Chapter Text
Denver, Colorado - 2025
Dawn had broken, and Mingyu's tempered glass windows were covered by a semi-transparent gray curtain, bringing a little light into the dark room. The air conditioning was on a warmer setting, as autumn was already cold enough. Stretching in bed, Mingyu heard the alarm clock ring, the irritating sound of a song that was once his favorite, but after hearing it so often in the morning, he could no longer listen to Rihanna's voice at 7 a.m.
The dark blue walls were decorated with horror movie posters, and for a bit of fun, some cartoon posters he'd bought online. He hated the American weather; there was never a middle ground, it was always either too cold or too hot. And on that particular morning, the cold wind that came in through the crack in the door heralded the unfolding of his day. After turning off his noisy cell phone, Mingyu smiled involuntarily as he looked at the small calendar hanging beside the window with a screw; it was finally Halloween.
October 31st was the most anticipated day for Americans, and Mingyu, a big fan of horror and fantasy films, made the most of what he considered the most fun day of the year. As a child, he used to go trick-or-treating on the street where he lived with his parents, always innovating with his costumes and being so competitive that he would never leave home until the last detail of his outfit was in place. And now, almost 22 years old, he looked at his costume hanging on a hanger near the bathroom door, the orange scarf and white shirt revealing who was the chosen one this time.
Anyone who knew Kim Mingyu well would know of his passion, or rather obsession, with the Scooby-Doo universe—and yes, he said universe, because even as a die-hard fan, it was completely unrealistic that a group of teenagers could get into so much trouble and not receive a single warning for skipping class. Looking at the coat rack made him feel like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over his head, his backpack hanging beside him screaming that he had class. Well, Halloween was a holiday, but his university didn't seem to care. Mingyu reluctantly got rid of the fluffy sheets, grumbling as he turned on the bedroom light, going to get a towel and a dry pair of underwear from the closet.
The shower was long; he needed to wash his hair and shave again. He wouldn't have much time to get ready after his classes that day, so his costume was one of the simplest. While drying his straight hair with a small towel, the boy opened the closet door, trying to choose a warmer shirt for the intense cold. He ended up grabbing a thick black compression shirt, a loose black t-shirt, and a leather jacket that he always wore on colder days. At least the only good thing about the cold was the excuses to wear his favorite jacket everywhere. When he entered the elevator of his building, he heard some late-night audio messages from his group chat with friends on a messaging app. They were all so excited for the party that night that they probably hadn't slept at all. Mingyu was too, of course; it was his favorite holiday, but a lost night's sleep was something he didn't know existed—he was a very heavy sleeper.
He walked down the corridor somewhat hurriedly; the bus was ironically very punctual. On the way, he saw Brooke, the receptionist with the colorful hair who was always watering a small plant, no matter what time you passed by the reception – "Good morning, Brooke!" the dark-haired man said, waving his hand.
The building where he lived was almost entirely inhabited by university students, Mingyu being one of them. The reception area was decorated in shades of orange and black, the counter had some paper bats hanging outside and a small pumpkin with a lantern next to the metal bell.
"Good morning, Mingyu. Run or you'll miss the bus; it just passed by here," the girl said, smiling. Mingyu's eyes widened, and he gripped the straps of his backpack tightly, ready to start running.
"Thank you, I have to go!" he says somewhat hurriedly. "Happy Halloween!"
- To you too!
Leaving the building, Mingyu felt the urge to curse for the first time that day. The early morning bus was extremely punctual, and apparently he had overdone it when combing his hair in the mirror. Luckily, one of the elderly residents of the building was slowly climbing up through the back door with the help of her son. Mingyu smiled with relief and jogged a little to catch the bus.
"Come quickly, Tina wants to paint my nails lesbian green!"
Mingyu chuckled softly at the message Minghao had sent him, for a moment he could see the image of the black girl with red hair trying desperately to paint Minghao's nails. The Chinese boy was an old friend; they had lived in the same neighborhood as children, and it was their love of horror movies that had brought them closer. At the time, Mingyu and his sister were eager to see the movie Friday the 13th, but when they arrived at the video store, a short-haired Chinese boy had just rented it. There were three children; the boy got on a red-rimmed bicycle and rode down the street. Mingyu and his sister returned home frustrated, clutching the video store bag containing one of the Halloween movies.
In the end, they discovered they were neighbors. The brothers were about to put the movie in the DVD player when the Chinese woman knocked on the Kim family's door with her son. The three hit it off immediately. Minghao and Mingyu became inseparable from then on, their mother saying how afraid she was of Minghao's adaptation to the United States, but that she was immensely calm and happy to know that he had integrated so quickly. Later, Mingyu and Minghao became next-door neighbors, and always during the early morning hours, they would take turns with a notebook scribbled with some crazy stories they liked to write about supernatural beings, mostly about vampires and werewolves, confirmed enemies.
"I'm at the entrance, don't rush me."
Mingyu replied to his friend's message, walking through the wide university corridors, observing the large posters hanging on the lockers and free walls about the fraternity's big Halloween party that would take place that night, the same party the group was preparing for. When he spotted his classroom, he saw through the window two of his friends arguing as usual, Minghao's red hair held back with two butterfly-shaped clips, while the girl, also a redhead, urged him to choose one of the face masks.
"What a scene..." Mingyu sat backward in his chair, placing his backpack on the floor and facing the pair sitting side by side. "Tell me you managed to paint his nails, Tina..."
"Of course I got my darling, or my name isn't Tina Loss." She smiles and puts a hand under her chin. "Now he has to hide one of these two masks so I can finish my preparations."
"I hate the smell of chamomile, and I don't like the color of that other one," the Chinese man says, and the girl huffs.
"See? I'm going to end up committing a crime before I even get to wear my new boots." She rolls her eyes. "You're going to wear the other colorful ones, the chamomile ones are for Mingyu."
"I don't want that!" Minghao said. Mingyu was having a lot of fun with the duo, and mind you, the group was still incomplete. "Can't I be left out?"
"Of course not! Just because Velma is a nerd who only wears sweatshirts doesn't mean she has to have horrible skin." Tina takes the yellow mask out of the packaging. "Come on, close your eyes."
The Chinese man rolled his eyes and gave the command, slightly stretching his face toward the girl. It was funny how they always argued and made up in seconds. Mingyu watched the scene with a smile, knowing that next it was his turn to put on the face mask, so he took a cap from his backpack and put his hair back with it.
"I'm dying of embarrassment, the gayest guy I know wears a baseball cap to put on a face mask and I'm left with butterflies in my pants." Tina makes a noise with her mouth, trying to shut him up. "I'm just saying."
"Well, stop talking, or you'll get all tangled up." The girl had her hair tied up in a red satin cap, and in her ears were her beautiful gold hoop earrings, which were like her trademark. "Everything alright for tonight? If you want a ride, I'll pick you up before 10 pm."
"Please! My motorcycle still hasn't come back from the repair shop, and with this delay I'm sure I'll be broke for at least two months," Mingyu says. Tina laughs and tears open a package of face masks.
"I told you driving in the rain would still kill you, or almost." Tina's fingers gently massaged Mingyu's cheeks. "Now we just have to wait 20 minutes."
"All this?! Whoever comes to class will see us in this state," Minghao says, losing hope that Tina would calm down about the party. "Even Mingyu, who's going to play the most metrosexual character in cartoons, isn't this euphoric."
Mingyu laughed loudly – Who said that? You're the only one making fun of it. – Tina laughed and pointed at Minghao.
"It's because he wanted to be Daphne!" Tina laughed along with Mingyu, chuckling at the bored expression the Chinese boy was giving his two friends. "I'm sorry, my love, but I'm the one who's going to wear those purple boots."
"I hate you guys so much, seriously." Xu rolls his eyes, crossing his arms and melting into his wallet. "I wanted to go as Freddy Krueger. I even had the glove in my Amazon cart."
"So, I'm asking now, because if I remember correctly, you were the one who got the costume first," the girl says. "You were also the one who bought my boots."
– Independent. – They both laugh.
"And the others? I thought I'd find Seokmin and Joshua in the hallway, but it seems almost no one came today," Mingyu says, his face relaxed by the face mask.
"No wonder, the city is a mess, I almost didn't make it myself. My car got stuck in the neighbor's Christmas lights, it's crazy trying to decorate the fence like it's Christmas," she grumbles. "Seok warned me he might not come, he's probably being lazy with Josh."
"Do we even have class today? I think there are so few people here today," Minghao says, looking around.
The university was indeed rather quiet that morning, Mingyu noticed as soon as he got off at the bus stop. Normally the gates are wide open, and as soon as you get off at the bus stop you can see the various groups chatting and walking into the campus. But that day there were few groups; well, most of the upperclassmen were organizing the evening party, and the freshmen who weren't there were probably getting their costumes ready.
The Halloween party organized by the veterans had been going on for decades, always in the same place: an old mansion that had been transformed into a party venue a few years prior. Mingyu had researched the mansion beforehand for a high school history project. Apparently, the property was built in the late 18th century by a French merchant to house himself and his large family. There weren't many records confirming the facts, nor even photos to prove that the Belcourt family actually existed, but Mingyu had no doubt.
The mansion was sold in the early sixties to a wealthy man who intended to transform it into a summer house, but since he couldn't change the building's structure, he only made renovations to what was within his reach and put it up for sale. Many wanted to turn it into a museum, as it was one of the only mansions that had survived the test of time. The parties at the old Belcourt Mansion began in the late nineties, when the Medicine and Law courses arrived at the city's university. The parties were extremely famous in the university world, and attracted students from other states and fraternities to enjoy the only Halloween night of the year.
"Do you want to get ready at my place?" Tina says, finishing filing her long, square nails.
"Aren't your brothers going to be home?" Minghao asked. Tina was the youngest of three siblings, and her two older brothers didn't like at all that her group of friends was mostly made up of men. "Because I refuse to go to the party with a black eye."
"Relax, they'll be out of town with their girlfriends." She smiles at her friends. "Please come! It'll just be me and Jennie."
"Is she coming?" Mingyu asks, removing his face mask and gently patting his damp skin. "I thought she wasn't going back to the party life so soon after being cheated on."
Minghao laughed, hiding his teeth with his hand. Tina laughed and slapped her friends, who were trying to control themselves.
"Stop it, you know she's recovering," Tina says with a laugh. "She's sleeping at my house, I thought you could keep me company tonight too."
"I'm in, I have nothing else to do for the rest of the day. Classes aren't really going to happen today, so..." Minghao gets up from his desk, holding his backpack over his shoulders. "You guys are coming with me to the mall, I urgently need to find a black magnifying glass."
"For those who didn't want to go as Velma," Tina says to Mingyu, who laughs and nods in agreement.
The three of them stood up from their desks, Tina walked among her friends, her arms intertwined with theirs. Mingyu felt lucky to have his friends in his life; he wouldn't know what to do without them there.
Night was beginning to fall, and the cold autumn wind lashed into Tina's large, colorful room. The girl sat cross-legged on the carpet, finishing the last details of her makeup. Minghao sat on the bed, bent over as he curled the red lace wig Tina wore. Mingyu sat on the bed beside Minghao, finishing tying the orange scarf around his neck, gazing at himself in the mirrored wall next to Tina's bed.
"All done, Tina, can you help me with my eyebrows later?" – the girl nods slowly, trying not to smudge the mascara in her eyes.
The three looked gorgeous and perfectly in character. Tina was in her final stages of makeup, but she was the real Daphne Blake, with her red hair a little longer than her shoulders, wearing a short, long-sleeved dress in a shade of purple, light tights, and platform boots in the same shade as the dress. Minghao wore thin black glasses, his black hair neatly styled, and wore an orange sweatshirt, along with red leather pants and a pair of boots; in his hands he carried a black magnifying glass and an improvised packet of Scooby Snacks.
Mingyu looked at them proudly; they used to get together after class to watch Scooby-Doo animated movies on DVD, and now they had finally achieved their goal of dressing up as a group. The dark-haired boy wore a white polo shirt, with Freddy's trusty scarf tied around his neck, along with bluish jeans and sneakers. Seokmin and Joshua would be Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, respectively, and were probably already on their way to the party. Jennie was in the bathroom, finishing drying her long black hair that reached her hips; she was also dressed as a group, but with two more friends from her course. Coincidence or not, the Korean girl was dressed as Thorn from the Hex Girls, also characters from Scooby-Doo.
– Sit here. – Tina tells Minghao to move closer to the edge of the bed. She removes a clear mascara and begins to fix the unruly eyebrow of the Chinese boy, who was complaining that his eyes were burning from the eyeliner he was wearing – Be quiet, I'll end up ruining your makeup!
– Jennie, we're leaving now! – Mingyu shouts to his friend, who gives a thumbs-up from inside the bathroom to her friends; the three laugh – I'm so excited, I can't wait to get there.
"Oh, calm down, I still have to put on my tiara and brush my teeth," Tina says, laughing at her friend. "Mingyu's bringing the camera, isn't he? We're going to take lots of group photos!"
Mingyu nods in agreement and shows the camera he was carrying on his friend's desk. Jennie emerges from the bathroom, her black hair perfectly straight and styled, wearing dark red lipstick and a dress in the same shade.
– Ta-da! – the brunette twirls around with her arms outstretched, Minghao whistles and Mingyu claps – What do you think?
"You look beautiful! Very, very beautiful!" Tina smiles broadly, and the brunette blows her a kiss.
"I loved the curls, Tina, can you teach me how to do them later?" she asks, applying perfume to her wrists.
"Hao, whoever made this, I don't know how to do it either," she laughs. "Okay, try not to touch it with your finger, let the mask dry."
"Thanks," he smiled, standing up.
"Ready, Scooby-Doo gang?" Mingyu asks, holding the camera in his hands. His friends laugh and get ready to take some pictures. "On three!"
Mingyu turns the camera around and raises it in the air, taking an impromptu selfie with his friends.
"I'll just put on some lipstick and we'll go!" Tina grabbed a pink lipstick and some lip gloss and ran to the bathroom, her boots making a noise as she went.
When they were ready, they decided to walk; it was the perfect moment to show off their costumes. Mingyu grabbed his camera, put it in its designated bag, and went out into the street with his friends. The streets were all decorated, with spider webs on most houses, mummies and bats, and also several references to slasher films, such as Scream and the Halloween movie itself. Tina and Jennie walked ahead, their heels making a funny sound, their hair flying in the cold wind. Minghao and Mingyu walked behind, chatting and laughing at people's creative costumes.
Many children ran through the streets at that hour, returning home with baskets and bags full of candy. The orange trees contrasted with the colorful lights of the houses; Mingyu loved that somewhat somber feeling that Halloween provided. They walked for a few minutes, and Mingyu saw his friends smile broadly at each other as soon as a long line of cars and motorcycles appeared on one of the side streets next to the old Belcourt Mansion.
As they drew closer to the mansion, loud music could be heard. Tina raised her arms and let out a little squeal, pulling her friends by the wrist to walk faster. The two girls were now walking arm in arm, hurrying to the old iron gate that led into the mansion's garden. Mingyu was impressed; he was even more handsome in person, and that time of night made him seem magical. While his friends went ahead, Mingyu observed every detail of it: the short yellow brick walls met the small iron gate at the entrance, the garden was covered in red rose bushes, and judging by the appearance of the flowers, they were well cared for.
Along the lawn of the garden were stone statues, the torsos of women and men carved from stone, all headless. There was a fountain in the left corner, where clean water gushed from atop a small angel, also carved from stone. Mingyu saw the veterans standing at the large wooden door; one pair was distributing colorful bracelets at the entrance to the participants, and another pair was pouring pure vodka into the mouths of those entering.
"I'm going to look for the couple, wanna come with me?" Minghao asked him close to his ear; it was difficult to hear anything there because of the loud music.
Mingyu shakes his head and leans close to the other's ear – I'm going to take some photos around here, but meet me here near the door with them in twenty minutes.
"Give me a call if you need anything," he says, shaking his phone.
Minghao and Tina disappeared into the crowd, holding hands as they searched for Seokmin and Joshua with their eyes. Mingyu walked slowly through the place, feeling parts of the creative fantasies brushing against his back and ribs, holding his camera in his hand, taking some photos of acquaintances along the way. The interior of the mansion remained practically intact; the walls had been repainted, but the entire structure was still the same. As soon as one entered, there was a large hall; an improvised bar was set up in the right corner of the hall, with some veterans from the Physical Therapy athletic association distributing dubious drinks into the individual cups of each student. It was then that Mingyu realized that his cup had been left on Tina's desk, and he grumbled in response.
On the other side was the sound system, with an improvised counter for the DJs' equipment for the night. The identical twins were dressed as kittens, with little ears and everything. Mingyu took some photos and went to meet his friends near the door. The drunken crowd began to push as they danced. Mingyu felt a girl dressed as Cleopatra nudge him with her elbow in an unprepared act, which made the dark-haired man jolt forward. In an attempt not to break his camera, his left arm collided with someone else's arm. Mingyu's eyes widened and he immediately apologized, seeing the boy drop a glass of drink on himself.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Mingyu exclaimed, his eyes wide, trying not to freak out. "I'll pay for the dry cleaning, don't worry! I'm really sorry!"
The boy chuckled a little, then Mingyu stopped.
"It's alright, it was just old clothes." The young man's voice was heavily accented; I couldn't tell exactly where, but I'd guess French. "I just need to be careful not to touch the candles."
Mingyu looked up at the cheerful young man in front of him, mentally relieved that he hadn't gotten into a fight in the less than twenty minutes since he'd arrived at the party. The young man with straight black hair ran his hands over his clothes; Mingyu looked him up and down, and he certainly had noticed, since he smiled and snapped his fingers.
"I'm up here," he chuckled softly. Mingyu felt his cheeks flush, his bright black eyes watching him. "I'm going to clean this up in the bathroom. You should come too; your shirt is going to get stained."
It was then that Mingyu noticed that the hem of his shirt was also wet, but he was startled to see the large red stain on the fabric. The boy laughed at his reaction, his fingers, adorned with silver rings, covering his mouth to stifle a laugh. Mingyu chuckled softly, disbelieving.
"Looks like I'll have to stay away from the candles too." He heard the hearty laugh from before, but this time he felt the boy's cold hand pulling him away from the crowd.
The two tried to make their way through the costumed crowd; the unknown boy had a feline gait. Mingyu saw such subtle movements coming from him that he watched him in admiration. The restrooms were at the end of a wide corridor, the smooth stone walls contrasting with small chandeliers attached to them. The stranger turned to him and smiled, then pushed the door open.
The bathroom was ordinary, like any other, but what caught Mingyu's attention was an antique mirror adorned with gold and sparkling stones, similar to those he saw in movies. When the bright light from the chandeliers touched his eyes, Mingyu felt his breath catch in his chest, his gaze fixed solely on the tall, medium-built young man in front of him. His skin was white, as pale as flour, but unlike flour, it shone like a diamond. His eyes were black, so black that Mingyu seemed to perfectly see his own reflection in them. His medium-sized lips were pink, as if it were a natural color, but it wasn't; it was clearly some kind of lipstick.
His face was made up, his black eyes were neatly lined in a mix of black and gold, his long eyelashes like small feathers, always blinking. His body was of average build, with some muscles in his torso and arms, which seemed perfectly aligned in the red dress shirt he wore. Around his waist was a black corset, with some gold details like the makeup around his eyes. The shirt was open at the first few buttons, exposing the white skin of his collarbone, and some silver cords made it even whiter. He wore black pants that fit his body perfectly; Mingyu smiled at the sight of his thighs outlined in the dark fabric.
Mingyu seemed to be in a trance, hearing nothing and only seeing the boy's white smile, where two sharp, protruding fangs made him even more handsome. It seemed as if he were watching a Victorian vampire play; that was the impression he had of the boy.
"What's that?" Mingyu asked as soon as he snapped out of his trance, seeing the boy take off his corset and wash it in the bathroom sink. He was referring to the large red stain on the hem of his shirt.
The mirror was old and stained; you couldn't see anything but the damage that time had done. But Mingyu could sense that the boy smiled at the question.
– Well, what else could it be? – the dark-haired man in red turns his face slightly, smiling – It's blood.
Mingyu's eyes widen and the boy laughs, seeing him still frozen with a surprised expression on his face.
"I'm just kidding, it's just watermelon energy drink," he says, laughing. Mingyu sighs and laughs too. "You really believed that?"
"Of course! If you hadn't said what it was, I would have remained suspicious." Mingyu went to the sink after the stranger put the corset back on, his fingers firmly pulling at the elastic bands intertwined in the thick fabric. "I have a degree in vampire movies, if you want to know."
"I noticed," he smiled. "I'm Wonwoo, by the way."
"Mingyu, you're not from the university, are you?" He shakes his head.
"To be honest, I'm not from here." Wonwoo leaned against the bathroom door, one hand fiddling with the silver teardrop-shaped necklace, which had a large red stone that Mingyu thought was a fake ruby. "I'm French, I came to spend Halloween with some friends who live here."
"I noticed the accent, very beautiful indeed," Mingyu says, trying to remove the stain from his shirt. "And what a nice costume, those fangs look perfect."
"Did you find them?" Wonwoo's eyes sparkled. "But they're natural."
Mingyu smiled – Are they?
"Yes, they are. A gift my mother left me; she had them too." He smiled, walking closer to Mingyu. "I think it's best if you just hide the stained part; it won't come out unless you use cleaning products."
"I apologize again, I was a little distracted looking inside the house," Mingyu said, tucking his shirt into his jeans. "I've wanted to see what it looked like inside for a long time."
"It's alright, I was distracted too." Mingyu leaned against the sink, his arms stretched behind him, resting on the white marble. "It's beautiful, isn't it? The house."
"Yes, it is, and the story is even more interesting," Mingyu begins. "Did you know it was built at the end of the 18th century? I'm impressed by how the structure remains so sturdy today, despite all this time."
"That's a long time," Wonwoo remarks, looking around the bathroom. "I like her; she gives me good feelings."
"It's a shame they think it's haunted," Mingyu said, leaving the bathroom with Wonwoo.
The boy dressed as a vampire looks around and smiles when he sees a group of people dressed as Scooby-Doo characters. Wonwoo nudges Mingyu's arm and points to a corner near the door, where Tina is jumping with her arms raised, trying to get Mingyu's attention. Kim smiles and waves back, but stops when he sees Wonwoo's shadow behind him.
"Your friends were crazy looking for you, I suppose," Wonwoo said. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Fred Jones, despite the situation."
Mingyu laughs and nods in agreement – The pleasure was all mine, Count Dracula. – Wonwoo chuckles, Mingyu catches himself staring at the boy's prominent fangs – It's good you don't disappear completely, it'll be great to dance with you tonight.
"I'm not going, don't worry," Wonwoo says, smiling.
The crowd outside the bathroom seemed to have multiplied. Wonwoo nodded to the boy dressed as Fred, who was walking slowly and somewhat sideways towards his friends. Mingyu was enchanted; Wonwoo was extremely handsome and had an incredible sense of humor. He wanted to at least get his phone number by the end of the night. Walking somewhat awkwardly through the crowd, Mingyu saw Tina and Minghao taking some selfies on the girl's phone. Tina's eyes widened and she raised her hands to the sky as soon as Mingyu appeared in front of her.
– Finally! We were about to look for you! – Seokmin said, hugging Joshua from behind, his arms around the other's waist. It was funny, Seokmin was wearing a dog costume, complete with a blue collar and brown ears pinned to his hair. Joshua beside him wore a green shirt and brown pants, holding the box of Scooby Snacks that his characters loved so much.
"Twenty minutes, you said," Minghao jokes. "I know very well what kind of photos you took in that bathroom."
Tina laughs, playfully slapping Minghao on the shoulder. Mingyu rolls his eyes, laughing along, but just shakes his head and shows a small patch of the stain on his shirt – I bumped into a guy on the track, I tried to clean this up before it got worse.
"Then let's go take our group photo, I've already found a really cute blond guy back there behind the bar," Tina said, smiling at a blond boy with short, straight hair who was serving drinks to the college students.
Mingyu laughed, pulling the camera from his black side bag. His friends were already tipsy from the alcohol; luckily, Mingyu was the only sober one. Minghao held a red cup, probably containing the dubious liquid the fraternity was distributing. Once everyone had settled down, a friend of Tina's who was also with the group took some photos. Afterwards, everyone wanted their own individual picture. Mingyu took the opportunity to look around, searching for Wonwoo without realizing it.
But no matter how hard his eyes searched for him, the boy dressed as a vampire seemed to have vanished into thin air. He felt Tina pulling him towards the makeshift bar, where the blond boy the redhead had been singing to minutes before offered him some of the night's drink, and having nothing to lose, Mingyu simply accepted, taking the red cup. He saw Minghao leaving with a tall, thin boy minutes later, the two holding hands and laughing into the air. Seokmin and Joshua had already disappeared, and from afar he saw Jennie dancing with her friends, with whom she coordinated her costume. Tina leaned over the makeshift counter, holding her face with one hand while talking to the blond boy.
Mingyu decided to take another stroll around the mansion; after all, the place was enormous. The veterans had rearranged the furniture, and the entire main hall was decorated with bats and spiderwebs. On the walls, the old paintings that remained in the same places were covered with black cloths. Mingyu felt a pang of curiosity. His camera was strapped to his side bag, and his other hand gripped his half-full glass tightly, to avoid another incident like the one before. Although, it would be very nice to bump into Wonwoo again.
The DJs for the night began to gradually change the remixes, going from more current songs to electro-hits from the 2000s, the style of music Mingyu listened to while cleaning the house or washing his hair. But since it was Halloween, the remix was of Lady Gaga's "Judas," and the crowd screamed when the first beats of the song began. Mingyu smiled and felt the drink slowly begin to take effect, his body swaying as he unconsciously searched for the boy dressed in red.
"Looking for someone?" he heard a voice close to his ear as soon as he reached the beginning of the hallway. Mingyu felt a shiver run through his body and turned his face away.
Wonwoo stood behind him, his bright eyes gazing at him amusedly, while he bit the plastic rim of his drink cup. His hair was tossed back, as if he had wet it; Mingyu could smell his scent as Wonwoo's body swayed slowly to the rhythm of the music.
"Were you following me?" he asked with a smile. Wonwoo shrugged, swaying his body slowly.
"Me? No." He smiles. "Like I told you before, I'm on the dance floor."
"I didn't know vampires liked this kind of music," Mingyu said, playing along. "I thought they only listened to Mozart or some other classical artist."
Wonwoo upper river.
"That's a shame, because this vampire here likes Lady Gaga and Fifth Harmony," the dark-haired man said, approaching Mingyu.
The two laughed, then Wonwoo moved closer to Mingyu, fidgeting with the orange scarf, tightening the already unraveling knot slightly. They remained in an awkward silence, as if sparks were flying from their bodies, their mouths drawing ever closer. Mingyu smiled and placed his hands on his slender waist, squeezing slightly, afraid of breaking it in half. Wonwoo then smiled, his fangs protruding.
Wonwoo had an inexplicable glow. His body seemed to float, and all his movements were as smooth as a feather. His long fingers, covered in rings, held a glass of drink, a glass that Wonwoo always bit the rim of; he didn't know if it was a habit, but it made him a thousand times more attractive. Mingyu hadn't gone to the party intending to wake up in someone's room, like his friends had, but seeing Wonwoo dancing slowly and looking at him intensely, every possible thought ran through his head.
"I know a perfect spot for photography; I noticed you didn't leave her side for a second." Wonwoo snaps Mingyu out of a trance he didn't even realize he'd fallen into.
Wonwoo's body brushed past him like a blur, gently holding his wrist and guiding him to an outdoor area of the mansion. Mingyu had seen some old photos of the back area online, and he smiled when he saw the old gazebo adorned with white roses. There was almost no activity there, except for him and Wonwoo. Mingyu smiled broadly as he watched the white gazebo illuminated by the light of the full moon; everything was so reminiscent of Halloween, and he was even more certain that it was his favorite holiday.
Wonwoo walked slowly across the green grass of the garden, seeming to shimmer like glitter being tossed against the wind. Mingyu promptly pulled his camera from his side bag, preparing it for a series of photos that would surely become his favorites. The boy dressed as a vampire held a white rose in his hand and leaned against the gazebo railings, practically sitting there. The cold wind still lingered over the mansion; the whole scene was spectacular.
The trees surrounding the gazebo were entirely orange in the leaves that hadn't fallen to the ground; some younger ones had their branches completely exposed, and the strong wind made them seem to have a life of their own. Wonwoo looked like he'd stepped out of a period vampire movie, despite not wearing Victorian clothes. Mingyu smiled, then took a few photos. The flash of his camera illuminated the somewhat dark spot where Wonwoo was sitting well; more than five photos were taken in total, and somehow, Mingyu simply forgot to check them.
In the blink of an eye, he felt the hem of his stained shirt being pulled slightly forward, and without realizing it, he was already under the old roof of the gazebo. Wonwoo's body was in front of him, leaning against the railing, holding Mingyu between his legs. Slowly dropping the camera, Mingyu seemed to be in a kind of trance again, where he only saw Wonwoo's round eyes. Eyes that had taken on a reddish hue, a red similar to fresh blood.
"It's lovely that you appreciate the beauty of this place," Wonwoo says softly, playfully twirling the orange scarf around the young man's neck. "Others would say it's outdated, that it's old. But you seem to really like antiques."
Mingyu didn't respond aloud, but his body did.
Wonwoo smiled slightly as he felt Mingyu's hands move to his waist, pulling him a little closer. Mingyu smiled too, mesmerized by Wonwoo's vibrant gaze. It was as if only their two bodies existed there, under the full moonlight, both about to merge into one. Running his fingers across Mingyu's face, Wonwoo licked his lips, beginning to smell again the sweet scent emanating from the veins in the dark-haired man's neck. Mingyu felt the same, but not a sweet scent. Wonwoo smelled of cemetery flowers, as if he had been trapped in a perfumed place for so long that everything about him exuded the same aroma.
In one swift movement, Wonwoo put his arms around Mingyu's neck, and burying his face slightly near his ear, said:
– Close your eyes. – Mingyu sighed and did so, feeling Wonwoo's lips leave a chaste kiss on the corner of his lips.
Within seconds, Mingyu opened his eyes, still seeing Wonwoo's bright red eyes dominating his attention. He felt one of Wonwoo's icy hands grasp the back of his neck, gently pushing his face to the side, and smiled broadly, revealing his beautiful white fangs doubling in size. Mingyu sighed, feeling his body slowly sink into a soft, smooth, silky surface.
It was then that his gaze shifted from the scarlet eyes, observing where he was, somewhat confused. Mingyu lay on a double bed with red silk sheets, Wonwoo still looking at him, smiling, waiting for a reaction from the taller man. Mingyu looked around the room, confused; the scent of cemetery roses still lingered in his nose, and for a moment he thought he was still under the roof of the old gazebo, but he wasn't. The room was dark, with walls decorated with old paintings and wallpaper just as old. There was an antique gold dressing table in the background, where he glanced at his own reflection, startled to not see Wonwoo's body on top of him.
He thought he was going crazy, but soon his attention was drawn back to Wonwoo's face, who had squeezed himself between the mirror and pulled his face towards him with one hand, grinning broadly.
"You finally understood, didn't you?" Wonwoo's fingers now had beautiful pointed nails, nails that hadn't been there minutes before.
It was then that Mingyu understood what was happening to him. Blood-red eyes, protruding fangs, the absence of reflection, and a hypnotic aura. That boy, or that creature that held his face so delicately, was one of the life-sucking creatures, heavily hunted in the medieval period for wiping out entire villages in just one night. He had already read many articles about their kind; vampires.
"– You understand... – Wonwoo chuckled softly, bringing his face closer to Mingyu's, who until then had been staring at him with wide eyes – Welcome to the Belcourt mansion, mon chaton."
Mingyu sighed as he felt Wonwoo sit on his lap, holding the back of his neck and gazing intently into his eyes. The ruby in the silver necklace he wore held the same fullness as the vampire's gaze, but Mingyu was so fascinated by it all that his mind wasn't working normally. Wonwoo smelled even more strongly of the white cemetery rose, a sweet scent that made the hairs on Mingyu's body constantly stand on end.
As Wonwoo's lips drew closer to Mingyu's, the American held him by the waist, gently running his hand up the base of his spine. Wonwoo raised an eyebrow and smirked, looking at Mingyu in disbelief.
"I could kill you in seconds, you know that, right?" Wonwoo says, his French accent standing out over his English.
Mingyu chuckled slightly, looking at him with raised eyebrows and a smirk – If I wanted to kill someone, I would have done it in the bathroom already, or do you think I didn't notice you took me to one of the disused bathrooms?
Wonwoo seemed surprised, but without wanting to show it to Mingyu, he simply smiled and brought his lips close again, running his fingers through the human's hair.
"And how do you know I won't do it now?" Wonwoo looks at Mingyu's reddened lips. "You seem quite healthy, you certainly taste great."
"Why don't you try it?" Wonwoo smiled; it was clear that Mingyu didn't have a drop of fear in his body. On the contrary, he looked at him fascinated, as if he had found the treasure at the end of the rainbow.
"I wouldn't want that," Wonwoo said, looking him in the eyes.
Mingyu was extremely familiar; Wonwoo had felt it as soon as his eyes fell on the young man. He was tall, with short, dark hair, somewhat muscular, and had a cute smile colored by his braces. It was as if he had known him for years, as if Mingyu was just passing through to make him feel nostalgic. Wonwoo hated that feeling.
The life of an immortal being was depressing; despite all the money and possessions he had, nothing was as painful as watching his loved ones and loves slowly wither away. Wonwoo was the type who didn't fall in love, and had only done so once, and only once since. He was newly transformed, still uncontrolled by his diet, and everything was so new to him. But Michael transformed his sad world into a beautiful garden; he adored white roses.
Michael was a baker in the small village where Wonwoo lived with his vampire brothers. Unfortunately, he did what a mortal should never do: fall in love with an immortal being. But it was impossible not to fall in love. Michael was a young Frenchman with green eyes and golden hair, who lived during the 18th century. He was sweet and affectionate; Wonwoo felt like a prince in his arms. But as expected, Michael withered away after contracting pneumonia. Wonwoo stayed by his side the whole time, slowly saying goodbye to the love of his life. He still remembered the boy's caresses; he used to draw a small star on his leg, as if sketching it on his skin. Wonwoo could swear that sometimes he felt the blond boy's thick fingers on his skin.
And the more he looked at Mingyu's youthful face, the more that feeling of nostalgia hit him hard in the chest. Mingyu wasn't afraid of him; he was calm, holding onto his waist while Wonwoo stared at him, half in a trance.
Mingyu's caresses were weak, as if asking permission to touch him. Wonwoo smiled faintly, seeing Mingyu's eyes shining as he looked at him.
"You don't feed on human blood?" Mingyu asked. "If you were going to drain me alive, you would have done it already."
Wonwoo smiled; he was clever.
"Not completely, I taste a little bit now and then, just to satisfy a craving," Wonwoo says, seeing him fully attentive to what he's saying. "And lately your blood has so many drugs mixed in that it's almost poison."
Mingyu grimaced – And how do you know about someone who doesn't use drugs or drink alcohol?
"Normally, your blood has a sweeter aroma, almost like a very ripe fruit." Wonwoo ruffles Mingyu's hair. "Like yours does."
"Do I smell like ripe fruit?" – that brought a hearty laugh to Wonwoo's face.
"Yes, you smell like ripe fruit," he agreed jokingly.
"And you smell like white roses, cemetery flowers," Mingyu says.
"Which is ironic, because I'm actually dead, technically." – They both chuckled softly.
"It smells nice, white roses are my favorite." Wonwoo pauses for a moment, trying to shake off that hopeful feeling.
"Aren't you afraid of me?" The young man shook his head. "You're crazy, kid."
“I hear that a lot, Count Dracula,” he jokes. Wonwoo laughs and rolls his eyes. “I’m fascinated by the supernatural world. It might sound like flattery, but vampires are my favorites.”
"That really sounds like flattery." Mingyu's fingers gently caressed Wonwoo's spine, pulling him closer.
"I've watched and rewatched Twilight about five hundred times since it came out," Wonwoo chuckled.
"Pure lies, everything in all the movies!" he sounded offended. "You humans really believe everything you see on the internet."
Mingyu laughed, gently stroking Wonwoo's left leg as he began to try and break free from his grasp, but as soon as Mingyu's fingers touched Wonwoo's leg, the vampire's eyes widened and he turned his face towards where Mingyu was, looking at him in surprise.
Wonwoo seemed to feel his heart pounding in his chest; Mingyu had drawn a star on his leg with his fingers.
He wanted to speak, but his throat was dry, his mind was racing, and his eyes were wide, searching for any resemblance between Mingyu and Michael. He had heard about the afterlife, a conversation with a medium who channeled the deceased to communicate with loved ones. She had once said something about souls being eternally connected, and that death was actually the rebirth of a new life.
But he could never find Michael again...
It could?
Mingyu held one of his hands, clearly worried. It was extremely strange, since he had only known him for a few hours, and never imagined he was a vampire. Then Wonwoo jumped on Mingyu, hugging him tightly, his eyes still wide.
"Wonwoo? Are you alright?" Mingyu asked, hugging him tightly. "Was it something I did or said? If so, I'm sorry, I'm just an ignorant young man."
"No...you didn't do anything," Wonwoo says softly, smiling without realizing it.
"It's strange, isn't it?" Mingyu says, smiling weakly, still awkwardly. "We've known each other for maybe two hours, and look, I feel like I've known him my whole life."
There was no sorry largo.
"I feel the same way, believe me," he says.
Mingyu's fingers went to the silver necklace around the older man's neck, holding the red stone in his hands and looking at him, he said:
"Your eyes are the color of that ruby, they're beautiful." Wonwoo smiled, holding Mingyu's nape with both hands. "You're beautiful."
"You're good with words, Fred Jones." Mingyu chuckled slightly, but gasped for breath as he saw Wonwoo's face drawing even closer to his.
Mingyu sat on the red-sheeted bed, with Wonwoo sitting on his lap, his legs on either side of the young mortal's waist. Wonwoo's long, black-painted fingernails cupped Mingyu's face, their lips yearning for a kiss.
"I'm not going to bite you," Wonwoo whispered, his lips almost touching Mingyu's, "Even though your neck is very tempting."
Mingyu smiled and pressed his lips to theirs. A feeling of nostalgia returned to both of their chests, like an electric current coursing through their veins. Wonwoo held the human's short hair at the nape of his neck, feeling him caress his waist respectfully and affectionately, while a tender and longing kiss took place.
It was as if two pieces of a puzzle were coming together; Wonwoo's body seemed made for Mingyu's lap, who kept him close the whole time.
Wonwoo knew in that instant that it was a meeting of souls, and he also knew that Mingyu had once been a blond, blue-eyed French boy who was passionate about white roses and stars. He knew that they had finally reunited after three centuries living in silent longing.
Mingyu broke the kiss and left a light peck on Wonwoo's reddened lips, both smiling happily at each other, their foreheads pressed together and their eyes locked on one another. Wonwoo gently stroked Mingyu's cheek and tilted his head back slightly. Mingyu loved those prominent fangs.
"Do you believe in destiny?" Mingyu asks, and Wonwoo nods in agreement. "Because I think it was meant to be."
– Yes, it was meant to be. – Wonwoo smiles – I feel alive, curious.
Mingyu laughed, leaving a kiss on the taller boy's cold cheek.
The two stayed like that for a while. Mingyu was a curious boy, and he had many questions about vampire myths. Wonwoo answered all the questions with humor, often hearing absurd things. They lay nestled together in bed, Wonwoo on top of Mingyu's stomach. But Wonwoo knew it wouldn't last forever; it was one of the conditions of living among the living. When the cuckoo clock on the wall chimed, exactly at midnight, Wonwoo would have to say goodbye to his beloved again.
It was selfish of him to want Mingyu to put his human life aside; they really couldn't be together again. He was just a young man with dreams and goals, and above all, he deserved to be happy with someone who could make him happy.
Mingyu felt a pang in his chest as he watched Wonwoo's eyes lose their shine again, as if he were expecting something. And when the ticking of the wall clock echoed in the room, the vampire lifted his face and gently cupped his cheek.
"I loved meeting you, Fred Jones," Wonwoo said, smiling. Mingyu looked at him, confused. "Even if you don't come here again, I loved our night. Even though it was short."
"What? Are you saying goodbye?" Mingyu asked, startled, holding Wonwoo's hands. "You have to go?"
"Those are the rules for me, Mingyu..." he smiled weakly, sadly, "But be sure of one thing, I will always be here."
"I am the Belcourt mansion, and it is me."
Wonwoo holds his beloved's face, smiling broadly, though his eyes convey immense sadness – Until next Halloween, mon chaton. – the Frenchman presses his lips together again, slowly closing Mingyu's eyes.
Mingyu felt as if a part of him was missing; his eyes were closed, and he woke with a start when he felt a hand gripping his arm. In a swift movement, the American stood up at once, his eyes searching for Wonwoo's tall, pale body.
"Mingyu?! You finally woke up!" It was Tina's voice.
He was in his room, lying on his bed wearing only the jeans from his costume.
The girl was sitting on a bench beside her bed, without makeup and without her Daphne costume, wearing worn-out pajamas and a satin bonnet. Her expression was worried, and Mingyu only noticed Minghao's presence in the room when he sat down next to Tina.
How did I get here?
"You fainted in the hallway, near the bathrooms. We came home together." The girl smiled and took her hand. "We were so worried, and we kept your camera safe."
Mingyu's eyes widened and he ran to where the camera was, on top of his desk. He quickly turned it on and began to scroll through the photos taken the previous night, searching for those taken in the gazebo garden.
"Take it easy, man, you haven't eaten anything, and it's almost noon," Minghao said, but Mingyu just ignored him, looking for the photo.
"It wasn't a dream," Mingyu says, smiling to himself as he looks at the photo taken in the garden.
There was the gazebo adorned with white roses, and in the far background, as if leaning against the railing, there was a whitish spot where Mingyu could clearly see Wonwoo's figure smiling at him. For a moment he smelled the scent of cemetery roses and smiled, wistfully.
"It wasn't a dream..." he repeats softly. Mingyu runs his hand through his pants pocket, feeling a bulge in his left back pocket.
At the bottom of it was a ring. A silver ring with a red stone set on top, along with a small piece of paper. Mingyu smiled and unfolded the letter, feeling his chest warm at the sight of the old handwriting, probably written with a fountain pen.
"Don't forget about me, Fred Jones. I'll be waiting for you next Halloween, remember; I am the Belcourt mansion and it is me."
Signed, Count Dracula.