Eun-ji doesn't sleep much that night.
The word vampire echoes in her mind again and again like a song that refuses to end.
She lies on her bed staring at the ceiling, phone glowing faintly in her hand.
Ji-ho's contact name still reads:
Pumpkin
Her chest tightens.
Her thumb hovers over the screen.
She almost types it.
Are you a vampire?
The thought sounds ridiculous.
Impossible.
But then she remembers his eyes darkening… the way he moved during the fight… the way Min-jae said the word so casually.
Her stomach twists.
"What are you hiding from me, Ji-ho…" she whispers.
Morning arrives too quickly.
Campus is bright and loud as always. Students laugh, sunlight spills across the buildings, and life continues like nothing strange exists in the world.
But Eun-ji feels like she's walking through a different reality.
One where the boy she's trusted for years might not even be human.
She spots him near the campus entrance.
Ji-ho.
Black jacket. Hands in his pockets. Hair slightly messy from the wind.
He looks exactly the same.
Which somehow makes everything worse.
Their eyes meet.
For a moment, everything goes quiet.
Normally she would wave.
Normally she would run over and say something like:
"Good morning, pumpkin."
Instead, she looks away.
And keeps walking.
Ji-ho freezes.
Something heavy drops in his chest.
Later in class, Eun-ji sits two rows ahead.
Ji-ho keeps glancing at the back of her head.
She hasn't looked at him once.
No teasing messages.
No playful glances.
No quiet jokes.
Just silence.
Min-jae leans back in his chair beside him.
"You look like someone stole your soul."
Ji-ho mutters without taking his eyes off Eun-ji.
"She's avoiding me."
Min-jae hums thoughtfully.
"Maybe she's finally tired of your emotional constipation."
Ji-ho slowly turns to glare at him.
Min-jae lifts his hands innocently.
"Just saying."
But his eyes flick briefly toward Eun-ji.
He knows something changed.
He just isn't saying what.
After class, Eun-ji heads toward the hallway lockers.
Her chest feels tight again.
She can feel Ji-ho's gaze behind her.
She hates that she still notices him so easily.
It makes walking away harder.
Why didn't you tell me? she thinks bitterly.
Why did you let me trust you like this if you were hiding something so big?
Her fingers tighten around her notebook.
Then suddenly—
"Cherry."
The nickname stops her instantly.
Her heart stutters.
She turns slowly.
Ji-ho stands a few steps away.
Looking tired.
And worried.
"Did I do something?" he asks quietly.
The question hits harder than she expected.
Because the answer is complicated.
Yes.
No.
Everything.
She forces a small smile.
"You're overthinking."
He studies her face.
"You're lying."
"Since when do you know that?"
"Since always."
Silence stretches between them.
Ji-ho steps a little closer.
She instinctively steps back.
The movement is small.
But he notices.
Confusion flashes across his face.
"Why are you acting like I'm dangerous?" he asks softly.
The irony almost makes her laugh.
If only he knew.
Her eyes sting suddenly.
She quickly looks away.
"You're not."
But the words sound fragile.
Ji-ho notices the tremble in her voice.
Something twists painfully in his chest.
"Eun-ji…"
He reaches out instinctively.
Then stops himself halfway.
His hand slowly lowers again.
She notices that too.
And somehow it hurts even more.
Students walk past them in the hallway, laughing and talking, living normal lives.
Meanwhile the space between them feels heavier than ever.
Finally Ji-ho exhales quietly.
"If I hurt you," he says, voice low, "tell me how to fix it."
Eun-ji's throat tightens.
Because the truth is—
He didn't just hurt her.
He scared her.
And she still cares about him anyway.
Which might be the most dangerous part.
She shakes her head slightly.
"You can't."
Ji-ho's chest tightens.
She forces another smile.
"We're just busy lately, pumpkin."
The nickname slips out before she can stop it.
Ji-ho's eyes soften instantly.
But Eun-ji turns away before he can say anything else.
And walks down the hallway.
Leaving him standing there.
Confused.
Hurting.
And completely unaware that she now knows the truth about what he really is.
Across campus, Min-jae watches from a distance.
His arms cross slowly.
"…This is going to get messy."