Ahyoung was the first one to enter the classroom, JR entered after her but went straight to his place, not even glancing back at Ahyoung once, the girl found it a bit strange but let it pass, after all, JR was strange enough to also want to decipher his actions.

She knew she was in trouble when Sanghyuk also entered the classroom. His face revealed he was both concerned and angry, when his eyes landed on her, his expression darkened further.

“Come with me.” He just said and turned around to go out of the classroom again.

Sanghyuk didn’t even bother to leave his backpack inside the classroom, he just stormed outside of it after saying that to Ahyoung, the girl sighed and looked to the door. She was about to take a step outside when she remembered something, her eyes directed to Hongbin’s seat and, as she expected, he wasn’t there.

I need to check on him later. Ahyoung thought a bit concerned.

She didn’t have more time to be worried about someone else, not when Sanghyuk was that angry and waiting for her, Ahyoung knew if she didn’t follow him in that next second, the boy would return and drag her away, besides, the teacher of the class would soon arrive and it wouldn’t be possible for her to go out; so she walked outside the door, ignoring the curious stares her classmates were giving her.

Ahyoung was able to see Sanghyuk’s back from afar, the boy was still in the hall and almost sighed in relief, she didn’t want to anger Sanghyuk more than he already was.

The boy walked to an empty classroom and entered it, Ahyoung fastened her pace and reached the classroom, she went inside and closed the door behind her. Sanghyuk wasn’t facing her. That gave her mind time to start asking a lot of things, did Sanghyuk know what happened? If so, how could he know so fast? Or maybe he wanted to tell her something else, did something happen back at home?

Anxiety started to rise inside the girl who couldn’t help but start clenching her fists with nervousness. After some seconds, Sanghyuk finally looked back at her. The anger and concern were still in his eyes.

“You know? When I said ‘try not to get yourself killed’ this morning, I didn’t expect you to take it literally as a challenge.” Sanghyuk said with a tone that almost gave Ahyoung chills.

“You know.” Ahyoung said, more to her than to the boy.

“Of course I know, that’s why I rushed to the classroom to see if you were there.”

Ahyoung remained silent, she didn’t know what to say to him, Sanghyuk was the only one that could make her feel small, aside from her parents. When the boy was in that mood, he was threatening, even for her.

“Now I want to hear it from your mouth, what did you do this time?” The boy asked upon Ahyoung’s silence.

The girl sighed in defeat and looked at him in the eyes, even when she was a bit scared of him in that moment, she couldn’t let him have complete control over her, so she forced herself to keep her gaze on him. She then started to tell him everything that happened that morning, from the discussion between Hongbin and Jonghyun, to her encounter with Tiffany and her meeting with JR, though leaving aside the whole ‘spy’ thing from the latter.

“Did you know about JR?” Ahyoung cautiously asked after her explanation.

“What about him?” Sanghyuk grumpily asked.

“Nothing important.” Ahyoung answered.

Sanghyuk didn’t seem to give that question much attention and Ahyoung frowned upon that.

It’s hard to believe he doesn’t know JR’s true identity. Unless he’s playing dumb. Ahyoung wondered.

“You know what? My jurisdiction can’t do much if you insist on acting like this.” Sanghyuk said after sighing heavily and look to the ground.

“This time wasn’t my fault though.” Ahyoung angrily answered.

Sanghyuk frowned and looked at her again, he then chuckled in disbelief.

“It wasn’t your fault? None of this would’ve happened if you weren’t provoking everyone at your surroundings all the time. You always like to push everyone to the edge, that attitude of yours is really going to get you killed!” Sanghyuk scolded her, though Ahyoung could see he was making a great effort to control himself and not knock some sense on her with his fists.

“Then I’m supposed to let everyone step on me? I have to let Jonghyun and Tiffany do and talk as they please to me? I can’t do that Sanghyuk, not when I’m the heiress of the assassins, I can’t afford being intimidated and step on over by the other races.” Ahyoung started to walk to him.

Sanghyuk took a step behind when he saw the girl starting to move towards him.

“Stop.” He said and Ahyoung stopped her tracks. “Don’t come near me, I don’t know what I could do in the state I’m in now.” Sanghyuk then looked at the ground and closed his eyes.

Ahyoung frowned, Sanghyuk was really capable of doing something against her? Sanghyuk always seemed intimidating and mysterious for her, sometimes she’d make up stories in her head about him being a villain or something like that, just like in the movies, but nothing more than that.

>> “Do you trust me?”

Ahyoung was now starting to have doubts, can she really trust Sanghyuk blindly like she had been doing all that time?

>> “Don’t trust anyone blindly Ahyoung.”

Sojin’s words suddenly resounded inside her mind, making her feel more unease. Just when she thought she started to get used to that world and thought she knew all the answers, things like those happened.

“What? You want to hurt me as well?” Ahyoung asked with a grin.

Sanghyuk snapped his eyes open and looked at Ahyoung with disbelief.

“How in the world did you come to that conclusion?” Sanghyuk asked with concern.

“Answer me, you want to hurt me?” Ahyoung narrowed her eyes and took some more steps towards the boy, not caring he previously asked her not to, he said she liked to push people to the edge, then she’ll have to do it with him as well in order to get answers. “If you do, then don’t doubt, I’ll fight with you.”

Sanghyuk took her by the arms and put her against the wall, Ahyoung kept her gaze on him, the boy frowned upon seeing that, Ahyoung didn’t seem to be afraid, not even a little bit, it was as if she was just waiting for him to do something for her to answer and destroy him, she looked dangerously ferocious.

“That’s what I’m talking about! This rash attitude of yours is going to get you killed someday!” Sanghyuk screamed to her.

“But you won’t allow that to happen, or at least you’re not supposed to.” Ahyoung calmly answered.

Sanghyuk sighed heavily and freed her arms, he turned around and scratched his head, then looked back at Ahyoung with a frown.

“What Ryeowook taught you didn’t mean a thing to you?! Was it all in vain?!” Sanghyuk almost screamed to her again.

“I can take care of myself.” The girl retorted.

“No, you can’t, at least not for now.” Sanghyuk tried to reason with her with a calmer voice. “You’re affected by the demons’ and vampires’ energy, more than most of us, because you’re not used to it, that’s a huge weakness and you’re safe while it remains unknown, but now Tiffany is aware of it. You think she won’t use that weak spot of yours to destroy you?”

Ahyoung looked away, she knew the boy was right, she thought about it the moment she provoked Tiffany. The girl knew what Sanghyuk wanted to hear so she just said it.

“Fine, I won’t do anything reckless anymore.”

“You’re lying.” Sanghyuk immediately answered her.

Ahyoung looked back at him with a frown, Sanghyuk now had his arms crossed and was looking directly at her eyes.

“I’m not, I don’t want to give you more problems, so I’ll stay put for a while.”

“That sounds more like it, because you’re not someone who would just remain still from this point on.” Sanghyuk said with a chuckle.

But Ahyoung didn’t laugh, she hasn’t forgot about Sanghyuk’s previous attitude, even when the boy was now smiling lightly, the doubts inside Ahyoung weren’t gone, she didn’t want to be wary of him, to suspect him or doubt about his loyalty, but things became weird and complicated enough for her to have no other choice.

Sanghyuk seemed to notice something was wrong, since Ahyoung didn’t answer him and she kept her frown, so he changed his expression to a serious one and titled his head a little bit.

“Is everything alright?” He cautiously asked.

She needed answers, she needed to trust him again, she needed to make sure Sanghyuk wouldn’t betray her.

“What are you keeping from me Sanghyuk?”

Jonghyun was in classes but his mind was in another place. It’s not like he usually paid much attention to lessons, but that time was different, because he reason of his distraction was a human girl.

He felt frustrated and angered, he didn’t know why he had to think about that assassin girl over and over. At first he found her attitude amusing, since no one else ever dared to talk to him the way she did when they first met. He thought it’d be fun to push her to edge until she broke. But she was tougher than he expected. Not only did she not fall into his game but she completely turned the tables and now he was the one been played by her, even if she wasn’t aware of it.

The demon ended up thinking about the girl almost daily, wondering why she didn’t subdued to him like the rest, why she dared to talk to him in such a way and why she didn’t seem to care about his presence at all. It was something new for him, both frustrating and exciting.

Jonghyun sighed heavily and loudly closed his notebook, he dragged some attention because of the sound but didn’t care. He was sure the teacher told him something but he completely ignored him, it’s not like they could do anything against him anyway. He could catch Tiffany’s gaze over him but he didn’t make eye contact with her, he was sure she most likely would drag him out of the classroom and start questioning him about his behavior, he wasn’t in the mood for that so he ignored her.

What did catch his attention was the stare Sojin had over him, the vampire heiress kind of had her attention on him since the start of the day, he didn’t know why but somehow he felt it had something to do with Ahyoung, he looked at his left side, where Taekwoon was sitting. The boy didn’t seem bothered by his fiancée’s behavior or maybe he was just too good in acting like it. Whatever the thing was, he found it strange.

But he didn’t have much time to think about it when his mind was clouded once again with what happened during the break.

>> “I thought you’d have changed at least a bit by now but I see you’re still the same jerk I first met.” “I don’t know what are you trying to achieve with this but I’m done with you, maybe you don’t know the basic manners but what you just did is rude and disgusting. I won’t talk with you.”

Jonghyun clenched his jaw and his blood boiled again upon remembering those last things Ahyoung said to him. He was angered by two main reasons, the first one being the fact that she seemed to believe she had the right to scold him as if he was a toddler or as if she was superior; and the second one, the fact that he was actually hurt by those words. Seeing Ahyoung angry at him, for some reason, didn’t feel right. He hated to see her face becoming serious or angry the moment her eyes saw him.

Then another image came to his mind, the smile Ahyoung was showing Hongbin while they walked to the cafeteria.

That sight angered him, why would Ahyoung smile to Hongbin and not him? He had a higher status than Hongbin, it was just natural that she had to have more considerations with him than with Hongbin. So, why?

Actually, when he asked to talk with her and tried to drag her away, it was out of impulse. He just saw them coincidentally but couldn’t remain still after seeing how Ahyoung was smiling to Hongbin, so he came up with the excuse to have something to tell her to try to break them apart.

That action wasn’t like him at all, he couldn’t recognize himself. He never even paid attention to someone like Hongbin, but not only did he acknowledged his existence, he even put himself at his level in front of Ahyoung by arguing with him. What the hell was he thinking in that moment?

Jonghyun sighed with frustration again, he needed some fresh air to clear his mind. Just when he was about to stand up to get out of there, Hyeri suddenly barged into the classroom. Of course the teacher scolded her but the girl always knew how to calm down the teachers' anger and get away with whatever she did. Jonghyun smirked, not for nothing she was his bodyguard. He knew something happened when Hyeri changed the smile she was showing the teacher to a serious expression the moment she looked at him and started to walk straight to his seat, so he remained there.

“I have something to inform.” The girl whispered to him when she reached his desk and leaned on it a bit.

“Speak.” Jonghyun answered.

Hyeri approached to his ear and started to whisper to him. With each word being said his expression started to change, his eyes widened with surprise at first and then a deep frown could be seen. He looked at Tiffany and narrowed his eyes, she wasn’t looking at him, he most likely would need to prepare in case Tiffany was planning to do something against Ahyoung. The demon was aware he shouldn’t be caring about what happens to Ahyoung but somehow he didn’t want her to be hurt because of him, even more, be hurt by Tiffany.

Hyeri was reaching the end of her report and Jonghyun was planning to stand up in order to go to Ahyoung and Sanghyuk since, by what Hyeri reported, they were now talking at some empty classroom near there.

But before he could do that, all the attention and gazes were centered on Sojin who suddenly stood up from her chair, for some reason, she was glaring at him but didn’t say a thing and then just stormed out of the place, Taekwoon also stood up and quickly followed his fiancée.

Jonghyun frowned upon that, Sojin looked at him as if she knew what happened that morning, but why would she suddenly stand up and go away like that? He directed his gaze to Taekwoon’s empty seat and narrowed his eyes. He wouldn’t be surprised if the vampire actually heard what Hyeri was reporting to him, vampires had sharper senses after all, but there was no way Sojin could hear her, unless…

Telepathy? Jonghyun thought and deepened his frown, both in confusion and surprise.

The demon was about to stand up to follow the vampires when the teacher of the class spoke furiously.

“Okay enough! The next one who dares to interrupt my class will be banned from entering until the end of the year! Ms. Hyeri, go back to your seat!”

“Yes sir, I’m sorry.” Hyeri apologized and then looked back at Jonghyun to tell him the last part of the report, something the vampires missed to hear. “We need to investigate Sanghyuk.”

Jonghyun widened his eyes and finally looked at the girl, he was about to say something but she denied with her head and mouthed a ‘later’ to him. Jonghyun sighed and was left with no options but to remain still. It was true the teacher wouldn’t be able to stop him if he went out, but having a failed assignment would for sure bring him trouble with his parents, something he preferred to avoid. So he decided to remain there, he’d have time to solve that mess later.

The demon put his elbows over the desk, intertwined his hands and put his chin over them, wondering what Hyeri meant with the last thing she said to him and worrying about it, Sanghyuk was always beside Ahyoung, he was her bodyguard and if there was something suspicious with him, it meant she may be in danger and those two idiots who just stormed out of the classroom didn’t wait to hear that information.

What a bad moment to be trapped here. He thought in annoyance.

Before Sanghyuk could answer Ahyoung’s question, Sojin almost slammed the door open, making both assassins jump a little and look towards that direction with surprise. Sojin was clearly angry, Ahyoung could see it by the look she was giving her.

“Care to explain what in the world happened?” The vampire angrily asked.

“How did you-?” Sanghyuk started to ask.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Sojin cut him off.

“Don’t talk to him like that.” Ahyoung seriously said to her.

“Then answer me.”

“What is the point in doing it? If you’re here it’s because you already know what happened so, why bother asking me?”

Ahyoung started to walk towards Sojin and just passed be her side without saying a thing, going out of the classroom, she didn’t have energy left to also argue with her, though Sojin didn’t seem to want to let things end like that. The vampire turned around and quickly followed the assassin, when she reached her, she took her by the arm, making her stop.

“Have you lost your mind?!”

Ahyoung wasn’t looking at her but after what she said, the girl sighed heavily and turned around at the same time she freed herself from her grip.

“I know what you’re going to say and I’m already tired of it!” Ahyoung exploded. “I’m done with all the status and families stuff, I don’t understand how nobody has ever questioned that system before!”

“Ahyoung,” Taekwoon suddenly stepped in the conversation, Sojin as well as Ahyoung remained silent and looked at him, the vampire had his eyes on the latter. “You have to be smarter and choose your words and time wisely.” He said in his characteristic calm tone.

It was frustrating to her, Taekwoon always managed to calm her down, they boy kind of have the ability to make everyone as calm as him, besides the fact that she considered him someone wise and kind of a role model, so that was also part of the reason why she listened to him and obeyed almost everything he said.

“Sojin you too, I’ve told you many times to think things through before acting, we haven’t heard Ahyoung’s version of the story, just Hyeri’s” Taekwoon reasoned with his fiancée.

Ahyoung frowned upon the mention of Jonghyun’s bodyguard, if she knew then that meant the demon was also aware of what happened. The assassin was about to ask something else when an unknown laugh to her cut in the conversation. All the ones gathered there directed their gazes to the one standing at the end of the hall.

“What a sight, just like a bunch of lost lambs.” The red eyed boy mocked them. “But please continue, don’t let my presence bother you, I’m just passing by.”

The vampire then started to walk in their direction, Ahyoung noticed how Sojin and Taekwoon tensed up upon the approaching of that other vampire, she also saw how Sanghyuk approached her more and was adopting a defensive stand, getting ready in case something could happen. So she assumed the one in front of them was the last High Status vampire she still didn’t know, Wonshik.

When the vampire passed beside them, Ahyoung saw how Sojin and Taekwoon followed him with the eyes while he just smirked to them and continued his way. Nobody looked away from him until he was completely gone.

Ahyoung made a mental note to ask Sojin about him later since, by what she just saw, they didn’t get along at all, and it definitely wasn’t just a simple matter at all.

A/N: As always, thank you so so much for reading, comments are appreciated ^^ stay safe and have a beautiful day <3