“Okay, thank you for your time, sir.” I offered a slight bow to the principal and exited his office, finding Ji Eun waiting for me in the hallway.
“So? Did you get your schedule? Which class are you taking?” she asked, her voice bubbling with excitement.
I glanced at the slip of paper in my hand. “Maths. You?”
She checked her own schedule, then chuckled. “Same! Come on, let’s go together.”
I simply nodded. Ji Eun looped her arm through mine, guiding me toward our classroom. The gesture felt surprisingly…comfortable.
As we approached the classroom door, I took a deep breath, steeling myself. Ji Eun squeezed my hand reassuringly before releasing it as we stepped inside.
I bowed respectfully to the professor, who was walking toward us with a wide grin. “You must be the new girl. You’re on time. Why don’t you introduce yourself to everyone?”
He led me to the center of the classroom, and my throat tightened with nerves. “Oh… Annyeonghaseyo everyone. M-My name is Kim Chae Eun. I’m nineteen years old. Nice to meet you.”
I stammered, my gaze flitting across the faces of the students. Some looked curious, others indifferent. A few girls offered shy smiles. I’d grown used to being overlooked.
“Very well, Chae Eun, you can sit beside Ji Eun.” He instructed, and I nodded, hurrying towards her desk.
“Hey!” she whispered with a warm smile.
“Heya!” I returned, settling into the seat beside her.
The professor began the lesson, but then the classroom door burst open, revealing seven tall young men—all but one noticeably shorter.
My gaze snagged on a familiar figure, standing with his back to me. As he turned, recognition flared. It was the boy from this morning—the one with the unsettling intensity.
“You’re late. Detention for all of you,” the professor said sternly, tapping his foot impatiently.
“We were only late for 0.03 seconds. That’s all,” the boy from this morning retorted, rolling his eyes. He sauntered to his seat, and the others followed, offering murmured apologies.
The professor resumed the lesson, but my attention remained fixed on the boy. My mind felt strangely blank, as if all thought had been swept away. I felt…hypnotized, even just by his presence. A desperate curiosity bloomed within me. I needed to know who he was.
“Who is he?” I asked Ji Eun, my voice barely a whisper.
“Oh. That’s Jeon Jungkook. He’s…mysterious. Don’t go near him. Some girls came back acting strange after they approached him.” She replied, her voice laced with concern. “Forget about him. He’s not worth it.”
I couldn’t tear my gaze away. As our eyes met, Jungkook stared at me with an intensity that felt like a physical touch. His gaze seemed to bore into my soul.
Then, his eyes began to darken, shifting to a shade of crimson. A tremor ran through me.
*Who are you, Jeon Jungkook? What are you?*
My eyes widened as his lips curved into a slow, seductive smile. A shiver traced down my spine.
“Miss Chae Eun? Miss?! Are you listening?” The professor’s voice jolted me back to reality.
“H-Huh?” I stammered, looking at him dumbfounded. I realized I hadn’t been paying attention.
He gestured for me to stand, and I nervously obeyed. I glanced at Jungkook from the corner of my eye—he was smirking, a cruel glint in his eyes.
“Detention for you, Miss Chae Eun.” The professor said, resuming the lesson.
I sat down and sighed, feeling Jungkook’s gaze burning into my back.
“What were you looking at?” Ji Eun nudged me curiously.
I didn’t reply, simply continuing to stare at Jungkook.
“Chae Eun! I told you he’s dangerous. Please, I don’t want to lose another friend,” Ji Eun whispered, her voice laced with fear.
What had happened to her friend?
The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Everyone scrambled out of the classroom.
“Come on, let’s go to the cafeteria,” Ji Eun said, rising to her feet.
“W-Wait!” I stopped her, my voice trembling. “I need to…put my stuff into my locker. I’ll catch up later. You go ahead first. Plus, I have detention.”
She nodded, and as soon as she left, I found myself drawn toward the group of seven boys.
“What is he?” I murmured to myself.
My legs moved forward without my conscious control. I stopped in front of them, hoping for a smile, a casual greeting.
Instead, they turned a wall of cold, hostile stares toward me. I suddenly felt scared, biting my lips to suppress a tremor.
One of them—Jimin—stepped forward, gripping my chin firmly. A soft whimper escaped my lips.
“Yes…W-What’s your name? I just thought maybe w-we could be f-friends…” I stammered, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment.
They smirked at my nervousness, my stuttering, my blush.
“Name’s Jimin. That’s Taehyung, Jungkook, Namjoon, Seok Jin, Hoseok, and Yoongi.” He said, his grip tightening.
“So, why would you want to make friends with us kitten? Didn’t your lovely Ji Eun tell you to stay away from us? We’re dangerous, you know?” He raised an eyebrow, his nails digging into my skin.
“C-Could you please let me go?” A tear welled in my eye.
I looked at Jungkook helplessly, hoping for some sign of recognition, some flicker of compassion. But he didn’t even glance at me, his gaze fixed on his phone.
Suddenly, he reached out and gripped my thigh.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” I screamed, yanking my leg away.
He snarled at me. Just as Jungkook stood up, I lunged toward him, grabbing his arm.
“Jungkook-sshi!” I pleaded, desperate for answers.
He frowned, examining me from head to toe. “What were you doing to me this morning?” I finally managed to ask.
But he didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in close, inhaling deeply. I stopped him by gripping his shoulders.
“Jungkook-sshi? W-What are you doing?” My chest tightened with fear.
He closed his eyes and inhaled again, then opened them, his gaze burning into mine. He smiled, a predatory glint in his eyes.
“I want your blood…”
To Be Continued.