Reckless Hate To Love Me ⚊ Enhypen Jay

ZOMBIE'S NATURE

A pretty uneventful week later, you find yourself seated beside Heeseung at the large, oak table which fills the middle of Chaeyoung's Bakery.

She doesn't like small tables, instead wanting to encourage everyone to sit together at the one massive wooden one.

It works sometimes, when it's very busy, but not this early in the morning.

Only one other couple sit at the table, down at the other end. They're partly obscured by the large peony and rose flower arrangement that separates the two sides. The elegant lady to the left leans down to offer her empty plate to her poofy-haired little dog, who snuffles up the crumbs without a second thought.

Your focus is consumed by the happy little scene, your mind drifting easily under the wafting scent of fresh-baked bread. The aroma lets you wake, still half-dozy in this early morning, as warmly as the morning sun would have if you'd stayed in bed.

Eventually you return your attention to your breakfast partner. Heeseung bites into his blueberry muffin, and his eyes flutter shut to enjoy the flavour.

You frown, "You can eat-", you choke on the question, glancing at the nearby couple. Then you lean towards Heeseung and whisper, "You can eat actual food, then?"

He smiles and nods, wiping a few stray crumbs from his lip with his thumb, "Yes. We can digest it just fine as long as we're sustained on…", he hesitates, chewing over the next word as much as he'd done so with the muffin.

"…On our other dietary needs", he eventually continues, "I like the taste of real food, but the flavours and sensations can be too overwhelming for some vampires's senses. All they can taste are the separate ingredients, rather than the whole thing. It takes some practice to calm our hyper senses into relaxing enough to enjoy the experience"

You nod at the explanation, staring down at your half-eaten pastry with new appreciation.

Wooden chairs squeak across the flagstone floor as the other couple gets up to leave. They smile at you as they go before continuing out of the shop.

Their dog suddenly flings her fluffy head in Heeseung's direction. His perpetual calm smile widens, and he begins to make kissy noises at the dog.

The little dog's tail wags in a frantic response; she barks excitedly, her tongue flopping out of the side of her mouth. The couple encourage the dog to follow them out, and she reluctantly does.

You arch a brow over at Heeseung, who is still looking after the dog with a smile. The scene isn't exactly something you'd ever picture when thinking of a vampire.

"How have you been finding it?", Heeeeung asks suddenly, sliding in his chair to face you.

You pick at your pastry, savouring the buttery taste on your tongue, "What do you mean?"

"Well, we've barely left your side for the past week - not at work or home. Even if we're only trying to help protect you, I'm worried we might be pushing our welcome"

It's true. Unit Enhypen has stuck around like bees with honey. Their presence has afforded a certain amount of confidence, and they have been extremely helpful in the case, not that any of you been able to progress far in finding Dr. Kim's location.

This morning it is Heeseung's turn to babysit you, and at least he's been decent enough to buy you breakfast.

You gesture at your plate and the crumbly, warm pastry sitting on top of it, "If you keep buying me food, then you can stay for as long as you want"

He breaks into a gentle laugh, "So we have to bribe you?"

"Not necessarily bribe", you say, as much joking as he is, "But sweeten the deal, you know?"