Chapter Text
For as long as he remembered, Sunwoo has been told to never trust supernaturals. They're evil and would not hesitate to kill you once you enter their territory.
He looks at the shop in front of him. Absentmindedly, he rubbed the short silver knife on his hip. He could already imagine the high shelf inside, filled with thick leather books along with some charms and potions. It was owned by a vampire although normal citizen wouldn't be able to tell them apart from a human.
His target was the vampire. Someone of a high-profile asked him to kill them. If he succeeds, he would be paid with a high amount of money. Work doesn't come easy for a hunter like him, his life was usually at stake. He's dealing with someone who has magic power. If you're not careful enough, you might die.
Sunwoo really needed the money. These last few months has been a bit hard for him. Jobs weren't as frequent as usual and even if a job do appear, they're not high-paying enough for him to last a month. Not only that, he heard news that hunter like him has been disappearing. No one knew where they went. The last thing anyone heard about them was that they're on a job and then disappeared.
Hearing this high paid job offered to him was a blessing. Even though, the hunters has been a bit antsy these last few weeks, having a high-paid job was something he needs. Everyone told him to be careful which he responded with a smile and assurance that he'll be fine.
Taking in deep breaths, he step inside the store. A tiny bell rung above his head as he crossed the threshold. The shopkeeper, a mixture of silver and light-purple hair boy smiled at him which he returned in a polite manner.
He browsed through the wide variety of books, pausing to flip through some books that caught his eye before putting it back and browsing again. The smell of old books and the familiar leather under his fingertips made him relaxed a bit.
Unbeknownst to him, the shopkeeper was watching him. Ever since Sunwoo entered, he already knew that this is not a regular human. He's a hunter. The way Sunwoo brought himself and his aura was a dead giveaway. He knew that the hunter was after the vampire who owns this shop.
It's not uncommon for a hunter to come here, the shop had a wide variety of books about how to hunt supernaturals. Usually, they bought charms and potions to put on a trap, but it's weird for them to buy books, too. He wondered how someone as young as the hunter currently in the shop would ever take on such a dangerous job.
See, the vampire who owns this shop a.k.a the shopkeeper himself is not your everyday vampire. He's a pure blood and a trained soldier. That means that he's not an easy one to kill. A lot of people, both normal humans and hunters, thought that they could kill a vampire using silver(by stabbing as a method of killing). Most of the time, yes, you could do that and the vampire wouldn't be able to lift a finger against you, but for a pure blood, it usually take a lot more effort than that. If a normal vampire could die with one stab, it would take around a hundred stab, at least to kill a pure blood one. Threw in combat training in the mix, then you should be grateful that you managed to walk out alive.
A soft tap on the wooden counter in front of him broke his train of thoughts. God, he was daydreaming again.
"How may I help you?" he asked in a polite manner.
Sunwoo smiled politely, "I would like to know if you could help me choose a charm?"
"Certainly, what type of charm would you like?"
"Something that can protect a human from supernaturals."
The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, confused. Now that's interesting, he thought. Why would you need a protection charm when you're a hunter? "Of course," he thumbed at his inventory book. "It seems that we're out of protection charm. Would you like to wait? I could fix you a protection charm right away."
" Ah! I don't mind the wait. Is it okay if I go somewhere else while you make the charm or am I required to be here?" Sunwoo asked, looking at the shopkeeper.
"No need. Just come back in two hours or so, and in case I'm not here, just tell whoever is working that you're searching for someone name Jacob. They'll know." the shopkeeper smiled.
After bowing politely, Sunwoo left. Jacob watched as the hunter left his shop. Sighing, he stretch his body and moved to call his friend who happens to be a witch. Also, keeping in mind to be careful with the hunter when he went back in the store. The hunter has some experience, he's sure of that.
It's, after all, not wise and a bad move to attack a supernatural in their own place or home. You'll be at a huge disadvantage if you didn't know about the terrain or more simply put, place, it's something that might lead to your dead, especially if you're dealing with someone like Jacob who has experience in fighting.
He grabbed the phone and dialled. It took around three rings before the other side picked up.
"Yo, what's up?" a cheery voice on the other side made Jacob smiled.
"Hello to you too, Eric. Is Kevin there? I need a little help." He heard a small 'thud' before a shout was heard.
"Kevin!!! Jacob's searching for you!" Eric shouted. Jacob could hear Kevin answering with a 'coming!' and then Eric speaking to the phone, "He's coming. Probably in his room or something. You know him."
"Of course, Eric. Thank you for calling him to me. How are the others?" he asked, tapping his finger softly.
"They're completely fine! Juyeon-hyung was sparring with Changmin-hyung earlier. It's a tie. Sangyeon-hyung is in his office the whole day, but don't worry, Haknyeon-hyung was there, so everything should be okay. Younghoon-hyung and Hyunjae-hyung are at work. Kevin-hyung is at-" Eric didn't get to finish his sentence as he's pushed to the side by Kevin. A chuckle was heard along with Eric's grumbling.
"Hey, Jacob. What's up?"
Jacob let out a short laugh, a smile plastered on his face as he answered, "Well, hello to you, too, Kevin. Do you think you could come to my shop? Need some help with a protection charm."
"Of course, I'll be there right away." Then, the other line went dead.
"Kids." he mumbled as he put the phone down. Kevin's on his way to the shop, he should be here in thirty minutes. Pulling out the sign saying he's out for lunch and put it on the counter, he went to the staff room. It's nothing big, the staff room. There's a bench and lockers lined up against the wall. The bench was nothing too comfortable to sleep, but definitely enough for a nap. The lockers were mostly empty, except one at the very end, containing Jacob's stuff.
There's nothing much to do inside the shop. There's no other staff except for him and his friends who rarely went to the shop. He's usually the one who kept the shop running. At times, he's grateful that he's alone, most of his friends could be pretty rowdy, but at times like this, how he wished that there's someone else beside him in the shop.
True, he could call his friends and told them to come to the shop, usually they would come right away, but he didn't want them to feel bored keeping the shop and serving customers. This was his idea, after all, so he should be responsible for this.
Perhaps he could sleep for a moment, took a small nap. It's nothing weird, for a vampire like himself. They usually sleep during the day(even though nowadays, sunlight has no effect on them, thanks to the sun spell and sun potion made by the witches) and wake up to hunt at night. Jacob never really hunt anymore, he asked one of his friends to get him a blood bag instead of hunting. He doesn't need to drink blood everyday, the endurance of being a vampire soldier where you have to go on fighting without drinking blood for months.
He didn't realise when he dozed off, but the next thing he knew, his body was shaken awake by Kevin.
"Oh, you're here?" He rubbed his eyes.
"I couldn't find you outside and so, figured that you'd be here. So, what kind of protection charm you need me to do?" Kevin asked.
"A hunter came in earlier. Asking for a protection charm to do protect him from supernaturals although I'm pretty sure that he's after me," Kevin opened his mouth to say something before shutting it again when Jacob raised a hand, "I know what you're thinking, but I'll be fine. Anyway, the protection charm I'm asking you to make is for him, but could you do an extra spell on it?"
"Of course, I can," Kevin smiled as he moved to make the charm. "I'm your favourite witch, aren't I?"
"Dream on, Kev. Between you and Eric, I'd still pick Eric over you." That earned a swat from Kevin, earning the other a laugh from him.
"Yeah, right."
"Is our Kevin pouting? That's cute." Jacob grinned.
"Go back to sleep, you vampire. I'll make the charm and watch over the shop. The bag under your eyes makes you look like a panda." He fled once he said that, not wanting to be thrown with a pillow or anything by Jacob.
The vampire rolled his eyes before went back to sleep.
***
The time Sunwoo went back to the shop, he's greeted by a raven-haired boy, stacking a book at the shelf he's scanning through earlier that day. He didn't see the shopkeeper from earlier, probably he's on a break or something. Remembering what the shopkeeper said before, he approached the raven-haired boy.
"Hey, I'm looking for Jacob? He said that the charm I asked him earlier should be ready?" Sunwoo asked, careful not to startle the other. It's not working, though. The boy yelped and books quickly came tumbling down, making him fell hard to the floor.
"Are...Are you okay?" Sunwoo asked.
"Oh, no worries. I'm okay. Just surprise, that's all." the boy answered, smiling.
"You sure? Those looks like pretty heavy books."
"Oh, no worries. It's completely okay. I'm fine." the boy smiled again before dusting himself and went to the staff room.
It didn't take long for the boy to returned with Jacob. In the latter's hand, sat the charm he ordered earlier. The raven-haired boy went back to the shelf, with a wave of his hand, the books levitated from the ground.
'A witch.' Sunwoo thought to himself as he walked towards Jacob.
"You need anything else?"
"Well, kinda? There's something else that I need." Sunwoo answered.
"What is it?"
"This." He grabbed his silver knife from his belt, climbing up the wooden counter, positioning himself higher than Jacob and pressed the knife to the other's neck. No one spoke for a few moment. It's completely silent that you could even hear a pin drop.
"What do you want?" Jacob asked, his voice completely calm.
Sunwoo could feel the raven-haired boy's eyes on his back, watching the whole scene. At the back of his mind, a small voice told him that he's attacking the wrong person. A logical part of him denied that and told him that the witch inside the shop was brainwashed by the vampire. It's not weird for a vampire to brainwashed another supernatural, especially witches to do their dirty work. They also did that to humans, sometimes hunters.
A lot of times, the brainwashed hunters disappeared and never came back. Their family were devastated that they couldn't get their family members back to the way they used to be. Sometimes, in extreme cases, the hunters would kill their own family.
"You're someone I have to kill." he answered, his voice monotone and calm.
"You sure about that? Do you even know who you're going up against?" the witch asked.
Sunwoo turned around, facing the other person behind him. "You're being brainwashed by this vampire. You're not on your right mind right now." That earned him a laugh from the other.
"Me? Being brainwashed by the vampire? Is that what they told you? What the Hunters Association told you? Well, that's one of the biggest lie and funniest I have ever heard."
"What do you mean by that?" Sunwoo asked, confused.
"I'm completely fine and sane, thank you very much. A vampire's magic, even a pure blood ones, are not that strong to be able to brainwashed someone. True, they could alter memories, but it's only limited to one event only. It's only in affect when they're drinking someone's blood," the witch played with his fingers, letting his magic show. "Besides, even if what you said was true, even though I know it wasn't because I'm with him in my own free will, you have no idea who you're up against."
Sunwoo didn't say anything, turning his attention back to the vampire. He pressed his knife harder to the other's neck, blood seeping from the wound. Jacob stood still, his face calm and collected. He could disarmed Sunwoo in a minute if he wanted to, but he's curious on where's this going. It's not everyday for a hunter to aim for him like this.
"That's not true. Just how much have you brainwashed him, you dirty creature?" Sunwoo hissed.
"I haven't done anything, hunter. What Kevin said is the truth. Him and I are friends," Jacob held Sunwoo's hand twisting his arm until he's on his back. "You should listen to him, too. You don't know who you're up against."
Sunwoo struggled in his hold, trying to get away. Jacob tighten his grip, keeping an eye on the hunter's other hand. One thing he learned from his days as a vampire soldier, never let your eyes off your enemy. You never know what your enemy is planning.
Something shift in the air. Realising what it was, Jacob shouted, "Kev, protection spell."
The witch didn't say anything, quickly doing what he's asked. An arrow pierced a hole at the protection spell although it didn't manage to went though. Another attack happened. This time, it was a spell.
The three people inside the spell didn't move, watching as each attack was deflected by the protection spell.
"Someone want us dead." Kevin mumbled under his breath.
"You got that right. Who could it be, I wonder?" Jacob cocked his head to the side in a curious manner.
"Sunwoo! Are you okay there?" a voice asked. "They're not doing anything out of ordinary, are they? We'll get you out, buddy, don't worry."
Another attack, this time, it made the protection spell shattered. An arrow was heading towards Sunwoo. Its tip was green, a poison. Without thinking, Jacob jumped in front of Sunwoo, practically taking the hit. It didn't hit any fatal organs, so it's not too live-threatening.
That action made by the vampire made Sunwoo widened his eyes. They barely knew each other and yet, this vampire took a hit for him. No one has ever done this to him before. Hunters tend to not care about others. What they do care is the fact that they're okay and nothing else. His heart was filled with guilt. Something inside him told him that whoever want this vampire to be dead is someone who just want the good in this world to disappear.
He knew that the action was genuine and not something fake. The witch looked at Jacob, worry written all over his face. The vampire nodded towards the witch, silently asking him to do something. Sunwoo felt magic and then he was suddenly outside of the shop, the sign that said open was flipped magically to close. The lights were off and no one was inside the shop.
Sunwoo sat there, confused. He's worried about the vampire, whether he's okay or not. The other did get hurt because of him after all.
Guess he should come back tomorrow to check up on the vampire.