Alrose Depths

@☥ Bae Joohyun "So what I'm gathering from this is that....next time, after you've fed, we're going to have a rematch? Or are you going to make up another excuse then. Like, you're being in a food coma right after you've fed, your tummy being too full to fight, something like that?" Teasing Irene was easy, it almost came naturally, as if it had been their dynamic right from the start. Perhaps it was because they had no prior relations to each other, nothing that connected them to each other, that made it easy for Minjeong to, at least for a moment, forget about her family and their influence, and just be herself. Wherever she went throughout the past hundreds of years, somehow everyone she met had always had some ties to her family (minus all the humans, of course). So to meet someone who didn't seem to know about her family's background felt like a fresh breath of air.

Tilting her head, she looked at the faculty member with the tiniest little frown, a look of confusion in her eyes as she tried to decipher what the other meant with her words. "Something better than having your nose buried in books?", she repeated with a questioning tone. "And what's that supposed to be?" Because right now, Minjeong couldn't really imagine that many things better than a quiet day at the library all by herself, away from all the troubles and danger that came with being associated with the Kim family.

"Oh don't worry. I'll make sure to only choose the prettiest name to match your pretty fac-...I mean, your pretty personality." Purposefully correcting herself, she grinned at the other woman, the teasing glint in her eyes ever present. Although it had been some time since she had last read the collection of Greek mythology, Minjeong remembered being quite fond of and fascinated by the old stories of gods and mythical creatures, how the deities had been portrayed as flawed beings that more often than not acted upon their feelings. It had always felt a little comforting, had made her feel better about herself, to know that even the highest of being weren't free from flaws either. Perhaps it was time to reread them again.

She had always thought that it was a stupid rule, giving the students a curfew and even checking the dorms at night. After all half of the students weren't even human, many of them being considered creatures of the night. To restrain them by putting up such rules just felt wrong. Luckily for her, thanks to her family's connections, more often than not Minjeong had been left off the hook when caught outside her dorms late at night. Which really didn't happen that often to begin with. "Well, I value my peace of mind quite highly, so I still think that I gain a lot by moving in with you. So it's a win-win for everyone." Thinking for a moment, she softly cleared . "I mean...we could start off with me just staying over a night or two, see if we're getting along or not? Who knows, maybe after seeing me all day for two days, you'll already grow tired of me."

Oh, so that's why she had never seen Irene on campus before. Even though an avid fan of books and quiet places, Minjeong hadn't been to the library that often since entering the school. But perhaps it was time for her to go there more often from now on. "Still a faculty member. So I'm in good hands....Or maybe not. Given how our first meeting went, you might be the only danger to me." With a snicker, she watched the dark haired woman, watching the change in her expression, her own eyes showing a hint of surprise when she realized that the other was actually considering her suggestion. Apparently, Irene was more than just a pretty face.

"Yeah, as long as you stay close to the dock, it shouldn't be too deep." Shaking with her head with a chuckle, still surprised at Irene's daring actions, Minjeong walked down to the edge of the dock as well. Sitting down next to the pile of clothes, she quietly watched the librarian get into the water, a soft smile on her lips. "You're a lot more spontaneous and daring than I thought. What are people going to say when they hear of a faculty member stripping in front of a student? How scandalous!" She breathed in with a sharp mock gasp before bursting out laughing. She really couldn't care less about gossip. Right now, Minjeong just wanted to enjoy herself, enjoy the little moments of freedom with Irene.

Taking off her cloak, the blonde soon stepped out of her boots before ridding herself of the pristine white dress she had been wearing, pale skin almost translucent under the ivory moonlight. Dressed in nothing more than a thin white camisole and her , Minjeong stood there for a moment, breathing in the cold air as she basked in the soft glow of the moon. It felt peaceful, serene. Well, not for long. Taking a few steps back, the pureblood sprinted down the dock with a wide grin, one last step before she was taking a leap. Just for a second, she felt like she was truly free, soaring through the sky, before she was surrounded by darkness, the cold water bringing a well known feeling of comfort as she stayed submerged for a few more seconds.

@☥ Kang Seulgi Somewhere in the distance Minjeong could still hear the quaint sounds of her mentor cooking, the knowledge of her being close by both putting her at ease and making her a little nervous at the same time since it meant that she couldn't slack off and just play with her ice summons instead of practicing. Truth be told, even though being born into a powerful family with many members well versed in the arts of combat, she had never cared much about the power struggle, knowing that as a girl in a still very much patriarchic household chances of her ever getting to become the official heir and next leader where close to zero. Especially after the birth of her younger brother. Still, she had diligently practiced, honed her combat skills for her father's sake.

Remembering all the training sessions from her childhood, Minjeong's expression quickly turned glum, dark eyes barely able to contain the storm behind them. Quickly, she shook her head, ridding herself of all the negative thoughts. For now she needed to focus on her task. She could still mope and be upset later when she was back in the dorms. Tentatively reaching out, she gently patted the ice bear's head as it paced back and forth in front of the campfire. Although it had no soft fur and was cold to touch, it still gave her a sense of comfort, reminding her of the many lonely years she had spent wandering the world, her ice creations her only companions.

The soft smile on her lips quickly dropped when she heard Seulgi's voice, startled by the other's sudden appearance. But Minjeong was quick to pull herself together, turning to look at her mentor as she approached. From the corners of her eyes, she glanced over at her bear, still biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from speaking up. It was nice enough to see the older vampire somewhat proud instead of the earlier disappointment, she didn't need to ruin it through careless words influenced by pride. Eyes following where Seulgi was pointing, she stared at the rock for a few seconds, eyebrows creased as she thought for a moment.

Scientifically speaking, normally ice would be softer than minerals, thus making it nearly impossible to break any rocks with ice. Yet over the years Minjeong had learned, both from science publications as well as through self conducted experiments, that the lower the temperature, the harder ice would become. So perhaps, if she lowered the temperature of her ice bear, it would be able to crack the rock through sheer physical impact. Focusing on doing that, she telepathically ordered the beast to charge at the rock at full speed, basically body slamming its target.

Holding her breath, a faint smile soon started to spread on her lips when she saw the large rock now broken up into several pieces, immediately rushing over to throw her arms around her summon. "You did it!" Her voice was filled with pride and joy when she praised the ice bear with soft mutters and gentle pats. Until she felt the dents and sharp edges on its usually smooth surface, soon realizing that the impact had chipped away some of the ice, leaving a few cracks in the beast's shoulder. Her eyes immediately filled with guilt as her fingertips continued to trace along the uneven ridges. Forgetting about her mentor for a moment, the younger vampire carefully wrapped her arms around her beast, whispering a quiet apology to it before melting and re-freezing the cracked areas to return them to their earlier smooth and flawless state. "There we go, big guy. All fixed."

@☥ Kim Minjeong irene nudged her companion on the arm, a playful smirk gracing her lips, “i mean not right now at least- i haven’t fed yet unless you want me to go frenzy again.” a playfull roll of her eyes, a feigned annoyance. although she didn’t mind doing so at the moment, with a clear mind, irene preferred a more controlled fight. the thought of losing herself to the bloodlust, of potentially harming the innocent student, didn’t sit right with irene. a subtle frown creased her brow as she shook off the disturbing thought. irene noticed that a subtle change in minjeong’s expression. seems someone was deep in her thoughts just like herself. “i guess so,” irene conceded, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “but something is much better than having my nose buried in books, just so you know,” a playful quick swipe of her tongue across her teeth accompanied her wide grin.

hearing the other’s laughter, a soft, melodious sound that seemed to be contagious, cast a soft smile across irene’s face. “mhmm, that would be great then. as long as you don’t give me crappy names, the honor is mine.” she nodded, a hint of amusement in her eyes. irene couldn’t help but to wonder what other mythical name minjeong would call her next time as it was pretty obvious that irene took a liking for greek mythology. however, she wouldn’t want to bore minjeong with the knowledge she obtained from reading the books in the library especially she knew the other vampire was a student in the campus now. after all, being a student was already demanding enough. the librarian didn’t want to burden the student with unnecessary information, risking burnout from the other.

even though irene had once shared a ‘home’ with others, the idea of living alone with another vampire was still foreign to her. especially with minjeong, a student. it was a bit of a leap but she couldn’t take her words back now, especially when the blonde vampire already expressed her excitement — unless, of course, irene had mistaken hesitation for enthusiasm. “i’m sure of it,” irene assured the other gently, “no one will check a faculty member’s room. unlike the student dorms, we don’t have someone checking every room just in case we sneak out in the middle of the night. and i don't think that you will gain anything from living with me, other than succeeded to escape from your loud chatty roommate. i think it would be the other way around, if i’m being honest with you.” it was irene who would benefit from this arrangement. since she wouldn’t know when she needed to feed on minjeong’s blood. whether in a short time or not. hopefully, she could be able to resist the temptation even if it sounded impossible according to the other’s previous explanation about getting addicted to her blood.

that teasing grin on minjeong’s face has come back, full force. irene didn’t have to look up to see the cheeky student teasing at herself. “oh please, i’m not even really a faculty member like teaching you something or what. i’m merely a staff who keeps the library clean.” irene stated, more like distract herself from the boisterous hallways with students’ laughter. irene’s gaze drifted to the serene lake. a glimmer of interest sparking in her eyes. swimming beneath the moonlight sounded blissful, a tempting escape from reality. however, the thought of returning to the dorm in drenched wet clothes was less appealing. still, the temptation of solitude, surrounded only by water and her own thoughts, was too strong to resist. “well, i don’t mind to try it though.. it’s not that deep too, right?” she asked, couldn’t help but to be uncertain for some reasons.

irene rose on her feet, strolling to the edge of the dock to gaze upon the crystal-clear lake. she pondered its depth, then glanced down at her attire — clearly not very ideal for a swim. she would sink like a stone if she was being careless. at least irene knew how to keep herself afloat. “then i shall keep you a company while you’re practicing, yes?” she offered, a playful grin gracing her lips. irene began to shed her clothes, leaving them in a neat pile. in a moment, she was left in only her undergarments. taking a deep breath, she dipped her toes into the cool water. the initial chill was replaced by a sense of tranquility as she submerged herself completely into the lake.

@☥ Bae Joohyun "I mean, we don't have to wait. I can kick your right here and now if you want." Despite the nonchalant tone of her voice, there was a wide grin playing on her lips, a playful spark lighting up her eyes, their effortless banter feeling as natural as the flow of water. It still surprised Minjeong how easily and quickly the two of them had clicked, their connection almost instant. Well, technically, even on their first encounter they had had some kind of connection, though of a much different and more physical nature. A quiet chuckle left her lips as that thought, though thinking back to that moment, the way Irene had pulled her closer until their bodies were tightly pressed against each other, it soon quietened as a wave of shyness hit the blonde. "Yeah...I think it's for the better to stick with your books than chase the adrenaline rush of a possibly life threatening fight."

She breathed out with a chortle, a chuckle soon following. "Sure, if you don't mind being stuck with all different kinds of Greek mythology related names, I'd be an honor for me to choose you next name." It only now occurred to her that, since Irene had mentioned choosing that name herself, it meant that the other's birth name was yet a different one. But seeing how the dark haired vampire hadn't directly mentioned it, Minjeong decided not to ask. No matter how curious she was. Surely, Irene had her own reasons why she would prefer to go with this self chosen name of hers. Perhaps one day, when they had gotten closer, she would be able to learn more about the other's past. But until then she wouldn't bother her about it.

For a moment she just stared at her companion, surprise written all over her face at the casual offer. Although she had meant it when she said that it would probably be more fun and peaceful to live with the other vampire, it had just been a mindless comment, just one of her fleeting thoughts that had managed to slip out. Really, all she wanted was to complain a bit about her roommate, perhaps have Irene agree with her that chatty roommates were the worst and then drop the topic altogether. But now that she had mentioned it, Minjeong couldn't stop her overly active mind to already picture the scenario, them living together in a small dorm, peaceful mornings with coffee and books, serene moments of each of them just doing their own stuff while still being in each other's company. Truth be told, it sounded rather nice.

"I...would love that actually. But only if you won't get into trouble letting me stay with you? I mean...technically it shouldn't be a problem? Since you're not one of my professors so it's not like academically I would gain any advantage from living with you. Right?" Unable to hide her nervousness, her voice jumped an octave at the last question, an unsure look on her face as the glanced over at the raven haired vampire. Somehow they had gotten from fighting each other on the first night to possibly becoming roommates within a rather short span of time. Yet somehow it just kind of made sense. Not just for her own sanity to escape the extroverted energy of her current roommate, but also because living together meant that she was even closer to Irene in case any emergency occurred. Whether it was an external threat or the other possibly needing to drink her blood once again.

Of course she was just exaggerating. The grin spreading on her lips made it evident that she was once again just teasing the other woman. Pulling her shoulder up into a shrug, she continued to smile at Irene. "Well, technically I am not unsupervised right now. You're here, you're a faculty member. But if you really want to know, I just wanted to get some fresh air, maybe take a little dip in the lake, soak in the moonlight, practice a little. You know, just the fun stuff you don't get to do during the day. You should try it too, swimming in the lake at night underneath a starry sky as she moon casts her ivory light on you. It's one of the best things in the world." Well, okay, maybe that hadn't been what she was doing out here, but Minjeong was curious to see how Irene would react to such a seemingly outrageous idea.

@☥ Kim Minjeong As Seulgi left the other one to train on conjuration, she gets a sealed bag of beef chunks to make a beef stew and some vegetables for it. Despite the both of them being vampires, human foods are nothing but unnecessary craving. Five hundred years ago, her human lover used to make some dishes for her and right now, Seulgi is able to make the signature beef stew. She chopped some ingredients and pour it a cast iron pot. Hearing the younger vampire talking to the snowmen she made, she couldn't help but to grin while cooking their meal.

Seulgi was and still a loner, despite living over a milennia, the people she met and made friends along the way passed on. She always stayed positive and optimistic to things, trying her best to make friends even though some are unfriendly. Ever since she left her family, she had to be independent. But she couldn't stand being alone, what she had been through, she is the only one who remembers everything.

As the food is finished cooking, she smiled at the stew before heading back to the campfire and blinked as she saw the other managed to make a polar bear, just like her crimson grizzly she conjured out of blood. "Woah! Minjeong-ah! That's so cool! You tried to maintain your conjuration like that!" She clapped and smiled at Minjeong, hiding perfectly the recent solemn feeling she had. "Now, let's see if you can..." She looked at the surroundings before seeing a large rock just passed by the creek before pointing it. "Make your summon punch and destroy that rock." Seulgi instructed with a proud smile on her face.

@☥ Kim Minjeong “then i will be waiting for you to kick my , minjeong-ah,” irene winked teasingly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. a burst of laughter followed, her shoulders shaking with amusement. “but gods, no. i wouldn’t dare to. i’d rather spend my peaceful days lost in a good book than engaging in such violent affairs.” she chuckled again, though a hidden longing for the thrill of a good fight, the kind she used to experience before settling into her mundane campus job, flickered in her heart. but she wouldn’t dare reveal this secret desire to the other vampire, at least not yet. ironically, their first encounter had been a far cry from their current playful dynamic. it had been a chaotic clash, one born of hunger and determination. irene, caught herself was being in a blood frenzy, and minjeong, determined to stop irene from hurting the human, both of them had engaged in a fierce battle that had forever changed their lives, at least it changed irene's daily life.

“pft, aidos. didn’t think of that before— if i need another new name, i should come to you and make you come up with new names that fit my personality better,” irene retorted, her eyes crinkling at the corners as a playful smile spread across her face. watching minjeong relax and let loose, contrasting to their tense first encounter, irene couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and contentment. she’d never thought she’d enjoy such lighthearted banter, but minjeong’s infectious energy was slowly chipping away at her serious side. a soft smile played on irene’s lips as she studied the other vampire. minjeong, with her teasing playful self, seemed almost radiant. but irene quickly averted her gaze, realizing she had been staring a bit too blatantly. she didn’t want to make the other uncomfortable, so she subtly shifted her focus, hoping her curiosity wasn’t too obvious.

all the negative thoughts dissipated all at once as the other vampire explained the reasoning behind the question, her soft touch lingering on irene’s arm. irene felt relief for some reasons, followed by a strange, unfamiliar warmth. she was fully unaccustomed to such gentle affection. no one had ever offered her such kindness and care before. the closest thing she’d ever experienced was a friendly nudge on the arm, a far cry from a delicate touch like this. even irene herself couldn’t fully decipher the strange, warm feeling that bloomed within her chest. a flutter, a thrill, a sense of peace she’d never known. her heart pounded with a mix of surprise and a strange, pleasant sensation.

hearing the other vampire mention the student dorm, it confirmed irene’s assumption that she was indeed a student, not a faculty member. noticing the grimace on minjeong’s face, irene chuckled, “oh, is that so? you could take the spare room in my room, though. lucky me, i got a two-bedroom room. my roommate, the other faculty member, was barely at the place. heck, i never even met her before. and of course, if you want to… and no one would know that a student lives here…” irene nodded. she realized that minjeong was much like herself, not very good at casual conversation, especially not with someone so… lively. it was almost like looking at a mirror. a strange sense of familiarity washed over her. it was as if they had known each other for years. perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all. perhaps, just perhaps, she might even enjoy this unexpected turn of events.

“but thank you for thinking that living with me would be more peaceful and fun,” irene reached out to pat minjeong on the head, her hand hovering in the air. minjeong, oblivious to irene’s attempt at physical affection, didn’t notice the gesture as she had already stood up, her attention focused on something else. irene’s hand dropped awkwardly to her side. a subtle frown creased her brow. one mile radius, she thought to herself. irene didn’t think it was that loud to attract other living creatures. perhaps the younger vampire was simply exaggerating. squinting her eyes at minjeong, she asked, “shouldn’t i be the one who asks you that? why is the student still out here? alone in the middle of the night without any mentor guidance?”

@☥ Bae Joohyun Despite having only met once before, and their first encounter not necessarily being the greatest way to meet someone, being around Irene somehow felt less suffocating than being with other people. Perhaps it was her quiet nature that just aligned well with her own need for calm and peace that made it easier to open up to her, made it easier for Minjeong to show more of the playful child that resided underneath her aloof exterior. Seeing the spark in the dark haired woman's eyes only convinced her more that the two of them would be getting along just fine. "In that case...I'm looking forward to all the surprises you are still hiding up your sleeve. I'm still one hundred percent sure that, should we fight again, I am going to kick your once again." She rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner at the next comment, reaching out to gently poke the other's shoulder. "Oh please. You're the only person complaining about not having to fight. How come every vampire I know seems to have a violent streak? But if you really want to fight...I won't stop you. Just be careful, okay?"

Softly, Minjeong shook her head, a little chuckle slipping past her lips. "You're a humble one, huh? Should have called yourself Aidos instead." Teasing the other woman, a gentle smile appearing on her lips. Although their start being rather rough, now that they had talked things out, she did feel rather calm and peaceful around Irene. Perhaps her name really did suit her. Not that she would ever say it out loud though.

Hearing her own name being called out like that, Minjeong couldn't help but suddenly feel shy, her gaze lowering down to the ground to avoid the curious eyes that seemed to stare right into her soul. Luckily though, their conversation soon shifted to a new topic, giving the blonde enough time to regain her composure. At the mention of faculty member, her eyes widened in surprise, the earlier shyness already forgotten as she looked up at Irene. Although having attended Castlebay for some time now, how come she had never crossed paths with her? Furrowing her eyebrows ever so slightly, she tried to think back to all the places she had been within the school grounds, all the people she had met and passed by, yet nothing really came to her mind.

She didn't have much time to think about it though as the other's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, a hint of worry in the usually soft and calm timbre. For some reason she wasn't even sure of herself, it made Minjeong want to comfort her, one of her hands already unconsciously reaching out to gently touch Irene's arm. Softly, she smiled at her, hoping that she could take some of the worries away from her. "I just thought, if you lived in Wolford, I would have probably have to move out of the student dorms to be closer to you. But since you live there as well, there's one less thing to worry about. Though....I kinda wouldn't have minded. My roommate is a little...chatty. Too chatty, actually."

A heavy sigh fell from her lips, face turning into a little grimace as she thought of the young woman sharing a room with her. Although friendly in general, just didn't know how to deal with her extroverted nature more often than not. "Living with you would probably be a lot more peaceful and fun." Smiling at the faculty member, the blonde soon pulled her hand back before pushing herself off the tree trunk to stand up. "Anyways....why aren't you in the dorms doing....faculty member stuff right now? Why come out here in the middle of the night? Didn't seem like you were on a hunt earlier. The way you tripped and fell probably scared off all living beings in a one mile radius."

@☥ Kang Seulgi There was barely any change in her expression when she watched Seulgi throw a log of burning wood at her small group of snowmen, only a faint flicker in her eyes that was gone too quickly to notice. She knew the look of disappointment, having seen it far too often in her father's eyes whenever she had tried to show him her progress with her training when little. Back then it had pushed her to try even harder, to become the perfect daughter and heiress for him. Yet nothing ever seemed to change. If anything, the distance between them only grew bigger over the years.

Her face remained expressionless when she listened to her mentor's words, even as she watched her create a grizzly bear out of blood. Although in awe of her powers, she had only ever heard of the Kang family's blood manipulation but never seen it in person, Minjeong didn't let it show, only quietly observing the older woman. Even when praised, she barely showed a faint little smile, feeling conflicted on the inside. Ultimately though, the blonde decided to remain silent instead of voicing out her thoughts and objections. After all, good girls didn't talk back to their elders.

Quietly, she settled down across from Seulgi, eyes trained on the flickering flames of the campfire as she listened to the older vampire voice out her observations and instructions, unconsciously playing with the delicate ring on her right hand. It was a thin silver band, intricate lines and flowers carved into the metal with a small aquamarine set as the centerpiece. A family heirloom, the only gift she had ever personally received from her father. Although a little less aloof and cold, the dark haired woman sitting on the other side of the campfire reminded her of him in so many aspects. Not that she would ever say it out loud though.

"Alright", she simply responded when given instructions on what to do next, slowly pushing herself up from her seat as well. "See you later, prof." As always, her eyes followed the older woman for a moment until she disappeared into the wilderness. Slowly turning around, she faced the campfire, a soft sigh leaving her lips as she brought her small army of snowmen back to life. Crouching down next to them, she gently poked the forehead of the one closest to her, muttering softly. "Even if she can't appreciate your cuteness, I do. It's not her fault she doesn't know your purpose had never been to fight for me. Anyways, gotta practice now or I'll be in trouble. But I'll let you guys out again next time."

With a simple flick of her wrist, the group of snowmen melted again, forming a puddle at her feet. Eyes closing for a moment, Minjeong put her mind to focus, deciding to model her next creation after the grizzly Seulgi had shown her, an icy blue polar bear soon climbing out of the small pool of water, easily towering the blonde. Grinning up at the beast, she reached out to pat his snoot affectionately. "Hey there, big guy. Ready to play by the fire?" The vampire took a step aside to let her creation move closer to the flames, making sure to lower the temperature around him to the lowest possible to slow down the melting process should he step too close to the fire, which also allowed her to refreeze the bear's surface.

@☥ Kim Minjeong this cheeky one. irene couldn’t believe the other would bring up the previous embarrassing encounter and about it. the librarian vampire clicked her tongue in feigned annoyance and scrunched her nose with a playful glint sparkled in her brown orbs. “oh, is that so?” she teased, an amused smirk playing on her lips. “perhaps you should be more careful next time, especially you know that i have no control over my power this time. you never know what surprises i might have up my sleeve.” this playful banter lifted her spirits, momentarily forgetting her worries. “yeah, that must be great hiding behind your back, knowing that you would do everything to protect my fragile self.” irene retorted, emphasizing the word 'fragile' with a playful grin. she couldn't help but feel a warm glow spread through her as she basked in the other's playful banter.

irene, a name bestowed upon her as a mockery of the peace she was denied, chuckled lightly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “yes, the goddess of peace. of course, it’s a pretty name. I chose it myself so thank you very much.” she winked, hiding the bitterness beneath her playful exterior. new name, new life. a peace that she was yearning for in her whole life yet irene was grateful enough to experience it for a bit despite it didn’t last long enough. receiving a gentle squeeze on her pinky finger, a unique and endearing greeting, the librarian chuckled, finding the gesture both adorable and unexpected. based on the other's youthful energy and playful demeanor, irene could only assume she was a student. given the limited number of faculty members on campus, her curiosity piqued.

"minjeong.. winter.." irene hummed, testing the names on her tongue. they seemed to fit the other vampire perfectly, especially the latter. minjeong's striking icy blonde hair and pale skin were reminiscent of winter's chill. irene couldn't help but stare, drawn to the other vampire's allure. "well, i live in the dorm for faculty members," she replied, her brow furrowing in confusion. "the campus is located in the heart of the forest." her voice trailed off as she tried to decipher the reason behind minjeong's question. she felt a sense of unease. why had she answered so specifically? irene should have been more careful, especially considering minjeong's connection to her father. what if minjeong had accidentally revealed her location, potentially putting herself in danger? the thought of her father sending someone to eliminate her while she slept, though far-fetched, sent a shiver down her spine. yet it was too late — she can’t take her words back, right? she bit her lip, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to calm her racing thoughts. "why are you asking me this.."

@☥ 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.