“Have I met you somewhere?” asked Jonghun to the boy sitting beside him on the football field of his university. The boy is wearing a red shirt—making his pale skin all the more apparent, and a pair of tight jeans emphasizing his long sinewy legs.

He was sure that he had seen this boy somewhere but the fact that they have been attending the same university and the fact that he had never paid attention to any humans before, makes him the most likely candidate of forgetting faces even a few seconds after they met. Although, there is this part of him that rejects the idea.

Forgetful as he was, the boy’s small face, gifted with mellow chocolate brown eyes, thin nose, and pinkish lips, is not something to be forgotten. It’s not every day that he meets a man who looks likes a girl.

He repeated his question when the boy stared at him for a long time as if he has no idea how to respond to his query, “Have I met you before?”

After gently shaking his head, the boy nodded. “We have six classes together.”

Jonghun leaned his head to the side as he contemplates the answer. Blinking, he stared at the boy’s face and said, “I didn’t know that. What’s your name?”

A shadow of a smile touched the man’s small pink lips before replying quietly, “Lee Hongki.”

“I’ve heard of that before,” Jonghun blurted out before he could think. Embarrassed because he’s not used to talking to humans, he averted his eyes and stared away.

Lee Hongki smiled a little while gazing sadly at Jonghun’s profile. “As I’ve said, we belong to the same class,” pausing, Hongki continued in a softer voice, “Jonghun.”

Jonghun gulped. The way the boy said his name was all too familiar and all too sweet sounding. It maybe this man’s voice or the expectant look on this Hongki’s face but, somehow, it made his heart flutter. He looked away from Hongki and lied down on the grass, closing his eyes when his back touched the soft ground. “Don’t say my name familiarly,” he told Hongki, the tone of his voice almost reprimanding.

“If you say so,” Hongki paused before softly, “Jonghun.”

When he opened his eyes, it was met with the brown ones belonging to Hongki. “I said stop it,” he repeated.

“Jonghun, Jonghun, Jonghun, Jonghun,” Hongki teased, smiling openly now, mind reverting back to when they were ten-year-olds. Hongki thought that this is exactly what Jonghun does when he’s shy or embarrassed.

Snorting, Jonghun rolled his eyes. “Stubborn human,” he muttered sulkily, holding back a smile.

“Jonghun?” called Hongki. “Can I… ask you a question?”

Eyes narrowing at Hongki, Jonghun replied in a brooding way, “Normally I would say ‘no’ but there’s this little part of my brain that says you wouldn’t stop until I hear you.”

Hesitating a while, Hongki then proceeded with his question. “If you lost a memory because someone had hurt you, whom you think you love, would you like it if your memory comes back?”

Scowling, Jonghun’s brows furrowed. “Is this for our Philosophy class?” he asked, thinking at what point of their class was this question asked.

“Just answer,” Hongki urged.

“Of course I’d want my memory back,” replied Jonghun gazing up at Hongki with curious eyes.

“Why?” Hongki probed.

Sitting up, Jonghun frowned at Hongki and wiggled his fingers in front of the human’s face. “Even if that person had hurt you, if you love her, wouldn’t it be better if you can hear her apologize properly?”

“Her?” Hongki asked, unsmiling.

Eyebrows raised, Jonghun asked, “What?”

Hongki scowled. “Why did you say ‘her’?”

Chuckling, Jonghun looked at Hongki with a cocky expression on his usually expressionless façade. Under normal conditions, he would not dare speak to a human but this human fascinates him. This human’s brown eyes stare at him not with adoring, wide eyes but with eyes full of mixed emotions ranging from elatedness to melancholy. “Why would I not say ‘her’? Don’t tell me you’re secretly gay?” Jonghun asked, cocking his head to the side, staring at Hongki teasingly.

But the boy quickly averted his eyes. Jonghun coughed in disbelief before chuckling. “Seriously?” he asked, eyes wide.

Hongki glowered at Jonghun. “You… when the time comes, you’ll regret this,” he threatened.

“Ooh, scary,” Jonghun teased, thinking this is the first time he had ever joked with another person, vampire or not. It feels good to him, to be able to talk like this to someone. It’s been so long…

His brows furrowed, wondering where the thought came from when Hongki spoke.

Still glowering at the vampire next to him, Hongki commented sourly, “You’re awfully mischievous for a vampire.”

Lips curving upwards, Jonghun retorted, “Cause you’re awfully interesting for a human,” pausing a little, Jonghun then continued, his dark eyes curiously gazing at Hongki’s brown ones. “So who is it? This man you like?”

Before he could answer, Lee Hongki’s eyes shifted and stared past him before quietly murmuring, “Song Seunghyun.”

Surprised, Jonghun’s lips fell open while he stared at Hongki’s darkened expression. “Seunghyun?”

Hongki just sat there, staring at the tall figure by the tree six meters from their location. He unconsciously muttered the Coven member Seunghyun’s name to Jonghun since the man caught his attention.

Standing gracefully, the vampire’s piercing reddish brown eyes stared at him mockingly, his perfect bow-shaped lips curved upwards into a small smile before shaking his head and disappearing like thin air.

Hongki blinked when he heard a throat clearing. He shifted his eyes back to Jonghun who has his dark raven eyes narrowed at him.

“So you like Seunghyun?” asked Jonghun, eyes squinting at him, his tone probing.

The question caused a soft chuckle to escape Hongki’s lips. “Song Seunghyun? Are you kidding me? He’s the last man on earth that I’d like.”

Hongki watched as Jonghun seemed to have relaxed. “Then, why did you say his name?” asked the vampire, now looking down on his lap as if embarrassed by something.

“Did I? His name must have slipped,” Hongki explained, smiling inwardly when Jonghun looked a bit smug.

Nodding, Jonghun returned to lying down on the grass, his stare never leaving Hongki while doing so. It was a full minute before he spoke again, his next words so frank that it annoyed Hongki. “So, human, why do you look like a girl?”

At Jonghun’s casual tone, Hongki gaped at the vampire. “A- a what?” he stuttered.

“A girl,” Jonghun repeated before pointing at Hongki’s face. “Look at your face, it’s too soft. Too vulnerable.”

“Excuse me?” Hongki raised a brow. “You’ll pay for that,” he threatened.

Before Jonghun could speak, a strong wind blew across the field. The vampire’s nostrils flared when he smelled the human’s sweet blood. Jonghun closed his eyes, knowing full well that they must have turned into a bright red. Usually, he would not dare hide his thirst. They were vampires, creatures considered now to be of higher stature than that of the humans. They don’t need to hide anymore and yet to this human, he wanted to atleast look decent.

“Don’t worry, I’m not scared at all,” Hongki said, watching while Jonghun tries to calm himself.

Since they were young, whenever a wind blows, whether soft or strong, Jonghun’s eyes would turn into those bright crimson eyes—signifying his anger or as the situation dictates, his thirst—which he would immediately suppress. After the wind, his friend would open his eyes and it will be the color of the crow again except for a little red lining his irises.

In a hoarse voice, Jonghun told Hongki, “Go. Now.”

Quietly nodding, Hongki stood from the grass and left Jonghun alone, looking back a little when he got a bit far.

Jonghun shut the door to his room loudly and went to lie in his bed. He looked at the time, which says it’s already eleven in the evening before closing his eyes tiredly. Somehow, even if vampires were naturally stronger, he felt exhausted after a whole day of class. He felt even worse because he had forgotten to visit the human who services him by allowing him to drink her blood. Sighing, he closed his eyes but opened them again when he felt another person’s presence inside his room.

“You’re back,” came a voice from the door.

Startled, Jonghun sat up. Standing at the corner was Jaejin, looking at him with concerned eyes.

“Where have you been, Jonghun?” Jaejin asked gently.

Jonghun returned to lying in his bed, using his arms as a pillow. “I went for a walk after school.”

The younger man clenched his fist and nodded. “I went to your classroom,” Jaejin stated. “But all I saw there was that Song Seunghyun.”

Chuckling, Jonghun shook his head, “Why do you dislike him so much?”

“He has a superiority complex, he is loud, too greedy, sometimes violent, always teasing, what else?” Jaejin said as a sort of explanation making Jonghun laugh. “Seriously, he’s annoying.”

Nodding to himself, Jonghun was about to close his eyes when Jaejin suddenly appeared on top of him.  “You didn’t drink your pills, didn’t you?” The younger vampire probed, narrowing his dark brown eyes at Jonghun.

Shrugging, Jonghun replied, “I forgot.”

Snorting, Jaejin laughed mockingly. “One does not simply forget his basic needs. If you’re not satisfied with blood pills, then drink human blood. Anyway, I know a lot are very willing,” Jaejin huffed. “It feels good to them.”

At the thought of blood, Jonghun opened his eyes, his dark raven eyes replaced with bright crimson ones. “Don’t tease,” he told Jaejin, staring at the younger vampire while controlling his breathing.

Jaejin ed the first two buttons of his black polo shirt. “Then drink my blood.” he offered his exposed neck to Jonghun.

After hesitating for a moment, Jonghun grabbed Jaejin’s waist and sank his razor-sharp teeth on the delicate skin, penetrating deep into the flesh of Jaejin’s neck, loudly as he felt the warm liquid flow down his throat. As the scarlet fluid flicked onto his tongue, he moaned along with Jaejin as he latched onto the wound with his entire mouth and began to greedily upon it like a starving child.

Eyes half-lidded, Jaejin moved his arms and wrapped them around Jonghun’s nape, savoring the pleasurable feeling Jonghun’s giving him. Just give him to me, Hongki-hyung.

This very moment, Jonghun thought, is what he had been preventing to let Hongki see. His childhood friend would be terrified of seeing him like this, of seeing the kind of monster that killed his family.

All of a sudden Jonghun stopped and pulled away from Jaejin, his crimson eyes piercing while staring at the younger vampire. “Hongki… Seunghyun did it, didn’t he?” he asked angrily.

Shaking his head, Jaejin looked hard at Jonghun. “Don’t chase after him again,” he said quietly. “Why do you have to remember Hongki?” Jaejin asked, his mouth quivering as tears formed in his eyes. “Am I not enough?”

“Don’t whine Jaejin, it’s not you,” Jonghun reprimanded.

Jaejin gave Jonghun a strong push before walking to the window. He opened it and looked back at Jonghun for a second before jumping out.

Hongki woke with a start. He reached for his wristwatch on the bedside table and looked at the time.

Hmm… it’s only seven in the morning…

He rose from his bed and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. After his morning rituals, he went to the living room to watch TV and sat on the couch, staring at the screen half-asleep.

 “Good morning,” someone greeted.

Startled, Hongki wide-eyedly looked for the speaker and found it to be Jonghun who was leaning against the wall next to the window of his dorm.

“Jonghun,” Hongki greeted the vampire standing so still in a mocking tone. “I know vampires are all privileged but what the hell is this?” he asked, squinting his eyes at the vampire. His eyes roamed Jonghun’s face and wondered why the vampire wouldn’t say anything.

Jonghun finally spoke after a minute. “Am I forgiven?”

“Forgiven? What are you saying? Did you do something bad or—“ Hongki stopped, his mouth forming an ‘o’. “You remember,” he murmured.

Nodding, Jonghun went to kneel in front of Hongki. “I’m sorry it took so long. Forgive me?”

Mouth quivering, Hongki said, “I should be the one asking that.”

A smile formed on Jonghun’s lips. “You brought my memories back. How?”

Hongki shrugged and smiled. “I can’t very well take the blame off me if I can’t apologize properly, right?”

Jonghun nodded, his hands moving to hold Hongki’s. “I missed you, Hongstar.”

Smiling, Hongki clutched Jonghun’s hands in his. “I missed you too, Jongshin.”

“You missed my grandfather?” Jonghun asked, faking a gasp.

“Idiot,” Hongki replied.

“I love you,” Jonghun declared watching happily as Hongki’s cheeks turned red.

“You bastar—“

Before Hongki could continue, Jonghun had already pulled Hongki and shut him up by locking their lips together.

~8~

Author's Note:

Please leave comments! Thank you very much for sticking with the impossible me. Love you!~