[A/N: Thanks again to Bryan for the edits.
Comments are highly appreciated! :) It makes us happy to read your comments :) ]
 

“Is there any way for her to return any sooner?” Taeyeon humbly asked of Yunho. She kept her eyes down. “It was an act that betrayed her emotions and pity towards her much inexperienced vampire.”

“Seven days is a short time my dear; especially when you consider how long we’ve been in existence.” Yunho put his hands together. “I respect your younger sister a great deal, but even she cannot be exempted from the town’s rules and protocols.

“Seven days is indeed only a dash in eternity,” Taeyeon slowly looked up at Yunho, “But seven days without any blood to drink on could would surely spell and end to her seemingly eternal life.”

“This was a punishment I had little choice but to mete out.” Yunho stood up, tucking his hand into his pockets. “I was raised while strictly adhering to our rules and my charges must play by them as well.”

“But Yunho-shi, it was the first time that our Seohyun has made a mistake.” Sooyoung bravely said. “It was a mistake she made out of necessity.”

“It was a mistake she shouldn’t have committed,” Yunho sifted his gaze to Sooyoung then to the other seven female vampires. “You guys can visit her at the city. It’s no big deal at all.”

“It is. With all due respect, Yunho-shi, Seohyun is a strong vampire. But she is still one of our kind after all, she’s a vampire who needs to feed.” Hyoyeon rebutted.

“If she survives the seven-day punishment, then she deserves a second chance,” Yunho said.

“Even if she comes out of this episode fine and proves herself worthy, does that count for anything?”

A slim silhouette was visible at the far end of the room as its huge doors swung open; it was BoA. “I suggest you bring her back within the grounds of SM Town.”

Yunho was surprised to see his only sunbae. The other girls stood up and bowed politely. “What are you doing here?” BoA held such a high position and it was rare to see her lurking about the town.

“Carry on with your foolish insistence of abiding blindly by your rules and you risk losing one of your best vampires in Seohyun. Do you really think leaving her weakened and defenceless in the city is a harmless punishment?” BoA glared at Yunho as she finished her sentence.  The girls looked down, partially intimidated by BoA’s anger but also because they were touched that their sunbae was taking their side.

Yunho gulped, “You do your work, I do mine. My work is to implement proper—“

“My work is to watch over your charges. Now I’m sorry for interfering with your work, but the person you call your goddamn brother, Kim Jaejoong, is back,” BoA said in a single breath. She turned to the door to leave but looked back at Yunho. “And by the way,” Yunho looked at her, “I saw Jaejoong with Seohyun. So go ahead and wait for that seven-day punishment to end and let’s see if she’ll return.” BoA eyes flared as she spat her words in sarcasm, before leaving the presence of Yunho and the girls.

The seven stunning vampires gasped upon hearing BoA’s words. Yunho took his coat from the back of the chair, “That bastard.”

Taeyeon stopped him by his arm, “Can we go with you, to at least help?” Her eyes showed nothing but worry for Seohyun.

“No, it’s better if you girls stay here. I’ll bring her back safely and I apologize for being hard-headed.” Yunho wore his coat and dialled Changmin’s number.

Yoseob and Hyunseung exchanged glances when Jaejoong left the coffee shop’s office. Yesterday, Jaejoong had asked them to look for Seohyun all over the city and the nearby forests. After the heartbreaking scene in front of the coffee shop, they saw Jaejoong walking along the side walk by the coffee shop with a cigarette in his hand. He puffed the smoke through the thin air, causing Dongwoon choke. They noticed that Jaejoong wasn’t in a good mood. Seohyun, on the other hand, greeted them with a sly smile and moved about in a seemingly light mood.

“He’s been acting that way since yesterday.” Dongwoon passed by Yoseob and Hyunseung and they just nodded in agreement.

“May I have the order for table four?” Seohyun approached the counter and they went back to work instantly. Seohyun, on the other hand, seemed normal. She wasn’t out of it like how Jaejoong described to the six wolves.

“Who were you with yesterday?” Junhyung suddenly appeared beside Seohyun, waiting for some orders at the counter.

Seohyun was taken aback. Her eyebrows furrowed, “Did you happen to see me before we saw each other in front of the cafe?”

Junhyung quickly shook his head upon realizing let slip words he was not supposed to. “I’m just wondering why Jaejoong has been so silent since yesterday.”

“Yeah, it’s weird and yet better at the same time.” Seohyun chortled as she made off with a tray of orders, leaving Junhyung at the counter.

“Dude, you better be careful with what you say,” Yoseob warned, giving Junhyung a tray of orders. “She’s not supposed to know that you saw her in the forest with the same guy Doojoon saw her with before.”

“It’s bothering that she is the one who can give us the cure for this curse. I want to stop being a beast.” Junhyung bluntly said before taking the orders to the customers. Yoseob sighed as he went back about his chores.

The wind chimes of the coffee shop sounded. Papers napkins and some used paper cups flew around the whole cafe. Everyone looked towards those who just came in.

Seohyun’s eyebrows furrowed. It was someone familiar from SM Town. She glanced outside and there was no hint of storm. She looked again her playful patron. Sehun smiled at her like a kid that he was.

“Do I get a discount?” Sehun  asked, sheepishly smiled at her. She softened upon the cute lisp of the younger vampire.

“No way kiddo. I do not own this coffee shop,” Seohyun said as she turned, headed back to work. The rest of the people inside the cafe returned to minding their own business. “Oh my gosh!!!” Seohyun held a tray onto her chest as a tall figure blocked her path. “God. You startled me!”

Chanyeol smugged, “Startle in a positive manner i presume?”

“Yeah, whatever.” Seohyun casually answered and went back to work.

“How about I pay double the price and take you out with me?” The seductive voice stopped her from cleaning the table.

Seohyun glared at the person, “I’m sorry, sir. I am not a social . But then again, if you pay the right price, I could reconsider.” But the moment she looked up, she saw another familiar face. “Are you guys aware that you’re crowding a small coffee house?”

“Very much aware.” Tao slung an arm over Luhan’s shoulder. One by one, all the Exo members entered the coffee shop. They seem to be enjoying the coffee; Seohyun cringed in disgust whenever she caught them sipping on the horrible beverage they called coffee.

“Do you know them?” Doojoon asked with his arms crossed. Seohyun, for some reasons, was not that comfortable with Doojoon.

“Not really, just acquainted with some of them.” Seohyun answered when he saw Suho enter the cafe as well. Some of them actually came with their ‘dates’. She thought it was quite interesting how evident the brotherhood was between the members of the new additions to the SM Town family. When she glanced back at Doojoon, he was already gone. She just sighed and shrugged the thought off.

Jaejooong noticed that more customers crowded the coffee shop. However, he just continued puffing his third cigarette stick outside. Who cares if he finishes the whole box? It’s not like his lungs would stop functioning. Even if they did, it’s not like Seohyun would even care. Her words the day before still stung him whenever he thought of them.

“We’ve got a situation inside.” Doojoon put a hand over Jaejoong’s shoulder.

“I have a situation here.” Jaejoong completely ignored Doojoon.

“Oh, I see. I am very sorry for interrupting your cigarette smoking.” Doojoon took the cigarette off Jaejoong’s lips and threw it to the ground and snuffed it out with his feet. Jaejoong looked pissed. “You still have a box for later, but right now, there are ten vampires inside. All of them are unfamiliar to me.”

Jaejoong abruptly stood up. He looked at the glass window and did not sense any harmful intent. “Odourless creatures,” He wasn’t able to notice that vampires came his way.

“Newbies, I would say,” Doojoon remarked.

“Whatever,” Jaejoong muttered. In a matter of seconds, the lights of the coffee shop went off, and the coffee shop was empty with only the EXO members, coffee shop workers, Seohyun and himself left inside. Doojoon stepped in moments after.

“That was fast,” Doojoon smirked at Jaejoong.

“Well, I am not Kim Jaejoong for nothing.” He smirked back before looking at the ten young vampires who were aware of what had just happened.

“What do you want?” Jaejoong asked. Silence filled the air.

“Oh, bad timing.” Kikwang said as he headed towards the corner where the lavatory was. Water overflowed and couldn’t be stopped. He tried fixing it while the Exo members glanced at Suho. They all held in their chuckle. Hyunseung had to aid Kikwang in fixing the damaged faucet.

“You want her?” Jaejoong pointed at Seohyun. He just gave a rough laugh, “Go ahead. Take her with you. Like I care.” Jaejoong glared at Seohyun.

Seohyun just glared back.

“That simple? I was expecting more of a fight,” Sehun said. As he finished his sentence, he found himself pinned against the wall.

“I’m afraid not,” Jaejoong’s fangs came out. His eyes were now a brilliant gold. He was about to snap Sehun’s head when Seohyun grabbed his arm and in a blink of an eye, they were in a dark alley behind the coffee house.

“WHAT THE HELL AGAIN IS YOUR PROBLEM?!” Seohyun’s eyes lit up the dark alley. She gave herself a moment to cool down; eyes shimmered down before she continued. “Those are my dongsaengs. We are from the same town. Try jumping on them the way you did one more time and you’ll regret that you even moved an inch.”

“I was only playing with them! Heck, it’s no fun messing with weaklings!” Jaejoong hissed and jumped to the other side, resting against the cool wall.

“Your choices of words are insult to my brothers,” A silver glimmer came from the opposite end of the alley. “You do not know us.”

“Oh, I know you.” Jaejoong smirked at his presence. “You were the same guy that this girl was flirting with in the forest yesterday.”

“I was not flirting with him,” Seohyun interrupted.

“Oh, I’m sure you weren’t. He was the same guy who came by the coffee house a few days back.” Jaejoong said. “You’re probably the next guy who’ll fall head over heels with this vampire and get your heart broken in the end.”

“KIM JAEJOONG!” Seohyun shouted.

“Oh I’m sorry, both of you are incapable of love. Such a tragic tale,” Jaejoong continued blabbering.

Kris stepped forward; about to throw a punch at Jaejoong’s face. Seohyun reacted quickly to prevent the two from fighting. “You guys are of the same kind. There is no point in fighting,” Seohyun said.

“But we always fight! Do I look like an alien to you?!” Jaejoong argued with Seohyun.

“Maybe you are.” Kris mumbled.

“KRIS!” Seohyun did not like it when Kris’ cold-hearted side surfaced. “You are not helping. The two of you, stop fighting over nothing.”

“You are not nothing!” Jaejoong and Kris said at the same time.

“I am for no one,” Seohyun sighed. “Can we just cool it off?!” Kris and Jaejoong silenced. “Kris, why are you here—“

“KRIS!!! WE HAVE TO RUN! COME ON!” Xiumin shouted from afar, the rest of EXO members started running and vanished in the dark streets, taking off in different directions.

Kris looked at Seohyun warily. “Come with me.”

Seohyun shook her head. “You come here causing troubles and just run away after?!”

“I am serious, we have no time,” Kris flashed a glimpse of his silver eyes. “We have to run.”

“I am fast enough by myself to get away from anything.” Seohyun stepped back from Kris.

“Not for whatever that is coming our way,” Jaejoong said. “You there, take her with you and run towards that side.”

“What?!” Seohyun did not understand Jaejoong.

“Those beasts can’t be controlled once they get mad. I’ll let them chase me instead.” Jaejoong crossed the street. “I am not done with you yet though tall guy!” He shouted from a distance, drawing more attention from the wolves on the loose. Seohyun wasn’t even able to stop him to understand the situation. The next thing she knew, the huge creatures were hot in pursuit of them.

“I told you we need to run.” Kris took her hand; the heat from his body caused her to feel flustered once more. Jaejoong only managed to draw for of the wolves towards himself, leaving the rest of the pack to hunt down Seohyun and the EXO members.

The only way out was for them to climb up the emergency stairs adjacent building. They raced to the rooftop, thinking that they were now safe, but the wolves were close behind.

“Kris, one more misstep and we’ll break bones, not my kind idea of a romantic getaway if that was what you were intending,” Seohyun whispered while they were standing on the edge of the building. “We can move to the next building—“

“Or we could fly,” Kris said.

“Are you stupid? What kind of moron decides to crack a joke then there are two wolves less than a couple of feet away from us?” Seohyun hissed in annoyance.

“Do me a favour,” Kris faced Seohyun and pulled her towards him. “Don’t open your eyes unless I tell you to.” Kris’ grip was so tight that Seohyun couldn’t argue. The next thing she felt was being lifted off the building.

She waited what seemed like eternity for them to hit the ground, but it never came. Instead, she heard the sound of a beating heart drumming against her ear.