Late night romance | jaywon ✔

#33 ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪꜰ

Six months had passed since Jungwon's transformation, and his new life as a vampire had settled into a rhythm, though it hadn’t been an easy journey.

The first few weeks were the hardest—his body adjusting to the new instincts, the cravings that seemed impossible to control, and the strange, disorienting world that now defined his existence.

Nights were spent in restless confusion, grappling with what he had become, but through it all, Jay remained his constant source of comfort.

Jay had been there from the beginning. Whenever Jungwon felt like he was slipping into darkness, he was there to pull him back, offering a word of comfort or simply a steady presence that kept him grounded.

Without him, Jungwon knew he wouldn’t have made it through those difficult times.

But now, six months later, things were different. Jungwon had begun to embrace his new life, finding strength in the camaraderie of his friends—his new family.

He was no longer the scared boy who had been running from his past. With each passing day, he felt more in control, more certain of who he was.

And most importantly, he was free. Free from  his parents, who had once decided his every move, and free to live a life of his own choosing.

As the last day of the year arrived, the group found themselves gathered around the dining table, playing some card games.

They were celebrating not just the end of a year, but the beginning of a new chapter in all their lives.

"Alright, who's dealing this round?" Jake asked, shuffling a deck of cards with a grin.

Sunoo leaned back in his chair, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let me do it. I’m feeling lucky tonight!"

Ni-ki rolled his eyes playfully. "You say that every time, and then you lose.”

Sunoo gasped dramatically, holding a hand to his chest. "How dare you! Tonight’s different, I can feel it."

Jungwon chuckled. His laughter was no longer tense and nervous like it had been in the beginning. He watched them with a smile, feeling like he truly belonged. This was his family now— a group of vampires who had accepted him with open arms.

"Alright, let's get this game started," Jake said, passing the shuffled deck to Sunoo.

“Watch and learn, everyone. Tonight’s the night I win it all,” Sunoo declared.

Jungwon, still smiling, picked up his cards and glanced around the table. He was grateful for this moment, for the simple joy of being surrounded by friends.

Sunghoon leaned over, trying to peek at Sunoo’s cards, but Sunoo slapped his hand away playfully. “No cheating! You’ve got to win fair and square.”

“Fine, fine! I don’t need to cheat to beat you, anyway," Sunghoon defended himself.

Heeseung couldn’t help but join in. “You two can argue all you want, but I’m the one who’s going to win tonight.”

Sunoo shot him a confident smirk. “We’ll see about that.”

Just as the game was heating up, Ni-ki suddenly paused. He hastily stood up, knocking his chair back in his rush. “Wait, did you guys hear that?”

The others exchanged puzzled glances, pausing the game as they listened. Then it became clear—a distant pop followed by a series of crackling sounds.

Fireworks.

Jungwon looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s midnight.”

Before anyone could react, Ni-ki grabbed Sunoo’s hand, his eyes bright with excitement. “Come on, we have to see this!”