26 Nov. 2011

She rested her arm against the windowsill, cupping her chin in the palm of her hand, gazing admiringly at the boy in perfect sight below. Her eyes followed attentively as he reached downwards for the box overwhelming stuffed to the brim with close belongings and stacks of novels that she assumed he'd been reading over the year. She'd missed him and now that he finally returned she couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement run through her veins. Choi Minho, the football star, medical graduate and somewhat neighbour. Life was definitely improving. 

 

She imagined the faint smell of his cologne, the scent lingering in the air, his arms wrapping around her waist as he would pull her closer into him. A smile would play at the corner of his lips, tilting his head to the side as he watched through sparkling eyes. Minho was perfect. Gorgeous. Fascinating. If only he could be hers. Impossible due to their differences. He was only human.

 

"Yuri? What are you doing? Wooyoung's been calling you down for like 10 minutes," she flinched in shock as Taecyeon's hand pressed against her shoulder, tearing her from her trance. The distant roars of her cousin were audible from the lounge, disturbing her ears as she prayed for him to stop. Taecyeon directed his line of vision outside but could see nothing which could have brought such fascination within him as it had done to Yuri. Nothing but an unseen car parked in front of their building, boxes stacked upon each other in close proximity to the car.

 

“Taecyeon! Yuri! GET DOWN NOW!  IT’S IMPORTANT,” Wooyoung roared, resting his hand on the door handle as it creaked within his grip. He had just received important news and it was vital that they had all been informed, the distant groans and footsteps growing louder as his ears followed the sounds. He tapped his fingers on his watch impatiently, heaving a deep sigh as one by one they appeared before him. 

 

Yuri ran her fingers through her dishevelled brown locks, brushing over the tufts of hair which fell into her eyes and caused a tingling sensation upon her nose. Taecyeon followed close by, a yawn escaping his lips as somewhat tired eyes watched his cousins, questioning the sudden change in behaviour for both. His dark orbs switched to the clock on the wall, solemnly announcing a time of 08:30 am, sighing distastefully at the thought of attending his class due to start in one hour. He rested into the armchair by their side, overwhelmed by comfort as Wooyoung raised his eyebrow at the distraction between both.

 

"Can we get started with whatever you want us to discuss? I have to go in like 20 minutes or I'll be late again," Taecyeon insisted for Wooyoung to continue with his speech. His mind drifted into his thoughts, unaware of his surroundings as he dazed into space. 

 

“Our time is coming to an end. It’s almost been one hundred years. We’ve only got a month to find our soul mates and return to the immortal world,” Wooyoung explained, leaving 'unnecessary' details behind. Their eyes grew wide in shock, jaws dropping at the sound of his words. They knew the penalties if their job hadn't been completed on time, pondering over the mate chosen for them as time drew nearer to a close. And it felt like seconds were being lost far too quickly, praying for them to return.

 

“A month? That’s hardly enough time. I’ll never be able to find her,” Taecyeon growled angrily, venom seeping from his eyes. He cursed the elder vampires for the 'lack' of time given to them. He cursed his soul-mate for not bringing themselves forward yet. He cursed himself for a lack of organisation and will to find the person beyond the walls of their apartment. His head buried into his hands, breathing a heavy sigh as the cold air brushed against his skin.

 

The words were frozen in Yuri's mouth, a gap visible between her pursed lips as she pressed her hand against the window and stared into the surrounding city scenery. She wiped the invisible dust from her pink tulip skirt, adjusting her jumper. Her desires for him were overwhelming and unfamiliar. Choi Minho was going to be hers. No matter what. 

 

“Yuri? Aren’t you going to say anything?” Wooyoung asked, questioning her distraction and behavioural change,"Yuri?" He shifted his weight forward as he paced himself towards her, waving his hand in front of his face in anguish and uncertainty. There was not a flinch of a muscle, remaining glued to the window. Taecyeon lifted his head, raising an eyebrow curiously as Wooyoung's did the same. Yuri had never been found in the same state for over one hundred years and it was unfathomable that it had returned for the exact reason as previously. 

 

“Looks like someone’s gone to Yuri world. I don’t think she’ll be back soon,” a laugh escaped Taecyeon's lips as he lifted himself from the seat, wrapping his fingers around her wrist as he dragged her away. Infuriation built up within her, eager to explode as her view became blurred. She raised her hand, throwing it forward and whipping it across his face as the anger slowly escaped from her until she was in a state of complete serenity, breathing a slow breath. 

 

"Can't you guys just let me enjoy the fact that Choi Minho is back from Paris? Maybe now he'll finally be mine," Yuri argued, settling into the sofa, burying her face in the folds of fabric. 

 

Wooyoung raised his eyebrow questioningly as he briefly turned to her before glaring out of the window to the boy completing the stenos task of lifting boxes into his apartment. “Who is Choi Minho? And why are you so interested in him?" he asked, unable to find anything special about him that had brought him to Yuri's tender curiosity and liking. 

 

“Who is Choi Minho? Choi Minho was the head of the football team at NYU before he went to Paris for a year to finish his studies. Not only is he going to be a heart surgeon, but he's extremely gorgeous. I can’t believe you two don’t know who he is. We would make such a cute couple. Minho and Yuri, Yuri and Minho. I could be Mrs Choi Yuri!” excitement came over her face as she rushed out of the room. A gust of wind blew over them as she returned 3 seconds later in a different outfit, smoothing out the wrinkles of her clothes with the palm of her hand. 

 

“I think someone has a crush on this Choi Minho guy. You know I’ve never heard of a vampire having a crush on a human before,” Wooyoung chuckled almost silently with Taecyeon as she paced the room in complete fascination and excitement about him, muttering greetings under her breath 

 

“We better not bother her about him. You know how she gets when she’s angry. She throws huge tantrums, things are broken in half," Taecyeon paused as he glanced at his watch, growing dangerously capable of arriving late to his class, "I better go! And hey, meet me for lunch so we can get a head start on soul-mate searching,” he added, grabbing his jacket and book bag from the coffee table in his hazed rush to leave.  He scanned his eyes hurriedly around the room for his phone which was tucked safely within the fabric of his pocket, heaving a low sigh as it was not visible in his line of sight. The vampire raised his hand as he gestured for Yuri to move along so they could leave together, pulling her arm in his attempt to make her move. 

 

The trio had lived for over a period of 100 years, their exterior image frozen in time, their minds constantly changing. They moved from city to city to avoid being caught, travelling the world far and wide in search of the one. They'd acquired great knowledge of different subjects and cultures, knowledge that they would never had attained as humans. But somewhere deep within they missed their previous lives, a life without fear of their true identity being exposed and a risk of social isolation. Greatly missed but never to be returned.

 

…

 

“Lee Taecyeon, are you paying attention?” A teacher asked as Taecyeon's blank face came into view, "Taecyeon!" He ignored her words, unaware she had spoken to him as he scanned the room for all the females. Their was a hint of urgency in his actions, eager to find her before it was too late and they no longer obtained the opportunity. He met their glistening eyes, a smile playing at his lips but there was something missing within them that directed him away, a voice informing him that they were not the one that he ought to be searching. 

 

The professor paced themselves towards him, pausing in front of his desk as they waved their hand over his face. There was no change in Taecyeon's actions as he cupped his chin in his palm and rested his arm, staring into the distance. With one swift movement, their fist slammed upon the desk, shaking the metal vigorously as Taecyeon leapt in shock. He cursed his fate under his breath as he slowly turned towards his professor, clasping his hand over his mouth. The annoyance and frustration was evident upon their face as she peered down at him, venom spilling from her eyes.

 

“Uh, hi,” Taecyeon replied nervously as he avoided her eyes, brushing strands of hair from his face.

 

“Thank you for joining us, Mr. Taecyeon. Do you mind telling us what I had been explaining?” the teacher asked, knowing Taecyeon was unable to answer. His eyes swerved around the room trying to find any possible thing that could give him an answer. To his dissatisfaction, there was nothing. No words appeared upon the board. No textbooks were opened. He wasn't exactly sure what he had missed in the lesson.

 

“He never listens, does he? I really want to learn more about the construction of bones. He just wants to ruin our education,” the faint voice of another spoke in the distance. Taecyeon switched his eyes in search for the owner but their identity was unknown to him. He could only suspect that it was the correct answer.

 

“You were mentioning bone construction,” Taecyeon repeated.

 

The professor's eyes widened questioningly at the sound of his answer but with the rest of the class in complete silence, she could only assume tat Taecyeon had been paying complete attention to her words. She slowly strode away from his desk, standing at the front of the class once more as she proceeded with the lecture. Phew, that was close. But how did I know the answer? Can’t soul-mates get into each others thoughts? No that’s preposterous. Unless she is actually here, Taecyeon quickly glanced around the room, sighing in distaste at his findings that the majority of the class were female. His eyes suddenly fastened on the one girl sitting in front of him. He had never really paid any attention to her before that day. But perhaps she was the one he was after. Perhaps fate was merely taking its time to bring her to him.

 

Her hand was raised to answer a question. The teacher briefly nodded their head to which she proceeded speaking. “The answer is 25,” she said. It’s the same voice. Then that means … I found her. Yes! I found my soul mate first. In your face, Yuri and Wooyoung, he thought, pumping his fist in the air. The whole class raised their eyebrows questioningly at his actions, a low giggle audible from the back of the room. His cheeks flushed to a bright red in embarrassment as he slowly lowered his hand and flicked through the pages of the textbook. 

 

In time, the class had come to an end and students hurriedly exited the room, the echo of consistent chatter heard in the backdrop. Taecyeon slowly shifted his weight towards the door, emphasising each step. He paused by the door, drumming his fingers on his book as he waited patiently for her to pass. Anxiety and nausea grew within him as she approached, forcefully holding the sickness at the back of his throat down. The faint smell of her perfume wafted through his nostrils as evident beauty radiated from her.

 

“Hi, I’m Taecyeon,” he introduced himself, extending his hand. The girl briefly lifted her head but made no reply and continued away from him. She was Korean, just as he was. Soft curls cascaded down her back as small tufts framed her face, curling like tendrils over her milky skin. Her eyes glistened with fascination and hope of the world. She was as he would have said, a 'goddess' but that statement was far too modest for her. It was surprising to him how he'd never noticed her before that day.

 

He followed as she paced herself towards the library, as if he was a love struck follower in need of her to acknowledge his existence for his life to be made complete. His hands reached for every door handle in their path, pulling each open as he waited for her to pass before he could continue. She glanced up in surprise for male attention had never reached her before. And his incessant presence upon her was distracting that she could feel her body move off aimlessly without any knowledge of where she was heading.

 

Knowing that he would not leave until he a reply was given, she parted her lips and spoke, “I’m Yoona.”

 

Taecyeon's lips curled into a smile at the sound of her words, a gap appearing between his lips as he tried to speak. But the words were frozen in his breath, unable to be spoken. Yoona was oblivious to this as she wandered away in distraction, finding herself in the path of a chair leg as her foot collided with the cool metal and she stumbled over it. 

 

Taecyeon unanimously stretched out his hand to catch her arm, brushing his hand over the smooth cotton of her pink jumper. Her movements stabilised under his grip, her muscles freezing at the contact between them. There was a strange aura, a feeling that ran through their veins as instant attraction ran through them. Yoona immediately released her hand as confusion washed over her, reality suddenly returning t her as she realised her true intentions of arriving at the library. Whereas, Taecyeon’s smile grew larger. She is my soul-mate.

 

…

 

Wooyoung sunk into the armchair of the study as the flames sparkled within the fireplace, tossing back and forth. He brushed his hand over the cover of his book as his mind wandered off aimlessly into different thoughts, remembering his conversation with his cousins earlier. To find their soul-mate was a difficult task and it was somewhat reasonable that they had not been exposed to them yet. Over 6 million people roamed the earth and only one was chosen as their mate, their location and identity hidden. It was a matter of hope and luck, he thought, a choice of their fate. His life-long mate had already been chosen by fate and it didn't appear as the one he would have chosen himself. No super model or someone who may have shared the same hobbies but the one person who he had sufficient hatred towards, haughty and supercilious in their manner. The one and only Hwang Tiffany.

 

He reminisced of the day that he had realised she was the one. It had been barely a month earlier, as he roamed the campus of NYU as he awaited Yuri and Taecyeon. Both had insisted that they used their free-time to learn more, interesting subjects - Yuri insisted that she wanted to learn the art of fashion design and Taecyeon was attempting Human Biology once again. Wooyoung spent his days within the safety of their apartment, reading and painting in the darkness as the blinds and curtains were drawn closed, avoiding unwanted and harmful light. 

 

He walked silently through the isolated halls of the University alone, shifting his weight forward with each step as he passed the odd person struggling under the weight of their instruments. The gazes of the passing holes caused uneasiness and distraction as their stares burned holes through his back. But it wasn't as though he had never experienced before. It was merely the 'consequences' of choosing to be a vampire, constantly attracting female attention as he passed. To them, he was a mysterious character that they wished to know and be in the presence of despite his lack of will towards that cause.

 

“Tiffany, move it higher. No one will see it from there,” the distant voices of girls were audible in the distance as they shouted their commands. He shoved the door of the hallway forward as he escaped from the suffocating air that surrounded him, breathing a cool breath. She was visible in plain view, dressed in a pair of denim shorts that exposed her legs as her hair cascaded along her back in waves. Though it may have been an enjoyable view from where he stood, her mere presence was enough to cause him distress. 

 

His expression grew colder as he glared at her, furrowing his eyebrows in anger and distaste as her previous actions flooded back to him. He had a severe dislike towards her. Not only was she an annoying who infuriated him but she constantly harassed Yuri about her 'relationship' with Taecyeon though she had the knowledge that they were merely cousins who didn't possess any attraction for the other. She was constantly set on bringing others pain and it was this that had caused a majority of his dislike as she constantly attempted to gain the attention of those who surrounded her.

 

“I’ve got it,” Tiffany replied. She rummaged through her pocket in search of the staple gun, extending her arm as she held the banner in position. The ladder shook as she stepped to the right, slowly tipping to the right as it grew dangerously capable of being unable to stand any longer, Tiffany ignored it, merely thinking that her friends below were attempting to scare her as she bent her knees in order to keep balance. Her hands reached upwards just as all balance was lost. The ladder below jolted from left to right, ready to tip. She lost balance and felt herself jolting from left to right, just about to fall.

 

“Ahhh! Help me!” she shrieked as her foot slipped backwards, her fingers tightly gripping onto the window ledge in front of her. Her body was no longer capable of withstanding it as the girls slowly paced backwards in fear. A single tear streamed down Tiffany's cheek in the midst of the situation as Wooyoung unconsciously urged towards her. She’s a but even they don’t deserve to break their legs, he thought as his legs carried him over, trying to appear as normal as he could in the midst of the situation.

 

His body moved as swift as lighting as he appeared beneath her appearing, time slowing down during the of the moment. He held his arms forward as Tiffany slowly cascaded into the comfort of them. Her eyes were squeezed shut, face stained with the warm liquid of her tears. A cry of distress escaped her pursed lips, another drop gliding along her ashen pale cheeks. Her eyes slowly blinked open, overwhelmed by the blinding drops as she came to the understanding that she was dangling feet away from the ground. They switched upwards, shock coming over her face as the face of her saviour came into clear view. Tiffany had never expected Lee Wooyoung to save her life- especially since she was always bad-mouthing him and his cousins - and she couldn't understand what had caused him to do so. 

 

“Wh-Where did you come from?” she muttered in curiosity. She scanned the faces of the surrounding crowd which had immediately gathered, wondering what state she was in as she muffled another cry. A smile played at Wooyoung's lips at the sound of her words, becoming blank as he grew unable to answer her question.

 

“I’m from Busan in South Korea,” he answered immediately in misunderstanding. A giggle echoed in the air from her pouted lips as he lowered his arms and put her back on the safety of the ground. She pondered over a possible way to thank him, brushing her hand briefly against his in her attempt. And in the brief moment their hands contacted, pain ran through their minds, an acute aching within their heads. Tiffany pulled her hand back immediately as her friends encased her within their inner circle, pulling her away from him as he stood idly by. You can't be serious! She's my soul-mate. Wait, soul-mate? I actually found my soul-mate first.

…

 

Her movements were both elegant and free as Yuri's feet clicked upon the gravel below, pacing the path of the park. Hope existed within her that she could bring herself to Minho's attention, dreaming of a confidence that she could approach him without hesitation and introduce herself. She was dressed in a sundress which hugged the natural curves of her body, feet crunching over the fallen leaves of red, orange and brown as fall approached them. A breeze of air brushed past her, blowing the dark strands of her hair forward, refreshing during the somewhat warm day.

 

Beyond Yuri lay the football ground where men ran around aimlessly with the ambition of scoring a goal and pleasing their friends. It could have been said that each were fairly decent in their appearance but Yuri was there for one person and one person only, Choi Minho. She followed each of his actions carefully as his body moved along the grass. Her mind travelled back to the moment they had first met, reminiscing when she had first heard his voice and noticed the handsome man for who he was. She was carrying the box tightly in her grip as she walked along the path towards their new apartment complex, barely able to see over the top as Taecyeon and Wooyoung were missing from her line of sight. She stumbled over a fallen object and the box slipped from her hands, the contents spilling out onto the cold gravel as heaved a deep sigh. Immediately crouching down to reach for them, her hand brushed over anothers as the figure at her side scooped the objects in their hands. Yuri lifted her head to find the beautiful orbs of the man as his pouted lips parted, "I'm Minho. I live in the apartment complex over there.

 

It could have been said that her 'obsession' with him was peculiar and strange and she knew it to be true also. Yuri knew it wasn't expected behaviour from any normal girl and that she may have appeared as a stalker. But she'd never experienced true love before, never finding the one who she felt she was destined to be with and despite not knowing if he may have felt the same way, she merely couldn't have helped herself. It was obvious that they could never possibly be together without him knowing who and what she really was and she couldn't imagine what reaction he would have to her words. She somewhat felt that it was physically impossible to be with a human as a consequence for her thirst and hunger, but her desires would remain.

 

 

A few girls sitting around her glared as an exasperated sigh escaped from her lips. Screams and shouts were audible in the backdrop, from the players and the admirers surrounding them. Yuri briefly lifted her head at the sounds, finding herself in his line of vision and ducked her head immediately at the sight. It wasn't until she lifted her head once more that she was greeted by the smacking of the ball which flew towards her, an acute pain rushing to her head. Her sight became drowsy, the figures before her becoming blurred until she could barely make out a single object. A voice entered her ears but she could barely make out the unfamiliar words as her vision slowly out until she could see nothing but darkness.

 

…

 

“Lee Yuri, are you okay?” the deep baritone voice rang through her ears. Yuri's eyes opened immediately at the sound, greeted by the intense light of the room as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. The blurred sight remained as she slowly regained her vision, faintly able to see a dark shape in the corner of the room. She felt a warm breath brush against her cheek as a face hovered above hers in clear view, hardly able to believe that he was in her presence before her. Her hands lifted immediately, reaching for her face as she rubbed her eyes with the tips of her fingers to ensure that what she was seeing was true. Choi Minho.

 

“What happened?” she asked in response. Her back lifted from the comfort of the couch, the intense pain rushing to her head once more.

 

“One of the players accidentally threw the ball and it hit you. I brought you back to my apartment. Are you feeling any better?” he replied as she was met by the refreshing coolness of an ice pack against her forehead, the pain decreasing at the touch. His hand unconsciously brushed over her cheek as both flushed to a deep red in crimson burning.

 

“I’m fine. Can I go now?”

 

"Are you sure? You still don't look very well," Minho insisted immediately at the sound of her answer.

 

She lifted herself from the couch and swung her legs over, leaping to her feet. Yuri's knees weren't capable of holding herself up any longer as she slowly shrunk to the ground. He rushed t her side before another words could be said, catching her in his arms as he lifted her into his grip. She was overcome by embarrassment at his actions, the faint smell of his cologne which hung on his clothes lingering in the air, just as she had once imagined. Her lips curled into a smile as he assisted her to her apartment, her hand lifted to thank him as it unconsciously brushed against his. Her heart began to pump uncontrollably as the smile was returned. It felt like the Earth's rotation had slowed down and it was their moment together. And realisation hit her that he was hers. Her soul-mate.