Ryu Seonyeon stood alone on an endless beach. To his left — the blue sea, breaking against the shore and retreating again; to his right — golden sand shimmering under the hot sun. The waves crashed with a quiet chime, like polished stones. The wind carried salt and light, and everything around seemed to breathe peace.
He understood immediately — this was a dream.
Before him stood a tall figure in a black wedding suit. A white collar, pale-gold hair, a light breeze tugging at the fabric. He knew that silhouette even without seeing the face.
When the man turned, sunlight flashed blindingly across his teeth.
— Are you living well? — Mateo asked.
Seonyeon froze.
— …What nonsense, — he murmured, unable to believe what he was seeing again.
Mateo smiled — calm, without pain, without darkness. Seonyeon studied him, and for the first time in a century, this dream was not a nightmare. There was no cold sweat, no fear. Only the quiet, warm sun and the scent of the sea.
— You're fine without an umbrella? — he asked at last.
— Of course. It's a dream, — Mateo laughed.
Seonyeon gave a faint smile, shielding his eyes with his hand.
— We never walked along the beach.
— We didn't.
— Why now? You used to show me burning.
— Maybe because now you want to see something else.
They walked in silence. Only the whisper of waves and their steps in the sand. No gulls, no footprints. The stillness itself seemed alive.
Seonyeon glanced sideways at Mateo. He met the look with soft eyes and a gentle smile — serene, like someone who had finally let go of everything.
Was he ever this calm? Seonyeon thought. The Mateo he remembered was always tormented, full of guilt and shadow. But this one looked cleansed.
Seonyeon stopped.
— Why appear like this only now? You could have come sooner. Showed up — and gone. Why torment someone for centuries?
He exhaled, his voice trembling.
— I've seen you die so many times…
Mateo stopped too. His smile softened.
— I'm sorry I left you alone back then.
Seonyeon grimaced, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
— Easy for you to say.
— Even if I'd come back, maybe I would've done the same, — Mateo said quietly.
— This is my dream. Can't you say something pleasant?
Mateo's smile deepened slightly.
— You know how painful it is to live without purpose. But I'm proud of you — for making it to the end.
Seonyeon blinked, startled.
— What, do dreams grant wishes now?
Mateo chuckled.
— Late as ever… but still — won't you come with me?
— What? — Seonyeon jerked his head up as if struck.
Mateo's tone was calm.
— When I killed others, I thought it was punishment. But later I realized I'd become a monster. And you were the proof. Every time I saw you, I hated myself.
Seonyeon said nothing. He had heard those words before — without words. Only in a gaze.
— You were a victim too, — Mateo continued. — But I couldn't stop seeing my guilt in you.
He extended his hand.
— Come with me. I won't leave you again.
His fingers gleamed in the sunlight, casting golden shadows. Seonyeon stared at them for a long moment, then laughed softly, wearily.
— There was a time I wanted exactly that. Wanted you to walk under the sun without burning. Thought if I'd run a little faster, you'd have lived. If I'd stayed human, you wouldn't have become a monster. If we could walk side by side in daylight…
He raised his head.
— But I don't think that way anymore.
Mateo froze.
— I met one lunatic, — Seonyeon said. — Since then, I haven't even had time to dream. You think vampires are the worst monsters? No. Humans are scarier. But next to him, for the first time in ages, I felt alive.
He smiled.
— You hated me for being a vampire. He doesn't care. He saved me, even though he lost everything because of vampires. So… don't come again.
He tried to smile, though his voice trembled.
— I want to live. Just live. Not as a shadow.
Mateo was silent for a long moment, then nodded.
— Good. I'm glad you're not alone anymore.
— …Thank you.
The world is filled with blinding light.
***
— Ryu Seonyeon!
He opened his eyes. White sheets, the smell of antiseptic, the bright glare of hospital lamps. In front of him — Kang Jihan, dark circles under his eyes, exhaustion etched into his face.
— It's me! Can you see me? Does it hurt?
Seonyeon blinked, unable to tell dream from reality. Mateo's voice still echoed faintly: "I'm glad you're not alone."
Jihan leaned closer.
— Hey! Can you see me?! You're not blind, are you?!
Seonyeon snorted, unable to hold back a laugh.
— So loud.
— What? — Jihan frowned, and Seonyeon, keeping a straight face, said quietly:
— Who are you?
Jihan's face changed instantly. He sank into a chair, mumbling:
— Need to call Leia… no, run a scan first…
Then suddenly he looked up, eyes blazing with resolve.
— Listen carefully. We're married.
— …What? — Seonyeon sat up straighter. — Are you insane?
— I'm serious. We have rings, photos, everything legal.
— You're delirious!
But when Seonyeon said his own name and recounted the entire battle, Jihan couldn't hold back — he grabbed him, pulling him into a trembling embrace.
— Thank god… I thought I lost you.
He was shaking. Seonyeon could feel his chest heaving with sobs.
— How long was I out?
— Two weeks.
— What?!
But the news Jihan showed him quickly made time irrelevant: Nebra Labs exposed. Videos from the basement. Testimonies. Arrests. Crowds flooding the streets. Politicians and corporations in panic.
Seonyeon watched the screen as the reporter announced:
"The investigation revealed involvement of thirty-two high-ranking figures in the Nebra Labs experiments. Protests spread nationwide…"
Jihan turned the TV off.
— It's over. We're alive. The rest doesn't matter.
He squeezed Seonyeon's hand.
— Thank you for coming back.
***
A week later, Liren BioTek buzzed with chaos.
The world knew — about the basements, the victims, the immortal bodies. Soon across the country, people burned Nebra's products. Those who once praised their medicine now shouted of their sins.
No one knew who had filmed the footage that destroyed an empire.
In a hospital room, Seonyeon ate tangerines while Jihan peeled another and said:
— Shame Lo Dan died quickly. He'd have made a great human shield.
— Then the chaos would've been worse, — Seonyeon smirked. — Still, he earned it.
They talked calmly, like about everyday things. Even now, when the world was shifting, an easy warmth lingered between them.
When the door burst open and Lee Kaneun, Leia, Raon — and old Sonjun in his wheelchair — all rushed in, Seonyeon only blinked. The old man grabbed his hand.
— Thank the gods you're alive. We owe you everything.
Tears glimmered in Gu Leia's eyes.
— Two weeks in a coma — a first. We thought we'd lose you.
— I'm fine, — Seonyeon waved it off. — Just sleeping.
— A dream, huh? About what? — Jihan asked suspiciously. — Your ex?
— I don't know. Don't remember, — Seonyeon said — and gave him a light slap on the head.
— Ow! For what?!
Seonyeon smirked. Maybe he should have stayed in that dream — but no. One glance at Jihan told him he was exactly where he belonged.
When everyone left, Gu Leia lingered.
— We retrieved Im Chinthe's body, — she said quietly. — He's alive. We'll continue our research — try to restore those who were changed back into humans. If the serum succeeds, you'll get it first.
Seonyeon smiled.
— Of course. I'll be waiting.
***
A year later.
The gray rain of Liren had been falling since morning. The air hung thick with moisture. Seonyeon stood in a black suit at the columbarium, before the urn of Kim Ran-hee. Beside him — Kang Jihan, also in black.
— You all right? — Jihan asked softly.
— Yes. She lived longer than I expected.
Seonyeon looked at the urn and felt a strange calm. It really was over. He turned.
— Let's go. She's finally at peace.
Jihan opened the umbrella, and they stepped out into the pouring rain.
— I'm fine, — Seonyeon said, gazing at the gray sky. — I'm not who I was.
— Not being who you were — that's good, — Jihan replied. — Just don't try to be made of steel.
They walked side by side. A car splashed water all over Jihan, but he only held the umbrella tighter over Seonyeon.
— Let's take a taxi.
— It's closer on foot. There's a café on the way.
— I'll go with you.
— No need.
— I'm going anyway.
— You're stubborn like a child, — Seonyeon chuckled.
— I'm not a child. I just… — Jihan hesitated. — I just don't want you to get wet.
He grumbled, and Seonyeon snorted. Then stopped suddenly, glancing toward a clearing sky above the park.
— Let's get married, — he said.
Jihan froze.
— What? Here? Now?!
Seonyeon shrugged.
— If you don't want to — your choice.
He stepped out from under the umbrella, but Jihan caught up, covered him again, and grabbed his hand.
— Hey! You can't just say things like that!
— So you don't want to?
— I do. Of course I do. And don't you dare change your mind.
He intertwined their fingers, afraid it might all fade like another dream.
— But why now?
Seonyeon smiled.
— Because one stubborn idiot deserves to hear out loud that he's number one.
Jihan's cheeks flushed red. He tried to speak but only tightened his grip on Seonyeon's hand.
The rain eased. The sky cleared, sunlight breaking through the clouds, spilling across the wet asphalt.
— Look, — Seonyeon said. — The sun's out.
He closed the umbrella. The rays touched his skin, and Jihan held his breath. No burns. No pain. Just warmth.
— See? — Seonyeon smiled. — It's fine.
Jihan said seriously:
— Stop using hypnosis without consent. It's illegal.
— What? — Seonyeon laughed. — I can't anymore.
— I think you just did.
— But you're immune.
— Seems I wasn't.
They both laughed. The sun fully emerged, golden light dancing over their damp hair.
Seonyeon lifted his face to the sky.
— All right, — he said. — Let's go buy the rings.
And he walked forward, down the glistening street under the sun-washed rain, needing no darkness — and no shadows — ever again.