"Do you guys know where Jungwon is?" Eunji forcefully sat down, startling both Youngmin and Sunghoon who were busy eating their lunch.

"You are up?" Sunghoon wiped his mouth with a tissue, greeting her with a smile.

"You slept like a bear. I didn't want to wake you up." Youngmin continued, smiling as well, "It's lunch time by the way. Sit down and—"

"Where's Jungwon?" Eunji repeated, looking around again, "I can't find him anywhere."

"Is he the first thing you think of when you wake up or why are you so worked up?" Sunghoon laughed, shrugging, "Someone said he went to the forest because he forgot something."

"Sunghoon asked Jungwon if he needed company, but he was straight up rejected." Youngmin smirked, teasing the boy next to her, as he pouted, trying to shut her up, "But yeah. He did go back. It hasn't been long, I'm sure you will catch up with him if you are fast enough."

"Alright, thanks." Eunji nodded gratefully before eating a big spoonful of her friend's meal, ignoring Youngmin's shocked gasp as she ran off.

"Hey! You can't just come here and steal my food like that!"

Eunji heard Youngmin say, but soon she was already too far away.

Catch up? Not in a million years.

The girl knew that Jungwon was using his extra speed to dash through the forest, making sure that no one could ever reach him.

But why did he go back to the forest?

Eunji frowned and couldn't stop worrying. There was no reason for him to return.

And she was a 100% sure that "forgetting something" was just a poor excuse of the boy.

Was he avoiding her? Eunji couldn't help but sigh in despair. There was so much she wanted to tell him.

From "I like you" and "I'll always be by your side, no matter what", there was everything.

So where did he go?

Eunji couldn't wait anymore. Knowing herself, she wouldn't have the courage ever again, if she didn't tell him her feelings now,

It was the last day of their class trip after all.

It was now or never.

"Where did he go...?" Eunji cursed at every piece of branch that was brushing past her injured leg as she looked around for the nth time.

Unconsciously, she was walking the same trail she and Jungwon took when they were having a late night walk to the lake. It was as if it was engraved in her brain.

Eunji could hardly believe her luck when she saw his calm frame, leaning against a tree with his back in silence as he watched the birds and rabbits take turns drinking off the gigantic lake.

She waited, not wanting to disturb his peace.

Not meaning to be creepy, she eventually decided to approach him when suddenly a strong wave of coldness caused her body to freeze in its tracks.

She couldn't control a single part of her body except for her eyes which would shift towards a discomforting presence not far from her.

What's happening to me?! She felt tears gathering in her eyes. Seriously how many times was she going to cry during this trip?

"Jungwon." The person said in a hair-raising voice causing the boy to flinch slightly.

"How did you find me?" Jungwon wasn't even bothered to turn around to his father as he answered.

It was then when Eunji managed to move her finger tips, breaking her trance-like state. She quickly hid behind a nearby tree.

Her pulse was pounding and she had goosebumps all over her body. She didn't know what to do.

Who was that? And why did he know Jungwon?

Despite knowing how wrong it was to eavesdrop, she leaned back, gritting her teeth at the coldness and the pain in her leg.

I was trying my best not to show how scared I actually was.

But I knew it was to no avail.

As bad as I was at detecting feelings, my father was especially good at it.

"How did I find you?" He repeated my question to mock me, taking slow steps towards me, "This isn't a proper way to greet your father, is it? Shouldn't you be asking for my forgiveness instead?"

I couldn't help but let out a scoff.

"Why? I did nothing wrong."

"You are unbelievable, Jungwon. I didn't think you were this of an idiot." My father spoke at such a slow speed that it was starting to drive me insane.

"I didn't do anything wrong." I repeated, feeling like a small child all of a sudden.

I was scared.

"Sneaking out isn't wrong? Please, what kind of—" He stopped before finishing as he cleared his throat, continuing, "You never went on any school trips before. Jungwon, what has gotten into you?"

"I wanted to stay by Eunji's side."

That wasn't a lie.

"Excuses!" My father suddenly bursted out, startling me.

"I told you to make sure that nobody knows about our secret. That was your number one priority and not hanging out with that girl because you wanted to have fun." He glared at me, his voice was more serious than usual. I swallowed hard, "Because of that Eunji of yours somebody overheard your conversation and knew about us being vampires."

My eyes widened, "What? Who?"

"A classmate of yours. I had to knock out a child! Can you believe it?! I always have to take thing in my own hands." He growled, staring straight into my eyes, "You said you wanted to keep our secret hidden. And you failed." Disappointment was written all over his face and it hit me right in the chest.

"But..." I stammered as I was starting to lose my composure, "I did what you said. I stayed by Eunji—"

"Eunji this, Eunji that. I could see that. I could clearly see you staying by her side, Jungwon. The past few days I never once saw you without her." The adult in front of me threw his hands, laughing in the most sickening way I could ever think of.

My stomach hurt, when I realized.

Of course. Of course he had been spying on me.

"You watched me?" I gritted my teeth in anger.

That means he was watching Eunji as well.

"Why? Is it wrong of me to make sure my only son wouldn't mess it up this time? And look! You still did! You still messed up!" He ridiculed, looking away as if he couldn't bear to look at me any longer, "You are bringing all of us in danger."

"I will make sure—"

"I didn't raise you like this."

"Yeah, because you didn't. You didn't raise me." I balled my hands into fists, "Mom did. She was the only one who—"

"And in the end she still sees you as a creature created by the devil himself." He shook his head, mocking me endlessly.

His words made my heart drop.

"It was a bad idea. All of this! You being friends with this girl and you going to this school trip even though I never agreed to it—"

That's when I snapped, "Befriending Eunji was not a bad idea."

"What?" He narrowed his eyes at me, "Are you serious right now? I knew it. That girl is brainwashing you. She's messing with your brain! You would have never rebelled against me if it wasn't for her."

My fear was slowly starting to be replaced by the anger he brought on. How dare he blame Eunji?

"None of this would have happened, if you weren't more careful, Jungwon."

"I know that. I know all of that. You don't need to spell it out for me, father. For god's sake." I shook my head, my eyes were burning with exasperation.

Which on the other hand seemed to irritate him even more.

"If you knew why weren't you more careful...?" My father spat, his eyes were burning with hatred, "All you do is disobey me!"

"No." I shook my head, "I always listened to you. I even started hanging around Eunji, because you said so. I did it all! All because of your rules and sayings. It's not like I wanted any of this!"

It was as if everything that was on my mind was threatening to spill. I was unstoppable.

"I made sure that Eunji would never expose us. It was me!" It was getting hard for me to breathe, "At some point, we even got so close, that it became naturally for me to hang around her. So father, please don't ever discredit me ever again, when you were the one, who was never there for me."

That's when we suddenly heard loud rustling in the bushes. While he turned around to look what it was, I kept my eyes glued on him. I couldn't care less.

I knew that my father was completely unwilling to listen to anything I was saying. But it felt so liberating to get all of this off my chest.

To finally speak up for once.

All of a sudden, he forcefully grabbed my wrist, "Pack your things. We are leaving."

"What?!"

"Why? You don't want to?" He turned around to me with glaring eyes.

"I can't leave—"

"Is it because of Eunji again?" He hissed again, "Don't worry. She overheard everything you just said, Jungwon."

My eyes widened in shock.

What did he just say?

"She just left." My father looked at me gleefully, "After hearing how you only befriended her because I told you to. How you hated having to stay by her side."

My heart was pounding against my chest in fear.

I was unable to reply, as my gaze immediately shifted to the forests entrance.

"Don't you get it? It's over, so just get over with it." My father continued impatiently, but I already faded out his voice. The only thing that was on my mind was her.

"Your first and last friendship to ever exist. It's over!"

Before I could listen to any more of his sickening words, I broke free from his tight grip, running straight into the forest.

Panic was written all over my face.

Shit. I messed up. I messed up big time.