Don't be gone too long | yuyeon

who's gonna love me when you're gone?

Today is Valentine's Day and the whole city is gathered in the center of Poiana Brasov, standing on the brick floor around the group of activists who gather on the square stage, watching them shout their revolting opinions and hand out informative pamphlets on the subject.

The newly formed historian Song Yuqi is there, listening to the speech without really paying attention to the message — it is something about a possible satanic ritual performed by vampires at the beginning of the small village meadow, though, she is sure. Her mind is a long way from that assembly, if she's honest, and she is used to these matters in the morning, after all, she's living in the country for six months now and it makes her experience the most unusual things in the world.

Most places on Earth would be celebrating that world symbol of love, but no: Transylvania is not like that. But that's why she is there, after all, to study the city's history and the connection between culture and local legends, and how it influences the daily lives of the population. It is a research that her college is funding, after she won some award in the last month of her course, as the applied student she always have been, and Yuqi is doing her best to do a good job.

"Ridiculous how humanity can advance in so many areas, but still preserve such archaic thoughts, right?" She hears the voice comment beside her, making her look to the side and uncross her arms. It belongs to a girl, with short black hair and clothes that are expensive enough to pay for a month's stay in the small cottage that Yuqi is staying at.

"Yeah," she slowly agrees.

"What, do you believe at what they're saying?" When the stranger asks, she also finally looks at her and offers her a small smile.

"No, not at all," she says. "I think it's all really dumb, actually."

The girl can do nothing but nod. "Yeah. Twenty-first century and there are still people who believe that supernatural creatures exist. Incredibly dumb, I agree."

"Nah, that's not even the problem," Yuqi sighs. "I just think it's really funny that they claim with such certainty that vampires are real and still have no fear of what will happen if that is true."

The historian sees her smile even bigger, clearly surprised by her response.

"That it very brilliant," she raises her eyebrows. "What are your thoughts about it?"

"On vampires, you mean?"

"Yes," the girl claims, too much interested in her point of view. "Tell me your theories."

Yuqi blushes, not knowing how to deal with this change in attitude. She is used to being called crazy for her unusual opinions and being asked to stop talking. According to her own family, who totally discouraged her moving to Transylvania, she talks too much .

"Well," she starts, fiddling with her own fingers in disquiet. "I think that, if vampires really existed, they wouldn't expose themselves like that, doing rituals in public places and all these creep things. And we would be doomed to a sub-issue destination. We wouldn't be able to fight against them, not that I think they would want war, but, as you said, humanity is ridiculous."

There is a silence after that and, in the front of them, the woman speaking into the microphone screams again, causing Yuqi to grumble and the brunette beside her to scratch her ears.

"You are a smart girl," the stranger says, offering her hand right after. "I'm Soyeon, by the way."

Yuqi squeezes it quickly, noticing the low temperature of Soyeon's skin. "Yuqi."

"You don't seem local," she comments and the Chinese girl can swear she just checked her out. "What are you doing in town?"

"I came from Beijing a few months ago," she explains. "I'm here to do a cultural and historical research. I'm a historian."