It has been six weeks since university had started and Joohyun could say that life has been good to her - so far. She has heard many stories from her older friends about the difficulties of university life such as making friends, keeping up with fast paced lectures, taking part in compulsory school festivals and of course relationship problems. As she looked to her pair of bickering friends seated beside her, Joohyun is glad that none of those are of her concern yet. 

 

“You should really be eating your vegetables, Sooyoung, they are what makes your body grow!”

 

“That’s exactly why I am giving them to you, Wendy.” 

 

And that is how their lunch break always goes, light bickering between Sooyoung and Wendy while Joohyun just sits there giving them weird glances occasionally. Joohyun has always been the shy and soft-spoken type, so she is thankful that those two actually took the initiative and befriended her during their orientation days. That makes one problem out of the question. 

 

“Hey, look, they are here again.” Sooyoung nods her head towards the direction of the cafeteria entrance.

 

The next scene plays out like a commercial as Joohyun looks up to see what’s the hype about. At that moment, four insanely good-looking students are striding into the cafeteria and literally all eyes are on them. They have been the talks of the school these days, and Joohyun presumed it’s because of their good looks, because personality wise, nobody really knows. They just seem so exclusive that nobody dares to approach them.  

 

“It’s been a week since they step into the cafe isn’t it?”

 

“Oh.. Someone has been stalking them,” Sooyoung threw a smirk in Joohyun’s direction, she didn’t expect the older girl to be interested in them. Joohyun’s face reddened slightly. 

 

“I am not stalking, just observing!” Joohyun retorted and there was some truth in it. To be fair to her, she wasn’t really interested in them, she only paid a little more attention to one of them. And who might that be? Joohyun does not know her name. 

 

“Is there a time where they don’t go around in a group like that? It seems like they are always together. Do you think they could be dating each othe - ” 

 

Wendy’s question did not reach Joohyun’s ears as the latter finds herself staring at the girl who has her attention since she step foot into the cafeteria moments ago. The said girl has her straight, long and dark hair down, which further accentuates her fairly pale skin. Though she is slightly shorter than the two guys walking infront of her, Joohyun noticed that she has a really well toned body shape. She looks like she could fight. Just before Joohyun could come up with more things she thinks the girl can do, the girl turned her head and looks into her direction. 

 

She felt like she was caught. It would have been too obvious if she suddenly look away, so she holds the stranger’s gaze instead. Thirty seconds went by, neither looking away and Joohyun wonders how the girl haven’t bump into anything yet. As if on cue, the girl walk right into the back of her friend and that brings Joohyun back to reality. She lets out a soft chuckle at the girl’s mishap.

 

“That guy with elf-like ears is Chanyeol and the one beside him is Minho.” Wendy dishes out the information for Joohyun to know, but really, Joohyun isn’t interested in those two.

 

“The girl who just bumped into Chanyeol, her name is Krystal and the one beside her is Seulgi.” Wendy continues.

 

Now, this has Joohyun’s full attention.

 

“You said her name is Krystal?”

 

“So she’s the one you’ve been stalking this whole time!” Sooyoung let out a teasing gasp and earned herself a slap on her shoulder.

 

**

 

And Joohyun has been bumping into Krystal a lot more lately, they even share the same history lecture and it didn’t help that they are seated next to each other. The last she remembered, the seat beside her had been vacant. 

 

“Hey, I haven’t got to properly introduce myself, my name is Krystal, you are Joohyun, right?”

 

“Y-yeah, you know my name?” Joohyun meekly asked. She was surprised that the girl had initiated a conversation with her, but what was more shocking to her is that the girl knows her name. 

 

“Well, yeah, I guess I do.” 

 

Krystal was looking right into her eyes as she muttered her reply. Their faces are so close this time round that Joohyun notices something she hadn’t in their previous few staring sessions. Krystal has light brown eyes - like a really light shade of brown - and it’s kind of glowing. She hasn’t seen anything like that before but she did not have the chance to think much into it as she could feel her heart beating erratically inside her chest. She jerks back and tries to compose herslf.

 

“You weren’t here for the last few weeks.”

 

“Swapped this subject few days back, literature is not really my thing.”

 

“And history is?”

 

“For someone like me, I would say yes.” Krystal smiled at her with lips slightly tugging upwards on one side before turning her head away to focus on their professor.

 

And Joohyun wondered what had she meant by someone like her.

 

**

 

Days like this - where she has to stay back after lectures to catch up on her studies - are getting more frequent. It was slightly after six in the evening when Joohyun decided that she was done with studying for the day. As she steps out of the campus with books in hand, she stops in her track when she caught sight of Krystal across the road. She’s with her usual group of friends, namely Chanyeol, Minho and Seulgi. They seem to be having a discussion of some sort.

 

As if sensing her presence, Krystal turned to look at her and gave her a soft smile. She’s sure the smile was directed at her, there was no one anywhere near her. How is it that Krystal always seem to know when she’s around? Joohyun mentally asked herself, before reciprocrating the girl’s smile with one of her own. 

 

Still in her little bubble of thought, Joohyun did not see an oncoming motorcycle towards her, and when she did, the motorcycle was only a few meters from crashing into her. She stood rooted to the ground, her mind blanked out. What is she suppose to do, to run away or to brace for the collision? If she were to run, which way should she go? She didn’t have the willpower to make any decision in that split second so she just continued to stand there blankly. The driver had long jumped off the vehicle, leaving the driverless vehicle still going her way. Her heart stopped as she waits for the impact.

 

But there was none, at all.

 

Instead, she felt a pair of arms around her as she falls onto the ground and the bike was a few good meters away to her right. It was all too much for her to take in at that moment, and maybe her savior knew that too, which is why they had stayed in that position for awhile. She’s trying to catch her breath as she slowly looks up, feeling a mixture of emotions, but mostly relief and confusion. Wasn’t that girl across the road just now? How was she able to get to her so quickly? And why is the bike so far to the right? Judging by the speed and direction of the vehicle just now, there’s no way it could have ended up there without any interference. She was left even more confused. All these questions in her head need answers, but right now she’s not going to have them.

 

“Are you o-okay?” Krystal worriedly asks, her breath caught. She has an arm around Joohyun’s back supporting her and her free hand is gently caressing the latter’s face as though she might crumble any second. Krystal had looked so worried. 

 

“My ankle, it hurts.” Joohyun tried hard to fight back her tears, but the pain was too much for her to bear, so she started sobbing. She only stopped sobbing when she felt herself being lifted off the ground, entirely. Without any warning, Krystal sweeps Joohyun off the ground and carries the girl in her arms - bridal style.

 

“I’ll send you home.” 

 

Silence.

 

The walk back to her house has been silent, she has been basking in the warmth that Krystal’s body is emitting. She smells like flowers too and it kinds of comforted her, so she lets herself snuggle deeper into the embrace, wondering how is the taller girl still not tired from carrying her. She don’t remember herself weighing like a feather.

 

“You saved me. H-how did you even?“

 

“What do you mean how? I was just beside you - “

 

“No you weren’t. You were across the road. I know what I saw.” 

 

Krystal suddenly stops walking and lets out an awkward laugh as she brings her face down towards the other girl, their faces now only an inch apart.

 

“Maybe you hit your head as well.”

 

**

 

Another problem arises for Joohyun when she was picked to attend the university’s annual fund-raising event. It was a 33.33% probability to be picked as a mandatory attendee and Joohyun wasn’t sure if she’s lucky or unlucky. Unlucky because Sooyoung and Wendy didn’t have to go, and lucky because -

 

“Do you want to come with me and my friends?” 

 

They had grown a little closer over the last few weeks since Krystal’s heroic act, so when she pops the question, it did not surprise Joohyun. She would have gladly accepted the invitation if Krystal’s friends aren’t in the equation. She’s close with Krystal now, but the same can’t be said for her friends.

 

“Tempting, but I don’t think I should be interrupting your time with your friends.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, if anything, they’re the ones interrupting.” 

 

The fund-raising event seems successful as Joohyun lets her eyes wander around the sea of students partaking in various games and activites. Food stalls are crowded with lines too. 

 

“Joohyun, over here!” 

 

From a distance, she could see Krystal waving her hand at her, beckoning her to go over to join them - them as in Krystal and friends. Or the good-looking gang as everyone puts it. As she made her way over and finally stood with them, she could feel many onlookers’ eyes on her, the same kind of attention she gets whenever she’s with Krystal. The attention is too overwhelming for her sometimes, and she wonders how the taller girl could remain so nonchalant about it all.

 

“This is Joohyun, and these are my friends.”

 

“I don’t think that is how you introduce people, you should be saying our names!” 

 

“Dimwit.” 

 

“Hey I said our names, not calling us names!” Chanyeol’s eyes widened and Joohyun could faintly see the same glow in his eyes as she did with Krystal’s.

 

Joohyun could only laugh at their antics. This might be fun, she thought. Amidst all the bickering, Krystal quietly slips her hand into Joohyun’s unsuspecting one as she whispered into the shorter girl’s ear.

 

“Don’t want you getting lost, do I?” 

 

**

 

Joohyun could feel someone - no make it two - following behind her as she makes her way home. She took a quick look at her phone to see the alphanumeric 11:48pm mocking at her. As she quickens her pace, the footsteps behind her has gotten louder too, a sign that they are hot on her heels. Then she hears someone whistle and now she’s scared. What do those people want with her? 

 

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing out so late!” A guy shouted.

 

“Or do you wanna go have a drink with us!“ Another one chimed in. Sleazy.

 

She’s deciding between turning around to confront them or running away, but both seemed like a bad idea. Just then, one of the guys grabs her from behind to stop her from walking away. Joohyun barely got any time to register the guy’s face when a familiar figure appears infront of her and took matters into her own hands. 

 

The street was dark and empty, but despite being shown only her back view, Joohyun could easily recognise that figure. She looks on as Krystal grabs the guy's hand and yanks it away from her wrist, breaking the hold he had on her.

 

"Keep your filthy hands off her," Krystal demands. 

 

Joohyun is watching as Krystal single handedly lifts the guy up before sending a punch right to his jaw. She is sure she heard something crack. The girl then went on to the other guy and punch him in the guts which sent him flying a good ten meters away. 

 

Right there and then, all Joohyun could think about is how in the world can a girl have that much strength?

 

“Krystal stop! Let them go!” The two guys are now making their run. 

 

In a flash, Krystal is now facing her, and Joohyun vaguely hears a low growl coming from her.

 

“Distract me so I don’t turn around and kick their asses off.” Krystal mutters through her clenched teeth. Her eyes are glowing a light shade of brown now. Joohyun brought her hands up and placed them on the arms of the taller girl, an action that seemed to work in calming Krystal down.

 

“Your eyes, they changed colour.”

 

“They do when I see something I like infront of me.” Krystal softly replied.

 

“So you were following me?”

 

“It’s late and it’s not safe. I was trying to keep a distance until I heard the ty ideas they had in their heads. It wasn’t nice.” Krystal could feel her anger coming back.

 

“So you knew what they were thinking?”

 

“N-not hard to guess.” Krystal tried to avoid Joohyun’s gaze but the latter wasn’t allowing that. With both her hands, she forcefully turns Krystal back to face her.

 

“I-I have a feeling I know what this is about.”

 

Krystal remained silent, which prompted Joohyun to continue. She took in a deep breath before continuing.

 

“That day you saved me, you were so fast. Your eyes, they change colours and your strength could send a vehicle flying. Now you are telling me you can read minds.”

 

“Except for yours.” 

 

Is that Krystal’s way of acknowledging everything she had just said? Was she right about it? 

 

“So I-I am right about it?” Joohyun’s shaky voice was obvious but she’s not at all afraid, because she knows the girl wouldn’t hurt her.

 

“So what do you think I am?”

 

“V-vampir - “ 

 

Before she could complete her sentence, she felt a pair of lips on hers. Krystal’s lips are cold. Another vampire trait. But that did not faze her at all. And as if her hands have a mind of their own, they made their way up to wrap around the taller girl’s neck as she shuts her eyes, letting the kiss overwhelm her, her way of assuring the girl that she could continue her maneuvers. Getting the assurance she needed, Krystal steps up her game. She lets her hands rest on the shorter girl’s waist as she pulls her in closer, deepening the kiss they are sharing. After a minute at it, Krystal lightly bit on Joohyun’s lower lip and then reluctantly pulls away. She reckons the girl needed the air and she has something to say.

 

“I am no good news for you, but I don’t have the strength to stay away from you.”

 

“Then don’t.”

 

Joohyun was right when she thought this girl could fight, but she totally didn't think she would be dating a vampire.

 

**

 

end. (or maybe not?)