#the camera shot of changbin and hyunjin after seungmin made that comment lol

[peachheavycream]

Does anyone else think that seventeen interview was super messy?!

[miraclejune]

HERO’S SOUP: Chapter 13

Thousand Hearts

Monday morning. The mansion was in chaos. 

Hyunjin was running late again because he ‘overslept’. Woojin had to drag him out of his warm blanket earning a low groan from the Beta.

Changbin left first with Chan and Jisung, the only people who weren’t busy for the day, they volunteered to help Changbin with his studio. Well, he had to buy them each a new pair of sneakers next week so it’s not quite volunteering if you might ask.

“Minho? Felix? Where are you guys headed?” Felix adjusted the strap on his backpack before turning to Woojin. “We’re gonna head out for a while. There’s a popular new spot for busking down at Hongdae. We’re gonna check it out.” Minho tapped his feet letting them snuggle in his shoes perfectly. “Eric’s outside.” the two of them dashed out the mansion yelling their goodbyes.

"Remember to stop by the cafe later!" Woojin reminded them with a shout as he closed the front door.

“I didn’t even get to say hi to Eric.”

Woojin rolled his eyes, tugging the towel around the wolf’s waist. Almost revealing a damp and stark naked Hyunjin. “DUDE! What the hell.” Hyunjin gasped and tried to cover his body. They were the only ones left in the house but he was over-dramatic without fail.

“You could’ve exchanged your pleasantries if you weren’t so busy reading each fucking comment in your Instagram posts last night.” Hyunjin huffed, fastening the towel as he stormed to his room. Woojin chuckled, Hyunjin was the second easiest to tease. The first place would always be Changbin. Hands down, that idiot is so gullible.

He looked at the clock, ah they’re terribly late. It was 9 am, and their call time was 1 pm. We can’t really see any problem with that, as a matter of fact, they had plenty of time. However…

“Hwang Hyunjin don’t you fucking dare do your tedious make-up routine. Busan is not a 5-minute drive.” Hyunjin shot up from his vanity table’s seat as he heard the alpha’s growl at the end of his sentence. Woojin was in full-on Manager mode. 

He made a break for it. Snatching his backpack behind the door, simultaneously combing back his damp hair. He hopped the last 3 flights of stairs stopping in front of a brooding Woojin. Hyunjin suddenly remembered that one time Chan said Woojin looks like a hostile bear when he's mad. At that time he couldn't quite see it but now, Woojin kinda did resemble his description.

"Why can't we just take the train." Hyunjin eyed Woojin fastening his seatbelt, he earned another deathly glare. The terrified wolf gulped and decided to put his feet down from the dashboard. "Sorry."

Woojin pulled into the road. "It's better to have our own car just in case we finish late." 

Hyunjin quietly nodded. "Plus, you're a head-turner. It's gonna be a pain in the ass." Woojin might've done what Chan told him not to. Actually, there were too many to list but this one thing is on the top. "Hm." 

Hyunjin likes being praised. His confidence and self-esteem shots up. It's good, Chan said it's fine to praise the boys every once in a while. But, Hyunjin's a lost case. "Wouldn't want to get chased for hours by scouts." Woojin caught a glimpse of Hyunjin's face from his peripheral vision as the wolf said those words.

Oh gosh, he's done it now.

-

Seungmin didn’t have council work today, nor Jeongin had class. It was their University's anniversary so the school decided to let the students rest for the holiday. Leaving the two college students with nothing to do.

"Hey, can you get the door!" 

"Okay." 

Seungmin stood in front of the open door, his head moved about figuring out who opened the door. "He's in the kitchen." Seungmin's eyes fell on the boy who looked much like a smaller version of Yang Jeongin. He gave the kid a smile before following suite inside the house.

He calmly made his way to the living room, sitting down on the left side of the sofa near the window. Jeongin's little brother comes back from upstairs, a switch on his right hand. Seungmin eyed as the boy sprawled on the carpet. He spotted the pile of snacks on top of the coffee table. Seungmin smiled, it seems like someone's enjoying their free time.

"Hey, Seungs!" Jeongin appears from the kitchen wiping his soap ridden hands on a strawberry shortcake apron. "Can you wait for a while? I'm just finishing up with the dishes." 

"Seriously? Strawberry Shortcake?" 

Jeongin's eyes blinked at the blinding light of a camera flash. "Don't you dare---"

"And... sent! This is gonna leave them in stitches." Seungmin tipped back his head and roared with laughter. Jeongin looked at her with disbelief, Seungmin did the exact opposite of what he was about to say.

"What on earth are you laughing about now? Delete it! And this isn't even mine! It's my moms!!" 

Seungmin abruptly stopped laughing and looked Jeongin dead in the eyes, "Nnnnnnnnno." he made sure to enunciate the 'N' just to irk Jeongin's nerves before resuming his laughter.

"You look ridiculous." Jeongin's little brother got ahold of Seungmin's phone that fell on the carpet next to him. "Ugh. I hate you all so much." he groaned and stomped his way to the kitchen. 

-

"Ma'am, what do you think of my friend? Isn't he adorable?"

"Oh my! That's a very cute apron he's got there haha! Here, take these fish cakes, it's in the house for making my day!"

"Thank you so much!"

"Jeongin, where are your manners?"

"T-thank you." the boy bowed his head. His blush seared through his cheeks and for a minute he thought her face was on fire. Jeongin suddenly felt embarrassed and delicate; even going as far as attempting to hide his rosy features behind his slim fingers. 

He eventually took action and dragged Seungmin outside the small snack shop. Jeongin swears he could see Seungmin smiling from behind him. The witch picked up his pace and walked beside the blushing boy.

And there he was in his arrogant triumph, Seungmin smirked - just a small pouting of the lips; a narrowing of the eyes and a tilting of the head. It was so subtle, it was even more infuriating for Jeongin who caught a glimpse of it after making the foolish mistake.

"You don't have to show that photo to EVERY person we meet today!" face the color of an overripe tomato and annoyance boiling inside, Jeongin could only groan. "No way. It'd be a shame to devoid the world with this gem. Plus, we get free food." Seungmin held up his phone in front of the boy, irking Jeongin's nerve some more.

After a few minutes of Seungmin annoying Jeongin and at some point his phone was thrown to the pavement, they reached Changbin's studio. Well, where the building was located to be precise. It had 4 floors and looked fairly new. The paint on the walls was still fresh and some windows don't have 'windows' on them yet, just the frame.

"3rd floor. 2nd door to the right." Jeongin recalled what Changbin told them yesterday. "Let's go, strawberry shortcake." Jeongin disregarded the nickname and followed Seungmin inside the building, they headed towards the door with the stairs logo on it. "Elevator's working." the old guard chirped. They turned around and met with his wizened eyes. "Thank you." he gave them a smile and went out of the building.

Chan, Changbin and Jisung or 3racha as the others would lump them, didn’t know they were coming so they decided to surprise them with some chicken, rice rolls and spicy rice cakes (of course they bought it lol don’t let these kids near the kitchen). All in which Seungmin showed his photo to.

As they opened the glass door, Seungmin expected the place to be an utter mess. It was plausible. The building smelled new inside too. So renovations are most likely on-going.

However, both were surprised to see the place neat and tidy. A few boxes were neatly piled on the corner, there was no hint of renovation at all. Surprisingly enough, the AC blasted on the side.

"Looks like it's fully operational now."

"Yeah." Jeongin took a look around. The place looks nice.

Seungmin yelled over and walked towards the adjacent room. "Hello, dweebs. We have brought you some snacks." Changbin hit his head under the tattoo chair. "Fuck! Dude what the hell. You scared the crap out of me."

Seungmin pursed his lips "Mm. Then you better check your diaper, you big baby." he put the paper bags on the small coffee table near the wall, before offering a hand to Changbin who was massaging his sore spot. "Where's the old dude and the squirrel?" He carefully sat down on the chair Changbin was fixing. "It's fixed. You can sit." Changbin said, turning around to gather the tools. He closed the toolbox with a click and placed it near the door.

He noticed Jeongin looking around. A smile automatically crept on his face. "Jeongin." the boy yelped and found Changbin leaning on the door frame smiling at him. He smiled back. "Changbin! The place looks so cool." he was naturally pulled into a tight hug. 

'Always so warm.' the boy thought as he hugged the wolf back. "Did Chan help with the designing?" 

"Of course he did. This place looks like the black hole itself." Seungmin muttered from inside the room. Changbin and Jeongin chuckled. "Yeah, he has this aesthetic that's suited for a tattoo shop."

"Can't deny that."

"You didn't answer my question Changbin." Seungmin whined. "They're out buying some stuff needed. They'll be back soon." he turned around and went back into the room. "Just stay there, Jeongin. It's still dusty here." Jeongin sat down on the chairs provided. So, Chan and Jisung are out. 

The room is like a perfect magazine cover for an aesthetic tattoo shop. Jeongin was afraid to sit, worrying he would wrinkle the fabric or stain it with something he doesn't know on his pants. The leather couch is inlaid with rhinestones; placed so delicately. The white curtains are linen, the kind of white that is untouched by hands and devoid of dust. Those types of curtains that leaves the room in complete darkness even in mid-day, it stood out the most because of the black walls. Jeongin's eyes fell on the velvet walls they were decorated with stripes, which he thought he was just hallucinating but they really do reflect when you move around. The floor is a high polished wood, dark and free of either dust or clutter. The photographs are black and white, arranged to look like such by a professional, must be photos taken by Seungmin. One photo caught his attention. He stood up and sheepishly walked towards it. 

It was their group photo from when Woojin showed him his room in the mansion.

The door shot open. "We're back--Oh Jeongin you're here!" Jisung instantly dropped the contents on his hand and engulfed the boy in a tight hug. Little did he know Chan was right behind him. "FUCK!!! Dude my foot!" Chan sat on the floor, the sudden pain weakened the back of his knees.

Jisung didn't care at all. He detached himself from Jeongin for just a second before putting an arm around his shoulder, looking down on Chan. "Has anyone told you, you look great kneeling down like that?" A very annoyed vampire looked up to both of them. Color drained from their faces.

"W-we brought food! You guys must be hungry, it's in the tattoo room!" Jisung cleared his throat, pulling Jeongin away from a fuming Chan. "Cool! Let's go! We're starving. Right, Chan?" that must be the stupidest question he has ever asked and do note that he asks a lot of halfwitted questions. Jeongin could've sworn he saw Seungmin face-palming hard inside his head.

They gathered inside the tattoo room, Jeongin swept the floor a bit while the others moved the boxes and other stuff outside to make room. "Pull the table near there." Jisung did what Chan told him. His grudge only lasted a few seconds. They're back to normal as if Jisung never made a snarky remark earlier.

Seungmin sat on the floor with Changbin while Chan and Jeongin situated themselves on the leather couch fit for two. Jisung, on the other hand, went out of the waiting area and grabbed one of the ottoman chairs provided. 

Changbin watched in disgust as Jisung stuffed his face with rice cakes. Shaking his head, his right hand became busy. Seungmin fought with him for the tuna rice rolls. Changbin turns to Jeongin with a smile on his face, "You kids don't have school today?" obviously Seungmin lost. He pouted and took a plain roll, angrily putting it in his mouth.

"Nope. It's our school's anniversary so we're on a break. Only for today though." the boy replied. He turns to Chan who was offering him a piece of the rice roll. Jeongin opens his mouth letting Chan feed him. "Like a baby chick." Jisung said before scarfing down a chicken leg.

"Am not!" 

"Yeah, he's not." Jeongin was thankful for Changbin siding with him. "He's not only Chan's baby. He's our baby!" ...nevermind.

Within a span of a few minutes, all the food was gone. The four of them finished everything. It would've been gone within a second if everyone else was there. Oh, Chan excluded.

They talked about the place for a while. Seungmin was suggesting a few things here and there while Jeongin and Jisung played with Chan's switch. The vampire went out to the restroom.

"Hey, Wooj. How's the trip so far?" Chan's voice echoed a bit inside the empty restroom. Since the building was fairly new, there were only a few tenants. And today they were the only ones there. "It's great. Hyunjin complained for 10 minutes straight before I knocked him out." Chan chuckled, he knew what the alpha meant by 'knocked him out'. "He blabbers nonsense then falls asleep after eating a snack. Like a baby." Woojin laughed on the other end. There was a short pause as he switched lanes and shifted gears. "How's the shop going?"

Woojin heard the sound of the faucet being opened. He waited for a while for the vampire to respond. "It's pretty much done. We just have to recycle the boxes and clean up a bit. Seungmin and Jeongin are here too."

"I know." Chan complained about why he didn't tell him. "Because they said it was a surprise! I don't wanna spoil it." Hyunjin stirred in his sleep, the blanket he pulled up fell on the side. "Hang on, Chan." 

Woojin fixed the blanket, making sure to glance on the road every once in a while. "Did you find out some info about the Sofia's?"

"No. Man, those guys have a shit ton of people yet we can't get ahold of any useful information. They're too secure." Chan couldn't agree more on what Woojin said. He lived at that place for decades yet he hasn't heard of a spy nor a mole from outside. The information he knows about that family was only their rules and regulations within the clan. He was not given a word on how they manage their operations and business. 

Although he did only live there because of Kazuo's grandfather who trained him. It was strictly just training. Chan would wake up, be served breakfast in his room, clean up and train. His free time outside would involve 5 guards and 10 undercover guards as he roamed the streets of Tokyo. 

"Maybe I should go stop by. Can you book me a flight to Japan tonight?" he closed the restroom door behind him. Chan dawdled a bit at the hall. He should finish this conversation before going back inside the shop.

"Tomorrow. I'll go with you."

"Alright. Drive safely."

Woojin's voice vanished. "Okay, maybe another call." He dialed a new number, after a few rings Chan could hear the bustling sound of a busy street. "Felix? Where you at?"

"We're at Hongdae with Eric." Chan could hear Minho and Eric arguing in the background, he smiled. "You guys found a new spot?"

"Yeah---hey save some for me, you dickheads. Oi fuckwit!!!---Hey, we're just waiting for our turn." Felix's accent comes out when he's preoccupied too. Chan should note that.

"How's the shop going?" Felix reached out for Minho but he already has the phone to his ear. "Oh hey, Minho. We're almost done. Just cleaning up a bit." 

The phone was passed around for a while. It was impressive of Chan to know who he's talking to. Maybe because this happens on a daily basis when it comes to phone calls. 

"We'll drop by Woojin's cafe later. Are you guys coming by?"

"Yeah. Since you mentioned it."

Chan smiled, hearing Felix's deep chuckle. 

"Alright! See you there!"

"Bang bang chan chan see you~" was Minho.

"I'll come by the mansion on Saturday! I'm so gonna own these idiots in Mario Kart." and that was Eric.

The three boys on the other line argued for quite some time. Chan waited for Felix to end the call before slipping his phone inside his pocket. 

He sighed, recalling his talk with Woojin. They had no lead on why Kazuo knows about who Jeongin was. Maybe it was just him? Maybe the guy's just messing with him? Kazuo always did that when he was part of their clan. Chan rested his hand on his neck, he could feel the mark of the Sofia underneath Seungmin's spell.

It was a flame-shaped mark burned into your skin by the existing leader of the clan. It takes weeks for the wound to heal (even for Chan) but the scar will never fade, even if you rip your skin off it will still be embedded in your flesh. Not even a tattoo can cover it up. Chan had Seungmin put a spell on it to make it disappear from the eyes. But if you touch that part, you would still feel the mark on your hands.

Flashbacks from the Sofia's mansion played in his head. He was rather fond of those memories, although only handpicked ones. He had no idea of what that place was and what they were doing behind closed doors. Every time he would ask the staff responsible for him, they would turn a blind eye and excuse himself/herself for a stupid reason. The next day, the staff would be replaced by a new one. It happened a couple of times until Chan realized that it was his fault, so he completely stopped asking anyone and just went his merry way.

"What are you thinking, boy?" Chan felt his heartbeat in his chest, pounding, banging, trying to get out. His breath hitched as his head snapped at the end of the hall. 

Standing near the window, an old man wearing a security guard uniform. The smile on his face was calm and warm. But Chan knew otherwise. It was just one of her disguises. Underneath that was a demon. Skin almost translucent, blood-sucking fangs bared at him, her small waist was bound by a tight corset showing off her inhumane figure. Purple and red eyes devoid of emotion, pitiless. Her face is every woman and man's desire.

But Chan was rather focused on what was running through her veins. The blood flowed like a lazy river. It flowed like so much red gravy across the slaughterhouse floor. The metallic scent wafted through the air right into his nostrils. 

He ran forward, every second craving for the woman's blood, he felt as though his own blood were on fire. His limbs were moving on their own. He was disconnected from everything but the ever-present sound of his drumming heart.

'I need it. I need it. I need it.' He spoke those words like a mantra. Again and again and again. 

The figure didn't move, she stayed there. Her hands were open, almost like a trap. As Chan plunges, he was pulled into a hug. The old man vanished, there stood the woman underneath it. 

"Hello. It's been a while, boy." Chan was shaking, his blood-red pupils dilated, claws scratching at the woman's back, his body trembled all over. Chan was no longer himself.

"Let's go home, shall we?" 

"LET HIM GO!" Changbin's voice roared. It was almost as if the building itself shook. One by one they all stood across the unknown person holding Chan. Jeongin could see how Chan shook underneath his grip. "Isn't that the guard from earlier?" Seungmin nodded, he pulled Jeongin from the front. "Stay behind Jisung." 

He stood behind Jisung who gave him a reassuring smile. Somehow Jisung was trembling too. Jeongin didn't know why. He was not strong nor have abilities but he wanted to somehow help Jisung. Jeongin snatched Jisung's right hand and filled the gaps with his own. 

"Thank you." Jisung felt calmer. He could feel Jeongin's thumb caressing his hand to distract him from his fear. He knew he had to be strong for the boy.

"What do you want from him?" Seungmin asked in a cold tone. But his head was filled with mindless thoughts.

The old man stared at them. No words were uttered between them. His lips slowly formed into a menacing smile. 

"He asked you a question." Changbin growled. In a split second, he transformed into his wolf form. The old man's smile grew wider and wider until it literally reached his ears, his pupils turned white and blood came out of his eyes. It was a disgusting sight. 

Jeongin shivered. The chills on his spine won't go away. The back of his knees were giving up, his hand gripped Jisung's tighter. 

They breathed in as the old man started chuckling. His laughter filled their ears almost as if he was standing right beside them. Changbin growled so loud. He was pissed. Chan wasn't trying to escape at all. What are they supposed to do? Woojin wasn't there. Jeongin is probably so scared and this... this being is giving him all sorts of scary feelings. It's as if he was staring right at the devil himself.

Changbin growled once more. He had to do something!

"Changbin!" Jisung shouted.

In the blink of an eye, Changbin's battered body fell on the floor. Before he could even take one step, he was already banged against the wall. They didn't even see what happened. 

The crumbs on the wall fell on his fur. He may have broken ribs and legs. He could feel a gush of blood underneath him, but he remained conscious. Struggling to get back on his feet only to fall back on the wet floor. 

The rest of them were left in utter shock. It was as if the scene had knocked every wisp of air from their lungs, and they stood there struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything. 

"Jisung, get Changbin and Jeongin out of here." Seungmin's voice went an octave lower. He loosened his tie. "But, Seungmin!" 

"NOW!!!!!!" his hair turned white and his eyes were a striking shade of purple. With a snap of a finger, 3 spell books emerge from thin air, floating around him. Seungmin had no time for Jisung to put up a fight. 

Jisung's head hung low, he knew he had to do something. But after seeing Changbin almost killed within a fraction of a second, he chickened out. He wanted to run. He wanted to get out of there. But as he saw how Jeongin's eyes looked at him in fear, he wanted to kill the living shit out of the old man across them.

He wanted to claw the man's organs out.

"Jisung. Today's not your fight." Jisung looked up to see Seungmin staring at him with his purple eyes. They were pleading him to go. 

"Please." he bellowed, snatching Changbin, who went back to human form, he put the injured wolf on his back. "Jeongin, gimme your hand." he said to the boy sitting on the floor, trembling in fear.

No. He doesn't want to go either. He can't leave. He doesn't even have the energy to stand up. "Jeongin, I'll get Chan back. I promise." tears formed in his eyes as he looked up to Seungmin. 

Jeongin took a deep breath and stood up. He took Jisung's outstretched hand. "Please stay safe, Seungmin." the witch can only give him a half-assed smile. He turns his head back after seeing Jisung, Changbin, and Jeongin disappear out the window. 

Suddenly the air became heavier. The building felt like it was gonna collapse any second. And there he saw the old man was just a mere figure drenched in blood. The smell was gut-churning. Seungmin could feel the vomit behind his throat. This is insane.

"You..." the witch couldn't make out the words the monster was saying. It was only like a rumble.

"You found him." 

Found who?

"SHIT!" the monster started shrieking. It was so loud. Seungmin could feel his ears bleed. He couldn't see where Chan was anymore. His vision was blurry. He eventually fell to his knees, screaming in pain.

-

"Seungmin. Wake up." the witch felt a light tapping on his cheek. He groaned. Was it a nightmare? But as his hands felt the cold wet floor, he knew that horrific scene really did happen.

His eyes slowly adjusted, he saw a bloody Chan. "A-are you okay?" seeing Seungmin in that state, Chan felt like he could cry. "Yeah." he supported him, letting the witch rest his back against the also bloody wall. "What happened?" As Seungmin looked around, he realized it wasn't only Chan who was bloody. The hall was covered in thick, pungent blood. 

"I took her heart." Chan held up his right hand. Confined in his sharp claws was a heart, beating only once a minute. A spellbook flew beside Seungmin, he glanced at it for a second before holding up his hand on the heart. His eyes and hair glow white and as he closed his hand like a fist, the heart burst, painting Chan's face with its blood.

"So it's done?"

"No. I only got two." Seungmin nodded. They had a long way to go, indeed.

"I never thought she would show up, Seungmin. Not in this century. Not with you guys in it." Seungmin can feel the weight underneath Chan's words. In front of him was a very vulnerable vampire.  

"Woojin's coming back." Seungmin said. Woojin was the only one who knows what to do in these types of situations.

"He knew something was wrong."

Chan balled his hands into a fist. He wiped the blood from his face. "Thank you for making the right decision."

"Jisung's a bit stubborn but he's a big softie when it comes to promises. Just like Jeongin."

Chan somehow managed to smile at Seungmin. "But, Changbin's in critical condition." the smile vanished as if it was never there. Changbin always thinks he has to take action whenever a dire situation comes up. He doesn't want to depend on other people even if they offer him help.

"Let's go find them. I'll call someone to clean this up." Chan stood up and pulled out his phone, thank god it wasn't crushed. "Do you have the strength to fix the wall?" Seungmin was already on it. 

After the last piece of crumbled cement vanished into the wall, Seungmin turned to Chan. "Did you lose yourself?"

Chan stopped from his tracks. His head hung, he stared at the blood-ridden floor with an empty gaze. "Yeah."

"How much blood did you get?"

"None. I couldn't reach that heart."

Seungmin nodded mindlessly. So it was the old man's blood. He walked towards Chan, not minding the blood pooling on his shoes. Seungmin put a heavy hand on Chan's shoulder making the vampire turn to him. 

Chan likes cuddling with them. Whether they were watching a movie or just hanging out in the living room. His hugs were warm because he adjusts his temperature to make them feel comfortable.

But as Seungmin held him in his arms, the biting cold chilled his fingers into clumsy numbness, cold seeped into his toes and spread painfully throughout his feet as if it were his bare feet on the pristine icy whiteness rather than sneakers on a blood river.

Chan was cold.