i’m a vampire.

i repeat those words to my reflection. my nature is hidden in an enchanted ring, i realize after hearing the story. “if the ring is ten hours of your finger, you’re officially a vampire,” yixing warned me. “what does that mean?” i ask, scared for the answer. “blood,” was his reply. fortunately, i’ve always worn the ring. i’m relieved that most of my questions have been answered, yet i still don’t know about jongin.

i return to the living room and see yixing and junmyeon in the couch. they’re laughing at something on the screen. “kyungsoo, come here,” junmyeon cheerfully says. i place myself beside them, wondering how to ask something about jongin without upsetting them. junmyeon was tearing up earlier, and i don’t want that to happen. however, i dare to throw the question.

“who is jongin?”

the silence fills the room. i feel like slapping myself for asking this. “we don’t know,” junmyeon answers. i raise my eyebrow and feel a bit offended. was all the fuss for nothing? “i mean, we know he’s a threat,” yixing correct junmyeon. i feel like they are withholding things. “is he a vampire hunter?” i wonder. yixing shrugs. “who knows?” he vaguely replies and turns off the tv. junmyeon mockingly laughs. “yixing, we both know he is a vampire hunter!” junmyeon seems determined.

“are you leaving?” i disappointedly ask when yixing stands up. they both nod and wear their coats. “junmyeon, can you already start the car?” yixing asks commanding and junmyeon leaves the house, leaving us alone.

“don’t mind junmyeon,” yixing smiles and pats me encouraging. “why is he like that?” i shamelessly ask. yixing sighs and stares at the ceiling. “the vampire hunters are stronger than we thought,” he tells with a trembling voice. he clenches his hands into fists, as if he has to control his anger.

“a week ago, they murdered our friend,” he manages to say and leaves me shocked. a tear rolls down his cheek and i feel guilty. suddenly a loud hooting scares us. “i must go, kyungsoo,” yixing embraces me tightly. he then leaves the house. “don’t lose the ring,” he reminds me, “or your life would truly be a hell.”

~

days flew by unnoticed, and my life is changing with the time. now i’m more careful with the ring, more than anything else. yixing warned me and i don’t want to depend on blood. i now get outside more often. the library has been my regular place lately, and i learned about my own breed. though most books were negative about vampires. but my concern is how i should tell chanyeol and baekhyun.

i bend over a dusty book i found. the ancient details make it more interesting. as i want to start reading, i feel a hand on my shoulders. “kyungsoo?” the voice enters my ears. i turn around to jongin, and i spontaneously smile. “i’m sorry i didn’t visit sooner,” he smiles and sits beside me. his beautiful face makes me forget about yixing and junmyeon’s words. i hide the book in my bag, not wanting jongin to see it.

“tell me who you are,” i quietly say. i may be dumb for being straightforward, but i need answers. moreover, i’ve waited enough. “who i am?” jongin repeats the question. his brown eyes blink nervously and he stares at the ceiling.

“that is a secret,” he smirks. without saying a word, i stand up and leave. jongin abruptly stops me and holds my arm. our faces are dangerously close. somehow the rest of the world seems to vanish when our eyes lock. those lips, those eyes.

“kyungsoo,” jongin says my name, “whoever i am, i won’t hurt you. that’s a promise.” for a moment, i believe his words. but then i recall how junmyeon was crying that night. i cannot trust jongin. i loosen his grip.

i don’t know jongin, but he knows me.

that is the only thing i can conclude from our encounters. i leave the library and enter my car. i’m disappointed when i can’t see jongin running after me. i eventually drive away from him.

hours later

my hand scrolls on my phone, as the other one dries my hair with a towel. i sing along with the song on my phone. the atmosphere in the house seems relaxed, by the music. satisfied, i hide under the blankets. jongin promised me not to hurt me, after all. the old kyungsoo would label it as an empty promise. but i’m not that kyungsoo anymore.

my eyes are getting heavy and i eventually fall asleep.

bathed in sweat, i awake. the wind blows through the window i left unclosed. however, i feel unnaturally warm. even my shirt is soaking wet. my eyes almost bulge out when i notice the bruises on my body. i jump out of my bed, towards the bathroom. the clothes are clinging to my body.

i reach for the light switch, and my reflection frightens me. is that me? red eyes are staring back, and my fangs are larger. i start to panic and reach for the phone. i don’t even know the number of junmyeon nor yixing. i have to call chanyeol. i nervously walk through my room, hoping he’ll pick up.

“yeah?” i hear chanyeol’s sleepy voice. “chanyeol, you have to come here!” i say panicking. chanyeol yawns. “it’s 5 am, i’ll come later,” he mutters. no, he must come now! “chanyeol, please,” i suddenly start crying. “you were right that day. my eyes are red,” i confess sobbing. “kyungsoo, i’ll be there immediately,” with these words, chanyeol ends the call.

minutes pass and my body seems no longer under my control. i cling to the walls and everything around me spins. out of sudden, a knock can be heard on the door. it must be chanyeol. i drag myself towards the door and open it. i can’t even see who it is, since my vision is too blurry. “kyungsoo?” i recognize chanyeol’s deep voice. and then the world turns black for me.