“Ooof.”

The little girl fell down and scraped her hands. Tears started forming in her eyes. She looked up at the culprit who had knocked into her.

“You knocked into me!”

“So?”

“So? You have to say sorry!” she stood up and yelled.

“I don’t need to say sorry to you.”

“You have to! It’s not nice if you don’t!”

“Who says I’m nice?”

She pouted and placed her hands on her hips. “You’re a big meanie!”

“Oh yeah? So what are you going to do about it?” the kid said with a smirk.

Yerin's eyelids fluttered her heavy eyelids opened. She blinked a couple times trying to regain consciousness.

Where am I?

She looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Her head felt heavy. She didn’t know where she was or how she got here. She groaned.

What happened?

Flashbacks of the cold restroom returned to her. She remembered now. She was in the girl’s restroom at school when it suddenly became frozen. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine. It was the works of the students no doubt. It was confirmed when the warning appeared on the mirror. She remembered how she was trapped in the cold room with no way out, fighting hypothermia. She felt so weak and helpless then. She couldn’t even save herself. She couldn’t do anything and she was angry. Angry that she wasn’t able to protect herself and almost lost her life from a stupid prank. She was not weak but when that happened she couldn't do anything about it. She was stuck. She felt powerless. She realized how helpless she was and she hated it. She hated feeling powerless. 

Those asswipes. When I find out who’s responsible I will teach them a lesson.

She tightened her eyes. There was no way she was going to let this go. They made a fool out of her. She needs to show them that she is not a weak human that they can push around. She wanted to get up but her body wouldn't let her. She was too comfortable.  

It’s so soft and warm.

She was so comfortable that she forgot that she didn’t know where she was. Feeling the soft and warm material on her almost made her purr. She snuggled deeper into the blanket. She was tired and her body felt too content to move. She can deal with her anger later. Right now, all she wanted to do was to continue her sleep. She closed her eyes and rolled to her side. She curled herself up under the blankets. Yerin was about to return to her sleep but she felt an uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching her. Yerin reluctantly opened her eyes and was met with a cat-like stare.

“You’re finally awake.” Xiumin looked at her.

Yerin sat up in shock.

"Oh my gosh! How long have you been there?!"

“Not long." Xiumin shrugged. "You were unconscious for a good amount of time. It’s almost 9 in the evening.”

“9 in the evening? What- Where am I?”

“Our dorms.” 

She looked at him and tilted her head. He look's familiar. Then it clicked. He was one of the Vampire Royals. 

“Your dorms? Your dorms-THE VAMPIRE ROYAL DORMS?!"

Xiumin looked at her unfazed.

"Ho-How did I get here?”

Xiumin sat up. “I carried you here.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “When I found you, you were almost dead. Your body temperature was extremely low. You were lucky that I got you out when I did. If I didn’t we would’ve had to return you to the Council of Hunters as an ice cube.”

"I need to leave." Yerin pulled the covers away from her body, getting ready to stand. 

"And go where?" 

"Back to my dorm where else?" she gave Xiumin an obvious look. 

Xiumin rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. I won't stop you, but how are you going to explain to the Headmistress that you were out at this hour?" 

"What?" Yerin looked at him and then it clicked. Right, it's 9 in the evening. I won't make it back to the dorms before curfew. If I leave now I'm going to have to explain to her what happened and what the hell I was doing at the Royal Vampire dorms. Even if I lie and tell her that nothing happened she'll still report it to my father. Her little assistant has already been following me around, I don't need more eyes on me here. It'll just complicate things and make it harder for the mission. Plus, if my father finds out how defenseless I was he'll think I'm incompetant. He won't trust me with this mission anymore. He will think that I won't be able to handle it. 

"Now since you obviously figured out staying here would be the best option," Xiumin stood up and stretched. “There’s a bathroom to your right. You will find a clean set of clothes there. I’m sure you want to get out of those dirty clothes you have on. Take a hot bath to help you get back to your normal body temperature. Come downstairs whenever you’re ready, there’s warm soup prepared for you. I know you have questions, we can talk then.” Xiumin left after telling Yerin what to do.

Yerin groaned and dropped herself back down on the bed. “How the hell did this happen.”

Yerin sighed and got up. She really wanted to go back to sleep in the warm bed, but she really did need to get out of her uniform and a hot bath sounds heavenly. She walked to the bathroom and started the water. Yerin let out a satisfied moan when the hot water touched her body. She had questions that she wanted to ask and she was going to make sure they are going to be answered. 

Maybe this would be a good chance to figure out the other vampire's powers and gain their trust. 

“I cannot believe you brought her here.” Suho said as Xiumin sat next to him on the couch.

“What else was I supposed to do.” Xiumin shrugged his shoulders. “I couldn’t just let her freeze to death in a restroom. Besides where else could I have taken her?”

“Anywhere but here!” Suho rubbed his temples. “Minseook, you really could’ve taken her anywhere else. Didn’t you think to bring her to a human hospital?”

“And tell them what? “Oh, yes hi, I found this girl laying in a frozen restroom at my school and yes it’s just not any school it’s a school for supernatural creatures. Oh yeah, and I’m also a vampire who controls ice. Please don’t call the police but can you just fix her? Oh, and please don’t call her dad to let him know because it’ll be the perfect excuse for him and his posse to come start trouble. It would be a mess with us vampires having to fight them back and they fighting us. It'll be our little secret. Alright, thanks.” Yes, that would definitely be a great idea.” Xiumin gave Suho a look. 

Suho groaned and laid his head back on the couch.

“Besides, I know how to safely defrost her, so it should be fine. She's awake now and she seems back to her normal healthy self. No harm, no foul.”

Suho sat up. “Yeah but this could be a problem. Her being here.”

“And why would that be a problem?”

“Is it because of Baekhyun hyung?” Tao spoke up.

The two looked at their youngest who was sitting on the other side on the couch.

Suho looked away and cleared his throat.

“You told us about the girl and Baekhyun hyung’s feelings for her before. This should be a good opportunity right? Us getting to know more about her. We can see if she’s a good person for our Prince or not, but you seem reluctant about it. Why is that?”  

Xiumin furrowed his brows as well. “Tao’s actually making sense for once.”

Tao frowned. “Hey!”

“Don’t raise your voice at your hyung!” Xiumin reprimanded the younger and threw a throw pillow at him. “Anyway, Tao is right. What is going on? Before when you told us about Baekhyun’s feelings for the girl you seem enthusiastic about it, but now your reaction is completely different. By any chance, was this what you and Baekhyun was fighting about the other day?”

“You heard?” Suho eyes widened.

“I didn't hear exactly what you both were saying, but I did hear noises coming out of the room and then you came out clutching your side. What is going on Junmyeon? I think Tao and I deserve to know about it especially if this concerns Baekhyun.”

“What happened hyung?” Tao asked looking at Suho.

Suho sighed and leaned back on the couch.

“You’re right. You two have the right to know." Suho looked down. "The other night I came into Baekhyun’s room to ask him about his relationship with the girl. I saw them laughing with each other earlier in class and they seem like they have gotten closer, so I went to ask him about it.”

“And?” Xiumin raised the question.

“He told me that they were friends now.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Tao asked. “Baekhyun hyung was sulking after she told him to leave her alone. He was constantly in a foul mood. Isn’t it a good thing now that they’re friends? He seems happier.”

“That’s what’s bugging me.” Suho sighed. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that Baekhyun seems happier, but I couldn’t help but wonder. She clearly stated that she wanted nothing to do with him, but then she turns a complete 360 and then became his friend. I just wanted to voice out my concerns to him. Doesn’t it seem odd?”

“And I’m guessing it didn’t turn out too well considering you came out with an injury.” Xiumin guessed.

“He wouldn’t listen.” Suho sighed and rubbed his temples. “I just wanted him to think about it and consider the possibility that there might be a reason for her change of heart. I mean I could be wrong, no I’m hoping I’m wrong, but I just wanted him to be completely sure before he puts his heart out on the line.”

Tao nodded understanding the older male’s concerns.

“Well, we can’t change his mind that easily and you know that.” Xiumin said as he leaned back on the couch. “If Baekhyun really feels something for this girl then he won’t listen to us that easily. You know him. That fool may put on that cold façade on the outside but we all know that’s not really who he is. In reality Baekhyun’s one of the most vulnerable person I know. He may have a soft heart but he knows how to protect himself. He had done so against his parents for so long.” He patted Suho’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’re here as well. We care for him as much as you do. We have his best interest as well. There’s no way we’re going to let someone harm our Baekhyun.” Xiumin’s eyes flickered red. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Tao nodded. “Yes. I will protect Baekhyun hyung with my life.”

Suho gave them a small smile. “He deserves the world. After everything he’s been through. He deserves nothing less.”

Tao and Xiumin nodded.

“But,” the older boys looked at their younger. “Does his parents know?”

At the mention of the Vampire King and Queen, Xiumin and Suho’s body went stiff.

“Baekhyun hyung’s life has been laid out for him since the day he was born.” Tao said. “Even our friendship started because they wanted it so.”

Xiumin nodded. “We were chosen to be a part of Baekhyun’s life because of our nobility and the power that our parents hold in the Clan. We were placed into Baekhyun’s life to help him maintain his status and to strengthen his political position in the Clan, so that no one would challenge it when he ascends to the throne. Yes, our friendship with Baekhyun started out as a political strategy but we became his friends by our own choice. We grown a genuine bond with each other by our own. We were just lucky that the King and Queen deemed us worthy to be his friends and allowed it. Everything in Baekhyun’s life have always been meticulously planned out by his parents. Even if Baekhyun has any real feelings for this human girl and if her feelings are true, will it work out? We all know that this is not part of the plan. Soone