The sound of labored breathing echoed through the forest. If they catch up to me, I'm done for! He dragged his exhausted body forward, constantly glancing over his shoulder as if some terrifying creature was chasing him. I never should have entered this forest! What the hell was that thing? He recalled the human-like but unnervingly twisted figure, its decaying, pus-ridden skin shining under the moonlight. The memory sent a shiver down his spine. What a terrible stroke of luck!

He had fled into the Blood Mist Forest at dusk. This fifteen-year-old boy was trying to escape from two people who were bent on killing him, but little did he know that he'd deliver himself straight into the jaws of a roaming low-grade vampire. He had lost track of how long he'd been running, unsure whether the creature was still on his tail. All he knew was that he was utterly spent. I can't run anymore! Finally, he collapsed beside the trunk of a thick alder tree, clinging to the bark, panting heavily.

"You seem quite afraid of them, don't you?" A melodic voice rang out from the treetops, shattering the forest's silence like a needle falling onto stone.

Startled, the boy jumped back. "Who's there?!"

The moonlight just so happened to illuminate the figure perched in the branches above, allowing him to see her clearly. A girl in a white dress sat casually on the tree branch, her bare legs swinging in the air. "Them?" she mimicked, curling her fingers into a mock claw. "Those ugly, stinking things?"

"You know about them?" The boy was surprised. "They're... they're monsters! But you—a girl—why are you in a place like this?"

By now, the boy had somewhat calmed his breath. He stood with his hands on his hips, waiting for the girl in the tree to reply. "Me?" She tilted her head slightly. "I live here."

I've never heard of anyone living in this damned cursed forest. "Not funny, miss," he scoffed. "Are you even real, or am I hallucinating?" He slapped his palm against his forehead for emphasis.

"I'm not lying." The girl pointed into the distance. "You entered at dusk, didn't you? Then you ran into one of those hideous creatures and sprinted away in terror, didn't you? You've been running for about half an hour now, haven't you?" Her lips curled into a mocking smile on her delicate face. "I bet you'd keel over and die, but look, you're still alive."

"You really... live here?" The boy's nervousness had mostly faded by now. Meeting another human, even in a place as terrible as the Blood Mist Forest, gave him a glimmer of hope, even though she seemed like just a frail girl. "Sorry about earlier, I was just shocked." He pressed a hand to his chest, still visibly shaken. "I didn't expect to meet anyone here." He glanced up at the alder tree. How did she even climb up there? "Can you come down so we can talk?"

The girl didn't answer right away. Instead, she raised her chin and examined the boy. "Oh, I'm unarmed," he added quickly, spreading his hands wide. He was wearing only a tattered shirt and linen pants, with worn-out slippers barely holding together. "I wandered into the forest by mistake. I mean no harm."

The girl snorted softly. "I know. I was just teasing you." Then, with a graceful leap, she landed lightly on the ground, startling the boy into taking a step back. "Now, tell me, why did you run into the forest?"

The boy observed her, leaning casually against the alder trunk, arms crossed, with no sign of further sudden movements. He finally began to speak. "It's because of debt," he sighed. "My family used to live in Eaststone, and I lived with my parents. But my father was a drunkard and a gambler—the worst combination in the world." He smiled bitterly. "No matter how hard my mother worked sewing clothes for others, she couldn't fill the hole he dug with his gambling. A while back, the creditors sent thugs to our house in the middle of the night to steal everything of value..." His voice slowed, as though the memory caused him physical pain. "My parents tried to fight them off, and I was knocked out quickly. The next day, when I woke up..." He paused before continuing, "They were dead."

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He stood there, meeting the girl's gaze with steady eyes, though the tears welling up betrayed him. No matter how hard he tried to hold them back, as soon as he blinked, they spilled down his cheeks. "Yes, dead," he added, turning his head to the side. "The people who were alive the night before were cold corpses by morning..." He refused to look at the girl now; crying in front of a stranger, especially a girl, felt humiliating.

The girl watched him sob in silence. "That was your family?" she asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" The boy glanced at her in surprise. "I heard from the traders from Cazarburgh that there was a brutal murder in Eaststone last month. The house was ransacked."

"Yes... that was my home," the boy said quietly, lowering his gaze. "I didn't expect the news to spread all the way to Cazarburgh. The village couldn't catch the culprits, and the baron's useless men didn't care to find the real killers. Once the fuss died down, the creditors swarmed again, claiming the rest of my family's belongings couldn't cover the debt. They planned to sell me into slavery in the Seven Western Seas. So, I ran..."

The girl listened as the boy poured out his tragic tale. "With no other way out, I fled into this forest. Who knew it would be so terrifying?" The boy bit his lip, tears streaming down uncontrollably. "I've been running all day. Now my whole body is falling apart. I just wish I had a warm fire and a place to rest."

When he finished, he discreetly watched the girl's reaction, awkwardly clasping his hands behind his back. "Well, I guess I've been a bother to you," he said quickly. "I'll be on my way—"

Before he could finish his sentence, his exhaustion caused him to stumble as he took his first step. "Damn it..." he cursed under his breath, trying to get up, not noticing that the girl had quietly approached him. As soon as he stood up again, she wrapped her arms around him.

Shock and embarrassment flooded his mind, leaving him unable to think of anything else. This wasn't just an ordinary hug; their bodies were pressed together with no space between them. He could feel the warmth of her body and the gentle caress of her hand on his back. Meanwhile, his own arms hung stiffly by his sides, as if frozen. "You poor thing," she whispered into his ear, her breath sending shivers down his spine. "You can come to where I live. There's a fire, food, and a bed." She emphasized the word bed. "But first, answer me one question." She held him tightly, preventing him from moving back. "Are you afraid of me?"

He looked confused. "Why should I be afraid of you?"

"Because—" she drew out the word, "I'm a vampire."

The boy didn't seem to fully register what she had just said, nor the terrifying implications of her confession. "Don't move," she whispered softly. "If you so much as lift a finger, I'll put two holes in your neck. Now answer me: are you afraid?"

This might have been the hardest decision of the boy's life. No matter which way he answered, he could be in danger... But do vampires even exist?

"I can hear your rapid heartbeat. It tells me you're confused." She rested her head lightly on his shoulder. "Just give me the first answer that comes to your mind. Afraid or not?" As his breathing grew more erratic, she seemed pleased. "Oh, and don't bother doubting whether I'm really a vampire. Think about it—how could a weak human girl live in a place like this? You couldn't even climb to where I was sitting just now, and I leapt down effortlessly...." As she spoke, her teeth brushed against his exposed shoulder, sending goosebumps over his skin. "And why do you think those ugly things didn't catch you? Was it because you're fast? No way!" Her laughter was cruel. "It's because they fear me. They're low-tier vampires, and I—am a perfect being... So, tell me, afraid or not?"

She gave him five heartbeats to decide. When the boy took a deep breath and summoned his courage to make a choice, she was pleased. She expected to hear a unique answer, but in that moment, the boy's hands, which had been hanging by his sides, shifted without her noticing. He wrapped his arms around her back and held her tight.

The vampire froze, blinking in astonishment. Her body instinctively tensed, but he only held her tighter. "That's... my answer," he whispered hoarsely.

"Hey..." she said, feeling slightly offended. "Didn't I tell you to answer with words?"

"Well, you haven't made two holes in my neck, have you?" he replied.

The girl laughed softly. Her eyelids fluttered down as her nose brushed against his collarbone. She rested her face against his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat, breathing in the scent of his skin and sweat. "What's your name?"

"Tom," he said, slightly turning his head so his nose touched her dark hair, coiled at the nape of her neck. "Now it's your turn, miss."

She chuckled softly.

"Ilsa."