love of a vampire - leeknow × seungmin

Chapter 12

THIRD PERSON POV-

The afternoon sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long, warm shadows across the university courtyard. Another day of teasing from their friends had finally ended, and Seungmin felt the weight of it on his shoulders as he and Lee Know walked out of their last class together.

"Let's do something, get out for a bit," Seungmin suggested, his voice low, yet filled with the hope that maybe a simple change of scenery would make things feel better.

Lee Know, his hands stuffed in his pockets, nodded slowly. "Yeah. Could use a break." He didn't look at Seungmin, his gaze fixed on a point somewhere ahead.

They ended up at a small café near campus, the kind of cozy, dimly lit spot they often went to when they needed a breather. The clinking of mugs and soft hum of jazz in the background usually made them feel at ease. But tonight, there was a noticeable tension between them, lingering in the air like an unfinished conversation neither of them wanted to start.

"Are you going to get your usual?" Lee Know asked, glancing up as they looked over the menu, his attempt at casual conversation feeling forced.

Seungmin hesitated, then shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." He shifted uncomfortably. "Actually... no, I'll try something new tonight."

Lee Know raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He tried to smile, but it faded quickly when Seungmin didn't return it.

"Yeah, why not," Seungmin muttered, looking away. He wasn't sure why he was suddenly acting like this. Normally, they'd be joking by now, laughing about something silly, but it was as if an invisible wall had gone up between them.

They placed their orders and sat down by the window, watching as the streetlights flickered on, casting a warm glow on the street outside. Seungmin tapped his fingers on the table, his mind wandering to the endless teasing they'd endured lately.

"So..." Seungmin began, not really sure where he was going with it.

"So," Lee Know echoed, his tone light but his eyes distant.

They sat in silence, sipping their drinks and watching the world outside, neither willing to say what was on their mind. The weight of things unsaid sat heavy between them. Eventually, Seungmin broke the silence.

"Do you think... I don't know, things have changed between us?" His voice was barely above a whisper, but in the quiet of the café, it felt loud.

Lee Know looked at him, surprised. "Changed? What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Seungmin struggled to find the words, his hands curling around his mug. "It just feels different lately. Like we're not... I don't know, as close as we used to be."

Lee Know's face softened, and he looked down at his drink, swirling it slowly. "Yeah, I've felt that too." He paused, glancing at Seungmin. "I thought maybe it was just me."

They both fell silent, the words they'd wanted to say for a while now lingering in the air, but somehow, saying them out loud made it feel more real, more complicated.

"I miss it," Seungmin admitted quietly, his eyes fixed on the table. "You know... us, just hanging out without all this... whatever it is."

"Yeah," Lee Know replied, his voice soft. "I do too."

They sat in silence for a moment, their thoughts running along the same track but neither knowing how to express it. The café's usual comforting atmosphere felt stifling now, and when they finished their drinks, they left, each feeling unsatisfied, the weight of their unspoken feelings heavy in their steps.

The walk back to the dorms was quiet, each step filling the silence that lay between them. When they finally reached their building, they stood awkwardly at the entrance, unsure of how to say goodnight.

"Well," Seungmin said, forcing a small smile, "guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Lee Know replied, his voice almost a whisper. "Tomorrow."

They parted ways, each heading to their own side of the room. As Seungmin lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he felt a deep ache in his chest, a longing for the ease they once shared. He couldn't help but wish, just like Lee Know did in the bed to his left, that things could go back to the way they were before.

Both of them drifted to sleep that night, each hoping tomorrow might be the day things would finally feel right again.