(Hongjoong's pov)
"Dalhae?"
What sorcery is this? How have the trees managed to cruelly divide us? And what in the name of all that is unholy is this accursed vampire island? It was a grave mistake on my part to set foot upon this wretched place. Now, my heart is consumed with ceaseless concern for Dalhae.
She must be terrified. A pang of guilt pierced my lifeless heart as I contemplated the consequences of bringing us to this forsaken place.
Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps echoed across the island. I strained my senses, trying to pinpoint their origin. They're approaching from the left, no, the right. Hold on, an army of footsteps is closing in on me from all directions. Their pace quickens, growing more menacing by the second.
In a sudden, ropes snaked around my feet, dragging me down to the cold ground. Pain shot through my spine. As my hands were forcefully bound too, panic surged within me. What is this? I strained my eyes, but all I could catch was a fleeting glimpse of a dark figure.
I desperately attempted to free myself, gnashing my teeth against the tightly bound ropes. Yet, to my dismay, they held fast, as if imbued with a malevolent enchantment designed to keep them firmly attached to my body.
The dark figure loomed before me, draped in an ominous black cape that concealed their identity. Their face remained obscured, shrouded in darkness. Soon, a horde of others emerged behind.
"What is this?" I muttered under my breath, barely audible. The first shadowy figure approached, removing the hood of the cape to reveal a surprisingly youthful face. "It seems you've stumbled into our little lair," His gaze locked onto mine, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Oh, but you're also a vampire?"
"Obviously," I scoffed, brushing a speck of dirt off my shoulder. "I do not like being pushed into the mud. No thank you"
"Wow, are you for real? You're our captive now, you know that?" He seems to be the leader of their strange gang. There was an unsettling smirk on his lips that I found rather distasteful.
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "What a childish game. I do not like it. From vampire to vampire," I gestured between him and myself. "Shouldn't we be allies, rather than enemies?"
He scoffed with an air of disbelief. "Who said that getting kidnapped was going to be fun for you? Fun for us, but you.."
I surveyed the faces of each boy standing behind him. They all look so young, trapped on this island with nothing much to do. Yet, I suppose there isn't much to engage in after being here for a while.
"Don't you really have nothing else better to do?" I asked, a genuine mix of curiosity and compassion in my voice.
He chuckled in response. "What a character you are. Well, it looks like you're going to be our entertainment for the evening"
Am I merely an exhibit in a zoo? Though I may be just a vampire bound by these ropes, my dignity remains intact.
He turned around from me and ordered, "Bring out the cage. Put him in,"
Please not a cage, seriously?
"Soobin! Hurry up!" He shouted impatiently.
A timid figure approached their leader, visibly fearful as he kept his gaze fixed on the ground. "Y-yes, don't worry Beomgyu. I'll do it"
So this Beomgyu character is their leader. He approached me once more. He knelt down, reaching my eye level and gently brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen into my eyes. "You don't smell like a vampire, you have a faint human smell to yourself" He remarked, his words filled with intrigue.
Before I could respond, another boy's voice pierced through the moment. "Guys, wait!" His excitement was palpable. "Try to concentrate and smell, aaah! There's a real human on the island, haha!" A collective thirst darkened their eyes in an instant.
Rising to his feet with a knowing smirk, Beomgyu announced, "Not just any human, boys, it's a woman," igniting cheers of excitement among his followers.
I narrowed my eyes at the leader, determined to put a stop to his foolishness. "Don't even think about it" I warned.
Beomgyu turned his gaze towards me, his smirk gradually fading away. One of his eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Oh, am I hearing you correctly? Seems like this vampire has feelings for that human girl,"
His eyes locked onto mine, as if there was a silent challenge between us. "But you know that this can never end well" He cautioned, shaking his head in mock sympathy.
I scoffed, refusing to break eye contact. "What do you even know?"
He chuckled, exuding an excessive amount of confidence that made me itch to gouge out his eyes. "Let's go find the girl," He declared, his words met with cheers from the other boys. "Don't even move an inch, I'll come back for you" He pointed to me.
As I saw them all disappear in the shadow, frustration welled up within me. I tugged at the ropes that bound me, desperate to free myself from this predicament. I looked up, and to my surprise, there was one lone figure still standing there.
He approached cautiously. It's the shy guy from earlier, the one who was supposed to put me in the cage. Soobin, was it? He stopped in front of me, his eyes wide with uncertainty.
"Soobin, right?" I croaked, my voice strained from the ordeal. He nodded shyly, avoiding eye contact. "Can you... help me?"
I studied him for a moment, taking in his anxious expression. There was something genuine in his eyes, a spark of innocence beneath the fear.
Soobin's brows furrowed in concern, his eyes darting around to make sure no one was watching. With a slight nod, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver dagger. The enchanted ropes shimmered momentarily as he cut them.
My senses jolted with a mix of surprise and intrigue. Why would he risk aiding me in such a perilous endeavor?
I flexed my wrists, thankful for the newfound freedom. "Thanks, Soobin. I appreciate it"
His cheeks flushed pink as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "It was nothing, really. Just trying to make things right. I... uh, I didn't want them to hurt you. You seem different from the other vampires here on the island"
Curiosity swirled within me as I processed his words. "Different? How?" I inquired, absently brushing off the clinging leaves and dirt from my pants.
Nervously, he cast a quick glance around before locking eyes with me once more. "You seem... human"
I chuckled, appreciating his observation. "Thanks, but I am far from it"
Understanding dawned on his face as he nodded, looking down.
"And I apologize, but I must search for my girl amidst the chaos of this island. Nevertheless, thank you, Soobin"
As I made my way through the shadowy depths of the forest, a hand suddenly landed on my shoulder, causing me to pause. "Wait!"
I turned around, curious to hear what he had to say. "I can help you find her!" He exclaimed.
"How?" I asked, intrigued by his offer.
"There's a method we employ to locate individuals on this island," He said with a beaming smile. "But we must hurry, for Beomgyu is known to be merciless towards humans"
My lifeless heart nearly leapt from my chest. I need to find Dalhae, more than fast.
We continued walking until we reached the edge of an enormous tree, the largest tree I had ever laid eyes on in my entire existence.
He turned to me. "We have to take a leap, then fly over this tree and we'll locate her. That's what we do"
Just as he was about to jump, I grabbed hold of his sleeve, halting him in his tracks. "But.. I lack the strength to fly" I admitted, my gaze drifting downward, overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy.
Understanding my doubts, he offered a reassuring smile. "Every vampire possesses the ability to fly. It's simpler than you think. Just give yourself a gentle push and concentrate on your feet after that"
With an effortless leap, he soared through the air, his movements graceful. Meanwhile, I remained firmly rooted to the ground, my heart sinking with a mixture of envy and self-doubt. "You can do it. I'm sure!" He encouraged.
I nodded, taking a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I visualized myself floating effortlessly, my feet light as feathers. Determination washed over me as I summoned the confidence to believe in my own abilities.
"Just trust yourself a little more. Look what happens when you believe in your own potential!" Soobin's words puzzled me, prompting me to open my eyes. To my astonishment, I realized that my feet were no longer touching the ground. I'm flying!
A sense of wonder filled me as I looked around, taking in the surreal beauty of the world from above. A wide grin spread across my face. "I'm flying! I'm really flying!"
We arrived on top of the tree, perching ourselves upon a massive branch. The sight that unfolded before me was unlike anything I had ever witnessed. It was a moment that nearly brought tears to my eyes. The expanse of the ocean stretched out to eternity, evoking a flood of cherished memories.
"So, what does she look like? The woman that you are so desperately searching for?" Soobin inquired.
"She has brown hair, black pants, and heels, and she was also wearing my suit jacket on her shoulders because she seemed cold earlier" I replied.
He couldn't help but chuckle. "Quite the hopeless romantic, aren't you?"
"Romantic?" I questioned, taken aback.
"Oh, is it her?" Suddenly, he turned his head and pointed towards a minuscule figure in the distance.
It's her! She's straddling the back of a man. Wait? Is she passed out?! What will he do to her! My fangs elongated, and my eyes burned crimson with fury.
Yet, before I could intervene, a searing pain jolted through my side. I glanced downwards, only to find an arrow lodged in my abdomen. Strangely, a mysterious dark cloud enveloped the arrow.
With a swift and uncontrolled descent, I tumbled down from the towering tree.
________________________________
Hongjoong Coachella. Yeah.