When he woke up next to Hanbin's warm body, both covered with the white fluffy blanket, he wasn't excepting the full moon shining through the thin curtains to greet him. A quick glance at his cellphone indicated him it was only three in the morning and it was way too early for them to wake up. A yawn escaped his closed lips and he put back the phone next to his pillow before streching his tiny frame. The room was quiet in the middle of the night, and the boy next to him didn't seem to have a troublesome slumber. Jinhwan took his time to turn around, now facing the seemingly calm face of the Heir. Watching him sleep like that was somehow relaxing, he thought. The steady breath coming out from the perfect nose was brushing against the tip of his own, rather pleasantly and making him wonder about how it was like to live with someone.

Jinhwan, the soon-to-be 22 year-old, was definitively a loner unable to have a healthy relationship with anyone and always cowarding away when feelings started to get involved. Some may think it was probably one of the numerous reasons why he'd decided to major in psychology, and they'd be totally right. However, he couldn't clearly put a word on what he felt toward the younger. They started as a one-night-stand thing, turned out to be more like a prey and a hunter and endep up sleeping together again for some more nights under an unspoken contract. He was supposed to help Hanbin with his nightmares issues, but how could he when he knew nothing about the said boy ? He needed time, more time to get to know about him and his past.

Honestly talking, what first came to his mind when they talked about his nightmares was a medical linked trauma, indeed. No need to be a genius to point that out. But why ? Who ? When ? There were still a ton of questions for which he wasn't able to deliver a proper anwser. Just like a puzzle is composed of different pieces, this problem encompassed all sort of details he had to discover, understand and bound to create a reasonnable cause.

He wasn't staying for Hanbin's deep black obs that never failed to make his heart tingle whenever they were on him, or for how it felt beyond good and right to be in his embrace, but for the great experience it could be for him as a futur psychologist. For the experience, not the feelings. The experience only, Jinhwan.

Satisfied with his new mindset, he was ready to fall back asleep when a sudden hitch in the other's breathing snatched his attention. Raising his upper body on his elbow, he tried to take a closer look at the still sleeping boy.

- Hanbin ?

The only reply he received was the silence and his heartbeat conceded to return to a normal pace, letting him fall back on the mattress, eyes facing the ceiling.

As the room returned to a lull, he fell back into Morpheus' arms.

The second time he woke up was because of the sound of rummage all around the room, heavy pantings alarming his senses. It only took him a push on his back to take a sitting position, his right hand already rubbing away the sleepiness still lingering in his eyes. His drowsy voice called for the man who must have been sharing the bed with him but wasn't and all the irritating noise stopped. Opening his eyes, he found Hanbin standing in the middle of the space between the bed and the opened bathroom door, his muscular tattooed back facing him. The lifting and lowering of his shoulders reflected his rapid breathing and he ran a frustrated hand through his messy damp hair.

Jinhwan wondered if it was the consequence of the nightmare, but a closer look to the state of the room indicated him Hanbin was really searching for something. The lightning coming from the bathroom showed the content of the dresser and what seemed like school notes strewed and scattered on the carpeted floor while the drawers were still half opened, hanging in their housing. He opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but his words stayed trapped in his throat and Hanbin finally turned his head to lock eyes with him. 

- Please, don't move. It's already hard enough for me not to bite you right now so no need to swing your body in front of my eyes ..

The request was easy enough to follow with his body paralyzed by the sudden memories flowing before his eyes. The last time the younger addressed him with such a tone was right before he tried to kill him on the spot.

Again, Hanbin's eyes were injected with the shining crimson colour, his fangs, long and sharp, pointing out of his lightly parted lips. A sigh broke the uncomfortable silence and his steps drew him closer to the night stand right next to Jinhwan. A small grimace stretched his lips as he squatted down to try to opened the last drawer, the locked one as Jinhwan remembered. When Hanbin's shaky hand grabbed the knob, he stopped breathing for a second, his curiosity winning over his fear to be hurt in the next moments. A slow groan escaped Hanbin's mouth as it remained closed and the furniture was pushed abruptly to the side as if it was a mere carton box, causing the older to refrain from screaming. The thing was heavy enough for him to bump into it without it moving from an inch, how was it possible ?

After what seemed like an eternity, the other deigned to show he was still alive and the older felt a subtle change in his attitude. Jinhwan's eyes slowly followed Hanbin's ones until they met what he supposed was the soft skin of his neck. The boy seemed to be hypnotised by the subjective thoughts running in his mind. A sneaky tongue came out to  the upper lip, just between the white abnormal teeth and Jinhwan shuddered.

- Are you .. thirsty ? he asked, voice slightly unstable.

The black pupils were lifted up to meet his soft expression and a frown started to mark the other's forehead. Was he weighting the situation ? Just when Hanbin was about to give in the implied proposition, a shiver shook his body and he jumped on his feet, almost running out of the bedroom with a curse. Jinhwan stayed pinned to the bed, not understanding the situation.

A voice warned him from the living room, something like : "Stay where you are, I'm calling Bobby." followed by a bunch of flowery words.

He didn't bother to try to understand.

He followed Hanbin's order blindly, staying covered with the blanket in the bed even when he heard hurried knocks on the entrance door. His heart missed a beat when two unfamiliar voices raised along Hanbin's in the corridor. Was he supposed to hide himself ? Maybe should he run to the bathroom and lock the door ? A million ideas bloomed in his head but everything went blank when the most shrill voice got closer to him. A blond guy burst into the room while looking over his shoulder, not immediatly spotting the human being on the bed.

- Did you really check everywhere ? How could you have lost .. AAAAAAH !

If Jinhwan was quick to cover his ears from the surreal strident sound, his voice came to add to the whole-hearted scream and the two boys remained distant until Hanbin and another guy broke into the scene.

- Donghyuk !

- Jinhwan !

The time froze as they all stopped moving to stare at one another in a suddenly awkward silence. The blond guy he presumed was named Donghyuk first took a few steps backward to stand next to the second stranger and his lips quickly muttered something in the other's ears. From where he was, he couldn't hear what he said, but Hanbin's eyes switched from him to them and the weird expression he made didn't announced something good. The bunny looking guy nodded knowingly and patted Hanbin's shoulder before grabbing the smaller's hand to leave the room. Right before disappearing, he eyed Jinhwan and what the latter saw practically got him fainting. The glinting blue swerving in his eyes grew stronger, slowly fading the brown of his irises. His wicked smile sent him shivers down the spine. 

Jinhwan felt horribly out of place. He knew it. Those guys were all Heirs down to the bones.

Hanbin ran a comforting but moist hand on his nape as he felt two pairs of eyes scanning every part of his body. His eyes were glued to his feet and his cheeks burning under the persistant gazes. Both of them were sitting on the couch while the two strangers, Bobby and Donghyuk in fact, were sitting on the floor. During their little talk, he learnt that Bobby was Hanbin's boss and Donghyuk his colleague. The strange duo was high-school sweethearts or something like that, they were almost inseparable and fondly madly in love. Jinhwan tried his best to smile but the mocking grin he received from the youngest, Donghyuk, clearly sent a message : Don't try too hard, it looks weird. At his side, Hanbin was unfocused, looking there and here, leg shaking nervously, breath unstable. Bobby suddenly clapped his hands as if he finally remembered something important and got up from his sitting position to open the backpack he brought along.

- Hanbin. I told you already, you can't count on me everytime it happens. What if I don't have anything in stock ? Would you just die or go out to hunt ?

The boss scolded him while helding out what looked like an infusion pack filled with a dark red liquid. Jinhwan felt like throwing up.

- It's not the blood sample you told me about, Hanbin ..

The Heir's hand just let go of the warm spot at the back of his neck and grabbed the pack, getting away without sparing a look to the older. 

- It's a complicated story, you'd freak out if you knew how much blood he needs to go through an agitated month, Donghyuk explained as the other left without anyone asking him to do so. Most of Heirs drink a small amount of blood and it's enough for them, but Hanbin's needs always change. They're impredictable so we always make sure he has something here. If he goes crazy because of thirst, we're all doomed.

He ended his little explanation with a warm smile but Bobbby nudged him softly, earning a raised-eyebrow.

- What ?

- Why are you telling him so much ?

Bobby then turned his attention to him, obviously facing a stranger in whom he had not even a hint of trust.

- We don't know you, you don't know us. I'm not ready to trust you like Hanbin seems to do .. He started. But we had a talk and I know he needs help with his nightmares. I'm tired of worrying over seeing him so affected by them, so just do what you need to do and leave. If you stay, you'll be a real nuisance and I don't want you to bring him down.

Jinhwan slowly nodded, smiling bitterly. What if he wanted to stay by Hanbin's sides after all ? Who was him to decide for him, huh ? He, himself, knew he wasn't going to stay afterward, but being told not to stay only made him angry and fed the small desire in the deepest part of his heart.

Hanbin chose this moment to come back, throwing the empty plastic bag into the kitchen bin while wipping his mouth with the back of his hand under three pairs of eyes. He turned his head to look at them and only raised his shoulders, wearing a disgusted pout.

- It didn't taste good, he explained with a broken voice.

- Here he goes again about blood's taste. Donghyuk mocked, half laughing. We already told you, Hanbin, blood's always the same, it doesn't have a particular taste for us.

- Just try Jinhwan's and you'll know I'm talking about, the red-eyed Heir replied with a flat tone, seemingly looking for something to wash out the lingering aftertaste.

Jinhwan wasn't sure about him joking or not, so when he saw Donghyuk getting up all smiley, he instinctivly covered his neck with his palms and looked at Hanbin with wide eyes.

- I .. I never agreed to that ! He protested weakly.

- Calm down scaredy cat, Donghyuk already had his dose for the month. And even so, I won't allow him to drink from you. Bobby toned with a scornful attitude.

Maybe it was the circumstances, or maybe it was Bobby's appearence or attitude, he didn't know. But Jinhwan decreted at the moment that him and Bobby won't get along. Not now, not tomorrow, not even in twenty years. As if they felt the tension growing between the two olders, Hanbin and Donghyuk regained their respective places and smoothed down the atmosphere. Suddenly, a phone alarm rang in the small apartment and Jinhwan got up, aiming for his cellphone. Hanbin followed the movement and they all decided to end the meet up here, the latter thanking the couple one more time before sending them out and hurriedly preparing for school. Jinhwan almost climbed over Hanbin's scattered clothes and notes to reach for the bathroom to take a quick shower. Behind him, he saw the younger filling his school bag with paper sheets and random pens and he wondered how he managed to keep his grades with such a messy way of proceeding .. He didn't know it was certainly the reason why Hanbin was only an average student.

Hanbin locked the entrance before pocketing the keys in his jacket and they looked at each other before going down the stairs. They didn't exchange a single word before Jinhwan dared to offer a ride to the university when they arrived on the street.

- Well, I guess it's better than riding the bus ..

- I thought you had a car.

- I do, but Bobby told me to take the bus to go since it's cheaper than gasoline.

- Makes sense ..

Jinhwan hated those empty talks to cover the strange feeling seeping between them. They were avoiding the problems. He wanted to know about the nightmare, about the other's unusual blood consumption, why Bobby seemed to hate him so much even if they'd never met before, but all he got was a rudimentary conversation about the road to take and the upcoming subjects of his lectures. He regretted being so reluctant to rush the younger, but he couldn't risk it and cause Hanbin to completely close himself like some people would do when feeling trapped. He needed to take it slow.

The younger got out of the car after putting one of his backpack's strap on his right shoulder and bent his back to thank him, smiling like the innocent child he wasn't. Jinhwan felt his cheeks becoming hot out of nowhere and turned away to focus on a random silhouette passing by. Catching his reaction, Hanbin let ouf a soft chuckle and closed the door, waving goodbye before getting away. The smaller one tried to sweep away the blush by shaking his head but nothing could do, he had to admit that Hanbin's smile was really something ..

When he entered his classroom, most of his classmates were already sitted, letting only the front seats unoccupied. As usual, he chose the row near the window to have the possibility to look outside whenever he felt bored, which was pretty often with this teacher, and took out his copybook. Sliding his fingers behind a post-it, he opened it where his previous notes were left and he calmly waited for the lesson to start. Five minutes after the ringbell, their teacher came in late not to change his habits, but at every one's surprise, he wasn't alone. Behind him stood two young-looking men, probably around the students' age, wearing black costumes and dress shoes. Their eyes immediatly scanned the entire classroom before landing on him, and a kind smile crossed their faces. Jinhwan didn't know how to react, because they were clearly fixing him, so he broke the eye contact and lowered his head to fake reading what he wrote, already knowing it by heart to be honest. He nearly had a heart attack when the teacher's raspy voice called his name.

- Mr. Kim ? Those men would like to have a small talk with you.

He lifted up his head to face the intruders again and felt a myriads of eyes burning his back. He wasn't an attention seeker and really didn't like all the importance his little person was given right now. His first instinct was to nod and he silently thought about how is neck was going to break from all the nods he already gave today. Once his stuffs stacked in his bag again, he gently followed the duo through the hallway and they decided to stop at the cafeteria on a common agreement.

His tiny hands encircled his steaming coffee cup and he silently stared at one of the stranger. It was definitively not his day ..

- Well, we'll try to make it short and easy for you to understand, Mr. Kim. First of all, we're from a new-born company based on researches about new kinds of treatment to cure several mental troubles and illness, but it's our final goal. For the moment, we only need psychologists to study our volunteers profiles. Of course, actual psychologists are a bit too expensive for us, so we have to search for talented students like you within universities.

Jinhwan's frown slowly softened as he listened to the man's speech and he slowly dipped his cold lips into the hot drink. He intentionally took his time to sip the liquid and waited for it to warm up his throat before coughing lightly to clear it.

- Your proposition is really interesting, but I have a post in a middle school and-

- We know it, Mr. Kim. The one who hadn't talked yet stopped him with a smile. We already went through your files with the direction and they agreed to contact the school if you're ready to work for us. One of the good thing about our proposition is the salary you'll be able to touch. I don't think you had one while working in the other boring establisment.

They must have seen the excitation slowly winning over his emotions because a clear laugh came out from the man sated at his right front and he reached out a hand for him to shake. He took it without hesitation and their contract was sealed.

- Alright then ! Since now, we're co-workers, Mr.Kim.

The stranger smiled again, showing off his powerful aura and Jinhwan, during a blink, felt attracted.

- Oh, my bad, I almost forgot. My name is Goo Junhoe, and this is Jung Chanwoo.

- Kim Jinhwan .., he replied blatantly.

- We know .. The pleasure is ours.