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" Today the moon shines brighter

on the blank spot in my memories

It swallowed me, this lunatic,

please save me tonight... "

- Save Me, BTS

- Lee Keni

I walked inside Headmistress Lee's office right after Minjung and Doyoung. Noah, Jaxon, and Chaewon followed right after me and when we all got inside we saw Dakyung and Maya sitting on the two chairs that are in front of the headmistress's wooden desk. They both nervously looked at us. I gave Maya a worried expression, but she just shook her head and gave me a quick 'okay' sign with her left hand. I sighed, not in relief, but in absolute frustration. I already know why we were all called in for tonight but was it necessary to drag the Vampires, too?

Headmistress Lee sat down on her chair and looked at each one of us before saying, "We heard from Mr. Kim Bomin and Mr. Kang Jaehyuck their version of what had happened during the Guardians' Training class. But what surprised me and the staff is that... their stories were different from each other's reports. That is why I've gathered all seven of you to my office."

I looked over at Minjung, who was already looking at me. We both know how Bomin and Jaehyuck are rivals, but why would they write different versions of their report? That we don't understand. Then we both looked back at the headmistress and the four professors in the big room. Professor Hwang is the Vampire's History teacher, he usually doesn't really dwell in the Guardians' business, but since Dakyung and Noah were involved with the fight from earlier, he must have been forced by the other Professors to join them for tonight's meeting. Another teacher of the Vampires is Professor Ryu. She's their Home Economics teacher and Rosie's aunt and Yeji's adopted mother. I could tell that she didn't want to punish any of us, but because she's also a member of the Council, she must have decided to be here to voice out her opinions of the fight from earlier this day. Then lastly are the Guardians' Professors. Professor Min is honestly our favorite teacher because he has been taking good care of us, Guardians, since our first year in Vampire Academy. I can see the worry in his eyes and wondered if he was worried about us personally, or our grades. Then there's the Hellhound. Professor Kwang is known for his absurd teachings and the way he talks to us students can be a little out of his limits- okay, not a little, but a lot. He is much worse than Diana, Minjung, and Doyoung's classmates. Since he's a teacher, we can't exactly fight back... even if we have our right to do so.

With the four professors on both sides of the room and the headmistress in the middle near the windows of the office, I thought of the possible things that could happen. I wanted to think positively about what might happen, but after looking at Dakyung and Maya, I could tell that nothing good will come out of tonight's meeting.

"So, why don't you tell us what exactly happened earlier today at the field," Professor Hwang spoke up, totally pretending that he wants to be here.

"And please do not lie to us, children," Professor Ryu added in, her motherly side showing, making Professor Kwang roll his eyes at her.

Then Minjung took a step forward and all eyes were on her. She opened her mouth and started to explain from her point of view about the fight from how it started to how it ended. Then each of us was told to explain our point of view. I somehow ended up as the last one and oh, Professor Kwang just had to point at me and say, "See! She doesn't even respect those who are older than her! Headmistress, why would you have her in the Top 5 if she can't even control her own temper?"

I could see Maya fuming on her chair and Dakyung trying to calm her down. I could also sense my other friends trying not to talk back to Professor Kwang for the discrimination he laid against me. But now, that I think about it... Why is he suddenly so against me?

"I'm sorry, Professor Kwang, but what did I ever do to you to make you discriminate against me like that?" I asked all of sudden, earning everyone's shocked expressions.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK BACK TO ME!" The middle-aged man hollered as he stomped his way toward me.

I see his hand up in the air, ready to slap me, but someone had stopped him. I felt the familiar gust of wind coming from outside the once closed window. Then I looked over at Noah and saw her using her gift.

"Noah, no!" We all called out to her, except for the Professor who is standing still in front of me.

The younger Vampire's white glowing eyes came back and she threw daggers at the teacher. "First, Diana attacked Keni. Second, Yebin mistreats Leela. And now, a teacher tries to slap his student after asking a question? EXACTLY, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ALL ARE TO TREAT US LIKE THIS?" With every sentence that came out of Noah's mouth, the gust of wind became stronger until Professor Kwang got knocked out from the lack of oxygen.

We all gasped and widened our eyes at what Noah did. Then the Headmistress did the unspeakable. She snapped her fingers and Noah fell asleep. Doyoung and Jaxon had to catch the young Vampire or else she would have fallen to the floor, and maybe wake up with a terrible headache the next day.

"Mr. Choi and Mr. Shin, please, take Ms. Kim to her dorm. Ms. Cha, you can go with them if you want," Headmistress Lee instructed as she looked back at me and Minjung.

"Wait!" I spoke up, making everyone look back at me and stopping the other five to leave the office.

Then Professor Ryu asked, "Yes, Ms. Lee? What is it?"

"I'll take everyone's punishment," I replied back, hoping that I won't regret tonight's decision.

"Keni, don't," Minjung whispered from beside me while Maya and Dakyung walked over to us.

"And why should we punish you and let the others go?" Professor Min asked with a curious glare.

I looked at my friends and nodded my head, mentally telling them that it was okay. Then I looked at each one of the adults, even at the unconscious one on the floor, and answered, "Because if it wasn't for me, then the fight wouldn't have started. Noah and Jaxon wouldn't have used their gifts. Also, Noah wouldn't have used the Air Element against Professor Kwang. It's all my fault, so please just punish me instead and give the others a chance."

"I don't know if this is just another one of your selfless acts, Ms. Lee," Professor Min exclaimed while shaking his eyes. "Or, it's just your stupidity leading you into the wrong path."

I cringed at the second part of his sentence and wished that he wasn't here in the office, but I know deep down that he was just looking out for me like always. Then the Headmistress stood up from her chair and walked over to me. "Are you sure about this, Keni?" She slowly asked me with a worried look in her eyes. "Once you get everyone's demerit points, you might not be able to pass this school year."

I gulped and heard my friends whispering to themselves, but I took a deep breath in and nodded my head.

"Yes, ma'am, I am sure about this."

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Everyone left the office, but Headmistress Lee had requested for me to stay behind. This time I really have no idea why I'm here. I mean, earlier with the group, I knew right away that it had something to do with the fight, but now that it's just me left in the office of the academy's headmistress, I can't think of any reasons why she'd want me to stay behind.

Then Headmistress Lee's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Keni? You still there?" She asked, her once serious voice back to the gentle one that I've known for the last 2 and half years.

I looked away from my shoes and over at the 28-year-old Vampire. Technically, she's over a hundred years old, but the female vampire still looks like someone whose age is in the late 20s.

"Still here, sorry..." I answered back, meekly, making the headmistress smile. Then I walked to the front of the wooden desk and sat down on one of the chairs. "Ma'am, can I ask you why I'm here?"

Headmistress Lee then frowned, but she quickly covered it up with a fake smile. I crossed my eyebrows in confusion and then she asked out of nowhere, "Keni... How are you?"

Why is it that every time someone would ask me that question, I'd feel like I'm being emotionally interrogated?

I didn't want to show how vulnerable I am due to the question so, I shrugged my shoulders and answered, "If I say that I'm okay, then I'd be lying. But I hate lies just as much as I hate the truth."

"So, you're feeling... neutral? In between? The middle?" Headmistress Lee pushed on, her eyes looking in through the windows to my soul.

I clenched my fists and asked while holding back my temper, "Why do you even want to know how I feel?

Then the Headmistress continued on, "It's been a week after Yeji's funeral. Of course, everyone would be feeling sad or maybe happy. But I do not know what you are feeling, Keni. I'm not an Emphatic. I'm a Seer."

I bit my bottom lip and looked away from her. "I don't know anymore, Headmistress Lee."

"What do you not know anymore, Keni?"

"...Everything after hearing about Yeji's death."

"You must have been close to her."

"I was... Wait, what?" I looked back at the head of the academy and suddenly saw a projection in front of me.

I don't know how to explain it but it's like I was looking a tv screen. Inside the projection, I saw two familiar faces and my eyes went wide. It was me and Yeji. It was the day before the holiday break started. Yeji wanted to teach me how to call out to a Lost Soul that wasn't a cat or a bird. But nothing happened for almost a minute. Not until Yeji held one of my hands then a light blind both mine and Headmistress Lee's eyes. Seconds later, my past self was talking to something that only she can see. Then the projection ended and it disappeared out of thin air as if it was never there the whole time.

"H-how..." I whispered while staring at nothing.

Headmistress then stood up from her chair. "Like, I said earlier, I'm a Seer. I can see the future and its many different versions. What you saw earlier was just something I registered in my mind."

"So... You know that I have a gift?" I asked nervously.

"Yes. I've known for some time now," Lee Jieun answered, making me take in shaky, deep breaths in.

Then something mentally hit me so hard right there.

I looked back at Headmistress Lee, this time I no longer felt nervous or worried. "You said that you're a Seer, right?" I asked while pushing down all of my inner thoughts that were telling me not to go against the Headmistress, like what I did to Professor Kwang and Diana.

Headmistress Lee gave me an amused look, but I can see in her eyes that she was panicking. I mentally smirked and knew that asking was the right choice.

"Yes, that's right."

"Then tell me... Can you see into my future? Can you see if I will ever get to meet my parents?"

It became quite right after that and then the Headmistress closed the window from behind her with just a snap of her fingers.

"I can, but I won't," She told me firmly.

I couldn't believe what she just told me. I stood up and asked why. But the headmistress just looked at me with an apologetic expression and there I knew it right away that everyone around me who knows who my real parents were or at least knows a way to figure out who they were, will continue to hide me from the truth.

"If you won't tell me then I'll figure it out by myself," I spoke up with full determination.

But then the headmistress said, "Ms. Lee, there are things that should never be said out loud, especially at the wrong time. You can't know who your real parents are."

And then I lost it again.

"Wrong time? What makes you think that tonight is the wrong time for me to know who my parents are? Who gave you the right to say that I can't know who they are?"

"Keni, I just don't want you to be disappointed-"

"No. You just don't want me to know who I really am because you're scared. All of you are."

I didn't want to stay in the office anymore. I decided to turn around and walk away, but I heard the snapping of fingers from Headmistress Lee and her powerful voice ringing out into the big room. (a/n: lmao chungha's snapping was playing- xD )

"I AM DOING THIS TO PROTECT YOU, CHILD!"

I stared at the most powerful Vampire in the whole academy, but I didn't cower away as most people would. Instead, I took another step forward, clearly crossing my limits.

"If you're truly protecting me, then you're going against the Law. The Law clearly states that a Guardian, no matter what age or rank he or she is in, will protect the Vampires, his or her Vampire or a Vampire of higher status. If you're protecting me as the academy's headmistress, then I'm sorry but I don't need your protection. I'm a Guardian just like Maya, Minjung, Doyoung, and Chaewon. I'm a Guardian just like Yeji. If you're protecting me then who is protecting them? Who was protecting Yeji that night she was killed? Why do we, Guardians, need to protect you, Vampires, when you have the strength, speed, and powers? WHY MAKE US GO THROUGH TRAINING WHEN YOU CAN JUST TEACH THE VAMPIRES HOW TO FIGHT? TELL ME, WHY?!"

By then, I was crying. My warm tears rolled down my cheeks as I started to fight for something that no other Guardian would've thought of doing. I've had enough of all the mistreatment, discrimination, and biased beliefs that the former and older Vampires placed in the younger generations' minds. I've had enough of going around in circles and following orders from Vampires. I don't hate my friends though, it's just everything that I've learned so far in the last 2 years and a half feels so wrong. It feels so wrong for me and my fellow Guardians. It feels like we're all being tied down on a leash like we're dogs. It feels like...

"It feels like we're being caged in... It feels like all of you do not want us to speak up," I whispered as one more tear escaped from my left eye.

"Keni... Thank you for your honesty," Headmistress Lee softly said as she walked over to my side. Then she added in, "I'm sorry if this was how you've been feeling. You're also right about Vampires having a bigger chance of protecting themselves, but you must remember what had happened a thousand years ago. My ancestors died after fighting against the Great Wolves and their Alpha. Years before the second battle had started, a group of teenagers claimed to be sons and daughters of Fallen Angels. That was how it started. The alliance between your kind and my kind. Your ancestors saw mine struggling to survive and because they saw a future with us, they decided to help us by being our protectors, or in other words, our Guardians."

"But that is from a thousand years ago." I looked over at the headmistress, who look taken back by what I said. "Why not let us Guardians choose? Why can't we live our lives the way we want to know like the Vampires?"

"Keni, that is blasphemy!" Headmistress Lee gasped in shock. "Why would you- You know what, today has been a tiring day. Maybe you should head on to your dorm and rest."

"You're definitely scared," I pointed out as I started to walk to the doors of the office. Then I added in before leaving, "It's understandable though. After all, I'm not the same as the other Guardians."

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Just when the doors of the office closed behind me, I saw Jisung standing a few feet in front of me with an expressionless face. I suddenly wondered if he had heard me shouting at Headmistress Lee earlier. Then Jisung sighed and looked at me in relief.

"I thought Headmistress Lee would make you sleep in her office tonight as your punishment," He told me as he gently grabbed my right hand with his left hand.

"What are you doing here, Jisung?" I asked, curiosity running around in my head again.

Then Jisung smiled at me. "What? I can't wait for my best friend outside the Headmistress's office and then walk her back to her dorm?" He asked, slightly getting dramatic.

I playfully rolled my eyes at him and gently punched his left arm with my left hand. "Of course, you can... It's just... I thought you'd be asleep by now," I said, muttering the last part under my breath as we started to walk down the corridor.

"So, uh, not that I was eavesdropping, but... you know you just kind of disrespected the Headmistress, right?"

My eyes went wide at what Jisung said. Then I looked at him and asked, "You heard everything?"

"Not really. I only heard the parts that you shouted," the 19-year-old answered with a small shrug.

I mentally facepalmed myself and sighed. "You're not angry are you?" I asked, making the both of us stopped walking.

"For what?" Jisung looked at me with a confused look.

I literally pinched my sides before saying, "For questioning about the Guardians having to protect the Vampires."

Jisung chuckled at me. "Just because you questioned the Law, it wouldn't make me angry at you. Actually, I'd be angry at the education system and the stupid biased beliefs that everyone follows."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, because it made you feel like you're not enough."

Something changed in that corridor and I honestly didn't want to affect my and Jisung's friendship.

"I'm going to the library," I suddenly said, making Jisung look at me in surprise.

"At this time? It's already past 10, Keni," he told me while scratching the back of his neck with his free hand.

Then I pulled my right hand away from his and grinned. "Yeah, I just think maybe I should read a book before going to sleep."

"I'll go with you then-"

"No! It's okay!"

"Are you sure?"

I nodded my head for the nth time today and saw Jisung's smile again.

Please, don't smile at me like that, Jisung...

"Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow morning!" He continued on, not catching on to my plans.

"Yeah, I'll see you in the morning," I replied back.

Then we both said our short goodbyes and I watched as Jisung walked down the corridor and took a right turn to the west wing. I sighed heavily and walked in the opposite direction to the academy's library. I felt the need to be alone, so the library was the first place to pop into my head as my safe haven for tonight.

But when I walked inside the three-floored library, I felt that tingling feeling once again and knew right away that he was there.

"I know you're in here," I called out as I walked over to the big, glass window and sat down on the pillowed chair that is installed near the windows.

A few seconds later, Choi Soobin showed up with a book in his right hand and a strawberry milk box in his left hand. He was surprised to see me while I stayed calm about the unexpected situation. Then he faked a cough and asked, "Can't sleep?"

"Not exactly," I answered back as I looked at the book he was holding.

Then I added in, "Beautiful Creatures?"

Soobin shuffled around and placed the thick book away on a random shelf. "Haruto was reading it earlier," He lied with a nervous laugh.

I raised my left eyebrow at him and smiled.

"That's a good book though," I said, wanting to see if he'd break his lie.

And he did.

"It is! The storyline is quite fascinating and leaves you wanting for more-"

Then I cut him off, "And I thought you said that Haruto was the one who read the book?"

Soobin blushed in embarrassment after realizing that he got caught. But he still continued on with his lie.

"Uh... He did!" He exclaimed while avoiding my eyes.

I softly smiled at that and looked out the window. I then saw the field and remembered something. Then my eyes went wide when I realized where Soobin was at the time the fight was happening down in the field.

"You!" I called out as I looked back at the tall vampire.

"Me?" Soobin asked in confusion.

Then I stood up from the pillowed seat and walked over to him. "You were here this whole time during the fight!"

The 18-year-old Vampire nervously gulped his saliva as he scratched the back of his neck while saying, "I have no idea what you're talking-" He stopped in mid-sentence when I stood in front of him with a curious expression on my face.

"So... You've never felt it?" I asked as I took a step forward toward him.

"Felt what?" He pushes on, lowering his head to my height, his gaze on me suddenly changed from the shy, nervous look to something else.

"That tingling feeling inside..." I whispered when our faces were only centimeters away from each other.

"Tingling... Feeling..." Soobin repeated, his warm breath hitting my nose and lips.

My mind suddenly went blank and once again I find myself staring into his eyes. The golden-red eyes.

Then Soobin moved his head to my side and whispered in my ear, "You know I've always wondered why I feel so different when you're around."

I was just about to reply back to him when I suddenly heard someone faking a cough from behind Soobin. We both jumped away from each other when we saw Haruto looking at us with a loop-sided grin.

"I've only been gone for five minutes and Soobin's got himself a little busy," The young Vampire teased while munching on a chocolate chip cookie.

"Ah... Um... Ruto!" Soobin called out while forcing a laugh. "Y-you're, um, you're back!"

Haruto innocently chuckled at Soobin's reaction and looked over at me. "Hi, sunbae!" He greeted with a cute tone.

I smiled at the 17-year-old and greeted him back. Then Haruto added in, "You both can continue on where you left off! I'll just be over by the tables, eating my cookies! So, don't mind me~!"

"Wait, Haruto!" Both Soobin and I called out to the younger boy, but Watanabe Haruto had used his vampire speed to leave the first floor before we could catch him.

Then an awkward silence engulfed Soobin and I. I honestly don't know what is worse... the one back in the Dining Hall, or the one here in the Library.

"It's late. You should maybe head on back to your room," Soobin told me as he looked outside the glasses window that is right across from us.

We both see the crescent moon all alone out in the starless sky.

Then Soobin added in, "If you like, we can talk about that tingling feeling tomorrow."

I looked at him in surprise and smiled.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Soobin smiled back but he still wasn't looking at me.

Then I started to walk to the doors of the library but stopped midway. I then turned around and saw Soobin looking at me. He didn't blush this time. Instead, he carried the eye contact between us and then I spoke up, "I know that you lied about Haruto reading that book."

Soobin's eyes went wide and just when he was about to say something, I shook my head and continued, "Maybe, if you like... We can also talk about the fascinating storyline that got you wanting more."

Then I left the library with a smiling Soobin sketched into my mind.

A/n:
So empowering...
Welp, there goes candidate #1 in breaking the biased system and beliefs 😌
I am still shookt by how Lee Keni went against the Law and the headmistress... pls tell me that I am not the only one rooting for my oc? 😂😂😂

And Ruto be shipping #SooNi ✊🏼✊🏼🧡

From empowerment to squealing-

Okay srsly my author's note is not going anywhere lmaooo

Just comment down what you think about CHAPTER FIVE lol

xoxo,
author-nim

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