~Yumi~

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My curiosity grew all the more as I approached the kitchen, hearing JaeJoong looking for pots, taking down plates and bowls. I stopped right where the doorway was and looked through it as he was standing by the stove and looking at the stew that he was making

"I'm making Kimchi jjigae. I hope you'll like it" He said and raised his head and then smiled at me. I swallowed hard as I tried my very best in order to control my heartbeats. I really didn't want him to hear my heart beating in a weird rythm

"I'm sure it'll taste good. Looks like you know what you're doing" I smiled and walked over to him

"It's been awhile.. since I cooked" He chuckled

"Must have been a long time huh? When was the last time you cooked something?

JaeJoong started to stir around in the pot while thinking. He pouted with his lips and blinked with his eyes twice as much while thinking

"Hmm..In the beginning.. of .. 1936" JaeJoong said

I started to cough since my reaction was a bit too much I think. JaeJoong started to laugh and soon handed me a glass of water

"It's been a really long time" JaeJoong said

"And yet you remember it" I said

"I like cooking. I just don't have anyone who's willing to eat it. Well you know what we eat.. or .. drink" He sighed

I noticed the topic of vampire coming up and I also saw the change in his expression. My curiosity appeared again and I started to wonder if he was going to talk to me about this or not..

"Is it hard.. for you?"

"Hard for me?" JaeJoong asked and stopped stirring in the pot

"Being a vampire" I said

JaeJoong shrugged and covered the pot and closed it as he turned down the heat

"I've adapted myself. But it doesn't mean that I've accepted my destiny of being one" He said

"Why not?"

"Because you don't choose to become a vampire when you have the choice of being a human" He said

"So you had a choice?" I asked

JaeJoong let out a sigh

"Why is this so important for you to know Yumi?" JaeJoong asked, suddenly facing me seriously with his eyes looking straight at me. I swallowed hard

"I'm just trying to understand you.." I said

"But understanding me won't help you anywhere"

I was a bit taken aback, trying to understand his feelings but it just got me even more confused. What exactly did he mean by that? I was trying to get to know him. Not because I was fascinated by his lifestyle. I knew and I still know it must be hard but.. I was just trying to understand and get to know him more..

I did feel a bit hurt and couldn't help but to feel a disappointed..

"I'll.. be upstairs" I mumbled

"Yumi.. I"

I was out of the kitchen in no time and passed Yunho and Yoochun hurriedly as I ran upstairs, not stopping to listen to what they were saying.

I closed the door and dragged my feet against the bed, feeling a bit dumbfounded and hurt by his sudden harsh words. A sigh was also heard and I curled myself up in the middle of the bed with the blanket over myself and stared blankly ahead. Whenever thinking about JaeJoong, I had always seen this protective side of him. There was this impossible shell that was shielding others from coming close to him and sometimes when I think about it, I thought I had managed to get through it but how wrong I was. It was impossible

I then started to think about the night at my house, when both of us had sat down and talked a lot and I couldn't help but to feel myself become a little more happy about it since it kind of gave me the feeling of us happily talking to each other. A warm feeling was suddenly embracing my chest and I felt my heart pounding a little faster than usual as I thought about it

*Knock Knock

I sat up after lying down and soon saw Yunho enter my room wih an embarrassed but happy smile

"You're.. asleep?" He asked

I shook my head

"I'm.. awake" I mumbled and sat up and curled myself against the wall

"Can I come in?"

"Of course" I smiled

He entered and closed the door behind and was beside my bed in a second. He then sat down and looked around

"I'm sorry if Jae was... harsh on you earlier" He said suddenly

I looked at him

"Right.. I forgot. You can hear everything"

"It's not that we want to hear everything but it's unavoidable.." He smiled emabarrassed

I nodded

"I know, I'm not blaming you" I smiled

"Well it's not that we can't stop ourselves from listening but sometimes.. even vampires get curious. As we already said, you're the first human to approach us.. like this" He smiled

I nodded

"It's okay. Yunho you don't really have to explain yourself to me, or on behalf of JaeJoong I understand him. But I don't think he understands me" I mumbled sadly

"What do you mean?"

I sighed

"I'm trying to understand you guys, to know you. We're friends aren't we? And by opening ourselves up gives us the opportunity to get to know the real you. I'm just trying to understand JaeJoong's past in order to know him better"

"But you haven't known him.. that long" Yunho said

I chuckled

"But I can see that he has a shield around him. It's hard as a rock. It's almost impossible for anyone to get through it unless he openes a gap for you" I said

"And you know all that in this short amount of time?" Yunho asked

I blushed slightly and chuckled nervously

"I'm an observant girl" I smiled

Yunho chuckled

"We.. don't talk about our past that much.. since it has too much painful memories" Yunho said

I tilted my head to the side as Yunho leaned against the bedframe and looked at me

"Our past is.. a sad and scary period of time in our lives. Especially the first years in this life. We did so many things that we regretted. But even though we feel like this, none of the four of us can imagine what it must have been for JaeJoong because he had no one by his side then" Yunho said

I felt the sadness embrace my heart, making it sting a bit as I started to feel sad about knowing JaeJoong being alone

"JaeJoong was alone for centuries before we joined him. I can't really imagine how hard it must have been for him during that period. Knowing all of this and have to manage it on our own. When he helped us we had him as a support. He was more than just a friend...And I sometimes wish that I was him instead of him being that person that has to take responsibility. But I guess.. that.. .. during that period of time, he learned a lot and that made him into the person he is today" Yunho said

I nodded

"It must have been hard for him.." I whispered sadly

"I think there's more behind it but .. when the time is right.. I'm sure he'll tell you. Give it some time" Yunho smiled

"Maybe I am rushing into it" I mumbled

"Just give it some time. We're not gonna leave this place.." He smiled