“How can it be out in the daylight? Do you think it uses sunscreen? Like... a special vampire brand?” Yunhyeong wondered out loud. It had been a week since the vampire had joined their little school, and still nobody had ventured over there to talk to him. Not one soul. Every day he came to the cafeteria for lunch, every day he sat all alone in a corner, eating nothing. Bobby couldn't help but feel for him. He had to be lonely. He didn't know much about the feelings of vampires, but his sad eyes were just as sad as a human's would be in the same situation. He was completely isolated. He had no one. He had been taken away from everything he had ever known, everyone he had ever known, just to be put on display. The local freak. The school's new mascot. Only instead of being celebrated, everyone was afraid of him.

“Ah, that's why it's so white!” Chanwoo exclaimed, a light turning on behind his eyes. The whole table erupted into laughter. Bobby too. He glanced back at the table in the corner, but he was gone. His heart sank. He hated that he couldn't do anything to make him feel more welcome. 'Of course you can. You know you can.' a voice in the back of his head reminded him. Guilt ridden, his stomach churned. Of course he could welcome him himself. He had thought about going over there every day since he got here. But each time his heart started racing and cold sweat started to materialize on his forehead. He would not only be standing up to the entire school, putting himself on the spot in front of countless curious eyes, but he also had to face the most beautiful being he had ever seen, and possibly the most dangerous too.

“Does anyone know in which class he is?” Bobby mumbled, more to himself than anyone else as he gave up on the assigned reading after having read the first line of the page about a thousand times without having the foggiest idea about what it actually said. This self-study period never ended in actual study.

“Who?” Jinhwan asked bright-eyed, drawing circles all over his math homework.

“You know.. the new guy.” Bobby hinted. He didn't like calling him 'the vampire' all the time. It only emphasized the divide that had developed between him and the rest of the school, labeling him in a group of one, stuck in a box with no exit.

“Wait, there's a new guy?” Donghyuk shot up in his chair.

“Ah, no.. I mean... you know... the vampire-guy.” Bobby clarified hesitantly.

“No, I heard it's being kept separate. Some say it's locked in a silver dungeon to keep it from eating us.” Donghyuk said in a dramatic near-whisper.

“Isn't silver a werewolf thing? I don't think it does anything to vampires...” Jinhwan pointed out skeptically. “And why would it be allowed to have lunch with us if it posed even the slightest threat to us?” he added, nodding to himself, pleased with his well formed argument.

“Maybe they developed some kind of a special leash, so when it comes near us it zaps it or something.” Yunhyeong offered.

“Oh, that must be why it's always alone at the corner table, far, far away from everyone!” Chanwoo smiled after having solved this little mystery.

“I heard the school of Junhoe's nephew got a werewolf.” Donghyuk added randomly. “I wish we could have gotten it instead, I've always been much more into werewolves. Besides, they aren't dangerous except once every full moon.” he wrinkled his nose, staring into space, clearly picturing how it would be.

Bobby sighed. What an unfortunate vampire. Even as a freak, he wasn't wanted. He decided that next lunch period he would join him at his table and eat lunch with him. Although, was he being rude if he ate in front of him? Ah, interspecies interaction was such a minefield, what a headache!

How was it lunchtime already? Bobby nervously wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, quietly trying to convince himself he could do this. His hands were shaking and his legs could barely support his weight. He was making a bigger deal out of this than it had to be. So what was the worst thing that could happen? He could bite him and turn him into an undead corpse doomed to roam the Earth for all eternity, his brain suggested. Idiot. That would never happen. He would probably just drink all his blood and leave him for dead. Great. Much better. Had his lungs shrunken? For some reason it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

As they entered the food hall, his eyes darted to the corner. There he was. So calm and majestic. And alone. Always alone. His expression was cold. Solemn, but powerful. Starting to hyperventilate, Bobby chickened out and sat down with his mates.

“Do you think it can see itself in the mirror? Vampires don't have reflections, do they?” Jinhwan wondered. He was completely fascinated by the vampire, it was as if he had been brainwashed, he didn't think about anything else all day. Even when they weren't at school, he was talking about him nonstop. It annoyed Bobby. He wasn't sure why though. Maybe because he never talked about him like he was a person. Maybe because all he did was talk, talk, talk, but when push came to shove he didn't dare confront him either. Or perhaps he was just annoyed at himself for being such a coward, taking it out on poor Jinhwan.

“Hey, that should apply to film too, right? So, would it show up on a picture? Does it matter that it's digital? Come on, let's try.” Yunhyeong suggested excitedly, whipping out his phone and stealthily aiming it at the corner table.

“Did you take it? Let me see, let me see!” Donghyuk pushed Chanwoo out of the way to get a better look. “Huh. It shows up alright, and... and... it's looking straight into the camera.” he added horrified, not so amused anymore.

“Do you think it noticed me taking the picture?” Yunhyeong had turned white from fear. “Maybe it can read thoughts... or has super hearing... either way I'm screwed. If I don't show up for class tomorrow, tell my mom I love her.” he swallowed with difficulty.

That was the final straw. Bobby couldn't take it any longer. He took a deep breath and stood up. With his eyes half-closed, he stormed past table after table until he had reached the corner, almost crashing into the table since he couldn't bear watching where he was going. His body was going haywire, each and every cell activating the fight or flight response, trying to persuade him to run for his life.

“Heh, hey.” he grinned awkwardly without really looking at him. When there was no answer, he looked up. He gasped and nearly fell over. He was looking right at him with his slim, mesmerizing eyes, sizing him up. His heart was racing so fast that he felt faint. He sat down since his feet had suddenly decided to retire from their job of supporting the rest of him, without notice.

“Oh, eh.. you mind if I sit down? Heh..” he asked awkwardly, painfully aware that he should have asked before he went ahead and sat down. Still he said nothing. Could he not speak? He was unsure of what to do.

“So.. ehm.. what's your name?” he continued undeterred, mostly because he didn't know what else to do. The silence was unbearable, it was so forceful and suffocating.

“Vampire be I.” he finally declared in an overly formal way. An unnecessary statement, since the whole school already knew he was a vampire, it was all they talked about. And he hadn't even answered his question. His voice wasn't as deep as he had expected though, it had a nice lyrical tone to it. It was almost likeable. If it hadn't been so terrifying.

“Eh... human be I.” Bobby replied in a wavering voice, trying to reply in vampire-speak.

The vampire coughed, or was it a very gloomy laughter, he wasn't sure.

“Be I. My name is BI. And I'm obliged to inform anyone who addresses me, of the fact that I am indeed a vampire.” BI explained with a stone cold, expressionless face, keeping up the formalities with painstaking precision. Bobby wasn't sure where he stood with him, he couldn't read him, not one word. He had no idea whether he was welcome here or not. BI's presence was overwhelming, intoxicating almost.

“Bobby.. I.. me.. Bobby.” he mumbled, totally losing all contact with his brain, babbling like an idiot. Thankfully the bell saved him in the nick of time.

“Uh.. see ya.” he quickly gathered his stuff and stumbled off to class, very aware that everyone's eyes were glued to the back of his head.

The moment he entered the hallway, he was ambushed by dozens of curious faces, the questions raining over him like a relentless hailstorm. His head was buzzing. His heart was beating. His lungs were breathing. That was the only thing that he noticed. And those eyes. Those hauntingly beautiful eyes. They haunted him still.