poisoned fangs | kim seungmin

ii.

"So, who is he, exactly?" Chan growled under his breath, glaring at the single customer at the farthest table.

"Prince Kim Seungmin," Felix whispered, "keep your voice down, he'll hear you."

"Like I care," Chan muttered, immediately looking away as Seungmin cast a glance in their direction.

"Why's he here?" you asked in a hushed voice, feeling slightly breathless at the sight of such a beautiful creature in your run-down, plain old pub. He looked so out of place, his fine clothes and expensive demeanor contrasting heavily with the simple surroundings. He looked as if he should be drinking the finest wine from a solid-gold goblet, not awaiting a foggy glass mug with cheap mead.

"He's probably here to unwind," Felix said, "I heard it's his twenty-first birthday tomorrow. If I were him, I'd need a mug or two of shitty mead to take my mind off things too."

"Shitty mead?" Chan asked, offended. Felix waved his hand dismissively.

"Why does it matter that it's his birthday?" you asked, confused. "What's the significance there?"

Felix clapped a hand to his forehead, gasping in surprise. "I forgot that you all aren't vampires," he said, aghast, "A royal vampire's coming-of-age is extremely important."

"So tell us about it!" you exclaimed impatiently.

"Who even cares?" Jeongin muttered to himself, but leaned in closely to hear what Felix was saying anyways.

"Every royal vampire has to choose a mate by their twenty-first birthday," Felix said eagerly, "it's tradition. If they don't choose a mate, they risk losing their status, their powers, and they could very well be disowned by every kingdom at once. And since Seungmin is the oldest prince of the Kim kingdom..." he looked back up at Seungmin, who was now drumming his long, pale fingers on the greasy table-top. "Well, let's just say there's ten times the pressure. He has to be the one to continue the bloodline for the Kim family. He's going to be king one day, it's mandatory."

You all look back at Seungmin again, and this time you accidentally catch his eye. You look back to Felix, feeling flustered. "So if he were the second son..." you ask, trailing off.

"Then there would be much less pressure," Felix said, nodding.

"Aren't you the oldest prince of the Lee Kingdom?" Jeongin asked, disgruntled.

Felix looks at him, eyebrows furrowed. "No," he hissed, "Have you forgotten about Minho? He's older than me by years."

"I don't keep up with all of you royal vampires!" Jeongin whined.

"Excuse me, where is my order?" Seungmin called, and you jumped up.

"It'll be out in just a second!" You look back to the trio on the floor, still whispering about the royal vampires, and you roll your eyes a little, finding it slightly ridiculous that they were so invested in it all.
You grab a clean glass and fill it with cold mead, the liquid overflowing slightly as it reaches the top. You quickly wipe it with a stray rag and then make your way to where Seungmin is seated. He slowly looks up at you as you approach him. "Thank you," he said, taking the glass in one hand and bringing it up to his mouth, taking a cautious sip. You can see his reaction eyes, the way he narrows them slightly at the unfamiliar taste.

"Not fancy enough for you?" you ask jokingly. He shoots you a steady glare, sending a chill down your spine.

"It's an odd taste," he says, smacking his lips quietly, "I'm not accustomed to it."

"Well, drink up," you say, "you'll get used to it soon enough."

Seungmin puts his glass down and looks at you, one eyebrow raised. "Are you trying to get me intoxicated?" he asks, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek.

"Of course not!" you exclaim, and he simply smiles at your reaction. But his smile makes you slightly uncomfortable, the feeling it exudes not being anything close to warmth or happiness, instead a smug, dreaded sort of emotion oozing from it. You shift your weight to one foot and then the other, not knowing what to say to him. He rests his face on one closed fist, and with the other hand motions for you to sit down. "I couldn't," you say awkwardly.

"Oh, but I insist," Seungmin croons, and without being able to find a valid reason to say no, you sit down stiffly, hands in your lap as he takes another prim sip from his mug.

"So, you're Prince Seungmin?" you ask awkwardly, pulling nervously at the bottom of your shirt.

"That I am," he replies, eyes staring into yours intensely. "How do you know of me? I thought humans didn't bother with vampires."

You laugh nervously. "Oh, I've just heard about you and made a guess," you said, looking to the ground to avoid his unblinking stare.

"What sort of things have you heard about me? Where?"

"Is this an interrogation?" You smile, tight-lipped, showing your uncomfortableness. Yet, you find yourself wanting to stay.

"An interrogation? No, of course not," Seungmin chuckled, "But your friends back there, the witch and the wolf. I doubt they are involved with vampires?"

"No, they usually mind their own business," you reassure him.

Seungmin hummed in approval. "So the rumors you hear are not from them."

"The rumors originate elsewhere," you reply vaguely.

"Another friend, perhaps?" he muses, "A vampire?" You nod. "Perhaps, a royal vampire?"

You feel your skin prickle at that, knowing Felix was not meant to be spending time around humans, witches, and werewolves. How did Seungmin know he was there? Did he see him when he walked in, before Felix had the chance to duck under the bar?
"No, just a normal vampire," you say carefully, hoping that your expression did not give anything away.

"I must be mistaken, then," Seungmin sighs, "I thought I caught the scent of another royal vampire. I truly thought I had it down. I even thought I knew the kingdom they hail from."

You press your lips together tightly. "Oh?"

"Yes," Seungmin says, rubbing his hands together slowly. "I thought I caught the scent of someone from the Lee Kingdom." You felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over you. "But I am mistaken, like you said before." He bites his lower lip as he leers at you, his stare oddly lascivious for a stranger.

You shake the imaginary drops of ice water out of your hair and plaster an innocent look onto your face. "Yes, you are mistaken, your highness."

Seungmin runs a hand through his dark hair, letting out a brief chuckle. "There is no need for such formalities, my darling."

"I shall use them anyways, I don't believe I have the right to address you in a more casual manner." You lace your fingers together and place them on the table. Seungmin glances down at them before looking back up.

"If you say so," he says simply, leaning back and taking a larger gulp from the glass, which now had condensation running down the sides of it, leaving a ring of water on the table top. "Perhaps we should change the subject."

"I hear you have to choose a mate before tomorrow," you say quickly, blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. You curse yourself in your mind for being so brash and forward, but Seungmin does not seem to be phased by your knowledge.

"Ah, yes," he pondered, "my twenty-first birthday. I assume you knew of that as well."

"I did," you admit.

"From your vampire friend?"

"Who else?"

"Of course." For a moment you fear that he might be toying with you, letting on that he knew Felix was hiding in the kitchen, but he does not press the topic any further.

"I'm sorry that you have to choose a mate," you say, "it seems very forceful, you should be able to choose when and who it should be."

"You believe I should get to choose?"

"Yes, of course."

"Why don't you marry me, then?"