romance is dead ❧ q.k | ✔

book one ❧ [ii]

It was dark out when you eventually left Kunhang's apartment, the review guide completed, and your brain just a little fried from all that math. With your backpack slung over your shoulder, and keys in hand, you took off down the sidewalk for the short walk back to your own home.

"Y/N." A voice suddenly saying your name from right beside you made you jump out of your skin.

"Oh, shit!" You exclaimed, clutching a hand to your chest. When you whipped around to see that it belonged to a familiar face, you took a deep breath before greeting him. "Uh, hi, Kun."

He remained quiet.

You kept talking, adjusting your bag strap on your shoulder to calm yourself down, "Sorry about all that back in Kunhang and Yangyang's apartment, by the way. I know it was stupid of me to drink something in a witch's fridge that tasted off. That part was on me."

"Are you walking home?" He questioned, focus rather intense on you.

"Yeah, my apartment isn't far." You gestured in the vague direction of it.

A deep frown etched itself into his features, "By yourself? It's rather late."

"I know! What if another vampire sneaks up on me?" You gasped teasingly.

"Will you let me walk you home? Please?"

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh, uh, sure. Thanks."

The two of you walked side by side in silence. You shifted your bookbag from one shoulder to the other when your muscles got tired.

"Is that heavy?" Kun asked.

"I mean, kind of? My laptop's in there, and a couple notebooks; Kunhang and I were doing this review packet for a Calc test," you explained.

"I can carry it for you." He held a hand out expectantly.

"Oh, you really don't have to."

"I want to."

"Uhm... okay." You pulled the bag off your shoulder and handed it to him by the strap. Honestly, you wouldn't be too terribly surprised if he ran off with it. Him robbing you seemed about as likely as him randomly offering to walk you home and carry your bag for you.

Kun effortlessly slipped the bookbag on. It looked out of place against his slacks and dress shirt/sweater combo, especially with your multiple cute character keychains that you had attached to the zipper.

He dutifully carried it all the way to your front door for you, where you gratefully took it back. You were very excited for tonight to be over. Between studying, the potion debacle, and now this incredibly awkward interaction, diving headfirst into your bed sounded like exactly what you needed.

"Thank you, Kun, I'm just going to—" You cut yourself off when you were finally able to see his face clearly in the security light outside your apartment door. His crimson irises were nearly gone, entirely swallowed by inky pupils, and he was pulling at his shirt almost as if he were fanning himself to cool down. "Oh my god, Kun, are you okay? Your pupils are... blown. I'd check your temperature, but I don't think vampires can run a fever, can you?"

"I... I'm..." He didn't even finish his sentence, biting down on his bottom lip, and holding up a finger in a gesture for you to wait a moment.

You didn't know too much about vampires, nor whatever ailments they could possibly get afflicted with, but you did know somebody who probably would. Bringing your phone out from your pocket, you started flicking through your contacts list, "I feel like I should call Renjun. He's a Magical Creatures Studies major. Uhm, he was able to figure out why Dejun stopped producing fire for a weird two weeks last year. He might be able to help. Here, let me—"

"No, I'm fine. I know what it is."

"Oh. That's good. What is it? Is there anything I can do?"

Kun straightened back up, hand going to smooth out the wrinkles in his sweater that he'd caused by pulling it at. "I believe Yangyang's love potion was successful in a way he did not intend."

"Kun, seriously, I don't feel any—"

"I do." He cut you off sternly, focusing his darkened eyes on yours.

"You..." You breathed out, eyes widening.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, I apologize." He bowed his head. "I tried to control it as best as I could. But yes, I suddenly started experiencing extremely strong romantic feelings for you earlier tonight."

"O-Oh."

"I should go, I've seen you home safely."

"Right, uhm, goodnight, Kun," you nodded to him, too stunned to say much else.

You clenched your jaw not to make a noise of surprise when he picked up one of your hands with his much colder one. He bent over nearly ninety degrees to press a feather-light to the back of your hand. If you had a free hand, you would've pinched yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming yourself into a rom-com right now.

"Goodnight, Y/N," he gently let go of your hand before taking a step back from you.

After fumbling to unlock your door, you practically ran inside. Oh, you were going to kill Yangyang.