Lovebite [Taegyu]

Chapter 43 : Ghosting

Beomgyu slowly opened his eyes, warmth radiating from the body nestled against his chest. Taehyun. Peaceful and still, wrapped in the comfort of their shared silence.

He glanced at the digital clock on the wall. 4:00 a.m.

His eyes drifted back to the younger man asleep in his arms. Gently, he reached up, fingers brushing through Taehyun's silver strands. A deep kiss landed at the back of Taehyun's head—soft, lingering, full of unspoken love. A smile tugged at his lips, though tears were already streaking down his cheeks.

"The sunshine is indeed breathtaking," he whispered, voice barely audible, "but in the end... the sunset had always been the merrier."

He knew Taehyun couldn't hear him. And yet, he said it anyway.

"I love you, my Taehyun."

Carefully, Beomgyu reached for his phone, typing something into his notes. A message. A farewell he couldn't bear to say out loud. He placed it gently on the desk beside the bed. Then he leaned down and kissed Taehyun's forehead, breathing in that sweet, intoxicating strawberry scent he'd come to associate with comfort... with home.

This is it.

This was the moment he had feared the most—the moment he would have to leave the love of his life behind.

But he had no choice. He needed to find the Kims. He had to uncover what happened to Yeonjun—whether he was locked behind a cell at the station or chained inside some vampire hunter's lair. There was no more time to wait.

He moved toward the window but turned once more, unable to resist the pull. His gaze lingered on Taehyun's peaceful face, memorizing every feature. Then, with trembling fingers, he reached out, pretending to take Taehyun's hand one last time.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

He had to end this.

It felt like being swallowed into a black hole. Regret clawed at the corners of his mind. But he told himself this was love, too. Sometimes, protecting someone meant letting them go—keeping them away from the storm.

He laced up his shoes quietly. Opened the window. Slipped through it like a shadow. He climbed down the tree, landing on the grass with a soft thud, the cold biting at his skin.

He didn't look back. Not until he was halfway down the street, where Taehyun's house had already begun to shrink behind him. The streetlights flickered faintly, casting long shadows as he ran through the sleeping city.

Without meaning to, his feet led him to a phone booth.

He stepped inside, picked up the receiver with trembling hands, and dialed three numbers he knew too well.

1-1-2.

The line clicked.

"This is Seoul Police Station—"

"Officer, I'm a vampire."

Silence. He could hear his own heart pounding in his ears, feel the sweat collecting on his brow.

"Sir, it's not funny to joke about things like that—especially at night."

"I'm not joking," he whispered. "I'm calling to turn myself in. Send the vampire hunters. I'm at xxx-xx-xxx Magic Street."

The silence on the other end deepened. He imagined the panic, the scrambling. Then—click. The line disconnected.

He lowered the phone. Tears fell freely now, dripping onto his shoes as he hung his head, covering his mouth with his palm. The sobs came in waves—quiet, raw, breaking.

It hurts.

It's painful.

It was as if his soul were being ripped apart and thrown into hell—even though he'd done nothing wrong.

Taehyun... Taehyun was his everything. His sunshine. His darling. His one and only.

But some love stories weren't written to last forever.

The sound of sirens shattered the quiet.

Red and blue lights bathed the street in an eerie glow as police cars surrounded the booth. Doors slammed. More than three officers stepped out, weapons drawn.

"Hands up! Don't try anything funny, bloodsucker!"

Beomgyu sniffed, wiped his face, and gave them the brightest, most artificial smile he could manage. Slowly, he raised his hands above his head, eyes glowing red for just a second—long enough to make them hesitate.

"Handcuff him. We'll let the Jungs deal with him."

A pair of cold hands yanked his wrists behind his back and cuffed him. He didn't resist.

"Get in."

He was shoved into the back of the car. The door shut with a heavy thunk.

The vehicle began to move.

Beomgyu leaned against the window, his reflection half-shadowed in the glass. In his mind, he saw Taehyun smiling—dimples deep, little fangs poking out, waving at him with that boyish light in his eyes.

He smiled back, waving to no one.

"Too bad the sun has to shine," he whispered, "only to set so soon."