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Matthew found out Jiwoong's secret once the cameras stopped rolling.
He still couldn't believe it. Boys Planet had come to an end after 3 months, which seemed long and arduous as they went along, but in the end turned short and quick. Everything was over, it was done. The only thing that remained now was happy memories and friendships formed along the way.
And now here Matthew was in the 3rd place seat, still over the moon as to how he truly was going to debut. He was going to make his dream come true after so long, after so many hardships, so much hate and pressure. He'd lost so much confidence in himself to the point that he began to think if this was the right path for him in the end.
But when all hope was lost, his name got called amidst the waves of thousands of people's names, of his fellow trainees, and he was chosen in the end. Matthew, him. He was debuting, not just on his own, with Hanbin, with Jiwoong. It almost felt too good to be true.
That moment replayed in his head like a broken record, recalling it as if it happened years ago instead of the few minutes that had passed and kept passing. He did it. He made it, with his friends, people he'd trained countless days and nights with, people he had to talk to for days, weeks, until they became close. Granted, maybe there were a couple of people Matthew didn't have the chance to get to know as well as Hanbin or Jiwoong for example, but now he had the chance, 2 years were he could be living his dream and becoming closer than ever with people he loved, and who loved him back.
Hanbin looked at him from across the 2nd place seat with a giant smile plastered on his face and Matthew smiled back, feet tingling with excitement. It seemed as if he would never come down from this rush, this sensation of overwhelming happiness. He almost wanted to pinch himself just to double check that this was reality, but as soon as his ears registered Yujin's name and the deafening cheers that followed he didn't need to.
Once again, this was all real.
With warm hugs and happy cheers, the 8 chosen members hugged the final addition to their family, their little brother, already feeling immense affection for Yujin. He was the youngest and they were all going to make sure he will be well protected and loved as much as possible. It's the least they could do as a family now.
Matthew returned to his seat and slumped against it, head turning to face Hanbin across from him. The older was already looking at him as well, unspoken words travelling to Matthew in a language that only the two of them understood. They didn't need words when their eyes and smiles spoke for them. It said, “We did it Matthew.”
“We did it hyung.”
Matthew's smile had never shined brighter, and Hanbin had never looked prouder.
In a flash everything was gone, everyone was still trying to come down from this almost too real fever dream. The audience's cheers stopped, the music stopped. The world seemed to have been frozen in motion, and Matthew moved his eager feet down the stairs with his new partners following close behind.
The one person he spotted out of the 9 remaining was Keita, his closest confidante through these long months, the one who he has to thank for so much: for his iconic catchphrase, for his boost in confidence, for his ability to make him come out of his personal bubble and make more friends. Back then Hanbin was the only person Matthew could hold a conversation with, but since Boys Planet he's really embraced his extroverted side and let it run free, resulting in all the friendships he's formed along the way. And who would have known it would be the biggest known to man since Zhang Hao, to help him develop into the idol, idol, he was about to become?
He had to thank Keita for so much, and no matter how much his heart broke because they didn't make it into the same team — Matthew apologizing over and over again as he hugged the other in his arms — the smaller male assured him it was okay, that Matthew will be okay without him and that he's proud of him. Keita had his own group to return to no matter how much he was going to struggle again. He will find a way to make it into the industry again and let his talent be known.
And Keita and Matthew will definitely meet again; if not in the same group, at least in the same music show. He had 2 years to keep this promise and he wasn't expecting to break it anytime soon.
After hugging the remaining global trainees, Kamden and Jay who congratulated him nonstop in English, the Canadian turned back to stare at his team one more time before he almost immediately realized someone was missing, and the smile disappeared from his face.
With a message for Hanbin to relay to the others, Matthew rushed out of the central stage and headed backstage, leaving behind confused staff and an even more confused group of trainees.
Matthew found out Jiwoong was a vampire long after the cameras were cut off.
Realistically speaking, the restroom wasn't the best place to discover one of your closest friends turning out to be a supernatural creature that you always believed to be just that, mythical, imaginary. However, it turns out that realistically, despite the obvious horror movie scenario, it probably was the best place to find that out in the end.
Sure, Matthew heard of Jiwoong's BL dramas, the ones where he was a heartbroken and seductive vampire who falls in love with a human, you know the typical cliché romantic trope when it comes to supernatural elements that is. He didn't think much about it then, but looking back Jiwoong did look too realistic for a fictional creature. Perhaps he just had a really good makeup team, maybe those fangs were of the really good fake type and not the boring cheap ones people wore on Halloween night. Which also aren't pleasant to the mouth, and you can't properly form a coherent sentence if they keep them on.
Nothing could have prepared him for this revelation: Jiwoong leaning against the walls, almost cowering in the corner, like he saw something terrifying. Was he whimpering too? Matthew could make out heavy breathing as well, his senses heightened in the darkness. Why were the lights off as well? They were supposed to be on.
“Jiwoon hyung?” Matthew asked in a whisper, his mouth cutely saying the older's name due to how he still had difficulty pronouncing the “ng” sound in Korean.
He was concerned and Jiwoong definitely noticed, but that only made him scoot away from the human some more. No. His scent was intoxicating and Jiwoong didn't know how much more he could restrain himself, his urges and feral senses gnawing at him like wolves biting into his skin. His hands were balled into fists. He could barely keep it in.
“Go away Matthew…” He urged. Matthew frowned.
“Hyung, what's wrong? How can I-”
He couldn't finish his sentence. His body felt cold as it hit the wall and he whimpered quietly. It didn't hurt, the hit was actually pretty gentle, but Jiwoong moved inhumanly fast. Matthew's head was turned to the side and he was so shocked he couldn't think. It was the kind of feeling that made your body go numb and shut down and yet his heart was beating against his chest, extremely fast, way too fast.
Jiwoong could hear Matthew's rapid heart and the way it beat, blood pumping through veins and arteries. He could picture it, a completely red environment of tasty food for him to eat. He just needed one bite…
Matthew stared at glowing blue eyes and the glint of a sharp fang under very dim lighting, and despite his shock, he didn't dare stop Jiwoong.
But Jiwoong never attacked Matthew, he didn't let his monstrous side take over. Could he hurt Matthew after resisting 3 months no matter how sweet his scent was? He would break a silent promise he made to himself, to never hurt Matthew, to resist his bloodlust. Even if he hurt any other human around him, it wouldn't Matthew. He didn't realize how quickly his devotion to him had developed throughout this strange journey, but now that he made it into this team, ecstatic and full of joy as he had stared at his members back then, Jiwoong could not harm Matthew, or any of his members for that matter. He couldn't, and he wouldn't.
Blinking, Jiwoong breathed in deeply and pulled away from a frightened Matthew — or so he thought he would be afraid —, side stepping next to the human against the cold wall.
Jiwoong thought it would be best to explain this very incredulous situation right? At least he hoped Matthew would understand and believe that vampires were real. Even if he didn't, there was no denying the obvious, but he wouldn't blame the younger for being in utter disbelief.
The vampire sighed, staring into nothing at all. “I guess I should explain.” He began.
Matthew put a hand up to stop him, brown eyes staring at a perfectly sculpted face. He was kind of expecting to stare into deep blue eyes again, but they were no longer there, Jiwoong's eyes had returned to their original dark brown. For some reason he couldn't help but wish to see that color on him again.
“When were you going to tell me?” He asked carefully, gaze firm on Jiwoong.
Oh, so he wasn't scared…
The older sighed in relief. “Soon, but I never felt brave enough to talk to you about it. It's not like I expect you to believe it either- I mean, a vampire? You humans heard about us but we're merely fictional in your strange human mind. Even if I proved it to you, no one would believe me. Not even our team.”
Matthew bit the inside of his cheek. Right, vampires were only mythological, or so he believed until, well now. There was no doubt that Jiwoong really was one of those beings so popular in movies and media. His fangs were too real, his eyes changed color then returned to normal, and though he didn't look pale, the evidence was all there. He could pass off as a human if he wanted to.
Maybe that's why Matthew didn't think anything weird about it, and Jiwoong's behavior has always been correct around everyone. He never could have figured it out, and Jiwoong was still afraid the younger would no longer want to be his friend? He was afraid this would harm their friendship?
Matthew shook his head. Never.
Jiwoong smiled with his mouth closed. He was reading the other's thoughts and how he thought about him only made Jiwoong become more endeared.
“So you're not afraid?” It was more of an affirmation than a question.
Matthew blinked, mouth opening with sputtering words. “H-how did you-”
Jiwoong chuckled. “I can read your thoughts, so you better be careful with what you think about me~” He even wiggled his eyebrows just to be a tease. “Did I make you anxious?”
And Matthew's response was what he was expecting, the younger leaning on him from how hard he was laughing and the subsequent playful slaps to his shoulder. “Are you seriously never going to let that go?”
Jiwoong shook his head, too happy to care. “I don't think I will.” He adjusted Matthew's name tag and offered his arm like a gentleman. “Let's go, ZEROBASEONE Seok Matthew.”
Matthew smiled shyly again, adjusting Jiwoong's name tag too and nodded. “Okay, ZEROBASEONE Kim Jiwoong.” And nothing else was said.
So Jiwoong headed back outside with Matthew next to him, arms linked with each other like Hao and Hanbin did all the time, without a care in the world.
Matthew's smile was contagious as both males returned to the stage at the center. The star creators were all leaving already, and the staff was telling the remaining 9 to start separating themselves from everyone as well. It was time to go home. The journey truly had come to its end, and while Matthew lamented how quickly everything reached an ending, he will never forget the memories settled in his heart.
But one thing was clear, and that's that Matthew knew he was going to enjoy these 2 years next to Jiwoong very much.