Today when the bell rings, Vera rushes to her seat and quickly gets settled. Scanning the room, she puts names to faces and gets everyone but one.

“Annyeong~” he says, smiling at her. “Excuse me?”

She flinches and quickly turns around. Bwoh? “Yes?”

“What’s your name?”

“Vera,” she says, stiff as ever.

He gives her another smile, but this time, it’s brighter. “That’s a pretty name,” he nods.

“Uh...huh,” she says, stiffly, her eyes glued to his nametag. Written on top was “이태민”

and underneath it was “Taemin”. She whispers his name to herself and nods when she realizes the name fits him.

“My name is-” he starts as she turns back and starts copying notes.

Taemin sighs as he strolls the hallways, hands in his pockets. “Why do I feel so drawn to her?” he asks himself out loud. Is it because she’s human? Contemplating, he bumps into someone. “Minho hyung,” he smiles at the black haired boy who was a few inches taller than him.

“Taemin-ah, why are you standing out here? You’ll be late to class,” his hyung says, lightly pushing him to the next class, which he happened to share with Vera.

“Arasso,” he said, giving a small pout. As he did so, he accidentally bumped into someone else. “Mian-Vera?” was all he got out before she breezed past him to her seat. He sighs, but smiles as he enters the class and sits in his seat.

“Today, you will be composing the songs to perform in a few weeks. I’m sure you will all be fine,” Mr. Choi says, a blithe smile on his face.

“Dae, sunsaeng-nim,” the class says, turning to their instruments of choice.

Taemin sees that all but one keyboard is taken: the one next to Vera. Casually, he walks over and sits down at the piano bench, feeling at home in front of the electronic piano. Taking out his musical notebook, a tune suddenly plays in his head. He slips the headphones on and fits his fingers over the appropriate black and white keys as he plays it. Delighted with the sound, Taemin writes the notes down on his measure sheet and tries to find words for the song. Ten minutes pass and Taemin’s still racking his brain for the words when he decides to check on Vera’s progress. What he actually sees almost takes his breath away. With her notebook resting on the lap of her crossed legs, she hums a tune to herself and swiftly starts to find the matching keys to play. Once she’s found the keys, she brushes her long brown hair behind her ear and writes the notes down on the measure lines.

Taemin closes his eyes, trying to push the thought out of his head. Her neck, her neck, her perfect neck. He continues to try to suppress the craving, so much to the fact that he accidentally bites through his bottom lip with his sharp fangs. Opening his eyes, he sees a small pool of his blood forming on one of the white keys.

Vera, feeling as if being watched, quickly looks up and grimaces when she notices the blood falling from his face, running down his chin, before dripping onto the keys. “Choi sunsaeng-nim?” Vera raises her hand.

“Ne,” he looks up from his music scores.

“Taemin’s bleeding and needs to go to the nurse,” she says, slowly lowering her headphones.

“Can you take him while I get someone to clean up the blood?” Mr. Choi says, standing up.

“Dae,” she says, reluctantly, as she closes her notebook and holds it to her side. “Taemin-ssi,” and starts toward the door, not even waiting for him.

Vera continues to work on her song while she waits for Taemin to come back out. After 15 minutes, he finally comes out, putting something into his pocket.

“You didn’t have to come with me. I know the way,” Taemin says.

She stays silent and keeps humming the song to herself, trying to find chords and harmonies.

Disappointed that she ignored him once again, he sighs but still smiles. “How’d you know my name was Taemin?”

“You have lots of fangirls,” Vera replies with no emotion.

He chuckles to himself and nods. The two enter the classroom and gather their belongings to continue to their next class. “Kamsahmnida,” Taemin says, as Vera bolts out the door. Sighing, Taemin puts on his backpack and follows her speeding silhouette to their next class.