𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄. . . kim sunoo ✔

𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲. noctis amor

1640

Sunoo harboured an envy for mortals and their precious ability to die, to savour the transient beauty of their lives. As a mortal, he had been instilled with the wisdom to appreciate each day as if it were his last. For a warrior like him, it very well could be. Tomorrow was never a promise, only a hopeful possibility.

Together, they sat in the sunlight. She professed her enjoyment of the sun, basking in its warmth with closed eyes as it kissed her skin. Sunoo, however, chose the shadow beneath the tree. While the sun held no danger for him, there was an inexplicable discomfort it instilled — a sensation almost itchy. Hence, he often found solace in the shade, avoiding the intrusive touch of sunlight that unsettled him.

'You're often sad, aren't you?' she asked, her eyes still closed.

'What makes you think that?' Sunoo replied.

'I can see it in your eyes,' she explained. 'Why are you sad?'

'Because my life was taken from me,' he answered, offering a simplified explanation that concealed the deeper truth.

'As was mine,' she chuckled. 'We are alike, you and I.'

In response, Sunoo smiled. 'In a way, yes.'

'It must feel terrible,' she murmured, 'to be subjected to a life you did not wish for. At least I have the liberty of dying. But you, you're forced to live through it all.'

'One can see it like that.'

'One like you.'

Sunoo snapped his head towards her. 'I suppose so. . .'

'Are you afraid of dying, Sir Vampire?' she inquired, tilting her head to the side.

'I am not,' he replied. 'I have waited a long time for death to claim me.'

'Life is not that bad,' she told him. 'One only needs to see the beauty in it. Many envy you; the power you have and the ability to exist forever.'

'And I envy yours,' Sunoo replied.

'It is in our nature to crave the things that are given to another,' she said. 'If one possesses, then the other will take it. Greed keeps us alive.'

'You're a smart one,' he said, acknowledging her insight. 'And not afraid of death.'

She shook her head. 'I need not fear the inevitable. It'll only make me sad.'

'A wise thought,' he praised her.

Smiling, she scooted closer to him, into the shadows. 'Thank you!'

Her smile was a beacon of light.

'Would you turn me if I asked you to?' The question caught him off-guard. Turn her? Into a vampire?

'Why do you ask that?'

'Sheer curiosity.' Her shoulders lifted into a shrug.

'I suppose I would. . .' he trailed off. 'Do you want to be one?'

She shook her head. 'I have no desire to live forever.'

A moment of silence enveloped them before she abruptly stood up, extending her hand for him to take. 'Come! I need to show you something.'

Without hesitation, Sunoo took hold of her hand, allowing her to pull him up. He had to shield his eyes with his arm as they stepped into the sunlight. Her hand, tightly wrapped around his, led him away from the tree and farther out into the field.

'There's a meadow close by,' she said, the two trudging side by side.

And she was right, for in front of him, an expansive landscape unfolded itself. A myriad of colours filled his vision, shapes transforming as they painted flowers onto the summer grass. The beauty of the meadow, bathed in sunlight, offered a stark contrast to the shadows he had grown accustomed to.

With another powerful tug, she pulled him further down the hill, until an accidental misstep caused her to trip over her own feet. In a cascade of laughter, they tumbled down the hill together. Sunoo, quick to react, reached out, pulling her closer to prevent any harm befalling her during the descent. Her body felt warm against his, a sensation that almost made him feel alive.

As they came to a stop, she found herself on top of him, her hands steadying on his chest. Giggles erupted from her lips before she silenced herself, gazing into his eyes; her expression softening.

Her hand tenderly cradled his cheek, and Sunoo found himself unconsciously leaning into her touch.

'You're so beautiful,' she breathed out.

Her eyes traced over his face, appreciating the porcelain perfection of his skin illuminated by the sun. His hands moved rhythmically up and down her back before settling on her hips, providing stability.

The brief flicker of her gaze to his lips did not go unnoticed by him.

'But perhaps. . .' she began, 'with you by my side, I could consider the possibilities of immortality.'

'As could I,' he replied, his voice a low murmur.

As she grinned, Sunoo could have sworn he caught a glimpse of a row of sharp teeth for a split second.