Wonyoung watches Jay's every move as he circles the kitchenette, which is connected to the living room. He's sipping a red liquid from a tube with a straw in it. He's preparing a meal for his guests using items he bought earlier at a 24-hour store, right after the girl retrieved her sword and golden dust from her house.
A drunken Sunghoon is still unconscious, lying next to her on the couch, his head resting on her shoulder.
"Are you finally going to tell me what this is all about? Why did you kidnap us?" The girl glares at him, not afraid, just angry.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I just want to spend a little more time with you two before you send me to hell."
Jay looks at her, frowning. Wonyoung wraps her arm around Sunghoon, gently massaging his arm with her fingers. Even though he's unconscious, she wants him to feel safe with her. She'll protect him to her last breath, regardless of what happens or what Jay really plans to do with them.
His words still echo in her head—the moment he said he had one last, shocking message for Sunghoon.
"It's difficult to believe you after everything you've done to us."
The vampire rolls his eyes melodramatically, clearly bored with her attitude.
"Same old story, Wonnie. Didn't we have fun at the party? We came to an understanding, didn't we?"
"Yeah, we did—because I genuinely dream of you disappearing from our lives. We want to be happy, and you're taking that away from us."
"Ouch." The vampire clutches his chest dramatically. "Coming from you, those words really sting."
Sunghoon opens his eyes, confused, looking around the room, wondering where he is and why only Wonyoung is beside him—and, even weirder, why Jay is here too.
"Are we seriously in that psycho's house?" he asks with a hoarse voice. The vampire looks slightly offended but lets the comment slide.
"Yes," Wonyoung replies. "He kidnapped us from the party. He says he wants to spend his last moments with us because we're the most important people in his life before we send him to hell."
Jay flashes her a charming smile at her words.
"I'm glad you're finally starting to understand me, Wonnie."
"I'm trying to," she mutters. "But you're difficult to figure out."
"I may be challenging to figure out, but I've got no trouble figuring people out," he jokes with a cheesy grin.
The eighteen-year-old glances at Wonyoung for a moment, as if trying to make sure she's okay, then casts a suspicious look at Jay.
"You're making us food? Are you feeling alright?" he asks, watching as Jay puts a ready-made meal into the microwave to heat it up.
"I can't cook, so I'm reheating convenience food. I'm trying to be nice and hospitable, but you keep throwing accusations at me."
Three minutes pass, and he pulls the steaming food out of the microwave, placing it on the table. With a tilt of his head, he gestures for them to sit and eat.
"We're supposed to believe there's no poison in it?" Sunghoon mutters, massaging his head. He drank far too much tonight—again, breaking his promise not to let it get this far.
"I'm starting to regret even wanting to spend my last moments with you," Jay mumbles.
"Stop acting like the victim. We're the real ones," Wonyoung says, sitting at the table. Hunger claws at her insides. At this point, she doesn't care if it's poisoned—she just can't stand the emptiness in her stomach any longer.
Sunghoon sat down next to her, still casting suspicious glances at Jay.
"Seriously? How long do you intend to keep us here? I'd rather go back to my room and sleep right now. I'm exhausted."
Jay smiled, resting his chin on his hands as he sat across from the teens.
"You can sleep here. It's your apartment now."
The food Sunghoon had just put in his mouth nearly flew out as he choked, staring at Jay in disbelief.
"What are you talking about?"
"Now that we've reached an understanding, I want to leave you something as an apology for all those years of pain I caused. Consider it your reward for enduring everything. And a thank you for agreeing to help me break the curse."
Confused, Sunghoon looked over at the girl sitting beside him, who appeared just as shocked by the news.
"You're kidding, right?"
"No. The apartment's been in your name for a while, along with the rest of the estate. You were the only real friend I had in my life, despite everything that happened between us. You're the only one I can leave it to—I have no one else." He shrugged. "I know you have a meeting with your biological parents tomorrow. I ruined your life, and they're rich, so you'll probably get a lot from them. But if you like, you could bring your grandmother here to live out her last days in luxury."
"Seriously? After all the hatred you had for us?"
"If I truly hated you that much, I would've killed you already. I would've done the same thing eighty years ago. I was just bitter. Everyone abandoned me—even Wonyoung, who I helped. You two meant the most to me, and you hurt me the most… by falling in love with each other."
The teenagers exchanged shy glances, their hearts beginning to race. It was true. Their feelings for each other had grown stronger by the day, but they had kept them buried, honoring Jay, who had stood in the way of their happiness.
"Sunghoon was your best friend, so that makes sense. But why me? You said I wasn't your friend—I was just someone to help with your revenge." Wonyoung looked confused as she turned to Jay.
The vampire put the straw in his mouth, slurping up the last of the blood from the pouch. He avoided eye contact, looking distracted, before answering:
"I don't know how it happened—probably because of your beauty—but I fell in love with you."
Sunghoon sprang up from his chair, more shocked than Wonyoung herself.
"You? In love? With someone you hurt at every turn?!"
"Of course. I couldn't stand your love, you idiot."
Wonyoung stuffed her mouth with food just to avoid being part of the conversation. She didn't know what to make of it. That was the last thing she would have ever imagined. She had never felt it, not even in dreams from her past life.
The eighteen-year-old looked at her while she sat there chewing, mouth full, looking even more adorable than usual.
Sunghoon felt a stab of jealousy for the first time in his life. He turned away from her, sulking, his throbbing head and Jay's revelation making him lose his appetite.
Jay scoffed.
"Seriously? You're already possessive, and you're not even a couple. Have you even kissed? Flirted? I feel like I'm watching preschoolers—and at least they hold hands." He glared at them. "But… once you decide to grow up a little, do it after I'm dead. I would rather not see it. Some tiny part of me still feels something for Wonyoung."
"You're joking, right?!" Sunghoon exploded, slamming his utensils on the table. Wonyoung looked at him with wide, terrified eyes, stopping mid-bite. "Why the hell would you say that? Why mention your feelings for her?"
"Relax, my friend. I loved you more."
Wonyoung choked on her food, and Sunghoon patted her back while continuing to glare at Jay.
"I hope you burn in hell for eternity, that you never get a chance to be reborn, and that we never meet again in another life."
Jay pouted.
"Don't say that. You're breaking my heart. I'd want to be your friend in the next life—but a real friend this time, no drama."
"Let those dreams stay dreams," Sunghoon replied coldly.
Wonyoung was stunned, seeing Sunghoon so fiery. The sweet, kind boy had claws—and they could scratch deep.
She liked it.
Jay glanced at the clock. A few minutes left until sunrise. His end was near.
"I'm enjoying this conversation, really. I wish I had more time with you. But the sun will rise soon, and you have to kill me before daylight."
"Didn't you say you wanted to spend the whole day with us?" Wonyoung frowned. "What's the rush?"
"I just… don't want to poison your lives any longer. I've done it enough. I want to part with you peacefully."
"After everything you said? Are you serious?" Sunghoon's eyes could have killed him on the spot.
"I hoped it would make it easier for you to drive the sword through me. You're full of the worst emotions right now—don't you want to send me to hell?"
Sunghoon bit his lip, looking away.
"I really want to do it—to kill you with my own hands for everything you've done, for saying you were in love with Wonyoung..." he added in a whisper, making her smile faintly, happy that he was jealous. "... But then you said I was your only friend your whole life, despite everything between us. That… kind of softened me. And even though you didn't have to—and it's still weird and confusing—you left me your whole estate."
Wonyoung stared at him as if spellbound, convinced he was the most amazing guy on earth. In today's world, boys like him are rare. One had to be truly lucky to be loved by someone like that.
"In the end, we came to an understanding. Everyone will now have what they wanted. There's nothing worse than dying with regret. I'm pleased that my curse is finally about to end. I even enjoyed my last blood pouch."
Wonyoung felt sick hearing that. How could anyone enjoy blood and consider it a last meal before death?
Jay stood up and looked toward the golden dust and the sword lying on the cabinet by the door.
"Wonyoung, would you coat the sword with the golden dust? I'd like Sunghoon to be the one to end my life. He's the right person. He should do it."
The boy kept scrutinizing him, wondering if Jay was telling the whole truth. Wonyoung followed the vampire's instructions and handed the prepared sword to Sunghoon.
Jay checked the time, assuring them the moment had come.
The nineteen-year-old girl felt terrified as she watched the two men standing across from each other, staring intensely. There was a tension between them, she couldn't understand—as a woman.
Sunghoon raised the sword, hands trembling. He wanted to do it, but something held him back.
When the moment came...