Lovers in the Night | Yang Jungwon

I

BEGINNING,

After what felt like a billion years to Danah, the school bell finally rings. Mentally sighing in relief, she immediately starts packing her things to so that she could leave the classroom as soon as possible. "Remember, students. There will be no school this Monday because it is the annual night of the Vampires. Stay safe!" Ms Song announces as students begin leaving the classroom.

Minji automatically appears next to Danah, already finished stuffing her school supplies into ber bag. "Do Vampires even exist?" Minji whispers into her best friend's ear.

"If they have their own holiday, I guess so." Danah shrugs, zipping up her bag and throwing it over her shoulder.

"Well, then what do Vampires do on their own holiday?" Minji questions.

"Probably planning ways to take over the world and enslave humanity," Danah sarcastically says, a bit absent-minded. She didn't really care too much about the Vampires, none have ever bothered her, so why would she be worried?

"Whatever," Minji brushes it off as well. "At least we get a free day every November 30. Wanna go to the arcade that day like we do every year?"

Danah smiles, knowing that would be a great idea.

They'd often dismiss the fact that Vampires could possibly be lurking around because neither of them have ever met one — they found the concept of Vampires to be a taboo.

They would stumble upon claims online that people have been getting eaten by Vampire, but again, those could be faked.

"I am overhearing that you guys are planning on going out on that day," Wonyoung was in front of two girls, packing her own belongings. The two simply nod. "Just be safe, yeah?"

Danah chuckles, "Don't worry about us, Class President. We'll be fine, we can handle ourselves."

"I'd hope so," Sullyoon joins the conversation. "You guys are brave, I refuse to take even one step outside during those days. I've seen one before."

Wonyoung gasps, "Seen what? A Vampire?" Danah and Minji eye each other, a bit skeptical.

Sullyoon surveys the room with her eyes before answering with a quieter voice, "Yes. A few years November 30s ago, I saw one biting a stranger's neck during my nature walks."

Danah suddenly reconsiders her plans with her best friend. Minji's jaw drops, "What did the Vampire look like? Was it ugly?"

"He looked exactly like a human," Sullyoon enunciates the pronoun. "He was beautiful."

"What was he wearing?" Minji corrects herself, further interrogating her friend.

"Regular human clothes," Sullyoon responds. She seemed to have been wanting to share her peculiar experience for a while now.

"There's no way he was a Vampire. Aren't they supposed to be ugly as heck? Maybe you saw a social experiment or something," Wonyoung tilts her head.

"You sure you're not trying to scare us or anything?" Danah nervously chuckles.

"No, why would I?" Sullyoon pouts, getting a bit defensive. "You guys don't need to believe me, but I saw what I saw."

Sullyoon was normally a quiet girl who only talked when she needed to. Because of that fact, Danah felt that there was some truth in her claim.

"Girls, please excuse yourselves from my class now. I'd like to go home right away," Ms Song interrupts the conversation. She had already finished packing.

"Right," Wonyoung nods. "Stay safe, Ms Song." They all bow and mutter out apologies before collectively leaving the classroom.

Ms Sont simply smiles. "You, too, Wonyoung." Sullyoon adds and Wonyoung thanks her.

The four then part ways, since Wonyoung had a council meeting and Sullyoon had choir practice.

"Do you think what Sullyoon says she saw was accurate?" Danah asks Minji, to which she shook her head unsurely.

They start heading out the school when another student bumps shoulders with Danah which causes her to hit the doorframe a bit. "Hey, watch where you're going!" Minji snaps.

Danah instantly regains her footing, "Girl, it's fine. They must be in a hurry or something," she looks at Minji then looks at her culprit.

Yang Jungwon. Her vice class president.

In her eyes, he was the most beautiful man she'd ever met, and she'd often catch herself looking at him because of how charming he was.

Every time Danah looked at Jungwon, she would feel shivers getting sent down her spine. She was friendly with majority of her classmates, but she could never dare approach Jungwon.

He often looked cold and uninterested in making conversation, nor in interacting with anyone in the class. The only other people he talked to were not in the homeroom he shared with the girl.

Though his curly locks hid almost half of his eyes most of the time, it was no doubt his stare pierced into everyone's souls. It was as if he hid secrets behind them.

It's a wonder how he ended up being Vice Class President due to how introverted he is. He obviously got votes for his looks.

Nishimura Riki was one of his closest friends, and he was a year younger than Jungwon. Kim Sunoo, a student graduated this year, was also a part of his circle. However, unlike Jungwon, they would be friendly to everyone else.

The three boys are part of a bigger friend group. However, the other four had already graduated, so Danah didn't ever see them around. Still, they were hard to forget because the entire school would drool over that group of attractive boys.

Jungwon gives Danah a blank stare before nonchalantly walking off. Ouch. "What an entitled brat," Minji scoffs.

From the moment they met, Minji despised Jungwon instantly. Danah never questioned it because Jungwon seemed like the type she'd dislike. Quiet, too handsome, cocky.

Although Danah knew that Minji felt that way about him, she couldn't help but feel interested and attracted to him.

"I hope a Vampire gobbles him up this Monday," she continues.

"Too far, Minji!" Danah yelps, smacking her friend at the back of her head. In no time, the two best friends were hysterically laughing. Danah had already forgotten about Sullyoon's claim about seeing a Vampire.