𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 | 정원

23

For a moment, Ji-ah just stared at him. Then, a laugh escaped her—sharp, incredulous. "Vampires? You're kidding, right?" She shook her head, refusing to believe what he was saying. "Come on, Jungwon, vampires aren't real. That's just... it's just a myth, a story."

But Jungwon's expression didn't change. He wasn't laughing, and that sobered Ji-ah quickly. "You saw what was happening in there."

"You're serious?" she asked, her voice trembling as the laughter died on her lips.

"I know it sounds impossible, but it's the truth. What you saw in that room, those people... they're part of this world. My world."

Ji-ah felt the room tilt, the ground shifting beneath her feet. "That's not possible," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Vampires can't be real. They're just stories."

Jungwon shook his head, his voice filled with a quiet pain. "I never wanted you to see this. I never wanted you to be a part of it."

Ji-ah stood there, dumbfounded, as the weight of his words settled over her. The shock of the revelation left her rooted to the spot, her mind struggling to process it all.

"Then..." She unconsciously stepped back, her eyes now wary as they settled on Jungwon. "All of you here... are vampires?"

"No," Jungwon replied. He looked at Ji-ah with a regretful expression, as if he wished he could protect her from the truth. "Not all of us."

Ji-ah wanted to laugh again, but the sound caught in her throat. She had been living and working in a place filled with vampires?

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "This party... it has a purpose, doesn't it?" Her eyes flicked to Jungwon again. "Those... guests, they are vampires too?"

Jungwon hesitated, his eyes dropping to the floor as if he couldn't bear to meet her gaze. "Yes," he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "This gathering... it's for them."

Ji-ah's stomach churned. The elegant ballroom, the beautiful people, the entire atmosphere—it all suddenly felt tainted. "So, this is what you do? Host parties for vampires to... feed?" The last word came out like a curse.

Jungwon winced at her tone. "It's not like that," he said. "We don't hurt anyone who doesn't agree to it. But yes, they need blood."

Then his expression turned darker. "We only get blood from people who willingly donate, and it's kept in bags. But some of them... they don't follow the rules. Feeding directly is not allowed."

Ji-ah tensed as she saw the shift in Jungwon's expression. The darkness in his eyes, the intensity of his anger—it was something she had never seen before. For the first time, she felt a sliver of fear around him, a wariness she couldn't shake.

"I hate these parties, Ji-ah. I hate everything about them—the guests, their arrogance, the way they think they're above everyone else because of what they are. But it's necessary to keep the peace, to maintain control." He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every movement. 

"If I don't host these gatherings, it could get worse. They need a place to feed safely, and if I don't provide that, they'll find other ways—dangerous ways."

Ji-ah's mind spun as she tried to process everything, but then something clicked—something she had almost forgotten. Her breath caught in her throat as she suddenly remembered the missing girl.

Suddenly, the pieces began to fall into place, and fear gripped her heart.

"Is that why the girl was so scared?" she asked, her voice on the edge. "Because she found out?"