herself than the other. It'll be fine.

@☥ Kim Minjeong although irene appeared to be friendly to anyone and good at short conversations, irene was never good at conversation. which not exactly the problem right now when she met the blonde vampire. she valued peace and quiet as much as the other appeared to be, at least that was in irene’s mind. the librarian vampire caught the other’s quiet nod from the corner of her eyes as she turned her attention back to the lake. the questions of hers was still left unanswered yet she found herself strangely unbothered. in the past, she would have relentlessly pursued answers and mostly resorting to torture. but those days were behind her. she had sworn to herself that she would try not to indulge in such cruelty, especially not towards someone who had extended a helping hand.

the blonde's words, spoken in a soft, melodic voice, captured irene's attention. depending on the bloodline. irene wasn’t sure about that but the small information hit her, irene was not one of them since birth. in fact, she foolishly offered her neck to the hungry vampire and lucky for her, she didn’t die on that day. considering the consequences, no wonder the aftereffects was a bit too much for her. as the explanation progressed, irene's curiosity grew bigger and bigger. she yearned to know more until the revelation. the cause of everything. the woman before her was a pureblood and irene just fed on a pureblood vampire.

“so, basically you’re saying that your blood is like a drug to me, in a way. the more you have, the more you want. and eventually, nothing else can satisfy my hunger except your blood,” the librarian vampire’s voice was barely a whisper, a realization just hit her like a ton of bricks. gathering this information just left her nothing but a headache. she was indeed grateful for the blonde’s honesty, but at the same time, it was terrifying. terrifying for herself, she had barely managed to control her bloodlust in the past, and now, she had to depend on the other for her life? worst case scenarios flashed through her mind, lost of her own thoughts. the other’s blood was intoxicating, the power, the feeling of being so alive. she never felt so alive to begin with, but this feeling was indescribable.

the taste of a pureblood vampire before her. irene vividly remembered how it tasted, how intensely sweet, rich blood lingered on her tongue. irene swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on the ground, she clutched the hem of her shirt, her fingers trembling. a long silence stretched between them, broken only by the gentle lapping of the waves. finally, irene was able to lift her gaze, meeting the blonde's eyes with a small smile, "it would be okay, i suppose. as long as i still can resist the urge, everything will be fine."

yes, everything would be fine. irene repeated the words to herself, trying to convince herself that it will be okay. but deep down, she knew that the battle had only just begun as her gaze trained on the faint pulse at the blonde's neck seemed to throb in time with her own heartbeat, a constant reminder of the temptation that lurked within her. to feed on her again.

@☥ Bae Joohyun Why was she saying sorry? Of course it was because she had significantly changed the other's life without her consent, causing her to lose control over her powers, making things a lot more difficult for the stranger than needed. All because she herself had been too careless during their fight, too annoyed at the vampire in a frenzy that she had forgotten most of the things her father had taught her when younger. To quietly and carefully observe and assess a situation before using any of her powers. or before making any important decisions. But how was she supposed to tell the other when she was smiling at her so softly, even expressing gratitude. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Minjeong only quietly nodded in response, still feeling a pang of guilt.

Especially with the following question. Lifting her gaze, she looked over at the raven haired woman, knowing that she had to tell her the full truth. Which also meant revealing her identity to her. Although the other had asked her who she was, Minjeong had deliberately kept that to herself when answering her previous questions. But now, as the conversation had shifted to the possible consequences of their last encounter, there was no way to avoid that topic any longer. Breathing out with a soft sigh, the blonde shifted her eyes back onto the silvery lake, focusing on the reflection of the moon, the soft ripples caused by a light breeze.

"To be honest...I'm not really sure what is going to happen next, how big the aftereffects of drinking my blood will be for you. If...if I was just any other vampire....there probably wouldn't be much of a problem. It wouldn't have made much of a difference for you. Maybe a little surge in energy, a small spike in the sensibility of your senses, depending on what bloodline they belong to...."

Trailing off for a moment, Minjeong thought back to the letter her father had sent her a few days ago, the many pages written in his neat handwriting, telling her off for what she had done, reprimanding her for her actions, telling her just how disappointed he was in her before he eventually had answered her questions, listing all the different reactions one could have to feeding on a pure blood.

"I talked to my father. He said it's different from case to case, also depending on you. Like...which family you belong to, if you've been...one of us since birth or whether you had a 'rebirth'. If the latter is the case, how long it had been since that day. But in general, when feeding on a pure blood, your powers will grow stronger for the first week or two until they reach their new limit. Your senses are heightened, you become a lot more sensitive to things. You might crave blood more often at first. It's like a lot of things inside of you change, hence why your body needs more blood. And.....maybe at first animal or human blood will suffice, but...over time your body will crave more, crave something far purer, far more alluring. Something forbidden." Glancing over to the raven haired vampire, she tried to read her expression when her voice dropped to a soft whisper. "...my blood."

@☥ Kim Minjeong with the brewing curiosity in her course, irene patiently waited for the other’s revelation. she didn’t really expect much, knowing sometimes it was better to keep certain things hidden. her attention returned to the hidden lake, a mirror of the moonlit sky that reflected the silhouettes of the towering pines lining its banks. the water was so clear that one could see the pebbles at the bottom. as the moonlit scene unfolded before her, a sense of peace washed over her, powerful enough to block out the noises coming from the forest. the wolves were probably howling due to the full moon, meaning werewolves could be lurking nearby.

fluttering her eyes closed, irene enjoyed the gentle night breeze until she heard a barely audible sigh coming from the other vampire. peeking at her with curiosity only to see the blonde just simply gestured at the tree trunk near them. without inquiring further, irene just followed her and took a seat on it. the fallen log provided a quite comfortable seat, its rough surface against her pants. irene sat there, soundless but her gaze shifting from the lake to the other vampire.

irene couldn't help but chuckle bitterly at the irony. she had always been a creature of control, her years of training having honed her abilities to a razor-sharp edge. yet, here she was, still unable to keep her bloodlust in check. the memory of the taste of blood on her lips and the raw power that had surged through her veins was still fresh in her mind. mulling over the other vampire's words, irene's nails dug into her palms as she gripped the fabric of her shirt. the realization hit her like a bolt of lightning: feeding on another vampire had amplified her senses and abilities to an uncertain degree. the years of training she had poured into controlling her powers seemed to have vanished, replaced by a wild, untamed energy.

at least irene somewhat understood that feeding on the other vampire made differences, “why are you saying sorry?” she asked, her voice steady despite the internal turmoil. she was grateful, deeply grateful, for the other vampire’s intervention, a soft smile graced her lips. “i am very grateful that you let me feed on you rather than leaving me defenseless,” her voice was imbued with sincerity. her eyes fixed on the other with a newfound respect.

"so, what will happen to me next?" irene asked, her voice filled with apprehension. "other than me losing control of my power, the constant sharp noises ringing in my ears.." words trailed off, worry etched over her facial features.

@Bae Joohyun She believed her when the other said she hadn't lost any strength despite not having any blood yet. Contrary to the last time they had met, the dark haired vampire seemed much calmer, no hint of any aggression detectable. Which lead Minjeong to believe that in general she must be more of the calm and composed type, much like herself. Which definitely made being around her a lot less taxing. Although she generally was able to get along with most people, she preferred the quieter ones as too high energy and bubbly people drained her social batteries much quicker.

When the other reached for her arm, Minjeong steadied herself, carefully helping her up to her feet. Simply shrugging in response to the quiet thank you, she tilted her head ever so slightly, dark eyes curiously observing the woman. Although she too had noticed the howling of a pack of wolves somewhere in the distance, her reaction was far less noticeable as she barely paid it any mind as the wolves were still far away and most likely not going to head into their direction. She wondered though, whether the raven haired vampire was simply just the type to be that expressive or if there really had been a change to the sensitivity of her senses ever since she had forced her to drink her blood.

At the mention of the scenery, she let her eyes wander around their surroundings for a moment, watching a flock of ravens silently fly over the crystal blue lake. "I suppose it is." Though, growing up in a time where industrialization hadn't happened yet and environmental pollution hadn't even existed in that sense, she knew that this lake must have been even prettier hundreds of years ago. "Not sure how often 'often' would be, but yeah. I come here regularly."

For a moment, Minjeong just kept quiet, a thoughtful look in her eyes as she watched the other woman who seemed to have completely forgotten the majority of their last encounter. If she had to be honest, she would have preferred it to stay that way, but the pure blood also knew that the other deserved to know the truth. Breathing out with a soft sigh, she motioned at a tree trunk that had fallen over, deciding that it would be best for them to sit down during this conversation. Once sat, she clears , eyes on the serene scenery in front of them.

"I...suppose you don't remember being in a frenzy? I don't really care about other people's feeding habits, but I don't condone killing humans in the process of it. If I had let you be...it most likely wouldn't have just stopped at one victim. I couldn't let that happen, not this close to Castlebay. If a bunch of corpses were to be found this close to school grounds, it would have reflected negatively upon it. So....i stopped you." She paused for a moment, biting the inside of her cheek as she carefully chose her next words, turning towards the other in the process to gauge her reaction. "Here's where I made a mistake. I...really didn't mean to, but you got injured quite a bit in the process. I didn't want to leave you alone while hunting for anyone or anything for you to feed on. So....letting you have my blood was the only solution in that moment. I know feeding on another vampire is a little bit of a touchy subject for some people, especially with the possible side effects....but i couldn't let you die. I'm so sorry."

@Kim Minjeong wait. that familiar voice. irene froze, shoulders became tense for no reason. even the unexpected sore that emerged on the bridge of her nose due to the fall, has long forgotten. she even tried to coming to the forest to avoid the other, yet right here, they met again. with irene ‘kissing’ the ground, the most embarrassing moment happened in her whole life. peeking through her dark tresses as if to confirm that it was her, the fellow vampire that irene fed on few days ago. irene let out an awkward chuckle, “i swear i haven’t lost any strength even though i haven’t drunk any blood yet.” and i’m not a clumsy one, of course — she debated in her mind, but clearly the other may or may not witness her falling just now. she took the arm and got herself up with the help of the stranger. muttering a small thank you under her breath and a small bow of her head.

irene could feel her ears twitched again upon the distant sound of wolves howling in the background, coming from the forest yet it felt like the howling pierced her eardrums as if they were making those noises just beside her ears. grimacing in slight discomfort, she distracted herself from it by conversing with the other, “it was quite pretty here — do you come here often?” she turned to the blonde with a mix of wonder and intrigue in her dark orbs. funny that irene, until now, didn’t know her name yet but strangely, she didn’t feel like it was needed. as if they have known each other for so many years. but the longer she looked at the blonde, the more curious she got. who was this mysterious rescuer? what actually happened in that night— as long as she could remember, she was just chasing her prey just like the other usual night. and no one helped irene before, more like no one has ever involved in most of times. only her and her prey alone.

“i’m sorry for asking too many questions, but who are you? why are you feeding me with your own blood? would you please tell me what happened because i barely can remember.”

@Bae Joohyun Breathing out into the cold night, she watched the puffs of warm air turn into wispy fog, watched as the long tendrils twisted and turned until they disappeared into the darkness. Letting her eyes wander over the silvery surface of the silent lake, a soft smile soon formed on the blonde's lips. It was in moments like this, when, aside from the nocturnal population, the whole world had gone to sleep, that Minjeong felt completely at peace. Although since little the pure blood had learned how to block out most noises, only focusing on the important sounds, there was still nothing better than actual silence, the only sound carried by the wind the soft rustle of leaves and the occasional call of some nightly creature. It made it a lot easier for her to focus, the serenity, for her to use her powers to their full potential.

Slowly lifting her right arm, she made a come hither motion with her hand, thin tendrils of water breaking through the lake's flawless surface, creating gentle ripples as they continued to grow taller, winding and curling on their way up before turning rigid as they started to freeze from the bottom up. It was a rather simple exercise, child's play, a simple warm up, something she could do in her sleep. Merging all the frozen pillars into a bigger one, with a simple flick of her wrist it shattered into hundreds of ice shards, floating mid-air, ready to follow any of her commands.

Hearing a sudden thud behind her, Minjeong quickly whipped around, blue eyes shimmering in the moonlight as she stared at the intruder, the ice shards still floating around her, although now facing towards the intruder's direction. It took her a second to assess the situation, realizing that there was no danger coming from the unfortunate soul who, by the looks of it, had stumbled in the darkness, falling face first into the dirt. Lowering her hand, she let the ice shards shatter into even smaller pieces, a soft pitter patter audible when they fell back into the lake.

Most nights, Minjeong would have probably just ignored it, pretend that she hadn't noticed to avoid any interactions and to save the other person some face, letting them hurry off into the darkness. But as the wind turned directions, it carried a familiar scent back to her, an amused smile on her lips. So much for "you'll never see me again, i promise." She could still recall the other's exact words, the way she had quickly hurried off. Funny how the universe brought them back together. But at least it gave her a chance to check up on the vampire, see how she was faring after having fed on her blood. After their last encounter, she had sent a letter to her father, asking him about the side effects of feeding on a pure blood for other vampires. The reply she had gotten a few days later had been rather worrying.

Step by step, she began to approach the not so much stranger, eventually coming to a stop when she stood next to her. Extending her arm, she held it out for the other woman to grab. "Should I be worried that you forgot to feed again and lost all strength in your legs or are you just the clumsy type?"

@Kim Minjeong the air was cool and crisp, the only sound her own footsteps crunching on the path and owl cooing in the background as if they were singing to irene. a veil of mist hung over the forest, giving it an almost magical feel. the moon was high but still able to cast shimmering light on the path ahead. up front, irene saw the lake, gleaming like a pool of liquid silver. she couldn’t wait to get closer and experience its quiet beauty. finally, just a pure blissful peace. she wouldn't trade this beauty over something else, at the moment. it was so precious to her after days of ear-piercing sounds kept bothering her.

irene felt completely fine after the encounter with the stranger in the forest, that was she called the other vampire since they didn't exchange names before. not that irene didn't want to know but she was too embarrassed to stay, to talk even more to the stranger. all she wanted to do was to flee from that place and never come back again - or even if she wanted to go there, irene would definitely go before the sun rose, which she would rather find a way to occupy her time and mind by spending lots of time in books. and hopefully, her mind would be more at ease. there was one thing.

the other thing, ever since she fed on the blonde vampire, a cough or chair screeching sound from the classrooms, echoed like thunder to her sensitive ears. every barely tiny sound was amplified, disturbing her peaceful time. leading to her mood became sour, grumpy at the most of times. even her own power went haywire, as if she was back to square one. it happened earlier that night, when irene wanted to organize the books in the shelves, knowing her ability could help the tidying part so much faster. so she used her power to put the books back, but instead of tidy up, she sent the hard-covered books flying all over the places, knocking harshly against the other shelf. the quietness of the library was shattered by the sound of books thudding on the ground and clatter of book spines.all irene ever wanted is a clean and organized shelves in the library - was that even hard to achieve?

remembering what happened in the afternoon caused a tiny headache. massaging her right temple with her eyes closed, irene walked closer to the wooden dock and found a figure already standing by the edge of the dock. now where her could find a peace - with no one was around. not wanting to disturb the other's quiet moment, irene tried to walk away yet this universe just really hated her so much. her foot carelessly tripped over some nonexistent thing, sending her face kissing the ground unceremoniously. what a day.