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There’s something that Kai has been wondering about recently.

As he sits in the middle of the couch, the TV blaring in the background but his attention set elsewhere, he thinks about someone: Luhan.

He remembers the day you all traveled to Exo for the first time with Chanyeol; how Taemin had stated that Luhan suddenly disappeared for a few days. Where was it that he went to?

Kai’s hands come together in his lap as he run his fingers over his skin. What is it that Luhan is doing that he feels he needs to hide it from Kai - one of his closest friends? A picture flashes in Kai’s mind and he recalls finding an old photograph hiding under one of Luhan’s books on his desk.

It’s not the picture itself that was odd. At first glance, it’s just another picture of two people standing together, nothing special about it; it was the matter of who was in the picture that was odd. To the left was Luhan, smiling wide with his arm around the other body next to him. Kai knows that the picture is recent since Luhan is wearing an old pair of Nike’s he lent to him a few months ago.

The realization hits him like a train. The person to the right is Lee Donghae.

Kai shakes his head to himself as he cannot believe his own memory.

Lee Donghae is dead. So, how is he in the picture?

It’s true what they say about fire and ice - they really don't go together.

It’s only been a few days but Xiumin and Chanyeol have been constantly arguing with each other, and it’s nothing new to everyone in the house. Both boys find any chance they can get to yell at the other about something. Like yesterday, it was about Xiumin stealing the last pudding cup. The day before that, Chanyeol was hogging all of the couch pillows - and the day before that, Xiumin used up all of Chanyeol’s shampoo and Chanyeol made him go out and buy another, even though it was general knowledge that he had an extra bottle in the closet. Thankfully, though, neither has resorted to violence, especially with Kai monitoring Chanyeol’s rage. Even Xiumin knew not to get him too angry, but you could tell he enjoyed annoying the fiery giant.

Unlike the past few days, today has been oddly calm. Everyone is in the house lounging around or eating your food, and you have yet to receive your exam scores. You don’t remember being this nervous about anything and it’s eating you from the inside out.

You’re sitting on the couch, buried under Sungji’s legs as you both watch a rerun of House. You’re thankful she’s laying on top of you, if only to stop you from running to the computer to check if your grades have been delivered. You glance to the side of the room and spot Xiumin sitting quietly, working on a crossword puzzle at the dinner table. For someone who doesn't seem like he enjoys people in general, he's surprisingly gotten quite comfortable with the bunch of you — except for maybe Chanyeol, but you're not even sure of that. There’s still so many questions that you have about him, and unlike when you first met Chanyeol, Xiumin is not as open to talking about his past. He’s mysterious, ruthless, and stubborn.

But most of all, he’s a runaway.

The way that he changes the subject when you ask about Japan and his family, the day he insisted on being called “Xiumin” because his real name was given to him by his father… and the fact that he said that he hates his father. He’s running away from something. But from what?

Your eyes continue to run along his figure as he sits, until he glances up suddenly, locking eyes with you. You quickly flick your eyes back to the screen, but there’s no doubt that he saw you staring.

After a few awkward moments of tension as he continues to look at you, your eyes still trying their best to fool him, he slams his hands loudly on the table and rises from his seat. “Alright. I’ve had enough,” he grunts loudly, causing Kai and Chanyeol to emerge from their rooms and poke their heads around the corner. You and Sungji look up from your seats and you see him glaring down at you, making you shrink back into the cushions. He folds his arms and continues to look as Kai approaches him. “What’s wrong?” he asks, moving to stand beside him. He tries to place a hand on Xiumin’s shoulders but Xiumin rips his arm away from Kai, turning his glare at him. “I’m tired of all of you staring at me all the time and asking me so many questions. What is it that you’re trying to figure out, huh?!” At this point, he’s lightly shoved Kai from out of his way and entered the living room, standing in front of the television. “I’ve told you numerous times that I don’t want to talk about it!”

You slide Sungji’s legs from on top of you and sit up straight on the cushion. You watch his facial expressions from the couch, his eyebrows twisted in a mixture of anger and concern. And his eyes— as much as he is trying to run away from his feelings, his eyes tell all. They’re not fiery with hatred, but cold with sadness. You’ve let him dodge his past over and over again, but this time, he’s calling for help without meaning to.

“Xiumin…” you say softly, trying not to annoy him any further, earning a glance in your direction from him. “You can trust us.”

You’re not sure what else to say. He seems so uncertain about the things he’s buried deep inside of him, but you just want to help him be free. He takes a few moments, looking as if in deep contemplation. Finally he sighs deeply, biting his bottom lip a bit.

Chanyeol emerges from the back of the room, moving quickly to stand next to Xiumin. Xiumin’s eyes go wide when Chanyeol approaches him, placing both of his hands on his shoulders and leaning close to his face.

“Dude,” he says with his low voice. “As much as I hate not arguing with you, it’s okay. We’re here for you.” Xiumin strains from looking at his face for a few seconds and turns his face to look at you once more. You say nothing but give him a soft nod, knowing that words will not do much at this point. You watch as the tension in his shoulders gradually releases, earning a smile from Chanyeol as he removes his hands from Xiumin. Xiumin thinks to himself for a few seconds, letting his eyes roam over the group of people in the room with him. Then the cold boy bends down in his spot, sitting himself down and finding a comfortable spot on the floor. Kai walks over to the couch and squeezes in between you and Sungji while Chanyeol copies Xiumin, sitting on the floor next to him. Your eyes linger on the quiet boy as he takes a nervous gulp before speaking.

“I grew up in Tokyo. The only family I ever had has been there, so that’s where I stayed.” He wrings his hands in his lap, thinking about his next words. “My father is not my biological father. When I was old enough to understand words, he told me. And he never pretended like he was my father. He was just a substitute, as he would say. Someone to watch over me so that I don’t do anything stupid.”

He blinks a few times and continues. “He’s a rich man; he owns a large company in the heart of the city, mostly dealing with steel. Because of this, he is known for building many of the bridges and highways in Tokyo. A lot of other companies are always trying to compete with us, but as far I know, we’ve always been number one. As a result, I never had friends in school— or in general. And it’s always been for the same reason: money.” He looks down as his face turns the slightest shade of bitter, and he grits his teeth. “Other kids used to tell me that they didn’t want to be my friend because my father would just buy them off… That the only reason anyone would ever want to be my friend is because I had stuff.” He shakes his head and laughs. “Stupid, right?”

Your chest tightens as you continue to listen. “So, one day, I was walking home from school and a bunch of kids jumped me. They took everything from me. My wallet, my backpack, even my shoes. They said I didn’t deserve any of those things because my father didn’t earn them like other fathers did. They said my father was a crook, a backstabber.” He suddenly holds his breath, as if trying not to say the next thing. “And that was when I found out about the company… They also told me that he fired half of the workers because he thought it was a waste of money. He said it was because they were slackers and that only hard workers would be rewarded.” He tilts his head, adding, “To any calls or emails coming from other companies saying they wanted to hire the people he had fired, he would speak badly against them, making sure they never were hired again.”

At this point, not a sound can be heard in your living room. Everyone sits in shock, gripping pillows or cushions at the cruelty of Xiumin’s father. “That same day when I got home, I told him I was leaving for good. I didn’t want anything to do with him anymore so I ran upstairs and packed my backpack full of things that I thought were important enough for me to take. When I came back downstairs, he was waiting for me. He pretty much threw my inheritance in my face and told me to get out. I was only fifteen.”

You allow a small tear to escape from your eye, and you quickly wipe it away. You feel movement next to you on the couch, suddenly feeling a hand over yours. You turn to look at Kai as he gives you a weak smile, squeezing your hand softly. You return his smile with one of your own, trying hard not to cry anymore.

Xiumin sniffs loudly, but without tears. He looks up at the group, biting his lip. “As I was just about to walk out of the house, he suddenly grabbed me and looked me in the eyes. And then proceeded to tell me… everything.” You lock eyes with him and give him a confused look. “I mean, about this…” He lifts a hand and points at you. “About you.”

Your jaw goes slack and you squeeze Kai's hand unconsciously. “I know about the twelve, and about the tree, and about the Red Eye. He quoted every detail like it came out of a story book or something, but I didn’t really take it to heart. He warned me that several people would come looking for me, and that I would have to figure out myself which of those people that I can trust. That day, I left him, and I haven’t returned to him since then… It’s been ten years.”

You slide forward on the couch cushion, removing your hand from Kai’s and folding both of your hands in front of you. “How did this guy know about us?” you ask to yourself. Kai chimes in this time, saying, “Seriously, though, the only people that are supposed to know about us are, well, us. And the scholars. But they’re all dead.” Sungji pops up, saying, “Well, maybe one of the scholars got to him before they died. Kind of like how that one guy, Siwon or whatever his name is, showed up at Haeyeon’s door on her birthday and told her parents about her.” Chanyeol nods, adding, “Yeah, that could have definitely happened.” Kai looks directly at Xiumin this time. “When did you find out about your powers?”

Xiumin smiles a quirky smile, looking up. “Actually, it was during a race. When I left, I ran away to the race track and that’s where I pretty much grew up by myself. One day, I had won enough races to buy myself my own car. The next, I had enough to buy a house. Even before I had my powers, I was winning races. But one night, I was coasting down the expressway and my car suddenly broke down.” Chanyeol looks around awkwardly, thinking the story is done. “It turns out I froze my engine into a tiny glacier.” Xiumin shrugs playfully, a rare smile on his face as he remembers that night. Finally hearing the end, Chanyeol gives a loud chuckle, imagining the scene in his head.

Kai smiles, lifting one his legs up on the couch. Sungji moves next to him as well, leaning forward on a pillow. “Wait,” she starts. “Your dad said several people would come looking for you, but you had to decide which ones to trust. Why wouldn’t you be able to trust the rest of the twelve if you are supposed to be from the same life source?”

You shake your head, answering, “No, I don’t think he was talking about just the twelve. When we were in Tokyo, we bumped into… well, some interesting guys.” Sungji immediately shoots her eyes at you. “I’m sorry, am I missing something? Did you forget to tell me and Chanyeol about something?”

You roll your eyes at her, crossing your arms. “It’s not a big deal, just some guys that have powers too, and one of them carries a medallion, and they can—“

The couch bounces on the opposite side and suddenly something is being hurled at your face. You hold your hands up and shield your face from the pillow just in time, deflecting it onto the floor and revealing an angry Sungji. “How did you not think that this was something we should have known?!” You glance over at Chanyeol, who is as equally shocked as Sungji, and he pouts at you while crossing his arms. You send an apologetic smile to both of them, but earn a laugh from the floor, the first coming from Xiumin.

You are all sidetracked by the sudden noise and look over at him as he chuckles and reveals his eye smiles. His laughs don’t cease for a few seconds as he even lets out an amused snort. As it dies down, he quickly realizes that you’re all staring at him and promptly stops, returning to his stoic expression and looking each of you in the eyes. “What?”

And just like that, you’re all laughing.

The night continued on like this until the wee hours of the morning. You all departed ways, with Chanyeol and Xiumin leaving with Kai to stay at his place, and Sungji sleeping in the guest bedroom.

It really was a peaceful night.

Until you wake from a dream, screaming.

You can hear footsteps stomping through the house as the Sungji rushes to your bedroom and swings the door open with a frantic “ARE YOU OKAY?!” You look down at your bed sheets as you’re swimming in a pool of your own sweat, your heart thumping powerfully in your chest. You’re just barely able to catch your breath as Sungji rushes to your side, throwing both of her hands on one of your arms. “What is it?” she asks while shaking your arm. “Something bad happened, tell me.”

You stare blankly at her face, and shake your head. “I don’t even know, really. But I think I just saw someone die.” Sungji’s eyes go wide as she listens to your words, her hands dropping onto the bed limply. “Who?” she chokes out, eyes beginning to well up. You look up at the ceiling, searching for a name, but unable to remember. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before,” you reply, allowing Sungji to take a breath and relax. “I need to call Kai,” you quickly say, lunging toward the night table with your phone on top of it. Sungji sits in silence as you dial Kai’s number, and he answers with a husky groan.

“What,” he grunts. You can hear him moving around and know that he’s still tucked in tight between his sheets. “Come over, now,” you bluntly state. “And bring Xiumin and Chanyeol.” Without a goodbye, you hang up, and not a few seconds later, the boys all show up in your room.

In their pajamas.

Kai is standing, wearing a t-shirt and long plaid pants, rubbing his tired eyes. Chanyeol is sitting on the floor, trying not to topple over onto the floor and just sleep there.

Xiumin, on the other hand, is doing just that. He snores loudly on the floor, turning to the other side so you can see his face. His eyes are closed and you assume that he refused to wake up when Kai tried to wake him. Kai gives him a nudge with his foot, making Xiumin angrily groan while keeping his eyes closed. Kai tries once more, a little harder this time, and Xiumin snatches his foot with one of his hands, holding on tight. Before he can do anything, Kai’s foot is covered in a sock made of ice, unable to move his toes or ankle. Kai shrieks, making Chanyeol jump in his spot on the floor and gape at the teleporter. “Chanyeol, help me!” he begs, holding his foot out to the fire user. Chanyeol gives a tired glance at the foot, and places a finger on it. Instantly, the ice melts and Kai’s foot returns to normal. He stretches his toes out with a satisfied “Ahhh…”

You and Sungji stare awkwardly at the situation in front of you, half concerned and half amused. You look down at Xiumin and say loudly, “Xiumin, get up. You need to hear what I’m about to tell you.” As much as he would like to sleep, Xiumin has grown a bit of respect for you and decides to slowly open one of his eyes. He peeks at you through his arms for a moment, and finally pushes himself up, stretching with a large yawn.

Everyone in the room is silent and still; they watch you as you think about how to start. You take a deep breath, gripping a handful of your sheets in your hands. “I had a dream about someone dying.” This sentence ensures that everyone’s attention is on you, and even the sleepy boys have suddenly woken up from their tired states.

“Xiumin…” you say quietly, and look at him. “I think it might be someone you know.” Xiumin suddenly locks eyes at you, his stare begging for more details. “There was a man in an office. It looked like it might have been a home library, there was a lot of books around him. He was working at his desk when someone came in, I didn’t see who. They…”

As you’re describing the dream, it’s as if Xiumin knows exactly what you’re talking about, leaning forward and asking you to continue.

You choke on the last words as he continues to gape at you.

“He died. He just... I knew he was gone.”