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CHAPTER 2

NEW BLOOD

Lunch brake hadn't come soon enough for Minho. His eyes continued closing while Mr. Yoon was giving his lectures. His had already become numb from sitting on the hard chairs.

Minho pumped his fists a few times against his cheeks trying to get back their feeling. He stretched out, his fingers touching the ceiling. He wasn't short, In fact he was tall than most of his family. Minho leaned back, trying to reposition his spine.

If he wasn't slouching the entire time at his desk to avoid his teachers questions, his back wouldn't be sore. He didn't know any of the answers and he thought that was acceptable, but deep down inside he knew it wasn't.

"Minho!" Minho knew that voice that had screamed out his name. In fact he was so familiar with it, sometimes he wished he could make it go away, but he knew that was silly of him to hope for. She would never leave. That shrilling voice only told him one thing. He had better start running.

Minho stared down the hall. His sister had no doubted found her way to his class. She stood, legs apart, her plaid skirt forming it's shape around them. Her eyebrows arched and her nose scrunched up. She wasn't happy. Minho knew that. Probably having the same difficulty as him, attending a class entirely made up of the same .

"Noona." Minho uttered before jetting down the hallway in the opposite direction.

#

The air blew into Taemin's face, taking with it some of his breath. The air blowing his hair into his face. She was fast in the chase. She didn't want to let him get ahead of her anymore than he already was.

"Get back here!" She yelled after her brother.

Taemin watched from the doorway. He carried a wrapped up sandwich and a carton of juice in his hands--it was all that he could get at the moment. Unbeknownst to him what was happening to his face. His lips arched at the corners, forming a perfect line and his cheeks puffed up.

A smile.

He hadn't smiled in months. He almost forgot how to. There was never a reason for him to smile so he never did.

"Didn't know you knew how to smile, Taemin-ah. Thought the depressing face was your only look." Onew said.

Onew stood a few inches taller than Taemin. His light brown hair was styled back away from his face. Completely greased up with hair gel and hair spray. His white shirt had been ed and underneath it was a black t-shirt with a red dragon on it. His jacket sleeves were rolled up, exposing his strong forearms. On either side of Taemin, leaning against the walls, were Lee Eunyuk and Lee Kibum who usually went by Key. Their foot resting against the wall, their arms were crossed over their chests. They were equally as hellish as Onew. You hang with a person long enough and they start rubbing off on you.

Taemin clutched onto his sandwich tightly, the ruffling sound of the plastic, giving way to his fear. Since the beginning of their first year in junior high, Onew and his gang had purposely picked on Taemin because his mother worked for Onew's father. Onew thought that because of his rank, he had privilege and right to claim Taemin as his personal punching bag. The thought of his mother loosing her job over teenage rivalry kept any thought of protesting out of Taemin's head. Even though he truly wanted to rip a new whole into Onew. He had enough pent-up anger to rip a whole in the earth's crust with little effort.

"What do we have here?" Onew snatched both the sandwich and juice out of Taemin's hands inconsiderately.

Taemin reached out. He stood on his toes trying to get back his lunch, but the other boy had height on his side. Onew held the sandwich above his head making it impossible for Taemin to get it. Key and Eunyuk held onto Taemin. Their hands dug into each of his arms. It didn't take much effort for them to hold him down.

"Give it back!" Taemin struggled.

Onew waved the sandwich in front of Taemin's face. "Consider this payment for not responding to my text. For not bringing in my assignment...I want another form of payment." Onew nodded. "Bring him."

Taemin refused to give in, struggling all the while he was getting pushed down the hall. He knew of only one place they were going. The same place Onew always took him to receive his payment.

#

Minho rushed through the door, closing it behind him. The cool afternoon breeze passing him and the afternoon sun hitting his face. His panting was heavy from the running. Although he was fast his sister was ten times faster. He was amazed that he even lost her.

After a few minutes of waiting, making sure that his sister wasn't going to pop up, he moved away from the door. Minho walked over to the fence that bordered the roof. He squeezed his fingers through the holes and clutched onto it.

"Daewon high, huh? What a waste. Nothing, but male bonding going on here. Big waste of my time." Minho said staring out into the vast yard below him.

He had never been more disappointed in his life more than he was at the moment. His dream of finding his one true blood had been crushed by his parents when they enrolled him in a no girl zone. Except for his sister, who managed to find her own way to him, he was stuck with guys.

Minho closed his eyes and let his head hang low. He sighed. "If it's for my family I guess I can get through it."

Minho stretched in confidence, reaching for the sky. His family always came before the thirst. It was the same for all of them. He guessed having the same blood pumping through their veins once made them family oriented.

Minho turned around and leaned against the fence. His jacket's thickness keeping the fence's marks from bedding onto his back.

For my family. Minho kept thinking.

It wasn't until he was comfortably rested, when he heard the roof door slam shut. He slid behind one of the benches that was screwed onto the floor of the roof. The metal legs were rusted. Like it had been there for ages. It's back making the perfect hideaway.

Minho peaked through the crack in between the back boards of the bench. If he succeeded in scouting out his sister, he didn't want her to see him. She had a way of finding him even when she wasn't looking for him. Like she was a walking beacon. At fifteen when he wondered off, she found him in under ten minutes. When he hid in her room to spy on her, like his parents instructed, her spidey sense blew his cover. He had to put up with a hell of a beating. His parents made it clear if he was caught he would take the consequences and keep their names out of his mouth. Some parents.

Fortunately, the people on the roof wasn't his sister.

Unfortunately, for the boy in their grasp, things weren't going to end well.

Where have I seen him before? Minho asked himself.

The boy was ackingly familiar. Then it hit him. He was the silent boy in his class. The only one that didn't look at him when he greeted them. The one that had the sun shinning on him, making him glisten like gold. It was only after he entered his mind and told the boy to look at him that he shot him a glance. It was to feed Minho's own ego. If all eyes in the class were on him, it had to be all of them. No exceptions.

#

Taemin hit the ground hard. His palm scraped against the concrete rooftop. Blood bubbled out of the scratches. His face burned from the previous punch. His cut lip filled with blood a the corner.

As always, the roof was the only place Onew could bring Taemin to give him a good thrashing. No one was ever around. "My payment" Onew called it.

He had told Taemin one time, that the sensation he gets flowing through his fists when it meets Taemin's face is undescribable. It was better than and his heart always jumped in his chest when the adrenaline filled his body. But for Taemin, all it brought was pain, hurt that he couldn't retaliate or it would cost his mom her job. Not like he could fight anyway, but he would very well give it his damn best.

"You were warned on what would happen if you didn't bring in my completed assignments." Onew said standing above him, Key and Eunyuk standing beside him. Watching closely.

Taemin rolled over onto his back, his palms pooling blood below them while he brought up his torso. His weight was torture to his palms. He knew that Onew wasn't satisfied with only one punch. There were going to be more. He'd rather see it coming, then getting it by surprise on the back of his head.

Onew hunched down to Taemin's level. His cold hand cupping Taemin's chin. He tried to wiggle his face out of Onew's hands, but his fingers tightened on Taemin's cheeks. Knowing the fingers were beginning to leave their red marks.

"It's a shame to have to bruise up this pretty face." Onew grabbed onto Taemin's collar, getting a good firm grip and brought his fist back. The collar squeezed around Taemin's neck, pressing against his Adams' apple. His breathing labored as the Adams' apple hit the back of his throat. "But I won't allow disappointment."

Taemin closed his eyes. The pain, he expected, to surge through his whole body any second now.

"Yah!" The yelling caught everyone's attention. Taemin's eyes shot open. His lids blinking a few times to clear his vision.

Minho.

Taemin remembered his name. How could he not? After all, Minho was one of them and Taemin was a magnet, attracting all the bad seeds in a twenty mile radius.

Minho stood a good few feet away from them, his hands stuffed in his pockets. His jacket buttons were undone except for one in the dead center. He moved slowly toward them. Taking each step carefully. Onew's fist still pulled back. His eyes peering at Minho.

"I thought I was going to have some peace and quiet up here alone." Minho complained, ing the single button with one hand.

Onew clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together. Who was this guy interrupting him? Onew let go of Taemin's collar, giving him a slight shove in the process.

Taemin crawled back, his bloody palms leaving a trail. These turn of events could either benefit him or cause him more harm. He didn't know which one it would be. All he did know was that he wanted to get out of the crossfire. Punches were going to start flying soon and he didn't want to get one in the face by being in the way.

Onew stood up and turned to Minho. His fist falling to his side, but stayed clenched.

"It's not right to prey on the weak to do your work. You should use your own brain to complete your tasks." Minho tapped a finger against his temple. "Frankly, I can't just stand here and do nothing while one of my classmates is getting hurt."

Minho took his final step. His face, now only inches away from Onew's. Nonchalantly he sported a smile. A smile that even surprised Taemin. The feeling fluttered inside of him. Despite being pulled into a fight that had nothing to do with him, he managed to smile cheerfully.

"Why don't you let by-gones be by-gones and get out of here before anyone gets hurt." Minho pleaded.

"This is between Taemin and me." Onew looked back at Taemin then reverted his eyes once again to Minho.

Minho glared at Taemin. For a second, when the sun hit them, Taemin could see his eyes glow.

Are you going to help me? Taemin thought as the smiling boy turned back to Onew.

"Why don't you stay out of others personal matters?"

Minho's smile disappeared almost instantly at Onew's command. "'Fraid I can't do that."

"If that's the way you want it."

Without warning Onew brought his fist back then forward in one swift motion. His knuckles throbbing to meet Minho's face. Only they didn't. Instead, Minho's head moved two inches to the right. Punch dodged. His hand was gripping onto Onew's forearm. Tightening the way Onew tightened his hand on Taemin's face. Onew was left grabbing air.

Onew tried to pull back his arm, to release it from Minho, but Minho's grip only tightened. It was stronger than even Onew anticipated.

"Like I said...why don't you get out of here before someone gets hurt." Minho pushed forward on Onew's arm. If it weren't for the friction between his sneakers and the rooftop allowing him to keep his balance, he would have fallen flat on his .

Taemin imagined it. Onew falling on his , rubbing it to stop the throbbing pain. He let out a small laugh.

No one had ever blocked one of Onew's punches before. Not in all the years Taemin has known him. People attempted to, but the fist eventually met their face. It was nearly impossible to do, but Taemin guessed that even the impossible can be achieved.

Minho stuffed his hand back into his pocket. He stood unshaken. Most people wouldn't want to walk on the same ground as Onew when they went against him. He would send them to an early grave if he caught them. They usually made a brake for it and begged for their parents to transfer them. That's how ruthless Onew was. But to Taemin's amazed eyes, Minho had no intention of backing down. He stood firm in his place. Like his shoes were glued to the floor. He was fighting for Taemin. Someone was actually fighting for him.

"Key, Eunyuk, let's go." Onew turned his head slightly to Taemin, making sure one eye was still on Minho. "Don't expect him to be around all the time. Consider yourself lucky. This won't happen again."

Taemin watched as the three scurried away. It was the first time he seen that gang intimidated and all it took was one new kid to do it.

Onew had disappeared, leaving a bad taste in Taemin's mouth. Of course it was because of the blood on his lip. Taemin hated the taste of blood. He even gagged slightly when some of it seeped into his mouth.

He was grateful. Lord knows what could have happened if the beating continued. He would have ended up in the hospital with a stack of hospital bills by his bedside. Taemin turned his head, a hand sticking out in front of him. He looked up meeting Minho's kind gaze.

"You shouldn't let people pick on you so easily." Taemin took the assistance and let Minho pull him up. "It'll only give them the right to keep doing it."

He dusted himself off. His hands moving over every inch of his body. "What are you doing up here? The roof is off limits."

"Hiding from my sister." Minho grabbed Taemin's cheek. He inspecting Taemin's lip. A small cut, nothing serious. His cut was nothing serious, but the feeling souring through Taemin, warming up his veins was serious. "Why's it off limits?"

Taemin moved his face out of Minho's hand. The feeling snuck up on him unexpectedly. It left him short of breath. Like he had been er punched in the stomach, but in a good way. If that existed.

"There was a girl that died up here. All these schools have legends." Taemin smiled nervously. "She was meeting her boyfriend up here, but things went sour. Apparently they had a fight and he killed her. He just disappear, leaving her. She was the Chairman's daughter and she decided, to keep another incident like that from happening, to separate the boys and girls. So the girls are in one building and the boys are in another."

"Mmm." Minho hummed walking over to the fence, Taemin close behind. "So that's why there are only boys."

Taemin stared closely at Minho. He looked like Onew's kind, but was he really? Wouldn't Taemin become his victim as well if he was? Taemin couldn't find the answers. More importantly, what was the feeling Minho bestowed upon him?

Is he really bad?

As smart as he was, when it came to Minho, he only drew up blanks. He did know one thing though. Minho saved him and that won him a second overlook.

They had been drawn in by silence. Just staring down through the fence. Taemin was always up on the roof, as his beatings occurred occasionally, but he never had the chance to take it all in. The vast field below them that had two soccer nets at each end. It's white lines were barely visible. The students were scattered across the school yard, sitting on benches, enjoying their meals. Onew was just the downside of what could be paradise for Taemin.

Just when he was enjoying looking out into the world, the sound of the roof door slamming made both of them jump. He hoped it wasn't Onew coming back with reinforcements. Minho would be in loads of trouble if that happened and Taemin wouldn't be of any help. Plus, Taemin didn't want Minho to be harmed on his account.

"Noona." Taemin heard Minho say.

Minho's eyes buldged out. His jaw practically hitting the ground. His body had stiffened. He definitely wasn't scared of Onew, but his sister made him stop in his tracks when she showed up.

Taemin turned. Followed Minho's eyes. His sister panted, her hand laying on her chest. Her other hand rested on her thigh while she kept her balance. She looked like she could've passed out.

"If...I had...known you were...up here." She spoke between breaths. "I would've looked here earlier."

Minho walked over to her, bending down to her level. His hand pressed firmly on her back.

"Are you getting too old to chase after your little brother?" Minho mocked.

"This is all your fault." She said finally catching her breath. "I'm going to kill you!"

Jessica jerked up. Her hands came up to Minho's neck. Her fingertips barely touching as they wrapped around his neck when she stopped. She turned to Taemin who watched from a distance.

"He's so cute." Jessica let her arms fall down. She her red lips, her body swaying towards Taemin. Only one thing on her mind.

"Sorry Jessica." Minho ran in front of her. His hands came up in front of him. "I'm going to have to play with you another time. My friend..."

"Taemin." Taemin finished for Minho.

"Taemin is injured, so I'm taking him to the infirmary." Minho grabbed Taemin's hand. Taemin was a light boy so Minho had no trouble dragging him along. Leaving Jessica to her disappointment.

#

"Hello!" Minho called out.

He had held on to Taemin's hand until they reached the infirmary. The boy's hand felt so comfortable in his own, that Minho hadn't known what he'd done until Taemin wriggled his hand out of Minho's. The boy hid his arms behind his back.

Minho gave him a smirk. A smirk indicating his tease on him.

"Hello." Minho called out again. Still no response.

Minho inspected the room. He pushed aside curtains that s around each bed. Each cubicle was empty. No one. Only him and that boy. That weak human.

Minho didn't think anyone can be more pathetic. Why he saved him was even a mystery to him. He just couldn't sit by and watch someone bruise up that face. Even that face, to Minho, was precious. Even if he did see him as entirely useless.

Minho looked at the clock.

12:35. Five minutes. That's how long they've been on lunch brake.

"Must still be at lunch." Minho determined. "Okay."

Minho walked over to Taemin and grabbed ahold of his arms. They were slim, like those of a woman. Taemin's scent ran up Minho's nose. The burn hitting the back of his throat. Minho swallowed his saliva, swallowing the urge to feed on the slim, tan neck of the boy in front of him along with it. Minho's Adams' apple moved up and down. It became hard to swallow. His saliva was caught in his throat.

He felt his whole body heat up and his eyes burn in anticipation. Unfortunately he had to stop himself. If he even had the thoughts of feeding on someone during the day, let alone in a building infested with people, his family wouldn't be the only one to kill him.

Minho closed his eyes, hiding their red color. That amber color they always become when they've been engulfed in excitement. Either the excitement of hunger or excitement of arousal. Minho couldn't determine which one he had qualified for, but he knew one thing. He desperately wanted to feed on Taemin.

Not here. Minho told himself, calming himself. He had never craved a guy before, so the feeling was new to him.

"Is something wrong?" Taemin asked worried, staring at Minho. A frown on his face.

Minho nodded. "No worries." Minho moved away, releasing Taemin from his grasp and turning to the cabinets behind him. "Looks like I'm going to have to be your doctor today, so just sit still."

The blood. I want it. Minho's thoughts kept tempting him.

He took in a few breaths. In and out, making sure that those hunger inducing thoughts weren't going to return.

Finally Minho was able breath normally. It wasn't the first time he went against the thirst. Actually, living in a world of walking veins, he had to do it constantly. Now it seemed harder than normal.

Minho opened the cabinets and searched around, pulling out two bottles of antiseptics and cotton swabs. From the box of bandages on the second shelf he pulled out three band aides. One, small enough for a face wound and two big ones.

"You lecture me on allowing others to pick on me, but by the looks of it, it seems like your in the same shoes." The words caught Minho by surprise.

He cleared his throat nervously. He had to choose his words wisely. He couldn't just say that if his sister caught him, she would raise him over her head and slam him against the ground a few times, as he continued to heal himself from the bruises. It would only raise questions.

"My sister is in a whole new category than that guy. She's relentless. She never gives up. Actually, you're lucky that I got you away from her when I did, otherwise she would have had you for lunch." Minho meant it literally. His sister always said those two words before she fed. You're cute. When those words came out of that was a sign to make a run for it.

Minho squeezed a drop of each bottle onto two cotton swabs. He held his breath. If even one whiff of Taemin's blood snuck into his nose, he'd only be tempted to take the boy right there and then. Though he had to suppress the urge. Right now the important thing was to get Taemin's injuries treated before they reached infection.

Sitting beside Taemin, Minho left a gap between them. He brought one cotton swab to Taemin's palms and rubbed it gently. Then peeled two band aides and smoothed them out onto his palms. His hands were soft, smooth. They were small on top of Minho's. He wanted to hold them more.

Minho pulled his hands away from Taemin's. He brought up the second cotton swab to Taemin's lip. Disinfecting, preserving the blood that he treasured. Minho opened up the smaller bandage, peeling off each side, pressing it against Taemin's lip. Those pink lips were taunting him. Begged him to pry them open. The sound of Taemin swallowing ringed in Minho's ear drums. His beating heart played like a drum, playing the sweetest melody.

What was happening to him? Up until now all he ever craved were beautiful woman, but there was something different about this boy. Something that seemed a bit familiar to Minho and the more he was around him, the more he wanted him.