the lost king [ hongsang ]

006

❝ you came back to me. ❞

"WOoyoung," san breathed. "is it really you," the vampire was overwhelmed with emotion, praying to whatever god that would listen that this was not a mere illusion.

wooyoung smiled, seeing the sparkle return to his best friend's eyes. he remembered when they were human, he would always tell san his eyes held the universe inside them.

whatever he was feeling, they always told a story. it was good that death had not taken that from him.

"it's really me, sannie," everything went in slow motion those next moments. everything else seemed irrelevant, their surrounding melting away until there was only one another.

they crossed the distance between them in no time, collapsing into one another. they were a mess of limbs, yet neither dare separated in fear of losing the other once again.

"what, how, how is this possible," an awestruck san stumbled over his words as his brain struggled to process.

"well, all those years ago, i awoke a vampire, just as you did," wooyoung began explaining.

"but," the other vampire looked to yeosang. "the king said your body would not accept the transition."

wooyoung nodded. "yes, he did say that was a possibility. i suppose my transition merely took longer than yours. when i awoke, it was dawn, i was alone and frightened—

"i am more sorry than words could ever express," san took wooyoung's hands in his, tears filling his eyes.

"hush," the other quieted him with a small smile. "you were not at fault. you were also alone in many ways. i am so sorry you have dealt with all of this alone all these years. i am also sorry it took me so long to find you. when i saw yeosang again, he hadn't spoken of you so i figured you—

"what do you mean when you saw him again?"

"well after i transitioned, i did have to find out most things as they came. but after a few months, i saw yeosang again. after that he began training me in the ways of the vampire, taught me everything i needed to know."

san looked down, anger replacing the grief in an instant. "you," he whispered, eyes meeting yeosang's stoic expression. "knew he was alive this whole time," the vampire roared.

"yes, of course i did," came the simple reply, voice devoid of emotion.

"why," san gritted. "was i left in the dark?"

"wooyoung had built a life for himself on his own, i did not wish to take that from him, as i did with you. had i known sooner his supposed death had still affected you i would not have hesitated to reunite you. please consider this my apology and a peace offering," the king's words were genuine, san knew that much, but he still saw red.

"a peace offering," san scoffed. "that is rich, brother," the vampire spat, sarcasm clear in his tone. "after all you have done—

"let us not forget all you have done," yeosang interrupted. "i have been lenient with you, as i know your behavior was a direct cause of my actions. but you will never disrespect me," the king paused, calming his temper.

"now, a deal is a deal," yeosang came forward with a small, empty vile. "your blood to save my pet, in exchange for your life and the reunion of your long lost love," the vampire king grinned knowingly.

san's mouth fell open, ears burning as he took the vile wordlessly. he had been, quite literally, stunned into silence.

wooyoung giggled quietly while he watched the vampire bite into his own wrist and fill the vile before he handing it back to yeosang.