Minho didn’t know what it was about this new boy, but he felt like he wanted to know him. Like he had to know more about this boy. He felt drawn to him, and he didn’t care how many people began starting rumors. He didn’t care that this was possibly the most he had talk to anyone besides Onew, Jonghyun, or Key. This boy was different, he could tell, and something about him just screamed for Minho. He could tell the boy was uncomfortable around him, and was too shy for his own good, but that didn’t stop him from at least trying to get to know him.

He had guided him to the office and even waited outside for him to get out. It was weird;

He felt weird. He wasn’t usually like this. Not to say he was heartless, but he wasn’t usually so talkative or forward. He barely knew the boy and he held his hand. He spoke past what was necessary, almost to the point of rambling, and told the boy all about the school on their way to the office. He’d have to ask Key about it later on. He was sure to have answers.

He worried more about his new schoolmate though. He seemed quiet, more so than himself, and incredibly shy, if the excessive blinking was anything to go by. He seemed scared in general, not just of Minho, and he shy away or flinch from even the slightest touch. It wasn’t normal, but there must have been a reason behind it. Maybe it was a phobia, or some sort of strange condition? Or, what if he was abused at home or bullied in his last school? He didn’t seem hurt. Incredibly pale and skinny, yes, but there were no visible scratches or bruises. Then again, if he was being abused or bullied, why would they do it in a visible place? Was that why the boy was wearing the long sleeved sweater?

When he left the office with his sleeves rolled up, Minho cast away that idea. He was probably just sick and felt cold despite the warm weather. That was probably it. He walked up to the teen, noting how he flinched a bit and took a small step back, but still stayed, something Minho thought of as an accomplishment. Maybe it was just trust issues? Or maybe he really was sick and didn’t want to get him sick as well? Minho couldn’t stop thinking about the younger teen in front of him.

“So, what grade are you in?”

“F-First year.” Minho found it odd that the soft voice was like music to his ears. No one else’s voice made him want to beg to hear more. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not, but he couldn’t say it felt bad. It felt strange, but not the bad kind of strange, so he guessed it was okay. No harm done.

“Just a year below me. How old are you? 16?”

The teen in front of him just nodded, looking anywhere but Minho’s eyes. It saddened him for reasons unknown to himself. For some unexplainable reason, he wanted the boy to look at him, and only him. He never remembered feeling so possessive, but then again, he was a very competitive person, and this possessiveness he was feeling was probably just a part of it. That was all there was to it. Nothing more, and nothing less.

“Minho! Where have you been?” He turned to see Jonghyun running up to him, followed by Onew and Key, who was walking calmly. No surprise there, since Key hated running. It always baffled Minho how Key managed to pass his physical education class when he only ran a short portion of the track field before walking the rest of the way.

“Who’ve you got there Minho?” Onew asked. Key was also giving him a questioning look and Minho shrugged it off. He’d explain what he was feeling to Key later, since the older teen would probably know what it was.

“I was just showing around... I’m so sorry,” Minho bowed to the younger teen who was now standing beside him. He must have really been out of it to drag the boy around without even asking his name, much less introducing himself. “I didn’t even ask your name. My name is Choi Minho, by the way.”

“I-Its fine,” the teen said. “My name is Lee Taemin.”

“Another quiet one I see,” Key said. “Well, its nice to meet you Taemin. My name is Kim Kibum, but you can call me Key. This over here is Kim Jonghyun, and on the other side of me is Lee Jinki, but everyone calls him Onew.” Key pointed at each boy respectively before getting a closer look at Taemin. Somehow, it ticked Minho off, but he pushed the feeling aside. It was nothing important at the moment.

“Wow Minho. You didn’t even bother to introduce yourself first?” Jonghyun teased, nudging Minho’s side with his elbow. Minho lightly shoved him off, sending his hyung and annoyed glance before sighing and apologizing to Taemin once again, who simply nodded and waved it off, saying it was okay. If he was uncomfortable with just Minho before, he seemed ten times more uncomfortable now with others around him. Minho felt bad for him, but he did nothing about it, and he knew his hyungs wouldn’t leave them alone now.

“So Taemin, what middle school did you go to?” Onew asked.

Taemin shook his head before answering, his voice almost a whisper. “I was homeschooled.”

“Oh, for how long?” Jonghyun asked.

“S-Since I was born?” No wonder he seemed so uncomfortable around so many people. But, just because he was homeschooled didn’t mean he should be so uncomfortable. Homeschooling didn’t mean he wasn’t allowed out of the house, so there must have been another reason for his shyness. “M-My parents are uh... Overprotective, so I wasn’t allowed out much...”

“No wonder you’re so damn pale,” Jonghyun said. He placed an arm around Taemin’s shoulder, and Minho watched as the younger boy shuttered at the touch, and fought against his instincts to push away. “Not to worry young one! We shall take care of you!”

“Are you trying to reassure him, or make him go back home for school?”

For some reason, Minho couldn’t stop thinking about Taemin during his classes. There was something off about him. He was different from anyone else he had ever met, and incredibly pale. Had his parents really not allowed him to leave the house that much? He couldn’t even imagine being kept indoors for so long. He was quiet, but Minho was an active person. He needed to move around and do something. Although despite that, he loved sleeping–who didn’t?–but that didn’t mean he was lazy. He played soccer, basketball, went out for jogs, and went to the gym. It was a mystery as to why he didn’t seem like he was on steroids.

Taemin on the other hand, seemed to be the complete opposite. He looked small and skinny, though he wasn’t exactly short. He seemed so fragile, like the slightest touch could break him. Maybe his parents chose to keep him inside for health reasons? That could be it, and Minho decided that would be the main reason. He couldn’t see any other reason as to why parents would choose to isolate their child. Or children. He didn’t know if Taemin had any siblings or not. He just assumed Taemin was an only child because he came to school alone, but he could have a sibling who was older or younger than him.

The rest of his classes went by without any problems, with the exception of his daydreaming in his history class, with ended with a lecture about paying attention. History wasn’t one of his favorite classes anyway, so he didn’t really mind. He wasn’t a bad student, he just couldn’t get Taemin out of his mind, and he wanted to know why. Besides, anything he missed, he could always get later. Now, he needed to figure out what it was about Taemin that was driving him so crazy.

He admit, something about Taemin was captivating; alluring. Although he had never dated anyone before, Minho really wasn’t sure what his preference was. He honestly didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl. So long as he loved the person, gender didn’t matter. However, he didn’t love Taemin. He had just met the boy, and although he couldn’t deny some attraction, he knew for a fact that it was not love. At least not yet.

Lunch came sooner than Minho had anticipated and he almost seemed excited, and he hated to admit it, but it was because of Taemin. He sat at his usual table, waiting for everyone else to get there. Strange enough, no one else ever sat there, even if it was the start of a new year. It was like people knew that this was their table, and they always sat there.

One by one, the others arrived. Onew was the first, followed by Key, and then Jonghyun. Onew and Jonghyun went to go buy a lunch, while Key had brought his own. Minho had bought his while waiting for the others to arrive. He couldn’t say it was a surprise that Key brought his own lunch. He always complained that the school food was, and he quote, “A pathetic excuse of nutrition.” Minho somewhat agreed, but he didn’t have time to prepare a lunch in the morning, and he didn’t want to bother his mother with the task, even though he knew she would have no problem doing it. Plus, he didn’t think the food was all that bad, but then again, all he ever got when a simple sandwich, and there was really no way to mess up a sandwich.

He was a bit disappointed not to see Taemin anyway, but when he looked towards the door, he knew why. Taemin seemed absolutely terrified to enter such a crowded place. It must have looked intimidating, considering how crowded it was, added to the fact that Taemin wasn’t used to being around so many people. With that in mind, Minho didn’t hesitate to get up and walk to him. If Taemin would go in on his own, then a little help wouldn’t hurt, right?

“Hey. Is there a problem?” he asked as soon as he was close enough. Taemin looked at him with scared eyes, and Minho could see that he was clearly shaking. The poor teen really didn’t like being around so many people, and Minho could see that. Taemin shook his head and Minho gestured for him to follow. He was surprised when Taemin actually did, but he didn’t say anything about it. He was happy Taemin was at least warming up to him a little.

“Well look at that! Seems like Minho found our new friend again,” Jonghyun said, patting the empty seat beside him. Taemin was hesitant, but he still sat there. Minho sat across from him, so he guessed it was okay.

“F-Friend?” Taemin asked. The rest stared at him incredulously. Surely this boy knew what friends were, right? He couldn’t have been locked up for so long as to not even know what a friend was.

“Yeah, friend. We’re friends now. What? Don’t you know what a friend is?” Key asked.

“Y-Yeah, I know what friends are. I’ve just never had any...”

Now that was just sad, and Minho could feel it tug at his heartstrings. He had the choice of who to be friends with, and he chose the small group, but Taemin didn’t even have that. Of course, it was hard seeing the teen with friends anyway, considering his apparent fear of people, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t be able to have any. Minho really wanted to know what kind of people his parents were to isolate their child so much. Had they not thought of the outcome of it?

“Well, now you have us! Come on, where’s your lunch? Or do you need to go buy it? You know where to right?” Onew asked.

Taemin shook his head and pulled out a bottle of strawberry milk from his bag, casually putting the straw in and slowly drinking it. Around so many people, it was hard keeping he bloodlust down, and the fact that his abilities were still difficult to control didn’t help. Now that he was a full vampire, he needed more blood. He wouldn’t just survive on blood once a week anymore. His parents had taught him to hunt animals instead of humans, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t still feel the urge to bite a human. He knew what it tasted like, because his father gave it to him once. It was tastier compared to animal blood, but that didn’t change the fact that it was still wrong. On top of that, there were too many people there. He didn’t even want to think of what would happen if he lost control.

For now, the blood in the strawberry milk would keep him satisfied until he could hunt around home. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. He couldn’t risk anything. His parents were already allowing him to do something so dangerous, and he didn’t want to disappoint them, nor put them in any danger. He just had to be careful. There may not be vampire hunters, but people themselves were scary, despite whatever ability a vampire had. The initial fear because of stereotypes was enough for him to get away, but when that shock was gone, they’d work together, and he knew he was no match. He wasn’t strong, and he wasn’t fast. All he had was his flexibility, wit, and that did only stalled for a while before there was nothing left you could do.

“Don’t tell me that’s all you plan to have for lunch,” Jonghyun said. Taemin nodded before going back to sipping his milk. “That’s not healthy. Aish, you’re so small and fragile looking. How do you plan to survive high school?!”

“G-Good grades?” Taemin said hesitantly, watching for Jonghyun’s reaction.

“This kid...”

“I think he looks cute. A little feminine, but cute. I don’t think anyone will hurt him. I mean, look at him. Who could hurt that face?” Onew said, making weird gestures to Taemin’s face. Minho noticed Taemin’s eye twitch when Onew said he looked feminine. It must have struck a nerve, and Minho made a mental note to avoid that topic.

“A ,” Key said. Jonghyun looked horrified and Taemin nearly choked on his milk. Onew and Minho just looked at Key as if he had grown another head. “What? It’s true! I’m not saying he’s going to get or anything! I’m just saying he looks like a potential victim. Either that, or the girls in the school are something he should watch out for. He might attract some male attention because of his looks, and girls might not like that.”

“We don’t even know if he likes boys or girls, so don’t go assuming anything,” Jonghyun said. “By the way, what is your preference?”

“Don’t you think thats a bit personal? You just met him today,” Minho said. And Taemin did look uncomfortable, but he answered anyway.

“I’ve only ever really been around my parents, a-and my older brother and his girlfriend, s-so liking girls seems more familiar to me, b-but I’m honestly not sure...” Minho thought it was a reasonable answer considering his lack of social skills.

“So what you’re saying is, you think you’re supposed to like girls, because that’s all you’ve ever seen, but you really don’t know what your preference is?” Key asked. Taemin nodded and put the empty bottle of milk down. Minho offered him his chips, but he refused. It really worried him that Taemin wasn’t eating anything. Did he parents not give him anything else, or at least any money?

“You should eat something,” Onew said. “Probably why you’re so skinny. Want some chicken?” Taemin shook his head again, looking down at his hands that were on his lap.

“Is there a reason you don’t have any food with you right now?” Key asked.

Taemin shook his head before answering. “I-I forgot to get some money this morning. But its okay. I’m not hungry.” And it was true. The blood was enough to fill him, and he didn’t feel hungry. However, he knew it was strange, because humans ate quite often, and he didn’t need too. Actual food wasn’t something he found necessary, because blood kept him satisfied, but it did give him some energy. Not as much as blood did, but even so, it was energy.

“At least take the chips. It’s seriously worrying me that you don’t have a lunch,” Minho said. He held out the bag of chips again, and Taemin’s eyes widened a bit before he nodded and reluctantly took the bag. He wasn’t used to people being so nice to him, but then again, he wasn’t really used to people either. His parents were nice, but they were his parents. Of course they would be nice to him. His brother was barely around anymore, and when he was there, his girlfriend was usually with him, so they didn’t talk much. His brother was nice to him, and his girlfriend was really sweet, so he had nothing against her. He understood the , and the fact that now that he was dating someone, she was his main priority. That didn’t mean he cared any less for him younger brother though.

“T-Thank you,” Taemin mumbled before opening the bag. He had never had chips before. Whatever his mother cooked–and she cooking was rare–was a regular meal. There were no snacks or extra food at his house. The only extra thing they had was blood. They kept packets of it for the winter, when there would be less animals around. The only reason he ever had banana milk was when he managed to sneak out long enough to get some. Knowing that he’d be going to school, he got a large amount of strawberry milk, with a few packets of banana milk. The strawberry milk was the only way he was going to survive the school day.

He found that he really liked chips. They were a bit salty, but they were good. Key was going on about how chips were not a healthy lunch, and Minho defended them by saying they were baked. Taemin didn’t really understand what the difference between baked and other chips were, but he didn’t really care either. He had found something else to enjoy, and he was happy about that.

"How was your first day of school?" His mother asked as soon as he returned home. Taemin gave her a small smile before he told her about his classes. He was happy that he had already learned most of what they were teaching him, since he mother already taught him. 

“What about outside of class? It wasn’t too hard to find your way around, was it?”

Taemin smiled at her again, this one much brighter than the last.

“No, I... I made a few friends...”