Dark Eclipse : The Bloody Truth｜SEVENTEEN

0. Prologue

"Haeun. No matter what people say about you, I want you to know that I trust you."

"No! Junho! You're only 12! This can't be..." Haeun cries to herself as she watch her childhood best friend, Junho was lying in the coffin, dead.

The villlagers start to gosip about Junho's death.

"Look at those bite mark on his neck."

"There's no blood left in him."

"I'm sure it was a vampire. This never happened before on our village."

"Do you think... she did it? That girl Haeun?"

"Bad things keep happening ever since she came to our village."

"A fire broke out at Junho's house only a little while ago... how can such a tragedy happen again?"

"Maybe the rumor about the girl is true..."

Flashback

When Haeun finally makes sure that all the other children have gone from the playground, she went to one of the big tree near the playground and rest her back beneath it. Until an unfamiliar boy walks towards her.

"People say you're a vampire."

"What?" Haeun looks at the boy, frowning a little bit.

"Well, are you?"

Haeun feels annoyed at his question and turns her head to the left, not wanting to see his face. However, the boy extend his hand to Haeun, offering a handshake to her.

"I'm Junho. I never seen you out in the daylight. What's your name?"

"Hmph!" Haeun scoffs, still feel annoyed by his question earlier.

"Is your name 'Hmph'?" Junho raises an eyebrow.

"No! Of course not! My name's-"

"Haeun, right?" Junho cuts her words which making her kinda caught off guard a little bit.

"I actually knew already. You're famous in our village. People say you're the vampire that moves here." Junho adds.

Haeun snaps, "I'm not a vampire! Gosh!"

"Really? Everyone says that you've bounced around different cities, you don't come out during the day, walk around alone at night..."

This is getting ridiculous.

"...and eats pigeon."

"Absolutely not! Especially that last part!" Haeun storms out.

"Right? I thought so," Junho speaks like an innocent boy he is.

Haeun droops to the ground, "Ugh! Why are there such weird rumors going around about me?"

"Why don't you just come out during the day? You can go and tell everyone's the truth."

Yeah, right. No matter what how many times Haeun tell them that it's not true, nobody ever believes her words. Why do I even have this ability? Why? And what if.... she was really a vampire? She's scared the rumors might be true.

Junho smiles, "But I don't think you're a vampire... because I was born with a limp."

"Huh?" Haeun looks at Junho, slightly raised her eyebrow.

"If you think you're not like the others, you become afraid of facing them. Lots of people gossip about those who are different from them. So, don't let stupid gossip like that get to you." Junho adds, giving a big smile to Haeun.

"Let's be friends. Other kids don't let me join them either." Junho offers a handshake.

Haeun looks at him for a while, "Sure."

It's my first time having a friend that would spend his days with me, full of fun and wanting to tell my secret to someone else.

"Whoa!" Junho gasps in amazement.

"I-It's a weird ability, isn't it?" Haeun shows an awkward smile.

"Not at all! It's a special one! That's so cool!" Junho's eyes sparkles while looking at Haeun straight into her eyes.

"You really think so...? You're not scared that I might be a vampire?"

"Nah, of course not. I know you." He keeps smiling.

"Really? You mean it? You really think that?" Haeun's face lights up at Junho's answer.

"Yeah!"

But, I'm still scared that I might be one, though.

"Haeun."

"Huh?"

"Wanna try biting my neck?" Junho suggests.

Haeun was taken aback by his request, "What?! Nonsense! Absolutely not! What if something goes wro-?!"

"It's okay, Haeun. I trust you." Junho gives Haeun a reassuring smile.

"B-But... But what if..." Haeun mumbles as she still doesn't know what to do.

"You don't have to do it right now. When you believe that I trust you and when you start believing in yourself. When that time comes, promise me that you'll bite my neck."

It's my first time having someone who trusts me more than I trust myself. Meeting you was the best thing that happened in my life. I enjoy every second being with you and I look forwards what's to come.

Junho... Until now, I thought that there was only misfortune in my life. But now I know all those were stepping stones to meet you. To learn to value you as a friend...

"To never lose a precious friend like you."