A few weeks later, Kyuhyun was deemed well enough to go back to work, but his heart just wasn't in it. Seunghyun wondered if his injuries were still bothering him, not quite believing Kyuhyun when he said he was fine and that it was just him being tired easily. After giving him a lecture on taking care of himself properly, his producer/manager sighed and patted his shoulder.

"I know you've been through a lot so maybe you should consider slowing down a bit?" he suggested, hoping Kyuhyun was in the mood to listen. He knew the young singer was as temperamental as they came, but he'd been acting oddly, even for him, the past few weeks and it was starting to worry him.

Shaking his head, Kyuhyun shrugged. What difference would it make? It would just give him more time to cry over Yesung and he didn't want that any more, but work didn't seem to be helping much either. Maybe he should pack it in altogether? He could move away again like he had done before...

"I'm going to go take a walk. I'll be back later..." he said, hoping the air would clear his head enough that he could get back to work and actually do something. This couldn't go on. Leaving his bag on the chair by the door, he missed the sympathetic glance that passed between the engineer and his producer as he left the studio.

Ever since the night Yesung stood outside Kyuhyun's house waiting, the student found himself constantly drawn to that gate, returning the night after, and the night after that, and the night after that. He had no idea why he was tormenting himself like this, spending his nights waiting outside the gate and ringing the bell occasionally, nor did he know what he would do or say if Kyuhyun happened to answer.

He should stop. He knew he should stop. But what his mind thought and his body did were often conflicted even in the best of times, and so Yesung continued to find himself at Kyuhyun's house.

At first, he would stay nearly the same amount of time as he did the first day, hanging around and sipping a cup of coffee to keep himself awake. As the weeks progressed though, the lack of sleep slowly caught up with him, shadows appearing under his eyes and his grades dropping as his attention was always elsewhere. His room-mate wondered if having the turtle at school had killed his brain cells. If only he knew.

By the end of the second week, Yesung would stick around for an hour at most, needing more time to sleep and study for his exams. He should just stop, he knew that... but he couldn't. Even though he had wanted to stop seeing Kyuhyun, to stop their weirdly twisted friendship, he couldn't bring himself to stop.

Yawning, Yesung left the small café he worked at, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Between school, work, late-night visits to Kyuhyun's house, and general lack of sleep, he was exhausted. Sleepily he started to head towards Kyuhyun's house to see if he could get the gate to open this time. His already lousy sense of direction was worsened by lack of sleep though, and Yesung soon found he was utterly lost.

"Good job," he muttered darkly to himself, blinking blearily up at the street sign as he tried to read it in the darkness. He had no idea where he was. Taking a guess, he headed off in the direction that looked most promising, not watching where he was going as he turned a corner... and collided solidly with someone, Yesung taking the person down with him with a loud yelp.

Lost in thought, Kyuhyun tumbled to the ground as he was knocked down by someone, only to stare in mute shock and horror at just who that person was.

"Yesung?" he asked, not quite believing his eyes. Kyuhyun knew Yesung had been coming to see him every night since that night, but couldn't bring himself to face Yesung again after what he'd done. Only now... it seemed fate was dealing them a cruel hand.

"What are you... No... forget it. I don't want to know. I'm leaving..." Kyuhyun added, scrambling up from the ground and starting to back away warily. "You shouldn't be here... you can't be here. It's not safe for you to be with me..."

That damned attraction was pulling him towards Yesung rather than away and Kyuhyun bit his lip painfully to stop from kissing Yesung again as he'd done that very first night they'd met. What if it didn't stop there? He just couldn't chance it, and turned to run.

Dizzy, Yesung pushed himself off the ground and stared at the man he'd knocked over, his mouth open slightly. Kyuhyun. He blinked at the vampire, half on him and half on the ground, too stunned to move or say anything.

Another yelp escaped him when Kyuhyun scrambled to his feet, knocking Yesung back to the ground in the process. At the other man's words, however, he hurried to get his feet back under himself as well. No, he couldn't leave. Not yet. Not after Yesung had spent so many nights trying to get the vampire to talk to him... even if he had no clue what he was going to say.

Maybe he just wanted to apologize. Maybe he just didn't want them to leave on such bad terms. He didn't know and he didn't care, he just wanted to talk to Kyuhyun again.

"Wait!" he exclaimed when he saw Kyuhyun turn to leave. Leaping forward to catch the vampire's hand, Yesung tripped and faceplanted back onto the ground, a whimpered "Ow" escaping him. Somehow though... he'd managed to grab on to Kyuhyun's hand at the same time.

"Don't go yet," he panted, trying to push himself back up without letting go of the other man's hand. "Please?"

Blinking at Yesung in surprise, Kyuhyun looked at his hand where Yesung had grabbed him. "Let go, Yesung. Please..." he asked softly, his voice pained. "You... you can't trust me. Not after..."

The problem was, with Yesung holding his hand, he couldn't go anywhere. Not without taking Yesung with him, at any rate, and Kyuhyun didn't want to do that. He had to find some way of getting Yesung to let go of him.

"And why do you keep stalking me? Ringing my bell at all hours..." Not that it kept him up; after the first few days, Kyuhyun had made sure to either be out all night in order to avoid Yesung, or once he'd been allowed back at work, staying until the last possible moment before going home. "It's not fair, Yesung. We can't... I can't be around you. It's not safe for you..."

Finally Yesung managed to get back to his feet, dizzy from the sudden fall, but determined.  No, he had no idea what he was doing, but that kind of wasn't the point anymore.

"Stalking?" he managed to get out, panting a little.  "That's real funny, coming from you.  Who's the one who found me at the university when I never even told you where I study?"

He should just go.  Just... let go of Kyuhyun and let the vampire leave.  Wasn't that what he wanted? It wasn't safe for Yesung?  It wasn't safe for Kyuhyun either... and at least the vampire had some measure of control over what he did.  He could feed, stave off the hunger.  There was no such way to suppress bad luck.

"You didn't... you didn't break your promise, you know," he managed to get out.  "You didn't bite me, so it's alright.  I'm not... scared of you.  So can we please, just... talk this out?  If it doesn't work then I won't come back, I swear.  Just..."  Yesung grinned sheepishly, slightly pained.  "I don't want to let our friendship end like that, you know?"

"I wasn't stalking you, Yesung," Kyuhyun protested softly. "I didn't even know you went there. I told you before... I can't help it. I am still as attracted to you as I was that night we first met, and it just won't go away." He sighed and looked away. "But I'm not safe for you to be around, much less with. Even as friends..."

He looked at Yesung pointedly. "Friends don't come to see you at the hospital only once and then never return... and not offer any explanation for it..." Gently he pried Yesung's hand from his own. "I don't know how to make you realise that I can't control myself around you. I mistook hunger for attraction last time, and I can't be sure it won't happen again..."

"I don't want our friendship... if you can even call it that... to end like that either, but I don't know what else to do. You won't be honest with me, I can't trust myself around you. How do we make that work?"

A flinch ran through the student at the quiet accusation. Even if Kyuhyun didn't mean it as such, it still hurt. It was hard trying to figure out what was right and what was wrong, what he should do and what he shouldn't do. Maybe he should become a hermit.

His hand was pried away and fell to his side, Yesung blinking back tears of frustration again. He shouldn't be crying so much over this... he didn't even know Kyuhyun that well!

Maybe it was the exhaustion, but something made him snap. "You want me to be honest?" Yesung asked, his voice shaking. "Alright. I didn't come visit you because it's my fault you ended up in the hospital in the first place, and if I had come to visit, it might have killed you for good. Happy?"

Drawing in a shaky breath, he ran one hand over his face. "Maybe we shouldn't be friends, but can you blame me for wanting to say a proper goodbye? You practically forced yourself into my life and made me want to be around you and now you want to just leave? It doesn't work like that!"

Not quite sure what to say to Yesung's admission since it was the last thing Kyuhyun had expected him to say, Kyuhyun couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't much of a laugh, but it was still an obvious one.

"You think it was your fault?" Kyuhyun asked, shaking his head. "Last time I checked, it was the idiot truck driver's fault, and he's currently paying for his stupidity in jail. How can you honestly think it was anything to do with you? You're not that omnipotent or important that everything can be traced back to you!"

It had started out as joking but ended in frustration. "Look, Yesung, I don't blame you for things that happen around you. It just... happens. Some people are naturally unlucky, but they find a way to make it work. Don't perpetuate the stereotype and give in to it. Find some way of getting rid of whatever bad luck you think you have, that's all."

Kyuhyun snorted. "And you think I forced my way into your life? Remember who ran into whom? And who stalked me when I told you to leave me alone that first night? You kept following me, not the other way around." Shaking his head, Kyuhyun ran shaking hands through his hair. This wasn't going at all how he'd imagined it. "You even ran me down again... How does that even work?"

"I don't even want to leave, but I can't see any other alternative. I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want to be hurt again. It's... too painful..."

Pain ran through Yesung because he could tell instantly he wasn't being taken seriously. The laugh hurt, as did the words that followed. He'd thought for sure if anyone had been able to understand, it would be someone who wasn't human himself. So much for that idea.

True it was hard to tell when something was him or when it was just a natural accident... but it was just too great a chance to take. Everything went wrong around him... so, so wrong. And this wasn't any different.

"Should have known you wouldn't believe me," he muttered darkly. He didn't think he had bad luck... he knew it. "You aren't the only dangerous one here Kyuhyun... At least you have control." He didn't mean to run Kyuhyun down either time. The following, maybe... but he'd always been stupid like that. "Sorry about running into you... I don't do any of this on purpose," he sighed, getting frustrated as well.

"I already said I'm not afraid of you. I haven't been for over a month, so I'm not worried about you hurting me. That incident was a fluke. But if you're worried about being hurt yourself... that, I can't do anything about." His shoulders slumped slightly. Yesung had no idea what to do or say.

"So...I guess this is it? It's goodbye?"

Surprised at Yesung's remark, Kyuhyun was confused. Was there more to it than Yesung was telling him? It somehow didn't surprise him; Yesung failed at communication, it seemed.

"Believe you about what?" he asked. "You're not making yourself very clear then, if there's more to it than what you've told me. What am I supposed to believe you about, and what do you mean about I have control..."

Relieved that Yesung didn't hate him for losing control, Kyuhyun didn't know what to say, but he felt exposed. Their location wasn't exactly great for disclosing secrets, if indeed there were any. He grabbed Yesung's wrist.

"We can't talk out here. I'll go back to the studio, get my things and you can come to my place again and we can talk there. Maybe then I'll get some sense out of you..."

Pulling Yesung along to the studio, he gestured for him to take a seat in the lobby by the front desk, telling the clerk that Yesung was his guest so he wouldn't get into trouble for being there. Being a pop star had its perks. Running up to where he'd left his things, he explained to Seunghyun that he was taking an early night and after some discussion, returned to Yesung with his bag.

"Now we can go," he said tiredly.

Yesung had thought he was being clear, but apparently not. It was hard to form coherent sentences when he'd never talked about this before, was stressed out, in emotional pain, and about to fall asleep where he stood. Drawing in a shaky breath, he started to try again, but stopped when Kyuhyun grabbed his wrist.

They were going back to Kyuhyun's house. Swallowing, Yesung nodded and followed when he was pulled. This reminded him so much of the first time he'd been pulled to Kyuhyun's house, albeit he was more willing now. He didn't talk as they walked, his head down and black hair covering his eyes. The only thing he did was pull at his wrist slightly so Kyuhyun's hand slipped down into his own instead, his smaller fingers curling around the vampire's.

Sitting down to wait for Kyuhyun, Yesung bit his lower lip and rubbed at his eyes, trying to make himself more awake. He wasn't getting out of explaining this time. And after that... he had no idea. Would they just stop being friends? It was for the best. Yesung just didn't know any more... one step at a time.

His attention was caught by Kyuhyun as the vampire returned, the student standing again. "Alright," he said quietly, following Kyuhyun out of the studio. Stumbling a little on the doorstep, Yesung instinctively reached out and clasped the vampire's hand to steady himself. Even when he recovered and started walking again, he didn't let go.

Startled when Yesung stumbled and grabbed at him again, and even more so when Yesung didn't let go afterwards, Kyuhyun just sighed and led the way to his home, stopping to get some things at a small corner shop so that Yesung would be able to feel more at home. He had nothing by way of food or drinks for human guests, so he stocked up on things for Yesung.

Once inside, he made sure all the blinds were down and gestured for Yesung to sit again. "Wherever you want..." he murmured, taking his preferred gaming chair as usual and watching Yesung.

"And you can start explaining what you meant now that nobody can hear us or what we're talking about," he continued with a sigh. "I want to know what you meant, and please... stop confusing me. Just come out and say it..."

It had been harder than he'd thought to allow Yesung back into his home (and possibly his life) when all Kyuhyun wanted to do was kiss Yesung and do... more to him than Yesung probably would have ever allowed anyone, much less him, to do. Even now, it was hard for him to control his thoughts and desires, but he did for both their sakes.

There was slight confusion when Kyuhyun stopped by the corner store to buy food and drinks, but Yesung didn't comment on it, his head down as he tried to think of what he was going to say. Anxiety had become a twisting knot in his stomach, painful and impossible to get rid of. No matter how much he thought about it in the past, he hadn't the faintest clue how to proceed in telling those who didn't know him of his curse.

His parents knew... his parent, knew. It was impossible not to after living with Yesung his whole life. His brother knew, his former childhood friend knew. No one else knew, because the ones who were around him often enough to notice were scared away by the string of bad luck and accidents that followed him like a vengeful ghost.

Blinking, the student realized they were inside Kyuhyun's house, looking on as Kyuhyun checked all the blinds. Hesitantly, he sat down on the couch he'd sat in last time he was here, looking around. Nothing had changed much.

His throat closed at Kyuhyun's words, forcing himself to look at the vampire again. Just come out and say it...

"I... I'm cursed," Yesung finally said after a long pause. "Ever since I was born, bad luck has always followed me around. It... it's in no way natural. It targets everyone around me, and the longer they're in contact with me, the more often it happens." He looked down at his hands, clenched tightly together.

"I do not consider myself important or omnipotent enough to cause everything bad that happens in the world," he whispered, Kyuhyun's words from before clenching at his heart tightly. "But some things I know I caused. If we hadn't talked, backstage at the school concert... if that conversation had never happened, if you hadn't been able to find me..." He swallowed thickly. "You wouldn't have been in that accident."

It was Kyuhyun's turn to blink as Yesung told him about his curse. "You...." Shaking his head in disbelief, Kyuhyun didn't know what to say. "How do you know, and why would you be cursed? I don't understand..." And he really didn't. Why would someone like Yesung be cursed? He was harmless and relatively normal as humans went.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean it that way. I..." Kyuhyun sighed. "I still don't believe you had anything to do with my accident. It was just something that happened."

"But I still think that it can be overcome somehow. If you can find out what triggers it and why? Like... with my weakness curse..." Not that his curse was triggered by anything; it just made him physically weak and succeptible to injuries like those the accident had given him. "Or if there's a way to transfer the curse to someone..."

Kyuhyun looked thoughtful. "Are you sure you're not just perpetuating something that might have been minor at one time? I am not trying to minimise what you're going through, but wondering if it could be being made worse because you expect things to happen, so when they do, you blame yourself automatically without thinking of the other factors that could have caused something to happen?"

Worrying at his lower lip, Yesung's shoulders slumped slightly, too tired to lie anymore. He was too tired to even feel disappointed that Kyuhyun still didn't seem to believe him.

"I used to think it was just in my head," he replied quietly. "But too much has happened. It's not just me noticing, Kyu. The people who used to be my friends avoid me now because whenever I'm near them, bad things happen."

"People gossip about the 'bad luck magnet' majoring in music... and even the teachers avoid giving me any major parts in anything because they know something's not right." A strained smile appeared on his lips. "That performance was the first solo part I've had since the stage lights nearly fell on me when I was seven."

He shook his head, hisbgaze still fixed on his lap. "It doesn't seem to have a trigger... nothing sets it off. It just... happens. Sometimes it feels a little weird, like goosebumps when its not cold, but most of the time I can't even tell something's happening until it actually does. I have no control over it." He laughed, but the sound was sour. "My brother told me I should become a hermit."

"If you don't believe me, that's okay... you haven't been around me often enough to be able to tell. But I know what I cause." Yesung pressed his lips firmly together, finally looking up at Kyuhyun again. "It may be less concrete than you being a vampire, but I know it."

Whether it was a curse or not, Yesung firmly believed it, so Kyuhyun felt he had no other choice but to believe him too, but he wasn't going to let it keep him away from Yesung... unless that was what Yesung himself truly wanted. Awkwardly pushing up from his chair, Kyuhyun approached Yesung and sat beside him.

"You believe in it, so that's enough for me," he said softly, not sure he should but daring to reach out and take one of Yesung's small hands in his. "But I don't want it to stop us from being happy... I can't help how I feel any more than you can help what happens around you."

Kyuhyun glanced at Yesung with a pained expression. "Unless you consider meeting me as much bad luck as the rest of it...?" He hoped not, and wasn't sure what he'd do if Yesung did consider meeting him as much a part of bad luck as everything else that had happened. "I don't consider it bad luck... except for the fact that you don't return my feelings, but that's not your fault. You can't help what you feel either."

Tired of having to be reasonable, Kyuhyun could only think of one thing to do, leaning in to Yesung and kissing him gently and almost hesitantly before moving back.

"One last kiss then..." he said sadly, not bothering to hide the bitterness he felt. Maybe he had a bad luck curse too; unable to find someone who loved him the same way he loved them.