Feelnig a lack of heat beside her, Yoon Mi opened her eyes to find the bed empty. *That’s strange. I swear that there was someone next to me* Yoon Mi looked around trying to make sense of her surroundings. *This is not my room* she thought slowly.

Hearing the sound of a door click, Yoon Mi looked to the source of the sound and turned red at what she saw.

*Was that a gasp?* Yong Guk wondered as he closed the bathroom door. Looking to check if Yoon Mi was asleep, he found that she was very much awake and red.

Their gaze meeting briefly Yoon Mi quickly turned scarlet and looked aside, her hand covering in shock. *Why is he only in his jeans?! Is Ji Yong the only guy to come out of the shower fully dressed?*

Yong Guk calmly went to his closet and took out a shirt. Turning so that his back would be facing her, he pulled his shirt on and approached the bed.

Walking around it so that he would be standing in front of her, Yoon Mi didn’t dare to look at him in the eye.

Dae Hyun was lean and fit but Yong Guk as built, *there’s no way I can ever get used to seeing these kinds of things* she thought.

“Yoon Mi…” He called gently.

Turning her head slightly so that she was half facing him and half facing away, Yong Guk held her chin between his thumb and his index finger; lightly tilting her head to face him, wanting to inspect her veins to see that they had returned to normal.

Letting go once he was satisfied, he held her hands to inspect her arm and bent down to check her calves.

Yoon Mi’s heart raced when he held her chin, blinking quickly like how Zelo would as she desperately tried to keep calm. Her skin tingled under Yong Guk’s intense gaze as he checked on her.

Finally at ease, Yong Guk got to his feet and gave her a gentle pat on her head. “Feeling better now?”

“B-better” Yoon Mi stuttered as her heart continued to race unwillingly.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back to your room. I think it’s almost time for breakfast” he moved his hand to her shoulder and lightly nudged her.

-

“Oh it happened.” Young Jae said the first thing when Yoon Mi walked into the dining room.

Conveniently seated next to Young Jae, Him Chan took the liberty to slap the dongsaeng on the back of his head. “It’s bound to happen. Why are you making such a big fuss?”

“Because Hyung was the most against her joining us!! That’s why” Young Jae complained as he rubbed the sore spot at the back of his head.

His expression calm but in Yong Guk’s eyes were guilt. “It was true but circumstances change”

She should have felt disappointment, angry or even return the same hostility that Yong Guk had initially given towards Yoon Mi. Having found out that he really had something against her months ago…

But strangely enough, she couldn’t.

All she felt was how deeply apologetic Yong Guk’s heart was through his blood that runs in her veins. *His expression doesn’t fully let on how his heart feels* Yoon Mi thought achingly, unable to cope with Yong Guk’s profound feelings.

Taking the seat next to him to show that she didn’t mind about that piece of information, he gave Yoon Mi and appreciative smile.

Blushing a little, Yoon Mi quickly focused her attention on her plate of food. *Why is my heart feeling so many things while I’m around him? It wasn’t the same with Dae Hyun…wait, I wasn’t around him much when I drank his blood…That why I didn’t feel much until recently…*

Sharing the car as they head for school “Yoon Mi, could you wear this for the time being?” He held out an earring. It was a black stud earring with a red pearl sized gem that dangled from it.

“Why?” Yoon Mi questioned wondering why the sudden request to wear the accessory and why he only gave her one half of a pair.

“It’s a cover for my scent that’s coming from you. Also, that gem stores my gift. So if it detects anything I’d be able to sense it and activate its power if need be” he explained.

Taking the earring, Yoon Mi had no reason to refuse his protection and help. Taking out her current simple stud, she put the black and red earring in place. Feeling a strangle sense of power enveloping her.

-

Seeing the earring on her was a very effective method of protecting her. Everyone recognized that the gem was a gift containment gem and the red was a dead giveaway of whose power that resided in it.

Meeting Yong Guk after class, Yoon Mi didn’t know how or what she should feel towards him. She could feel his warm heart along with his emotions under his silent and tough exterior.

Retreating to the solitude of her art studio, it was away from Yong Guk and away from Dae Hyun. At that distance, she could feel her blood cooling to its normal temperature and feeling own heart again. It was confusing having two people in her mind, no, three.

She hadn’t fully forgotten Ji Yong entirely.

Yoon Mi would see dream about him. It was almost as if his spirit was telling her not to forget him, disallowing her erase him from her mind.

It felt tiring to have her heart pulled three ways. Unable to identify and separate her own feelings from the blood she took, her heart was a big mess.

“It would have been easier if I only took blood from Dae Hyun” Yoon Mi complained as she rested her forehead against the blank canvas.

“Our little princess having blood issues?” A familiar playful voice came from the doorway.

“Princess?” Yoon Mi laughed at the nickname “Please, I’m anything but a princess.”

“Why so sad?” Him Chan ruffled her hair. “Nothing much” she shrugged, hoping that he might leave her alone.

“That’s clearly a lie Yoonie” He leaned closer to her and pinched her nose.

“Yoonie?” She scrunched her nose because of the pinching.

“Now, are you going to tell me willingly or not?” He pulled up a chair and took a seat. “Before I decide to use my gift on you.” He warned.

“How is that willingly?” Yoon Mi retorted.

“Come on” Him Chan pulled his seat next to me and gave me a sideway hug. Whining and doing aegyo, she laughed because it felt strange coming from him.

Looking at the blank canvas, Yoon Mi sighed contemplating whether she should share her thoughts. She can’t always possibly wait for rain to come and talk to Yoon Ji unnie while getting soaked to the bone.

“I’m getting confused” She said finally, taking out the primary colours, some black and white paint from the rack.

Not bothering to use a brush. Yoon Mi dipped her hand into the paint and smeared it onto the snow white canvas.

“The blood that I had and the blood I have within me now…” Yoon Mi looked at Him Chan. “All the emotions I feel through the blood makes it hard to tell what are my own thoughts and what isn’t. My mind isn’t that strong to distinguish that”

Staring at the red paint on her hand, she smeared it messily across the canvas. The red mingling with the other colours and became pink in certain areas and orange in others.

“It’s driving me insane Him Chan, I don’t know how to react to Yong Guk when I can feel his exact feelings clearly.” I slapped on colour after colour and begin to mix them. “What do I do Him Chan?”

Looking at him briefly “Do I listen to Dae Hyun’s heart that was with me since the start or do I listen to Yong Guk whose heart shares the same experience with me and understands me deeply?”

“You know that I can’t choose for you Yoon Mi” Him Chan looked at me sympathetically. “But I get the feeling that you know. Just that you’re afraid to admit it and you’re subjecting yourself to this confusion.”

Standing next to her as she feebly painted. “He has his own painting here doesn’t he”

“How did you know?” Yoon Mi stopped in mid .

“I came in here often looking for you and I saw the painting on the easel. The resemblance is amazing Yoon Mi, I surprised that you managed to capture him so well” He gave a peck to the crown of her head.

Sighing “I’m scared Him Chan” she rested her head against his chest.

“What are you scared of?” He patted her head soothingly, not minding to become an oppa that she could talk to at any time. It felt better than having his heart broken or hurt in the future.

“Of history repeating itself” Yoon Mi looked up at him in the eye. “As long as this endless war for power goes on, I’m worried that someone else might get killed because of me”

“I’m sure that he can handle himself Yoon Mi. You should see him practicing with Yong Guk sometimes.” Him Chan chuckled. “He’s not as fragile as you think he is. He’s gone through a fair bit himself and look at him now, sure he’s a little strange but aside from that he’s doing fine.”

“I miss him” Yoon Mi sighed as she set down the palette. *Dae Hyun…I’m being daring this once and say this in my heart. I miss you Dae Hyun”

Annyeong!

I'm not sure if any chapters were affected during the server mantainence so I'm posting this as a bonus :)

Enjoy reading! Do leave your comments okay? I love to read your comments about the chapters :)

with love

Violynn ,

5/08/12