diabolical || skz + jisung centric

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chapter two: shadows of the past

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the night had settled over the mansion, its darkened halls filled with a sense of unease that jisung couldn't shake. he had tried to sleep, but the events of the past few days weighed too heavily on his mind. the revelation of the bond, the strange new abilities coursing through his veins, and the ever-present tension between him and the brothers—it was all too much.

he sighed, pushing the blankets off and sitting up. the moonlight filtered through the heavy curtains, casting eerie shadows across the room. he couldn't stay here, not when his thoughts were racing like this. maybe a walk through the mansion would help clear his mind.

as he left his room, the cold stone floor sent shivers up his spine. the mansion was quiet, save for the occasional creak of wood or distant sound that echoed through the corridors. the stillness was unnerving, but jisung pressed on, his steps cautious as he made his way through the unfamiliar passages.

he didn't have a particular destination in mind, but his feet seemed to carry him toward the grand staircase. as he descended, the whispers he'd heard earlier grew louder. they were faint, almost indiscernible, but there was no mistaking them now.

he paused at the base of the stairs, straining to hear the voices. they were coming from the parlor, a room jisung had only briefly seen when he first arrived. the door was slightly ajar, and he hesitated before stepping closer, curiosity getting the better of him.

inside, the room was dimly lit, the flickering flames of a few scattered candles casting long shadows. jisung could make out the figures of chan and minho, their voices low as they spoke in hushed tones. he edged closer, careful not to make a sound.

"we can't keep this from him forever," chan was saying, his tone serious. "he needs to know the truth."

minho scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "and how do you think he'll react? we've barely gotten him to accept what he is now. if we tell him about his past, it'll only make things worse."

"he deserves to know," chan insisted, a hint of frustration in his voice. "he's part of this, whether we like it or not. keeping him in the dark will only make him more vulnerable."

jisung's heart pounded in his chest. his past? what were they talking about? he had no memories of anything beyond his life before the mansion—nothing that would tie him to this strange world. but the way chan and minho were speaking, it was clear there was something more, something they weren't telling him.

"we need to wait until he's ready," minho replied, his voice firm. "if we push him too hard, it could backfire. he's not like us, chan. he's human."

"not entirely," chan murmured, almost to himself. "not anymore."

jisung's breath caught in his throat. not entirely human? what did that mean? the bond, the abilities—he had thought those were the extent of it. but now, hearing chan's words, he realized there was so much more he didn't know.

his mind raced as he tried to piece together what little information he had. were they implying that he wasn't fully human? that there was something else in his blood, something that tied him to this world of vampires in a way he didn't understand?

before he could dwell on it further, the door creaked under his weight, causing both brothers to look up sharply. their eyes met jisung's, and for a moment, no one spoke.

"jisung," chan said, his voice careful. "what are you doing here?"

jisung swallowed, stepping into the room. "i couldn't sleep. i heard you talking... about me."