Hyungwon awoke, the memory of a nightmare lingering within his mind. He closed his eyes for a second and tried his best to push the horrific images out of his head. Outside, the sun hung high in the sky, signaling the start of a new day. It was time for him to get up and get ready.
He threw his legs over the side of his bed and headed toward the door. One of the many things he loved about the MX clan was their strong family dynamic. The clan was more than just a clan. They treated each other as close family members, brothers. Every day the clan got together for a meal in the morning and evening. Unfortunately, lunch wasn't always possible because of their schedules.
He walked down the hall, passed the living room, and arrived at the glass table located near the kitchen. Everyone seated at the table watched him pull out a chair for himself and take a seat. A large pitcher of red liquid sat in the middle of the table. Kihyun exited the hallway, dressed in a soft grey sweater, black pants, and black dress shoes. He greeted them warmly as he walked toward the table. He took a seat across from him, removing the camera bag from his left shoulder and placing it on the ground. After a few minutes, the pleasant chatter died down as they all focused on their meals. Hyungwon stared at the pitcher of blood, thoughts swirling inside his head.
"I'm sorry," Wonho said.
Hyungwon's eyes drifted toward him.
"I know Chorong told us to go back to work and pretend everything is normal, but I don't like this. This reminds me too much of the time we had to wait for Hyungwon to come back."
Shownu nodded, placing his glass on the table. "I understand. We've done a lot of waiting lately."
"There is nothing we can do right now," Kihyun said. "Chorong wants us to go back to our daily lives. She said if we do anything else, we'll cause trouble. I don't like the idea of pretending everything is fine either. Everything is not fine."
Hyungwon thought back to his conversation with Chorong. He hadn't seen the other vampire since the day she appeared in his room. He hoped she would stop by again, but she didn't. Maybe he had to wait a little longer.
"Oh! I just remembered. Hyungwon," Minhyuk said, placing a hand on his left shoulder. "Hoseok brought something from the café yesterday for you. I think it was those sweet pastries you like so much. I'll go grab you one and your supplements."
Minhyuk pushed his chair back and stood up.
"It's okay. You don't have to. I'm fine. I'll just have a drink," Hyungwon said.
"Oh, okay. I'll just grab you one of the fruit juices from the fridge. I'll—"
"Min, its fine," he said. "I'll have a drink."
Minhyuk glanced at him, head tilted to the side. Hyungwon's eyes drifted toward the pitcher of blood in the middle of the table. His fingers trembled as he reached for the glass container. He paused, hand hovering right above the pitcher handle. An unpleasant sensitivity from his fangs reminded him of his blood related problems. He needed to move forward and that meant drinking blood again.
"Hyungwon?"
Hyungwon glanced at Minhyuk. He noticed Minhyuk wasn't the only one at the table staring at him. The rest of the clan had matching perplexed expressions. He expected the confused stares. Blood hadn't been on the menu for him for days. He mostly ate human food and occasionally took the blood supplements given to him.
"I'll just have a drink," Hyungwon said, wrapping his fingers around the pitcher handle.
Hyungwon pulled the pitcher closer to him, staring at the blood contained within it. Silence filled the atmosphere. He winced as a sharp pain traveled up his right leg. He could no longer avoid blood. His body had been screaming for blood for too long. It was time for him to listen. His days of avoiding blood was over.
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor caught his attention. He removed his hand from the pitcher and directed his attention to Kihyun. The older vampire made eye contact with him. Hyungwon nodded, answering the silent question shining from the other's eyes.
Kihyun got up from his seat. "I'll get you a glass."
Kihyun disappeared into the kitchen.
"Hyungwon, you know you don't have to force yourself to drink, right?" Minhyuk asked.
Hyungwon nodded. "I know."
"Minhyuk is right," Wonho said, voice soft. "Just take your time. Blood supplements should be enough for now."
"No, the supplements aren't enough," Hyungwon said. "I understand that now. I shouldn't have avoided blood for so long. That was a mistake."
"You had your reasons," Shownu said. "And we understand."
Hyungwon shook his head and then looked around the table. "I know but, I'm tired of hurting. I'm not going to avoid blood any longer."
Kihyun returned with a glass in his right hand and set it in front of Hyungwon. Hyungwon stared at the glass, fingers tapping against the table. He said he was ready for blood but part of him worried. Kihyun reached for the pitcher and poured him a glass. The scent of iron and fresh orange entered his nose. There was no need to obsess about his personal issues. It was time to move forward. Hyungwon wrapped his fingers around the glass and tipped it back.
"Easy now," Kihyun said, placing a hand on his right shoulder. "No need to rush."
Hyungwon's stomach churned. He tried his best to ignore the intrusive thoughts dancing around in his head. His clan was right. Nothing was his fault, but he couldn't shake the guilt away. He tried to ignore the taste of blood coating his tongue. For a while, his stomach fought against him until it settled. Once the unease melted away, he tried to focus on the positives. His legs and arms ached less and that was a good sign. He was on his way to feeling better.
Kihyun pushed the glass aside and looked at him. "You okay?"
He nodded. "I'm fine. I'm okay, really. I'm sorry I worried you all."
"Please don't apologize," Shownu said. "What you went through was very painful. There is no reason for you to apologize for anything."
"We all feel the same way," Kihyun said. "Please don't apologize. Nothing was your fault."
Kihyun took a seat on the empty chair beside him. Hyungwon tried not to think too much about who usually sat next to him and focused on the warmth within the bond. He knew nothing was his fault. Yet, he couldn't help but feel sorry for being a burden for so long.
"It's not your fault, it's ours. We failed you, Wonnie," Wonho said, voice wavering. "We're so sorry."
"I guess I'm not the only one thinking the same," Shownu said, voice heavy with grief. "We should have fought harder. Forgive us."
A wave of sadness washed over him as the warmth within the bond turned cold. He frowned. He hadn't meant to cause anyone unnecessary pain. It was supposed to be a beautiful morning. They were supposed to sit for their morning meal and enjoy each other's company. Pressure built behind his eyes and he looked at the surface of the glass table.
"It's okay," Hyungwon said. "Hangil is—I knew it wouldn't be easy. I don't blame any of you."
An uncomfortable silence settled around the table. Hyungwon nibbled at his bottom lip. He didn't want them to end the morning on a sad note. The last thing he wanted was for his clan members to head to work with sadness weighing them down. Instead, Hyungwon tried his best to reduce the ugly darkness growing within the bond by pushing positive energy out.
Hyungwon intertwined his fingers with Minhyuk. The older vampire looked at him, perplexed by the smile on his lips. Hyungwon refused to dwell on the past. It was important to move forward. He had to keep moving forward.
Hyungwon grabbed the pitcher and poured himself another glass. "Really I'm fine everyone."
Hyungwon downed the full glass, ignoring the concerned glances. There was no time to worry about the past. If he wanted to help his clan, he had to focus on the future. The past would weigh him down and slow his progress. The familiar ache in his chest lessened.
"Hey," he said, placing the glass on the table. "Won't you all be late for work?"
Hyungwon knew it was a poor distraction from the serious moment, but it was the only thing he could do. Several pairs of eyes glanced at cellular devices. But surprisingly, no one moved. Hyungwon frowned, shoulders slouching. He expected them to hurry to work but not a single chair moved.
"Maybe we'll stay back from work," Wonho said, looking at him. "One day away will be fine."
"Chorong said you all have to go back to your normal lives, right?" Hyungwon said. "I'll be fine. You all should go to work."
"We are just worried about you. I just don't feel right leaving you alone," Kihyun asked.
"Don't worry, Ki," he said, amused. "I won't be throwing wild parties while you are all away. I promise. I'll be fine alone."
Kihyun rolled his eyes.
Minhyuk snorted, trying to hide the smile on his lips. Hyungwon grinned, giving Minhyuk's hand a squeeze. He hadn't removed his hand from the other's, comforted by the weight of the hand in his. Shownu chuckled, warm eyes resting on him. Soon the bond filled with warmth and understanding.
"Are you sure?" Shownu asked.
Hyungwon nodded. "I'm fine. You all probably shouldn't be late for work."
"Okay," Shownu said, pushing his chair back. "Well then I'll be leaving but let's try to watch a movie when I get back, okay? It's been very hard lately and I think it is good to come together as a clan and try and have a little bit of fun."
Hyungwon nodded, watching Shownu disappear out the door after bidding them all a kind farewell.
Wonho walked over to him, throwing his arms around him. "Bye Wonnie. I'll be home later."
Hyungwon nodded as Wonho removed his arms from around him. The older vampire smiled and then dialed a number on his phone. He chuckled at the sight of Wonho hurriedly explaining the reason for being late. Minhyuk glanced at the door and then him, grinning. Pure fondness shone from Minhyuk's eyes.
"We'll be home later, Hyungwonnie," Minhyuk said, wrapping his arms around him. "Try to get some rest and if you feel like you can drink some more blood then please do."
"I will."
Minhyuk released him from his embrace and walked toward the door. The older vampire turned around and blew him a kiss. He cackled when Hyungwon made a face at him. The door closed behind him. Hyungwon smiled. He could still hear the sweet laughter.
Kihyun lingered behind, eyes on him. "If anything happens, anything at all, please contact one of us, okay?"
Hyungwon nodded, expression serious. He reached into his pocket, eyes looking at the new cellular device in his hands. The memory of a very shy Shownu gifting him with the phone came to mind. He grinned.
"Shownu didn't have to buy me a new phone. This is more than I could ever afford. It's too much."
Kihyun pulled him into a side hug. "It's what clan members do, Hyungwon. We give each other unnecessarily expensive gifts and we look out for each other. Also, all our phone numbers are already in the contacts. Please do remember to call if you need us, okay?"
"I promise I will call."
Kihyun rushed toward the door. "Don't forget to pick out a movie for us all to watch while we are gone. And take it easy. Alright, bye!"
The door closed behind him. Hyungwon sighed, eyes drifting back to the new cell phone. He pocketed the device, determination igniting within his chest. He took a seat at the table and poured himself another large glass of blood. He ignored the churning in his stomach. He needed to focus on his health. He wouldn't let anything happen to any of his clan members. It was time for him to show them just how much they meant to him.
~~
Hey everyone! A shorter chapter this time but I hope you liked it!
Once again, I want to thank everyone for reading, commenting, and voting. I appreciate all the support!
Thanks!