Year 1938
Inha looks with adoration in her eyes at the young man who, with his two brothers, is standing in the street, talking to them and laughing loudly.
Each of them is exceptionally handsome, but this one, the one she's supposed to target, is incredible. She can't tear her eyes away from him, especially when he runs his hand through his longer, black hair, looking at his brother with an amused gaze.
It is late at night, and Japanese is spoken all around them, but she is safe, in the care of the man who saved her from those barbarians.
Now she must repay him for his help.
- Still, you should be careful with them. They're young, nine-year-old vampires. They can't control themselves yet. Furthermore, they can still attack people.
The seventeen-year-old girl looks at him savior with worried eyes.
- And you're telling me to get close to them? I'm only human, what if they kill me the first time we meet? - she asks with a trembling voice.
- Inha, you are my trusted girl. I help you survive, you do the work for me.
- So I'm supposed to get closer to them? I'm supposed to make Minki fall in love with me? - she asks, looking at the handsome guy with a dreamy gaze. - What's your goal in this?
- They have something that is mine. They stole it when they fled my father's palace. I have to get it back, and in the process make their lives' hell, since they can't thank me for giving them a second life. For nine years I've been resentful, I was their friend, their defender, and now I've become their enemy.
The girl moves her gaze to Jay standing next to her.
"Maybe they're evil because you didn't give them a choice? You actually decided for them, perhaps they'd rather die than be reborn as monsters?" she asks before biting her tongue.
Jay glares at her with red eyes.
- Do you also think that I gave you no choice? Did you also prefer to die rather than serve me?
Inha swallows nervously.
- No, I'm actually grateful that you saved me. I promised that I would do anything for you in gratitude, so getting close to those three vampires is nothing complicated - she claims, a smile creeping onto her face as she looks at Minki again. - I'm a born seductress, so I assure you that my brothers will lose their heads over me, even if they're not human.
The Original Vampire smiles wryly.
- I'll believe it when I see it. Less talk, so act. If you disappoint me, you'll end up torn to pieces in a ditch.
Inha looks at him with hurt eyes.
- And I thought we had become friends.
- I haven't made friends with people since I was betrayed by those three.
- They must have really hurt you when they ran away from you and disappeared for nine years...
- Yes, and now they'll regret it since they're back in town and seem happy.
***
Year 2023
Wonyoung opens her eyes and realizes that it was just another dream that was a snippet from a past life.
Was she working with Jay? It looks like it.
A shiver runs through her body as she realizes that she has approached her brothers on his orders.
Even then, she felt this strange hypnotism with Sunghoon and excitement whenever she saw him. She fell in love with him at first sight, literally like a heroine of a novel...
The most surprising thing is that Jay helped her in her previous life, and she was in his debt because of that. This dream showed her that she got along with him quite well, even though he was a vampire, which she was now scared as hell of!
Is he actually being honest with her when he says that Somi is deceiving her, that she didn't tell her about Jay out of concern, but at his behest?
Who should she trust?
If you think about it, it's strange that her ex-friend would suddenly reach out to her after a few years, warning her of a threat. What if this is her way of actually getting closer to her group of friends? What if she has a hidden agenda at Jay's behest?
The nineteen-year-old girl sighs and runs her hand through her hair, pushing it back. She doesn't know what to think about all this anymore.
She gets out of bed and lazily walks over to the closet when her youngest sister runs into her room without even knocking.
"I was worried about you!" she shouts, glaring at Wonyoung. "Where were you until the evening? You didn't answer our calls!"
- I wanted to be alone. I needed it.
- Being alone? With that... that monster roaming around?! - She looks at her sister with wide eyes. - Niki was driving me home when that freak jumped out in front of our car! I was scared as hell!
The nineteen-year-old girl looks at her with a worried look.
- Jay jumped out in your path? Did something happen?
- Jay? - Sullyoon repeats in an irritated voice . - How do you know his name? He's not even human! I don't know what he is! He ran so fast, he practically dissolved before our eyes! Is someone giving us drugs so we're hallucinating?
Wonyoung walks up to his sister and places his hands on her shoulders.
- It's so complicated that I don't know how to explain it to you, Sull - the brunette girl replies, sighing loudly. - Did he do something to you?
- No, he just threatened us like usual. He even knew how Niki lost his little brother! - Sullyoon can't calm down, and her voice is raised the whole time. - What is he? What does he want from us?
- Would you believe me if I told you that the myth of vampires isn't really a myth? That they still live among us?
The eighteen-year-old girl looks at her with a look that clearly informs her that her older sister is not of sound mind.
- Vampires?
- Yes, vampires. Jay is an ancient vampire who holds a grudge against us. We've had a beef with him since our previous life.
- Wonyoung, haven't you sobered up since yesterday, or maybe you had something to drink this morning? - Sullyoon asks, carefully examining her face. When her sister doesn't answer, she suddenly realizes something, remembering the words of that man.
"We are connected by a past life, as you will all soon find out. I will not let you go until you know the truth and understand why all these strange things are happening around you."
The eighteen-year-old girl sits on her sister's bed and looks at her with terrified eyes.
- Are you kidding me...
- No, Sull. I swear to you on my health that we are dealing with an ancient vampire who has been pursuing us since our previous life... I have dreams that are memories from that time.
- Does anyone else know about this?
- Somi, but now I'm starting to question whether I should trust her at all.
***
Wonyoung feels her legs go numb as she finds herself in front of the school and spots Sunghoon sitting on a bench. She can't move away from the car. She keeps her hand on the door handle and looks at the boy with wide eyes, feeling tears welling up.
It hurts her that at this point he doesn't want to know her. He must hate her with all his heart if she's hiding the truth from him.
- What's wrong with you? - asks Sullyoon, who's standing on the other side of the car, looking at her sister with a puzzled look. - Why are you so cold? You look worried. - She follows her gaze and sees Sunghoon sitting alone. - Did you have a fight yesterday?
The brunette girl turns a panicked gaze on her.
- We didn't argue, he yelled at me, saying he didn't want to know me.
The eighteen-year-old girl squints.
- What did you do? I've met Sunghoon, and he certainly didn't do it without a reason. He's a golden guy! And you... you have a lot going for you, and you can get on the wrong side of any human... and vampire - she adds, looking around. - You told me yourself that you're bound by fate, that you were lovers in your previous life.
- On Jay's orders and in this life I also managed to hurt him.
- So what did you do? Did you reject him? I thought you were more crazy about him.
Wonyoung blushes at these words.
"I would never reject him. He's the only guy on Earth who has that effect on me," the nineteen-year-old girl replies, her face saddening even more. "Remember that incident a few years ago when I was driving back with Somi drunk? That incident that her father covered up?" Sullyoon nods, looking worried. "It turns out Sunghoon is the teenager who survived. He remembered my face the whole time, after I ran out of the car and tried to help him, but Somi forbade me. He came here to get closer to me and find out the truth. Furthermore, he wants to find out who the driver was."
Sullyoon frowns in anger.
- So why are you defending Somi? Why don't you tell him the truth? Don't you remember how she treated you after that case? Not only did she forbid you to help the victims and run away from the scene of the accident, but she later blamed you for everything, wanting to protect herself from daddy. She's toxic, and you told me yourself this morning that you don't trust her, that she deliberately got close to us again!
Wonyoung puts a finger to her lips to silence her little sister when she sees Sunghoon heading towards them.
- I'll think about it, it's Sull. I promise.
- There's nothing to think about here! You're partly a victim too!
- Victim of what? - asks the eighteen-year-old boy as he stands next to his peer. He stares at Sullyoon curiously, then moves it to Wonyoung. The brunette girl lowers her gaze, then turns her face in a different direction, unable to meet his gaze.
- Her stupidity. My sister is the biggest idiot in the world and I hope she finally wises up - Sullyoon says in an angry voice. - Let's go, the first classes are about to start - she adds, pulling the boy towards the building.
Wonyoung closes her eyes, feeling miserable. Once again, she feels like crying.
- Sullyoon has always been a smart girl. You should take an example from her. - She hears behind her. She knows exactly who that voice belongs to.
"Can you explain to me why I'm the only one with past life memories? Why does it seem like you're the one showing them to me in my dreams?" she asks as she turns to face him.
Jay smiles cynically.
- Because we have a unique connection with each other, as you already know.
"I followed your orders in my past life, grateful to you for saving my life, but why am I the only one who can see those cursed memories?" she lashes out at him, a little less afraid of him after learning what connected them.
He leans towards her ear and then whispers to her:
- Because you have my blood in you. Remember when you were really drunk one night and I took advantage of it, Won.