Dark Eclipse : The Bloody Truth｜SEVENTEEN

10. A Date at the Square

Haeun POV

It's here. The weekend finally comes. The time has comes for me to hang out with the boys at the square. And here I am, at the center of the square at 5 PM, near the fountain, waiting for them to come.

"Haeun!" Someone calls me.

"You got here early! I wanted to arrive before you did." Jihoon smiles. It's only him?

I furrow my eyebrow, "Huh? Where's everyone else?"

Jihoon scratches at the back of his head, "Oh! They said they're all suuuper busy. How flaky of them, making plans and not showing up."

"Let's have fun, just the two of us! I'll show you around the square." He offers.

"Yeah, sure." I smile.

I guess Joshua's busy.

"Would you like some ice cream?"

"That sounds good." I nod in response.

"I know a great place over there!" He points to the front.

I wonder what's keeping him busy. Should I ask him what he's up to? No! I shouldn't pressure him. He's busy, after all. Stilll, it would've been nice if he'd told me in advance...

"Choose a flavor, Haeun. Which one would you like?" Jihoon says but I can't hear anything. I was too deep on my thoughts.

He has telepathic commmunication, too...

"I-I'll have the vanilla."

"We'll have one dozen scoops of vanilla! Pile it up, please!" He said to the waiter.

Come to think of it... telepathic communication only works when Joshua talks to me first. I can't initiate the conversation from my end. Of course, I can just talk to him on the phone... but it's still a bummer.

"Here you go! This one's for you, Haeun." His eyes shines as he hand me my vanilla ice cream, with freaking 12 scoops in total.

"I asked for extra scoops." He beams in delighted at his remarks.

I gasp in silence, "Oh, wow...! Th-thanks."

I smile. Then, we walk to a bench nearby as we take a sit next to each other.

"It's nice hanging out together, isn't it?" Jihoon asks.

"Yeah."

Author POV

"HEY!!! WOOZI !!! WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?! YOU TOLD US TO MEET AT 7 PM! IT'S ONLY 5 PM, AND YOU'VE ALREADY LEFT?!" Wonwoo growls in telepathy mode.

"I never said that. I clearly told you to meet us at 5 PM." He casually denies everything as he takes a bite on his ice cream.

He shooks his head afterwards. "Everyone bailed but me. How dissapointing."

Mingyu burns in anger and shouts, "WOOZI, YOU LITTLE...!!! I WON'T LET THIS SLIDE!!! WAIT RIGHT THERE!!!"

"Hmph! Catch me if you can." He mocks.

"We'll be on a boat. Good luck finding us on the water!" He lies.

"LEE JIHOON!!!"

Haeun POV

"Um, Jihoon..." I say to him out of the blue.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. You told me everyone else was busy. That must mean you're busy too, but you made time for me. I really appreciate that." I smile, means it every word that I mutter.

"Oh, sure. No problem. I'm a thoughtful person, you see..." He let out an awkward smile.

"To be honest, this is my first time visiting the square."

Jihoon seems taken aback by my words, "WHAT?! WHY?!"

"Well, being in crowded public spaces... scares me. It's just..." I can't continue my words. It's too hard for me.

Jihoon being an understanding person like he is quickly changes the topic, "Then why don't we go on a boat?"

"What?" I wondering the meaning behind his words.

"You feel uncomfortable in crowded places. We can go out on the water before sunset. I'll be right back with the tickets."

"Okay, I'd like that." I said and he walks to the ticket counter, leaving me alone at the bench.

"Haeun?"

"Shua?!"

"Hey, are you at the square right now?"

"Huh? Oh! Yes, I am!"

I am hesitated at first but decided to ask him this. "I... heard you're busy today."

"I wasn't. I just had something important to do." His tone is soft which kinda calms me down a bit.

"Something important? What is it?"

"Seeing you." He whispers.

Huh?

My cheeks is burning red and I blush reallly hard. I was flustered. Gosh, Joshua.

"I-I didn't see that coming. You didn't strike me as a jokester..."

"I'm not joking though." Stop it.

"What...?"

"Sorry for running late on such an important occasion. I'll be there in a minute. Wait for me."

"O-okay..."

I thought he couldn't make it today.

Soon after that, the sun starts to set and the sky is turning from light blue to orange with a gradient of yellow a little bit. I love this kind of vibe.

Then, I jump in surprise. "Oh! Wait! Jihoon left to buy tickets for the boat! I should tell him not to since Joshua's joining soon."

I start to walk by myself without knowing where am I going. "Where's the ticket office?"

I realise I was walking far from the square, instead I was at a quiet alleyway with no one around.

"Oh maybe we could buy another ticket--" I said as run, passing an intersection at my left but;

"COME HERE!!!" A hand suddenly appears from it and grab my hand before yanks me towards the intersection. I couldn't react as the ice cream in my hands drops to the ground.

The person covers my mouth and hold me in hostage, "Ack! Ugh!"

What's with this person?! They have red eyes! He's wearing a black hood with a purple's gradient on him.

I clench his hand that was holding my neck before slams him on the floor.

S-something about this person... feels off!! Normal peoplle don't have such pointy fingernails! Could... Could they be...

The person stands up as his body makes a crack sound. He look at me with his red eyes and a sharp fangs with that black hood covering him. He stomps towards me and I step back, feeling scared.

A... a real... vampire?!

"Roar!" The man opens his mouth, ready to bite me with his fangs.

Then, someone whack and grabs his neck before crashes him to the wall, spurting some blood and gushed in front of my eyes.

"Jihoon?!" I mumble.