You bit down on your bottom lip and played with your fingers in silence. You shot glances at Jaehyo, who was sitting next to you on a bench in the town square. He looked warm in the big red jacket that he was wearing. You envied him for that since you yourself were decked out in your double-ed hooded jacket and red knitted scarf with a loose t-shirt and jean leggings underneath. Your outfit left your thighs susceptible to the cold and you couldn’t help but press your high top covered feet together.

Jaehyo noticed the reddening of your nose and the trembling of your legs but said nothing about it. He remained silent as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket. You breathed out, finally deciding what to say, “Did you get treatment?”

Jaehyo turned slowly to you, an eyebrow raised as a frown was etched onto his face. He seemed confused as to how you knew about such a thing. You decided to reiterate yourself, though mumbled it since you felt embarrassed for some reason.

“For your wound. Weren’t you hurt yesterday? How are you still walking around?” You looked towards his mid-region, wondering what his jacket was covering up. “There was so much blood.” You looked down onto your hands, remembering how the wound from his stomach gushed with the thick liquid.

Jaehyo thought for a moment, looking at you in wonder before he finally remembered. “That’s right. You were there.” He remembered the view of your face looking down at him before he had blanked out but he thought it was just a dream. Your voice echoed in his ears as he slowly faded out of consciousness and only now did he put two and two together. Zico hadn’t told him what happened but that was most likely because he didn’t want him to feel the way he did now. He didn’t want Jaehyo to feel thankful towards you. “You sided with us and went against the werewolves, didn’t you?”

Your jaw went slightly ajar at the way he said his words. They were coated with a kind of ungratefulness. It was as though he didn’t want to believe you had done what you did. You pouted and nodded in confirmation of his question before looking back down at your intertwined fingers.

Jaehyo raised an eyebrow and scoffed, “Are you stupid?”

Your head snapped towards him. “What?”

“You went against your brethren. You betrayed them right in front of their eyes and yet you’re still alive?” Jaehyo’s face scrunched together in confusion as he shook his head no, “I didn’t know those monsters were so forgiving.”

You got defensive at his words and shifted your position to face towards him. “No matter whose side I’m on, I refuse to let someone die in front of me while I did nothing to stop it.” He was a bit taken back at the sudden power behind your voice but kept his surprise from showing on his face.

“And if you had died? If they had killed you for the morals you hold so dear?” Jaehyo questioned.

You slammed your right palm over your scarf, where your chest would be, “I’m tougher than I look you know. If I had to drag you out of there myself I would’ve done it. To even think you would be so ungrateful after I saved your life.” You mumbled the last part to yourself with a scowl on your face.

Jaehyo let out a laugh at the look on your face. He wasn’t smiling, but at least that was a good sign that you had just earned yourself a little amusement from the tough skinned hunter.

“I’m fine.” He said. You blinked a few times, not understanding what he was talking about. He turned his head to you and held back another laugh to keep the slight remnants of pain on his stomach from coming back to haunt him. Taeil had patched him up and the hospital, the place he was coming from, prescribed him some pain killers so he was in much better condition that he thought he would be. The werewolf leader coincidentally did not stab him in a vital place. “Your question from earlier,” Jaehyo reiterated, “I’m tougher than I look as well.” A slight smile tugged at his mouth but he kept it back.

However, you didn’t miss the gesture and smiled instead. Soon after, he left, leaving you to make your way home by yourself. The elation of having spoken to Jaehyo made you forget that you meant to get home quickly. Instead, you walked slowly back to your humble abode with a skip in your step.

You sniffled as you watched your feet shuffle on the concrete sidewalk. If you had looked up, your eyes would have been stung by the ice cold wind. However, due to this, you didn’t see that someone was standing in front of your door until you took the last step up onto your porch. You blinked a few times at the feet in front of you that came into view before looking up slowly. “Oh.” Your confused expression was replaced with your usual one, “Hoya.”

Hoya had a smile on his face at the cuteness of your slightly flushed cheeks and red nose but then his smile faded. His nose twitched in annoyance. “You hung out with one? A hunter?” He took a step closer, causing you to cower a bit, “The pretty looking one?”

You supplied an answer to the description Hoya provided, “Jaehyo.”

“Jaehyo? You’re on a first name basis now?” Hoya bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. You heard a grunt come from him as if he was deciding what to do with you now. When he opened his eyes, a soft smile graced his features once again. You breathed out in relief due to the return of his usual expression. “If Woohyun catches that scent on you then I don’t want to know what he’ll do.” He gazed at your figure that was smaller than his and sighed. “I don’t even know why just looking at you makes me forgive you for it.” He mumbled to himself. You didn’t hear however so you looked up at him in wonder.

You smiled, “I missed you Hoya.” You lightly punched his arm and laughed, “Although you probably shouldn’t be here, I won’t rat out on you to Sunggyu. So truce?”  

“Truce,” Hoya laughed along with you as you opened your front door with the keys in your left hand. Once you opened it, you were about to ask him to come in but he spoke first.

“I can’t stay. After all, I’m technically breaking a promise.” He felt bad however as he saw the look of regret on your face. “Just promise me one thing. One more time.” You nodded before he even said it, which caused him to laugh on the inside. You were too much for him to handle, agreeing before you even heard what it was. “That you won’t put yourself in a dangerous situation like that again. That you’ll keep out of our affairs.”

You thought for a moment before nodding. You had to swallow a lot of your pride just to manage that one action once more but you knew you had to do it. “I promise.” You said.

You made your way to the courtyard to meet up with Dongwoo, Hoya, and Woohyun for lunch. Myungsoo was going to be with Minah, as usual. Sungyeol and Sungjong would likely be with Woohyun and them but sometimes they would go to the near by arcade for lunch break. As you descended the stairs, you looked out the window that showed the entrance of the school. Even though it was cold outside, the sun still made it look like it was the peak of summer. As your eyes scanned the surrounded outside, you froze in place. You were halfway down the stairs when you spotted familiar brown hair waiting outside of the school gates.

You quickly ran down the stairs and out the front door of the school. You didn’t even bother that others stared at you like you were a mad person. You didn’t know if you would have this chance again. This chance to get the truth out of everything that was going on right now. You forgot your promise to Hoya as you rushed to the front gates.

“Tiffany!” You yelled as soon as you were within an ear shots distance.

The woman turned towards you, her face neutral as though she knew you would show up sooner or later, “Hyunjoo.” She said with a smile as she adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “How are you?”

You came to a stop in front of her and looked up at her, due to the fact that she was wearing heels, “Good. You?” You couldn’t help but reply that way. Tiffany had that aura about her that made you always forget the most important things you had to ask her.

“I’m good.” She smiled again. “Though I feel guilty.” She confessed to you and the smile faded from her face.

“For what?” You questioned as you caught your breath from running earlier.

“I must have confused you last time we met. I wanted to at least answer some of your questions but even now I can’t do that. So, I’m here to give you a hint, fair?” She asked with a smile, though not one of her usual ones. She seemed a bit burdened. You didn’t want to ask her anything if it made her look that way but you felt like you had to know. After all, everyone else was hell bent on keeping you away from knowing any detail involving their affairs. No one else would give you even a single piece of information. Thus, a hint was more than welcome.

You nodded carefully and readied yourself to remember everything she was about to say.

“We aren’t planning anything.” By we, you knew she meant ‘elites.’ “What you want wasn’t given to us. Believe it or not, we dislike the mayor just as much as your friends. And I’m sure he himself knows that which is why he didn’t hand over his greatest asset. Instead,” She held up her forefinger as if telling you to pay attention to what she was about to say, “he hid it behind a gate.”

“That’s my hint?” You questioned.

Tiffany nodded, “That’s right.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” You asked with furrowed brows. Sure, she had not given you that much to go on, but still this was much more than even Sunggyu knew.

“Why?” Tiffany seemed to question herself for a moment as though she didn’t even know the answer. Then, she finally spoke up, “Because I feel you can do something about it. You’re tougher than you look, even I can tell that much.” She said with a genuine smile.

You thought about everything she had said. The thing Sunggyu wanted was behind a gate. The elites not being up to something was questionable but you were willing to believe it for now. “Thank you Tiffany.” You smiled at her.

The smile she had faded and she diverted her eyes down to the ground. Before you could question what was wrong, she looked back up and put on a weary grin, “You’re welcome. I should be going now before my grandfather worries. I left him in aisle three at the supermarket just now.” She laughed and you couldn’t help but do so as well. “Goodbye,” She waved as she turned to go. You waved as well as she started walking away. Then, she turned back around on her heel. She gave you one of those heart stopping glances you were sure that boys couldn’t help but fall for, “I’m sorry.” She said before turning back around and leaving.

You were too stunned by her words to answer. She had apologized for the second time. And still, you didn’t know why.

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A/N:

I love you guys too! You all help me keep writing. :)

I want to thank all of my subscribers right now. I never thought a story like mine would reach 40+ (which may be small to some but not to me). Hopefully more people will start to enjoy the story too (just as much as I enjoy writing it~)

This chapter is a bit of a filler? Then again, the information and events presented in it are important so you can't exactly just skim through it. (I feel like all of my "filler" chapters are like that.) Seeing your theories only motivates me to keep you guessing at every turn so in essence, I love them! On another note, I felt like Jaehyo needed some screen time so here he is. 

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