Switchblade - 16
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"Are you sure that your source is human?"
Taemin was happy to stay at IU's place for the last few days, and she was just as happy to have him around for protection. Both were starting to wonder why they hadn't been attacked yet, as IU said that she was certain vampires had information about where she lived.
The two spent the day looking for a new place, not to be lured into a false sense of security just because there were no attacks so far. They'd found a place that they could quickly move into, and they'd do so tomorrow. For tonight, IU is finally going to introduce Taemin to one of her sources. It is night, though, and they're walking through the city in the middle of it.
"I'm positive," she insists, "I've met with him in daylight too. It's just that he's... more of a night type."
"He's bonded, isn't he?"
"Well, yes," IU admits, "But that's not a problem, is it?"
"Not unless his vampire is around. Why.. wouldn't his vampire be around?"
"He says that his vampire stays busy. I think most vampires stay busy, Taemin.. they're kind of at war, aren't they?"
With Taemin's silence, IU puts on a satisfied smile. "This place is a bonded hot spot. I won't lie, I'm pretty sure there's vampires around, but they're not there to get humans anyway."
IU navigates her way between two buildings and Taemin can immediately see the bright light from the place they walk towards. "How have I never heard of this?" he asks, without expecting an answer.
"Well it isn't all that old, but.. I don't know!"
The two step out onto the new street, and Taemin is amazed by the building. Everything about it seems bright, from a glowing sign that reads 'Good Night, Sugar', to a fresh paint job. There's people all around the place, here and there walking from one place to another. Display stands in the windows show off cookies and cakes and other sugary goodies that make Taemin drool. He's not sure how long it's been since he's had anything like that...
"I want a cookie," Taemin says out loud in a child-like aghast voice. The place is like something of dreams..
"I-I'll buy you a cookie," IU replies with a voice full of nerves.
Taemin can't even bring himself to turn down the emasculating offer. He follows behind IU towards the crowd of people with a nearly dazed smile.
"You're like a child," IU notes in a fawning voice.
"They look so good..."
Taemin doesn't even notice when IU takes hold of his hand, pulling him forward towards the door. There's a long line at the counter, but IU moves right by it, saluting the busy woman working the cash register as she passes through an "Employee's only" door that leads up a staircase.
Taemin looks over his shoulder as they ascend up the stairs, not wanting to pressure it, but really wondering if IU has forgotten the cookie..
"Kwang? It's Sayu."
A door at the top of the stairs opens and a short, cute boy with thick glasses looks wondrously at Taemin. "Oh. You brought him."
"Yep," IU slips into the room, Taemin following close behind. Kwang shuts the door quickly behind them, flipping a lock. "Hello, Lee Taemin."
Taemin doesn't look at Kwang or greet him back. He looks around the small cozy room, where a group of young people - men and women - surround a table on the floor. They look back at him with a mixture of emotions. He asks after an awkward moment, "Do you all work here?"
"This is just where we hang out while our vampires are busy doing other things," Kwang says in a small voice, stepping over towards the table. "There's a lot of us here while The Council is still working on the new building."
"This is like a bonded babysitter," Taemin suspects, brow raising. It's a statement that causes more than a few offended looks.
A girl wearing pigtails, with an adorable face, speaks up suddenly, "Sorry, but, isn't that Lee Taemin?"
IU nods.
The girl's nose wrinkles and she almost looks startlingly like Onew as she speaks with a scowl, "We give you information because you're supposed to be unbiased. In what way is Lee Taemin unbiased?"
"Yeah, Sayu, um.." Kwang looks concerned at her, "Have you been giving our information to him?"
"If one of our masters sees him here, we could get in trouble," another of the bondeds says.
"Not if you tell your master that he's here," IU says, "Go on and call."
Without hesitance, more than half of the room pulls out phones to begin furiously texting. Taemin looks shocked at IU, "What are you doing?"
"Taemin just wants to help other humans like you," IU says quickly.
"He wants to fight vampires. He's stupid and wrong," One of the oldest looking boys says in a bitter voice.
"If you think that he's wrong, explain to him why. That's.. why I brought him here.."
The phones all lower in an instant. The cute girl, holding hers, looks closely at IU as she asks, "Really? You want us to change his mind?"
"I want you to give him your side," IU says simply, "That's all."
"I already sent the text," another young girl says, "If he doesn't want to get in trouble, he'll run away now."
Now, IU looks to Taemin questioningly. Taemin looks back at her, uncertain. Finally he looks back at the young girl, "I'll stay."
She squints at him, "There could be like ten vampires here in just one minute."
"I want to hear your side of things," Taemin says determinedly, "Then I would like for you to hear my side too. So. Can we talk?"
Another human asks, with a hint of amusement, "You mean for the minute or so before vampires bust in here and tear you to shreds?"
Taemin sinks a little, "Before that happens, can I have a cookie?"
IU smiles, "I'll go buy one. I didn't want you to have to wait in line with me," she moves to the door, flicking the lock on the door, "Of course, I don't know if I can be back before a minute is up."
".. I'll tell her it was a false alarm," says the girl who 'already sent her text' with a sigh.
Taemin looks at Kwang, "Can I sit down?"
Kwang nods quickly, and Taemin makes himself comfortable between two of the bondeds. As he does, IU takes her leave, and Kwang is in a hurry to lock the door behind her.
"So, Lee Taemin," the oldest looking bonded addresses him again, "Were you even aware that when you were killing innocent vampires, you were killing innocent humans as well?"
A thought of Sungmin springs to mind, and Taemin cringes it away. He responds quickly, "I did what I had to do. Yes, the thought crossed my mind that I might kill a vampire who was bonded to a human. I know that bonded humans die when their vampires die, too."
"So how are you any better than vampires? Your argument is that they're killing innocent people, right?" The oldest bonded rolls his eyes, as if bored with his own question.
"That's not my argument," Taemin says, eyes narrowing, "And I never said I was better than any vampires either."
"You're not," one human mutters, "You're beneath them. We all are."
"That," Taemin looks to the human, "Why? Why should we think that way? Have they proved that they're better than us?"
"They're obviously better," it's the oldest who speaks again, "They live longer, they're stronger..."
Before the boy can continue on, Taemin slams his fist into the table, causing a large crack in it. The humans around all look shocked, but Taemin frowns, murmuring a hurried apology, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have broken your table."
A girl quickly asks, "How are you so strong?"
"It's not about that," Taemin stands up, "It's not about strength or death or any of that. Vampires are humans. They're just dead and.. diseased."
Taemin never realized how good he was at public speaking until that moment. It feels meaningful. Pride swells up in his chest. This is right. I'm special...
Kwang speaks this time, stepping over next to Taemin with a serious expression, "How can they be dead if they have lives?"
Taemin looks at him, unsure of precisely how to answer.
"I served vampires at The Council for a long time. At least, it felt like a long time. My master.. he doesn't even like for me to call him that. Kwon, that's his name, he came and saved me. He's no different than a human friend, except that he needs blood to live. How can you call him dead and diseased?"
"He's good to you," Taemin says with hesitance, "I'm glad, but, he isn't good to the people he kills in order to live, is he? Or are you saying he doesn't kill anyone?"
"Why should he die so they can live?"
"Why should they die so he can live?" Irritation creeps into Taemin's voice, and before he can go on, he's interrupted by another bonded.
"Because vampires are better than us. They have lives, like Kwang just said. You can't call them dead and diseased."
"They're not better. Vampires are.."
Taemin angrily munches a crescent shaped sugar cookie as he faces the webcam. "Evil. Vampires are evil," he tells the camera, "But humans are evil too," he adds, "at least some are."
"Then vampires are no different from humans, you think?" IU questions.
"Humans don't have to hurt anyone else just to stay alive," Taemin's voice softens a bit, "or they didn't used to..."
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NOTE!! I always get nervous when parts get this long. The point of posting them quickly is of course to get them posted before I start over thinking. XD This one went on to the point that I started questioning things, so I have to put a note like.. omggg I hope it's okayyyy!!
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