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Chapter Text

It's the last week of September before everything transitions into October and everyone seems to start getting ready for Halloween. The leaves have been changing colors from an array of greens to pretty reds and oranges; a sight to behold. With summer long gone, the nights and afternoons start to get a little chillier and the fog starts to roll in earlier than usual. It's a downside for the town to constantly feel like it’s in winter for more than half the year but it is the least of everyone's problems. Many of the people residing are friendly and it's a town where almost everyone knows everyone which does have its pros and cons. It's nice to know everyone will have your back but it’s sort of a reason why Changkyun does really date anybody. Hell, he almost accidentally dated his bully’s sister. It was a situation that was quickly avoided because the future didn’t look so good for that one. He didn't need another shiner added on. 

Glancing away from the window, Changkyun bites at the eraser on the end of his wooden pencil as the teacher writes on the chalkboard. His notebook is halfway written with notes and he's pretty sure the teacher has already erased whatever it is he needed to write down. He huffs in irritation but it was his fault not paying attention. To be fair, the lady outside that is decorating her front lawn is far more interesting. And after having such a big test, Changkyun doesn't want to look at any more words. When Changkyun looks at the clock in the classroom, there's not much time left of class anyways. It’s definitely not an excuse to not pay attention but, he's confident he'll find information on the last few pages of his textbook. 

Ten minutes is left to spare and whatever it is the teacher is saying goes through one ear and out the other. Changkyun isn't able to sit still as he shifts in his seat and looks out the window again to watch the same lady place a pumpkin on her front porch. She pulls out a long string of lights from a box and begins to untangle the bunch. Changkyun looks away, knowing it'll take her forever to get it straightened out and his eyes accidentally lock eyes with one of his female classmates. She too is looking out the window (well, was looking) and Changkyun sends a small smile her way, not wanting to seem rude. Apparently, it wasn't a nice gesture because she sends him a dirty look and then faces the front. 

Changkyun rolls his eyes. Whatever. The fact that he's helped her countless times when she's asked for it and the same goes for everyone else in the classroom for her to be like that; yeah, whatever . If he had to be completely honest, Changkyun is one of the few students in this classroom who actually cares about his grades. Nobody else here could give a rat’s ass about their future and Changkyun could give a headcount of who was at the house party last night based on talk around the school; and that goes for Miss Rolling-Her-Eyes Beth in front of him. He shakes his head and leans back against the seat, crossing his arms. There’s only so much he can stand in one day. 

But there's no reason to have a cow about this. It's the last five minutes of class and it's almost time to go home too. Changkyun doesn't listen to the lecture and yawns either way as time seems to stretch out and feel like it goes on forever. He checks up on the lady outside and she has ditched the lights to take out some lawn stakes. They’re cheesy and cheap tombstones with a sparkling ghost one to go with it. The woman has trouble sticking them in her lawn and Changkyun fights back a laugh, covering his mouth. The bell rings and Changkyun jumps in his seat, not expecting it so soon. Everyone in the classroom shoots up like moles and everyone stands, getting their belongings together as the teacher tries to talk over the commotion. Changkyun joins in and grabs his bag from the ground, placing it on his solo table. 

Throwing his belongings inside his bag, Changkyun zips up and swings it over his shoulder. A few students say their goodbyes to the teacher while others step up to his desk with papers in hand. But Changkyun isn't going to be staying; he is a free man now. It’s finally the weekend and Changkyun contemplates on inviting his friends over for a hang out. There's a VHS of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that Changkyun has been having his eyes on and it's not too expensive. There’s popcorn waiting to be cooked at home as well as a stash of junk food and soda to be devoured by animals. It’s a thought Changkyun holds onto as he waits for the crowd of students to clear out. 

The minute Changkyun walks through the door, his neck gets yanked into another dimension. 

“Hey, Changkyun, Ma man!” Jooheon hollers, playfully patting (though it feels like hitting) Changkyun's shoulder. The strong smell of hairspray surrounds him as well as the chemicals of hair dye which tickles Changkyun’s nose. Jooheon’s blonde hair makes him blend in with all the other blondes. “Why don’t we leave this hell hole and hit up them arcades, you dig?” 

“Thank you for assuming I still have money in my pockets after last weekend,” Changkyun shakes his head. “But games? Today? I had a test today and there's no way my brain is going to keep up.” 

“That's the best time for me to strike,”Jooheon whistles, adjusting his varsity jacket. He's not even in a sport but wears it around like a trophy. “Minhyuk said he was down and he would meet up with us in front of the school. Once you’re in the vibe of the arcade your hands will move themselves.”

“That's like if I showed up to a fight with a cast,” Changkyun argues. “There's no way I would be able to win. Not to mention, my eyes are close to taking a break. Why don't we just chill at my place?” 

“And do what?” Jooheon purses his lips, shoves his hands into the pockets of his varsity jacket. He shoots a dubious look. “I'm not about to play Tetris for the millionth time. I wanna shoot things and crash other cars I'm racing against.”

Changkyun nervously looks around at the hallway. “Maybe don't say you wanna shoot things so vaguely,” He elbows Jooheon in the side who dramatically holds the spot like he's been shot. Changkyun shakes his head. “Why are you so adamant on the arcade? It's practically the weekend now and we have two days free of class. Plus it’s all that we ever do.”

“But my high score…” Jooheon juts his bottom lips and his eyes gloss over like he's about to cry. It's The Look. The expression of cute Jooheon swoons anyone in its distance to succumb to Jooheon’s bidding. His precious round eyes and dimples are his biggest charm and he'll use it to his advantage. He knows it; definitely.

But as slick as Jooheon thinks he can be, Changkyun isn't going to fall for it, not this time. Speaking upon experience, he knows better than not to fall for The Look. He's not about to have his Care Bear torn up in the washing machine like last time (rest in peace, Share Bear). Changkyun looks away, diverting his attention to a group of preppies conversing. Changkyun stares way too long at the sweaters wrapped around their shoulders by how ridiculous they look. 

Jooheon groans, messing up his own hair. “Fine. Fine, fine,” He throws his hands up in defeat. “We can go out to eat at the nearest burger joint and paint each other's nails at your house while we go and write in your diary.” 

“Shut the fuck up,” Changkyun bites and playfully pushes Jooheon. He adjusts the straps on his backpack and the door to the school entrance is just up ahead. “I probably would have beaten your ass just like that last time but you’re lucky I’m beat.”

“I'm just saying,” Jooheon says. “Don't knock it till you try it.”

Changkyun spits in laughter. “Whatever stink ball. How about you go home and wash that hair of yours,” He holds his nose and swipes at the air. “You smell awful.”                                                                    

“Excuse me but I am now one of the cooler kids,” Jooheon sasses, running his hands through his hair as if he's the shit.  

“Yeah, we'll see what Minhyuk says about that.”

Outside is a flood of students still littering the entrance and Changkyun doesn't want to stay for more time than he has to. He wonders if they'll even be able to pick up something to eat as the burger joint could be overrun with after school kids. This is a yikes. If the worst comes to worse, Changkyun could always have pizza delivered to his house and pick up some snacks on the way home. There is that movie night he has planned for them, all he has to do is pitch the idea. 

Not too far in the distance is none other than Minhyuk himself. His slightly long strawberry-blonde hair that is slightly curled today. Unlike the typical platinum blonde and frizzy hair (that could be transparent as soon as a light source hits it), Minhyuk wanted to look cool and maybe become the new Ferris Bueller. That is, until he got in trouble for egging a house and then had to turn his grades around. And he doesn’t leave the house without his precious aviators; he’s never been seen without them off; at least not in public. 

Changkyun waves his arms in a failed attempt to get Minhyuk’s attention. Amongst all the chattering, trying to shout wouldn't work in his favor. Moving through the crowd is already a hassle and Changkyun gets shoved into Jooheon as they try to make their way down the stairs. 

“I bet this is what an apocalypse would feel like,” Changkyun says, trying not to bump into any students, especially the popular kids. 

“Why do I feel like there's a fight going on somewhere and everyone is trying to move to it?” Jooheon comments, standing on his toes to try and look over some of the students’ heads.  

And there is a possible truth to that but Changkyun doesn't want to find out. He can live a day without seeing a school fight. Considering there was that party house party, somewhere on the school grounds two guys are fighting over a girl. And at the end of the tunnel, it's Minhyuk. 

Leaning against the pole, Minhyuk waves to anyone that passes by him and a handful brush him off but Minhyuk catches them with snide remarks. Changkyun can't help but notice Minhyuk is sporting tons of denim today and might as well be the poster child for it. What captures his eyes mostly are the shiny new converse. 

“Ayeee, there you are,” Minhyuk nods, smiling ear to ear. “Finally time to hit up the arcades!”

Changkyun frowns as Minhyuk reeks of hairspray as well. It's so strong it's like he can taste it in his mouth. He gags, coughing hard to clear his throat. Now Changkyun is going to be stuck with the stinky duo. 

“Not so fast, hot shot,” Jooheon intervenes. “Mushy brain over here was complaining that he couldn't go to the arcade.”

“And I had my reasons, shall I remind you?” Changkyun sasses, sticking his hand inside his bomber jacket. He rolls his eyes, already wanting to skip out on eating and just going home. But no-- Jooheon offered to go out and eat so the movie night topic will be brought up later. Changkyun bites his tongue from saying anything smart. 

Minhyuk sulks. It's not visible through his aviators but his lips easily turn down, shoulders following after. “You're telling me I've waited the whole day to be let down? That's fucking sick, my guy.”

“All because of a “test”,” Jooheon emphasizes.

“Man! And I could have beaten Jooheon’s high score too!” Minhyuk brags, jumping and punching the air like he's ready to release energy. 

“Hey man, I don't know about that part,” Jooheon shakes his head disapprovingly. 

“In case you forgot, who was the one who beat you last time?” Minhyuk challenges. 

Jooheon scoffs. “And yet, I still came to the top, didn't I? So remind me who is the loser now?”

Changkyun rolls his eyes at their banter, not chiming in so they could continue growing at each other's throats. Nothing ever comes out of it and they'll continue this ongoing game of who is better. Changkyun takes his eyes off the pair, waiting until one of them gives up or starts walking away to forcefully stop the conversation. They're too predictable at this stage. Small circles of students litter the streets and Changkyun looks at all the different people from recognizing a few to not being able to know who that person is. Off in the distance however, Changkyun sees something. He frowns.

It's hard to get a good look but he watches subtle movement behind a tree. It's too short to be a student and it's so dull that it surprisingly stands out. With every student wearing some kind of crazy neon color on them, this person sticks out like a sore thumb. Changkyun leans to get a better look, his eyes squinting.

Minhyuk groans, throwing his hands in the air. The movement breaks Changkyun from his concentration and Minhyuk (as expected, of course) walks off. “Let's go eat before I officially decide to throw a milkshake on Jooheon’s head.”

“Walking away? That just proves my point!” Jooheon quips. 

“Hey…” Minhyuk slows down, turning towards Changkyun. “Did you see that someone finally bought that house next to you? I saw a moving truck parked on the sidewalk when I was walking to school.”

“Wait, wait--” Changkyun shakes his head. The change in conversation mixes his brain like a blender. He doesn't recall seeing anything when he left the house in the morning. “Are you sure it was the house beside mine?”

“Just because many of the houses have a Victorian style doesn't mean I can't distinguish them,” Minhyuk says. “You're acting as if I've never been to your house.”

“I'm just in shock,” Changkyun nervously chuckles. He scratches at his neck. “The house has been empty for months due to a plumbing issue. I just figured…” He shrugs, humming. “It wasn't sold because it was either haunted or they would use it for a Halloween event. Do you know what the people who bought it look like?”

“I just saw the truck,” Minhyuk answers.

“Great, now I have to prepare myself for awkward first impressions,” Changkyun says. 

Jooheon laughs, giving Changkyun a hearty slap on the back and Changkyun winces, tossing a glare in Jooheon’s direction. Jooheon smiles. “Don't be so sour, pinhead. Just make sure your curtains are shut in case you walk around in your underwear. That might make the neighbors want to move again.”

“Eat my shorts,” Changkyun bites, shoving Jooheon’s weight off of himself. 

“Is it still a long time until your parents are back?” Minhyuk carries the conversation. “You know if you don't like the neighbors you can always crash at my place.”

“I could but that would show I'm a coward,” Changkyun says. “My parents said grandma is having some complications so they'll take longer than expected. But I'm an adult already so I doubt they're worried about me.”

“At least you're already eighteen,” Jooheon chimes in. “Some of these people are already smoking and drinking. Sometimes I think the teachers also don't care.”

Changkyun groans at the statement. “That reminds me, I just hope the neighbors aren't crazy college kids,” Changkyun complains. The last thing he needs is loud noise in this town.

Jooheon frowns. “I doubt the other neighbors would allow that. This town is too quiet besides loud rumors and inside drama over stupid shit.” 

“Jooheon is right for once,” Minhyuk agrees. “You would be dumb to try and attempt making any loud noises. I’m surprised there was that house party last night because usually they hold parties at that old barn the school uses for dances.” He fixes his aviators and fluffs his hair a bit. “But I think you'll be fine. If anything you can call us.” 

A weird pit in Changkyun’s stomach bubbles and he rubs his abdomen, his lips in a thin line. Needles prickle his skin as the nerves start to get the better of him and Changkyun can't take away that uneasy feeling. He doesn't like meeting new people. “I'll probably just stay huddled up in the living while I watch Magnum P.I. And then I'll most likely pass out on the couch and fuck up my neck.”

“So in other words, you're choosing Tom Selleck over basic human interaction?” Jooheon laughs

“When I say Tom Selleck has a good mustache, he has a good ass mustache,” Changkyun retorts. He can spot the fast food joint just ahead and smell the fries from their distance. 

Even through the aviators, Changkyun can see Minhyuk’s eyes squint in scrutiny. “Do you even watch that show for the plot or is it to ogle at Tom Selleck?”

“Hey, dude,” Changkyun holds up his hands in defense. “Just because I like girls, doesn't mean I can't comment if a guy is good looking.”

“Good point,” Jooheon nods. “Dicky Nickelson is pretty good looking and he probably has dated at least ten girls.”

Stepping up to the entrance, Minhyuk opens the door and Changkyun follows after him with Jooheon behind him. The scent of fries is stronger and the familiar tune of Take On Me by A-ha plays in the fast food joint. They're surrounded with a handful of familiar faces from their school and the place is packed as people wait in line for their food. The food here is always phenomenal for being inexpensive and very bad for you but the interior design is just god-awful. There's a few yellow tables paired with red chairs and the booths are a pastel blue and purple; an odd combination and clash of colors. Changkyun grimaces, too much of an eyesore to stare out. And he thought the kids at his school didn’t know how to color coordinate. 

There's a few tables open for seating despite the long line and Changkyun snatches a spot before anyone else does. Minhyuk slaps the table, announcing that he's going to go get their usual. Changkyun wipes at the back of his neck, feeling sweaty. He looks around to count how many people are inside and he fans himself. 

Jooheon pulls out some napkins from the dispenser on the table to wipe away any leftover crumbs. 

“This place is a mess after school,” Jooheon gags. He scrubs at one spot on the table.“I can still see the greasy fingerprints from the previous numbskulls.”

“As if that's surprising,” Changkyun chuckles. He slumps over the table and sighs as worry chips at his brain. “Jooheon, what am I going to do about the neighbors? It's eating me inside, I can't stop thinking about it,” He runs his hands through his hair.

“Just say hello and wave back when they do,” Jooheon shrugs. 

“Even that's hard,” Changkyun says. He glances over his shoulder to see Minhyuk waiting in the line. Changkyun turns to Jooheon. “Remember how long it took for me to try and ask Yeonwoo out? And look how that turned out.”

“Yeah… that was pretty bad.”

“She's still so pretty.”

“What about Hwasa?”

Changkyun blinks and frowns. “What about her?”

“You two made out at the spring dance,” Jooheon mentions. He doesn't provide any other information besides that. 

Huh…? Changkyun blinks again as his brain tries to connect the dots. “What does that have to do with me trying to gain the balls to greet my neighbors?”

Jooheon rolls his eyes. “Hello, McFly?! My point is if you gained the courage to have Hwasa as your date to the spring dance then you can simply say hello to the neighbors.”

“But Hwasa asked me out to the dance…” Changkyun informs. He pouts, remembering just how clammy his hands were that day. 

“I have acquired the delicious goods,” Minhyuk announces, holding a tray of their food. When a girl walks by, Minhyuk pauses and tilts his head to where his aviators slide down the bridge of his nose. He whistles, shaking his head as his eyes stick to her ass. 

Changkyun’s eyes follow suit and he too can't help but look at the very large shiny orbs, looking away as he shakes his head and chuckles. Jooheon nods in approval as his gaze sticks like a magnet. They're not the only ones to turn their heads either. The whole fast food joint becomes a magnet for this girl’s bodacious orbs. 

“Thank you for the invention of tight pants,” Minhyuk smiles wide and places the tray on the table. He takes a seat. “If Neil Armstrong went back to the moon, he’d probably find out Earth had two more.”  

“I don't think her ass was that big ,” Changkyun chuckles, reaching for his burger. He unwraps it and takes a hearty bite. Oh yea… that’s the stuff.  “I bet those feel super tight.”

Jooheon squeezes some ketchup on the thin paper that lines the tray, dipping a hot salted french fry into it. “I wonder if I should buy some black leather ones to make my thighs juicy huge.”

“I think that's a good idea,” Minhyuk munches around a french fry, smacking loudly as he tries to blow it off. “Phew! That's hot!” He sips at his drink and the straw squeaks. “Jooheon seems like he could have nice thighs to show off. He'd be popular I bet.”

“I don't know about leather…” Changkyun tries. He takes a look at Jooheon, trying to picture and materialize the thought but it never shows. “I wanna try parachute pants. Maybe add a windbreaker and some neat kicks.”

Minhyuk throws a look at Changkyun before smacking his lips. “I don't know if I can see you in parachute pants. You have more arm than leg.”

“What are you trying to say?” Changkyun gargles in confusion. Was Minhyuk saying he was buff? Surely not considering Changkyun is nowhere near a jock’s size. 

“To simply put it,” Jooheon says through his food. There's a dramatic pause. “You're ugly.”

“As if, dufus,” Changkyun narrows his eyes and throws a french fry on the top of Jooheon’s head. It blends it with his hair and Changkyun almost loses it laughing. 

A soggy fry hits Changkyun square in the nose, sliding down like a snow sled down a hill. It falls onto his half eaten burger and Minhyuk and Jooheon crack up laughing. They hold their sides and Changkyun grabs another french fry, dipping it into some ketchup. So that's how you want to play, huh? Changkyun smirks at the distracted and still laughing pair. 

Changkyun stretches his back, mewling as he can hear something crack. He takes a glance at the clock, rubbing his drowsy eyes as he proceeds to yawn afterwards. It's late into the night as he's spending the last few hours left of Friday to finish his homework in advance. All the words and numbers are starting to blend together and Changkyun rubs at his temple, squeezing at the bridge of his nose next. After all the hours spent studying, basic English comprehension becomes nonexistent. He sighs, leaning back in his chair and glances outside to the neighbors house. The curtain windows are open and there's no light to show any sign of life but Minhyuk was right: there is a moving truck parked outside.

When Changkyun arrived home after eating at the fast food joint, he parted ways with Jooheon and Minhyuk. They never got to hang out for the movie night and left it to meet up tomorrow for the arcade. Which wasn't out of the ordinary. It was a bummer but with Minhyuk saying he needed to study, Changkyun thought it was best to call it a day. It also seemed like he’s trying to get his life back on the right track.

Stretching again, Changkyun hears the landline ring from downstairs. It's perfect timing and a calling to have a small break (heh, puns). He stands up, legs wanting to give out from how long he has been sitting at his desk, the tingling feeling rising. Changkyun exits his room to jog down the stairs, picking up the phone with a sleepy greeting of hello.

“Hey!! Changkyun!! My man!!” Jooheon cheerfully screeches on the phone.

A volume button would be great right about now. Changkyun pulls his head away from the phone from how loud Jooheon is; his mom should have scolded him for that, holy shit. Their contrast in energies is something Changkyun doesn't think was possible around this time of the day. As the sun is just about to hit the horizon, you would think Jooheon could tone it down just a little. 

Changkyun cautiously brings the phone back to his ear again, his fingers wrapping in the cord. “If you're going to say let's hang out, I'm going to say no. We already decided what we were going to do about three hours ago.” 

“No, not that,” Jooheon dismisses. “Minhyuk couldn't come to the phone because he's studying or something. Plus he said he was going to go to bed at eight which tells me he won't come to the phone at all and he’s still you-know-what.”

“I mean, it makes sense,” Changkyun says. His eyes drift to the clock in the kitchen. “But he is getting good grades and he even learned how to manage his time for everything else which I think is pretty amazing. I can't organize my time for shit.”

Jooheon chuckles. “And you know I can't go to bed early. I can't force myself like that.” There's rustling on his side of the phone before a faint popping sound can be heard. A crunch follows soon after. “I know last year Minhyuk’s grades were crap but since he's turning himself around pretty good. He also said something about since he got held back a grade in high school he really wants to do his best to graduate college.”

“Isn't that all of us?” Changkyun questions.

“Well, duh,” Jooheon munches through his words. “I'm just telling you what he told me.”

“Uh-huh and what is it that you needed to talk to me about?” Changkyun folds his arms even though Jooheon can't see it. “To tell me how much of a good boy Minhyuk is?”

“Just bored.”

Changkyun shakes his head and pulls away from the phone again. He's trying not to laugh but their conversation isn't really going anywhere. Is this all we're going to talk about? Useless topics. 

“You better get your homework done because I'm not giving you the answers,” Changkyun warns. 

“I got most of it done,” Jooheon says.

“Most of it being…?” 

“A page.”

“Of course you did,” Changkyun shakes his head. This boy, he swears. Changkyun might have to get on Jooheon’s ass again.

“Oh, crap,” Jooheon says before there's a rustle on the phone and then a drop. It's silent before Jooheon speaks into the landline again. “Mom is coming so I better start my homework. If I stay on this for too long she'll have my ass on a plate.” 

“Just when I was going to scold you too, how fitting,” Changkyun laughs.

“Shut it, wise guy.”

The phone disconnects and Changkyun places the phone back on the switch hook. It was a nice talk (if it was even one) despite it being short but Changkyun feels a little more refreshed than before. He heads over to the living room and the television is still playing, unsure what the program is but isn't interested enough to pick up the TV Guide. 

He takes a look outside and the sky is darker than before but there's enough light thanks to the sunset. A little stroll around the block won't hurt before the fog starts to hit. It wouldn't take too long and it would be enough time to kill. Changkyun grabs a cardigan and a coat to layer against the cold. He zips up his jacket and takes his keys with him, leaving through the front door and immediately feels the chill rush through his body. Changkyun violently shivers, shoving his hands in his pockets. It's so cold he doesn't even want to lock the front door.

The perks of where he lives is that people can freely leave their doors unlocked without a problem. There's never anything bad happening but for Changkyun, there's no such thing as ‘no danger'. As a precaution, Changkyun decides to play it safe and muster up the courage to take out his hand into the freezing cold to lock his doors. Just because this is a small town doesn't mean anything. Now that he’s living alone for a few months, Changkyun finds it fit to lock his doors considering the town has possibly caught wind of his parents being out of town to see his sick grandmother. 

Changkyun fumbles in locking the door and sniffles. His nose starts to burn as he walks down his driveway and onto the sidewalk, wiping it with his sweater paw. He pauses, desperately checking his pockets if he has any mittens despite only being just steps away from his house. When Changkyun reaches the inside pocket, a fuzzy warmth brushes against his fingertips and pulls out his mittens like he's discovered gold. Jackpot! Changkyun giddily smiles as it takes a record time to put them on. He always cursed at himself whenever he would forget them in a certain jacket. Changkyun would end up wearing a different jacket and when his hands would get cold, he was shit out of luck. 

Very few cars drive down the side street. The pleasing sounds of tires driving gives a nice white noise. The lack of streetlights makes Changkyun rely more on the very minimal light from the sunset more than anything. A mixture of purple and peach clouds that float above the bright orange sun with a gradient of red. The faraway trees are silhouetted which is a striking contrast against the flush colors. It’s a sight seen out of a magazine, so picture worthy. Changkyun silently prays that when he makes it back home it won't be completely dark. And Changkyun likes the night. There's something about the cool air that even though it's freezing, there's a small ounce of appreciation. And still, a chill runs down Changkyun’s spine and he shivers in his coat. 

Changkyun continues down the sidewalk, looking at the different houses that feel so familiar but also questions himself if a particular house was there before; maybe it's been remodeled. Many houses have begun decorating for Halloween as if Thanksgiving wasn't important (to Changkyun it's not but he digresses) as cheap painted skulls hang from the roof. There's plastic gravestones on a handful of the lawns and there's the fake body part strewing about here and there. 

Even though the decorations visibly look fake, the atmosphere of the night surrounds Changkyun with anxiety. He retracts his previous statement about liking the night. While it is true, Changkyun doesn't like being in the night. Some days are better than others but as his senses go on fight mode, he's cautious about everything and anything around him. A howl of wind is heard and Changkyun whips his head to look behind him. He exhales and watches his hot breath mix with the cold air as a white cloud exits his mouth. 

Up on the horizon, the sun slowly disappears and the peach color from the sky has exchanged with a pale yellow as the purple morphs into a dark blue. The clouds grow darker and it’s like the colorful fluff from before has been forgotten. As the sky starts to transform into night, the temperature drops a few degrees as Changkyun shoves his hands into his pockets for comfort. The mittens can only keep him warm to a certain extent. He licks his cold, chapped feeling lips and looks over his shoulder once again and a car passes by him. Three, Changkyun mentally counts. Only three cars have driven on this side of the street and even with the houses nearby, Changkyun feels so far away.

Turning the block, Changkyun looks behind him as his suspicions start to double. It's odd to say the least. And it's normal for him to check his surroundings, he's always done so but tonight doesn't seem right. There's a weird vibe in the air, one that makes Changkyun wonder if there's something going on in town to make him feel this way. He wants to blame the cheap Halloween decorations but he knows that's not the reason with how corny they look; he's lying to himself to comfort his worries. 

Changkyun stares ahead to only be met with the empty sidewalk and his breath. I'm just overreacting, Changkyun reassures himself. It’s common to feel like you’re not alone; a trick of the mind that will fabricate anything and amplify even the tiniest of sounds. But even if there’s no sound at all, there’s a hint of something lurking in the small town. As if right on que, there’s a rustle of a bush and Changkyun whips to turn his head at the noise. A deer goes stotting across the street and hides behind another house in likey search for food. 

The loud thumping in Changkyun’s heart runs rapidly. He curses at himself for being so paranoid in a town he’s lived practically all his life in. There should be no reason for him to feel scared on streets he has walked on before.There’s something in the air that’s indescribable and it runs another shiver down Changkyun’s spine; and it’s not the cold. Keep walking. His mind swirls and he should just turn around and forget walking in the night but he’s already outside. And what is he going to run away from? The deer? 

But walking back doesn’t seem like it will be happening as someone decides to join Changkyun on his walk. There’s a dragging sound similar to feet shuffling against the concrete. It’s heavy and slow and it doesn’t speed up or charge at Changkyun. The way the noise arrived was almost too silent; it’s like whatever that's lurking behind him just floated on the ground. He shivers again from the fright and cold, his shoulder sliding up to his ears. Changkyun can’t tell if the person behind him is taking a nightly stroll just like him or if it's something malicious. He doesn't want to find out. 

Changkyun turns another corner and he's on his third block with just a half more to go. He peeks ahead to check the distance. The relaxed pace of the steps behind him makes him uneasy, feeling his stomach drop and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Changkyun gulps, loud enough for him to hear but he worries that the person behind him can sense his fear. That heavy feeling of foreboding from hours before washes over him. It feels so sickening that Changkyun doesn't want to be outside anymore. His breath comes out heavy, almost like it's needing air to his lungs and he fears the worst is to come.

And then the footsteps stop. Changkyun can now only hear his own. 

Without looking back, Changkyun sprints. He doesn't care if he hasn't made it halfway with this current corner, he's sprinting, and fast. Any second he expects to hear more footsteps behind him, to charge at him. There's nothing but Changkyun’s loud footsteps and heavy breathing echoing through the dark streets. His lungs burn and he turns the last, needed corner. He can feel eyes staring down at him like he's being hunted through the trees and bushes and he picks up the pace a little. 

Puffs of Changkyun’s breath slices the cold air, his legs feeling like jelly. He reaches into his pocket, fishing for his keys like his life depends on it and it does. Between life and possible death, Changkyun doesn't want to take any chances. His mittens slip against the metal, making it hard to grip his keys. In case of an attack, Changkyun tightly places the key between his index and middle finger for self-defense. And with the house in front of him, Changkyun plunges the key inside the keyhole, turning it in a panic. 

Changkyun swings the door wide open before slamming it shut, causing the wall to slightly shake. He locks the door and slumps against it as his lungs and throat are on fire. It's dry and burning. Changkyun bends over and feels like he might throw up and the blood is rushing to his head too fast. Besides his heavy breathing, everything in his house is quiet. There's no banging on the door and there's no footsteps or anyone lurking on his driveway; nothing. 

The relaxing walk that Changkyun anticipated took a one-eighty turn and it's something that has never happened before. For many years, Changkyun would walk to school alone, travel the streets at night alone and even play outside without worrying about anyone attacking him. Even when Changkyun was five, he would walk and roam alone with Jooheon and Minhyuk. So what the fuck was that…? Changkyun gulps, his worst fears coming into his head. 

A warning needs to be told; something is on the streets. Changkyun makes it to the landline, dialing Jooheon’s house number and waits for the first few rings to pass. Jooheon shouldn't be asleep at this time as he's probably still avoiding his assignments but it's the weekend anyways. 

“Hello? Changkyun?” Jooheon’s questioning voice can be heard.

“Jooheon! Something weird has happened!” Changkyun hollers, hearing how loud his voice is and tones it down a little. “After we hung up, I took a walk and something was following me, Jooheon. I’ve b]never experienced anything like this before and I'm so fucking scared right now.”

“What?” Jooheon says. “You were being followed? Did you call the police?”

“The person behind me didn't follow me all the way home like they stopped,” Changkyun retells. “I don't know what to do. I don't feel safe here in my house. What if they break in?” He looks over his shoulder to peek out the window. It's completely dark outside except for the neighbors faint yellow porch light. “I've locked the doors but I don't have anything of value. I'm all alone and my parents-—”

“Changkyun, take a deep breath,” Jooheon interrupts.

Changkyun takes a shaky exhale, his hands trembling as they pull on the phone cord. The thought of there being potential danger lurking around makes Changkyun wonder if this small town is turning for the worse. He tries to steady his breathing, shutting his eyes and holding himself upright against the wall. 

“Okay, did they see you go inside your house?” Jooheon asks.

“No. No they didn't.”

“How many minutes have passed since then?”

“About ten maybe?”

“Is there anyone outside walking the streets?”

“Not that I saw,” Changkyun bites his lip and looks towards the window again. Nothing. 

Jooheon hums. “I think you're fine. You should probably just get some rest.”

“You think so…?” Changkyun wearily asks. “What if they come back at night?”

“But you said they didn't see you go inside your house,” Jooheon replies. “If they don't know where you live you should be fine. You're a light sleeper so if you hear something at night just give my house phone another call. I'll inform my mom about it.”

“Alright, thanks Jooheon,” Changkyun frowns, his worries lingering in the very pits of his stomach. 

“No problem, see ya ma man.”

The phone hangs up with a soft click and Changkyun stands in place, hearing the receiver ring. He appreciates Jooheon’s reassurance but there's a fear that sticks with Changkyun. The thought of someone waiting for the right time to strike is scary. Maybe it is paranoia. Changkyun wouldn't be surprised if he's blowing it out of proportion. But the energy doesn't feel right. 

There's no way Changkyun can continue studying as his brain is running too fast to think straight. His head throbs and a sleepy weight ushers Changkyun to go to bed. Changkyun goes to shut the curtains to the window and leaves the television on, walking up the stairs. There shouldn't be any noise in case a person does break in but Changkyun can't find himself sleeping in complete silence; not when his mind could wander to a dark place. 

As the bed comes into view, Changkyun doesn't bother changing out of his street clothes. He falls onto the mattress and pulls the blankets over himself. His eyes force themselves shut until there's nothing but darkness. Go to bed. Go to bed. It's a repetitive spell that doesn't work in Changkyun’s favor. His jeans feel uncomfortably tight and the denim itches his skin. He quickly sheds the pants and throws him onto the floor. Changkyun doesn't bother getting up to put on pants, huddling under the blankets. He forces his eyes shut once again. 

Changkyun sits at his common hang out with Minhyuk and Jooheon: the fast food joint. His house wasn't broken into and all the windows were intact. Nothing inside was taken and Changkyun woke up with relief and a lack of sleep. He rubs his eyes, yawning wide and big as he waits for Minhyuk to bring their usual. Every time they would come here they switch who orders but not this time. Jooheon offers to stay at the table and Changkyun finds it hard to feel energetic. What happened last night shouldn’t tamper his mood but it’s hard to not let it affect you. 

“You look like you're in one whole piece,” Jooheon comments. He shakes his head and chuckles. “You gave me quite the scare last night. My mom was going to call the police for you too.”

“She was?” Changkyun gapes. 

Jooheon nods. It makes sense considering there's not a lot of crime that puts people on edge and Changkyun feels bad for making someone worry about his situation. “Gee, I apologize. I was just very spooked out and—”

“Hey, hey, did you hear about the person who got attacked last night? A prostitute.” 

A brunette girl from another table whispers amongst her group of friends and Changkyun’s blood runs cold. His heart slows down and fears it has completely stopped. He raises a hand to check his pulse to see if he’s actually alive to hear this before looking at Jooheon who captures his gaze, mirroring Changkyun’s shock. 

“Oh my God, I haven't, are they okay?” One of the friends asks, her gum smacking in between words.

“Unfortunately they died,” The brunette whispers. “They said her throat was cut open and her head was almost detached from the body. Police say they think she could have been attacked by an animal but they're still gathering evidence.”

Changkyun gulps. He stares at the table before him and his body goes into a state of shock. His jaw goes slack and Changkyun doesn't feel himself blink. I could have died… The thought of being minutes away from death itself makes Changkyun wonder if he's lucky to be alive or if it's the guilty conscience that someone else has died; a survivor's guilt.

It's like the events and fear from the day before are coming back. Changkyun starts shaking, his leg bounces under the table. He doesn't know what to do. Something inside is wanting to take action but how? What can be solved? Changkyun shouldn't dig for information as that will only make himself feel worse.

“Our usual order with the usual gang of peop--” Minhyuk announces and stops himself, his bright, dazzling smile vanishing. “Changkyun, is everything okay? Why are you crying?” 

“Wha…” Changkyun gapes and then hiccups.

He touches his face, his fingertips getting wet. Changkyun gasps and quickly wipes at face until Minhyuk drops the tray on the table, rushing to cup Changkyun’s face. His rough fingers wipe away at Changkyun’s tears and Minhyuk gazes into his eyes. With being so close to Minhyuk, Changkyun can see his eyes better through the aviators. 

“Oh no, Changkyun, what's wrong?” Minhyuk voices a concern, his voice is smooth and soft. It's such a contrast amongst the loud chatter of the fast food joint. 

Changkyun tells all to Minhyuk; from the time he left his house to calling Jooheon, Changkyun spills his fears and worries. The guilt that has found its way into his brain and the fact that danger is present, the sobs grow. Jooheon stands from his seat and rubs at Changkyun’s back. Onlookers at the scene and glance around the room like it's causing a huge disturbance as they eat. 

Minhyuk takes their drinks and pushes them into Jooheon’s hands. He grabs their burgers and ushers Changkyun outside, away from all the chatter and curious stares. Walking down the street, Changkyun can't seem to feel safe even in the broad daylight. 

Sounds of the television from the living room can be faintly heard in Changkyun’s room. He hasn't been able to think straight ever since his breakdown and gingerly takes sips of his watered down soda. No matter how much Minhyuk and Jooheon wanted to stay, Changkyun needed some time to sort out his thoughts. He made it clear to them that he didn't want a distraction and that the arcade would only force him to be happy; and there's no fun in that. Spending the whole day inside his house like a hermit crab wasn't the most exciting thing but, being outside wasn't something that Changkyun didn't have the energy for. 

A sigh exits Changkyun as he stuffs the rest of his books into his bag, setting it aside for tomorrow. There's no way he could study tonight considering his burger is sitting on the desk soggy and cold. If Changkyun couldn't find the energy to eat or hang out, then he wouldn't have the energy to study. It was as simple as that. 

Being alone in the house felt a little calmer tonight and Changkyun’s amount of fear from before has subsided. He looks at the clock, reading 10:45 PM and contemplates if he should at least do something productive. Spending the whole day napping, watching television and nervously eating snacks wasn't something that Changkyun felt too proud of doing. Changkyun could get in some homework but he's already decided how bad of an idea it is. 

Changkyun stands, takes off his shirt and throws it in the hamper to grab a new one from his closet. When he closes the closet door, the mirror captures a figure; a woman to be more specific. Changkyun’s eyes widen and he turns around to get a better look at her from his window. She flaunts a silky night gown that hugs at her pretty curves, short enough to stop just around her thighs. The woman is pretty with beautiful blonde-like hair and her eyes have such a pretty green color like emeralds. 

Their houses are so close that if Changkyun were to close the curtains then she'd see him. And either way, he's spotted anyway. Changkyun gulps as their eyes lock but he doesn't look away. His throat begins to dry and tighten with his gaze so fixated on the woman. He shouldn't be looking at the new neighbor like this, especially since there hasn't been any formal meeting. And being caught like this red handed, Changkyun can predict some awkward chemistry between him and the neighbors after this. He's screwed up. Big. 

Changkyun blinks, gawking like a horny teenager who hasn't seen a naked woman before (He has; mind you). Maybe it's because he's never seen one in person. But trying to justify it won't make any difference; he still looks at the porno magazines hiding under his desk. 

And then there’s movement next to the woman. A hand comes into view, showing Changkyun that she's not alone and out comes a man. Fuck, fuck fuck, this is really bad. The man hands caresses her arms, sliding down and then back up again. The motion makes Changkyun stare more and he's attracted to the scene like a bee is to a flower. He can't help but stare. The woman's hand comes up to pull at the strings of her night gown that falls to the floor.

Changkyun looks away. At least, he tries to anyway. His eyes gravitate back to the pair and the woman is more exposed than before, only left in a black lace bra and underwear set. With a skillful hand and in less than a second, the man unhooks the woman's bra and the garment falls from her body. Changkyun tries not to make a sound, worry bubbling inside of him as his eyes travel from the woman's face to her collarbones, soft and delicate with the small illuminating light. Her breasts are natural, not pushed up from the bra she had on and resembles a Greek Goddess, so elegant and breathtaking. 

No. This isn't right. This totally isn't right. Changkyun needs to leave. He needs to shut his curtains or crawl out of his room, something needs to be done. 

The man runs his fingers through her hair, shining under the dim light. He kisses her neck as his sharp nose brushes against her skin. The woman arches neck and the eyes that have been staring at Changkyun flutter shut. The small kisses stop as the man sucks at her neck and Changkyun can see her mouth open but he doesn't hear a sound; it's probably better that way. When the man opens his mouth, Changkyun’s blood runs cold. 

The man has fangs. 

Changkyun blinks once, twice and thrice. His jaw drops and fear crawls up his spine and goes into his head. The man's sharp fangs are so distinctive compared to his other teeth. Changkyun wants to believe it's a prank. There's no way that any of this is real, it can't be; it shouldn't be real. Changkyun can't help but shiver, his breath coming out in a low shakey whimper of sorts; a frightened and weak call for help. 

And the man (somehow) hears it because he stops to look at Changkyun, his eyes glowing red. Changkyun’s mouth moves like he's about to say something  or scream except he's in utter and complete shock. With eyes red as blood, glowing so vibrantly like a predator in the woods, it's clear that this is not a prank. The man stares, emotionless as the color of his eyes drain to his normal color just in time for the woman to look up at him. And Changkyun can feel the hatred that's thrown his way from the man. 

Fuck this. 

And at this moment, Changkyun isn't afraid to move, crawling away from the scene as the man comes closer to the window. He gives one last look of frustration towards Changkyun before shutting the curtains to the window. Changkyun stands up, feet scrambling and unable to stand correctly. Even though the neighbors curtains are shut, Changkyun moves quickly to shut his own for safety measure. A piece of thin cloth isn't going to save him if he were to die but Changkyun doesn't want to even look next door anymore. 

Changkyun sprints down the stairs, no longer wanting to be in his room any longer. Halfway down the stairs, a bloodcurdling scream cuts through the dead of night and Changkyun stops from running. His head whips around to stare at the top of his stairs and at his bedroom. And then it's silent. It's so silent that Changkyun can hear himself pant and wheeze from how fast he broke into a sprint. Just like before, the night is quiet, dead. Another scream breaks and Changkyun continues to run down the stairs.  

With fear and adrenaline being the only thing that makes Changkyun move his feet, he makes it to his front door. He turns the handle, the lock in place clicking to signal that it can't be opened. It's what stops him from making a bad decision. Changkyun’s brain doesn't know what it's doing and reality hits as he backs away from the front door. If he ran outside, he would have made himself a huge target. Out in the open, there's no doubt that it could have been the last day for him. Changkyun shudders. 

As Changkyun’s head begins to clear, he walks to the couch and sits. He switches on the television in hopes to make his thoughts less lonely. There's no other needed explanation for what he had just witnessed. From the books to the television and countless stories of those who believe, Changkyun has seen a vampire. He scoffs at himself but what else would it have been? 

Vampires aren't supposed to be real, all of the mythical creatures like mermaids and leprechauns and garden gnomes that come out to kill you shouldn't be real. Everything is to be taken with a grain of salt, built upon the opinion of if you believe it or not. No information is ever given about certain topics as it's all left up to interpretation. And now, Changkyun is presented with a situation that he has to decide on if it's fiction or not. The evidence is clear as day but, how can he fully believe what he just saw when tall tales have always told him they were fake? 

The sound of thunder makes Changkyun jump, holding his temple with a groan and his heart thumps. It's coming from the television. Changkyun frowns when salt is rubbed into his wounds as it's a black a white show about vampires and how to kill them. The sounds of cliché screams and evil laughter fills the room like a cruel mockery. Taking the remote, Changkyun turns the channel to a workout infomercial. It'll do for now. 

If the dead were alive, Changkyun would be the poster photo for it. He yawns, eyes fighting to try and stay open. His neck aches from passing out on his couch like his head was too heavy for his body. Changkyun didn't get as much sleep as he would have liked and splashing water didn't help in covering up the bags under his eyes. He takes a sip of coffee that's been freshly brewed to perfection, inhaling the bittersweet aroma. It warms his core, spreading through him like an antidote. 

Taking another sip, Changkyun contemplates if he should tell Minhyuk and Jooheon what he witnessed. He would be viewed as crazy but there's also no reason for him to make things up about the neighbors. It's not an excuse to ignore the neighbors and maybe Changkyun should just forget about last night. To pretend it's his mind playing tricks and staying up late too many times; it happens a lot. But those screams… Changkyun chews his lips which are inches away from taking another sip of coffee. Those screams couldn't have been faked. 

There's no way of telling what the truth may be behind those screams. In the back of Changkyun’s mind, he wants to believe the woman tripped down the stairs or accidentally hurt herself and isn't in immediate danger. But every time he reflects about what he saw, he can't throw away the image of those glowing red eyes and sharp fangs. Without a doubt, Changkyun knows it's a vampire; there's countless shows about them late at night. And it wasn't in black and white, he knew what he saw in full color. 

Changkyun’s skin crawls at the memory, unsure how to continue his day knowing there's a fucking vampire next door to him. The way they locked eyes told Changkyun that he's already not very liked by neighbors and they haven't even said anything to one another. This is bad. This is really, really bad. There's a knock at the door and Changkyun’s posture straightens, his shoulders tense up and he gulps. His eyes gravitate towards the front door and the grip around his coffee mug tightens. 

Hesitantly, Changkyun takes a few small steps to get a peek at who could be on the other side. He fears it's the neighbor wanting to “chat” about last night and Changkyun doesn't want to have that talk right now (well, he never wants to have that talk). Stopping at the front door, there's another knock and it's louder than the previous one. Changkyun jumps, letting out a barely audible whimper of weakness. 

Changkyun reaches for the doorknob and retracts his hand quickly. Wait… vampires have to be let in, right? Is it safe…? 

Shutting his eyes, Changkyun braves and unlocks the door, swinging it open.

“Hey! You're up! Get any sleep?”

The voice belongs to Minhyuk and Changkyun confirms as he opens his eyes. Minhyuk’s bubble gum pops loudly and he adjusts his aviators. Jooheon is right beside him and both their smiles are wiped off their faces.

“Ow…” Jooheon winces. “On second thought, you don't look that good. Guess you didn't get any sleep?”

Rude ass. Changkyun rolls his eyes and wordlessly steps aside to let them in. And they're right: Changkyun hasn't gotten much sleep. He's been so drained the past two days it's starting to really affect his mental well-being. And if it continues, Changkyun can become dead meat or a hermit; two things he does not want to happen. 

“It's so gloomy,” Minhyuk says, taking off his shoes at the door but never takes off those precious aviators. “Everything okay? Is the incident still bothering you?”

“Not exactly, well…” Changkyun tries, folding his arms over his chest in a way to protect himself. He feels so small and so lost he doesn't know what to say. 

“Did someone try breaking in?” Jooheon asks as he emerges from the kitchen.

“Did you accidentally watch the news about the incident?” Minhyuk pitches a reason.

“It's about the neighbors,” Changkyun vaguely answers. 

Minhyuk and Jooheon pause to stare at each other and back at Changkyun. There's a silence that doesn't need to be spoken because it's clear that they want more information. But how does Changkyun say this without making it seem like it's a joke? That's not an easy thing to do. Changkyun knows for a fact that Minhyuk and Jooheon won't believe him (and that's fine; somewhat) but Changkyun knows what he saw and heard. Even if it's hard to believe, Changkyun can't get the thought out of his mind unless valid evidence changes his mind. 

What can be considered to be either a blessing or a bad omen, the television blares as breaking news flashes on the screen. Changkyun can feel the shiver already run down his spine. He knows what this segment is going to be about, there's no doubt about it. It's a haunting reality that what Changkyun saw last night was not just an elaborate fabrication. The picture of the woman that Changkyun saw last night could be seen smiling near the newscaster's head. 

She's dead… 

She wasn't the neighbor at all. The woman Changkyun saw less than twenty-four hours ago has been found and is no longer on this earth. It's a sickening reminder of last night and Changkyun feels nauseous. He moves fast to turn off the television and sit on the couch with his head cradling in his hands. No, no, no. This isn't real. Changkyun repeats the usual in-denial- comfort words to himself except they don't work this time. All the times that Changkyun has been denying the truth seems to backfire; something worse seems to happen next. 

Changkyun can feel his chest tighten and twist and his head spin. His mouth waters like he's going to throw up and Minhyuk sits by his side. “Changkyun, you have to tell us what's wrong so we can help you. You're clearly not okay and if there's anything we can do to—”

“The neighbor,” Changkyun blurts out. “He's the one who was with that girl last.”

The room grows silent. It's to be expected. 

“The girl on television,” Jooheon chuckles in shock. His tone of voice clearly shows how baffled he is. “You're not saying the neighbor is the one who killed her…?” 

“Yes I am saying that, Jooheon!” Changkyun screams. He stands up and briskly walks to the phone. “There's no fucking way I would joke about shit like this. I'm calling the police.”

“What?!” Minhyuk stands up. “Changkyun! Have you gone and lost your marbles?” 

“The neighbors just moved in too. Why would they have a reason to do something like this?” Jooheon argues. 

Minhyuk huffs, taking off his sunglasses to wipe at his forehead. “I think you're watching to many horror films or you've been staying up to late or maybe—”

“Are you calling me a liar?” Changkyun asks. He looks at Minhyuk and Jooheon with eyes burning their faces as he challenges them. “Are you saying you doubt what I saw? Were you the ones who heard those blood curdling screams? Did you see what I saw? Did you?”

Minhyuk stares, unable to say a word in response and Jooheon bites his tongue. Their lack of response really makes Changkyun question his sanity and decision. He wonders if calling the police is the smartest thing to do but who else can he turn to. But he also knows it's what he should do best. The conflict stays with Changkyun until his finger finally hits the call button. 

The line rings and Changkyun tugs at the phone cord to ease his growing nerves. He can feel the judgment hanging over him but this is for the best. Changkyun might be seen as crazy but he'd rather be seen as that than keep what he knows hidden. The operator says their usual question whenever they pick up and Changkyun doesn't hesitate to talk about the neighbor and where they live. With it being a new and open case, Changkyun is told that dispatch will be on their way very soon. He hangs up the phone and turns around to those same criticizing eyes on him.

Changkyun averts his eyes, moving to a different part of the room. He grabs his shoes and starts to put them on. 

“Where are you going?” Jooheon speaks up. 

“I'm going outside to watch,” Changkyun says. He pulls his jacket over himself and opens the door, walking out to the drive away. 

The wind hits cold against Changkyun’s cheek and he winces, digging into his pockets for his mittens. There, not too far is the man from the window outside in the moving truck. Changkyun takes the time to get a better look of him now that it's daylight. Wait… daylight…? Changkyun blinks as he realizes this man who was a vampire last night is walking around in the daylight. What the fuck? Maybe Changkyun has his vampire lore wrong but aren't they supposed to burn under the sunlight? What is his neighbor doing moving boxes with only a sheet of sweat on his forehead?

Changkyun watches his neighbor carry the box over to his front porch, setting it down at his door. When the man turns around, his gaze double takes towards Changkyun and he stops at the top of the porch steps. The man doesn't wave, doesn't smile and just engages in this staring contest with Changkyun. It's as if there's a silent agreement that what happened last is very much not forgotten. And in that moment, a police cruiser pulls up. The man's face drops in both shock and fuming. He licks his lips, chews and throws a disdainful look at Changkyun. 

The police officer walks up to the man and Changkyun is too far to the conversation. Rats. This isn't going as he had planned. Changkyun clicks his tongue and his eyes turn away from the scene as Minhyuk and Jooheon make their way outside. They pause as they look over to the neighbors house. 

“Changkyun,” Minhyuk hisses just above a whisper. “What are you going to do if he's not the one? Stand here and look like a dufus”

“I know what I saw, Minhyuk,” Changkyun argues. He just can't say all of it but, if the last sighting was at the neighbor's house then that should give cops a clue of sorts. 

“God, this is such a bad idea,” Jooheon whines.

“If you guys are going to complain about my actions then you're free to leave,” Changkyun ends the conversation and turns back to watch the neighbor talk with the police.

And from the looks of it, things don't seem to look all that well. The police officer laughs and pats the neighbor on the shoulder who laughs in return. The man's arm moves as if to show his yard or the space around him and Changkyun watches in assumption. Changkyun clicks his tongue again; he's lost track of how many times he's done that. There must not be any concrete evidence to suspect the new person in town and Changkyun curses at himself. He knows he's fucked up when the police officer leaves the front porch to go back to his cruiser. 

Changkyun scowls and it leaves a funny taste in his mouth. A heavy weight falls on Changkyun, a burn that's hitting the side of his head and he turns to the neighbors front porch. The man is staring at him again with eyes that bore into his soul. When the police cruiser leaves, Changkyun tries his best to dip. 

“Hey, you three,” The man calls out. 

All three of them turn their heads like meerkats. Changkyun stands still and tucks his lips in. Shit. 

“Especially you in the green jacket,” The man points at Changkyun. “Are you guys playing a prank?” The man says with a wry smile. He crosses his arms and leans against the front porch post. “Not a very nice welcome if you ask me. What was that all about?”

The man’s eyes lock straight with Changkyun’s as they never turn away from one another. Changkyun gulps and he's frozen in place. He's sharp. He definitely remembers… There's no need to deny it as it's clear as day the man knows why the police were called. And only Minhyuk and Jooheon know part of the story from last night. If Changkyun were to say he saw the man with glowing red eyes and fangs, the police wouldn't even be called on the neighbor at all; they would come for Changkyun. 

Another man (buffer than buff) comes out to yank at the suspected vampire’s neck, pulling him in a (almost playful) choke hold. His messy black hair sticks up in all directions. “Come on, Kihyun, don't be so harsh on them. They're kids. Kids will be kids.”

“I hardly would call being a college student a kid…” Jooheon opens his mouth. It's a comment that should have been left in his head. 

“And you would think that someone your age wouldn't be pulling any pranks like the one you just did,” Kihyun counters. “I hope you realize what you three have done wasn't very cool. Whose idea was it to call the police?”

“It was me,” Changkyun confesses. Screw it. Guess I'm dying tonight. 

Kihyun’s eyes widen slightly and wears a crooked smile. “Didn't expect such a quick confession. So tell me, what is it that you really saw? Too many horror movies got stuck in your head.”

Changkyun glowers at Kihyun’s mockery. Rather than being frightened, there's a surge of anger flowing through him. Does this man think he can get away talking like this because he's new to town? 

“You know what? Fuck. You. Dude.” Changkyun curses and points his finger at Kihyun as he emphasizes each word. 

“Excuse me?” Kihyun furrows and moves like he's about to fight. 

“Changkyun!” Minhyuk gapes. 

“Kihyun, come on, drop it,” The buff man huffs and pulls on Kihyun's arm. The buff man shakes his head before lifting two boxes with ease and goes back inside the house. 

Kihyun can be seen biting the side of his cheek before turning away into the house. Changkyun throws the middle finger at him before stomping away with a huff, passing by Minhyuk and Jooheon without paring them a glance nor a word. Fuck this shit. Changkyun curses at the fact that nothing was done; not even a look inside the place for possible fingerprints. He's not a cop but he believes if there's a tip sent in, you would think someone would do even part of their job. 

Changkyun is beyond furious now. For the neighbor, Kihyun or whatever the fuck is his name, to mock at the situation. For Changkyun just to be seen as the boy who cried wolf as if this isn't a serious issue. What doesn't click is why would this be a situation for someone to lie? Only a crazy nut would pull a trick like that. So what can he do now? Wait until another victim appears on the news; Changkyun won't let it happen again. He needs to stop this somehow. It's a dangerous move but he knows it's something he has to do before he dies. 

Minhyuk calls out to him and Changkyun plops himself on his couch. He wishes he was twenty-one right now so he could drink. His parents have a liquor cabinet but if they find out he's been in it then there's going to be some problems. Changkyun groans, turning the television station to The Golden Girls. He reaches for the TV Guide to see what's next and Minhyuk blocks his view of the television.

“Changkyun, was that really necessary?” Minhyuk complains.

“How many times do you need to ask me that?” Changkyun rolls his eyes. “Do you expect me to change my answer after you berate me?”

“I just want to know what it is you saw,” Minhyuk says. 

“Just drop it,” Changkyun shakes his head. He goes back to reading the TV Guide despite not needing any more information out of it. There's no use in trying to convince his friends that he has seen a vampire. If they won't believe that his neighbor was seen with the victim then why bother wasting any more of his breath. “Clearly it seems like he's not a suspect so just leave me be. I don't want to talk about it anymore.” 

“Changkyun,” Minhyuk heavily sighs. “It's barely even fucking noon and you want to just rot away on your couch all because calling the cops didn't work.”

“You would do the same if you were in my place, Minhyuk,” Changkyun snaps back.

“Listen for just one fucking second—” Minhyuk snaps.

“Guys, guys, chill,” Jooheon jumps in. He holds a hand up to Minhyuk’s chest. “Let's not fight, please. These past two days have been rough on all of us and it's not going to do us any good if we continue to argue.”

Nobody says a word to what Jooheon says. He's not wrong but Changkyun feels like all of his energy has left his body just like his soul. 

“I didn't mean to bring the mood down but…” Changkyun halts. “I'm at a loss. This whole thing is stressing me the fuck out and I can't take it anymore,” He rambles, lips freely moving in hopes to take off some of the pressure he is carrying. “I know what I saw but to know there's nothing else I can do hurts. And—” Changkyun bites his lip to hold back his tears. The fact that Kihyun had the audacity to challenge me.

Minhyuk takes a seat beside Changkyun, draping an arm over his shoulder. He pulls Changkyun to his chest and lightly squeezes his shoulder. It's a yearning for comfort that Changkyun wishes he had from the start. 

“I'm so fucking sad and angry like—” Changkyun chokes back a sob. “What will it take for people to believe me?”

“I think you need a break,” Minhyuk offers. “Why don't you sleep over at my place tonight and we can have Jooheon tag along with us,” His eyes that are rarely seen speak of earnestness and trust. They look at Changkyun the same as a loving mother would look at her child. Minhyuk continues. “I think this house isn't the best choice for you to study and get your mind back on track.”

“I would like that, yeah…” Changkyun feebly agrees. 

“I'm sure if you explain to my mom your situation she'll let you come over,” Minhyuk smiles. “We just can't break anything and we have to finish our work.”

“That last time was pretty bad,” Jooheon nods. “I didn't expect Changkyun’s ass to knock it down. My fault.”

“Not going to lie but I do feel pretty destructive again,” Changkyun chuckles. It's been so long since he's let out a laugh that it's almost foreign. “I need to get out of this hell hole of a house. I want to go shoot things. I'm up for any arcade games if the offer from Friday still stands.”

“Arcade?!” Jooheon chirps in excitement like he's about to jump out of his skin. “Finally!! I love you so much you don't even know, Changkyun.”

The mood in the room immediately shifts as Jooheon’s ecstatic banshee screams are through the roof. 

Minhyuk quirks up an eyebrow. The smile that tugs at his lips is a question one as he stares at Jooheon. “That's a pretty big reaction. If you wanted to go so bad, why did you have to wait for us to say something? We wouldn't be mad if you went alone.”

“But then I'll have nobody's ass to kick,” Jooheon whines, pouting his lips. 

“Go kick a stranger's ass,” Changkyun rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Jooheon dismisses. “Now chop, chop, gang,” Jooheon ushers, grabbing Changkyun by his hand. “We have places to be.”

Being out of the house and in a new environment is like a blessing. Most of Changkyun’s worries have been pushed far away and left behind as he's able to get his studies done. He spends the next three days at Minhyuk’s place and Jooheon stops by for the last two days as he stayed for one. It was a good idea considering Changkyun cursed out the neighbor and he wasn't ready for another altercation if one came up. 

Minhyuk even forbade watching television in case breaking news would interrupt Magnum P.I. and cause more stress on Changkyun. Word around school would still travel but in order to hear it, you would have to be there to listen. And thankfully, Changkyun never passes by any cliques that talk about what's happening in the town. Changkyun can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Finally… This is what it should be like every day. Not having to avoid the neighbors or afraid to even step outside of his own home. 

Well… Changkyun will be doing that when he gets back (he knows it for sure) but at least he got a break. The worst part is that the air between the houses is still strained and there’s no other way to fill that gap except for… 

“Are you going to be okay?” Minhyuk asks, popping the piece of gum in his mouth. “Don't curse out the neighbor again.” 

Changkyun looks up from his deck of cards and searches Minhyuk’s face. There is an answer to this question. It’s one that Changkyun isn’t fond of but it has to be done if he wants to live peacefully. He organizes his deck of cards and exhales. Somehow even on the comfort of the bed, Changkyun shifts and he begins to feel a little itchy. Biting the bullet, Changkyun takes the time to fully gather the thoughts he’s been pondering over for the past few days. 

“Yeah, about that…” Changkyun chews on his lip. He’s been using this time at Minhyuk’s place to think about his actions. “I really hate to say this but I don’t think I’ll be able to relax after the dispute. Do you think you and Jooheon could accompany me in trying to resolve the issue?” 

Changkyun knows how risky this is especially since nobody knows the full story. But if it’s a step to settle things then he’ll take that risk. He watches as Minhyuk’s eyes widen and Changkyun adds more context for his decision. “I mean how else would I go through the day? Neighbors are neighbors and I know I can’t keep trying to hide.”

“Basically, in short, you have no choice,” Minhyuk states, knowing it’s not a question to be asked. 

Changkyun sighs and forces a nod. “I guess you could say that.” 

“I’m proud of you, Changkyun,” Minhyuk says. “This is a step up from cursing them out. I’m glad you’re thinking about this, dude. Just in time too because I was going to kick you out for eating most of my Golden Grahams.”

“Bite me!” Changkyun scoffs and pushes Minhyuk’s shoulder, almost knocking him off the bed. “Do you have any fours?” 

“Go Fish.”

“Rats.” 

Changkyun draws a card and adds it to his deck. It’s not the number he wanted but he does two of a kind of a different one. Not bad. 

“Do you have any three’s?” Minhyuk asks. 

“Oh fuck you,” Changkyun clicks his tongue. Of course it's the card he just drew. He grumbles and surrenders his only matching cards. 

“Aha! Rad,” Minhyuk smirks. He adds the stolen cards to his deck and crosses his legs. “What made you think that was the smartest reason?” 

“Are you wanting me to really confess my sins?” Changkyun frowns. 

“It’s music to the ears, really,” Minhyuk shrugs. “Any fives?” 

“Go Fish,” Changkyun says and watches as Minhyuk draws a card. It’s frustrating to admit his wrongdoing, even if it’s not wrong, but if it will satisfy Minhyuk then so be it. “Like I said, if Kihyun or whatever his Arnold Schwarzenegger twin addressed him as, are going to be my new neighbors, I have no choice,” Changkyun taps the deck of cards on his lips. His eyes focus on the fish swimming around in the small aquarium that sits on Minhyuk’s dresser. How fitting with the game. “There’s no way I can keep jumping obstacles like Mario jumping barrels from Donkey Kong. I just know something is going to happen that will leave me at their doorstep for something.”

“Moving on from the situation seems like the best idea,” Minhyuk agrees with a nod. “You should invite them somewhere in town or give them something that screams the heart of it at least.” 

Changkyun makes a face. “As if I want to spend money on something like that.”

“Then invite them over.”

Changkyun pauses and gulps. “Invite like… to my house?”

“Well they’re not coming here,” Minhyuk chuckles. 

Inviting the neighbors will result in letting in a vampire which is something Changkyun only knows a little about. All the late night shitty horror shows that play don’t interest Changkyun all that much but he knows a few basics. And if his neighbors are vampires, then letting them could be very bad. Unless… Changkyun stares at his deck of cards. His two best friends know he’s called the cops on the neighbors and if something were to happen to Changkyun then the suspect is as clear as day. 

All the suspicions would be answered if things were to take a turn for the wrose. And with this thought, Changkyun doesn’t feel scared of letting his neighbors inside. It would show that not only was he right but he has witnesses. But Changkyun doesn’t want things to turn sour and he would very much like to stay alive. 

“Fuck it,” Changkyun shakes his head. “Let's invite them over. But if anything is to happen to me, you know what to do.”

Minhyuk rolls his eyes. “Nothing is going to happen.”

Changkyun lets out a halfhearted chuckle. Those are always the famous last words. 

Chapter Text

Changkyun chews at the inside of his cheek until there's the metallic taste of blood. Right now, he's face to face with Kihyun's oor, standing on the front porch as Changkyun looks over at his house with a frown. Minhyuk and Jooheon are currently hanging out at Changkyun’s place messing around on his NES. They didn't want to come along, saying some bullshit about how Changkyun needs to grow some balls. Fucking narbos. Why does he have to invite Kihyun and his humongous guard dog over to his house to be buddy-buddy? What's going to happen when things smooth over? Play patty cake on the living room floor? Is Kihyun going to kiss him on the forehead and tuck him into bed? Literally what’s the point of this. 

If Changkyun really wants to play his cards right and not have Kihyun charge him on the front lawn, all Changkyun has to do is smile at him and pretend things are all rainbows and unicorns. But that’s easier said than done. 

After the things Changkyun saw, he doesn’t want to push the wrong buttons and get himself killed and sucked into a bag of limp skin. He’s already not on Kihyun’s good side anyway and just Changkyun’s presence here is most likely not appreciated. The thought makes Changkyun shift uncomfortably and roll his shoulder back. He shifts his weight and cracks his knuckles as he stares at the large door. 

There’s so many ways this could turn bad and all the scenarios run through his mind. And finding solutions for them only turns into dead ends, overthinking until his brain bugs out. He doesn’t have any knowledge about vampires and even if he did, it wouldn’t be enough to save him. 

For one, Kihyun walks in the sunlight. What kind of vampire does that? Aren’t they supposed to catch fire? Changkyun read a few books he found but nothing gave any concrete answers. Flexing his fingers to release any tension and nerves, he lets out a quiet, shaky breath in fear Kihyun can hear it on the other side. If Changkyun dies, he has witnesses. 

He quickly knocks on the door, hiding his hands behind his back and looks at his feet. Let the show begin. In a matter of seconds, the door opens and it's none other than Kihyun because who else. Changkyun straightens up and sucks in his stomach to make himself look taller. Under the bright sky and at close proximity, Changkyun can gather more of Kihyun’s appearance. 

His frame looks a little smaller than Changkyun remembered as his brain pieces together the night of the window incident . Maybe it’s the brown suede jacket that’s hiding the broad shoulders. Taking a closer look, a black turtleneck with a jacket? On a sunny, somewhat hot day? Who dresses like that? Kihyun wore a turtleneck when he was moving boxes into the house. Weirdo. Changkyun knew that but he can’t fully wrap his head around the choice. Then again, people who are head-to-toe in nylon neon jumpsuits exist. Why should he care anyway. 

There’s a faint earthy scent, woodsy with a type of spice. It’s a little strong but it matches the mysterious and domineering aura that Kihyun carries with himself. Changkyun blinks, like his eyes are coming into focus. Kihyun has a slimmer face than what Changkyun saw from afar, a strong sharpness. Under the sunlight, you can actually tell his hair isn’t black or dark brown but a dark gray. Woah… would you look at that. Sharp. He looks a lot different…? Different looking. Maybe it’s the way Kihyun’s hair is styled this time. There’s a lot more hair in his face and there’s a subtle parting, his strong eyebrows slightly visible and turned into a scowl. 

Kihyun’s expression of disinterest doesn't change and he leans against the door frame, crossing his arms. It’s at this time that Changkyun takes note of his height; they’re similar. Now that’s a surprise. If Kihyun wasn’t what he was, Changkyun wouldn’t be so intimidated. Yet, here he is cowering. There’s a small sigh Kihyun lets out before he looks over Changkyun’s surroundings. “Looks like the police aren't here this time, that's unexpected. What do you want, kid?”

Changkyun frowns. Kid? Kid?! An insult tingles on his tongue like pop rocks but the taste is bitter rather than sweet. How is he supposed to act neighborly when Kihyun’s attitude is already sour and making negative assumptions. It puts Changkyun’s on a spotlight, one with a harsher light. Kihyun taps his foot impatiently fixing his sleeves by pulling them towards his wrist. 

A fake wide smile spreads across Changkyun’s face, dimples out as stuntmen only for the effect to seem approachable. “Yeah, you see, I came to apologize about that,” Changkyun forces out. He hates having to do this and act like it's all his fault. “As your new neighbor and with you being new to town, that wasn't very welcoming of me to do. And I shouldn't have called the police and I once again apologize.”

It’s silent, giving Changkyun a heads or tails of what the outcome could be. He turns his head, ear facing Kihyun, expecting at least a positive answer. 

“You're lying,” Kihyun flatly points out.

Errr. “I'm not—”

“Your hands,” Kihyun points out as he ignores Changkyun’s stutters. “They're gripping your pants. You furrowed your brow before plastering that fake smile. Cute dimples but not enough to fool me when I can clearly see you're straining.” 

“That doesn't mean—” 

Changkyun foolishly swallows. Kihyun pouts but there's something odd about it. It's not cute like the ones Jooheon does. It's more like Kihyun faking some kind of emotion. Riding on a bit of sarcasm. “Nervous? You’re staring at me as if I'm going to bite you.”

The sentence is subtle and Changkyun sucks in a breath, swallowing his words. If Changkyun didn’t see that Kihyun was a vampire, he would have totally missed it. The intention of it leaves a tightness in the air. He feels stuck, trapped under Kihyun’s sharp eyes that are equivalent to a body scan. Is this a superpower or what is this exactly? 

“I'm not nervous.” 

“You stood on my porch for about twenty minutes looking over your shoulder before knocking on my door.”

“How did you know how long I was on your porch?” Changkyun bunches his eyebrows together, ducking his head a little. 

“Why do you think, Changkyun?” Kihyun smiles knowingly and it curls wider at the sight of Changkyun flinching at the call of his name. His eyes loom over as he licks the back of his teeth. 

What.

The.

Fuck.

Changkyun stands stiff, eyes shaking as he searches Kihyun's face with horror. It mocks him. That same smile from the other day that mocked Changkyun with what he saw but the only difference this time: Changkyun is afraid. When did he find out his name and how because this is their first actual encounter. Hearing it roll off of Kihyun’s tongue leaves Changkyun feeling sick. Kihyun continues. 

“So, care to tell me, what is it that you saw?” Kihyun tilts his head. 

Changkyun tightens his lips. 

“You seemed very brave the other day,” Kihyun says, his eyes dark and somehow he's taller than Changkyun now, playing him like a puppet with each observation he makes. “Why did you call the police? What got you so mad that you even cursed me out in front of your little friends.” Kihyun's presence is truly terrifying as his expression goes back to being emotionless. 

The words choke Changkyun’s throat like the imaginary hands that Kihyun lays on him, fingers tightly gripping as his throat jumps. It's hard to breathe, chest clogging. Changkyun feels like he's about to cry. He's never felt so intimidated and backed into a corner before in a space so open that he could walk away now. 

Think of something. Quick. 

“I was observing you move your boxes,” Changkyun begins with a white lie. What else is he going to say? ‘Oh, I saw your fangs bite a now dead girl?’ “I saw the moving truck was parked a little in the red.”

“You're very bad at lying, it's almost sad,” Kihyun scoffs. “How do you expect me to believe that? You could have simply told me about it but why did the cop arrive?” 

“Are you saying you weren't moving boxes?” Changkyun challenges. It's not a smart move but lying didn't get him anywhere. 

Kihyun tongues his cheek. “Try again.”

“Try again?” Changkyun tries.

“Kid,” Kihyun, clearly exasperated, licks his lips. “You're what? Seventeen?”

Are you… I'm not a kid?! 

“I'm twenty-one.” Changkyun’s scowl grows. 

Kihyun blinks, tilting his head with a smile of uncertainty. “So you're an adult?” Kihyun eyes Changkyun as if he's told a joke, lighting up maliciously like he’s found a secret. He fixes the fabric on the neck of his turtleneck. “That’s a shock. You don't act like it.” The smirk on his face widens and it’s slappable. 

There’s a special place for people like this, or creatures, who prey on the weak. An abuse of his known power of clearly being older and an evil mythological being who has the upper hand in whatever game he is trying to play. 

Getting irritated isn’t going to solve anything and Changkyun grits his teeth. He feels humiliated. There's no way he's going to let Kihyun disrespect him as if he’s been living here longer. Bullshit. 

“And you’re what? A hundred?” 

Changkyun just signed his next death wish. Those dark eyes grow darker, growing with malice and death. For someone who could end Changkyun’s with an easy snap, swipe and swift swing, Kihyun doesn’t move an inch. A guy who almost charged Changkyun after a curse directed to him, Kihyun surprisingly doesn’t move. And that’s a good thing; Changkyun wants to go back home in one piece after this. But then here he is picking fights with Kihyun; how smart. 

“Do you accept my apology?” Changkyun blurts. 

“What apology?” Kihyun leans off the door frame, staring Changkyun down as if he insulted him again. 

“Why else do you think I'm here?” 

“Changkyun,” Kihyun voices, tone on the verge of holding in his anger. “I don't mean to be rude but you’re starting to piss me off. Why are you here, kid?”

Changkyun almost loses his shit at the hypocrisy. At this point, it feels like a joke. The way that sentence doesn't match with Kihyun's actions makes Changkyun see red. He blows up, unable to take anymore of this conversation. Fuck Jooheon and Minhyuk for making him do this as they kick it back in Changkyun’s own house. Fuck Kihyun. Fuck this situation. Balling up the anger to his friends and adding it to his anger towards Kihyun, Changkyun yells back. 

“Don't call me by my name and then call me kid you old man!” 

“Excuse me?!” Kihyun gasps, horrified before he turns red with anger. He looks mad. Really mad. “Listen here you little—”

“Hey! I recognize you!” Buff Arnold Schwarzenegger jumps into conversation with an energetic bounce, swinging a massive, bulky arm around Kihyun’s neck that his head almost disappears around the contorting maze of muscles. “You’re the neighbor. This is the first time we’ve had someone come and welcome us.”

“And why are YOU here?” Kihyun scorns. He pushes the enormous piece of flesh out of his face, hair slightly sticking up from the tussle. “And welcome us? This kid cursed us out the other day and called the police. That’s welcoming to you? He just said—”

“I’m Wonho,” Arnold Wonho Schwarzenegger grabs Changkyun’s hand, shaking it excitedly, ignoring his stick-up-the-ass friend. Woah. What a grip. He wears a huge, toothy grin almost bunny-like. Changkyun’s eyes stick to the different muscles that contort in such a simple action. 

There are muscles that have their own muscles! 

As weird as it might sound, Changkyun kind of wants to know what that feels like. Not to touch Wonho's arm but if he himself was that size; he questions it heavily. The shirt around Wonho’s arms has threads screaming for mercy and clinging to the skin. Is this anatomically possible? There's probably an undiscovered muscle. 

Albeit quite shell shocked, Changkyun lets Wonho shake his arm until he swears he hears something crack in his shoulder. This man is fucking ripped but his face is chiseled softly as if God lifted this man from the history books. And his energy is something that is to be found very charming. There's something about Wonho that puts Changkyun at ease; a breath of fresh air after having to converse (more like argue) with a walking smog. 

If Wonho is here, maybe apologizing will be easier. With a referee involved, Changkyun can get this over without being criticized every two minutes and not have his actions interrogated as if he's the main suspect. It's not like this will get Changkyun off the hook but it'll convince Kihyun and hopefully change his mind on not to kill him. The chances are slim but Changkyun is willing to take the risks and try before he goes down. 

“Did you want to come in?” Wonho offers. 

“Uhm! I actually came by to ask if you two wanted to come over to my place,” Changkyun says. He really can’t go back home empty handed despite it being his own house. 

“Invite us over?” Kihyun looks beyond a weird mixture of shock and… disgust? It's hard to read him. 

“We would love that!” Wonho claps, extremely happy; for some reason. 

“We?” Kihyun turns to Wonho. 

Changkyun can see the daggers that Kihyun throws in Wonho’s way but all they do is bounce off his muscle arms. With a gentle slap on Kihyun’s back, Wonho laughs and waves a hand into his face. “Come on, Kihyun. This is what people do to be friendly. A little interaction won’t hurt anyone.”

“I wanted to make up for what had happened the other day,” Changkyun pursues further, gently swinging his torso. He secretly enjoys the power Wonho seems to have over Kihyun. Maybe it’s sadistic but it’s quite entertaining to watch. And for free. 

“That’s generous of you to offer us to your home,” Wonho smiles. “I think if we’re going to be neighbors for a long time it’s best to get along. Right, Kihyun?”

It’s almost missable but Changkyun catches Wonho swaying into Kihyun, looking as if he is shifting his weight onto the other side. The way Wonho’s elbow swiftly nudges into Kihyun is what really strikes as odd. Is that a sort of message? Just as Changkyun was having the slight upper hand, it leaves and his stomach drops with rejection. No. It’s not that exactly. A secret message has been sent. More like Changkyun has been tricked. 

Before Changkyun gets to fully react, Kihyun cryptically smiles. “That’s very nice of you, Changkyun. I had trouble understanding at first, my apologies. ”

Like a charmed seaman unknowingly caught in a siren’s song, Wonho has captured him. What is this The Rocky Horror Picture Show? The Twilight Zone? Changkyun doesn't know what he just stumbled upon and the mess he just created for himself. Maybe he was supposed to see that motion, for Kihyun to do a one-eighty and act like the “nice neighbor” to watch Changkyun squirm. They grin at him with glass eyes like those of a porcelain doll.

The dread that spreads in Changkyun’s insides and churns his stomach like he's going to throw up. This is like a bad rollercoaster ride. He feels slightly dizzy as his brain catches up with the realization that this could be his last few days on Earth. 

In a way, Changkyun wants to blame himself for being stupid and vulnerable enough to invite a vampire over knowing the consequences. There has to be some kind of way to backpedal; to be forgiven from his current and committed sins. Letting Kihyun inside his house is signing the check to his execution and Changkyun is the one to drop the guillotine on his own head. 

“Thank you for giving me another chance,” Changkyun smiles, hiding his hands behind his back. His fingers pick at the dry skin, nervously. 

With a soft close of Kihyun’s front door, Changkyun waits until he hears the lock move in place before running back to his house. What am I thinking? Letting a vampire into my home like that? Changkyun criticizes. He should have not listened to Minhyuk in wanting to make amends but Minhyuk thinks he's a lunatic. Maybe if he saw what Changkyun did then maybe he would have kept his mouth shut. It's too late to say “should've” because what's done is done but holy shit. 

None of that was smart. 

“I'm so fucking dead.”

The sounds of Pac-Man eating dots play in the background as Changkyun sucks on the air in his Capri-Sun, watching his friends squeal and laugh as they divert their attention more to the NES. It’s unfortunate really. What are supposed to be your friends are people you can't rely on when things turn to shit. Sometimes they can't tell when you're not yourself. When you want to scream and cry for help but you can't. And if Changkyun said anything, he'll just be ignored and made fun of for watching too many horror movies. 

This has become his own small cautionary tale: The Boy Who Cried Vampire. Changkyun bites the inside of his cheek, tasting blood instead of the last droplets of his lemon and orange Capri-Sun. It’s become such a bad habit that the wall in the inside of his mouth is bumpy and fleshy. 

An hour after his encounter with Kihyun and Wonho, Changkyun can’t focus on anything besides waiting for a knock to come. Minhyuk invited Changkyun to a game, enthusiastically. Lucky bastard. Changkyun grumbles, chewing on the thin straw. Go invite them over to your house then, is something Changkyun wanted to say but he just walked towards the kitchen, providing no response. Must be lucky. It feels a little fucked up for his friends to not even ask how Changkyun feels in house own house, playing on his NES and eating his food. Changkyun crumples the Caprisun as the thought makes him bitter.

He shakes his leg, looking towards the window, curtains closed for Changkyun to not fully lose his sanity. A time wasn’t set and that’s his fault for just blindly accepting his shit situation in Wonho’s comfortable presence. 

Maybe Changkyun should start kissing some ass to save his life. He’s kissed girls; he can probably kiss ass. There have to be things that vampires like besides blood. A peace offering could come out of it. It’s not the best for Changkyun’s pride and giving up already but he would much rather live to see tomorrow. Even if it means that his new neighbors could easily turn their backs on Changkyun to kill him, at least he’s lived a few extra days. 

Who would have thought trying to do good ends up biting him in the ass and making him look crazy. He’s a witness to something and ends up getting questioned relentlessly about if what he saw was real. And some part of Changkyun does think maybe Kihyun was seen with a different girl. After so many ‘what is it that you really saw?’ questions, there’s a part of him that doubts what he saw. 

Looking back at the night before the incident, Changkyun wasn’t emotionally stable after possibly being followed home to the point of having a melt down. Being left alone with the thought that he could have been one of those people that appeared on the television. Changkyun gulps, his body shaking uncomfortably and his head starts to ache. He needs to stop thinking about this before he gives himself an unnecessary panic attack. If this continues where even just a mere thought of the situation will put himself in a state of perturbation, Changkyun will only become more and more unstable. 

The knock that he has been fearing, almost waiting for eerily enough, comes to the front door. Slowly, Changkyun turns his head to the noise. Fuck. He scratches the back of his neck, afraid to swallow in case Kihyun can hear it from such a distance. Nobody moves to answer the door and Pac-Man continues to move all around the screen, everyone but Changkyun being unbothered by the noise of the new arrival. 

Clicking his tongue, he questions if they heard the sound or not. He doesn’t have any good feelings about this. Throwing his trash into the bucket under the sink, he makes his way to the front door with dread.

Face to face with the mahogany wood, Changkyun’s hand hovers over the knob and he bites his lip. There’s no going back after this. While vampire lore isn’t the most well-known type of information Changkyun keeps, he knows this is a trap he is opening for himself. And with that, the door opens with a sweaty twist of the wrist. 

Opening the door, Changkyun is first faced with Buffy Wonho with Kihyun silently standing behind him and looking off into the distance. As if nothing ever happened, Wonho breezily smiles. Right, Changkyun isn't alone so the facade comes up. 

“Hello! Thank you for inviting us,” Wonho greets, holding out his hand for a shake. 

Confused at yet another greeting, there's no time to be rude. Another handshake won't hurt. 

“My pleasure, please, make yourselves at home,” Changkyun forces a smile, returning the handshake and stepping aside for Wonho to come in. One down. Next is… 

“May I come in?” 

Huh… Changkyun hopes he doesn't make his confusion too obvious as he slowly blinks. He turns around, watching Wonho take off his shoes. But he… The question has Changkyun double guessing his choice despite the fact he has to let Kihyun in anyway. Wonho walked right in unless the handshake solidified his entry. 

“Why do you need to ask?” Changkyun speaks up. He knows he's not going to get an answer but he's curious to see what Kihyun might say. 

Kihyun tilts his head, chuckling to himself. He leans closer, the scent of sandalwood and something soft like vanilla caresses Changkyun. “Kind of weird to be asking that. Wouldn't you think so?”

Changkyun clicks his tongue, loud enough for Kihyun to hear. He opens the door wider and steps aside. “Come in, Kihyun.” 

“Thank you.”

When Kihyun walks through the door, time starts to tick. The countdown begins. 

With the door closing, Changkyun exhales, secretly sighing to himself. What is he going to do? There was no plan and these are two grown men who won't be interested in playing games on the NES. Minhyuk and Jooheon don't bat an eye to the newcomers; it's questionable as to why they're even here if they're not even going to be of any support. Wonho stares at the television screen, glued to watching Pac-Man eat up a bunch of dots through the maze. Kihyun walks around and behind the couch, looking at the interior and stops at a vase of flowers on a small table by the house phone on the wall. 

Changkyun scratches his neck. He doesn't know why this is weird and embarrassing but it is. But as host, Changkyun can command them to do whatever it is he wants; to some extent obviously. Clapping his hands, Wonho and Kihyun look his way as the numbskulls still don't turn their heads.

“Hey, Narbos,” Changkyun calls out. “Are you guys going to be respectful or sit here and play video games? We have guests.”

Finally, Minhyuk is the one to turn around. “Oh? They're here! That's… ah shit.” 

Minhyuk?! 

“Did I interrupt your game or shall I say my game,” Changkyun sarcastically remarks. 

“No, we have to go,” Minhyuk says, standing up and stretching. 

“Go? Now?” Changkyun chokes out those words as Pac-Man dies in the background. The sound effect is loud and clear in the room. That's how his heart feels right now. 

“Remember that stupid ass curfew that's in place?” Jooheon protests, grabbing his bag and stuffing the books back inside. “I don't need a double ass-whooping from both my mom and the police.”

“There's curfews here?” Wonho asks.

“Yeah, they're a real pain and I live a few streets down,” Minhyuk replies. He holds out his hand. “Minhyuk, by the way. The cooler one of the friends.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes. 

Jooheon grabs the bucket of cheese puffs. “The last time we almost got caught because Changkyun wanted to go over to the neighbors and—” 

“Not the best time, Joo,” Changkyun stops him. 

“What?” Jooheon pouts. “It's a funny story.”

“Yeah, but not one for people who are also our guests,” Changkyun grits, hoping he gets the hint. 

“Oh.” Jooheon looks at Wonho and Kihyun. A lightbulb goes off; the wrong one. “ Ooooh , it's because they're neighbors and you don't want to be seen as a repeat offender.”

“Repeat offender?” Kihyun makes a face.

Changkyun changes his mind. He wants to die. Though, not to be wiped away from earth just to disappear from this moment so maybe he'll take back that new statement. This has to be on purpose. It has to be. There's no way you can recover from a reveal like that and now Changkyun is going to be seen as a freak who spies on his neighbors. Now he has to pick up those pieces and clear up (more like kiss up) anything that will get him off the hook.

As expected, Kihyun shoots Changkyun a look, those demon eyes burning through him. He doesn't seem pleased and hasn't had one pleasant emotion ever since they've met. Malicious and scary smiles do not count. 

“Maybe we all could get together again,” Minhyuk smiles, heading over to head and pushing his aviators up on his face. “Sorry to cut this short.” 

“Things come up, no need to apologize,” Wonho smiles back.

“Make sure you get your assignments done, you two,” Changkyun says. He clenches his fists. 

Just when he needs the support most, he's going to be left alone. Well, it's not like Minhyuk and Jooheon believed him from the beginning. What else was to be expected at this point?

“Will do!” Jooheon chirps. 

“Especially you, Joo,” Changkyun emphasizes. 

“For sure, stepmom,” Jooheon grumbles, shoulders slumping.

“Don't worry,” Minhyuk sighs. “I'll keep him in check. You know dimples always slacks off.”

“Don't gang up on me!” Jooheon retorts and the front door closes. Their banter can be slightly heard outside the door. 

Changkyun turns to Wonho and Kihyun whose expressions could be seen as indifferent. There's a slight smile on Wonho's face but Kihyun still has that emotionless expression. Still, a host is a host. As much as Changkyun hates this situation, they're here and there's no turning back. He wants to get this over with and not invite them over ever again. 

“Well,” Changkyun smacks his lips. “Guess we don't have to make any new introductions. But as host, once again, my name is Changkyun,” He introduces himself and bows. Lifting his head, he languidly points to the door with the tuck of his lips. “That was Minhyuk and Jooheon but I doubt they'll be back. They're…” Changkyun sighs. “They're weird, I apologize for their behavior. I didn't expect them to ditch.”

“Did you want us to stop by another time?” Wonho questions.

It's a loaded question. One that would usually have Changkyun say ‘yes’ since he's all alone with two creatures but if he did that… 

“No! Please, sit down or something,” Changkyun says. “I brought you both here when you were possibly in the middle of moving or doing whatever work you have to do. I should at least not waste your time.”

“Are you sure?” Kihyun cocks an eyebrow.

“Just be warned I have never hosted before so I don't know what it is I'm doing,” Changkyun hides his nervousness with a chuckle. 

“You won't be quizzed on how to host,” Wonho laughs. “Kihyun and I have never been guests to a house before so we wouldn't know much.”

“Don’t listen to Wonho, we're pretty friendly,” Kihyun mumbles but loud enough to be heard. 

Sure you are. You scream friendliness. Changkyun doesn't know if he wants to scoff or enrage at that comment. 

“You don't look friendly if you don't smile, you know,” Wonho scoffs, lightly pushing Kihyun. 

“Can I get you two started off with something to drink? Water, soda, juice, coffee, tea, iced tea?” Changkyun lists, heading to the kitchen. 

“I'll take water,” Wonho says.

“I'm quite alright,” Kihyun replies. 

“Oh, come on,” Wonho pushes. “He's offering, you might as well take him up on the offer.”

“Fine, I'll take anything,” Kihyun tries, waving his hand in a dismissive manner with a roll of his eyes at Wonho. 

Sitting down on the couch, Wonho sighs but laughs through it. “This is why you're still so antisocial. Anything? What is he going to know about how you like to take your drink?”

Changkyun flees to the kitchen with a wave of relief sliding down his back. It’s an attempt at smoothing things over and having this spare time will give himself enough time to come up with his next step. Resorting back to chewing the inside of his mouth, Changkyun wants to appear less nervous than before. 

Being in his own house should exude a type of authority and if he can’t show that, Kihyun will continue to walk over him. There has to be a common ground, right? Changkyun grabs two glasses, using them to scoop up some ice that is in his freezer.

Kissing up too much wouldn’t be ideal. If Kihyun can point out how Changkyun is feeling and lying, there’s no one specific approach to take this from. As he looks into the fridge, a sparring glance is thrown in the direction of where Wonho and Kihyun sit. They’re currently conversing about something, something that Changkyun can’t hear. It’s a little hard to pick up but he’ll catch a few words. Not enough to make sense of it however… He clicks his tongue and pours some cold sweet tea into a cup. They’re talking quietly for whatever reason. Pouring water into the other cup, Changkyun tastes blood yet again spreading on his tongue. 

Licking his lips, Changkyun readies himself and grabs a box of donuts he planned to have for later today. He shrugs, not wanting to try out his subpar cooking skills. Kihyun might think he’s going to get poisoned anyway. 

“I’ll help,” Kihyun swiftly comes by Changkyun who jumps at the sudden presence. 

It’s like an animal attack. Blending in with the darkness and using the faint sounds of wind howling, rustling leaves and an occupied mind of someone unaware, Kihyun goes unheard. If there was a plan for Changkyun to die, he’d be dead by now. 

“Oh, thanks,” Changkyun murmurs. “You can just take your drink. I hope you like ice tea.”

Kihyun says his thanks in a low voice, a mumble. Ever since he got here he’s been keeping to himself; even after Minhyuk and Jooheon left. Looking back on his attitude from before, Changkyun is a little put off by the change. Yeah, Kihyun faked a smile and acted calm when entering but since Changkyun is alone, he hasn’t made any comments. One would think that the previous conversation would continue since the only people that are present are the ones who know the incident. But, Changkyun digresses. 

Perking himself up as much as he can, Changkyun follows Kihyun into the living room. “So, what brings you two to this small town. It’s kind of an unknown, unimportant place.”

“Work,” Wonho replies. “We were looking for something quiet but mostly because of work.”

“I see,” Changkyun nods. Already, he’s sweating as sits on the floor with the coffee table acting as a divider between the parties. “Did you travel far?”

“Hm, it was a way. I would say maybe thousands of miles,” Wonho thinks. He takes a sip of his water. “But let's hear about you. I’m sure you have some stories to tell.”

Changkyun exhales a laugh, looking down at his lap. “I don’t have anything interesting to really share.”

“What about that story your friend was talking about?” Kihyun pitches in.

“Jooheon…” Changkyun sighs. Fucking Jooheon. “He was talking about our dumb high school shenanigans. Our neighbor had a hot tub and Jooheon got super drunk that one night.” It’s an embarrassing story to tell. The targeted audience is more for close friends and not the new neighbors who are living in that exact house. “I don’t know how the idea came up but all I remember was that we ended up in the hot tub. And because of Jooheon’s red clothes, it ended up turning the water red.”

Wonho snorts and Kihyun blinks, staring at Changkyun with an expression he doesn't want to know. All Changkyun can feel are eyes on him. It all leaves him feeling really stupid. What Jooheon did can be equivalent to shooting your comrade in the foot. 

“I wish Jooheon didn’t bring that up but Jooheon will be Jooheon,” Changkyun mentions. Already on his knees, he lowers his head. “And once again, I deeply apologize for my behavior and for verbally attacking you the other day,” He gulps, knowing the two can't see it. 

“What is it that—” Kihyun starts but Changkyun intercepts. 

“I would like to push that past us,” He declares, lifting his head to look Kihyun straight in the eyes. “I think moving forward would be the best way to approach this situation.” 

A staring contest ensues and it seems contradicting since he didn't want to face them. Kihyun looks back with one last question in his eyes while Changkyun is already answering it with whatever determination he can show. That laser beam scans over Changkyun, watching his expressions and posture. 

“Sure,” Kihyun says after a long pause. The shrug that follows doesn't hold much genuine meaning. “Apology forgiven.”

“Hurray!” Wonho shouts. 

Changkyun gapes and whips his head in the direction where Wonho throws up his arms. Shouldn’t I be acting like that? Not Wonho. 

“What are you excited for?” Kihyun scoffs. “That should be Changkyun, not you. How are you affected?” 

The words throw Changkyun’s mind in a roll, dumbstruck. That's what I said… thought. 

“I think as a third party-middle man between the both of you, this has affected all of us,” Wonho says. 

“Sure it did,” Kihyun wryly smiles. 

“Picking up on your negative energy isn't an effect?” Wonho frowns.

“Are you two roommates?” Changkyun chimes in, changing the subject. 

“He's more of a pest than a roommate,” Kihyun grumbles, crossing his legs and sipping his ice tea. He hums, subtly nodding. “Like a Termite.”

“And this man is a hermit crab,” Wonho fights back. 

Both of them go at it and Changkyun’s eyes move back and forth between the pair. It's fascinating because he never thought Kihyun would have it in him. Obviously he does but that's not the point he's trying to make. Changkyun is more surprised that Kihyun can playfully joke around. 

The pair continue to bicker and Changkyun wordlessly moves to take a donut from the box, never taking his eyes off his guests. They're really going at it; it's quite impressive. Usually when Minhyuk and Jooheon bicker, Jooheon either ends it with being cute or Minhyuk threatening to not share the answers of his homework. 

“Hey, Kihyun, do you want one?” Wonho perks, already reaching for a glazed donut. 

“Wonho.”

“Here comes the train, CHOO CHOO,” Wonho says but does airplane motions towards Kihyun’s mouth. 

“Wonho!” 

Kihyun turns his head away and swipes at Wonho’s hand who makes kissy noises. “Come on, Kihyun. I thought you liked—”

Changkyun stares and stares and stares until his brain signals for his mouth to gradually drop, mouth full of half chewed donut. He snorts, chokes on a laugh as Kihyun stuffs the donut in Wonho's mouth. A muffled strangled-like noise comes from Wonho, something that could be compared to that of a dying animal. 

“If I want a donut, I'll let you know,” Kihyun says, sinking into the couch and crossing his arms. Licking his fingers, he turns his head away. 

“Where did you two come from if you don't mind me asking,” Changkyun chimes. His eyes gravitate to Wonho but is surprised when Kihyun speaks up. 

“Down south a ways.”

“How long have you lived there for?”

“I want to say five years before—”

Kihyun's cuts off his own words and Changkyun tilts his head with a frown. “Before…?”

“It’s not important,” Wonho intervenes. He takes a sip from his glass of water and sets it down on the coffee table. “Where did you get these donuts? These are pretty sweet.”

“Ah, they’re from Krispy Kreme,” Changkyun says. He follows the next change in subject. Just go with it. “The c’s are k’s if you’re not aware. They’re super popular. And you can buy different flavors too.”

“Different flavors?” A certain light shines in Kihyun’s eyes. There's a glimmer of Changkyun can pick on as a sort of hopefulness. Almost an anticipation. 

“There's coffee flavored ones, glazed doughnut holes, powdered one and strawberry flavors with drizzle,” Changkyun lists a few of his favorites on the top of his head. “They have a whole selection to choose from.”

Kihyun hums to himself. He's clearly interested despite trying not to show it. “It's amazing how times have changed.”

Changkyun tucks in his lips and his eyebrows bunch together. Over donuts? After years of technology and medicine advancing this is the response. Okay… it's confirmed that Kihyun is pretty weird. As if that wasn’t established on the porch with his knowledge of body language. Changkyun shifts, holding his left leg closer to his body and crossing his arms around the one leg. It’s a nice position for his cheek to rest on his knee. 

He observes the pair, unsure how to continue the conversation. Kihyun engages but not as much as Wonho and there’s still no new information about them. Not where they came from or why they moved up here other than just “work”. When Changkyun thinks about that word, he feels a chill up his spine. It’s most likely the works of vampires and not the usual blue or white collar job; unless there’s some sort of corruption involved. Just a hunch. 

“What do you study?” Wonho says, removing Changkyun from his thoughts. His eyes trained on Changkyun, cradling the glass of water in his hands. 

“Uhm, I haven’t really decided yet,” Changkyun stumbles. “I’m taking general classes until I find a subject that I want to pursue further. Minhyuk likes to teach kids so he’s thinking about becoming a teacher.” And what is Jooheon doing again? 

“Kihyun is good at history,” Wonho responds. “If you ever need help with that you can always confide in him.”

“Wonho,” Kihyun exhales, rubbing his temple. 

“What?” Wonho frowns. “You’re acting like I gave you a whole chore. It’s just useful information he might need.”

Changkyun would respectfully decline the offer if Kihyun wasn’t a vampire so he'll end up coming around. It’s the one thing that’s blocking Changkyun’s pathway to going back to a normal life. Even if he were to escape through the sides, Kihyun would find a way to step in the passage. 

“Don’t force it,” Kihyun whispers.

“Every time I try to help, you always turn the other way,” Wonho comments.

“Because what you think is helping, isn’t,” Kihyun shoots Wonho a look. 

“That’s how you get yourself in trouble,” Wonho snaps back. Taking a pause, he adjusts his position on the couch before turning back to Kihyun. “Exhibit A.”

“I don’t need your advice.”

They’re at it again. It leaves Changkyun in an awkward position again as he watches the two of them suck up all the air. How do they room together if they’re constantly like this? It’s a look into a vision of what rooming with Minhyuk and Jooheon would be like. So it probes the following question…

“How long have you known each other?” Changkyun muses. 

Pause. Their fiery bicker between them fizzles out and Kihyun chooses to sip his iced tea. A laugh passes through Wonho’s nose, unsure if it’s meant to be a scoff or an amused laugh. And it’s like… you can’t ask them anything. Changkyun resorts to biting the inside of his cheek. This interaction is just pointless. It’s becoming a waste of time. 

“Long enough to simply put it,” Kihyun brushes off with more vague information. “More than you can count at this point.”

“I’ve known Kihyun for years,” Wonho repeats. 

“I see…” Changkyun tries.

“It's a really long story,” Wonho reassures, attempting to at least. “Lots of… stuff happened but we stuck by each other. We're not related but at this point in life we're like brothers,” Wonho takes a sip of his water, licking his lips. The ice in the glass clinks and Wonho smiles small. “I know you're curious and you know some things but…” He emphasizes. “There's a lot we can't discuss. For now that is.”

Changkyun chokes up a bit, unsure where his feet should tread next. He’s going to pretend that sentence was never uttered into the air. “I see...” Changkyun blinks. “So then you two aren’t dating.” He mutters to himself. 

Kihyun spits out his drink, coughing up a storm while Wonho laughs his head off. Changkyun didn’t think he said that so loud but apparently they heard his inner thoughts spill out.That wasn’t intentional but no sense it taking it back now; they've heard it. 

“Don’t ever say that ever again,” Kihyun grumbles, head in his hand, rubbing his temple. “I don’t even— I can’t imagine doing anything romantic with this guy. God, I feel sick.”

“That is so mean to say!” Wonho frowns, playfully pushing Kihyun.

The evening passes by with small talk about Changkyun to stay safe. He sits back on the now empty couch, watching the sun slowly climb down with each hour. Today was… a fever dream. It all doesn't seem real. From Kihyun acting like a total jerk to Wonho the buff sidekick's overly sweet attitude and being left with more questions than answers; no progress seems to have been made.

Looking on the bright side and despite having his friends ditch him, the invite went better than expected but better sounds too hopeful of a word. Changkyun should have known he also wouldn't be given answers on a silver plate especially to be taken with a grain of salt. 

Not dying was a plus (it always is) and Kihyun probably still despises him but at least an agreement was reached. And it should be a happy moment. Right now, the television should be playing the new episode of Magnum PI and have an hour to gawk at Tom Selleck’s mustache. It’s a time to chug a nice cold soda and stuff his face with old fashioned donuts but a weight of dread still settles in Changkyun’s stomach. He lightly kicks his feet, staring at his hands and his tongue caresses the walls of his raw mouth. 

His head hits the cushions, looking up at the ceiling as his eyes maze through the popcorn-like lines that engrave the paint. The lingering question is what’s next. If life continues as normal, Changkyun doesn’t have to overthink about this whole situation, right? No. It can’t be that easy. Sighing, Changkyun groans and throws his fists on the couch in frustration. Letting a vampire in has complications. It’s random and there’s no set schedule. This isn’t just Changkyun’s house anymore. 

And that’s why he can’t feel accomplished, not even in his own house. He’s lost count how many times he’s bitten the inside of his mouth until it became raw. The conflict has been resolved but now Changkyun has to worry about uninvited guests just as much as the spiders. 

Everything ended up snowballing to a point that his emotions haven’t been able to catch up. In a way, it’s good because then Changkyun doesn't dwell on it too much since he’s faced a new problem. Though, when a new problem arises, then he has to worry about that until another one comes. And when it comes, Changkyun is just left with a bunch of resolved emotions. He sighs. 

What else would vampires be afraid of? Any evil creature when faced with religious items tends to burn or it weakens them. If Changkyun purchases those then maybe it can stop Kihyun from coming inside the house. Maybe he's afraid of a certain smell or item.

“I wonder if he can turn into a bat…” Changkyun thinks out loud, his voice bouncing off the walls of the room. 

“We need to talk.”

Changkyun springs up like he’s being pulled by an unseen entity, the noise way too close to his ear for his liking. He stumbles onto the floor like the poor, helpless human he is. Changkyun falls and his hands burn against the carpet as he slides. His heart runs faster than his legs but both twist in pain. Thrown into a pit of fear, left with the uncertainty of what is to come. 

When Changkyun turns around, he’s faced with none other than Kihyun who sits on the back of the couch as if he’s been there the whole time. The moonlight from the nearby window casts a shadow on his face as he looks down at Changkyun. And somehow, his eyes seem to glow menacingly. This is what Changkyun has been fearing: Kihyun materializing into any part of the house like black magic. It’s not a simple hat trick or the disappearance of a coin. This is real.

It's a type of fear like no other. There's no time to think as Changkyun’s mind flips through the many pages and chapters of life and lists all the regrets. Events that could have been changed to moments that Changkyun wishes he cherished more. Being faced with death makes him realize how much he wanted to live and be given a second chance. There's so much he hasn't experienced yet.

“What are you doing here?” Changkyun croaks, his throat closing up. “Are you here to kill me? I- I thought…” Those invisible hands wrap around his neck again and all the fear immobilizes him. “I thought we settled the issue. We agreed to move on!”

“Changkyun—“ 

“Please, I swear. I’m really, really sorry.”

Hot tears fall down Changkyun’s face and blur Kihyun’s figure into a hazy mist. The only thing to save him has him cast his face down, contorting his body into a ball and finding the smallest amount of support against his television cabinet. His knees hug close to his chest as tears continue to spill and stain his cheeks, shaking hands becoming wet as he hides his face. 

“What else do you want from me? I promise I won't tell just, please, I don't want to die,” Changkyun pleads. His cries choke him up, finding it difficult to breathe. “Please don’t kill me.”

“I'm not going to kill you,” Kihyun says. 

“I don’t want to die,” Changkyun sucks up the air, feeling it get caught in his throat and violently coughs. Smearing snot on his knees, his words begin to clog up. “I don’t want to die…”

“Changkyun, come over here.”

Changkyun shakes his head and curls himself up tightly. The padding of feet against the carpet blend with Changkyun’s sobs that soak his jeans as stray tears fall in freckled spots on the carpet. He flinches as Kihyun occupies the space next to him on the floor without a word. No words break Changkyun’s flood of cries. And Kihyun lets him cry it all out. 

In a weird way, the presence is almost welcoming. He's afraid of Kihyun but it's also good to not be all alone. His friends left him and didn't believe him and Kihyun is the only one here; it's almost twisted how Changkyun wants to cling on the support even if it is not the support he wants. 

Perhaps it's because he might not die. Even if they are empty words he's eerily not all that alone. Changkyun might have lost his mind. 

His cries eventually subside to sniffles and the wiping away of snot on his sleeve. Changkyun only lifts his head up a little to see the pegs of his coffee table and make out part of the TV Guide that's back on the floor. Each blink hurts, eyes swollen and raw. His head is on the verge of a headache, I need a rest . Letting in a harsh breath, Changkyun struggles in exhaling it out. 

“Do you feel a little better?” Kihyun speaks up. His voice is quiet and cautious.

“Why are you here?” Changkyun sniffles. 

There’s a small rustle beside Changkyun and Kihyun sighs small. “I accept your apology but there are still things I think we should clear up,” He says, quickly adding another sentence before Changkyun chimes in. “Without Wonho. He's too much of a distraction.”

“Like what?”

“I feel like…” Kihyun tries. “To be on the same page, we should fully discuss the elephant in the room. And I didn’t think you would still be afraid of me after you invited us.”

This is what Changkyun has been fearing for two whole days. Does Kihyun even understand anything? Probably not. Changkyun opens his mouth, words starting off with an uneven breath. “You randomly came into my house and you're a vampire. You expect me to not be scared of you?”

“Sorry, it's a bad habit for us.”

An apology? Slowly, Changkyun’s gaze shifts to Kihyun. Their eyes briefly connect and he notices their positions mirror one another. From the hugging of the legs to the head resting on the knees. The moonlight from outside reflects off of Kihyun, leaving a bluish tint to his hair and to the curve of his face.

“I'm not here to hurt you,” Kihyun says, pressing his cheek against his knee.

“How do I know if I can trust you?” Changkyun’s voice comes out quieter than expected. 

“If I wanted to, I would have by now,” Kihyun points out. “We're fast runners and we can go undetected. I'm telling you that's not what I'm here for.”

“Are you letting me off the hook for tonight?” Changkyun doesn't really understand. Wiping the corner of his eyes with his soaked sleeve, he speaks again. “And the change of attitude. You're not acting like how you were on the porch. It's out of character.”

“It's not out of character, it's called being able to still have a moral compass,” Kihyun corrects, frowning. 

“That's contradictory.”

“Because why?”

“‘Cause of that girl.”

“Ah, I can see why you think that,” Kihyun licks his lips and averts his eyes. “But it's not like that. Well…” A worn out sigh comes out, smacking his lips. It's quiet for a few countable seconds. “It's like that but not. Yes, I am a vampire, you're right. I may look like a normal human but I'm not close to a human.” There's a hard swallow. “And because of that, we have to survive differently. I have to live somehow even if it doesn't seem right, so to say. That's just who I am now.” 

Changkyun frowns, eyes narrowing down on Kihyun. “And others don't get to live?”

“Don't try to twist my words,” Kihyun bites. 

“Then where is the moral compass?” Changkyun pushes further. “Just because you're not a human?” 

A piece of the jumbled up puzzle is missing. One person stays alive, hurray, but more will end up dying. Where is the sense in integrity? The more Changkyun looks and listens to Kihyun, the more he doesn't understand. A whole enigma. 

“I'm trying to say that you have the wrong type of judgement,” Kihyun explains. “You're stereotyping me as other vampires from the little knowledge you know. You think I can turn into a bat and to answer that, I can't,” He clears up one question but it's one that's low on the scale. “Earlier today, you treated us with respect with the knowledge you do know,” Kihyun continues and Changkyun silently listens. Kihyun’s eyes move back to Changkyun's after he sucks in a breath. “Your friends left but that didn't stop you from trying to put things past us. I know you were obviously scared of being alone with us and yet,” He pauses. A pensive look can be seen in his eyes, staring into the far distance. They're dark but not malicious. “For once I felt like a human again. You knew I could have possibly killed you but still accepted me in a way. It would feel wrong of me to kill you.”

“I don't really accept you but sure I guess,” Changkyun corrects. With so much to take away from what Kihyun is saying, there are also so many unanswered questions. At least he's not dying. Guess that’s a plus .

“The keyword in that one sentence after I poured my heart out was in a way , Changkyun,” Kihyun emphasizes. 

“I still don’t get it though,” Changkyun comments. “Where did these morals come from? All of a sudden you're seeing the light and trying to find sympathy?” The question hangs in the air but not long enough to be answered. All the previous thoughts come reeling in. “You made it seem I was crazy or that calling the police was wrong when I only did what I thought was right. Now you come inside telling me how strong I am when you blatantly put me down on your front porch,” Changkyun’s voice rises, choking back his tears. “Explain to me how that makes any sense.”

Kihyun looks at Changkyun with disappointment, his lips parting to speak and he turns his gaze back to the floor. Changkyun doesn't comment further, unsure how to respond after seeing that expression. Weirdo. First Kihyun mocks Changkyun with a lack of respect and now he has an emotion on his face that's not an insidious smirk. 

“It's hard to explain where I'm trying to come from,” Kihyun throws his head back on the television cabinet. “I can't explain everything all tonight. Some of it can't be explained because it’s not easy and actions show better than words.” He says, pursing his lips uncharacteristically. “This isn’t me changing who I am. You’re just the first human that has ever given me a chance to hear me out,” Kihyun sucks in a breath and turns to Changkyun. “I'm not trying to say what you did was bad and I'm not blaming it either.”

Kihyun stands up, sits himself on the coffee table and flicks the top of the donut box open. The glazed old fashion donuts glisten in the moonlight and an index finger punctures through one of them. With a gruntled hum, Changkyun looks away. The image is a little too early for him. 

“If you didn’t have this…” Changkyun tries. “Moral compass as you call it. Would I have died?” 

“Next question,” Kihyun diverts. He bites into his donut, his tongue swiping at the corner of his mouth. 

“Er, okay,” Changkyun winces. Narrowly escaping death and knowing it is something he shouldn’t ponder about. No need to ask obvious. “You don't have weird powers to hypnotize me, right?”

A muffled chuckle emits from Kihyun as he munches on the sweet pastry. “None. Whatever it is– this image– that you have about vampires, get most of it out of your head.”

“Like sunlight?” 

“Sunlight doesn't make us burn, only dizzy after long periods of exposure and being afraid of garlic is laughable, I love garlic bread,” Kihyun emphasizes, drawing out the word ‘love’ . “I'm not afraid of water and being scared of anything religious is a fraud,” Kihyun lists, staying quiet for a second longer. “I'm not the religious type but surprisingly some vampires are. Weird, right?” 

Interesting. Simple and Interesting. Where did this whole lore come from then? Whatever that's not important. Changkyun bites the inside of his cheek. “Yeah…” He mutters. “Weird.”

“Don't do that, you'll hurt yourself,” Kihyun’s sharp voice pierces the slight chill air. 

“Do what?”

“Tear up your mouth,” Kihyun says, spinning the donut on his finger. “I can smell the blood if you're wondering how I know.”

“I'm just…” Changkyun starts but stops himself because he knows Kihyun would tell he's covering up a lie. 

“Look, I don't want you to feel like you have to fear me,” Kihyun begins, his shoulders lower. “And you're not crazy and what you did after what you saw wasn't stupid.” 

“But then why did you tell me—”

“I'm going to stop you right there.” Kihyun raises his hand. “If I was still a human, I would do the same. I'm the new neighbor who was caught during feeding time. I know it doesn't sound very typical.” He leans into his donut for another bite and crosses his legs. “I just didn't think I would slip up so quickly on arriving here for lack of a better term. So I judged you quickly myself. I judged you in the sense you were a pesky human getting in the way but you have ambition.” 

Changkyun doesn't say anything, uncurling himself from his ball. There's something about Kihyun. He doesn't have the same energy as Wonho so- Stop Changkyun. Don't dwell too much. Don't dwell. 

Kihyun's fingers play with the stickiness of the current donut he has, letting go a breath. “I've seen a lot in the many years I've been alive and I've been sort of closed off to both vampires and humans. You can't trust them both,” He sighs. “But, as someone who used to be human, I'm left with…” Kihyun trails off, enveloping the room in silence. Changkyun patiently waits for him to continue into Kihyun laughs, scoffing. “I'm not making any sense now. I guess there's a lot to talk about, huh.”

“You were a human?” Changkyun deflects, not wanting to put his head through more thinking. He needs to rest. A good night's sleep (if he can get any) would be the most ideal answer to his problems now.

“That's a story for another time,” Kihyun hums. He reaches for another donut, one that has Changkyun losing count. 

“I'll be alive then?”

“I'm not killing you unless it's in self defense.”

“You're weird.”

Kihyun's chewing slows down. “Yeah. That's one way to put it. The nicer way.”

Changkyun stands up a little uneasy on his feet but balances himself thanks to the television cabinet. The TV Guide that is almost always on the floor gets kicked out the way as Changkyun trudges to the couch. He'll pick it up when he has more energy. 

Swollen eyes fall on Kihyun’s frame who plows through a donut like no tomorrow before picking up yet another one in his hand. Changkyun lets his frail and worn body fall on the cushions. With a heavy groan, his back screams in soreness.

Frowning, Changkyun can't help but stare at Kihyun’s “new” behavior. The man has got quite the sweet tooth. Who would have thought. Also, super talkative? Changkyun isn't sure about this but it's different from earlier in the day. Right… today… so much has happened that he needs a rest. He's said that already, hasn't he?

Wiping his face with another groan, he pulls down on his cheeks, dragging the skin slighting before it retracts back in place. It's not simple to call it a day. Not after finding out you were going to die. Don't dwell. Fuck. No more dwelling. 

Also, that donut box is now empty.

“Why are you doing this?” Changkyun opens the conversation back up. He pauses briefly to capture his left over thoughts. “Or maybe that's not the right question.” 

“Do you mean the real reason why we moved here?” Kihyun asks, polishing off the last two donuts he has in his hands. 

“No, like…” Changkyun gropes the air in an attempt to find what it is he's trying to ask. “I mean, you're so talkative all of a sudden. You're more approachable if that makes sense. It gives me the sense you have a bigger motive behind it.”

“Just because I'm a vampire doesn't mean I can't be approachable,” Kihyun frowns. “How else do you think we lure people? I know it's hard to believe but I can be friendly.”

“When you use the word lure in the same sentence with approachable it doesn't sound very good,” Changkyun murmurs, his words trailing. 

Kihyun sighs, turning his full body to face Changkyun. He leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Look. If you really want to survive, you'll have to trust me. You're not safe here anymore,” Kihyun continues as he sees Changkyun open his mouth. “I'm not talking about me, I'm not the threat.”

“What do you mean I'm not safe here?” Changkyun asks, that pull in his stomach makes the blood rush to his head. He's starting to dwell on it again.

“If I tell you now, you probably won't be able to sleep and you're still processing all this other info,” Kihyun says. “Like you said, you want to put this past us because neighbors help each other out. All you have to do is call my name and I'm there.”

“Do I have to provide something in return?”

“Just that you trust me.”

A decision has already been made but not quite, mostly because there's only one option to make. Changkyun has to agree, especially since Kihyun can waltz right into his house anytime. ‘ Being apart’ would be a set of words that don't exist between them. 

“Would you do it again?” Changkyun finds it in himself to ask. Reading the fine print is always a must for things like this before getting in trouble. “Like kill again.”

“I don't have anyone to rely on for blood and if I don't have any blood I'll die,” Kihyun says, his hand falling limp a little. “If I slowly want to kill myself I just don't eat. It's like how a human starves itself.”

“What about—”

“Animal blood makes us sick and isn't good for us.”

“How convenient…” Changkyun mumbles, looking up at Kihyun’s gaze and then back to his hand. “I guess… okay…” He nods, collecting himself before he reaches out a hand. 

With a deep breath, Changkyun shakes on it; the first time they've ever touched. And it's like he's made a deal with the devil. When Changkyun looks up, he almost jumps at the small, faint smile on Kihyun's lips. He looks down at their hands, not used to such an expression. Changkyun makes a face.

“Your hand is sticky.”

Chapter Text

That night. Changkyun doesn’t sleep well. Thoughts plague his mind once more; thoughts that he was sure wouldn’t come back. Questions that were answered but still find a crack to trickle in with other questions attached. It’s the mystery of the unknown. Outside, there’s a whole species of creatures skulking around for who knows how long. A town where everyone knows everyone but now… who is telling the truth? Small towns are always known for the darkest secrets; it's a common cliché. Changkyun knows a few rumors and has gossiped around. 

But this. But this… This isn’t a simple rumor. A secret that many don’t know and isn’t spread from house to house in order to protect their own identity.. Changkyun’s own classmates, friends, relatives, teachers, anyone in town could be what Kihyun is; a vampire. And this whole time it’s been kept quiet. If Kihyun never came to town (even if he did, that wouldn’t change fate though), Changkyun could have been lured out by someone he trusts.

Changkyun’s hands turn white as they grip the sheets, unable to open his eyes. He groans, furrows his brows and lets out a shaky, harboring breath. An eerie chill runs down his back as if an unknown force touches his skin. Changkyun swats, his hand not coming in contact with anything. There’s a slight sore on his neck. He touches the air, feeling how hot his skin is and moves to slap his hand on his forehead. Slick, wet, sticky. Changkyun wonders if this is Kihyun’s doing. For a man who has just moved into town, he knows a lot more than Changkyun. 

And maybe that’s part of the fear. Changkyun wonders if he should trust Kihyun. Those glowing red eyes that saw through all his fears and insecurities. How Kihyun knew Changkyun was pacing indecisively on the front porch to the reading of his body language down to the tips of Changkyun’s fingers. The unknown strength Kihyun has within him and to the power of his fangs piercing skin.  

It reminds Changkyun that—

You're not safe.

HAAA–

Changkyun shoots up, eyes wide, heart pounding as the view of his room comes into view. Finally, whatever spell or trance he was under must have been lifted because his body lifts from the bed in a fright. His shaking hands clutch at his blanket and Changkyun hugs it closer to himself in protection. The room is hot, burning to the skin. The sweat on his back sticks to his shirt and Changkyun quickly removes it, throwing it across the room. 

He feels gross. 

The “pep talk” Changkyun had with Kihyun didn’t do anything to ease his mind. Changkyun’s head falls into his hands, groaning under his breath. What am I going to do? Somehow this might just progressively get worse. Is this a vivid nightmare? An afterlife that’s supposed to determine if he’s going to heaven or hell?

Looking across the bed, Changkyun feels extremely lonely. There’s nobody he can confide in and even if he were to bring it up to his friends as a hypothetical, the answers wouldn’t help him. Kihyun is the only person, no— thing , that can come over especially at this time of night. Even if it’s out of pity or maybe Kihyun doesn’t really care, Changkyun wants company. 

Changkyun frowns at the thought. The problem is that he doesn’t fully trust Kihyun though. Scratch that. Kihyun can come in anytime so trust is no longer a word between them. 

Changkyun looks out his window, the curtains closing off the other side. 

“All you have to do is call my name and I'm there.”

Those words that left Kihyun’s mouth echo in Changkyun’s mind. A part of him wants to test that theory; to try and go to the farthest place and call Kihyun’s name. How far would Kihyun be able to hear? Does that mean no matter what danger Changkyun is in, Kihyun will come? Would Kihyun be able to hear it even if he’s sleeping? Maybe some of it was to sound like that would be the length he could go if he could. 

Changkyun hums. Doesn’t hurt to give it a shot. 

“Kihyun.”

“What.” 

“Holy fuck!!” Changkyun freaks out, moving too quickly for his brain and body to communicate with each other. His flight or fight mode activates and his feet begin to tangle up in the blankets, almost falling out of bed if Kihyun wasn’t so quick. Almost like a cartoon character’s bungee cord stopping at the right time before hitting the lasers. 

“Aren’t you dramatic,” Kihyun comments, his grip tight on Changkyun’s arm. “You call my name and almost break your face on my watch. What do you want? It’s late.”

“Look who’s talking. You’re the one who offered your services so I wanted to try it out,” Changkyun snaps back. He’s pulled back up on the bed and he frowns at Kihyun, pouting. “And no need to get pissy, you never established any rules.” With a small resigned huff, Changkyun mumbles. He really came… “Thanks for catching me by the way.”

“Clearly you’re not doing anything. It's just that you’re not in any immediate danger right now,” Kihyun mentions, a visible look of disinterest. “I’m not getting paid so don’t abuse it,” Kihyun narrows, folding his arms over his chest and leaning his back against the wall. “Now. Tell me what you need.”

“Company,” Changkyun mumbles. Kihyun gives him a funny look and Changkyun (with defeat because yes he’s aware) knowingly nods. “I know, I know. You must think I’m weird.”

“I mean yes but I also don’t think you called me here to read you some bedtime stories,” Kihyun jokes. And Changkyun actually snorts. The vampire got jokes. Impressive.

It’s not hard to believe that considering the current events, Changkyun is having trouble sleeping. Who wouldn’t? But having to confide in a vampire? Not Changkyun’s favorite way to hold up his white flag of truce. He needs someone to talk to even if it means putting some of his trust towards someone who he still has suspicions about. 

Rubbing his eyes, Changkyun reveals some of his doubts to Kihyun. His wavering, soft voice travels through the room as his shaking fingers play with the hangnails on his hands. 

Kihyun doesn’t make fun of Changkyun, listening to anything that comes out of his mouth. It comes as a surprise when he doesn’t add any snarky comments, doesn’t call him a kid and his intense eyes don’t intimidate him as he listens. It’s an unexpected nice change and Changkyun is grateful for a lending ear. He talks about others he’s afraid of, mostly the unknown. The fact that he can’t trust anybody anymore, even people that Changkyun considers close to him. 

He doesn’t mention the point where he’s having to find comfort in a vampire, someone who is even aware of the fact that there is a slight mutual dislike. Maybe not dislike but there’s a ripple that’s keeping them from getting a little closer. Changkyun will keep that to himself. 

If Changkyun’s life continues like this, he fears for his parents who, even though they aren't here with him, it’s unknown what danger they could be facing overseas. And if something were to happen to Changkyun, his parents would probably never know what happened. Changkyun is overthinking. It’s easier to do that than to think logically. 

“You live with your parents?” Kihyun asks the moment Changkyun pauses from his rant. 

“For the time being,” Changkyun shrugs. “The dorms near the college are a little too strict for me. I mean, curfews are still enforced but it’s not too bad here as it is there,” He picks at the dry skin around his fingers before realizing he might not make too much sense. “Oh! Dorms are—”

“No need to explain,” Kihyun stops Changkyun. “I'm not too old to the point that I’m practically living under a rock. I know what a television is if you’re wondering.” 

“Well look at you…” Changkyun mumbles under his breath, earning a pointed look from Kihyun. Someone is getting a little cocky.

Changkyun hugs himself, placing his chin on his knees with a pout. So much is happening. He steals a glance up at Kihyun who now stares off into the room, never moving from his position, not even turning his head. A glance turns into a stare, trying to figure him out. A vampire who hasn’t done any harm (yet at least) and is actually being considerate in listening to a human and their problems. This is something you don’t see on the television. Strange. Changkyun wonders why Kihyun hasn’t killed him despite knowing everything. Of course, spare my life. 

“You’re staring at me,” Kihyun voices. Still, he doesn’t move.

“I’m thinking,” Changkyun chews on his bottom lip, picking the dry skin with his teeth. 

“About me or your troubles?” Kihyun asks. 

“Do you want it to be about you?” 

“Depends.”

Changkyun pauses for a moment, never taking his eyes off of Kihyun. There’s something about Kihyun that picks at the mysterious scab of Changkyun’s mind. 

“You’re still staring.”

“Can I see your fangs?” Changkyun asks, knowing the question is treading in thin waters. A part of him wants to get over this fear, this uncomfortable tension he has whenever he’s around the other.  

Now, Kihyun moves. There's hesitation on his part and he blinks, probably waiting for Changkyun to come back with a punchline of some sort. He exhales softly and in the blink of an eye, his fangs retract down and his eyes glow red as if blood has stained the moon. They’re just like the ones in the movies and bad late night black and white television shows. But these aren’t props, they’re one hundred percent real; sharp and distinctively not like the rest of his teeth.

“Do they hurt?” Changkyun asks, scooting closer to get a better look. So many questions pass in his mind, most of them unable to comprehend how such a thing exists. 

“They hurt other people,” Kihyun replies matter-of-fact. 

“No, like—” Changkyun tongues his cheek. Well, duh. That wasn’t the question he was asking but Changkyun digresses. “You said you were a human before so when you got them did it hurt? Or do they hurt when they drop down?”

Kihyun makes a face, a frown but on the side it looks like a pout. “I don’t quite understand what you mean. Are you talking about when I turned human to vampire or if I feel anything when I switch?”

Uh— The squeaky wheels in Changkyun’s head creaks as he tries to comprehend the difference. Surely it didn’t sound like that when the words came out of Changkyun’s mouth. 

“I guess both since you asked?” Changkyun finds himself saying.

Kihyun gapes, his mouth opening and quickly closing with a frown. “You’re the one who asked, not me,” He sighs, slumping against the wall. There’s movement in his lap, hands fiddling. “Turning into a vampire is not a very pleasant transformation. It left me with months of agonizing pain and—” Licking his lips, Kihyun scratches his nose and turns to Changkyun with a strained smile. “But that’s not too important, what was the other question? Ah, my fangs don’t hurt when they drop down. I don’t really feel anything.” 

A shrug reaches Kihyun’s shoulder and Changkyun finds a lump in his throat as he listens. He bites his lip, feeling slightly awkward for asking a question that seemed harmless. There’s a detectable pain in Kihyun’s voice as he speaks and Changkyun doesn’t say anything else on the topic. Changkyun chooses his next words carefully. 

“Can I touch one? Your fangs I mean,” Changkyun asks, not wanting to poke the bear with a stick by technically throwing a rock at it now. 

“Touch a…” Kihyun tries. “So you’re the type of human to try and pet a hissing cat. Wonderful.” A lopsided smile plays across his face. 

Aaand there is the snarky comment. Changkyun was waiting for Kihyun to drop that anytime now. Call it what you will but Changkyun would rather stick out his hand than his neck. It’s not like Kihyun will actually take the advantage to suck out some blood. Well, that’s the idea anyway. 

“You're not supposed to be real. Cats are real but you’re supposed to be a character that’s part of fictional horror,” Changkyun counters. “Like, you’re an actual being that’s sharing a bed with me. You’re not a Halloween getup or trying to be spooky. You’re an actual vampire.”

“Weren’t you cursing me out a few days ago?” 

“I thought we passed that.”

“I like to hold grudges sometimes.”

Changkyun huffs, rolling his eyes. Maybe he’s sending mixed signals which could be seen as a little weird. Kihyun is right. What kind of person screams bloody murder around a vampire, one who wants nothing to do with such a creature, to willingly touch something that can possibly draw blood. Changkyun knows he’s not making himself clear but curiosity did kill the cat. It’s just another thing Changkyun can add to his list of idiotic things he’s done and it’s right under cursing out a vampire. 

There’s just something about Kihyun that gives Changkyun a push and pull effect. Kihyun is dangerous, a bit kept to himself with unclear motives yet his presence here doesn’t pose a threat. Maybe it had to do with the talk Kihyun and he had earlier. Or maybe subconsciously Changkyun has chosen not to care about what happens to him. 

A sigh can be heard from Kihyun. Changkyun turns his head in the direction of the sound to see Kihyun scooting closer to him. Oh? Is he really going to…? For the first time that Changkyun has met Kihyun, there’s a small bubble of excitement. Being around the other makes Changkyun on edge but a small side of his fascination of horror (subjective though, mind you) is still trying to grasp the thought that vampires exist. 

“If you bleed, don't cry about it.” A smug look crosses Kihyun’s face, almost like he was thinking about pulling some sort of trick. Changkyun should have armed himself with garlic powder or drawn a cross on a piece of paper for protection in case Kihyun goes ham. Hell, garlic powder should work, right? It has garlic. Wait, Kihyun said he did like garlic bread. Rats.

Hesitantly, Changkyun leans in a safe distance, enough to react his hand out. Peering into Kihyun's eyes, he watches as the red glow is almost hypnotic, glowing with a strong intensity. Without much effort, Changkyun’s eyes slightly grow wide. Those red eyes were only viewed from afar and now they’re staring back at him from less than an arms length away. They’re captivating for sure. Changkyun can admit the allure to not only to vampires but Kihyun himself. 

When Kihyun opens his mouth, Changkyun can see the sharp fangs that are not like the rest of his teeth. They’re not stained with blood (no, Changkyun didn’t think so) but they most likely have been stained with it about over a hundred times. Changkyun questions why he’s doing this even if the reasons sound like obvious excuses. 

Changkyun reaches out carefully until his fingertip comes in contact. His finger runs down a fang. It’s hard. The surface feels smooth as glass. Huh. Not what I had expected. A crazy thought runs through Changkyun’s head, enough to convince himself to do it while his finger is in Kihyun’s mouth. 

Cautiously, Changkyun taps on the sharpest part of Kihyun’s fang, instantly pulling back when he feels a small prick on the tip of his finger. A sheet of sweat of panic starts to form on Changkyun’s forehead as he holds his hands close to his chest. He hopes that by doing this, Kihyun won’t be able to smell the blood if there is any. Fangs aren’t as sharp as Changkyun thought but they’re still pretty sharp, enough to make any sane person stay away. 

Kihyun scoffs a laugh and shakes his head. Changkyun bites the inside of his cheek and checks his hand. Thank god. He lives another night without dropping a drop of blood. “They just feel like regular teeth.”

“What else would they feel like?” Kihyun frowns, an airy laugh passes through his lips. 

“I don’t know,” Changkyun frowns back, unsure how to lay out his thoughts to sound understandable. Every time he says something Kihyun has some sort of problem or acts like any of this is supposed to be normal. “Your fangs are not there all the time so I figured it was something abnormal.” Wait, that’s not the right word. Changkyun clears his throat. “Not abnormal but it’s for sure not something I see everyday. But I didn’t think they were going to be plastic just fyi. Listen, I actually don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

“I can see that, thank you,” Kihyun nods. “Are you really unsure what to say or are hiding it?” 

“Hiding what? My fear?” 

“I’m saying you don’t have to lie to me, you know,” Kihyun says. “If you’re scared of me then you are. I get you’re trying to ease up to me or be friendly but forcing yourself is going to be harder especially since I’m not fully human,” Kihyun explains. He turns his gaze back to the distance, his toes in his socks wiggling slowly as his eyes return to their normal color. “You don’t have to treat me any differently than any other human though. I’m just… Kihyun.”

Changkyun pauses. 

Did I hit some kind of nerve? 

Changkyun’s tongue is tied. He bites his lip. They sit in silence, either not wanting to share any other words or the conversation just died. There’s no straight answer and the vibe in the room shifted but to what, Changkyun doesn’t really know. In his jumbled mind of thoughts and his body filled with an array of conflicted emotions, Changkyun just feels. Only feels. Maybe void. Maybe. Maybe an indifference. Changkyun could keep guessing but he won’t find the answer. 

With a soft laugh, Changkyun lowers his head. Twiddling his thumbs and feeling those searching eyes on him. Kihyun is probably trying to see what else he could read by just a mere glance on Changkyun’s face and posture. 

Guess Changkyun is that transparent. 

Sometime within the night, Changkyun ends up falling asleep. He doesn’t know how and he can’t recall if he and Kihyun were still talking. All that Changkyun remembers is Kihyun sitting on his bed one moment to wake up with only himself in the room. Instead of a nightmare, Changkyun woke up with a shiver and the sunlight spilling in his room. Touching his neck, there’s nothing but smooth skin. 

The day continues without any sighting of Kihyun. Changkyun chews on the straw of his watered down soda, watching Jooheon and Minhyuk battle it out on an arcade machine. He looks in their direction but never pays attention to the conversation nor does he keep track of their scores. It’s more like Changkyun decided to fill up space because he didn’t want to go straight home alone. Ever since the one night where he felt like he was being followed on top of Kihyun saying the town wasn’t safe anymore, you can never be too cautious. 

But that leaves Minhyuk and Jooheon vulnerable in the likely event that they will have to part ways themselves. Changkyun curses to himself under his breath. No matter what scenarios he can come up with in his mind, they won’t be enough to help his friends. There’s the reminder that a mere human will stand no chance. But how can he avoid the outcome of his friends dying? Telling them about the vampires? That’s laughable. 

Changkyun slurped the last few drops of his soda through his straw, noisily sucking the air at the bottom of the cup. He shakes it in hope to get a few more watered down droplets. 

“Don’t distract me,” Minhyuk says, focusing on the game in front of him. Changkyun’s eyes glide to Minhyuk’s figure, watching his back hunch over the arcade. He replies with one last slurp of the straw. 

“Anyone want to meet up later for the school dance?” Jooheon speaks up, his hands sharply pulling towards the arcade handle to himself as the pixel spaceship on his screen speeds up. 

“Oh shit, I forgot about that,” Changkyun mumbles.

“I’m going to change after this,” Minhyuk says, pressing a button repeatedly with hurried fever. “Freshen up, try to style my hair to look like the popular crew. You know how it be.”

“I might skip,” Changkyun mentions. More so because he doesn’t want to take his chances. 

“Skip? But what about the suit you rented?” Minhyuk says. 

And he’s right because that rental was a pretty price and to not use it would be a waste; there’s probably not even a deposit on it. A sigh wants to slip from his lips but he refrains. Past Changkyun is out to bite him in the ass. 

Paranoia is one of the reasons why he’s wanting to back out. That unnerving, churning, where your heart sinks and thoughts swim with the feeling of something bad might happen. That gut feeling. And you should always listen to your gut. 

“I’m just not feeling it anymore,” Changkyun sighs. 

“Are you still hung up about your neighbor?” Jooheon says. The game over screen flashes before his eyes with the words You Lose! underneath. 

Minhyuk whips around, the light in his eyes can be seen through his sunglasses almost. “That’s right! What about your neighbor?” He takes away Changkyun’s soda from under his nose the minute the straw scrapes the plastic lid. “You look alive to me.” 

“I mean,” Changkyun shrugs. “It was alright. There’s not much to tell if I’m being honest with you.”

“What?” Jooheon gapes, folding his arms over his chest.

“I still know nothing about them other than they moved up from the city,” Changkyun says. “And that Kihyun has a sweet tooth and he’s younger than that friend he was with.”

“Oh, they’re not fucking?” Minhyuk cocks a brow. 

“Minhyuk!” Jooheon nudges his friend in the arm. 

Changkyun shakes his head, unable to even visualize that. With Wonho being so buff, it’s possible he might even crush his significant other in— hold it. Let’s not think down the road shall we. 

“You don’t know what people are into these days,” Minhyuk defends. “For all we know, Kihyun might be into the meaty men. Maybe even women.” He nods to himself. “Yeah, he gives me the vibe of boogying down with both.”

Changkyun throws his hand in the air. He’s feeling a little dizzy. “Nope, I’m out of this conversation.”

“Why? Are you scared of a little sex talk,” Minhyuk mocks. His glasses slide down the bridge of his nose as he raises his eyebrows repeatedly with a smirk. “Sex ed taught you well,” He sasses. 

“No, I just don’t want to imagine my neighbor fucking,” Changkyun makes a face. Besides, he’s already seen a few things and they’re still burned in his brain sucking every last bit of energy. “That’s like seeing your grandma naked.”

“You have to at least admit that your neighbor does look pretty hot,” Minhyuk shrugs. 

“Where is this conversation going?” Jooheon chuckles nervously. “Why does it feel like I’m missing something?”

“Just putting in my two cents,” Minhyuk smiles.

“That was more than just two cents, buddy,” Changkyun chides. 

Now he has to push away the images that pop up to taint his brain. Thanks, Minhyuk. As if I’m not already scared of the dude, now I have to imagine him naked. It’s hard enough trying to get that window incident out of his brain. Whenever they inevitably meet, Changkyun hopes he's long forgotten about this moment. 

The night is cold with a wet mist in the air and a full moon to match and blend with the dark clouds. The streets lay quiet except for the faint, muffled music vibrating the walls of the school’s gymnasium. If you were to press your hand against the door, you could feel the beat. From the outside, purple and green lights that reflect off the windows, it’s the only vibrant color that stands out from everything else in the meek night. 

The doors to the gymnasium open and sounds of students catching their breaths followed by the stampede of feet hit the sidewalk. ‘Give It Up’ by Evelyn “Champagne” King can now be heard clearly before it cuts to a stop as students’ conversations begin to talk over one another. The energy in their voices is still there despite their bodies lugging with tiredness. More and more students begin to fill the streets, giving the night some sort of liveliness. It’s no longer quiet and the air doesn’t feel all that tense. 

Jooheon is the first from the group to make it out through the tight congested blob of students that trickle out. Minhyuk and Changkyun follow a few seconds behind, stumbling next to Jooheon. The cool air hits the hotness of Changkyun’s face, his forehead dripping of sweat. Pulling out a handkerchief from his breast pocket, Changkyun wipes his face, chest heaving hot and finding enough air to take another breath. Minhyuk wipes the smudges on his sunglasses (despite there being no sun) before running a hand through his damp hair. 

The adrenaline rush was what Changkyun needed. As if all his pent up emotions were able to let loose and his mind to become lost within a space where time and worries seemed to not exist. He doesn’t recall how long it’s been since he’s been able to let go. It’s like the weight that was holding him down lifted the moment ‘Let’s Groove’ by Earth, Wind & Fire came on. The moment the beat danced through the speakers, Changkyun found himself on his feet with his date. He may or may not have kissed her later on but everything was moving pretty fast. 

Everything was such a blur. Your mind creates its own ecstasy in situations like these. And Changkyun, well, he was feeling. Feeling himself and feeling it.

Changkyun rids himself of his blazer, the silk interior wet and heavy. Whatever kind of sweat he collected in his blazer has his collared shirt sticking to his skin. There’s always that gross, too hot feeling that he’s finding himself in a lot. Changkyun rolls up his sleeves and opens the first two buttons of his shirt. A coolness spreads against his skin, enough to where the coldness of the night isn’t a nuisance. Letting out a sigh, the harsh sound of Minhyuk scratching his throat catches their attention. 

“Now, was I right?” 

Rub it in some more, why don’t you. Even if Changkyun doesn’t want to admit it, he would most likely be sulking in his own house if you weren't for Minhyuk’s urgings. Changkyun sighs, throwing his arms in defeat. “Alright, alright, you were right.” A victorious holler from Minhyuk gives Changkyun a frustrating headache. “I guess I needed to ease up a little. Take some time to focus on myself.”

“Exactly!” Minhyuk cheers, hooking his arm around Changkyun’s neck like a cane pulling him off stage and colliding into Minhyuk’s side. “As a reminder, we are your most valuable and caring friends. We wouldn’t have said shit if we thought you were better marinating in those negative thoughts.”

Changkyun frowns. “They’re not negative.”

“Whatever they are, they’re not good,” Minhyuk points out. 

“And you’re younger than us, we want to take care of you the most,” Jooheon chimes in, fitting himself on the other side of Changkyun. “Rely on your hyungs a little more. No need to act like a big kid.”

“You both started off on a great start with the encouragement but now the moment is ruined with your big egos,” Changkyun whines. No need to start with that big kid crap. “But enough chit-chat, what time is it? We have to take the next bus, remember.”

“Oh, shit,” Jooheon searches his pockets to pull out a watch. It should be on his wrist but his words of “It’s my grandfather’s and if I lose it he’ll kill me” were his excuse (even though there’s a buckle). “We have an hour but it’s kind of a way.”

“Kind of a— oh god, kill me now,” Minhyuk stresses. “I forgot this isn’t our university. These freakin’ rich hosers.”

“I sometimes hate living in a small town,” Jooheon chimes. 

“It took me almost an hour to reach the mini mart when driving there takes at most five minutes,” Changkyun clicks his tongue. The small town does have shopping close to one another, that’s one of the pros but that’s when you drive. Walking is another story.

“If we catch this last bus, we’ll still make it in time for curfew,” Jooheon informs. The hours were just about to get even darker. 

“We better start heading out then,” Changkyun hurries, pulling on Jooheon’s arm. Paranoia tries to creep up on him but he doesn’t allow it. He shoves all of that in the back of his head the best that he can. “Staying out too late can be dangerous.” 

“We’re in a group. I doubt anyone would target a group,” Minhyuk chuckles, a little too carefree for Changkyun’s liking. 

“Group or not that doesn’t mean anything,” Changkyun asserts. Are you high or something— “Come on and let's go before I knock you upside the head.” 

Without waiting for a reply, Changkyun turns his tight dress shoe heels away from Minhyuk and Jooheon in the direction of the bus stop. It’s nights like these where Changkyun wishes he had a car. Not just for safety but to also store an extra pair of clothes. He rolls his shoulders back, pinching the fabric that clings to his back. Getting home is the most important. Changkyun stops in his tracks, looking back at the school. Does Kihyun have a car? Even if he does, his landline number is unknown. 

Woah there. Seriously thinking about asking for Kihyun’s help? Changkyun is shocked at himself. When you’re in a tough situation, guess it doesn’t matter who you will come to for help. If he was alone he would yell out Kihyun’s name but that’s not happening right now. 

“Hey, ladies.”

A voice interrupts Changkyun from his thoughts, looking in that direction. It’s one of the richer students, leaning up against his car that was probably bought by his parents which would be wrecked in about a week. Mind you, Changkyun isn’t saying this because he’s jealous. No, no, no. Changkyun bites the inside of his cheek in irritation. That familiar taste of blood spreads in his mouth. The rich douchenozzle speaks up again. 

“Do you want a ride home? I have a phone car if you need to use it.”

Charming. That’s one way to get attention. Some of the female students run over to check out the dude’s car who is only flaunting his wealth. There’s no spite, it’s just being able to see the guy’s motive. The car probably isn’t even his, it’s most likely daddy's. That’s how some of the jocks are at their university. And if it’s not their dad’s, it’s made from daddy’s money. 

Minhyuk scoffs, shaking his head. A puff of air can be visible when he talks. “Fucking showoff,” He comments. “Watch him get laid by one of them and then he throws them aside. I think that’s the school’s “hottie”,” His hands raise up in air quotes before pushing up his sunglasses. 

“You mean that’s Joshua Bueller?” Jooheon’s eyes widen and he takes a look behind himself. An ‘aw shit’ follows after. 

“He’s such a player and yet he still has girls around him,” Changkyun says. 

“Like Fleetwood Mac says ‘Players only love you when they’re playing’,” Minhyuk adds. 

Changkyun can’t help but bark a laugh. He catches the small smile Minhyuk gives, feeling a nudge against his side. It’s playful, giving Changkyun a small sense of normalcy. And the feeling is soothing. A smile reaches Changkyun. With Minhyuk being the oldest of the three, it’s clear he tries his best to take care of everyone. Thanks, Minhyuk. Always the littlest things are to be appreciated. 

“Next arcade meetup, I’ll kick both of your asses,” Changkyun declares, he yanks at Jooheon’s shoulder, pulling him closer. “Especially you.”

“That’s a good joke but I don’t think so,” Jooheon replies, playfully taking jabs at Changkyun’s side. 

“Hey, Jooheon!” A cute girl with black hair up to her shoulders calls out to him, waving to him with a matched energy. Her pale satin lace dress that reached her feet with huge ruffles on her shoulders makes her look like a doll. 

Jooheon shyly smiles and Minhyuk chuckles, kicking Changkyun’s heel with a knowing smile. Changkyun lets go of Jooheon and steps back with Minhyuk as they watch the scene, pretending to mind their own business not so subtly.

“Hey there, Eunha,” Jooheon smiles back. 

Ohoooo~ are his cheeks a little red? Changkyun giggles, tugging and pulling on Minhyuk’s sleeve. 

“You were really cool on the dance floor,” Eunha sputters, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. “And your makeup looks so rad. I was wondering if you wanted to study the homework together sometime after school?” She takes a pause, the cute shyness evident through her words. “I meant to ask before but I couldn’t find the right time.”

“Sure, we can schedule something. I’ll give you my house number,” Jooheon says. “Although, I didn’t bring a pen with me.”

Eunha flusters quickly. “That’s alright! I can see you in science class tomorrow.”

“It’s a date,” Jooheon adds. He doesn’t hide his dimples as he smiles widely at her. “And you look beautiful tonight, Eunha. That purple is such a pretty color. It compliments you well.” 

She opens her mouth to respond, only for someone to call her name. Her head turns in the direction before messily bowing her goodbye to Jooheon, running toward her friend as her heels clack against the sidewalk. Jooheon lets out a puff of air, fanning himself. 

“Well, well, look at you, you stud,” Changkyun teases. He watches Eunha catch up with her friend. She’s pretty too and totally Jooheon’s type. “Someone has a crush you, Mr. Superstar. Screw Joshua Bueller, the rising star tonight is Lee Jooheon.”

“The whole party felt like a blur,” Jooheon whistles. “Everything was moving so fast and I feel transparent right now. Am I a ghost?” Looking at his hands from the knuckles to the palms, he waves them in front of his face.

“Eunha seemed to see you so I think you’re here,” Minhyuk laughs, ruffling Jooheon’s styled hair. 

“Hey! Don’t mess it up!” Jooheon yells.

“Oh come on,” Minhyuk rolls his eyes. “A little roughed-up look can be sexy.”

Their footsteps continue down the street. All commotion starts to die down along with the number of people around them the further they move from the dance. Changkyun inhales deeply, trying to enjoy as much of the night as he can. Nights with such a small chill in the air is what Changkyun loves about walks at night. Long night drives, feeling the crisp night brushing against his cheeks. Even that feeling of touching your cold cheeks; Changkyun loves that sometimes. 

It’s specifically nice timing considering they needed a cool down after the dance. Savor this moment. Savor it as much as you can. Changkyun takes a deep breath, taking in his past night-time experiences. There’s a purer smell in the air, easily inhaling a burning cedar wood smell. Changkyun smiles to himself, stuffing his cold hands in his pockets. He takes a look around his surroundings, seeing students on the other side of the sidewalk. 

Jooheon whistles a beat, tapping his hand against his thigh as the fingers on his other hand snap. The rhythm puts a little hop in Changkyun’s step. Jooheon nods his head, sliding in front of Minhyuk as he begins to dance. It’s a mystery as to how this boy has any energy left in him to dance. Whatever it is, he’s feeling himself. 

Jooheon twirls, moonwalking down the sidewalk as he slicks his hair back like he’s the coolest shit. He waves his arm vertically in front of himself before he slides it against his chest, hand stopping at his belt and then hip thrusts the air. Changkyun snorts and Minhyuk hollers, clapping. Others who are walking the same way cheer on or laugh at the scene, and Changkyun can’t help but be slightly embarrassed. These fools are going to be the death of me one day. If not by Kihyun then by Minhyuk and Jooheon. 

Even though the weight of everyone’s tiredness can be sensed in the air, Jooheon’s energy livens it up a little. And that is what is lovable about him and Minhyuk. Being able to sense the vib n the room and having the magic to turn it all around even by a touch; it’s definitely a skill. 

Just like Jooheon did at the dance, he reaches into his pocket and blows the palm of his hand. A cloud of glitter floats into the night sky, blending in with the stars, making each small particle glisten. There’s a variety of colors, captivating with hues of blues and greens. You would think with Jooheon having a white suit, he wouldn’t want to ruin it; glitter being something almost unspeakable. 

“Yah! You ditz!” Minhyuk screams in horror. There’s a small amount of glitter on his shoulder. “Do you know how expensive this suit is? This is Bloomingdale’s! I saved up for this. Oh my god my mom is gonna kill me.”

Changkyun thanked his lucky stars that he took off his blazer. There’s no way he’s going to mess up a rental. His ass would be served on a plate. 

“Oh, take the skirt off will ya,” Jooheon dismisses. “I’m sure it’ll wash out. Plus not much landed on you, it’s not like you’re covered in it.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes. That reminds him of something that happened earlier. “Did you conjure up some kind of magic spell with that stuff because did I see you make out with a girl in the corner?”

“I wouldn’t want to say magic, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves,” Jooheon snickers, rubbing his hands. “Let’s just say I have my charms. She was a very good kisser just fyi.”

“Such a dog~” Changkyun sings, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Seems like my kind of night,” Jooheon says, pulling out a piece of paper with a phone number scribbled in pink ink. 

“Damn, even got her number?” Minhyuk gapes. “Our school or theirs?”

Jooheon grins widely. “Theirs.”

“You snagged up a rich girl?” Changkyun’s jaw drops open. 

“That’s not the girl that came up to you, is it?” Minhyuk asks, folding his arm and pushing up his sunglasses with scrutiny.

“No, that was Eunha,” Jooheon says, taking the paper back into his pocket. Facing Changkyun and Minhyuk, Jooheon continues to walk backward. He shoves his hands into his pockets. 

“Someone is popular,” Changkyun points out. 

“Isn’t there something that you’re not telling us?” Minhyuk narrows his eyes. 

Changkyun licks his lips, feeling like his junk has been exposed. There is something that he hasn’t told his friends. At the dance, he may or may not have been making out with his date somewhere. All that Changkyun is going to say is that she was a good kisser because phew, practically seven minutes in heaven. Her dad is kind of dick though but that’s not important now; that’s in the past. 

Truth be told, Changkyun was going to keep it to himself but Minhyuk must have been sticking his nose in other business than his own. Changkyun hates to admit it but Minhyuk is sharp; you can’t hide much from him. 

“Maybe I don’t want to tell you,” Changkyun says, shrugging. 

“Cheeky bastard,” Minhyuk clicks his tongue. 

Jooheon snickers, rubbing his hands together. “Don’t worry Minhyuk. I’m sure you’ll find a girl to make out with later.”

Minhyuk frowns, almost scrunching his nose. “Yeah, doubt it.”

Changkyun purses his lips, rubbing his arms to create some sort of friction of heat. He wants to go home and snuggle up on the couch with a nice cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and a slice of sponge cake. All that Changkyun wants is to be someplace warm. 

The sounds of the exasperated air catches Changkyun’s attention. It’s a sound that he’s way too familiar with, almost tickling his ears by how familiar it is. His eyes widen as the bus comes into view, picking up some of the students. No words need to be exchanged as Changkyun smacks Jooheon’s arm, immediately sprinting. What the actual fuck? What time is it? Panic courses through Changkyun, dizziness hitting him square in the head. 

A curse word spitefully passes through Changkyun’s lips, the cold air slapping against his face as he sprints through the air. His heart pounds almost violently in his chest. Fucking small towns. But no matter how many times he’ll curse the town or himself, it won’t change the situation. 

Others walking on the sidewalk follow suit, the streets that were once silent now roaring with hurried footsteps. They have to make it. The buses are empty at this time of night, everyone has to make it on the bus. 

That’s until a crowd forms. 

Changkyun realizes there are more people trying to catch the bus than he thought. It’s the equivalent of Black Friday by the way everyone is trying to squeeze past the doors. A cold shudder irritably skips down his back. Changkyun’s anxiety reaches his lungs, and he feels like his throat is closing in. Jooheon can be heard huffing, pushing himself a little harder to the point he passes by Changkyun. 

When Changkyun reaches the pile of people, his body crashes with the people in front of him, followed by pressure behind him, slowly being sucked into a tighter space. All the pushing has him feeling a bit lightheaded. He doesn’t know where Minhyuk and Jooheon went and calling out for them is unlikely in the confined space he’s put himself in. There’s only enough air to steady his breathing the best that he can. 

There’s no easy way out of this. But there is no way Changkyun is going to walk the almost two hours with his current paranoia. An elbow sinks into Changkyun’s side and with one misstep, it hits him in the rib. Need to get out. 

Can’t breathe… Changkyun pleads silently, deciding to push his way out of the crowd. With whatever strength he can muster, Changkyun pushes and nudges against anyone who fights against him, eventually stumbling out and hitting the pavement. His palms scrape against the concrete, burning as the skin breaks. Changkyun’s lungs take a large gush of cold air, cooling down the burning in his chest. It’s not worth it. A crowd like that is not worth the risk of possibly dying from suffocation. Changkyun looks back, the doors of the bus closing and Minhyuk and Jooheon aren’t in sight nor do they call his name. 

There’s a small amount of people catching their breath, watching the bus, and possibly cursing what powerful being is above. Standing just a mere few feet ahead is a crushing feeling. An arm lengths away, being able to touch the doors but not even able to get on. Changkyun stands up, wincing and stumbling as he looks down at his knee. Fuck, my suit pants. There’s a visible tear, his rental that he was supposed to take care of is fucked up. Maybe Mom and dad can cover it… It’s as if this night couldn’t get any worse. 

Changkyun hisses as the abrasions on his hands slowly start to bleed, throbbing. He scrunches his face. He sort of wishes Jooheon’s glitter landed on him (because if that was some sort of good luck charm then Changkyun wants to walk back and scoop up whatever is sticking to the sidewalk). Changkyun looks up to see the remaining students continuing to walk with their shoulders slumping. What other choice is there now than continuing forward. Looking at his injury and moping about the situation won’t get Changkyun home faster. 

With a heavy sigh, Changkyun continues to walk down the street and trail behind the others. It feels so empty not having Jooheon’s high energy filling the silent air and Minhyuk’s snarky comeback to back it up. Their voices always give Changkyun a sense of security. And Changkyun does like the night, he enjoys the silence that the night offers. But lately, that’s not the case. Even though there are no conversations, Changkyun can be glad that he’s not totally alone. 

Would it be weird to call out for Kihyun now? It’s that thought again that Changkyun tries to not think too much about. Changkyun looks over his shoulders to see a few people behind him. With this amount of people, it wouldn’t be a good idea to call him when someone could see. Changkyun looks down at the abrasions on his hands, wincing when he’s reminded of the pain. He doesn’t want this to cause him any problems and Changkyun decides to take a small detour up ahead to call out for Kihyun. 

Changkyun turns the corner, leaving the comfort of his peers. It’s a small sacrifice but if Kihyun claims to protect him then there’s nothing to be afraid of for a second or two. Walking down the sidewalk, Changkyun continues to look behind himself, making sure he’s out of sight. Maybe this way, he can trust Kihyun a little more through a small walk back home. Most likely Kihyun doesn’t have a car or not one that Changkyun has ever seen. 

“Hey there.”

That’s not Kihyun… Changkyun pauses. He didn’t even call his name yet.

The person in front of him is a homeless old man, covered in a blanket that lays over his hunched back. His pale skin has been aging badly, his skin cracking underneath his wrinkles and his cheeks swollen in. The old man's body is wrapped with torn and dirty rags and jackets, articles of clothing that can't be comprehended. There’s a rancid and rotting smell coming from him and Changkyun slowly starts walking back to get out of the radius. This man clearly hasn’t been taking any showers and there’s something crazy in his eyes. 

Changkyun takes another step back and anxiety hits him as the man takes another step forward. A crazed smile falls on the old man's face, one very ill and not all there, like a mad man. It makes the features of his face look abnormal as if he wasn’t… Changkyun’s eyes widen as the realization of the situation comes to him. This man wasn’t a human. 

“Ki—”

Changkyun swallows his words as he locks eyes with the barrel of a gun that the man pulls out from the pile of dirty laundry drooping over him. There’s not a chance to dodge a bullet. Having it miss a major artery is practically a stroke of luck if Changkyun is able to do so but his body stops, a numb, almost an out-of-body reaction. A white puff of air exits Chankyun’s mouth as he lets out a shaky breath and holds up his hands. 

“Listen, this suit is an expensive rental,” Changkyun finds himself saying. There’s nothing on him, not even his wallet. “If you pawn it, I’m sure you’ll—”

“I don’t want fucking money,” The old man spits out, his yellow teeth baring like an animal with rabies. His voice raspy, frail and dying as if years of smoking had taken away a big chunk of his life. “I want your blood. That’s what I want from you.”

“I don’t have that with me.” 

“I want the taste of your blood,” The old man laughs, crazed and insane. “The sweetness of your fear mixed with the sweet taste of blood. I bet it’ll taste even sweeter if I get a few cries from you.” Just like Kihyun, his eyes turn red. Yup, as predicted, a vampire. “I can already smell you.”

Changkyun notices the vast difference between the eyes of the old man versus Kihyun despite sharing the same color. The ones that Changkyun is faced with are empty and soulless, with no true emotion except a thirst for blood and to kill. Which could easily be said about any vampire but something was extremely off with this old man. This wasn’t just any type of blood lust at least, not from what Changkyun has seen on the television. 

“I’ll fuck you up,” Changkyun says, his flight mode activating as he picks up a rock, throwing it. The man stands still as it whips past his head, never moving to dodge the object coming at him. Changkyun cowers, his throwing arm shakily hugging back against his chest. His lips quiver, unable to get a word out. 

“A feisty one,” The old man laughs, voice heavy with a crack. “I know I’m going to have my fun with you.”

There’s no more hesitation as Changkyun steps back a good five steps.

“Somebody help! Kihyun!”

Blood is shed against the concrete and splatters the moon a bright red as lumps of flesh hit the sidewalk. The red colors the monochrome night as if to show that this wasn’t a nightmare, it’s all reality. Changkyun stands, watching the blood soak the old man’s clothes and blanket, hearing his head crack against the pavement. It’s a horrific sound. Changkyun screams, noticing the huge deep gash on the old man’s neck, his head almost decapitated. 

Those red eyes turn black and the sound of him gargling as blood spits out his mouth makes Changkyun sick to his stomach before his eyes see nothing but darkness. There’s that scent of sandalwood, mixed with a sweetness of vanilla, enveloping Changkyun. A warmth against his cheek as a firm hand presses the back of his head. He realizes he's face is in Kihyun's jacket.

“Close your eyes, Changkyun. I want you to focus on my voice.”

It’s Kihyun. His voice is soft and can be heard as the sounds of death are just a few feet away and Changkyun shuts his eyes as hard as he can. Changkyun doesn’t want to hear anymore. He doesn’t want to see anymore. His body starts to shake as reality starts to sink in, tears falling from his eyes. 

You have no idea how good it feels to be protected like this… Changkyun begins choking up.

“Focus on me, Changkyun,” Kihyun says, rubbing his other hand against Changkyun’s back. “You’re safe now. It’s going to be okay. You’re okay.” 

“I thought…” Changkyun sniffles. “I thought I was going to die. I didn’t think I was going to make it.” His cries spill out, hyperventilating against Kihyun’s chest. “I was going to call for you but… I didn’t have the time and I… I didn’t think I’d run into another vampire.”

“It’s okay, Changkyun,” Kihyun consoles. He switches sides with Changkyun, pulling away just enough to talk. “I want you to not turn around, okay? I need to make sure he’s not going to come back and harm you.”

Hesitantly, Changkyun nods. There’s an odor in the air that causes him to gag, covering his mouth and nose. A smell equivalent to a sewer pipe bursting. Oh god, I might just throw up. 

“I forgot to warn you about the smell,” Kihyun informs. “Stay there.”

The sound of Kihyun’s shoes echo as he walks toward the body. Changkyun grimaces. It’s not easy to drown out the noises of death in the background and cancel it out. No horror movie can ever prepare Changkyun for what he’s just witnessed. The goriest movie he’s probably watched (by accident thanks to some jocks who thought they were cool) was Cannibal Holocaust and lets just say, Changkyun thought it was most of it was real. But witnessing a partial decapitation… 

And that was real. 

All the blood… and seeing it all paint against the concrete like a crude painting. The image isn’t erasable no matter how tight Changkyun shuts his eyes. A faint sound of a match striking against the box catches Changkyun’s curiosity. He knows he shouldn’t but he doesn’t think he can sleep unless he wonders what it’s for. Slowly, he looks over his shoulder only slightly. 

And this is why he shouldn’t feed the tapeworm of curiosity. The dead body no longer has a human form and is instead a lump of bones, flesh melting as if they were wax. Whatever form was there is now indistinguishable. The match in Kihyun’s hand falls onto the lump of death and instantly catches on fire. Oh… oh god… Changkyun staggers onto his hands and knees and he throws up in the gutter on the side of the road. He clutches his stomach as he wretches.

Changkyun can faintly hear Kihyun call his name, running up to his side. A hot hand rubs at his back in a circular motion and Changkyun can’t find it in him to stop vomiting. Coughing, he spits on the ground. His mouth tastes the disgusting smell that was in the air, making him sick all over again. 

“Please say you didn’t turn around,” Kihyun says, taking out a handkerchief and dabbing it on Changykun’s forehead. 

“I wanna go home now,” Changkyun sputters. Spitting onto the ground, he turns to Kihyun with bleary eyes. “Take me home.”

“Okay, we’ll get you home,” Kihyun says, bringing the both of them to their feet. He takes another handkerchief from his pocket, ripping it in half to tie around Changkyun’s dried up bloody hand. “Stay close to me and follow as I say.”

The comfort of home has Changkyun feeling very mixed. He sits on his couch, listening to Kihyun make him tea in his kitchen. It’s a blessing he’s alive and not alone and he has to thank Kihyun for saving him. If Changkyun hadn’t met him, tonight’s events would have turned out very differently. Those kinds of moments are what scare him the most. Ones where it could have easily gone sour if it weren’t for that one change that throws everything into a certain outcome. 

When returning home, Kihyun cleaned the abrasions on Changkyun’s hands, wrapping them up in a more professional way. The ointment still stings every time he flexes his hands or reaches to grab for something but he’s grateful he won’t be getting an infection.

The television plays but Changkyun, as usual, doesn’t pay attention to it. Amongst all the crappy horror shows that hit a little too close home and nothing entertaining being found within the TV Guide, it’s settled on repetitive infomercials. He wipes at his nose with a tissue, throwing it in the trash bin. 

There’s a small urge to take a second shower to get the memories of the night out of his mind and washed away. Changkyun shudders, hugging his knees closer to himself. None of the night makes any sense. A vampire with a gun is something unheard of. And the way he looked was something unbelievable. Changkyun can’t quite understand the use of a gun if they’re so powerful. Nothing about all this vampire hocus-pocus makes any sense and Changkyun is starting to lose more and more of his sanity.

“Here you are,” Kihyun offers a hot cup which Changkyun takes with thanks. “How’s your hand? Can you be able to hold it okay?”

“A bit sore but I can manage,” Changkyun replies. He gently flexes his hand a little, hissing. “It stopped bleeding, though.”

“Good. Try not to open the cuts when doing that,” Kihyun says. “Also a tip for outside, vampires love sweet blood the most so try not to get cut too much. You’ll never know who is a vampire.”

“Do you like sweet blood?” Changkyun questions.

“As much as I love donuts,” Kihyun smiles, a mix of being cheeky and being smart.

“I'm so confused as to why you're not triggered by the smell of my blood,” Changkyun frowns. “I’m such an easy target. I thought you would be foaming at the mouth by now.”

Kihyun snorts, his eyes darkening. “Trust me, it’s not that easy. I could bite you without hesitation if you really want to see me not hold back.”

“I’m just confused because the way that vampire acted isn’t how you’re acting,” Changkyun says, 

“Are you stereotyping me?”

“Can you answer my questions?”

“Geez, Changkyun,” Kihyun breathes, brushing his hair back. Releasing a long sigh, he sits on the armrest. “Look, it’s a lot to explain right now, especially when you’ve almost been attacked. I’m not saying I won’t answer them. Just timing-wise isn’t very convenient.”

“Well, thank you for being considerate,” Changkyun musters, taking a sip of his tea. Not bad. Might as well try to detour the conversation because that’s all I ever do with Kihyun. “Also thanks for the tea. What flavor is it?”

“Chamomile. Good for your nausea too.”

There. Right there, Kihyun gets a little short with his responses on certain topics about himself. Changkyun wonders what sort of nerve he tends to hit so he could either avoid it or work around it. 

“Do you think you can spend the night?” Changkyun finds himself asking next. 

Kihyun pauses, looking down at Changkyun with slight surprise. 

“You mean you want me to sleep here?” Kihyun tilts his head. Changkyun nods. A small airy chuckle exits Kihyun’s lips. “No other vampires will come here. They’ll need permission.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Changkyun whispers. He stares into his cup before taking a cautious sip. “Fully, anyway.”

“I see.” Kihyun sits beside Changkyun, crossing a leg over the other and folding his arms across his chest. “Is it your thoughts crowding up again? Anything you want to get off your chest?”

“What happened to no more questions?” Changkyun mentions. 

“About me is another, long story,” Kihyun says. “But anything troubling you at the moment is fine.”

“What happened to the vampire?” Changkyun decides to let a few be answered. When they left the street, all that Changkyun remembers was how fast they arrived home. He wasn’t allowed to see what had happened to the body.

“He’s gone. Turned into ash,” Kihyun bluntly says. “What you saw back there is what happens to a vampire. Since they’re not fully human, their deaths are pretty gruesome and nasty.”

“Do you have any idea why he was dressed like a homeless person?” Changkyun fires up his next question, unable to make sense of it all because you clearly don’t see that everyday. 

Kihyun shrugs. “It’s not easy to say. Could be a number of reasons.” 

“And he had a gun too,” Changkyun mumbles. “Aren’t vampires powerful?”

“Of course we are,” Kihyun says like it’s a no-brainer. “If I had a theory, my theory is he wasn’t getting enough blood. If we don’t obtain blood we slowly become weaker.”

“It takes away your special abilities?”

“Remember what I said last night? Think of it as starving,” Kihyun informs. “You don’t eat, you’re unable to process the energy and, well…” He shrugs. “You get weaker and don’t have the energy for even the most basic tasks. Just because it’s blood doesn’t mean we work all that differently.”

“What happens to him?” 

“He’s been turned to dust.”

“Actual dust?” 

Kihyun chuckles. “Actual dust.  

“Why is that?” Changkyun makes a face.

“That’s just the process,” Kihyun says. He props his feet up on the coffee table, training his eyes on the television. “We’re not… human. I don't know how many times I have to say we're not human.” Kihyun rubs his temple. “Sometimes I think you know but then forget or something?”

“It's a lot to process!” Changkyun defends. “So you were tempted to bite me?”

Changkyun decides to tread the waters, knowing Kihyun won’t harm him. Maybe he’s being annoying but Changkyun wants to get a bigger picture. 

Kihyun doesn’t turn his head. He lets out a breath. He’s probably getting tired of letting out so many in one conversation. “It’s a natural instinct of course. But I try not to unless I ask for your consent of course.”

“Oh,” Changkyun gapes a little. Is that why he was getting all defensive? “I didn’t expect you to be a gentleman when it comes to your survival.”

“Getting smart with me again?” Kihyun scoffs. “And as I said before, we’ll talk about it next time when you’re not huddled in the fetal position. But I guess your tiny pea-sized pigeon brain didn’t comprehend that.”

“Rude ass,” Changkyun purses his lips. With his drink now cooled down, he takes a large gulp, enjoying the tea warming up his throat. He coddles the mug in his palms, staring at the light-colored tea. A thought comes to mind. “If I didn’t know you were a vampire…” Changkyun tries, his voice getting shaky. “Would I have died if I hadn’t called out to you?”

“Why do you want to know about something like that if you’ve survived?” Kihyun frowns.  

“I don’t know,” Changkyun whimpers. He hides his face into one of his sweater sleeves, wiping away at the forming snot. “You’re going to stay here tonight, right?”

“As long as you need me to.” Kihyun takes the mug away from Changkyun and places it on the coffee table. 

Changkyun looks up at Kihyun with teary eyes, scooting towards him to lean against his side. For once, he’s not afraid of Kihyun’s presence, he just doesn’t care anymore. Kihyun has proven how much of a help he is. “Can you bring me a blanket? I wanna sleep here tonight in front of the television.” 

Kihyun leaves and comes back in the blink of an eye before Changkyun realizes that his head isn’t on Kihyun’s shoulder anymore. A fuzzy blanket rests over both of them and Kihyun has already settled in the same spot. Changkyun welcomes his presence, folding himself in Kihyun’s side like a cat wanting warmth. Kihyun laughs a little, focusing back on the infomercials. This is the third time this particular one has played. 

“You move pretty fast for someone who doesn't like vampires,” Kihyun comments.

“I might as well put my faith in you,” Changkyun retorts back. 

“Well… thanks I guess.”

“I should be saying that.” 

Chapter Text

Changkyun shifts uncomfortably on the couch, peeling one eye open to only shut his eye in defiance at the intrusive dull light from god knows where. He doesn’t want to know and he doesn’t care all that much. What he does know is that— it’s hot . A blazing heat where handheld fans won’t do justice but not enough to cook an egg on the sidewalk. I feel so gross. This heat is gross!! Changkyun groans, wanting to just rip his shirt off. His shirt feels heavier, clinging to his skin. Unbeknownst to him, he ends up falling back asleep, pulled into a deep darkness.

With autumn creeping further into the month, the mornings can be a gamble. Usually, almost all year round, the mornings in the small town are foggy, cold with a heavy mist lining the streets. It’s also a time where deer roam around more frequently because not many people drive out in the thick fog (as it gets pretty bad; mind you). However, when autumn does come, that’s when the town is hit with a late summer. The fog can still roll in but once the sun rises, clearing the fog to present the sun rays, it has a mission to start burning everything under its glare. Because that’s always fun. And Changkyun hates it. But no. Changkyun isn’t allowed to have nice things. 

While October is the month he’s excited to see the yellow and orange tree leaves fall gracefully, he instead has to camp in front of the broken air conditioning unit that rattles until he loses his mind. It would be nice to go out and see an autumn festival but only when it’s not sweating balls outside.

These hotter days sprinkled in should be a time for rejoicing after experiencing long winters and somewhat of a spring but that’s just a mirage. What should be a break from paying a higher electricity bill because you used the radiator for practically the whole winter. But trying to survive the heat isn’t easy. Days like these have Changkyun wondering why he doesn’t mind the warmth that Halloween brings compared to the other days of the summer-like autumn. And maybe it’s just the sentiment of it all but Changkyun doesn’t think so. At least not fully convinced. 

The events of last night come flooding into the cracks of his dream. Fresh in his mind, just as fresh as the blood that splattered on the concrete, each detail is still vivid from the horrifying image. The lump of flesh and bone that melted like a crude imitation of ice cream that had fallen. There are no hazy bits as if it was something Changkyun was supposed to see. And the pungent, overpowering smell of it is still there like a plate of meat molded to the point where it gave maggots a new home. That pungent rotten smell thats gag-inducing; one that will stick with you even if you no longer can physically smell it. 

The thought of it has Changkyun’s heartbeat rising, his forehead breaking out in a sweat like the rest of his body. All the fear he thought was gone has trickled back in and it makes his body almost detach itself from himself. It’s a feeling he can’t quite describe but he doesn’t like it. An unnerving tingle throughout his body as if he’s come to term with his existence. When Changkyun thinks about how close he was to death, it starts to make him spiral. His body shoots up straight in a panic to find a distraction from this feeling. He claws at his shirt, grasping at his chest. His mind running to the point where he’s unsure where and what it is he’s trying to do. His heart beats faster than his thoughts can comprehend and his chest hurts. 

“Another nightmare?” 

Changkyun pauses at the calm, deep voice that isn’t his own. When Changkyun’s eyes fall on the voice, seeing Kihyun laying beside him has a strange mix of relief and still high on panicked fright. Unsure and unconstructed words are stuck in Changkyun’s throat, choking up as his voice comes out in a wheeze. That’s when Kihyun’s nonchalant expression changes drastically with worry, sitting up to peer in Changkyun’s face. 

Kihyun doesn’t comment or give his thoughts, his hand immediately rubbing Changkyun’s back. His presence briefly leaves the couch, speeding back at an inhumane force with a cold washcloth in hand. The coolness touches Changkyun’s forehead, making him realize the temperature contrast in comparison to his body. A quiet, shaky sigh falls off his lips, hands clutching at Kihyun’s sweater that he wasn’t aware was there. Changkyun doesn’t remember when he held onto Kihyun but he enjoys the company. 

“You’re still here…” Changkyun whispers in almost reassurance, closing his eyes. The coolness feels refreshing against his forehead as his heart slowly calms down. “I didn’t think you would stay until morning. Thank you.” 

“I did say that I would stay as long as you needed me to,” Kihyun says, matching the volume of Changkyun’s tone. Kihyun frowns, eyes clouded with worry, something that looks almost strange on his face. “I knew this would have a bad effect on you.”

“Oh, really?” Changkyun blinks, alarmed. And the fact that Kihyun isn’t wrong about it either. There’s no point in trying to lie considering the state that he’s in. “Last night really fucked me up. I try not to think about it but my mind sort of just gravitates towards it.”

“Sorry,” Kihyun says. 

“You don’t have to say that,” Changkyun says. He isn’t used to Kihyun acting this way, it feels almost out of character but he still can’t say much if he doesn’t really know him. In instances like this, Changkyun has to remind himself that Kihyun’s outburst doesn’t reflect his full personality. 

“I’ll make you some more tea,” Kihyun says, already in the kitchen before Changkyun can even register what he just said. “It’s going to be a rough few days but you’ll…” Kihyun pauses, not elaborating what he was about to say. He moves around the kitchen as if he didn’t leave on a cliffhanger. 

“I’ll…?” Changkyun tries, staring at Kihyun’s back for answers. 

“I don’t want to say anything in regards to your feelings,” Kihyun responds, filling the pot with water. “It seems a bit insensitive of me to say you’ll be fine or you’ll get used to it. I don’t have the right to comment on how you feel based on my experience.”

Changkyun leans over the back frame of the couch, watching Kihyun turn on the stove. The clicking of the electric igniter filling the room. He appreciates how delicate Kihyun is to the situation. “What do you do to cope?”

“Accept my fate,” Kihyun blunty says. 

“That sounds harsh even for you,” Changkyun comments and then sighs, folding his arms to rest his head on them, eyes gazing into the kitchen to watch Kihyun’s frame move like a normal human. 

“Took a few years but I made it here… somehow,” Kihyun says. The soft noises of the water boiling is almost nice to listen to. Changkyun chooses to focus on the sound.

“Yeah, that sounds like a tall order for me,” Changkyun dryly chuckles, keeping his eyes on Kihyun. 

“Is chamomile again okay?” Kihyun asks, pouring the boiling water into two different mugs. Changkyun hums, closing his eyes. Kihyun reaches for the instant tea bags. “It’s what you only have either way.”

Changkyun is starting to feel sleepy again, knowing this chamomile will potentially knock him out and he doesn’t want to be left alone if he does. Changkyun slowly opens his eyes at the sound of footsteps walking towards him, rubbing his eyes and stretching with a yawn. 

“It’s hot so be careful,” Kihyun warns, handing Changkyun his mug. 

A small electric fan is placed on the coffee table in front of Changkyun, the breeze hitting his face so nicely. It’s a bit dusty but it works wonders. Come to think of it— this isn’t his fan. When he notices that detail, Kihyun sits beside Changkyun and crosses his leg over the other. Words die on his lips as he takes a glance at Kihyun, deciding to not comment on it and to play dumb. Instead, Changkyun blows on his piping hot tea. 

“Thanks for making more tea,” Changkyun smiles. Even though the morning opened up with a hot breeze, he can’t say no to tea. It's the same sentiment of eating ice cream on a rainy day. With the fan hitting him, he knows he’ll end up cuddling under the blankets later. The only thing he has to do now is change out of his gross shirt. 

“Got to make the best within the worst type of situations,” Kihyun says. “Let me know if you need anything else. I’m quick, you see.” 

Changkyun snorts. “You’ve been really nice lately,” Changkyun says, inhaling the sweet and fresh aroma from the chamomile. It's working without even taking a sip. “Sure you’re not doing the whole, ‘you’re the only human I will never hurt’ type of mentality? Going after everyone else except magically me.”

Kihyun scoffs, shaking his head. “Once again, no,” Kihyun gingerly takes a sip, wincing as he scowls at the mug. “You just got lucky in the sense that you made a big fuss and you moved faster than I imagined. Albeit by accident by your shenanigans but I wouldn’t mind befriending your two other friends. Minhyuk and Jooheon? I think it was,” He blows into his mug. “At least it’ll give me some sort of normality,” His last few words come out in a murmur, sinking his back into the couch.

“Oh, them,” Changkyun rolls his eyes. He needs to bully them the next time he sees them for leaving his ass in the dust. “They do leave a kind of unforgettable presence that's for sure. Once again, I'm so sorry about their behavior.”

“Eh, I thought it was pretty entertaining,” Kihyun shrugs, rubbing a hand on his mug. 

“You said something about a nightmare when I woke up,” Changkyun mentions, hesitating to take a sip of his tea. Changkyun licks his lips, turning his head towards Kihyun. “Did I say or do anything weird? I only remember what I—” Changkyun inhales, having a hard time taking in a breath and he cuts off his own words. “Nevermind. Don’t want to think about it again.”

“So you don’t remember anything, good,” Kihyun says, gingerly taking a sip. A sigh falls off his lips. “I couldn’t comprehend what you were saying but you were in complete hysterics. I thought you woke up a few times but you didn’t seem fully awake no matter how many times I called your name.”

“I don’t remember any of that,” Changkyun says, trying to recall anything from last night. 

“Figures and that's a good thing,” Kihyun says. “Yesterday wasn’t really a night to be remembered.”

“You don’t think it’s like a premonition, right? Oh god…” Changkyun worries, mind swirling and that weird sensation overcomes him once more. “If I just remembered what I dreamt I could probably avoid it. God, I’m so fucking screwed.”

“Changkyun. You’re overthinking,” Kihyun asserts, voice stern and not wanting any room for arguments. He taps on Changkyun’s mug. “Drink. It’ll calm you down.”

“I just don’t want to keep feeling this way,” Changkyun grumbles, lowering his gaze to his mug. Everyday it gets worse and it’s stressing him out bad. His chamomile has cooled to a temperature of his liking but he gingerly takes a sip. 

“You’re not alone in this,” Kihyun confides. Kihyun places his mug on the coffee table, grabbing the blanket to place around Changkyun’s shoulders. “If you didn’t have any idea about what was going on, I don’t think it would help your mentality.”

“But despite that —” Changkyun whips his head toward Kihyun, noting how much closer this face is. “I’m still afraid because there’s so much I don’t know,” He explains. “Like thanks to you I’m aware that vampires exist but how do I know I’ll be stuck in the same situation like I was in last night?”

“That’s life in general,” Kihyun makes a face as he pauses from wrapping Changkyun up in the blanket. “You can be aware of the consequences about certain things but the chance of something happening because of it is totally unpredictable. Whatever happens sort of just happens but if you’re vaguely aware it’s better than being totally clueless.” 

“Eh, point made, I guess ,” Changkyun grumbles.

Kihyun laughs lightly. The sound catches Changkyun’s attention from how unfamiliar it is to the ears. 

“How’s your hand?” Kihyun points with his chin. He hides his sly smile by reaching for his mug and taking a sip.

“Okay, I think…?” Changkyun frowns. Changkyun observes his hand, the bandage still on tight. It doesn’t hurt as much as it did last night but it’s not completely healed. 

“It’s not a big wound so we can check it in another day or two,” Kihyun says, taking a look himself. He takes Changkyun’s bandaged hand in his, examining and gently pressing his thumb against the palm. “How is this? Does it still sting?”

Changkyun shakes his head. 

“Why were you outside so late anyway?” Kihyun asks. 

“It was a dance we were attending and the event was scheduled late,” Changkyun answers. Taking another sip of tea, he enjoys the warmth passing through his throat. “Now that I think about it, I was having my doubts about going at first.”

Kihyun licks his lips after taking a sip. “What made you go in the end?” 

“Jooheon and Minhyuk said it would clear my head after my outburst. And it did for a while,” Changkyun chuckles low. And that ended up backfiring. Changkyun chews the inside of his mouth. His anxiety came back like a boomerang and ten times worse. 

“That didn’t end too well,” Kihyun says, rolling his eyes. 

“You’ve been living like this for years, maybe even decades!” Changkyun emphasizes, his arms gesturing in a big motion. “How do you survive and just…” Changkyun shrugs, shaking his head in disbelief. “Just survive so long without losing your mind?”

“I'd like to know the answer to that too,” Kihyun says, looking at his nails. “Honestly, I thought I would die at the age of eight and over a hundred years later here I am. If it wasn't for Wonho—” Kihyun points a finger at Changkyun. “And dont tell him any of this cause he’ll get a bigger head than he already has. But I’d probably kill myself if he wasn't in my life. Because of him, he was the only person I trusted and befriended.”

“Were you always close to each other?” Changkyun asks.

“I guess you can say that,” Kihyun comments. “We grew up in the same village but that was only when we were kids. He’s older than me so it’s not like we together at birth or anything.”

“That must make celebrations a little more meaningful, no?” Changkyun asks. There's an aspect of him that thinks vampires must do something that humans don't do for special occasions.

Kihyun shakes his head, laughing like he's just heard a funny joke. “Things like birthdays and stuff have lost their meaning.”

“Really? So you don't do anything? No celebrations of your friendship? ”

“I’m too old for something like that,” Kihyun shakes his head, laughing. It’s dry, almost quiet with no emotion behind it. “Maybe when I was younger but not now. It’s meaningless anyway.”

“So you don’t even do anything for your birthday?” 

“I don’t like to be reminded of my age.”

“When is it anyway?” 

“November 22nd.”

Changkyun’s eyebrows hit his forehead. Wo-woah, hang on. He places his mug on the coffee table, not wanting to spill it. His mind whirls from confusion to realization. “That’s coming up pretty soon.” 

Focusing on Kihyun’s words has Changkyun slinks a little further in his small blanket hutch. He wraps his arms around his legs and places his cheek on his kneess, eyes falling on Kihyun. I’m so sleepy… Changkyun yawns. His eyes feel heavy, fighting to keep them open but now he feels so warm and comfortable that he’s in a limbo of wanting to stay up and wanting to sleep. That feeling of scorching morning heat no longer lingers but his shirt still feels icky.

“Yeah,” Kihyun scoffs, continuing. A decorative pillow seemingly catches his eyes as he reaches for it and plays with the tassles. “I’m not too excited about it once again. I mean, Wonho does come up with some kind of “thing” to not put a damper on the date but…” Kihyun shrugs, fingers continuing to fiddle. That tone of criticism and self-deprecation comes back, voice faraway despite being next to Changkyun. “I know he’s doing it to cheer me up but I really don’t see the excitement in it anymore. He does get me donuts though which is pretty great.” 

Changkyun picks up on the small smile that spreads across Kihyun’s face at the mention of donuts. That reminds him… he was eating donuts the last time he was here. It has Changkyun wondering what makes Kihyun… Kihyun . Not just the vampire side of him but the other aspects of him. The difference from his confrontational side on the front porch, from the protective side of him when there’s danger present; to this raw emotion he’s expressing in Changkyun’s living room; they're all so different. 

“Even though you don’t seem to celebrate it, it seems like you keep track,” Changkyun asks, hoping it's not too invasive of a question. He scoots a little closer to Kihyun’s personal bubble if he decides to whisper the answer. 

There’s hesitancy in Kihyun’s next choice of words, lifting his head towards Changkyun. “I’m over a century old if that simplifies it.”

Changkyun frowns for a second. A century is… His thoughts are being thunk as the calculations flood through. Holy shit! Changkyun opens his mouth but nothing comes out of it, eyes dumbly staring at Kihyun as his body almost falls off the couch. A century?! You can’t be serious! He’s unable to comprehend how the person in front of him isn’t six feet under with bugs crawling through his skeletal remains. His body should be embedded in the dirt with bones no longer attached. Instead, Kihyun sits right in front of him looking nothing like how his age portrays. And it’s a bit unnerving to come to terms with the facts that he’s practically talking to a dead person. 

Changkyun swallows, his throat feeling dry. He reaches for his mug, taking a nice gulp of his tea to hide his response, unsure what to say next as he gets his thoughts in process. Kihyun lets out a breathy, mocking laugh, scratching the back of his neck and fixing the folded fabric around it. “Shocking, right. I can’t believe it myself that I’ve lasted this long. I’m surprised I haven’t killed myself.”

“Do you fear immortality just as a human might fear death?” Changkyun asks. 

Kihyun blinks before making a face. “Immortality? Who said I was immortal.”

“That’s what they say on the television and in books,” Changkyun replies, the response hitting him a bit late. “Wait, is that not real either?!”

“It looks like there are some things you should relearn…” Kihyun mumbles under his breath. “We age one-tenth the human rate. After ten years, I’m older a year and I calculate that. I may not celebrate my birthday but I do want to know how old I am even though it’s a pain in the ass.”

“So in human years that’s—” 

“I’m one-hundred and seventy years old, born in 1808 and currently I’m twenty-five years old,” Kihyun reveals, his words quickly falling out of his mouth in defeat; tired of being questioned. “Born when colonies and land were still being fought for, back when people were executed to hangings and guillotines, experienced wars, survived so many diseases and The Great Depression. I’ve been through hell of a lot of shit and that’s only the surface of it.” 

Changkyun is speechless, his staring gaze locked on Kihyun like he’s gooing to merge into something. What’s most noticeable is Kihyun’s tone in the way he speaks. The uninterested and monotone words like he’s been asked this many times when in reality, it’s a tell sign he just doesn’t want to talk about it. 

Kihyun has practically lived two human lifespans. Changkyun is only a tad-bit younger than him and yet he barely got to experience this life. Then that feeling comes back again; the one that startled him awake. Trying to push it away, Changkyun drinks the last of his tea, reminding himself that he's not alone. 

“Are you going to drink the rest of yours?” Changkyun points to Kihyun’s mug. 

“Thirsty?” Kihyun snorts, not answering the question but he reaches for his mug and hands it over to Changkyun.

Changkyun doesn’t elaborate, giving Kihyun his thanks and down the hatch it goes. Phew. The tea coats his throat nicely and the sleepiness starting to hit him a little stronger. When Changkyun looks over at Kihyun, he observes him now skimming at the TV Guide, noticing how his hair is a little messier. Without his coat, it’s easier to see his build and how slim he is as his clothes hug his body. The turtleneck makes him look longer and sleeker. His wrinkled trousers still giving his appearance a hint of elegance despite that. It also begs the question how did Kihyun sleep comfortably in those? If anything he should be the sweaty one. 

“Yes?” Kihyun asks.

“Hm?” Changkyun hums, eyebrows perking. 

“I can tell you’re staring at me,” Kihyun comments, not lifting his eyes from the TV Guide. “Again.”

“I’m just…” Changkyun stumbles, a bit flustered as he tries to come up with an excuse. “It’s still hard to believe you’ve lived for so long. You look nothing like that, it's just so bizarre.”

“Yeah, I’ve learned to just live with it at this point,” Kihyun sighs, closing the magazine. “I bet you expected me to be older since we’re supposed to be immortal,” Kihyun shrugs. “Thankfully that’s not the case.”

Changkyun bites his lip, picking at a hangnail on his thumb. Pulling the dead, dry skin, he thanks his lucky stars he didn’t have it bleed. “So…” Changkyun begins, hoping to brighten the mood a bit. Changkyun leans closer to catch Kihyun's attention, wanting to hear all the details to the questions he’s about to ask. “How was it hunting with the dinosaurs? Were they big? Did you get to ride on one?”

Kihyun heavily rolls his eyes, shooing Changkyun away. “Haha, very funny. I’m old but not that old.”

“What year was that again?” Changkyun taps on his chin in faux thinking. “Was that when Jesus got birthed or— ” Changkyun pauses, snaping his fingers to try a find the words he doesn’t even need to look for. “No it had to be way before that, I think…? Oh! Does that mean you got painted in The Last Supper?”

“Oh, shut up,” Kihyun says, hitting Changkyun softly with the pillow. “I was born when Thomas Jefferson became president and last I checked he wasn’t Jesus.”

“Did you start the black plague?” Changkyun asks but more so accuses. “Vampires carry some kind of disease like bats, right?” 

Kihyun squints. “That's— Fuck off.”

"Were you born in Transylvania?"

"Changkyun," Kihyun warns. He lets out a heavy, shaky sigh but it’s evident he’s holding himself back.

"What? It's an actual place in Romania, it’s not just a part of fiction," Changkyun retorts, holding his hands up in defense. The fun was fun while it lasted but now he doesn’t want to press any further buttons. "I’m asking because you said you didn’t look to happy after I mentioned immortality and I’m going off of book here.”

“And that wannabe literature sucks,” Kihyun frowns.

Changkyun rolls his eyes. “Yeah let me phone Bram Stoker and I’ll have him come down and talk to you.”

“Ha ha, smart ass,” Kihyun nudges, scrunching his face at Changkyun.  

“Why are vampires even here?” Changkyun asks. It’s a question more to himself than anything. As if the answer could materialize in front of him.

“That’s what I would like to wonder,” Kihyun grumbles.

Changkyun chokes, a bit taken aback at the lackluster response. “You’re the history expert!”

“It could be a number of things, mutation, disease or maybe something did evolve I don’t know,” Kihyun says. He messes around with the fabric on the neck of his turtleneck. “All I know is I’m stuck in this purgatory state of a life while a short human is asking me if I was at the Battle of Gettysburg.”

“Were you at the Battle of Gettysburg?” 

“I. Was. Not!” 

“I’m just asking cause that was very specific of you to say!” Changkyun yells, holding his arms out to protect himself once more as Kihyun’s fingers claw into the decorative pillow in his hands. “I’m just trying to lighten the mood. Truthfully, I don’t think I could have survived that long without going crazy so I give you a ton of kudos to all the things you’ve been through.”

Kihyun’s gaze falls on Changkyun. He sighs, eyes focused on something on the couch as his fingers fiddle with the tassels on the pillow once more. In a few seconds, the air changes. Tight and dry, but not quite as hostile as a few seconds ago. “This might sound crazy but I still don’t feel like I’ve experienced life enough yet I’m so tired of it from how much I have lived. Is that weird?”

Changkyun shakes his head. There’s something human in what Kihyun shares, almost childlike, reaching for something that’s been fleeting him for years. The softness in his voice has Changkyun a little startled in contrast to his strong tone that was defending him. Something about Kihyun sharing such a thought seems unlikely but the feeling in his words are so real and raw. 

“Are you hungry?” Changkyun asks, looking up. Their eyes meet. He’s afraid to comment further, afraid his words wouldn’t be enough to help. “I have more donuts in my pantry.”

+++

Changkyun spends a part of his day sharing donuts over cups of tea with Kihyun, watching the newest episode of ‘Magnum P.I.’ For a newbie watcher like Kihyun, Changkyun gives him the cliffnotes about the show to catch him up. It’s a refreshing feeling talking about your interests with someone who has no clue what they are or what it is you’re actually talking about. While Jooheon and Minhyuk only roll their eyes and laugh about seeing The Handsome Tom Selleck running down the beach in a speedo, Kihyun instead intently listens to the whole backstory with eager nods and working ears. 

While a rerun episode plays, Changkyun lets Kihyun watch it as he runs up to take a shower, gaining a bit of energy rather than sleepiness. The hot water makes some of the sleepiness come back but releases some of the tension in his body. The remnants of last night still leave Changkyun to feel dirty, scrubbing away in hope to wash it all off. For the next few weeks, he knows those images will stick with him. Changkyun shivers under the hot water at the thought cursing his brain for thinking about it yet again. Changing the water to cold, forcing the bad thoughts out of his head to instead focus on the freezing temperature. It’s only temporary. 

After his shower, Changkyun walks down the stairs to see Kihyun in the same spot as he left him: watching the television. Changkyun tries to fight a laugh, finding it kind of endearing to see Kihyun intently listen and do things diligently that it’s kind of sweet. There’s a lot to Kihyun that Changkyun continues to find out day by day. It makes Kihyun’s unapproachable attitude from the day he arrived seem like a distant memory now. 

Changkyun dries his hair, plopping next to Kihyun who is now deeply enamored with watching ‘Three’s Company’, as he doesn’t even turn at Changkyun’s presence. Oh, it’s this episode . One where Jack and Janet realize the rent envelope is missing and they think someone has broken into their home. When Chrissy comes in, she accidentally creeps up behind them, scaring Jack and Janet so badly that Jack stumbles into the bathroom. Kihyun starts laughing, a bright smile flashes on his face momentarily before he covers it with a hand. 

Changkyun’s eyes glue to Kihyun, that smile of his acting like a magnet. Wow, Changkyun doesn’t recall seeing such a genuine laugh before. Smiling, his heart feels a little lighter than that usual tense squeeze he’e been feeling lately. 

“You like this show?” Changkyun questions. 

“It’s pretty entertaining,” Kihyun says. The television plays as a reflection in his eyes. “I don't think this is the first one but that guy named Jack is awkwardly funny. He stumbles with his words and what he does. I notice he tries to make jokes at odd times and the people stare at him and he just dials it back with embarrasment. He just sort of doesn’t know how to make the situation better and makes it even worse.”

Changkyun laughs, nodding. “Yeah, he does that quite a lot and it’s pretty entertaining. Since you haven’t seen the pilot episode, he’s actually not supposed to live with two girls since they’re unmarried so Janet told the landlord he’s gay but the wife knows he’s not,” Changkyun explains, telling Kihyun the whole living situation and exposition. Not wanting to spoil everything and take his attention away from the television, he keeps it brief. “Chrissy is the not-so-smart one of the group and some of the things she says has you both rolling your eyes and laughing but I love her so much. She’ll definitely grow on you.” 

“Her facial expressions are hilarious especially when her eyes get big,” Kihyun comments, laughing at Mr. and Mrs. Ropers' interaction. “They’re pretty funny too.”

“Oh my god, they're soooo funny,” Changkyun says, clasping his hands. “Their banters are so clever. Mr. Roper will tell a joke and he’ll look at the camera and laugh. And the camera is zoomed into his face, it's so so funny.” From what Changkyun remembers, this may be an earlier episode so they may not have it. “He’s the landlord and they have this love-hate relationship where he’s just annoyed by Mrs. Roper but they both have at it with each other. They’re truly a gem.”

“I like this show,” Kihyun smiles. “It’s my kind of pace.”

“Glad to know,” Changkyun smiles back, turning to face Kihyun before his attention moves back to the television. It’s a quiet afternoon but time passes and it’s enjoyable. Spending days like this feel nice. 

Night has fallen once more, striking sometime around 10pm from the last time Changkyun looked at the clock. The freshly made bagel bites are on the burnt side but even if they weren’t, they’re still tough to eat. While it’s not his most favorable kind of dish, it’ll temporarily alleviate his hunger. Thinking back on today, Changkyun can’t recall what else he’s eaten besides the donuts and tea. Not to forget that the past two days have taken a toll on his body by how tired he constantly feels. He didn't prioritize his health at all now that he thinks about it.

He does appreciate that he won’t be able to step into the future as clueless as he was before. Surely there will still be unexpected endeavors ahead but with Kihyun around, there's a lot more  security.

The doubts will never cease from his mind fully but he can somewhat (a very subjective somewhat) get a good night sleep as long as he doesn’t remember his horrid dreams. 

Now that Changkyun thinks about it, he wonders if he should call Kihyun over again. The feeling of waking up from an unpleasant dream and realizing you’re alone with nobody to talk to; maybe he’s being a little spoiled. That or Kihyun’s presence is starting to grow on him. 

With the thought now slowly moving in motion, Changkyun finds himself looking towards the direction of the bedroom window. Yes. That window. The window that started this whole situation; for better or for worse. Opening up a universe that could have never known to be existed; here is where it all stands. The more Changkyun stares at his window the more he feels a mixed foreboding feeling. A similar feeling to when you think someone is watching you and have the urge to turn around to ease your mind in to thinking that it’s just your mind playing tricks. Changkyun knows that feeling all too well. He scratches his shoulder blades. 

It’s a feeling that has been happening frequently to the point where he’s experiencing paranoia,even if it’s just a little. Changkyun wonders if he’s ever going to let that feeling go. Other vampires may not be able to come in without permission but that doesn’t give much reassurance. And I for sure don’t want to hole myself here for my whole life. After all, there’s only one chance at this life. No extended life period, no reset button, just a stroke of luck and coinsidence. The way life comes at you is truly… amazing? No, that’s not the word.

No longer able to stay focused on his science book, Changkyun closes it shut, tossing it on his bed with a heavy sigh. His hands rake through his hair, eyes focusing on the post-it notes pinned to his corkboard. Should I look out that window? Changkyun thinks. He should really call a guy to come and just patch up that window for his own sanity and Kihyun’s privacy. Looking out that window has never served any purpose other than being a stalker’s dream. 

And of course, Changkyun can’t help himself as he stands up. He slowly makes his way towards the forbidden window, allured to it like a fruit of sin. Tiptoeing, Changkyun leans his head to see the other side. 

That foreboding feeling was correct. And Changkyun’s blood runs cold. His heart dropping.

Across his window and into Kihyun’s room stands another innocent person about to fall victim. However, this time it isn’t a woman. Changkyun squints to confirm his observation.

It’s a man. 

It comes to Changkyun as a shock. He’s heard about relationships of the same sex but he’s never seen one in public. What’s troubling Changkyun isn’t the gender, it’s the fact that there’s someone right before his eyes. Someone who could be the next photo plastered on the news. One would think that Kihyun would be a little more secretive considering his little vague talk about feasting the other night to Changkyun but, nothing has changed. Nothing has changed. Changkyun expected as much. And for some reason… that hurts. The betrayal of it all hurts.

Dwelling on past words will not save that man unless Changkyun acts fast. He doesn’t want to be traumatized in hearing yet another gut wrenching scream; that guilt of not stepping in and being only a bystander, and if he doesn’t do something, he’ll be a part of the problem. Without another thought, his feet move before his mind tells them to as he reacts. Changkyun frantically runs out of his room and down the stairs, not registering his feet hitting the steps. 

A dreaded wave of deja vu envelopes Changkyun tightly, dread spreading through his chest. I don't like this feeling. It needs to go away. No screams can be heard but that just makes Changkyun move faster. He wants to get there in time. He begs to get there in time. If this happens twice, Changkyun will have to blame himself for this. 

He may not have known what to do last time but he wants to change that tonight even if Kihyun may kill him for doing so. At this point, Changkyun doesn’t care about later consequences. A human should help a fellow human. 

Ignoring his shoes by the door, Changkyun swings the door open and slams it shut behind him, his bare feet coming in contact with the cold concrete before cutting through the wet grass. His chest and head feel like bursting as he stumbles onto Kihyun's front porch, practically falling against the door. Changkyun wastes no time in banging his fists on the front door, willing to do so until his hands bleed, he doesn't care. The urgency has to be heard and it’s done on purpose. Not being able to hear this with Kihyun’s vampire hearing would be putting his ass in hot water. 

Changkyun doesn’t stop banging on the door until Kihyun swings it open with that familiar scowl on his face.  

“What the hell are you doing here? What do you want? It’s late,” Kihyun huffs in quick succession, his chest rising rapidly. It’s evident he’s ran downstairs. “Do you know what time it is to be banging your hands on my door like that? What’s wrong with you? Are you hurt or something?” Kihyun’s words come out in a hurried jumble, blocking the opening to his door with his body.

What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you?! Changkyun tries to hide his emotions so it doesn’t get detected by Kihyun. It’s clear to Changkyun that he’s hiding his actions but that’s not going to slide. If Kihyun says he’s not going to hurt Changkyun after shaking on it, this is the time to take advantage of that. 

“I just want to hang out,” Changkyun replies with a shrug, pretending like he didn’t just sprint here and bang on his door. 

“Hang out?” Kihyun scowls. “You’re banging on my door this late like you’re getting chased but you just want to hang out? Why do you want to do that now?”

“Because it’s lonely in my house right now,” Changkyun pouts, shifting his weight to the other leg. His feet are cold, toes rubbing against each other for warmth. 

“Call Minhyuk and Jooheon,” Kihyun sighs. 

“And tell them how I have dreams of you killing another vampire?” Changkyun retorts in a whisper. He tries to look past Kihyun’s shoulder to get a peek inside the house until Kihyun’s head tilt blocks him. Changkyun heavily exhales, scratching the back of his head. He somehow forgets how tough it can be to talk to Kihyun. “Didn’t you say something about me needing to be comfortable around you? Besides it’s past curfew, they can’t leave the house.”

“I did, yes but now isn’t the right time…” Kihyun says, slightly closing the door an inch more. “Besides, it’s a dream. They’ll think you’ve watched too many horror movies and there’s always the house phone to call them up.”

Changkyun frowns. “Either way—”

“Either way, I appreciate the thought but I don’t have time to goof off. I’m busy.”

Kihyun’s words roll off in another hurry, eager to kick Changkyun off his front porch as the door begins to shut. Changkyun reacts, his body once again acting quicker than his mind and sticks his foot out. He yells in pain, hands gripping the door and its frame as his bare foot gets caught right in between. Hitting the bone until it feels like his eyes almost pop out of his sockets. Changkyun gasps for air, knowing his probably-purple foot will be a nice memento. 

Changkyun curses, his body hunching forward like he’s on the verge of puking, feeling light headed and seeing swirling visuals. The door swings back open in rapid succession and Kihyun’s eyes widen. 

“Where are your shoes?!” Kihyun yells, gasping as his whole demeanor changes. “What were you thinking, Changkyun?” Kihyun leans down to Changkyun’s level, helping him up to his feet. More like foot at this point. “Jesus, you really are like a kid.”

“I wasn’t really thinking when I left the house,” Changkyun winces, his foot throbbing like mad. Thank god Kihyun wasn’t mad like the first day they met. Imagine if he had slammed the door instead of quickly closing it. Changkyun is actually thankful his foot could possibly match the color of his purple hoodie rather than having to treat for any broken bones. 

“Well, you should think a little more before going outside,” Kihyun asserts, grabbing him by the arm. 

Changkyun lets Kihyun drag him inside, foot pulsing in pain as a reminder that his actions have consequences. Okay… He begins to think to himself now that he’s being scolded. Maaaybe half of this ‘plan’ was smart. The execution could have been a little better but Changkyun can pat himself on the back for saving a life.

“The hem of your night clothes are wet now,” Kihyun points out, his face twisted in distastefulness. “Your feet are wet and covered in dirt and grass too. Part of the fabric is stained with mud,” Kihyun complains, his hands rubbing at the dirt. “Were you actually playing in the mud? Why didn’t you wear your shoes? You shouldn’t even be outside this late, you know what’s out there, Changkyun,” Kihyun repeats, as if the first time wasn't enough. “A simple walk outside could have you become dessert. You could have cut your feet and then it’ll cause a bigger target for you. Just like two nights ago.”

Changkyun frowns. No need to remind me. The constant questioning and nagging from Kihyun seems a bit like the pot calling the kettle black but Changkyun decides it’s not worth the time to defend himself. While what Kihyun is saying is true, he’s the one who started this considering there’s a unfinished dinner up in his room.  

Changkyun finds it quite funny actually and snorts a little. How Kihyun calls his pajamas ‘bed clothes’ through his frustration is almost hard to take seriously. The noise Changkyun makes gains a small unhappy look from Kihyun who shakes his head with a heavy sigh. There’s something refreshing about Kihyun’s attitude. Behind his words, Changkyun can feel genuine care and there’s not a pinch of malice or hatred. The nagging sort of diverts the pain away from the foot, giving Changkyun something to think about.

Changkyun hugs a nearby pillow, feeling Kihyun probe around his foot, wincing a little as pressure is applied. It's starting to kick in now; like noticing a paper cut and having it start to hurt the moment you take notice. 

“That hurts,” Changkyun groans. 

“I have to see if your foot is broken,” Kihyun says very monotone. “Since, somebody decided to not wear shoes and put their bare foot in the door frame.”

“Sounds like someone is developing some humor,” Changkyun giggles. 

“And looks like someone hasn’t learned their lesson,” Kihyun snaps back. 

“Can I have a lollipop after my visit?” Changkyun laughs which is short lived as another shot of pain courses through his foot. He puts one fist into his mouth, bitting down on it hard and punches the couch as he repeatedly curses.

“Hey, hey!” Kihyun exclaims, grabbing at Changkyun’s fists. “This couch is an antique. If you mess it up I’ll make sure it comes out of your life insurance.” 

“It fucking hurts, Kihyun,” Changkyun cries, tears almost forming at the corner of his eyes. 

“Is everything okay?” 

A voice that isn’t Kihyun nor his, causes the room to go quiet. Changkyun looks to the source of the voice to see the man that was in Kihyun’s room. A wave of relief hits Changkyun as his head falls back onto the couch cushions. It cost him a bruised and painful foot crush but he’s saved a life; Changkyun considers it fair. 

“Yeah, it’s just my irresponsible neighbor getting himself caught in a ditch,” Kihyun sighs, running his hands through his hair. “Why don’t you just go home for the night, I apologize. Things have decided to come up,” Kihyun throws a glance at Changkyun before he smiles at the man. 

Changkyun clicks his tongue. Douchenozzle. 

“Hey, that’s totally fine,” The man makes his way to the door with nothing but the clothes on his back. “I had a feeling something came up with all the commotion going on. You know where to find me.” He leaves with a flirtatious smile and a secretive wink before leaving. 

“Don’t fall in the same ditch I did!” Changkyun yells and the door closes with a soft click. You have no idea just how lucky you are for narrowly escaping death, dude.

Kihyun’s smile stays plastered on his face and hums a short tune. Changkyun holds his breath, waiting for Kihyun to further question his actions as to why this has happened but it’s probably a no brainer to Kihyun. Without any words, Kihyun turns back to aid Changkyun’s foot. There’s a slight bruising but he feels like he’s seen a peek of heaven. A bit over dramatic but there was some kind of white flash of light; sure of it. It was right on impact. Changkyun sighs, taking a better look of his surroundings of the new atmosphere to ignore the pulsating pain. 

Dark maroon-colored wood dress the walls that are adorned with pictures and artwork of landscapes. So much of the decor has a victorian feel to it yet it’s almost homey. There’s a softness about it in the way the colors and furniture correspond with one another. A few clocks decorate some of the shelves, seemingly collectables considering the amount. The shelves that fill up space consists of books and more books to the point of a mini library. With how long Kihyun has lived, it makes sense. 

The whole place feels sophisticated and there was a mention of antiques so who knows how old some of this furniture is. And there has yet to be a white wall to count. In fact, this is Changkyun’s first time stepping inside and seeing what Kihyun’s tastes are (besides blood; baddum psst ). Call Changkyun dense but he imagined more spiderwebs and darker corners but everything looks neat and arranged with such richness. Joking.

The whole place has a slight darker touch but it doesn’t scream ‘Vampire! Beware!’ but more like a pie is about to be baked . Sure as hell a lot nicer than Changkyun’s house that’s one thing. Your house sort of becomes a hassle when you have Jooheon and Minhyuk dripping pizza grease on the carpet or having Jooheon’s cheese puff fingers touch the remotes. Changkyun is actually surprised he’s stepped inside after running through the grass. Good thing Kihyun has hardwood floors. 

“You did this on purpose didn’t you?” Kihyun finally states, filling up the void in the room with his monotone voice that puts Changkyun on the spot.

Changkyun tongues his cheek. Nothing can get past Kihyun that’s for sure. “Yes but the foot part was a complete accident. I swear that part was not planned.”

“You’re getting brave aren’t you?” Kihyun comments with a snarky tone. It’s rhetorical but the way it’s said is almost like an attack; maybe even a challenge. 

“I couldn’t just sit back and watch it happen again…”

“So you admit that you were peeking into my room once more?” 

Changkyun doesn’t comment. Even though he inadvertently did, oops. Changkyun stretches his mouth before sucking in his lips. Shit… fell right into that one. Another shot of pain can be felt and Changkyun jumps, his back briefly levitating from the couch. 

Kihyun sighs. “It’s the only way I can eat and gain energy from it. There’s no enjoyment in it whatsoever and I want you to understand that but it seems like you don’t.” 

“Why can’t you let them survive?” Changkyun questions. He’s not fond of Kihyun’s tone of aggression and decides to match it. “There’s probably weirdos out there who are into that kind of thing. That could end up saving a lot of lives.”

“You really think it’s just that easy,” Kihyun chuckles dryly. “I’d rather not be a goddamn vampire because then I wouldn’t be living this shitty life. You seem to forget other vampires exist so there’s a lot more windows you’re not looking at,” Kihyun spits out, exhaling heavily as he sits on the antique living room table. Crossing his legs, his words continue as if he’s trying to critique not only Changkyun but also himself. “You’re unable to put yourself in my shoes unless you turn into a vampire and see how hard it is. That’s when you’ll know.” 

“What if drinking animal blood isn’t poisonus and it’s a myth?” Changkyun tries. 

“I tried and luckily only got sick thanks to it being a tiny amount,” Kihyun explains. 

“It just sounds too convenient.”

“Do you think I’m lying?” 

Kihyun gets defensive, fuming. Changkyun shuts his mouth before he throws himself on Kihyun's bad side. Maybe the comment was unnecessary but Kihyun is out here sucking blood from people like a mosquito.

“Does that mean you can’t eat meat that’s medium-rare?” 

“Changkyun,” Kihyun licks his lips and rubs his temple. “You’re missing the point here. Do you even understand where I’m coming from at all? What is it that you want me to say? What do I have to prove to you?”

“I just don’t like seeing others getting hurt…” Changkyun murmurs, his eyes turning to the wooded ceiling. “This all seems so selfish and unfair.”

In Changkyun’s peripheral vision, Kihyun’s eyes are on him, arms still crossed over his chest. There goes that stare again but he’s no better. What’s troubling Changkyun the most is sucking blood from innocent people. And while that’s what a vampire does, Changkyun doesn’t appreciate how people have to die for fear of letting out a rumor. Besides, would anyone even believe such a thing? Nobody believed Changkyun and he didn’t include the part where Kihyun was a vampire. Yet I’m the crazy one. Changkyun scowls at the thought, letting out a soft exhale. 

“If I don’t have human blood, I’ll slowly die,” Kihyun says low. “Turn old, like that homeless looking vampire.”

Changkyun doesn’t respond. 

“I don’t like it either,” Kihyun continues quietly. “I was a human once too. Do you really think I enjoy any of this just because I’m now a vampire?”

Changkyun bites his lip. He knows Kihyun’s right and he shouldn’t be in over his head over something he doesn’t know. But he can’t help but react when faced with the situation. 

Kihyun exhales, placing his hands on his knees before standing up. “Anyway, I don’t smell any blood which means there are no cuts and your foot doesn’t appear to be broken.”

“Thanks, that’s one less worry.”

“I’ll get you some bed clothes and you can stay here for tonight if you’re so worried about what I do,” Kihyun says, sarcasm heavily lacing his words. “The bruise might be there for a few days but I'll get you something for the swelling.”

“What about that guy?” Changkyun sits up, moving to place his foot on the wooden antique table. A pillow is swiftly placed under his foot and Changkyun smiles small at the gesture. Despite Kihyun’s sour mood, he’s still thoughtful. 

“What about him?” Kihyun responds without a hint of any emotion. 

“Is he ever going to come back for you to… you know,” Changkyun says. It’s always difficult to ask Kihyun any type of question. It’s difficult to not jump conclusions and listen to the unethical practices in living as a vampire. If they have to be more comfortable around another, Changkyun can’t always stop Kihyun from his daily brunch sessions.

“I can’t risk it,” Kihyun answers. “In that situation, it’s best to not pursue it. Things could go wrong if I were to call him again next time around.”

“So,” Changkyun starts, it’s becoming his favorite word to start a sentence whenever he is unsure about what to say. He’s aware that what he’s about to ask next is going to sound awful but he can’t figure out another way around it without sounding like judgment; like many of his questions do. “Do you like guys too? Or was that just for convenience?” 

Kihyun blinks at Changkyun, staring with no emotion to his features. There’s no indication to tell if he’s mad or not at it puts Changkyun in a tight spot. What doesn’t help is the intense eye contact Kihyun locks onto him. 

“I wasn’t trying to sound rude by the way,” Changkyun blurts, hoping he can recover from this now awkward position he’s put himself into. His words came out sounding harsher, more accusational than intented.

“Oh,” Kihyun says. 

The lack of response is bad feels worse then just not saying anything. For a brief moment, Changkyun actually believes his foot getting crushed between the door frame isn’t so bad compared to this moment.

Changkyun back pedals again, head spiraling and panic settling in so he doesn’t get kicked to the curb. “I really didn’t mean to come off rude or anything, I was just curious,” Changkyun says, his word falling to a murmur by the end of the sentence. “Sorry if I’m just pushing my luck as a human. I’m honestly just scared, confused and in denial about it all.” 

Kihyun sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “If you don’t understand something, it’s okay to ask questions, Changkyun,” Kihyun says. “There is going to be a lot of incidences where you’ll have to ask something that isn’t the easiest thing to ask someone. Just be careful with how your words can come across. And your actions can also affect that too. But yes, I’m bisexual,” Kihyun’s eyes stay focused on Changkyun. “Is that a problem?”

“No, no! I was just curious is all,” Changkyun swallows, scratching the back of his ear. Shit. Now he’s made things awkward. “I’ll keep that in mind, for next time, sorry,” Changkyun says, fingers nervously picking at the dry skin.

“Come up stairs, I’ll give you some bed clothes,” Kihyun says, patting the arm rest. “And I’ll promise not to eat you. Do you need help getting up?”

“Yeah, just in case I tumbledown your stairs next,” Changkyun grumbles, hearing Kihyun chuckle at the comment. An arm snakes around Changkyun’s waist. There’s a slight difference from when that girl at the dance had her arms around him. Forgive Changkyun for already forgetting what her name was. 

That vanilla sandalwood scent tickles Changkyun’s nose whenever he’s so close to Kihyun. It’s a scent he’s grown used to and has now been a source of comfort. Ever since the night of the incident after the dance, the softness of the scent lets Changkyun know that he’s in pretty good hands. 

Kihyun slowly leads them up the stairs at a pace that doesn’t put too much pressure on Changkyun’s foot. 

“Did you guys have the inside renovated?” Changkyun asks. 

“Just a little bit,” Kihyun shrugs. “It was a little too modern and it didn’t feel like home so we incorporated some Victorian-style. Wonho plans to construct the outside too but he just likes to be extravagant on things that don’t need to be.” 

“That sounds like it’s going to be expensive,” Changkyun says. His hand reaches out to hold the railing by instinct. He knows Kihyun’s strong grip around him won’t loosen even just a centimeter. 

“Depending on the size and features, yes it will be,” Kihyun sighs. “Wonho wants to add a lot of things to the house but I think the interior is enough. Having the outside decorated would cost too much money and maintenance.” 

“Agreed, although I like the way you guys decorated it,” Changkyun comments. The stairs that lead to the second floor are well crafted with beautifully crafted railing carvings that travel along. If Changkyun were to make his own dreamhouse, this stairway would be added. “I was thinking there would be spider webs and maybe some blood stains somewhere. And I don’t want to lie, I was also thinking you would have a bat as a pet.” 

Kihyun snorts. “You watch too many vampire movies. Bad ones at that.”

“Not my fault the director’s haven’t spoken to a real vampire, Ah—!” Changkyun accidentally puts a little amount of pressure on his foot in the wrong way and a pain shoots right through him. 

“Hold tight.”

Before he can tend to his foot, Changkyun is gently seated on the bed by Kihyun before he can finish blinking. His speed is really no joke; at least he’s a gentleman. Muttering a thanks, Changkyun takes another look at his surroundings in the new room. The first elephant in the room is the bed. It’s not a coffin. It’s soft too. Changkyun comments to himself while he feels the sponginess of the bed. Maybe there’s a coffin down in the basement and this is just a front. 

The room is not as dark as Changkyun had envisioned it to be. It's actually very cozy and a little more on the modern-side with neutral colors; the walls are painted a dark gray with an opposing white wall in front of the bed. Everything else has a sleek finish and a monochrome touch to it with a nice amount of light enveloping the room. 

“You don’t have a coffin as a bed?” Changkyun asks, taken aback. 

“Your stalking eyes have seen two people in my room and you still question if I have a coffin?” Kihyun frowns, picking up a jacket off the bed and hanging it up in the closet. 

“Well…” Changkyun trails, averting his eyes. Okay, good point. “If not an actual coffin, I was thinking about maybe a coffin-shaped bed frame.

“I don’t even think they sell something like that,” Kihyun says, giving Changkyun a look. Kihyun throws a pair of pajamas on the bed. “You can borrow those for tonight. I’ll go wash your dirty bed clothes for you too so they don't get stained.”

“Don’t judge but I also thought you would have jars of fetuses and maybe a torture chamber,” Changkyun randomly says, holding his hands up in defense. He doesn't make the rules, the television does.

Kihyun scoffs. “What the hell have you been watching? I just have a normal home,” Kihyun takes off his shirt and Changkyun squints to stare at his back. As a man, he has to compare them just like with their— Changkyun watches as Kihyun’s back muscles contort from throwing on another turtleneck…? Interesting choice. Kihyun rolls back his shoulders. He’s not muscular (not even comparable to Wonho cause damn) but Kihyun definitely has a nice form. “I don’t know what kind of image you have about vampires but I need you to get rid of it because you’ll just continue to be very disappointed.” 

“I feel like we’ve passed that point already,” Changkyun comments. “Thanks for the pajamas by the way.” He frowns at the piece of clothing, stretching it in front of his face. “A turtleneck? What if I sweat all over the bed?”

“Then don’t sweat,” Kihyun asserts.

Changkyun quickly throws on the turtleneck with a grumble, feeling itchy as the fabric around his neck feels a bit rough. He grips at it, pulling it toward his face to inhale Kihyun’s unique scent. “Why do you wear so many?”

Kihyun nonchalantly hums, shrugging. “I just like to wear them.” Folding his turtleneck, he smoothes out the wrinkles before placing it in a drawer. 

“You’re a weird vampire,” Changkyun muses. And he wants to know more; the reasons why Kihyun does certain things or has specific quriks. The ever-growing need to compare Kihyun to this illusion of a vampire that are constructed from old books and movies. 

Kihyun’s eyes shift briefly to Changkyun before digging back into his closet. “That doesn’t sound like a compliment but it’s a nicer way of putting it.” 

Changkyun rolls his eyes. “Okay, hypocrite.” 

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Changkyun changes into the bottoms that were given to him. The pajamas are soft, just the right size and not too loose. It is slightly bigger around the chest and a bit tight in the arms. Being polite, Changkyun folds his dirty pajamas, eyes lasered on Kihyun, unsure what to do next. 

“Do I just…” Changkyun engages, catching Kihyun’s somewhat distracted attention.

“Ah, I’ll take that,” Kihyun says. “Before you lay in the bed, let me wipe your feet.” 

“You don’t have to do it for me,” Changkyun almost jumps to his feet, not wanting to feel utterly useless. “My hands didn’t get caught in the door, I think I can manage.”

“I’m aware but I’m the one who slammed the door on your foot,” Kihyun says, already leaving the room and not bothering to wait for a response. Changkyun slumps, watching Kihyun leave and he huffs despite the possibility of Kihyun hearing. There’s no point in trying to fight Kihyun on what he does because he’ll go and do it anyway. 

Kihyun walks back in with something Changkyun has seen in museums or antique shops and never thought he would see it be used now. A wash basin and pitcher is placed next to his feet, the heavy material thumps against the wooden floor. 

“This is usually for washing the hands and face but I don’t use this as much as I did a century ago so it’ll be fine for your feet,” Kihyun says, pouring the water into the wash basin. Steam rises and a soothing, floral aroma wafts through the air. The movement of Kihyun wringing out the towel helps the scent travel further; and it’s pleasant. 

“Are you trying to get on my good side?” Changkyun says, chuckling as the washcloth tickles under his feet. 

“Too bad I can’t bribe you easily,” Kihyun comments. “The real bummer is that I’m no longer able to hypnotize people because then I could drink all the blood I want without having you criticizing me.” 

“Haha, you’re so funny,” Changkyun sarcastically laughs, rolling his eyes. He pauses. “Wait? Hypnotize?” Changkyun perks up, standing straighter, intrigued by this new information. He hunches over to view Kihyun’s face to see if he’s bluffing. Even if he was, you probably couldn’t tell.  

“It’s rare but it happens when people first become vampires,” Kihyun explains. 

“But why did you tell me last time you can’t hypnotize people?” Changkyun blinks. The heat of the wet washcloth makes his feet slightly red but he enjoys it nonetheless. 

“Your question was more directed at me, not in general. Plus I’m not a young vampire anymore, that’s all in the past.” He pats Changkyun’s foot before standing up. “You're all set. And next time wear shoes,” Kihyun sternly retorts, tossing an unimpressed look at Changkyun. 

“Roger that,” Changkyun jokingly salutes. He looks down at his feet, wiggling his toes. The purple and green mark on his foot vibrant against his skin. “Thank you once again. I’m glad my foot wasn’t going to be amputated.”

Kihyun barks a laugh, picking up the wash basin and pitcher before stopping halfway out the door. “I know my limit so there’s no way I would have slammed the door that hard.”

Changkyun is left alone in the room, once more taking a look at his surroundings until his eyes fall on the infamous window. The window that has started this whole thing whether it has any benefit or not. Being in the room where this whole event has conspired and where one also repeated is a bit trippy. Changkyun feels like he should have his guard up more but his gut doesn’t tell him that he needs to be afraid. Staring at the window, Changkyun can see his own window, the curtains fully pulled open but unable to see beyond the window thanks to the darkness of the night. He expects to see himself staring back at him but he’s just subconsciously overthinking and freaking out even if he’s not fully processing his current state. His reflection that bounces off the window almost gives it that illusion. 

“See something over there now?” Kihyun’s voice comes out close, his breath caressing Changkyun’s ear. It makes Changkyun jump, covering his ear as it sends a tickle down his neck. All Kihyun does is laugh as he places a glass of ice water on the nightstand. 

“So then the bunking arrangement…” Changkyun chews the side of his mouth, trailing his words to get Kihyun’s attention. “Are we sharing another bed again?” 

“We’re both guys,” Kihyun says with an indifferent shrug. “Not the first time either and look at you—” Kihyun points at Changkyun, then points to the mirror across the foot of the bed. “You're still alive isn’t that a surprise.”

Hm. Cheeky. Changkyun watches Kihyun grab a blanket from his closet. “Is that what you told the other dude? ‘We’re just dudes’? ”

Quirking a brow, Kihyun turns to bore his eyes into Changkyun’s soul. A dark, almost sadistic smile curls up, eyes shining with a mysterious glint. “Why are you so curious? You wanna take his place?”

Hold on. Pause. Changkyun’s body tenses the moment the question puts him on the spot. “W-wha—” Changkyun’s mouth drops, mind cluttering with confusion because how the hell does he reply to such a comment? Is he suggesting—? No. Wait— 

Kihyun breaks out in a ‘gotcha!’ smile, tonguing his cheek to keep himself from laughing out loud and Changkyun frowns. Not cool, dude, not cool. Kihyun speaks up. “I’m messing with you. I have to get consent, remember.” 

“Riiight,” Changkyun squints, eyeing Kihyun with suspicion. A thought comes to mind from Kihyun’s words, adding even more confusion to why Kihyun does things the way he does. “Why is it that you have to ask for consent if people don’t know you’re a vampire?” Changkyun asks, frowning. 

“For you, I’ll need consent and the same goes for Wonho,” Kihyun begins. Kihyun walks over to fold the blanket across the bed. “Of course, not many vampires do because they’re not really the ideal friend-makers with humans but those— very few by the way, who still hold a bit of compassion will keep those close to them in mind,” Kihyun goes on to explain. His words come out soft and slow. “Since you’re now someone I know, if I were to just suck your blood without warning it loses a lot of trust. It leaves someone feeling betrayed.”

“Huh, that’s very… considerate,” Changkyun blinks, folding his legs and wrapping his arms around them. “You guys are much more complicated than I thought. Especially you.”

“Thanks? I guess?” Kihyun snorts, making a face— an unsure, crooked smile.

“No, really,” Changkyun continues, his voice slightly higher in slight fascination. “There's so many things I would have never thought were actually real. It's intriguing but at the same time scary because I don't know what to expect next. Well—” Changkyun pauses, wobbling his folded posture to follow Kihyun’s movements around his room. “Not scary, per se, it’s just… eye opening? I guess.”

Kihyun lets out an airy laugh through his nose. He doesn’t comment any further, not even sharing anything else. It doesn’t add anything else to conversation, nor does it give any further insight. 

“I’m going to shut off the light now,” Kihyun mentions, hand on the switch. 

“Aww, we’re going to bed already?” Changkyun pouts. Night has fallen for a few hours but Changkyun isn't ready to go to bed just yet. “Why don’t we play a card game?”

Kihyun frowns. “I don’t have anything of the sorts here…” Kihyun stops for a moment, turning to look at his closet and around the room in thought. “I don't really have anything entertaining to do unless you like reading but I doubt you can read some of the things I have.”

Changkyun shakes his head, scoffing as he blinks, a bit taken aback at the insult. “Rude, man.”

“No, I mean the books I have are old,” Kihyun explains. “Many have Old English or Shakespearean. I do have ones that are newer English but I don't think you'll like the content of them.”

“Oh, that’s what you meant,” Changkyun mumbles. “Don’t be surprised if it takes me two hours to fall asleep or if I end up accidentally punching you in my sleep. Thanks for babysitting me again.”

“Wish I was getting paid for it,” Kihyun comments before the light shuts off, enveloping the room in darkness. The only light that sheds into the room is thanks to the window but even then it doesn’t provide much. 

Kihyun walks around the bed, his weight sinking on the other half of the bed, sliding under the covers. Changkyun does the same, lifting the covers until he briefly pauses and tilts his head with a look of scrutiny. 

“I just realized, shouldn’t you be hanging upside on the ceiling?” Changkyun says, watching as Kihyun’s movements pause. “What are you doing getting in the bed?”

“Excuse me?” Kihyun glares, causing Changkyun to jump out of his skin. An intimidating and destructive aura begins to emanate from Kihyun. The daggers that Kihyun sends in Changkyun’s direction has him retracting those words and panicking. 

“Kidding! Kidding!” Changkyun laughs, using the blanket as a shield. 

“Don’t get smart with me or else I’ll make you hang on the ceiling on a nice and comfy meat hook,” Kihyun says, tossing a look at Changkyun. The way he pulls the covers over himself with a huff is almost childlike. “And If you start taking all of the blanket, that'll be another reason for me to kick you.”

“Hang on now,” Changkyun tries. “I gave you hospitality when you came over to my house so I should receive the same treatment.”

“You came over here uninvited and unannounced, I think I have every right in my decision,” Kihyun says, shifting further into the covers.

“As if you don't come over uninvited?!” Changkyun yells. It almost has Changkyun sitting up over the blatant hypocrisy. The audacity of this man!

“I don’t want to hear it, vampires have special rights,” Kihyun counters, shushing Changkyun. “It's in the books so you have no choice but to accept it.”

Changkyun groans in annoyance. One thing that books and media haven’t mentioned is how troublesome vampires can be or maybe that’s just Kihyun. He has proven himself to be an enigma. It’s starting to not become a surprise anymore and it’s difficult to tell if that’s a good thing or not. Eh . Could be worse. 

“If I have to go to the restroom, where is it?” Changkyun asks, not willing to put up a fight. 

“Out the door and to your right.”

“It’s okay to use it correct?”

“Well, you’re not going to pee in my bed.”

“Harsh.”

Silence envelops the room just as quickly as it had come. Without the urgent need of sleep and the lack of horrible events, trying to sleep has proven to be difficult. Once again, the unfamiliarity of the room doesn’t help. 

After being awake for a while, Changkyun’s eyes adjust to the darkness, focusing on the patches of black shadows in the top corners of the room. Trying to shake off the strange feeling of being in an unfamiliar room isn’t easy (yes, it still bugs him). From how different the sheets feel from the ones in his room, fluffy and soft yet a little weighted. His thin bedding can’t compete in comparison but they’re enough to keep him from the cold. The pillow kissing Changkyun’s cheek with a cool touch, possibly of silk material. It’s softn a.  and almost waxy. He doesn't feel too hot or too cold. Changkyun had even forgotten he was wearing a turtleneck. 

Changkyun lets out a small, quiet breath, eyes gravitating towards Kihyun’s sleeping figure. They face each other but Kihyun doesn’t look back, eyes already shut. Even though Changkyun’s eyes have gotten used to the shapes and items in the dark room that aren’t some carefully crafted paranoia humanoid; his eyes are able to see what it is he’s looking at but unable to pick up much detail. The same goes for the features on Kihyun’s face which unlike the last time, the moonlight doesn’t delicately hit his face.

For someone who was just bickering not too long ago, Kihyun sure does fall asleep pretty fast. Unless he’s forcing himself to do so because in the dim lighting, Changkyun notes how his eyelids blink (unless that too is a vampire thing for something else). With this knowledge, Changkyun should keep his mouth shut but he doesn’t.

“Hey…” Changkyun whispers, staring at Kihyun’s (maybe) sleeping face.   “Can I ask you something? Or…” He mumbles, chest feeling a little tight. “Can we just mindlessly chat until we’re tired?”

The silent seconds that pass almost has Changkyun convinced that Kihyun is asleep until his delayed, grumble of a response is almost startling. It would have been incomprehensible if the room wasn’t dead silent. “What?”

“Why exactly are you nice to me?” Changkyun asks. It’s been bugging him for the past few days considering he would have made a nice dessert for Kihyun. There were only a few shared words at the time the question was asked but now he needs to know the full details. “I need the specifics. I want to know the whole story or at least most of your reasoning.”

“Why am I… what are you talking about?” Kihyun frowns, words a slight slur, his eyes still closed and eyebrows scrunching. 

“You briefly mentioned it was because of the time I invited you and Wonho over,” Changkyun says. “You didn’t fully elaborate other than the fact that I was nice to you but isn’t everyone? Like that guy who just left seemed nice.”

At this, Kihyun opens his eyes. He blinks, staring back at Changkyun with no expression readable on his face. A soft exhale releases and he turns on his back, gazing at the ceiling. “Of course everyone is nice,” Kihyun starts, his words also quiet. “It’s the fact that you managed to get to know us despite knowing what we are. I’ve interacted with many humans but the moment they find out what I really am is the moment that they die.”

“So, what’s the real reason why I didn’t die right away?” Changkyun asks. His words almost make him chilly, sending a shiver down his spine in anticipation of Kihyun’s next words. Changkyun listens closely, scrunching the covers closer to him and huddling underneath. Even if he knows what the answer could be but he wants a bit of validation. 

“You say it as if I’ve been lying to you,” Kihyun scoffs, shaking his head. “Its because you had people around you and you opened your mouth,” Kihyun answers. Knew it. “If you hadn’t yelled at your friends and a policeman, you would have been my next meal to tell you the truth. But since you did, it would have looked suspicious,” Kihyun says. Turning his head to Changkyun, Kihyun’s eyes briefly make contact before he looks away. “Besides…”

“Besides…?” 

“I trust you now.”

Changkyun grows silent. He’s not too sure what it entirely means but appreciates the comment even though he should be the one to say that. Why should a vampire trust a human? What goal would that leave for Kihyun? “Trust me how?” Changkyun asks. He scratches the side of his neck.

“It feels nice to not always feel so cautious,” Kihyun says, shrugging his shoulders and resting his hands behind his head like a pillow. “You asked before if I had a moral compass and why I suddenly changed but I never did such a thing,” Kihyun explains and Changkyun begins to listen closely. After a small amount of silence, Kihyun continues, his voice soft which leaves the room still a bit quiet. “It might seem hard to believe but I am a nice person. You just happened to get on my bad side that day and I was frustrated more at myself for slipping up,” Kihyun lets out a small chuckle as if what he said was a distant memory. In some way, the feeling is shared. 

“People who say they’re a nice person shouldn’t have to say that they are,” Changkyun points out, the sentence making it a bit harder to believe but his words come out softer, playful than how they used to be. 

“Given my record, I feel like I should still put that thought in your head,” Kihyun smiles, tossing a sly look in Changkyun’s direction. It’s purposeful, causing Changkyun to roll his eyes and Kihyun snickers. “One day you’ll understand and see. I can always voice myself out and it will mean the bare minimum because no matter how much I pour my heart out, my message won’t entirely be reached.”

Changkyun hums in thought, shrugging as he clutches the pillow to himself tightly. “Depends. But you’re not so bad, I guess.”

Kihyun turns his head, his expression of stunned-silent surprise now easily readable in the dark. Changkyun can’t help but let out a laugh, covering his mouth to silence it. Even if Wonho isn’t or is home, the volume should be kept down a notch. Now that it’s mentioned, where is he anyway? Eh, that’s not important. 

“You’re easier to talk to like this,” Changkyun confesses.

Kihyun blinks. “How?” 

“The openness,” And it’s no bluff. It’s very much appreciated.

“I don’t even know why I’m telling you this,” Kihyun scoffs, a strained smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “It’s not easy living like this and that’s only just the surface level of it. Yeah, I got the chance to live extra years, see the future but, I’ve lost so many years of my life and things I’ll never get to experience because I never age or rather the complexity in which I age,” Kihyun expresses. “The way my life gives me more than I can ask for but then takes it away too that I sometimes think this is some sort of punishment. I couldn’t even say goodbye to my mom and dad even after everything that happened.”

Changkyun sucks in a breath, his heart dropping to his stomach at the words. Despite Kihyun not sharing every detail, just listening to his deeper thoughts has the walls of Changkyun’s throat close and tighten. He swallows hard, trying to keep his composure. The lifestyle of a vampire still doesn’t ease his mind but there has to be some kind of way for things to change. One change won’t solve all the problem but for Changkyun’s mind to feel more at ease about the situation, it’ll help even if it’s a minor convenience. 

“Gosh, what the hell am I even saying?” Kihyun groans, turning on his side. “That’s enough nonsensical talking. Have a good night.”

“Hey, wait keep going,” Changkyun sits up, jumping at the opportunity that has been handed to him. This is the perfect way to bring out a more comfortable side of Kihyun and get to know his inner thoughts. “I want to hear more of what you had to say.”

“There’s no need,” Kihyun whispers. “Don’t get any nightmares now.”

Changkyun grumbles, falling back into the pillows. He stares at the back of Kihyun’s head, not for too long in case it’s sensed by those magical vampire powers. Staring back up at the ceiling, a small pit in Changkyun’s stomach stirs at the realization that he really doesn’t know much. There’s a slight moment of deja vu; like he’s being thrown out into the world newly reborn; one that’s much darker and scarier than the adult life has offered. 

And Changkyun doesn’t want to play around town and find out.