“Jaejoong, get up.” Yunho patted Jaejoong’s thighs in attempt to wake him up.

However, the latter is a deep sleeper and would prefer to be left alone, especially at this time of day.

“Get up, Yana’s in the principal’s office.” Yunho slid off the covers, revealing his half-bare body.

Jaejoong sat up, slouching the same way as Yana. He rubbed his eyes and yawned with squinted eyes. Damn light is far too powerful thus making his eyes sore.

“What does the principal want, again? It’s not like she’s ever away from trouble.” Jaejoong pointed out, his voice so husky.

Yunho ruffled his hair and slipped on a shirt. “She apparently caused more than trouble today. Come on, we need to pick her up.”

Without leaving Jaejoong any more chance to speak against the principal’s command, Yunho slipped on his jeans and made his way out of the room, grabbing his car keys on the way out.

 

“I’m not throwing Yana out; I’m sending her to a school where she’s more suited.” The principal explained his intentions.

Yana was sat down on the single couch in front of the principal’s desk whilst Jaejoong and Yunho were on either side of her, also sat down on single couches.

Jaejoong pinched the bridge of his nose, unable to take it any longer. “Tell you what; we’ll handle transferring Yana alone.” He stated rather than suggesting, knowing the principal would insist on going through the troubles himself.

“But I know a lot of schools that will accept Yana regardless of her attitude towards learning, solely due to her soaring grades – especially in sports.” As expected, the principal continued trying to gamble with Jaejoong.

Yunho just remained silent on his seat, not one bit interested in the matter. This situation has been repeated enough, and the two of them (Jaejoong and Yunho) are aware that it wasn’t Yana’s fault. They badly wanted to point out that she was innocent, but that’ll be difficult considering Yana initiated violence.

“Sending me to one of your affiliated schools would be dumb. That will just taint your image as the good principal, since it would seem like you’re passing your bin onwards to your ally – have you ever stopped to think that? Or are you just as stupid as the others to do things without contemplating?” Yana spoke up.

She, too, has had enough of this situation and she badly wanted to go home already. Jaejoong got the message and stood up from his seat.

“We’ll handle the matter ourselves. Thank you for your kind consideration, but we can manage searching for better schools – ones that are able to straighten our daughter’s attitude before deciding that they have had enough of her.” a smirk tugged on Jaejoong’s lips, “Till whenever, principal.”

With that, Jaejoong strutted out of the room. Yana followed suit and Yunho came after them, but not before bowing respectfully to the principal.

The principal was left feeling mocked. Well, technically he was mocked – by Jaejoong and Yana.

“Those damned homouals.” He cussed underneath his breath.

“Yana!”

Yana pivoted her head to see Chen running breathlessly to her. Perspiration lightly layered the skin on his face, making it obvious that he was desperate to catch her before she leaves.

Jaejoong tucked his hands inside his jean’s pocket and looked at Chen with a familiar smile. Yunho, on the other hand, grinned teasingly and threw an arm over Jaejoong’s shoulder.

“Kim Jongdae, shouldn’t you be in class?” Yana raised an eyebrow.

A frown dragged Chen’s lips down as he lessened his pace. “Are you leaving?” He asked, sincerely concerned.

“Yeah, she’s moving far away from you.” Jaejoong answered for Yana.

“What?” Chen raised his voice unintentionally, surprised.

Yana rolled her eyes at Chen’s tendency to be gullible while Jaejoong and Yunho chuckled in amusement. Unknown to the two youngsters, Jaejoong spoke out the truth. He and Yunho had made an agreement that if Yana gets kicked out of high school again, they will send her to where she truly belongs, to avoid trouble. 

“Yeah, I’m tired of seeing your face.” Yana added, oblivious of the thrown fact.

Chen threw his arms around Yana and buried his face on the crook of her neck. “No, I swear I’ll save up for a plastic surgery if that means you’ll stay!” He desperately suggested.

A light laugh elicited from Yana’s lips as she raised both her arms to rub Chen’s back for comfort.

“Idiot, we’ll still see each other. Just not as often, since we’ll be attending different schools.” She assured. Chen pulled back, but only enough so that he could see her face to confirm that her words were true; that she wouldn’t leave.

“Yeah, you’ll see each other once during a blue moon.” Yunho threw in, just to tease Chen.

“KIM JONGDAE! GO BACK TO CLASS!” A voice boomed all the way from the end of the hall, where Chen’s class is currently being held.

The three couldn’t help but to chortle at Chen’s failure to sneak out while Chen just frowned. Yana gave him an encouraging push towards the direction of his classroom. The smile on her face was enough to assure Chen that everything would still be normal. They’d still be friends attending different schools, no big deal! They’ll still be able to see each other.

Apparently.

 

 

“Two medium rare Sirloin steak and red wine, thank you.”  Yunho smiled kindly at the waitress who was already having troubles breathing.

Jaejoong rolled his eyes at her and scoffed. Couldn’t she see their matching attires? Wasn’t it clear enough that Jaejoong regarded Yunho as his’? Apparently not.

Yana just shook her head discretely with a ghost of a grin which earned her a glare from Jaejoong.

“Chips, cheese and gravy and a can of coke, please.” Yana added to the ordering list, ignoring Jaejoong’s glare.

Once the waitress left, Jaejoong let out a frustrated sigh, “I thought she was never going to leave! Did you see her eyes? She was checking you out!”

Yunho laughed and pulled Jaejoong’s chair closer to his side. “Babe, she was like that because of you.”

“Oh, please, I’m clearly into men!”

Yana shook her head in amusement, again. Her two guardians were so lively all the time and they never failed to lighten her mood. Yunho rested his palm over Jaejoong’s hands on top of the table and softened at the sight of Yana smiling. Jaejoong also smiled gently, drowning in the sight of the girl he raised – he was so proud seeing that she grew up as how they wanted her to be; mature and thoughtful.

“What?” Yana glanced back and forth from Jaejoong to Yunho as they stopped messing about.

Jaejoong suddenly reached out for Yana’s hands, squeezing it lightly as if telling her to prepare for the news they’re about to announce.

“Yana, we feel as if your abilities are intensifying day by day. That’s not a bad thing, at least not to us. But for the likes of Chen, normal human beings, you would be classified as a danger especially since you are starting to crave for blood – something you’ve been trying to conceal from everyone, including us.” Jaejoong dead panned his eyes with Yana’s.

His carefully spoken speech triggered something in Yana. They knew all along?

“Yeah, we knew all along that you’ve been feeding off our own supply of blood down the basement. We’ve noticed the massive decrease in our stock, and we only have you as a reason – Chen couldn’t be possibly one of us.” Yunho answered Yana’s unspoken question, as if reading her mind.

Yana was back at the state where she felt lost. She’s back in limbo, or so she felt as if she was. Jaejoong gave her hand yet another squeeze to comfort her, to snap her back to the present, to make it known to her that they were still there in front of her.

“So, we’ve decided, we’re sending you to Emalibron. It’s still in South Korea; however it’s concealed to those who are not purebloods, or halflings. It’s located in and island so that our kinds are segregated from the mortals, to avoid raging purebloods from harming mortals. Once you’re in there, you won’t be able to set foot outside the island. Either we visit you, or you come to us with permission from the high-officers.” Jaejoong explained.

Yana frowned and pulled her hand away from Jaejoong. She was processing everything, and she couldn’t help but feel as though they were trying to isolate her.

“It’s for your own good – for Chen’s sake, please go. Soon enough we won’t be able to control you neither can you, unless you attend Emalibron to learn how to advance your abilities even further and learn how to control it. If you still feel strongly that you should stay no matter what, and then prepare to lose your connections with any humans, for the sake of their safety, even Chen.” Yunho elaborated further.

Once again, Yana was in limbo.

But this time, she knew which option to pick, but she felt somehow forlorn that she’d have to leave Chen – her most loyal friend.

For Chen's sake.

Yana closed her eyes momentarily and took deep breaths, assuring herself that it would be worth going if it meant Chen would be safe. Once her eyelids fluttered open, her eyes had a glint of finality.

“When do I go?”