Virulence; Xu Minghao. ✔

ten.

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Mei didn't even bother going downstairs to eat because she wasn't hungry, so she just stayed in her room until it was time to leave. There was this almost unbearable pit of dread in her stomach, and her appetite was completely gone. She didn't really want to go to school either, but she knew she had to.

That pit of dread was identified when she got to school, as she was pushed into the lockers. She didn't even have to look at them to know who it was. "Minghao, I really don't have time-"

"You little bitch."

That was definitely not Minghao.

The girl let out an exhausted sigh towards Mr. Nam. "Let me go."

"Not until," he paused and his head found its way into the crook of her neck. "You give me what I want."

He slipped his hand in her shirt and she squirmed to try to get him off of her, but it didn't work. She tried not to cry as he kept on violating the girl. She couldn't find the energy to keep pushing him away.

"Mr. Nam, get off of her."

She looked over and saw Minghao with four of the campus police standing behind him. Mr. Nam let go of her and she fell to the floor, hugging her knees in a numb way - she couldn't really feel anything. Minghao ran up to her and picked the girl up. She felt lightheaded and dizzy, so out of habit, she grabbed onto him. She could hear him calling her name, but she couldn't respond.

-Minghao POV-

When Minghao got to school, he overheard the campus police and the principal discussing Mei and Mr. Nam, so he wanted to try and find one of the two to make sure they were separated.

He was running down the hall when he heard sobbing. He stopped in his tracks, seeing Mei being held against the lockers by Mr. Nam. Minghao was so angry that he could've taken care of him right there, but he got the cops that were in the office and brought them to the spot instead.

He got the girl to the nurse as fast as possible after she passed out, and laid her on the bed. "She blacked out."

The nurse walked over and checked Mei's temperature and pulse. "She doesn't have a fever and her pulse is steady. She most likely passed out due to something related to stress."

Minghao nodded. "Can I stay here with her?"

"Yes, you can. I'll email your teachers."

Minghao grabbed her hand as the nurse walked out and intertwined their fingers. "Wake up soon, Mei."

Minghao was still holding Mei's hand when he heard a groan. He looked over at her and made eye contact, then she smiled and it took him a second to figure out why. Whenever he got upset, his eyes would change to a blue color, and this was one of those situations.

And she caught him, so he smiled back.

"I knew it." Mei teased.

"You're not scared?"

She squeezed his hand. "Should I be?"

"You have nothing to worry about."

She sat up with a smirk. "I thought so."

"So, how'd you figure it out in such little time?" He asked.

"If we go to my house, I'll show you," she replied, making him raise an eyebrow and smile playfully. "Not like that!"

He helped her up and they walked out of school together. "Do you want to split up?"

"You're in no condition to drive, so I'll take you home."

Mei told him her address and he drove to her place. When they got there, he got out and went to her side of the car to help her out.

"I'm still capable of walking, Minghao." She smiled.

He grinned and looked down at his feet. "I know, I just don't want anything bad to happen to you again."

He walked the girl to the front door step and she unlocked it, walking in. Eunho walked out and saw her, dropping his cheese sticks out of shock, making her laugh.

"Mei!" He started picking up his cheese sticks. "Why are you home?"

"Sorry, Eunho. I passed out and Minghao brought me home."

"Are you okay?!" He asked, running towards her and putting his hand on her forehead.

"I am now, but could you do me a favor?" She asked, and he nodded his head. "Could you go get my car from the school?"

"Will do. Behave while I'm gone, Mei."

The girl scoffed playfully. "When have I ever misbehaved?"

He left and Minghao turned back to her. "Are you ready to show me how you figured me out?"

"Yeah, lets go."

Mei grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs. Minghao sat on her bed as she grabbed the notebook, sitting down in front of him.

"Remember the day you almost murdered me?" She quipped.

Minghao chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah."

"You were inhumanly fast, and you left a bruise, and someone without super strength wouldn't be able to do that," she opened her notebook. "So, I did my research."

He blinked at the notebook. "That's a lot of information."

"Yeah, I did a lot of research. Anyways, I figured that you were one of four things. An angel, demon, werewolf, or vampire. After the day you said you knew I wasn't lying, angel and demon were knocked off the list. Then one day, I saw you in school hovering over something lifeless, but werewolves only do that on full moons and we haven't had one this month. So, I got it down to vampire, and turns out, I was right."

"Wow, you really put your time into me," he said, leaning back on the bed and propping himself up on his elbows.

Mei smiled. "Something like that."

Then she heard the front door open, and obviously Minghao did as well, then she heard a voice call out.

"Mei?!" Renjun screamed through the house, and the girl relaxed as her door swung open. "Minghao?"

Minghao waved and then Kino walked in. "Mei, I thought you guys weren't on good terms?"

"We're fine now," she got off of her bed and looked around. "Why don't we get something to eat?"

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