Minseok arrives at the gates of The Court where a sea of bystanders mixed with the citizens of the Capitol and protesters - the rebellious activists called The People – gathered, swarming around the vicinity under that thick heavy rain.

At least seventy guards stationed around kept them at bay from breaching the gates and kept a careful eye. When Minseok stepped down from the gliding vehicle with an umbrella out, three guards immediately rushed and aided him inside not letting the media get even one quick question out from their lips.

He peers from his shoulders once he heard a man in a fine blue silk tuxedo from the side supporting Mechatron spit foul words towards an activist garbed in the same tattered clothes Sehun wore, who in return wanted to claw his face that one of their Robocops had to intervene to prevent any harm.

Minseok takes one more look to the crowd searching for the familiar face of Sehun before he was tugged inside by one of the scientists who was surprised to see him actually attending the hearing.

“Is Junmyeon here?” Minseok inquires, closing the umbrella and handing it over to a droid by the stairs.

The scientist shrugs. “I haven’t seen him anywhere, but I did see Lay roaming around just a while ago”

Minseok blinks. “Lay’s here?”

“Yeah, he looked a little fidgety though too” the scientist squints his eyes in perplex. “Does an Artificial Intelligence do such a thing like that?”

“For Lay’s Core Model?” Minseok ponders on it for a while. “It’s possible”

“Still, it’s kind of weird to see Lay without Junmyeon beside him though, but I bet Junmyeon’s with the Directors and a lawyer to discuss about dealing with Wu Yi Fan, the rebel cause’s leader”

“Wu Yi Fan’s really coming?”

“I heard that man is cunning, strong-willed and motivating as hell that’s why even some from the middle-classes opted to support The People” the scientist shivers. “I don’t even know where the hell he got the knowledge to infiltrate Green Octagon and take those Yellow Cores. Wherever they got it, Yi Fan is one hell of a genius if he figures out how to use that core to his advantage for the rebellion”

Minseok grimaces at the scientist, foreseeing the next sentence he was about to utter and cuts him off. “You can’t be serious”

“Don’t you feel it in the air?” the scientist shudders again, a cold sweat running down his spine. “Civil War is coming and this hearing is our only hope to stop it”

“I don’t think these people who are already scarce in food and resources will even choose to die for a war they know they cannot win. We have Droids and Bots that can wipe out five people in one strike, I don’t think these activists will risk their lives just like that if you claim that their leader Wu Yi Fan is a genius”

Distressed screams and angry shouting overshadowing one another exploded from the crowd that had the two of them snapping their attention. The crowd was restless, both supporters and antis were charging head on and the Robocops and guards flanking did their best to keep everyone in line.

“This does not bode well for all of us” the scientists murmurs horribly with another shudder. He looks at Minseok and nods, “I better get going. You should too Dr. Kim”

Before the scientist could go on his way, Minseok calls him out. “Where did you last see Lay again?”

Minseok constantly checked his phone expecting Baekhyun’s name to flash across the screen, but none ever came. He sighs, knowing too well that his lover was beyond upset right now to even send a message. It hurts him, but he had no choice. If he was to live a happy and safe life with Baekhyun, attending this Court Hearing was for the best – or that’s what he wants to let himself believe.

‘I was that close in telling him that I’m sick. I was ready to tell him everything, handle the betrayal he’ll feel. I was ready to kneel down and say-“ Minseok stops in his tracks, staring down at the ring on his palm.  He steps back, pressing himself against the wall behind him and closes his eyes, balling up his fists as he thought to himself. Coward, blasted coward.

All his thoughts were drowned out when a couple of guards sprinted passed by in front of him, muttering words like ‘Damn rebels’ and ‘Wu Yi Fan’.

Wu Yi Fan. The leader of the rebellion against Mechas. Another problem Minseok has to deal with other than his sickness and finding The Cure. Truth be told, this man was once in the military line until he was casted out by his superiors for letting the people from the slums breach into the Charity’s Bank where all the supply of donations were stored. And without any support and money, Wu Yi Fan deserted the military and ran off to live in the slums.

The ex-military’s actions weren’t so bad, Minseok thought. In fact, it was very kind of him to have given those who were unfortunate the food, water and clothes they needed. It was a cold winter after all, and defying the system wasn’t a big of a deal. Was it? Minseok would’ve done it as well. Actually, he recently just did.

That time with the Sehun boy who carried stolen medicines to give back to his home. His people. At such a young age, the idea of sacrificing everything for survival, even when they knew that it could cost their life, they still infiltrated Green Octagon. And for Minseok to spare his life and let him run off with the stolen goods, he considered himself the same as Wu Yi Fan.

“It’s a good thing, right?” Minseok huffs a deep sigh.

What was even a good thing to him anyway? Lying isn’t good, he knew that and yet, he continues to lie about his condition to the one closest to him. Would continuing to lie to Baekhyun actually make his world perfect?

Minseok opens his eyes filled with a new glint of hope.

It may not be the best solution, but Minseok knew, he had to start somewhere. And that somewhere starts with trust. To avoid civil war by uniting everyone from the capitol and the slums with a foundation of trust. To have the courage to…to tell Baekhyun about his condition. To trust himself that he can make it, he can tell it to him once it for all and together, he and his lover can face everything in this world. Even if it means hurting one another.

‘Sacrifices must be made’ Minseok remembers the data files he sent Junmyeon. The data files he had been working on for how many months now. Remembers all the missed days he promised Baekhyun so he could cure himself from cancer and his tumor. Remembers that all this sacrifices, was for a better world.

“For a better world…” he smiles. “I may not be a god, but with the little things I can share, I can help make the biggest change for all”

As if he wasn’t diagnosed with any deadly sickness, Minseok pushes himself off from the wall and started walking until it turned into sprinting and then, into running. Words flooded his mind, going through it carefully, memorizing each and every vocabulary he had formed where he could speak up and share in the hearing. To enlighten his comrades, the rebels, everybody watching and Wu Yi Fan that there is a better way in dealing with the situation rather than undergoing civil war.

‘I’ll save Mechatron, I’ll save the Capitol, I’ll save everyone!’ he screamed it in his thoughts. Every fiber of his being pushing him to reach the doors of the court and –

A swift unhuman movement blew past Minseok until he bumped into the Mecha Lay, whose arms were spread out, preventing him to take a step further to the door. Minseok tried to slide to the left and then onto the right, but Lay followed his tracks until the scientist stilled in his place and – Lay’s eyes.

It was unbelievable how Lay’s designed peaceful eyes shifted into this dark and intimidating glare of warning that if Minseok ever disobeyed him, the Mecha might strike and go rabid. But Lay wasn’t designed to be like that – or was this Artificial Intelligence developed such a behaviour that he might actually do something so violent?

Minseok didn’t know why this Mecha has been eyeing him ever since he last saw him back in Green Octagon Hospital, but seeing Lay like this, it sure scared him to think what might happen next.

Without any word, Lay yanks Minseok’s arm and drags him away from the Court doors. Many bystanders watched them in confusion, wondering where they were going when the hearing was about to start in just a few minutes.

Bewildered and wary about Lay, Minseok began to speak. “Lay, where are you taking me?”

No response.

“Lay, the hearing’s about to start. I have to go there and-“ Minseok was silenced when Lay shot him a piercing glare that sent shivers up his spine. Fearing for whatever has gotten to this Mecha, thinking that his Core might’ve been damaged, Minseok searched frantically around hoping he could find a familiar face.

“Junmyeon. Where’s Junmyeon?” Minseok was out of breath, fear evident in his voice.

When Lay still wasn’t stopping, Minseok finally yanks him back and lets the Mecha look him straight in the eye. For what it was worth, Minseok hoped that the infused Neurosensory technology in Lay could help him transmit these confused emotions he was having with his abrupt behaviour.

“Lay please, tell me” Minseok grips the Mecha’s arm. “What is going on?”

Just then, those angry, intimidating eyes melted into unsure, worried ones that had Minseok’s own heart leaping frantically. They were too human. It was so human that Minseok became terrified of whatever Lay’s next words meant.

“Danger” Lay finally spoke.

And before Minseok could even ask, they heard hurried footsteps, a stampede of scientists, the jury, security guards and rebel leaders running away from the court screaming the same horrifying word.

“BOMB!”

In a split second, everything turned black, an abrupt sound of a massive explosion was heard followed by a long sting that deafened the very ears of those who were around the vicinity and the cries of every man and woman drowned in the damage that fell in the center of the Capitol.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:  Double-update, WHAT? hahaha Will be uploading the next one in a while too :P Soooo how are youuuu guysss?