(Y/N) POV:

"(Y/N)-ah!" a joyful voice crows in my ear, suddenly startling me out of the silence I've been working in, I twist my body so I can smile up at Eunwoo has appeared, it seems, from literally nowhere and now stands hovering over my shoulder.

I bite back the wince, when pain blossoms in my side when I jumped at his voice.

"Eunwoo stop that!" I chide but it's half-hearted and the grin on his face shows he knows that, continuing to beam even as he scoops up my backpack and plops himself down onto the spare stool near me.

"Got any snacks?" he says, hands eagerly set on the zipper of my bag, face lit with hope.

And the question brings back both the pained memory of this morning as well as the lack of snacks- the image of them discarded on the ground flashing through my head.

"You dropped them?!" he exclaims, having caught the image in my head, screeching as though I've committed a grave offence.

"More like they were pushed out of my hand." I mutter, voice low but I have no doubt his ears have already picked up on it. Something on my face must suggest I don't want to talk about it because he thankfully drops the topic, choosing to distract me with a riveting stream of stories about the things he's been upto and what his coven has been doing- complaining and whining with a fondness in his eyes.

"Listen lover boy, don't rub in." I tease, laughing at the abrupt way his mouth drops open.

But then before I can process it, I see a flash of skin and then something wet being smeared across my cheek. Paint. Eunwoo looks delighted.

"Aigoo...you're cheeks make such a soft adorable canvas." He says, eyes crinkling with laughter, already ducking away, and laughing as he leaves by the time my finger is dipped in paint.

I watch as Eunwoo steps outside the classroom, arm wrapped around another student's shoulders- one who's face I don't get a glimpse of. But the moment he steps away I feel the barriers trying to hold back the flares of pain from being expressed on my face, fade. It's a dull throbbing pain which worsens every time I shift, which had made lessons pass by very slowly and painfully. I gingerly get up, taking a long time packing up, stopping every now and then to breathe shallowly past the pain. My left-hand throbs with an echo of the burning pain- skin still an ugly red and tender to touch.

I'm glad I managed to get away without Eunwoo or anyone else finding out.

A short-lived relief though. Because standing outside the door, leaning against the door, and waiting for me is Yugyeom.

YUGYEOM POV:

I'm waiting for (Y/N) outside her class- hoping to manage to persuade her for something and an additional bonus would be getting to spend time with her and grab some lunch. But she's taking such a long time coming out of the class that I begin to fidget- even though vampires don't actually get restless easily, just standing there is enough to make me dither and move from foot to foot- glaring at the door from which she is still yet to emerge.

Just as I push myself off the wall and am about to stride in and pull her out, she emerges in the doorway, a smile on her face but it quickly slides off, her face blanches and eyes widen.

Is she that surprised to see me? She knows it's normal...does that mean she's hiding something?

I rack my brains for any hint, any clue. Then slowly an inkling of realisation- did something happen? Something to do with the abrupt way I'd bolted upright in bed- an hour earlier than I needed to, with a sudden surge of flames that darted through the bond. The sudden sharp flare of pain before it vanished as though it had never been there.

I thought I'd been imagining something, a phantom wisp of a nightmare or something else but now that I look at her- she's definitely on edge, a forced stiffness to the smile that doesn't light her eyes or bunch up her cheeks like usual.

I force a feigned calmness into my voice.

"Hey mallow!" I pipe, but the smile comes to me a bit naturally when I see her face scrunch up at the nickname.

"Stop calling me that!" she huffs, a slight whine in her tone.

"Never." I retort, the familiarity easing a fluidity in our conversation.

We start walking and it's only when she walks ahead slightly, that the sight confirms my suspicions.

"(Y/N)-ah. Why are you limping?" I ask, my voice deceptively calm even if under my skin a tidal wave of instincts and emotions surge to the surface.

She freezes, back stiffening in an instant and she doesn't turn around. I walk forward the few steps that distance us, hands going to gently rest on her shoulders.

Even though she refuses to meet my eyes, I can tell from her posture alone that she's forcefully holding herself upright.

But I don't think that the best place to discuss this is in the middle of the hallway even though it's tearing away at me that I don't know what's happened and I can't lessen her pain.

She needs a healer. Healer...MJ hyung.

It's the only person I can think of at the moment who can help us.

----

With a lot of careful manoeuvring and supporting (Y/N)'s weight against my side, the two of us arrive at MJ hyung's house. I set her down onto the couch, easing her back so she lies flat. MJ hyung appears next to me, face twisted in concern as he looks at (Y/N)- his expression rouses a panic in me, a panic I'd tried to hold down so (Y/N) wouldn't be affected through the bond as well as my primary need being to help her, worry later.

She looks abashed, fingers fiddling with the edge of her sweater as she avoids our eyes. MJ hyung sinks to his knees.

"Aigoo (Y/N)-ah. What happened this time?" he sighs, an almost fond tone in his exasperation.

The highs of her cheeks flush and she ducks her head, mumbling into her scarf.

"You know I don't like it when you do that. Come on kit, tell oppa what's wrong?" he coos, gently chiding her and drawing her attention to him.

"I got in between a fight about to happen." She mumbles eyes darting up to look MJ hyung in the eyes.

The way hyung's body sags, head drops. I recognise the gesture too well, resignation.

"What are we going to do with you?" he asks, gently grasping one of her hands.

But then she's sitting up, a small grimace on her face, before she faces him with an earnest, raw expression.

"But oppa. Someone had to do something. A vampire and human were going to fight and then I got in the way of the guy's shove." She says, expression displaying her greater concern about the altercation then the injury she sustained from it.

"Who? The vampire?" MJ hyung asks, voice disappointed.

But she shakes her head adamantly.

"The human. He was trying to provoke the young vampire into an argument. He didn't deserve it." She says firmly.

Aish...what am I going to do with this girl?

This isn't the first time and I know it's far from the last. But she has a habit of impulsively intervening in confrontations- her own safety always fails to become a priority for her.

MJ hyung fusses over her and I realise that the hand he has been grasping has begun fading from an angry red back to her usual complexion- whilst he was talking to her, he was also already starting the healing process.

He lifts her hand placing a small peck on it but exaggerates the smacking sound of his lips to induce a giggle out of her.

"There you go, all healed. Now can you show me your hip?" he asks, eyes crinkling.

(Y/N) hesitates, eyes nervously looking at me, clearly apprehensive of my reaction.

I shoot her back a reassuring smile. I'll try my best to control my emotions, even if everything inside me is roaring with the intent to find that human for having caused her pain in the first place.

Her hands go to hover over the right side of her sweater before she's pulling it up, fabric rising to reveal a patchwork of mottling skin- red marks having begun to purple and darken, marring her skin with an array of bruises which rise across her side and disappear under the waist of her jeans.

I clamp down on the anger and fury and protectiveness that rises at the sight, hear the sharp intake of air from MJ hyung- the curse that slips out of his mouth, barely inaudible to (Y/N)'s ears but loud and clear in my own.

His hands hover over her skin as though fearful his own touch will aggravate her pain, and he flinches when they come to rest on her skin- having felt an echo of her pain and no doubt perturbed by it.

There's a pinched look in (Y/N)'s eyes, as if she's trying to maintain the mask of being fine and it's slowly slipping and the tightness of her jaws immediately alert me to the fact that she's clenching her teeth, holding the pain at bay, willing it back down her throat.

Hyung's power fills the air, but it brushes across me with all the comfort of a warm blanket, a soothing balm and I watch as the pain begins to dissipate and the colouring of her bruises lessen.

She sighs, a deep breath full of relief, and looks to hyung with sleepy eyes.

"Thank you oppa." Her voice comes out slightly slurred, the aftereffects of hyung's ability- but I don't doubt for a second that hyung would've made her slightly sleepy anyways, he's always fussing over her health and I've seen him eye her dark-circles frequently in the past with a grim look, the sight of them appearing to be a personal offence to him.

"You're welcome love. Now don't go working yourself too hard to prepare for your exhibition." He gently scolds, smoothing back her hair with a fond hand, the gesture making her melt into the couch.

"I won—" is all she manages to get out before a yawn interrupts her.

She sits up sheepishly, eyes filled with the beginning dredges of sleep.

The tightness in my chest fades now that I see she's fine, her body is already laxer- easier for her to move without the pain become a handicap. I guide her back to her feet, before turning to hyung.

"Thank you so much hyung. I hope I didn't disturb you." I say, bowing my head in gratitude.

A small huff before he appears in front of me, looking up at me.

"No disturbance Yugyeom-ah." He reassures.

When we leave, he stands at the door waving energetically at us, face crinkled with pure happiness, calling out a loud 'stay safe' to us as we leave.

I'm glad MJ hyung is so caring and willing to help. Without him, god knows how much pain (Y/N) would've suffered, so many injuries he's patched up.

I shoot her a side glance, lips curling up at the dazed expression as she grasps my arm for support.

Now...what do I need to do to convince her?

JIMIN POV:

Something's wrong. I'm so sure of it. Even though Kookie had been smiling and his usual energetic self when he greeted us after lessons, something doesn't sit right with me. Every time he lapses into silence, it's as if his thoughts are miles away from the present, the slightly unfocused look in his eyes telling me he's thinking hard about something.

But what is that something that causes a frown to pop up or for his eyes to droop downwards or his fingers to fidget?

I know I'm not the only one who's noticed. Tae who had been curved into Kookie's side- eagerly plastered against him, has stopped toying and teasing, eyes now focused and intense as they try to pick up on any tells that could give a hint about what's bothering our youngest soulmate.

Joonie hyung has stopped talking eagerly about his thoughts about the latest book he's been reading, words cutting off mid-sentence to stare concernedly at Kookie, dimples vanishing as he worries silently. Hobi hyung had been happily chatting to Jin hyung and Yoongi hyung, about the latest dance performance coming up before Christmas break, the other two enraptured more in Hobi hyung's smiles and glowing radiant face as he passionately talked but eventually the conversation had petered away to drop into a silence, the glowing look vanishing and being replaced with a silent countenance. Yoongi hyung's eyes have constantly been darting to Kookie, eyes becoming narrower and narrower, lips tightening as he thinks about what it is that had made their energetic maknae vampire so downcast.

I lean forward from where I sit on Kookie's other side, hand sliding up to cup his jaw, smiling sadly even as he nuzzles into the touch automatically, his beautiful eyes sliding to meet me with a vulnerable expression.

Even though my heart doesn't beat, it still lurches violently, body reacting to comfort him as I encase his larger frame in my arms, trying to keep my distress at bay when he burrows himself into me, trying to make himself smaller as he seeks out comfort. The concern and worry in the others' eyes greet me and the others shift closer, seats abandoned as they hasten towards us.

"Kookie love, what's wrong?" Jin hyung asks, coming to kneel in front of him, the table we're seated at providing to be an obstacle.

Kookie just burrows himself in further before a small voice speaks out.

"Hyung...do I seem evil?" he asks, and I feel my heart shatter.

The sorrow on everyone's faces is clear, even as we all hasten to reassure him.

"What happened Jungkook-ah?" Yoongi hyung asks, unable to stop the hardness from creeping into his tone as his protective instincts begin to flare. Joon hyung places a hand on hyung's shoulder.

"Here isn't the best place." He says quietly.

Jin hyung straightens, body encompassed with the sheer power he possesses, even as his eyes remain gentle as he looks at us.

"Let's go home loves." He says before we teleport. His power encompasses us all in a tight but gentle hold, brushing across us with a loving caress, a minor reflection of hyung's affection, as the slightly busy nature of the restaurant disappears and we find ourselves in the comfort of our living room. The safety of our home.

Now that we're home, all of us rush to surround Kookie- who's grip on my shirt has only tightened in the past few moments.

"Now baby, tell hyungs what's wrong." Hobi hyung coos next to him, pressing a soft kiss against his head.

Kookie turns to face us, shifting slowly before settling in my lap so he can look at us- but his eyes are troubled.

And then his mouth opens to speak.

(ACK! POOR KOOK! HE'S BEEN TROUBLED BY THE INCIDENT AND YOU'LL SEE NEXT CHAPTER WHY THIS REALLY MATTERS TO HIM- THE EXPLANATION OF HIS DISDAIN FOR HUMANS COMING WILL BE REVEALED! HOW WAS IT? WATTPAD DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SHOWING ME THE FULL NOTIFICATIONS BUT PLEASE DO LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS- THEY MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE! HOW WAS IT? SLOWLY BECOMING INTERESTING, I HOPE! BUT IF I'M BORING YOU- DO TELL! THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT LOVELIES! STAY SAFE!)

Let not bad memories haunt you, let them not linger and pull you back, ensnaring you with negative feelings. You deserve to live freely from them, unshackled from thoughts that could bring you down. Live happily loves!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3