love of a vampire - leeknow × seungmin

Chapter 9

THIRD PERSON POV:

The days flew by, and before Seungmin knew it, the night of Felix's party had arrived. Evening settled over the campus as Seungmin stood in front of the mirror, scrutinizing his reflection with a critical eye. Lee Know had picked out an outfit for him-dark jeans, a fitted black shirt, and a jacket that added just the right amount of edge.

"You look great, Seungmin," Lee Know assured him, giving his friend a once-over before turning back to his own outfit. He opted for a slightly more daring look, with a sleek button-down shirt left casually undone at the collar and tailored pants. "Now, let's do something about this hair."

With a few expert flicks of a comb and some light styling, Lee Know managed to tame Seungmin's hair into something more party-ready. They both added light touches of makeup, just enough to enhance their features without going overboard. By the time they were done, Seungmin could hardly recognize himself.

"Ready?" Lee Know asked, grabbing his keys and flashing a grin at Seungmin through the mirror.

Seungmin took a deep breath, still feeling a bit of anxiety bubbling under the surface. "As I'll ever be."

The drive to Felix's place was filled with music and light conversation, but the moment they pulled up to the address Felix had sent, Seungmin's nerves spiked again. The house was massive, practically glowing with bright lights that spilled out into the night. Music thumped from inside, so loud they could hear it clearly even with the windows up.

"Wow," Lee Know said, sounding impressed. "Felix wasn't kidding about it being a party."

Seungmin swallowed hard. "This is... a lot."

Lee Know reached over and gave Seungmin's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be fine. Just stick with me, okay? Let's go."

They stepped out of the car and walked up to the house. As they pushed through the front door, they were immediately hit with the smell of alcohol and the sound of people singing and dancing, the party in full swing. Seungmin's anxiety returned in full force, but Lee Know stayed close, guiding him through the crowd.

"Let's find Felix," Lee Know suggested, scanning the room. But after a few minutes of searching, they still couldn't spot him.

Seungmin tugged on Lee Know's sleeve, leaning in to be heard over the noise. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick."

"Okay, I'll grab us some drinks," Lee Know replied. "Meet me back here?"

Seungmin nodded and made his way to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him with a sigh of relief. The quiet was a welcome contrast to the chaos outside. He took his time, splashing water on his face and trying to steady his breathing. Twenty minutes passed before he finally felt calm enough to rejoin the party.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, the first thing he saw was Lee Know-standing with Felix near the bar, both of them laughing loudly, clearly very drunk. Lee Know's face was flushed, and Felix was swaying slightly as he leaned on the counter.

"Seungmin!" Lee Know called out, waving him over with a goofy grin. "Come here, we're gonna play a game!"

Felix, barely able to keep a straight face, nodded eagerly. "Yeah, come on! We're getting everyone from our year together!"

Seungmin hesitated but walked over, glancing around the room nervously. Felix had already gathered a small group-Hyunjin, Changbin, Jisung, Jeongin, and Chan-all in varying states of inebriation. The group was a mix of familiar faces, and they all greeted Seungmin as he approached.

"Let's go upstairs!" Felix said, already moving towards the staircase with the rest of them following.

Seungmin kept close to Lee Know, hoping the game would be quick and painless. Once they were in Felix's room, the group settled in a loose circle, with Felix plopping down on the bed and pulling out an empty bottle for a round of Truth or Dare.

The game started out lighthearted, with the usual silly dares and embarrassing truths, but Seungmin was on edge the entire time, especially as he kept an eye on Lee Know's tipsy state. Just when he thought they might make it through without incident, Hyunjin, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, suddenly turned to Seungmin with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"So, Seungmin," Hyunjin said, his voice laced with curiosity, "who gave you that mark on your neck?"

Seungmin froze, his mind racing. The mark-an almost imperceptible scar just below his collarbone-was something he'd been careful to keep hidden. It was the result of an incident involving Lee Know's true nature, something they had never discussed with anyone else. He could feel the panic rising in his chest, but before he could come up with an excuse, Lee Know, in his drunken state, giggled and blurted out, "Oh, that was me! I'm a vampire, you know. I drank Seungmin's blood!"

Seungmin's heart skipped a beat as the room fell silent for a split second before erupting into laughter.

"Yeah, right," Jisung laughed, clearly thinking it was a joke.

"Good one, Lee Know," Chan chuckled, shaking his head.

But Seungmin couldn't find it in himself to laugh along. His face felt hot, his mind scrambling for a way to cover up the situation. "Don't listen to him, he's just drunk," Seungmin said quickly, forcing a smile. "It's just a scar from a bike accident. Nothing as dramatic as Lee Know's imagination."

Lee Know giggled again, clearly oblivious to the seriousness of the situation, but Seungmin wasn't taking any chances. He stood up abruptly, grabbing Lee Know by the arm. "I think we're gonna head out. Sorry, guys."

Felix blinked in confusion, but Seungmin was already pulling Lee Know towards the door, ignoring the murmurs of concern and confusion from the others. He practically dragged Lee Know downstairs, who stumbled along, still laughing to himself.

Once they were outside and safely in the car, Seungmin let out a shaky breath, his hands trembling as he fumbled with the keys. Lee Know slumped in the passenger seat, humming softly to himself, completely unaware of the near disaster he'd just caused.

"Why'd we leave?" Lee Know mumbled, his head lolling to the side as Seungmin finally started the car.

"Because you almost spilled your own secret," Seungmin muttered, his voice tight with frustration. "You can't just tell people you're a vampire, Lee Know. They're not supposed to know!"

"But they didn't believe me," Lee Know said with a pout, his words slightly slurred. "It's fine."

Seungmin shook his head, trying to keep his cool. "You're lucky they didn't take you seriously. We can't risk it like that again."

The drive back to their dorm was tense, Seungmin barely able to keep his emotions in check as he focused on the road. When they finally arrived, he helped Lee Know out of the car and up the stairs, the latter stumbling and leaning heavily on Seungmin for support.

Inside their dorm, Seungmin sat Lee Know down on the bed and sighed deeply. "You really scared me tonight, you know that?"

Lee Know looked up at him with glassy eyes, his expression softening. "I'm sorry, Seungmin... I didn't mean to."

Seungmin sighed again, softer this time. "I know. You're drunk. Just... let's get you to bed."

He helped Lee Know out of his clothes and into something more comfortable, tucking him under the blankets. Lee Know mumbled something incoherent, already half-asleep, and Seungmin couldn't help but smile a little despite everything.

"Goodnight, Lee Know," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of Lee Know's eyes before turning off the light.

Seungmin changed into his own sleepwear and climbed into bed, the events of the night replaying in his mind. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and exhaustion, grateful that they'd managed to escape the party without further incident.