Despite his frequent reassurances to Vera, after 2 weeks, Taemin still wasn’t back in school. At first, Vera was worried by this, but over time, she returned back to her pre-Taemin behavior and this worried most of the people around her. It had a different effect on the fangirls, though; while some celebrated it, others were disgruntled.

Yet, still, a few had other things in mind. Some like a one Choi Minho.

As Vera walks out of the girl’s locker room, heading to lunch, she bumps into the tall vampire. Or rather, he positioned himself in front of the girl, knowing she wouldn’t be paying attention to anything other than feeding her hungry stomach. “Oh hey, Minho,” she musters up a small smile, trying not to appear to apathetic. Though she wouldn’t admit it openly, she secretly hoped he would stop talking to her about her more-than-friend, Taemin.

“Can we talk?” he asks, silently noting the wall she put up.

“But I have to get to lu-”

“It won’t take too long. I just have to ask you something.”

“Ask me what?” she asks, whipping her head around a bit too quickly.

Nervously, he takes an inhale of breath before he starts. “You’ve been friends with Chaerin for awhile, right?”

Vera sighs, happy to know it’s not about Taemin. “Yeah. I knew her ever since I first came to Korea.”

“Good,” he nods, and stays silent.

“Why do you ask?”

“...That means you know her...uh...ideal type...right?”

“Yeah. So pretty much, she likes cute guys. She also really likes tall guys with a slight y side to them-wait, Minho. Do you like Chaerin?”

While other guys would’ve turned a bright red and awkwardly stood there in silence, an embarrassed smile appears on Minho’s face as he lightly punches her shoulder. “How did you know? Was I that obvious?”

“Yes, Minho. You were that obvious,” she says, giving him a light glare, before she smiles. “I’ll ask her about you, ok?”

Minho nods, gratefully. “Gomawo.”

“See ya,” she waves and walks off. Vera walks over to her table of friends with a tray of bulgolgi, kimchi, and rice. She stops when she sees a familiar blonde person sitting at the table instead of Jonghyun. “Key sunbaenim, why are you here?” Vera awkwardly shifts her seat closer to Angel.

“Jonghyun skipped today and wanted me to come in his place. Does that answer your question?”

She glowers, but starts to eat her food. “So what were you guys talking about before I came?”

“Stuff,” Chaerin shrugs.

“Stuff?” Vera looks at Angel.

Angel nods, but seems like she’s hiding something. “Stuff.”

Key bangs his hands on the table. “We were talking about Taemin.”

“Great to hear,” she says, sarcastically, as she stuffs her face. Can everyone just shut up about him, already?

Key’s face slightly changes at hearing her thoughts. What happened to Vera?

“You don’t want to hear about Taemin?” Chaerin asks, confused.

“No. He probably died or something. I don’t care.”

“He died!? O.O” Angel exclaims, startled. “How come?!”

Those closest to the table turn to figure out what caused the commotion, but after a fierce glare from Key, they turn back to what they were doing.

Blowing her bangs out of her face, Vera “You know what? Never mind.” And she storms out, taking her tray with her to dump.

“Vera, wait!” Chaerin says, reaching out towards the speeding girl.

“I’ll talk to her,” Key says, placing his hand on hers.

A faint blush, undetectable to the blonde vampire, appears and she is silenced. “O-ok.”

Vera meets the cold air of outside and walks briskly when she suddenly feels colder. Turning to her right, she notices Key walking alongside her, and tries to walk faster.

“Yah. You’re not getting away from me,” he says, grabbing her wrist tightly.

She rips herself from his grasp, but reluctantly keeps walking alongside him.

“What the heck is wrong with you?!”

“What are you talking about and why do you care?” she gives him a glare, pushing aside her attempts to seem polite.

“You’ve been acting weirdly lately.”

“No I haven’t. I’ve been acting normally.”

Key gives her a glare identical to her own; it only looks more intense because of his almond eyes. “Oh really?”

“I don’t understand why everyone keeps telling me about Taemin,” she admits, annoyed at him.

“Because you’re his girlfriend and that’s what girlfriends do! They care about their boyfriends!”

“Well excuse me for not being the “girlfriend” you wanted for your dear Taemin,” and she starts to storm off again. It’s obvious he wouldn’t want someone like me. He wants someone more...delicate. But strong. Like Changmi.

“What would make you think that?” he asks, his voice behind her.

“What would make me think what?” she asks, turning to face him, giving him the glare of his life.

“That he wouldn’t want someone like you. Do you know what the heck he goes through for you? How many times he’s gotten injured making sure that you’re safe? How he won’t drink anything stronger than synthetic blood so he won’t feel tempted to bite and possibly kill you? How even though I try so hard to keep him away from you and your messed up family, he can’t? Because he loves you!” he yells at the top of his lungs.

Inhaling, she lets out the air forcefully, trying to take in everything he just threw at her. “What’s wrong with my family?”

“...I can’t tell you.”

“So you can read my mind, but you can’t tell me one simple thing?”

“I can’t. Taemin told me not to. It’s for your safety.”

“It’s my family and yet I can’t know what it is?”

“It’s a surprise that you’re 18 and yet don’t know. Either your parents are really good at keeping secrets or you weren’t the brightest child.”

“Anything else you want to insult me on? My race, for instance. Or wait, why I don’t wear skirts to school?”

“I have a one thing to tell you. And one thing only.”

“What? Spit it out.”

“Taemin’ll be back next week. So you can stop pretending you don’t miss him.”

“...?”

Key walks off, a slight smile on his face when he senses Vera cracking a smile. Knew she still cared.