JIMIN POV:

When my name is called and my eyes catch onto the students that are in the same group, I can't help the resigned sigh that slips out of my mouth.

Two of them are blatantly human, their wide panicked eyes, and fidgeting limbs attest to that- as they rise from the front half of the classroom and ever so slowly trail after the third.

But the third is...I can't tell. But when she steps closer, a strong wave of scent comes crashing into me. It's the smell of a nest, the ridiculously large sweater the girl is drowning in is coated with overlapping scents- it's typical nest behaviour, she must be a new nestling, bond not fully settled. It explains why her nestmate has a desire to dress her in their clothing. There's also something starkly familiar about the scent- and it only takes a moment for me to place the scent as the Im coven's. They have two new nestlings? My eyebrows slightly raise at that- it's a wonder she's in lesson and not being swarmed by her nestmates, I know too well how protective a coven gets when the bond is freshly settling, instincts going haywire.

I note that she's the one to sit closest to me, still a seat away but close, nevertheless. Close enough to make a point, far enough that her instincts aren't unsettled by being close to a different coven's vampire. It's a small show of solidarity and support, and the thought warms me perhaps more than it should.

There's a stilted silence, thick and heavy, making me uncomfortable as the humans eye me with side glances, furtive looks as though I can't spot the second their body shifts.

But it's the nestling who breaks the silence.

Her voice surprisingly firm and strong despite the soft quality to it.

Her question brings the two humans some sort of strength and courage to speak, voices slightly hesitant- eyes hopeful as they look towards the nestling for some sort of affirmation, a warm respond to their thoughts.

The irritable sound of a pen being fidgeted with and the clacking of fingernails against the table stop, pause.

Huh, the human girl wants to do court history. Doesn't she know that court history is nothing but filled to the brim about manipulation of vampires, the social hierarchy structured in such a way that pushes vampires to the bottom- unable to progress further than being attendants to the nobility. Of courtesans, magicians...entertainers, the word is sour as it sits in my head. As if the existence of vampires was nothing but a novelty, something turned into a gaudy spectacle.

The anger begins to simmer inside me at the ignorance in the human girl's voice. Sanmi likes court history? Says a lot about her.

But then the nestling...(Y/N) speaks again. Carefully hedging between the two of them and me as she dismisses the idea.

When Daniel speaks, (Y/N)'s face lights up in excitement, a natural smile curling her lips, eyes eager and sparkling as she notes down the idea, beautiful cursive onto the lined page.

But the mention of war treaties brings forward the knowledge of how vampires were pushed to sacrifice more, how after the war- the slight camaraderie between soldiers vanished as if it had never existed.

The conversation with Joon hyung not so long ago as I sat there with a history book open on my lap comes floating to the surface. The sorrow in his features, lined with experience, memories that clearly haunted him still comes to plague my mind.

Humans don't know the truth, don't know half of how devastating the consequences of their actions are.

"Great idea! And then we can talk about how even though the vampires were a major factor in ending the wars, after it all ended- humans went back to shunning their existence. Feigning ignorance." I bite out, words bubbling out with corrosive anger, hurt.

Although I do feel a smidgen of guilt when (Y/N) flinches, body recoiling against the venom in my voice. It's not directed at her, but she's the one closest enough to feel the emotions rolling off me- thickening the air.

Something deep inside me feels bad at it. Doesn't want her to feel hurt, to see her recoil away from me.

"Listen Jimin...as right as it may be, the topic is emphasising the positive." Daniel retorts, anger flashing in his eyes, finger stabbing violently at the highlighted word on the brief we've all been given. His own anger and condescendence pushes aside any fear he has of me as a vampire, but it just goads and fuels my own anger.

"How about the aid of vampire medicinal practices. It helped with treated the injured, both races?" Sanmi adds, voice slightly shaky as she tries to steer the conversation away from an argument, protective of her fellow human being.

The three of them continue to converse, moving away from the topic, pushing it aside- almost carelessly discarding my words. My thoughts.

"We can also add how most of the frontline soldiers were vampires- being ready and willing to help, braving and placing themselves in the thick of the war." (Y/N) suggests, receiving eager nods from the humans- so desperate to appease to at least one of us.

But as the lesson goes on, the simmering anger doesn't relent, instead it mounts, bubbling higher and higher, pushing at the seams, desperate to escape. The air around us is crackling, filled with an echo of my own emotions, making it thick and suffocating.

Daniel and Sanmi physically show that they're affected, whitened hands and a body that shifts protectively into itself.

(Y/N)'s only tell is the slight tremble of her fingers- though she should be the most affected. But the sight of her small delicate fingers shaking makes me pause. Something in me is disturbed at the sight of her being impacted.

But it's too late. The anger overflows and bursts out.

"And let's let humans continue on pretending that vampires are the villains, that they didn't lose anything in the war. That they're not still losing today." I say, words in a tone that contradicts the pain tearing at me inside, the anger that seeps into the air, forces itself around their mortal hearts and makes them feel- forces them to feel what I do. Even a shadow of it.

"Jimin, I know it hurts. I know it's not fair, it's disgusting..." (Y/N) starts, voice soft and appeasing- as though she's trying to soothe a startled animal, her small hand reaching out to touch me, placate me. I can feel my body wanting to lean into the touch that approaches, to allow myself to feel the hand against me.

I shake the thought out of my head. She's someone's nestling. But why do I feel a tug, a sort of comfort from her?

I snatch my hand away, fearful of what'll happen if our hands touch- uncertain about how it'll affect me. I feel revulsion for feeling soothed by the idea of her touch, feel this lure towards her, a sickening feeling at the way she ultimately took the humans' side.

"Don't try to sympathise with the humans. Don't try to mix both worlds. If you're a vampire at least stay faithful to your own. You reek of a coven's scent, you're a nestling and this is how you choose to show your loyalty? By trying to be connected with both." I say, betrayed by her, hurt by her words and actions more than it should, my voice rising with an unknown anger.

She clearly hasn't learnt the harsh ways of the world. She's still sheltered from it all.

"You must be newly turned. But you'll learn soon enough that there's no place where the two can mix. There never has been and there never will be." I hiss, getting to my feet before I storm out of the classroom.

But as I leave the feeling of hurt doesn't fade. That even if she's sheltered, it won't be too long until she sees the hurtful reality of the world. When she learns the hard way. And even if it'll open her eyes, there's a slight pain at thinking that the air of innocence around her will shatter and that those same brown eyes won't sparkle with the same intensity.

But why does that thought hurt? And why are my lungs filled with a whisper of a scent that I can't recognise but yet is tantalising to all my senses? Why does it fill me with longing?

But it's a small whisper, one that threatens to melt away.

JB POV:

(Y/N) reeks of distress. It's a scent that burns itself across my mind, strong and sharp- it's intensity to make my eyes slightly water. The same sweater she had huffed and whined at putting on, she's now using as a shield, a source of comfort. She looks lost and drowned in the sweater, eyes dimmed from their usual brightness with a heavy weight- guilt making the usual warm eyes dull.

I can hear her heart beating and even its usual reassuring steady thump sounds heavy and lifeless. What on earth has happened to cause her entire to mood to shift, to become completely reversed?

She's tucked the sweater around her hands, sweater paws, body shifting listlessly inside the swathes of knitted fabric and there's a small furrow between her brows, lips drooping sadly as she stands in front of me.

I reach out to settle my hands on her shoulders, drawing her away from the bustling of students, worried that she'd end up getting barged into and perhaps injured in her unfocused state.

She looks up at me, managing to dredge up a small smile but it quickly slides off her face.

But then without preamble she wraps her arms around my waist, seeking out comfort and reassurance as she clutches tightly at me.

My hands automatically go around her to reciprocate the hug, to hold her close and to help in whatever way I can. My protective instincts flare up towards her, the need to protect rising to the top, my arms cradle her close and I turn her away from the bustle, allowing myself to shield her- the need to cover her being the physical manifestation of my worry.

She breathes deeply, but it's a troubled sound, one that sounds weary and disappointed.

I know whatever it is that she needs to talk about, here is not the place. She needs time and space and the hallway just isn't suited for that.

I gently part, so I can guide her out of the building, taking us back home. The others pick up on the shift in mood the moment we step through the doorway though I have no doubt that they picked up on something being wrong through the bond- a slight panicky feeling inside me.

Bambam and Youngjae come to draw (Y/N) closer, settling her between them with a tenderness and fondness that only goes to prove and reiterate that even though she may not be our bonded mate- she's not considered anything less than a nestling of this coven. That all of us will unfailingly be there for her in whatever way we can.

Jinyoung steps forward, pressing a warm mug of hot chocolate into her hands- knowing that whenever she is troubled, this is one of the small comforts that help ease her worry, slightly relaxes her.

It's also endearing to see how instantaneously her hands poke out from the end of the sleeves to wrap around it, her fingers flattening against the mug as she looks down at it.

"Thank you oppa." She mumbles, but everyone hears. Hears the sincerity in her voice, even if it's permeated with a heavy feeling of burden.

"What's wrong chickie?" Jackson moves forward to sink to his knees with a seamless fluidity, quickly having pushed himself off the wall and settling down in front of her, peering up at her with a worried expression.

The softness in his voice and his eyes make her fingers tighten around the mug before the tightness in her shoulders dissipate. Jackson is naturally good being a person who radiates comfort and safety, something about him that makes confiding easier.

"Oppa...how badly do vampires suffer? And am I horrible for trying to see the best in both worlds?" she asks, words slipping off her tongue, eyes moving up to meet mine, flickering with uncertainty and confusion.

And once again, I question. What on earth had happened in the past hour?

(Y/N) POV:

I feel sick with guilt, it makes my thoughts curdle. Had I come across as ignorant to Jimin? As someone who'd brushed off his concerns for favour of maintaining peace in our group? Did it come across as favouring Sanmi and Daniel when he'd expected me to side with him?

The whole plan of attempting to maintain peace in our group had backfired. Sanmi and Daniel had looked slightly shocked but there was a slight tone of distrust as they left- eyes warily scrutinising me as if they truly couldn't tell if I was human or vampire.

But why did it matter so much? Why did it have to matter so much to them? Why were they so against the idea of getting along?

And it's with those same thoughts plaguing me that I make my way to JB oppa and lean in for a hug- needing something strong, stabilising, and constant even if my mind is in turmoil, turning against in on itself with the recent incident fresh in my mind.

But when oppa takes me home, and the others surround me with the natural comfort they so easily give to me, the love and security they extend to me too- as someone they consider one of their own, I need to know, is it me? Is my way of thinking that bad?

And why does it hurt? Hurt that Jimin had stormed out without trying to understand? Why did it feel like my lungs were going to cave in on themselves in the struggle of deciding whether I should breathe or not? As if his leaving, had yanked at something deep inside? Something unknown.

But I don't voice all those thoughts, some I leave to sit in my mind, lie unspoken.

And ask.

"Oppa...how badly do vampires suffer? And am I horrible for trying to see the best in both worlds?" even though I have seen the suffering for both races, even though I've seen the hurt in Gyeomie's eyes when a prejudiced human recoils and shrinks away from him, have seen how they stiffen when there's scrutinising eyes that follow them. I know it too well.

But I'm uncertain and confused. About why it is that Jimin's reaction riled me up? Made me feel both anger and hurt. And why did that vice grip on my chest still linger?

Just why?

(THERE YOU GO! A JIMIN POV, BIT OF JB AND A BIT OF (Y/N). COS LOOK AT HER! POOR THING IS CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHY IT IS SHE'S SO AFFECTED EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN'T KNOW HIM- HERE IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ANGST. THE SELF-QUESTIONING OF WHY IT IS HE'S SO ANGRY. HOW WAS IT? LET ME KNOW MY LOVELIES AS USUAL! AND WE'VE REACHED 2K READS AND 400 VOTES?! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! THANK YOU! AND STAY SAFE!)

Everything you consider as a weakness, a setback, a limitation, or a fault in you- don't. Everything that makes you, YOU is special and intrinsic to who you are as a person. You need to embrace your weaknesses and faults to be able to see yourself in the best light. You have to see both sides of the coin and only then can you love and accept yourself. Just be you. And love yourself for it.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3