Chapter 15

Key awoke later that day. He sat up in bed and took the glass of water and drank it again before getting out of bed and leaving the room. He groggily walked down stairs where Jonghyun was sitting on the couch relaxing. "Morning..." Key said sleepily. Jonghyun looked up when the younger came down the stairs. He smirked, "Morning? You mean good day." Key shrugged and sat down on the couch. "Key when was the last time you had a day off?" Jonghyun wondered. Key shrugged leaning back into the couch. Jonghyun smiled and ruffled Key's hair. Then it got quiet, almost awkward between the two. "Thank you, for the water...and for the other thing too." Key said shyly.

            He looked down at his glass, not making eye contact with Jonghyun. “You mean saving your human ? You’re welcome.” The vampire replied with a playful smirk. Key looked at Jonghyun he felt something it was like a special connection. He had to admit he felt safer with Jonghyun around. He liked having him around, but he wasn’t ready to call Jonghyun his guardian he still doesn’t trust him.

            The door opened and Taemin and Minho came into the house with bags of groceries. “You’re up hyung! Did you sleep well?” Taemin asked as he went to place his bags into the kitchen. Key nodded, “Yeah, I am still exhausted though.” Taemin came out from the kitchen and said, “Well, Minho and I were talking about going on a vacation, would you like to come with us?” Key arched a brow unsure and yet curious, “A vacation? Where do you two plan on going?” Minho chimed in, “Jonghyun has a cabin near the lake we could go there.” The older vampire looked up and said, “You were going to go without asking me?” Minho bit his lip, he knew Jonghyun didn’t like it when Minho went to his cabin without telling him. “W-well, n-no we were going to invite you and Key along as well.” He said embarrassed. Jonghyun arched a brow, not believing the younger vampire for a minute. “uh-huh, sure.” “No it’s true.” Taemin said coming out of the kitchen.

            “Well do you want to come Key?” Jonghyun asked his protected. Key shrugged and said, “I don’t know, it doesn’t matter to me, you guys can go and enjoy yourselves I’ll stay here and-“ “Absolutely not.” Taemin said sharply. Key was taken back, blinking a couple of times he wondered, “why not?” “Hyung, you need a break come on, come with us it’ll be fun. We’ll invite Onew and Changmin hyung too, it will be nice to get away for a bit.” Taemin said to the older boy.

            Key had never been out of Cold Stone much less gone on a vacation before. He wouldn’t know the first thing to do when he got to the area. On top of that, they were going to Jonghyun’s cabin…in the forest…by a lake…near his clan…away from Cold Stone.  “I’ll think about it.” He heard himself say. Did he actually mean it? He spoke so suddenly that he wasn’t sure if he was the one who said something. Taemin seemed disappointed, but he nodded anyway. Taemin looked at Minho and said, “I’ll go unpack the bags.” He disappeared into the kitchen. Key got up from the couch to drop off the glass into the sink, and then he went up stairs to his room.

            Minho sighed and said, “Do you think you could talk with him, Jonghyun? Taemin really wants Key to go.” Jonghyun sighed, ‘great, just great.’ He was beginning to get annoyed with this, “alright, I’ll talk to him, though I don’t see the pont he sounded like he didn’t want to go.” Minho stopped the older, “You think I’m not keeping track?” Jonghyun turned silent, ‘he knows how many days I’ve been doing this guardian business.’ “So?” Minho got closer to the vampire, “don’t get cocky with me, Jonghyun, you haven’t been doing your job as guardian. You two don’t have the bond this will get you no where-“ “Actually,” Jonghyun said interrupting the other boy, “Not having this bond you speak of will make this entire thing go by faster.” He left and headed up stairs to talk to Key.

            “Come in.” Key said when he heard a quick knock on his door. Jonghyun walked in and sat down next to the human. “Why don’t you want to go? Do it for Taemin.” Jonghyun asked leaning back on his hands. “That’s not the point…I’ve never been on a vacation before. I’ve never left Cold Stone, ever.” Jonghyun thought for a moment and then a laugh burst from him, startling the human. “Did I say something funny?” The vampire pulled himself together relatively quickly, but a chuckle snuck passed his lips, “N-no, no…its just you’re being scared over something you something you shouldn’t be…haha.”

            Key didn’t respond he turned his gaze away from Jonghyun and brought it to his hands. Jonghyun lost his smile and looked at the younger seriously, “Key, there is nothing to be worried about.” Key didn’t reply he just shrugged and continued looking down at his hands. It was then that Jonghyun had an urge to reassure the human that he would enjoy himself on this vacation. “Key, I’ll be your side don’t worry; we’ll all go together, you’re with friends, there’s no reason for you to worry like this.” Jonghyun reached for Key’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, “I promise, everything will be fine.” Key sighed this is not what he wanted; why did everything change all of a sudden? Bringing his gaze back to the vampire, Key gave him a small smile and said, “fine, I’ll go.” Before Jonghyun could reply he heard Taemin’s voice from the other side of the door, “Yes!” Rolling his eyes, Key rubbed his temples, “I get no privacy in this house.” He muttered to himself, making Jonghyun smile and chuckle.

            Throughtout the day Key and Taemin were packing for their vacation, bickering with each other every so often. Minho and Jonghyun just watched over them in awe and excitement.