Cops were everywhere over the next couple of hours, asking locals nearby questions about Chanmi and Yuna. As expected, they didn’t even seem to recognize both of their face. Hyejeong and Seolhyun ended up being some of the first people they talked to, just as they both supposedly attending the first day of school with Seolhyun. But, the cops didn’t treat them like suspects.

It was brisk outside, nowhere near as cold as it would become once the sun set. Instead of heading toward Seolhyun’s house, Hyejeong steered her in the direction of her car. “I know you have questions. Ask them.” Hyejeong said.

Seolhyun caught her breath. There was a feeling in Seolhyun’s gut that told her Hyejeong already knew this. “What happened?” She climbed into the passenger’s seat.

“Do you know anytime we apply for something, it’s tracked by the AOE?” Hyejeong glanced at her, eyes troubled. Suddenly angry. “Driver’s license, they know. If we apply for college, they see it. Marriage license to a human? Forget it. We even have a registration we have to go through if we want to move.”

Seolhyun blinked. “Can they do that?”

“This is your planet, not ours. You even said it. And they keep us in place by funding our lives. We have random check-ins, so we can’t hide or anything. Once they know we’re here, that’s it.”

Seolhyun let out a low breath. Everything about their life seemed controlled, chronicled. It was frightening and sad.

Hyejeong stopped, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. Something happened between Chanmi and Yuna. I kept my eye on them behind your back, Seolhyun.”

“What–?”

“I’d always thought there’s something off with their energy presence since day one I met you guys as roommates.”

“We met through the housing applications my mom posted online–”

“That’s it. I bet you guys were instant BFFs.” Hyejeong sighed, giving a moment for herself to proceed. “Now, as you’ve learned what we are... can I tell you the informations I’ve collected?”

Not sure what to say, Seolhyun remained quiet.

“Last Saturday... when you stayed home all day, Chanmi and Yuna went out to movies and they came back just late. They went home. You and Mrs. Kim already fell asleep.” Hyejeong gritted her teeth. “I saw them, that following Sunday, went out to hiking. Since then, they never came back. Your mom hadn’t met them even once of the nights.”

“Why...” Seolhyun squeezed her eyes shut. “W-why didn’t you tell me–”

“The AOE found Chanmi two days ago... in Evensi Field, her body dumped in a field like garbage.” Hyejeong’s voice was low, rough. “I didn’t get to say goodbye. They took her body before I could even see her, because of the risk of exposure.”

“... don’t lie to me.”

“Seolhyun, please keep this as secret–“

Seolhyun’s eyes got teary. “So you sure Chanmi is... dead?”

“... No. But... if she were still alive, she would’ve found a way to contact us. Both hers and Yuna’s bodies were taken away before anyone could see. And all we know is that someone had to have done something that left a trace on them, enabling the Kloom to find them. That’s the only way. They can’t sense us here. Someone unknown had to have done something major.”

Seolhyun’s chest squeezed. Her father’s death had been expected. It hurt, it had felt like his sickness and eventual death was killing her, but he hadn’t been murdered.

“I’m sorry, Seolhyun.” Hyejeong whispered. “I know there’s nothing I can say. I’m just so sorry. I can’t save them. I can’t save my sister too. It’s always like this. It’s always been me, all my mistake.”

Killing off the car engine, Hyejeong glued her eyes on the dark road. In a second, the mask she wore slipped down. And there was the real Hyejeong. There was pain in her, a vulnerability in the lines of her face that Seolhyun doubted anyone ever got to see.

She lowered her gaze. “I miss my sister. It doesn’t get any easier.”

Seolhyun’s heart clenched. The pain in Hyejeong’s voice pricked at her. Not thinking, she turned and reached over, wrapping her arms around Hyejeong’s all too stiff body. She hugged her, squeezing her as tightly as she could. Hyejeong still didn’t move, hands stilled on steering wheel.

Then she slowly stared at Seolhyun, eyes wide, like she’d never been hugged before. Maybe the Felix didn’t believe in hugs.

A Kloom taking Chanmi and Yuna wouldn’t make any sense, but kids around here didn’t disappear without it having something to do with the Felix and Kloom. There must’ve been someone, something, behind this.

Seolhyun glanced out the window at the unfamiliar scenery, but it didn’t take her long to realize where they were. Confused, she watched Hyejeong pull the car off the road and park along the entrance to the... Evensi Field.

“W-why?” She asked, climbing out. Dead leaves of various colors littered the ground. With each step, her feet sunk an inch or two through the leaves. For a while, the only sound she heard was the rustling of their feet wading through the sea of leaves.

“This place might hold a lot of residual energy from Kloom’s fight and from Chanmi and Yuna’s last energy.” Hyejeong stepped around a fallen tree limb. “Watch out, the branches are scattered everywhere.”

“This might sound messed up because I’m still feeling down, but I want to know the truth.”

“We do,” Hyejeong said quietly.

“Still, they are a very good friend to me.”

“I know.”

Seolhyun moved around a particular gnarly-looking one. “So... is it the whole energy thing?”

“It’s what’s left over.” Hyejeong bent and pushed another fallen limb out of the way. “I want to see if I feel anything. If the AOE has been out here to check it out, it might be good to be in the know.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Seolhyun was following slightly behind Hyejeong, careful of the rough terrain. Hyejeong stopped at the edge and tried to find the spot where probably Chanmi or Yuna had last stood.

She sighed. “I’ll just try again tomorrow. Let’s go home–”

As Hyejeong didn’t get to finish her sentence, they came to a standstill at the edge of the woods. Two giant black SUVs were parked on either side of Hyejeong’s car, blocking her in. Two men stood beside one, dressed in black suits. Unease rolled through Seolhyun like a chilled, dark wave. Hyejeong moved in front of her, hands at her sides. Tension tightened her muscles. And Seolhyun didn’t have to ask to know who they were.

The AOE was here.

One of the Suits stepped forward, eyes trained on Hyejeong. “Hello, Miss Shin and Miss Kim.”

“Hey, Chen,” Hyejeong answered in a monotone voice, apparently knowing the one guy. “I wasn’t expecting you today.”

Unsure of what she should do, Seolhyun nodded and remained quiet, trying to make herself as small as possible.

“We got into town a little early and saw your car.” Chen smiled, and it gave Seolhyun the creeps.

The other Suit’s eyes bounced to her. “What were you guys doing out here?”

“There was a party here last night, and we were looking for her phone.” Hyejeong grinned at Seolhyun. “She lost it and we’re still looking for it.”

The goddamn phone felt like it was burning a hole in Seolhyun’s pocket now.

“So I can meet you guys later,” Hyejeong continued. “Once we find the–”

The passenger door of one of the SUVs opened and a woman stepped out. She had short, icy blond hair, revealing sharp features that would’ve been pretty on someone who didn’t look like she might electrify Seolhyun’s body. “Oh, underage drinking?” The woman smiled. It reminded Seolhyun of the kind painted on Barbie. Fake. Plastic. Wrong somehow.

“We weren’t drinking,” Seolhyun said, going along with everything. “She knows better. Her parents are like mine. They would kill us.”

“Well, I was hoping to catch up with you, Hyejeong, and we could get an early... dinner.” Chen motioned toward his SUV. “We only have a few hours. I hate to cut your phone search-and-rescue now.”

For a moment, Seolhyun thought Hyejeong would protest, but she turned to her. “It’s okay. I can take her home and meet up with you guys.”

“That won’t be necessary,” the woman cut in. “We can take her back, and you guys can catch up.”

Seolhyun’s pulse was all over the place, and she glanced at Hyejeong for help. A muscle popped in her jaw as she stood by, silent and helpless. Seolhyun knew then there was nothing she could do.

Forcing a smile, she nodded. “That’s cool with me. I just hope it’s not going out of your way.”

Hyejeong’s right hand clenched.

“It’s not out of the way,” the woman replied. “We love the roads back here. Colors and all. Ready?”

Seolhyun looked at Hyejeong as she headed toward the black SUV. Her hawklike gaze followed Seolhyun’s steps. Getting in, Seolhyun seriously hoped she didn’t end up on a missing person’s flyer, like Youkyung.

Or Chanmi, or Yuna.

Hyejeong was also getting into her own car, but she stopped and glanced back at Seolhyun. She heard Hyejeong’s voice in her head. “It’ll be okay. But it couldn’t have been him.”

Maybe it was wishful thinking, because for a moment, fear spurted like ice water through Seolhyun’s veins. What if this was the last time she saw Hyejeong, saw anyone? What if they’d discovered she knew the truth?

The woman climbed into the passenger seat and twisted around. “Seat belt?”

Hands shaking and sweaty, Seolhyun fastened herself in. The man behind the wheel said nothing. “Um, thanks for the ride.”

“It’s no problem. My name is Park Choa,” she said, and then nodded at the driver. “This is Xiumin. He has known Hyejeong’s family for several years. I’m just along for the ride.”

“Oh... that’s really nice.”

Choa nodded. “Hyejeong is like one of Xiumin’s own, isn’t she?”

“Yes,” agreed Xiumin. “It’s not often that we see her with a... girl. She must think a lot of you to help look for your phone.”

Seolhyun’s eyes darted between the two. “I guess so. She and her sister are really nice.”