junmyeon and yixing share their story which feels like a déjà-vu. vampires, hybrids, it doesn’t seem real yet they won my trust. we’re sitting at the kitchen table, and i’m pouring coffee in their mugs. the idea of me being a vampire slowly penetrates through me. but that means that i’m dead. that’s unfair, i’m too young to die. i haven’t enjoyed my life yet, and i’ve neglected my friends lately. what about love, i want to fall in love.

“i’m sorry, it’s probably overwhelming,” junmyeon sighs, looking compassionate. i know he understands me, but still. but my life seems surreal right now. being a vampire isn’t the explanation i was expecting for my behavior. “so what was the bad news kris shared?” i ask. yixing clears his throat. “he told us we have other enemies, the vampire hunters,” he stares at junmyeon, waiting for him to continue. however, junmyeon departs from the subject. “did anyone visit you lately? like a weird person,” is his absurd question.

i immediately think of jongin, the one with his withering gaze and luscious lips. yixing’s touch wakes me from my thoughts. “so there was such a person?” he worriedly asks me. i finish my coffee. “how did you know?” i ask the two. i knew jongin wasn’t just an ordinary stranger. yixing is about to reply, but junmyeon interrupts him. “we have to go,” he says and gets up from the chair. yixing heaves a sigh, but stands up anyways.

“who is he?” i command desperately. they have to answer me. even though they’re strangers who claim they’re vampires, they can make close this chapter full of doubts. “we’ll return,” and with these promising words, they leave my house.

days later

the last americano sip disappears in my mouth. the sun looks brighter today, what could be pointing to something good. i leave the café towards chanyeol’s apartment. the last days, i’ve been waiting for the vampires in despair. an important question is unanswered, how did they know about jongin’s existence? they were behaving so quietly, what only confirmed my bad feeling.

my head seems to explode from all the worries. i’m quite overwhelmed by how junmyeon and yixing declared my behavior. so i died in a car accident and now i’m a vampire. firstly, that is ludicrous and impossible. moreover, if i was a vampire, shouldn’t i be craving for blood?

as i want to knock on chanyeol’s door, i notice the door is ajar. i shamelessly enter the apartment. i’ve been here so many times, i may call it my second home. “chanyeol?” i say loud enough to hear. could it be that he isn’t home? i move towards the kitchen to get a drink, when i suddenly hear unpleasant noises from his bedroom. “baekhyun, harder,” i hear him moan. i almost choke on my drink and immediately leave the apartment.

outside the building, i decide to not go home. in between the many worries in my head, i manage to think of a specific place. i went to the hospital yesterday and asked them where they found me during the accident. my doctor gave me a street name. i don’t know if this is the right thing, but i may remember things when i’m there. i hurriedly start my jeep and leave the city center. my hospital file said it was the highway 5 kilometers eastwards from my previous apartment. the closer i get to the place, the more nervous i become.

although i’ve technically been there already, it now seems like the first time. the deserted highway between a forest makes me shiver. so this is the place where i perhaps died. i park my jeep off the road, and lean against it. the road appears calm, how could i be so careless to drive against a tree? the wind plays a harmony, tickling the leaves. i close my eyes and hope to remind just a detail. bit unfortunately.   

after an hour of staring at the road, i force myself to drive away. i’m disappointed i didn’t remember a thing. now i can only stick to junmyeon and yixing’s story. i arrive at my house and carefully park my car in the driveway. the more i see my aunt’s house, the more i hate it.

i walk to the front door, while searching for the keys in my pocket. i’m so tired, i only wish for sleep now. as i want to enter the house, i can feel a hand on my shoulder. the chills that are sent over my body, make it clear who it is.

“you?”

his smirk is as before, cheeky and alluring. “have you already forgotten my name?” jongin hisses bothered. “why should i remember your name? leave my house,” i raise my voice, but i’m not sure if i sound too threatening. jongin laughs and comes closer to me. i have to look up to him since he’s taller. “are you sure it’s your house, and not your aunt’s?” my look of disbelief seems to only amuse him. how did he know?

“leave my house,” i repeat, emphasizing the word ‘my’. jongin sighs defeated. “they’re telling the truth, kyungsoo,” he whispers. who is that knows everything about me? “who?” i ask him, remaining in the doorway. a feeling tells me he’s talking about yixing and junmyeon. i sincerely hope he isn’t, i’m not ready to accept my own death.

“you’re no longer human,” jongin’s eyes looks at me. i wonder how he knows, could he be a vampire too? “i’m not one of your kind,” he responds my thoughts, but he seems to abhor ‘my kind’. “i’m here to help you, kyungsoo,” and the tenderness appears on his face again. i frown at his words. “why?” i question, which makes jongin smile. i’m sure yixing and junmyeon warned me about him, but why?

“i guess you could say we’re destined.”