Bad Blood [NoRenMin] ✔

18

Their schedules were a complete mess.

Haechan is in the room with Mark today. All semester tests are over and the days of exams only seem to be looming over. Closer and closer which meant that more study sessions were scheduled and everyone saw less of each other. Jaemin only looked forward to the semester break that would follow exam season.

"Are you spending the night with Mark again?" Jaemin asks because apparently Renjun was the sort to leave messages unread or untouched until he found the time to get to it. They've been on and off texting since the kiss, but haven't spoken to each other. They haven't had the talk about what the kiss meant and ever since then, they've been narrowly missing each other because of their schedule. (Schedules be damned.)

"Yeah," Haechan murmurs. "So Renjun will be here again." Jaemin doesn't miss the look the other casts his way but he does pretend he doesn't see it as he grabs his bag. He pulls on a coat and just as he's about to open the door, it pushes open and Renjun steps in. They just about miss bumping into each other and when they lock eyes, Jaemin instinctively looks away, his cheeks warming just the slightest bit.

"Sorry," Renjun murmurs. Jaemin shakes his head.

"It's alright," He assures.

There's a moment of awkwardness as the two of them continue to stand there. Jaemin snaps himself out of it and turns around in time to catch Jisung about to knock on the door. He straightens as he spots Jaemin and then he pulls a face. "Is this a bad time?" he asks and Jaemin shakes his head quickly.

"I was just about to get you downstairs," he replies and then turns to the three in the room. "Uh, so I'll see you guys," he says and with one final glance at Renjun, he nods his head and he's exiting the room with Jisung.

"Everything alright?" Jisung queries. "That seemed a little awkward."

Jaemin doesn't respond because really, he wasn't wrong. Boy, Jisung didn't even know half of it.

*

"Well, well, look who it is." Xiaojun is working today. He's leaning on the counter, hands pressed flat against it and watching them as they take their seats. His hair is gelled back and somehow, his eyes are more intense and dark; Jaemin remains unsettled so rather than having to stare into them (because for whatever reason, this guy actually makes eye contact with people and Jaemin struggles not to meet gazes), he looks around the place while Jisung orders for the both of them.

The place is rather empty; only three people here and out of those three, one happened to be seated two seats away from Jaemin. It's a guy paging through a magazine. Xiaojun walks over and pours coffee into the cup by the male's hand before actually getting to their order.

"So, I heard you got attacked again," Xiaojun says, rather loudly. Jaemin keeps his gaze on the guy by the counter. He wonders whether Xiaojun even realized the male was there that he was talking way too loudly. "Oi."

Jaemin turns. "What? Oh, yeah. So what about it?"

"You're turning attacks into a little habit," Xiaojun says. "You should be careful," he warns.

"I'm not really trying to get attacked," Jaemin mutters as he pulls the glass closer to him. He can feel Xiaojun staring, but he'd much rather stare at the bar counter than make eye contact. He shifts in his seat and as he lifts his gaze, he catches the bartender's gaze and Jaemin cannot help but follow it because rather than having his gaze on Jaemin, it was on the male a couple of seats over. "Do you know him?" Jaemin queries.

Xiaojun's gaze shoots over to him, but he doesn't say anything. So Jaemin decides that just this once, he'll voice a possible assumption. "Or are you staring because you think he's cute?" At this, Xiaojun's eyes flash and for a moment, Jaemin thinks he's really done it. Maybe he finally managed to piss this guy off. He contemplates what would happen if the other tried to punch him, because his eyes appear angry enough for him to act upon something like that.

"Oh, he definitely thinks I'm cute." It's the guy talking now. Jaemin turns his head and the guy is looking at them. He's got this big smile and his hair is even messier than it appeared from the side. His eyes turn up a little as he smiles and if Jaemin met him in any other circumstance, he would probably see him as a dorky kind of cute. The guy closes the magazine and slides it over the counter. "He just won't admit it," he continues and then turns in his seat so that he's facing Jaemin and Jisung. (He can feel Jisung leaning over his shoulder as he watches the exchange, but he doesn't have anything against it so he doesn't say anything.)

"I do not think you're cute," Xiaojun mutters. Jaemin cannot help the feeling of surprise. He never expected to see Xiaojun pouty and right now, that was the exact expression his face was making.

"I'm hurt," the guy says, though his tone is more amused than anything else.

"That's a mean thing to say to your boyfriend." Taeyong makes his way behind the counter and grins as his eye catches Jaemin and Jisung. It's nice being greeted with a warm welcome, he must admit. "Jaemin, Jisung, this is Yangyang," he introduces.

"Jaemin as in the newbie?" Yangyang queries with a tilt of his head. Jaemin pulls a face in response.

"Are you a hunter as well?" he asks as a means of avoiding the question. Compared to Xiaojun, he was more smiley.

"That I am. Longer in the game than Xiaojun, but better at staying out of the way," he says and the way he grins makes Jaemin wonder if he's joking. He doesn't ask and he doesn't get a chance as there's a tap at the counter to gain their attention again. He turns around.

"So the vampire that attacked you the other night," Taeyong starts. Xiaojun leans in and Yangyang moves to the seat beside Jaemin. Jisung leans in as well and Jaemin nods at Taeyong. "He's apparently well-known for attacking places like these. Clubs, bars, parties and really any place where there is going to be a bunch of people gathering and getting drunk."

"Where did you find this out?"

Taeyong pauses. "The head of hunters," he supplies after a moment. "Kwon Jiyong. It's our duty to inform the head of any attacks and they usually keep a record. Apparently they've been keeping tabs on this specific vampire."

"So you know the name?" Jisung asks rather impatiently. There's the hint of a smile before Taeyong composes himself. He nods and then he's standing up straight and he looks anything but pleased.

"He goes by the name Hendery," Taeyong starts. "And he's one of the oldest vampires we have managed to encounter yet."