So sorry that this took three weeks to finally update. I've just really been swamped with loads of writing work to do. That's why I've decided to give you guys a nice long chapter update. Hope you enjoy! Leave a comment if you're curious about what's going to happen next. :D

“If this is what hell looks like.” Taemin chuckled.

Onew’s foot moved by itself, stepping behind him as a precaution.

“Alright everyone that’s enough,” Shindong announced.

The veins reverted to regular skin, the whites of their eyes slowly beginning to show from the descent of the black liquid. The light that had been their irises were now a regular shade of walnut.

“I’m starting to second guess my option,” Onew told Key who as well looked as if he were about to change his mind.

“I told you this was a bad idea.” Taemin retorted.

Heechul held up his hand before the boy could say anything further, lest he makes sure Onew and Key went running off to tell the humans about who they were.

“Heechul and I would like to speak with them alone.” Shindong continued, looking amongst the young faces withholding in anxiety.

Without so much as a ‘but,’ the lot of them nodded their heads, even Donghae who appeared to be a bit of individual in this little group. He was actually the first to leave, turning on his heels and not looking back. Minho raised his finger to say something to the man, but his strides were quick…mysterious. For someone oddly interested in the two of them, he sure did leave fast. Without further hindrance, Minho left as well, and the rest followed which left only Key and Onew sitting across from Heechul and Shindong.

The two older gentlemen crossed their legs, their pants leg lifting a couple of inches and showing off their bare skinned ankles. Onew eyed them suspiciously. Trust wasn’t simply earned in a moment of odd, extremely odd, transformation. Heechul was slender than Shindong like Taemin was to Minho. His facial features were wider and his soft auburn hair straighter. Only the front tresses seemed to curve towards the back of his head. He wore a gray pinstriped suit with a maroon napkin ruffled out the top pocket of his jacket. His shirt underneath was an odd mustard yellow plaid button up; collar clean-cut, with a maroon bow that held small gold accent lines in an attempt to match. The whole set up, along with his cream-colored loafers kind of made the man look silly in Onew’s eyes. The other one, however; Shindong was a lot simpler. His suit was a neutral beige, his undershirt a somewhat loose black v-neck. His shoes were the same color as Heechul’s, the only aspect the two in front of him seemed to share. For Shindong had wider shoulders, his muscles ached from his biceps, his pecks reaching for the ceiling. His chest was broad and at attention.

“I hope you’ve come up with a good analyzation of our character.” Shindong chided.

It broke the boy out of staring.

“It’s alright,” the man continued, “no harm, no foul.”

He smirked, the pearly whites reaching the lights above them.

“Are you two still wanting to leave?” Heechul asked.

Onew heard the question but couldn’t help but feel the wondering of eyes. Not from them, from the ones they couldn’t see; Taemin , Minho, and their little gang. No doubt they were hiding behind some doorway or something and listening.

“No.” Key immediately answered.

Before Onew could object, he placed his hand on the boy’s lap for reassurance.

“Onew, I know you want answers just as much as I do. There are so many things I want to know.”

“You want to know why some ing flowers grew from the ground from you. That’s it.” Onew retorted.

Key paused.

It was the first time his friend had ever used a curse word to address him. His finger twitched, and he moved his hand away. Onew noticed, the regret setting into his bones. He adjusted his body in the cushion, moving uncomfortable as an attempt to break the silence.

“But…” He replied, “I said I would stay earlier. And to be honest…”

He sighed.
“Knowing that you want to stay so badly makes me definitely not want to leave. I don’t trust them.”

“As to be expected,” Heechul answered.

Key eased up a bit, a smirk sitting on the upper corner of his lip.

“Now, what’s the big deal?” Both young men stated.

****

Minho caught up to Donghae, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him to turn around.

“What the hell is wrong with you.” He yelled, pushing Minho’s arm off and moving backward.

“I’ve been keeping cool this whole time, but we both know that I know you’re hiding something.”

“Minho I don’t-“

“Don’t lie Donghae.” He interrupted. “You’ve always been good at it.”

Donghae sighed, then leaned back, his spine touching the wall behind him. He crossed his arms, squeezing in the fabric from his loose shirt, its threads inching further up on his body. He unconsciously his lower lip as an attempt to say something that wouldn’t come out. Minho copied, crossing his arms as well but standing up straight; his legs at full attention, his back structured like a soldier.

“Thinking of another lie.” Minho murmured.

“No,” the man sighed, “just wondering where the others are.”

“They’re snooping of course. They don’t know you as well as I do. Of course, they wouldn’t be suspicious.”

“And how well do you believe you know me Minho?” He clucked his tongue and rolled his eyes in a mocking manner.

“I have a lot of cousins in this family, but I still make sure to do a lot of research. So, I’ve been wondering since the day Uncle Shindong told me you were coming to the school, just how the hell that’s possible. You’re no damn student.”

“Then you should watch your tongue when speaking to me.” He used his shoulder blades to push himself from the wall, shortening the distance between them, his shadow casting over Minho’s body.

“Even if you are older than me Donghae, I still have a right to suspicious. You, a non-student somehow lies about your age and gets into school with us. You mysteriously look around our classroom like there’s this big secret we’re all missing out on, your eyes are always lurking around. Then you hesitate when we have to chase Onew and Key in the forest, and just moments ago you bring up something the rest of us missed.”

“And what is that exactly?” He asked.

“That Onew saw Key about to fall, which was impossible given the light outside and the fact that he wears glasses. Only we could see something like that.”

“Minho, if you’ve got it all figured out, I don’t understand why you’re talking to me right now? Why don’t you just barge in there like I know you want to and confront Shindong about it?” He gestured his hand towards the entryway that led to the living room where the Uncles and the boys were sitting.

“Because I know you and the Uncles are hiding something. I just don’t understand why we weren’t told anything. Aren’t we supposed to be the next in line-“

Donghae held up his finger, the tip just barely brushing over the top of Minho’s lip.

“And if you know your Uncle well, then you understand that the reason he doesn’t tell you something is a good one. You and Taemin have a lot to learn before you’re anywhere near to be in line. And don’t forget, you two screwed up, now Amber and Hyunah are forced to take extra lessons and you all need to show for your mistake.”

He stepped back, straightened his shirt, then turned around.

“At least tell me why you’re suddenly so interested in Onew.” The boy begged.

Donghae stopped in his tracks.

“You know I can’t Minho.”

The boy pursed his lips.

“But,” he continued, “I’ll tell you this much since you’ve answered a lot of things yourself. The Elders ordered me here. That’s how I got through. The Uncles agreed that I was the man for the job. I can blend in anywhere and, as you said yourself, I’m really good liar.”

Minho watched as the man vanished from his sight, walking further down the hall and disappearing around a corner.  Were Hyunah and Amber really forced to take extra lessons because of he and Taemin’s mistake? A mistake that would have never occurred if they were more civil about their actions, a flaw, he admits to himself, that lies within both of them. A similarity they share.

****

“So, you guys think that me and Onew belong to some sort of tribe?” Key questioned, now leaning forward against his right leg.

Contrary, Onew leaned back, crossing his arms and furrowing his brows in distaste.

“You really want us to believe that?” He asked.

The two older gentlemen did the same, crossing their arms and leaning back. In truth, they had no idea of how to approach the two with their concerns, for they had concerns of their own. It was a risk telling them about their secret. A risk they would have to keep from the Elders for now.  

“We wish you will believe it, but we cannot force you,” Heechul replied.

“But the whole ordeal is also unheard of.” Shindong continued.

“What do you mean, unheard of?” Key asked.

Heechul stood, placing his arms behind his back and intertwining his fingers. He looked up to the ceiling as if questioning himself, then turned his attention to the two boys in front of him.

“There are a lot more of us.” He stated.

Shindong looked up, a surprise expression spreading across his features.

“Heechul, are you sure-“

“Shindong, we have told them this much already. If they really are tribeless, they must understand the lot of things.”

Shindong nodded his head, silently agreeing.

“So, there are more Cerberi?” Onew questioned.

“Why do you guys call yourself hell hound names anyway?” Key as well questioned.

“It’s more of the other way around,” Heechul answered. “But we can get to that explanation later. What you two need to know is that there are more of us around the world. This,”

He spread his arms wide, signaling to the room around them.

“is just a small part of the creatures that bless the world. America, Canada, even places in Europe share our kind. Humans have made movies about us throughout the generations but they couldn’t be more wrong, though occasionally they get some things right.”

“Like a bite turning someone?” Key asked, inching back towards Onew.

Shindong chuckled.

“No, my child. Those are fables. Our kind cannot turn a human. You are either born with it or not. And those that are born with it are in tribes because we make sure not to dispel our own kind lest they become lost in the human world.”

“Which is why it’s strange we’re apparently ‘tribeless’” Onew quoted the word in the air with his fingers.  “But Key was the one that made the flowers grow, why do you assume I’m not human?”

Key nodded as if just remembering that aspect.

“Because as Donghae mentioned earlier, there was no way you could have seen the object that would have made your friend fall,” Heechul answered.

Onew shrugged.

“I was lucky.” He replied.

Heechul shook his head.

“I would have agreed with your notion, but,” he shot his finger in the air, “the boys had to chase after you, a feat that shouldn’t have been as hard as they said it was.”

“What, cause you guys are werewolves or something?” Onew retorted.

The two Uncles were quiet.

“Oh…” he murmured.

“As we were told,” Shindong continued, “Key was already out, but you kept the two of you running. Even in your weakened state, there was no way either of you should have been able to outrun our boys.”

Onew shook his head.

“I think my parents would know if they were non-human creatures.” He retorted.

Key was quiet. Shindong noticed.

“Which is what makes the two of your cases very interesting,” Heechul replied.

“But,” Shindong sighed looking towards the window that held dark shadows casting in through like ghostly faces, “the hour is getting late. If they two of you wish to continue, we are always here. Your parents must be worried, though. Kai!”

Without a second to spare, Kai waltzed into the living area like a soldier being called for orders.

“Show Onew where our telephone is so that he can call home for the two of them.”

Kai nodded and gestured for Onew to follow. The boy hesitated, looking from Key to the others, but his friend softly smiled at him, signaling it was alright. Onew got up from his spot and hesitantly followed Kai into another room.

“I am sorry,” Shindong replied towards Key, “this is a lot to place on the both of you. But you must understand, this is the first time in centuries that a phenomenon like such has happened.”

“I-I get it.” Key stuttered, not sure if he completely believed his own words.

He looked down at his hands that lay in his lap and started fiddling with his fingers.

“There have been a lot of odd things happening around me that I haven’t gotten answers to.” He thought of those piercing eyes the seeped through the darkness of the trees on that fateful night and the long marks that had etched on the back of his skin.

But he said nothing.

“Key!” He heard Onew call.

The boy stood up along with Shindong. Before he could turn and answer Onew, the man spoke.

“Seems like it’s the first time you’ve lied to your friend for so long.” He murmured.

Key froze in his spot.

Onew came walking in.

“Key, let’s go. I told mom and dad that we just went walking and lost track of time.”

Kai stood behind him, still wavering in his soldier demeanor.

“Ah, in that case, allow the boys to walk you two home.” Heechul smiled.

“No need.” Onew interrupted. “We can walk there by ourselves.”

“All due respect,” Kai intercepted, a new sound in his voice than what the two boys were used to, “you will get lost trying to find your way out of our land.”

Onew grimaced and Key nodded.

“M-Might as well.” Key stuttered.

“Alright.” Onew sighed.

Heechul and Shindong ordered for the others, all except Donghae, to lead the two home.

Minho took a mental note of that.

When the lot of the crew was gone, the three of them sat back down on the velvet sofas, spreading their arms after a sigh of frustration.

“Are you two sure you did the right thing?” Donghae asked. “I’m expecting that you want me to keep this little event away from the Elders’ ears.”

“If you can.” Shindong sighed. “But I know your loyalty-“

Donghae held up his hand.

“No need. The Onew boy is very curious. I think he may be the cause of the disturbance.”

Heechul leaned in, intrigued.

“What of the Key boy then?”

Donghae furrowed his brows.

“I think the both of them are curious. Key is obviously hiding something further and from his friend at that. Though I believe Onew to be the cause of the disturbance, I still think Key is highly a part of that as well. I’m just not sure how the two are linked, but I might have an idea. An idea that is madly absurd.”

“What do you mean?” Shindong asked.

“I went to go check something. I was sure I heard something open when Onew was up and about. The door, he opened it.”

The Uncles furrowed their brows.

“No…” they both whispered.

Donghae nodded.

“The door was unlocked when I tried to open it as if someone broke the seal and then closed the door back. Someone like a wondering kid who doesn’t know where they’re going and had no idea the door was really locked.”

“If he really did open that door, then to him it never seemed locked in the first place,” Heechul replied.

“Exactly, which makes the case of Onew even more curious. The reason why I don’t want to inform the Elders either.”

“Should we really assume that both of the boys’ guardians are like us?” Heechul questioned.

Shindong shook his head.

“I’m not positive about that but the Key boy’s guardian was curious as stated before. I think she knows something. Something she apparently refuses to tell the Key boy as well. I could see it in his eyes.”

“Then we have a lot ahead of us to figure all this out.” Donghae sighed.

“This is why we must make sure they get close to the boys. This, my dear friends, is trouble that I’m afraid has been slowly brewing.” Heechul sighed.

He looked down towards the wooden floorboards, his lashes casting shadows on his cheeks.

Indeed, there was a lot ahead of them, and he feared, none of it was going to be quite what they expected. Trouble wasn’t coming, it had been slowly growing under their noses the entire time.