Sehun can’t get it out of his mind. He stared at his family picture, already missing them.

 

Kai’s here. In this House of Night. Talking. Grinning. Smirking. Whispering. Grabbing him.

 

Sehun shook the thought off his mind and patted his cheeks muttering a ‘get a hold of yourself’.

 

“Well, someone is homesick,” shocked, Sehun spun around too quickly and hit his head on something that is protruding. “Whoa, ouch, that must have hurt!” Sehun glanced up, it was Tao’s elbow, for sure.

 

Tao’s worried face came into view. Tao started to flail around finding something while Sehun grunted and rubbed the sore spot on his forehead.

 

‘Man, it really is sharp, it could’ve stabbed me,’ Sehun thought in between Tao’s apology.

 

“No, it’s fine. I’m okay,” Sehun swatted Tao’s attempt of applying bandage.

 

“Are you 100% sure? I can carry you to the infirmary!” Tao’s panda eyes rounded a few times bigger. “It’s bruising!” he squealed. “Let’s just go, Sehun. Please, please,” he tugged on Sehun’s arm.

 

“It’s fine- Oh my god!” This time, it’s Sehun’s turn to squeal in shock.

 

“What? Why? What’s happening? You’re not having amnesia, are you? What’s your name?” Tao panicked and waved his finger in front of Sehun asking what number he is showing.

 

“No! You ruined my puzzle!” Sehun pointed at the huge pile of mess in the corner of their room.

 

Tao turned to look at where Sehun pointed and gasped in horror. “I did not- I did- but, I was just searching for something, I am so sorry!” Tao whined.

 

Sehun just sighed and muttered, “It’s okay, I’ll just work on it later on.”

 

Tao apologized and Sehun shut him up, “If you could help me, that’d be much better.”

 

-

 

"So, have you decided yet?" Tao joined Sehun in his bed bouncing a bit and causing Sehun to hiss as he's been trying to fix and solve his huge complicated jigsaw puzzle that Tao ruined earlier.

 

"I don't get you. We have a huge floor but you're still doing it here," Tao flicked a puzzle and Sehun swatted his hands away with a frown.

 

"The floor is hard and cold, I hate it," Sehun answered simply and furrowed his eyebrows, getting the pieces of them wrong.

 

Tao chuckled, "You haven't answered my question yet."

 

"I'm taking..." Sehun trailed as his eyes wildly searching for the perfect piece.

 

"And I'm waiting..." Tao whistled and lies down on his back, feet dangling off the bed.

 

"Is Acting any good?" Sehun finally spoke after a bit.

 

"It's okay," Tao matched a puzzle and smiled to himself for his mini success.

 

"I'm stuck between Acting or Dancing." Sehun stared at the picture of a ship, what the puzzle will look like when it's solved.

 

"You can try Acting, first," Tao replied. "Do you have stage fright?"

 

Sehun shook his head.

 

--

 

Sehun received a text from Tao pleading him to go and watch and act with Suho since he can’t make it. For some reason. Sehun just shrugged and went straight to the auditorium since he doesn’t really have anything planned for the day.

 

Sehun pushed the double door to the auditorium open and it was dead silence in it.

 

The auditorium was dim and the stage was bright, two fledglings and a vampyre was putting on a show.

 

Sehun slipped past a sobbing girl and proceeded to join Suho who has been waving at him since he entered the room.

 

"You're late," Suho said as he patted the seat beside him. “They're already at the end. You didn't get to see how the main actor acted it out, I thought it was real. I wish I could be like him," Suho frowned, envy painted on his eyes.

 

It's not his fault he was late, really. He just got really caught up with the jigsaw puzzle that he failed to notice the time.

 

Okay, maybe it really was his fault, but not entirely.

 

Sehun focused his eyes on the stage and saw the lead actor ending a scene.

 

"...and I looked and looked at her, and I knew as clearly as I know I am to die that I love her more than anything I have ever seen or imagined on earth, or hope for anywhere else," the actor spoke loud and clear for the whole audience to hear him.

 

Soon, the curtain fell and the audience applauded, a girl shouted, ‘Luhan, we love you!’. Suho laughed at that and Sehun looked at him questionably.

 

Suho didn’t give him any answer and instead he cheered loudly, along with other few girls.  

 

"Do we get to act or something after this?" Sehun asked after the crowd seemed to cool down and some has already taking their leave.

 

"No, you have to sign up for a play first, then they'll give out your scripts for you to practice. Maybe in two weeks time, you'll perform in front of the others," Suho took out a stack of papers. "Mine is next week, come and watch, okay?"

 

Sehun gave him a brief nod before standing up to leave the room.

 

"Suho!"

 

Their heads turned towards the voice. Sehun crinkled his forehead, trying hard to remember which one is this one from all the boys from the table.

 

"Oh, hey, Oh Sehun!" he beamed, clearly excited to see him. "I didn't get to introduce myself since Jongin was being such a douchebag," he smiled and his eyes crinkled up. Sehun’s ears perked up at the sound of Kai’s real name, wondering why Luhan is calling him by that.

 

"Luhan, you know he was busy, he was not-," The guy called Luhan shut Suho up by lunging himself at him.

 

"Did you see me up there?" he squeaked. "I was really cool, right? Right?" he turned to Sehun, too.

 

Suho patted his head, "Yes, you were really great, Luhan. In fact-," once again, Suho is being cut by Luhan.

 

"Wait, where's Jongin? He promised me to be here. He came, did he?" Luhan's head turned from side to side searching.

 

The smile on his turned into a frown as he failed to find any sign of the boy. Undeniably, Sehun were trying to look for Kai too.

 

"He tried to," Suho muttered.

 

A bitter smile formed on Luhan's lips. It did not reach his eyes and make it crinkle up like it usually do.

 

"It's fine, though," he cleared his throat. "Let's show Sehun around!" he tugged on Sehun's arm to link with his.

 

Not knowing how to react, Sehun just go with the flow. Suho watched as Luhan dragged Sehun excitedly out of the room with a long explanation about the auditorium.

 

He slung his bag over his shoulder and left too.

 

The night was cold and he hugged his jacket tighter over him. As he turned a corner, he bumped into someone.

 

“Oh Goddess, I’m so sorry, are you alright?” Suho apologized quickly and pulled at the boy’s shoulder to look at him.

 

But the boy brushed him off and ran away.

 

Suho stared after him weirdly.

 

Even though it was a split second but Suho saw it without a doubt.

 

The boy’s Mark was red.

 

---

 

“A-are you sure about this?” Sehun whispered to Luhan’s back. They both were crouched down behind a bush with Luhan spying out for any fledglings around.

 

Luhan was so busy following someone’s movement while whispering nonsense,“Just… Okay, go… There… There… And… We’re clear!” Luhan flashes Sehun a grin and quickly grabbing Sehun’s arm.

 

Soon, they both were at a shop just outside the House of Night. Luhan clapped excitedly and ran dragging Sehun along into the shop taking a seat almost stumbling off the stool. They both sat on a stool with a long high table dividing the shop into two. The shop is not that big, it’s just a dining room size.

 

From the sign outside, it’s a bubble tea shop. Sehun looked around, the shop was clear with no one in sight, except for them.

 

“Luhan-sshi, are you-”

 

“Just call me hyung, for the last time, Sehun!” Luhan whacked Sehun’s arm. Luhan really does have the habit of cutting people off.

 

“Hello, welcome! May I help you?” a woman appeared from the other side of the table. The woman is actually a Vampyre, her Mark crescent filled, with swirls pattern tattoo spread down to her cheeks.

 

“I want the usual, noona! And let this new kid here have that special menu,” Luhan pouted his lips over to the ‘special menu’ display.

 

Sehun being the awkward person he is, just stay quiet and let Luhan do the ordering.

 

“I’ll be right back!” the woman disappeared through the door heading to the kitchen, Sehun assumed. She was really quick, in just a blink of an eye.

 

“Is it alright for us to do this? I mean, to just go out and buy drinks?” Sehun got skeptical for a bit, as he always has been the goody two shoes in his previous school.

 

Luhan laughed, head thrown back. “It’s not big deal! In fact, I always come here, almost everyday.”

 

Sehun’s lips formed an ‘oh’.

 

“Suho was supposed to join me in replace of douchebag Jongin,” Luhan’s hands grabbed the menu and read it for what Sehun thought, a million times already. “But you should be really honoured I chose you today!”

 

Sehun nodded vigorously before the woman came back again, without Sehun noticing.

 

“Here’s a hazelnut milk tea for you, Luhan. And apple sorbet for you…?”

 

“Sehun,” Sehun muttered and smiled.

 

“Sehun, nice to meet you!” the woman beamed. “I’ll be off now, then. Enjoy your drinks, boys!” she said again before disappearing behind the door.

 

“Please take care of Sehunnie, noona!” Luhan shouted.

 

“Sehunnie?” Sehun sipped on his tea and made a ‘not-bad’ face with his lower lip jutting out.

 

“I give everyone a nickname, and I have been looking one for you along the way,” Luhan sipped on his tea and he hummed delightly. “Suho hyung is just Suho because he hates nickname, Baekhyun is Bacon since I like bacon a lot while Chanyeol is Yeolo because it sounds right. Oh, Lay gege got LayLay just like XiuXiu…” Luhan abruptly stopped and placed his tea down.

 

Sehun glanced at Luhan worriedly. The older kept quiet for a few minute and Sehun didn’t know what to do. He raised his hand and shook Luhan’s shoulder gently, “Hey, are you okay?”

 

Luhan let out a choked sob.

 

Sehun placed his tea down and turned Luhan to face him. “Is everything alright?”

 

“XiuXiu…” Luhan mumbled. “He…” Luhan bit his quivering lips. “His body rejected the change.”

 

Something in Sehun ached by the thought of ‘Change Rejection’, it’s like his worst nightmare. To be exact, it’s every fledgling’s nightmare. You were Marked, but then the next day your body decided to reject it and you just… die.

 

“It was horrible,” Luhan used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe the tears threatening to fall.

 

Sehun patted Luhan’s shoulder, “I’m sorry for-”

 

“No, it’s fine,” Luhan smiled half-heartedly and grabbed his drink, gulping it. “Maybe it was meant to be. There’s nothing we can do to stop it, anyway.”

 

Sehun looked guilty somehow and Luhan punched his shoulder gently.

 

“It’s fine, Sehunnie. Cheer up!” Luhan pushed Sehun’s drink to him. “Drink!”

 

Seeing Luhan’s smile is back, Sehun cracked a smile and gulped down his drink.

 

Soon after, they were both skipping back to the school and laughing randomly at everything.

 

-

 

Sehun let out a deep sigh as he collapse at the nearest available bench at the courtyard. Luhan had dragged him practically everywhere while talking a mile a minute. His legs just wouldn’t keep up with the excited boy’s. And to think, Luhan was a fifth former.

 

He was just glad that Luhan had to go to dinner now. He didn’t feel like it so he settled for sitting alone in the courtyard. Just a few days ago, he would have been scared to just sit around, at an empty space, in the dark alone, but as he was Marked, the feeling changed from scared to at ease.

 

There was just something being under the moonlight that is welcoming. Probably had a huge chance that it’s because he just became a child of the Goddess of the Night.

 

Sehun decided to go to the fountain of the Goddess. It was even more beautiful at night. The moonlight seemed to make a spotlight on it, just making it even more majestic.

 

Sehun sat at the edge of the fountain. The fountain was dried up and wasn’t in used and yet, the fountain was spotless, not a single dust on it.

 

Sehun closed his eyes and leaned his head back, breathing in the fresh air. It smells different here than when he was at home. Quiet too, no rumblings of a car engine could be heard from miles.

 

The night was still and Sehun wished that the wind would blow a bit as he always liked how it feel. His wish was granted as suddenly his hair was blown back softly. “Thank you Goddess…” He whispered with a smile.

 

He got up from the fountain and began humming, soon he danced around. It didn’t feel weird as it feels like the air was giving him thousand of caress and guiding his body on how to move. Soon, he could hear the faint sounds of whistling of the air, rustles of the leaves, as if creating a beat for him.

 

He began to move faster and the wind match him too as soon his jacket was blowing about madly. He stopped as it was all too weird and his class schedule from his pocket blew out.

 

In reflex he screamed out a ‘wait!’ and then a miracle happened.

 

The wind blew from the opposite direction and blew the paper back to Sehun. Shocked, Sehun just grabbed it and then stare at it. “What the…”

 

“It’s your affinity.” A voice called from behind him.

 

He almost jumped and turned around in a flash. Behind him was even more of a surprised. It was the little girl, sitting on the edge of the fountain just where he had sat.  

 

“What are you doing here?” He asked, suspiciously.

 

“I can come and go whenever I want,” she said with a huge smile.

 

“Uh huh… But you really should go before someone sees you.”

 

“They can’t see me. It’s the same as that night. Anyways, don’t you want to know what just happened?”

 

“What, what just happened?” Sehun asked confusingly.

 

“The wind.”

 

“That was just the wind blowing hard, so what?”

 

The girl shook her head. “No, it’s not. You controlled it.”

 

“Huh?” Seriously, could this girl get even more complicated?

 

“You controlled it. You controlled the wind.”

 

“How is that even possible?” Sehun was exhausted by this point. How many more surprises is he gonna get?

 

“It’s your affinity. The Goddess gifted you with it.”

 

The Goddess…? “Why would she?” Sehun asked skeptically.

 

“Because she knows about the journey you are going to take, and it won’t be easy. You will need an ally.”

 

“Wait, wait, wait, so the Goddess gave me an affinity for the Wind?” Still confused.

 

“Yes. For the element, Wind. Though you’ll need to practice to control it before the big fight.”

 

“What fight?”

 

“Just wait, it’ll arrive.”

 

“Seriously, you’re not going to give me anymore details?”

 

“No.” The girl grins at him.

 

Sighing, Sehun said “At least answer this, who are you?”

 

The girl was standing on the border of the fountain at this point. She grins at Sehun, and a large wind blew at that second and the girl disappeared.

 

Sehun, wide-eyed looked around and then heard her voice in the wind saying “Someone who’s looking over you.”

 

---

 

The Sun was high in the sky, obvious even though the blinds are closed tight but Sehun is still up, not planning on sleeping. Too much is happening, he couldn’t shut his brain off.

 

He glanced at Tao finding him deep in sleep, head pressed against his pillow and snoring softly and gradually getting louder.

 

He decided to take a walk, since being cooped up in his room isn’t doing him any good. He wandered outside, and remembered last night’s events. He had an affinity…? For the Wind nonetheless. It felt too surreal. He wanted to cross over to the main building, search up on details of affinities. As he stepped outside, the Sun was harsh on him as he can feel the effect it has on his new fledgling sight.

 

He crossed over to the main building as fast as he can and as he closed the door behind him, the sound of music filled his ears. It seemed like someone was there. The sound seems to be coming from upstairs so he went up.

 

He passed through many rooms but none of it contains the music. He finally reached a corridor where it was the loudest and noticed one room with the initials D.R on it. Sehun wondered what it stood for, if he was even allowed to enter. Sehun just shrugged, opened the door and the sight of Kai’s beautiful dancing form greeted him. Sehun was mesmerized, the way that Kai moved, according to the beat of the music was very breathtaking. It seemed like the music was a part of him. Like he didn’t even need to think of how to move, he just became one with the music.

 

The room had floor to ceiling mirrors so Kai’s dancing form was easily viewed from every side. Kai had his eyes closed, lost in the music. Sehun couldn’t keep his eyes off of Kai, it was near to impossible to stop staring. If the Goddess gifted him with the affinity for the Wind, well, it seemed like she has gifted Kai with the affinity for dance. As no mere mortal, even a fledgling, can dance that beautifully.

 

As the music came to an end, Kai ended his dance with a deep bow, sweat was running down his toned body yet, it didn’t make him look anything except more beautiful. As the music stops, Sehun clapped enthusiastically without realizing it and Kai turned around in surprised.

 

"Oh, it's you," he said.

 

Sehun was about to bail when Kai broke into a grin, “If you wanted to watch you could have said so without just standing there like a creep.”

 

Sehun let out a shaky laugh, “I’m not a creep.”

 

“If you keep lurking around at doorways you will be. Come on in.” Kai went to a corner where he kept his bag and took a water bottle from it. As he drank Sehun stared at the water droplets that are running down his neck.

 

Sehun looked away before Kai noticed he stared, “Umm… You were really good. Have you been doing it since you were little?”

 

Kai nodded as he wiped his sweats off, “Yeah,  but I’m not that good.”

 

“You are, seriously.” Sehun gave him a smile which Kai blushed at and looked away.

 

“Thanks, I guess… So what are you doing up?”

 

“New place, it’ll take me a while.”

 

“I see, but you need to be careful, the Sun is harsh to new fledglings.”

 

“Yeah, I was almost burned alive walking here.”

 

Kai let out a laugh, “We don’t get burn alive, but yeah, it might feel like that for newbies.”

 

“How long have you been here?” Sehun asked as he sat on the floor in the middle of the room which then Kai proceeded to join him right in front.

 

“I’m a fifth former, so 3 years.”

 

“That explains your skills in fights from the night we met.”

 

Kai let out a grin and nodded.

 

"Do you dance, Oh Sehun?" That sudden question caught Sehun off guard for a moment.

 

Kai was already on his feet, looking down at Sehun.

 

"I- I don't really..." Sehun's hand went up to brush the back of his neck avoiding Kai's gaze.

 

Kai let out a hearty laugh and extended his arm out. "Wanna try?" Sehun grabbed onto his hand and was pulled, a bit too hard, causing him to stumble forward. And of course, Kai is there so his pretty face won't kiss the ground.

 

Their hands stayed connected while Kai went to play the music with a long stride.

 

Sehun's heart beat loudly as Kai came back for him, staring down his eyes with his intense gaze. Making Sehun feel somewhat small, it almost scared Sehun.

 

Kai's finger grazed Sehun's cheek and the music blared filling the room.

 

Sehun was a bit reluctant as he never really danced in front of or with people but he managed to catch up with some moves and soon he's joining and keeping up with Kai.

 

At one point of the dance, Kai leaned and whispered to Sehun, "You're not bad," he blowed on his earlobe and Sehun can almost feel his lips. "At all," he added and Sehun can really feel his face burning.

 

For a split of second, Sehun’s heart leaped as Kai’s hands were barely touching his waist, their position against each other with Sehun’s back against Kai’s chest. Kai’s penetrating gaze reflected from the mirror straight into Sehun’s shy ones.

 

They move in unison, step by step, and Sehun let out a gasp as Kai spun him around and wrapped his arm around the younger’s waist. With a smirk lingering on his plump lips, Kai rewarded Sehun with a wink and they parted as the song ends.

 

“We should do this more often,” Kai spoke and Sehun glanced at the lad, almost horrified to see Kai’s facing against him, Kai’s wife beater no longer in sight.

 

Sehun gulped as his eyes trailed down the sweat trickling down Kai’s glistening tanned behind, he felt hot and stuffy inside.

 

“Sehun?” hearing no reply, Kai turned back. Sehun directed his gaze somewhere else and cursed himself for being such a creep. However, he was still able to catch Kai’s grin as the lad took a long stride towards him.

 

“Oof-” a towel hit Sehun’s face.

 

“You should stop ogling by now.” Lucky for Sehun, the towel hid his burning face form Kai.

 

“I was not ogling at you,” came Sehun’s reply, almost inaudible. He tugged the towel away from his face and glared at Kai. Kai already used that towel to wipe his sweat earlier.

 

“I wasn’t saying you were ogling at me,” Kai chuckled and Sehun flung the towel back at Kai with a huff.

 

Soon, them both were laughing frantically about how silly they are. Sehun shove a clean t-shirt to Kai insisting him to put something on.

 

“Does it bother you that much?” Kai said in a teasing voice making Sehun hit him, hard.

 

“You’re so full of yourself,” Sehun pouted and glared at him.

 

“Wow, you are pouting now,” Kai teased again and earned a smack on the back, hard.

 

Kai started to laugh and mumbled ‘sorry’ and ‘I was just joking’, before Sehun stopped attacking him.

 

“It’s getting late now, let’s go back,” Kai gathered his stuffs.

 

Sehun nodded and followed him out.

 

However, the journey back to their dorm, Sehun can’t help but noticed how their arms would brushed each other constantly and Kai, not even bothering to move away.

 

---

 

Sehun walked with Tao for breakfast that morning. The boy kept yawning and his black circles only made look him sleepier. They were about to enter the cafeteria when someone shouted Tao’s name. It was Kris.

 

Tao quickly brightens up, said bye to Sehun and ran over to Kris’ side. Sehun just tilt his head at the scene and entered the cafeteria where the others were already waiting.

 

“Sehunnie!” Luhan yelled and straight away pulled Sehun to sit next to him.

 

“Good morning” He says and everyone chimed in after.

 

“Where’s Tao?” D.O asked.

 

“He rushed off to Kris.”

 

That was received with grins from everyone. “What?” Sehun asked, confused.

 

“They have a thing going on.” Baekhyun grins.

 

“Really?” Sehun was surprised, Tao haven’t said anything.

 

“Yeah, it was pretty awkward too. Tao got nickname as the school when they first started seeing each other.” Chanyeol stated.

 

“Why? That’s pretty mean.”

 

“Tao was just Marked and Kris was just hired as the new teacher. I don’t know how but I guess they just got attracted to each other at first sight.” Chanyeol continued

 

“Love at first sight.” Baekhyun corrected.

 

“Right, love at first sight, and well, they became inseparable. The Vampyres don’t really care as there aren’t any rules against it but the fledglings, well, let’s just say it an instinct? Because we are all newly turned, and all the taboos still feel like… taboos? i don’t know how to explain it.” Chanyeol gave up.

 

“Yeah, it’s okay, I think I got it.” Sehun said, trying to stop Chanyeol from furthering racking his brain.

 

Sehun was lazy to get up and get his own food so he just stole from those around him, not even trying to be discreet. He was about to take the fries from Kai’s plate when Kai pushes it towards Sehun.

 

They gave each other a quick grin and Sehun plopped some fries in his mouth. They kept grinning at each other as the shared the plate, thinking that based from the conversations around them, everyone was preoccupied, and so, not even noticing Luhan who is watching them with a frozen expression.

 

Sehun felt his stare with Kai was getting too intense so he looked away first, regrettably, he noticed Kai’s quick frown after that. He stared at his chattering friend when he saw that Suho kept looking around.

 

“Anything wrong?” Sehun asks.

 

Suho was startled, as if he didn’t even noticed he was there. “Oh yeah, fine.”

 

“Searching for someone?”

 

“Yeah, kind of, something like that…” Suho mumbled.

 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Sehun asks again.

 

Suho looked up at Sehun’s Mark, just staring at it for a few seconds when he finally looked back down to Sehun’s eyes and quickly looking away. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

 

---

 

“Don’t be late to class.” Kris said softly as he pecked Tao’s lips.

 

“Alright.” They shared one more sweet, lingering kiss before Tao broke away and went out of the room. But not before giving a quick smile.

 

Kris was giddy after that, as he always is after he’s with Tao when he noticed the High Priestess carrying a bag of Belladonna.

 

It was seriously weird because Belladonna is forbidden to be used, it’s not even in any of the spells that they were teaching.

 

Belladonna are poisonous and even a drop on your skin could be bad. Kris knew there was some in the school but the Rituals and Spells teacher was in charge of keeping it.

Kris was seriously curious till the point he planned on going to go see Lay to ask what the High Priestess is doing with it.