I followed Taemin outside, surprisingly it wasn’t cold. There was a beautiful courtyard; the smell of flowers, pine trees, and nature filled my nostrils. A large fountain in the center, (turned off for the season), separated three paths, where one had an ancient stone arch covered in vines with thorns to greet its visitors.

“That there leads to the campus” Taemin called.

I turned around to see him leaning against the door we exited.

“Afraid of the sun?” puffs of air escaped my mouth. That’s weird, I’m not even cold.

He waited a moment before peeling himself away from the safety of the shadows cast by the dorms.

“That is not the reason,” he flipped the fringe over his eyes. “I enjoy the warmth of the sun, but I cn not stand in it for long.”

“Do you burn easily?”

He chuckled. “No. It irritates me. The sunlight just hates me. I prefer the night.”

Taemin took my hand in his cold one and for the first time I noticed how pale his skin was.

“What are you a vampire?” I joked.

“What makes you say that?” he turned my hand facing palm up.

I counted off with my free hand. “One, bothered by the sun.  Two, cold skin. Three, pale skin. And four, you’re cute.” I clasped my hand over my mouth. Did I just say that out loud? Omg.

Taemin just smiled and asked. “What if I was? Would that bother you?”

I thought for about a millisecond before answering.

“’Course not. Blood thirsty creatures prowling the night and feasting on unsuspecting damsels’? Right now you’d be like a devil in disguise!” I laughed.

Taemin scowled. “A simple yes or no would have sufficed.”

“Then yes!” I said a little too quickly.

Taemin frowned and dropped his head so I couldn’t see his face and began tracing circles in my palm. “What if I-”

“How old are you?” I cut him off. Ha.

I hope he wasn’t angry with me. But I think my little vampire joke ticked him off, plus his voice sounded kind of depressed right now. And ‘what if’ questions always lead to trouble.

“Old enough.” He responded.

Ahh. Are we playing this game now?

“And how old is that exactly?” I bent my knees so I could see his face but all I managed was his nose down. I stared at his moving lips.

“Older than you. What are you thinking Bea?” he raised his head and looked me in the eye.

I could feel heat from the trail his finger left behind.  

“How did you move so fast back in the dorms?”

“Adrenaline.”

“Liar.” I straightened. “Tell me the truth.”

Taemin straightened as well, “The truth could sometimes cause more harm than good.”

“I don’t care.”

“You must care if you asked.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”