Dazzling Light | ATEEZ

Shadows 2

Before Seonghwa reveals too much, Hyuna steps in.

"It's about Crescent. We're can't tell you about them without Ms. Bora's permission, but there's a chance they might go after you and Elkie since you're friends with Seonghwa. Rest assured, Polaris will protect you." she just winged that, but it might as well be true.

Judging from Seonghwa's worried expression, she's correct.

Yeeun pursed her lips, accepting the answer. "I'm aware Polaris doesn't trust us. I'm not holding it against you." she directs that at Seonghwa.

"Anyway..." Hyuna looks at the time on her watch. "It's getting late. Why don't you head home, Yeeun-ah? I'll keep Seonghwa here for a bit longer to see if he's fit to go home."

The short-haired girl hesitates, but Seonghwa takes her hand, squeezing it comfortingly. Yeeun should feel pain because he just squeezed her injured hand, but it doesn't hurt.

"It's okay." he said with a small smile.

Yeeun sighs, "We'll talk about this properly... when you're ready to tell me. I'll wait. But don't keep me waiting, alright?"

Seonghwa nodded, "You better head home now. You must be tired." then he remembers the wound on her hand. There's even blood on her shorts from where she wiped them. He lets her hand go and was about to apologize when Yeeun shows him the half-healed wound on her palm.

"It's... better now. It'll heal completely by the time I get home." Yeeun says.

The blonde gulped, glancing at Hyuna. "R-Really...? You must be... very healthy..."

His reaction confirms what Hyuna just said. Yeeun may not be as human as she once thought.

Hyuna chuckles. "She's more than healthy. Now, why don't you head to the showers?" she suggests.

Yeeun nods, realizing she must stink from not showering after exercising. "Y-Yeah, I'll do that." she practically runs off, embarrassed.

Seonghwa then turns to Hyuna, a serious look on her face. "I couldn't sense it... but she's one of us... right?"

"Possibly a 3rd or 4th generation dhampir." Hyuna supplied. "She can't be a 2nd gen, because she would need blood food to metabolize properly. Either that... or she's..." the doctor trails off, worrying Seonghwa.

"What?" he asked.

Hyuna shakes her head. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Seonghwa knows better than to pry. The doctor won't disclose classified information to him, but her husband might. He wonders if he could convince Shinwon to ask Hyojong about it.

~

Morning | Kang Family House, Suwon

Yunho was bored so he asked Seonghwa to hang out with him at Starfield COEX Mall. His adoptive parents were worried about allowing Seonghwa to go out alone "due to his illness" but Bora called to assure them that Polaris will handle the transport.

Bora ordered one of her staff to bring Seonghwa to the mall on her Hyundai Genesis (public transport is for peasants), promising them extra pay for driving her baby. Despite nearly crashing Bora's Subaru, Shinwon was elected, since no one else was willing to babysit their little prince.

This is the first time in a while that he's hanging out with his childhood friend, so Seonghwa dressed up. He wore an oversized bright orange T-shirt that Bora gave him, topped with a cobalt blue hoodie to conceal the embarrassing print (it's a vintage 'extra virgin olive oil' print, but the 'olive oil' is blacked out.. and while he's technically a virgin... he doesn't want to advertise that...). Seonghwa wore plain denim jeans, but he might've gotten thinner cause he had to borrow a belt from Yeosang to secure it.