*Re-edited version 10/20/12*

Yay! I think you, my dear readers, will like this chapter because of the drama and suspense. Excuse me for mistakes or confusion. Sorry for the change in format. Please subscribe or leave a comment. I might, keyword: might, update again today. But we will see. ^_~

(Alaina's POV)

It was inevitable, that angelic demon slayer coincidentally had four more classes with me! Out of all the people in the world! Seriously, the universe loved to sneer at me. What did I do to deserve this mockery?!

I managed to avoid him: Lee Taemin and his two handsome friends. In some classes, I snagged a seat by the window or door so I could escape or distract myself. Taemin would always, and I mean always, stare at me. I didn't like it. What if he remembered I was the girl that eventful night? What would he do to me?

As I eluded Taemin, little by little, I learned more about them. Like in every school, everyone gossiped like it was breathing.

Taemin was the maknae of a popular group of friends known as SHINee. SHINee had five members in all. Two of them had graduated the year before and was now attending college. The remaining three, Taemin, Key, and Minho were on their last year of high school.

I had a bunch of unanswered questions about them. How come Taemin was in his last year of high school? He looked possibly like a sophomore - like I would be if I hadn't skipped grades. But then again, I didn't exactly know all their ages. Another thing was, if they were so loved and so popular, how did their fangirls and teachers seemed to - I don't know - respect them? Like during homeroom, fangirls had reacted when I sat in the empty seats next to Taemin. How come those seats were only unoccupied around them? I guessed it was because SHINee liked their space despite their reputation.

Last question that bugged me the most, if Taemin was this demon hunter guy, was the rest of SHINee the same? I wanted to know the truth, but I was too afraid to discover it.

So yeah, back to class with all the piercing stares and evasion tactics.

My finger tapped impatiently on the top of my desk. Usually I was patient, but I had a reason not to be today.

Taemin was sitting right behind me. Without a doubt, I knew his eyes were zeroed on me. I kept myself shouldered and stiff as if I was frozen by his gaze.

I tried to distract myself, jotting down notes or reading the board, but I was too overwhelmed by this foreboding feeling. I felt something rushed and fiery and warm. What did that mean?

"Your assignments will be homework if they are not finished in class. Alaina-shi, do you have any problems with the assignment?" asked the teacher out loud, snapping me from my daze.

I blinked. "Me? I - uh - already finished it."

"Wah!" gasped the class. "She's so smart! I'm not even done with the first page!"

Someone snickered, "Foreign nerd."

"I bet she's not as smart as Key-oppa."

I ignored the comments. I was used to such derogative words.

I didn't see Taemin frown deeply behind me.

...

(Taemin's POV)

People should be grateful we have a smart person in this school. Our school shouldn't just live off of fancy programs and money, scoffed Taemin inwardly.

Wait a second, why was he defending Alaina? He didn't even meet her yet (officially).

He ruffled his blond locks agitatedly, eliciting some swoons from ogling fangirls. He decided he would corner Alaina and confront her when school ended. If he was right, all new students had to turn in a slip they were required to have signed...

...

(Alaina's POV)

I nearly sprinted out of class when the final dismissal bell rang - more like scurried.

With the use of the map, I found the front office again and turned in my signed slip.

The lady smiled at me merrily. "Was your first day of school alright?"

I wore a small smile. "Somewhat." I bowed my head and hurried off. When I exited the front office and rounded the first corner, I froze. A figure was waiting silently for me. Like a painted portrait.

Taemin leaned away from the wall. "We need to talk," he stated simply.

I took a step back, paranoid. "Who are you?" I whispered, acting uncertain.

Taemin crossed his arms. Did he know despite his angelic appearance, he could pull off an ominous aura?

"I know you remember me," he said coolly. "I'm Lee Taemin. Do you happen to have a necklace with a blue rose?"

My heart clenched. I wanted to grasp the pendent but that would give me away.

"Ani," I replied politely. Another step back. "I think you got me confused with someone else." If I ran away, would I be able to flee?

Taemin tilted his head and scrutinized me with those bright, pretty eyes.

All was silent for a minute. My heart pounded loudly in my chest. Why were we alone in this hallway? Did the school empty that fast?

"I would know your voice," Taemin murmured finally. "And how you...act around everyone. It's like your frighten of everything around you." Something flickered in his eyes, it distracted him.

I know that already, I thought bitterly. I was about to snap at him when someone called out, "Taemin! Where are you?!"

Taemin blinked in surprise and whirled around to see two figures amble down his side of the hallway.

I took the chance to bolt.

"Yah! Come back!" shouted Taemin, caught off guard again even though he just foresaw this. He ran after me like the first night.

But he would catch me this time.

...

(Minho's POV)

"Aish, I told that boy to stay away from her!" grumbled Key as they pursued their maknae and the new girl.

"What can you do?" Minho replied back indifferently. "Taemin's powers make him see everything in a different perspective."

"He better not use his powers," muttered Key. "I don't want to report ES usage."

They sprinted down countless hallways. Alaina was one heck of a runner.

...

(Alaina's POV)

Dammit, I cussed in my head. Taemin's still following me! I thought I willed myself to be invisible?!

Taemin seemed to be tracking me down mentally. I recalled how he was dazed one second then would have this strange flicker in his eyes. He seemed to know where I was heading. It made me scared that I would be caught, that I had no where to hide.

I ditched criss-crossing in the hallways and rushed up the stairs, all the way up. My ankles and knees protested from exertion and my lungs hitched and gasped for air. Sweat beaded down my neck and forehead as I bursted through the doors that led to the roof.

Taemin was one second behind me.

I spun around and screeched at him, "GO AWAY!" I screamed at him, "STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU KILLER!"

Taemin closed the distance between us, reaching out and catching my wrist, intending to stop me from backing away from him.

What happened next was unknown to both of us.

When our hands touched, a b, restless current coursed through our bodies. Somehow our bodies themselves were glowing the faintest of colorful light. A burning sensation heated our hands and chests.

Taemin gasped in bewilderment as two ink-black designed circles materialized, hovering and spinning around our left hands. Taemin could actually read part of the design. The precise scribble was written in Almighty Script. The written language of the Guardians.

I was nailed to the ground, wooden and uncomprehensive as the magical strips of circles began to shrink and minimize, growing smaller and smaller until a burning sensation was registered around my ring finger. The magical circle had branded itself as an inscribed tattoo on my finger, as thin and snug as a ring. The ink-black design faintly pulsed and glowed in golden light, eventually fading.

On our ring fingers were matching tattoos, as if we were married.

Taemin finally dropped my hand, his face in pure wonder and befuddlement. Without his support, I weakly fell onto my knees, my hands braced against the ground. I was panting and gasping from hysteria, a breeze billowing around is. When I glanced up, Taemin was gawking at me with a new spark in his eyes. I could read it easily. Awe. Devotion. Love.

"Alaina," he breathed, his voice caressing my name.

"How - what - what did you do?" I choked out, beginning to tremble, but not from the cool air. It scared me, for not knowing what happened.

Taemin never got the chance to answer when Key and Minho charged into the scene.

"Taemin! What is with you?" cried Key, grabbing the unresponsive boy harshly by the shoulders.

Minho's eyes were narrowed, glancing between me and Taemin, trying to decipher what was going on. Minho's shoulders stiffened as he felt something linger in the air.

"Did you use your powers, Taemin?" he asked distressfully. "I can trace leftover ES in the air."

Key frowned at me as I was blank-faced and weak-legged on the ground. His eyes zeroed at my clutching hands. His keen eyesight saw the ring-like tattoo on my finger.

"Aniyo," he whispered, perplexed. "That can't be..."

I didn't know what happened next. My vision blurred and my body slackened.

Blackness.

...