SUPERNATURAL FILES #2: LIPSTICK

CHAPTER 11

A new flow of the week started, and you know what it has in store.

Rolling sounds of luggage, talking voices in respectful volumes, and light footsteps continue to enter through the modern, carved double doors.

Chairman Kim is already in the huge main living room with his two kids, where the clean-colored furniture is displayed in a comfortable manner and the wide-screen television is perfectly on eye level. Several pots of plants, vases of flowers, and abstract painting frames adorn the spaces and walls. The path to the bronze-tiled helical staircase is several steps away, as are the kitchen and the attached dining area, which is bordered by a wide open doorway.

All in all, the interior is designed minimally yet obviously expensive, grand, like the batch of 10 already expects considering how well-off the Kim family is.

"Welcoming you all with a speech is a norm, but I don't want to pressure you for all these formalities. Welcome, and I hope you can enjoy and relax as you stay here," the chairman started, earning applause.

"There are no hundreds of restrictions in here, but I do have some that could be equally converted to a thousand more. One, no fighting and no using of special abilities. Remember that I'm still living here, as well as our kind cooks and housemaids, preferably my kids too, so we won't tolerate such commotions."

The vampires immediately nodded.

"Second, no shifting inside. That leads to no coming inside if you just finish your hunt. We already provided enough room space just a corner outside the house. Clean yourself there or maybe take time to roam around calming yourself so if you come back, you're finally fully okay."

"Imagine if someone cleans to see a pool of blood everywhere every day; isn't it haunting?" Doyoung closely whispered to his sister's ear, who just elbowed his rib, causing him to stand back straight while biting his lower lip to avoid making painful noises.

"Third, I want you to be aware of your surroundings. If someone needs help, fellow vampire or human, it was nice to offer help. Even if that someone didn't verbally ask and you have free hands to offer, go. In this household, I hope it'll teach you not just to live in gold but also to act like it. Be a good leader and a follower. If you wish to be a boss, learn to be an employee. But if you wish to act like a self-centered king, I'm sorry you are not welcome in this household."

Coincidentally, Aerin and Renjun's eyes met. They were in a situation where no one knew what they felt. Though Renjun criticized her for judging him, based on the chairman's last words and obvious hints of gaining power, he chose not to be affected by it; he wanted that right from the start, didn't he?

Now Aerin flickered her gaze at another male, two spaces from the former. It doesn't take more time for the girl to calculate his insights, as they are darted directly to her.

Jeno's eyes are softer than Renjun's. When it turned to crescents, while the other had it dark and narrowed into a glare. His was kind, if not confused, or just plain normal. Renjun's were full but void of light. It's like he was made to kill somebody without further planning. If not, it will just be straight up unamused, or it will just shape into a half circle when he'll laugh or wear that teasing look.

The round of staring just cut off when the chairman called his daughter. Aerin was visibly flinching at the sudden disturbance and faced the elder.

"It's still Monday and you have classes; do you want someone to drive you back?"

"Oh ummm," she trailed off, now feeling the weight of 10 pairs of eyes anticipating her answer, "I think I'll just go with Doyoung after lunch. I'll be volunteering myself to the detention room for slacking off, by the way."