😥😥🕠Sorry for any editing hours. Was trying to get this to you guys as soon as possible. Had to edit LATE at night lol.🕠😥😥

In a painstakingly long process, the day was going by for Key. He brooded over his moments in class and often watched Onew as he wrote down notes upon notes but never really paid attention nor did any of his own. It was that gnawing feeling chewing away at the back of his brain. His aunt and Onew’s mom. Both going to see someone today. His aunt was acting strange, so that’s the perfect reason to suspect something was amiss. He shifted himself uncomfortably in his seat, body wiggling from side to side, an itch crawling up his back. Unconsciously, he reached his arm behind him as best he could, touching the area his scar had been not too long ago. Or had it been long ago and it just seemed recently?

It was hard to tell. From the teachings about the supernatural world, learning about Cerberi, learning that him and Onew are something else other than human, learning that his aunt was keeping something—probably deadly—away from him, to knowing that he was keeping a secret from Onew that slowly unwrapped itself to be more of a secret for his aunt than Key. All this information jumbled in his mind and it was frustrating. Like having a billion jigsaw puzzles swarming in front of you and you only having a couple of minutes to figure out them all in one sitting.

When he realized where his hand was touching, he put his arm back down in his seat. Warily, he looked over to Onew, but the boy was so focused in his notetaking that he didn’t seem to notice. He wondered if they noticed though…the boys back there. The Cerberi. They seemed to notice everything but now that he thought about it, today was a bit different. Their demeanor a little off with one another. Not like he could really tell if he were to compare their attitudes today with any other day before he knew them. But now that he did, they seemed a little…off. It was a concept hard to put together in his mind because anyone else wouldn’t get it, but something definitely didn’t feel right.

At lunch time, Onew and Key sat at their usual table together, away from everyone else. Key’s eyes glazed over their surrounding environment, his hand barely touching the chopsticks. In an almost airy echo, he heard someone…calling him. Then a touch on the hand and he snapped out of it.

“Key?” Onew looked at his friend, hand grasping his fingers. “I called you like a thousand times. You alright?”

Key’s brows raised, his eyes widened watching his friend and ominously nodded his head.

“Sorry just-“

“Well, you did say you had a lot on your mind didn’t you.” He stated. Onew shrugged his shoulders. “Must be one hell of a thought process.”

“Enough of that,” Key replied, shaking off his own problems. “Have you noticed-“

“The two Cerberi acting a little off today?” He finished.

Key smirked. There was a reason he and Onew were best friends.

“So you noticed it too,” Onew rubbed the bottom of his chin like he was some detective off of a movie trying to solve the world’s biggest clue. But after what seemed like a two-second thought process, he shrugged his shoulders. “I could say they were definitely, surely off in some way, but who are we to tell. We’ve only really known them for a couple of days.”

A nauseating feeling grew in the pit of Key’s stomach. It tightened like a ball of rope. His hand slid down to his stomach.

“Something definitely feels off right? Though?” He asked.

Onew agreed, thinning his lips in a goofy expression and rolling his eyes.

“Maybe Cerberi have a little time of the month of their own and this is there’s.” He shrugged again. “Not our problem really.”

Key had to admit to himself that Onew was right, it wasn’t their problem and with all the other problems he had stacked on his brain, one less was the best. So he shook it off and peered over at Luna who sat next to her sister digging into her meal. No one else sat with them which, believe it or not, was strange. While Luna was the school crazy lady, her sister was still somewhat popular. And, of course, Luna had her own league of small followers. .Usually, tons of students flocked over to their table to either chat with Luna’s sister or see what new concoction of a story Luna souped up this time around. But, there was no one. The two looked content. This was their chance, well, Onew’s chance, if any. Key nodded towards their table.

“No one’s over there. Might be a good time to do your little investigation.”

Onew turned around and peered over as well. He sighed heavily before putting his chopsticks down.

“You have a point. Might as well right… What do you think she’ll bargain for? We know she’s gonna bargain for something.”

“Well then Onew, I don’t know why you’re even asking me. If she likes you and tells you something and we know she’s gonna bargain for something in return, put two and two together. She’s probably gonna ask ya out on a date dummy.”

Onew grimaced. His eyes lowered towards the table and a small irritable noise seeped from his throat, a vibration against his skin.

“Date huh?” He murmured.

He let the statement stick with him as he got up and made his way over. That meant passing by Minho’s and Taemin’s table. Though he didn’t look over, he could feel their stares pouring down his back. When he attempted to subtly pass Taemin’s table, the boy clasped his hand around Onew’s wrist in a low-profile-esque type of way. He whispered as he talked; low enough so no one around them could hear but high enough to meet Onew’s ears.

“Me and Minho heard what you two were talking about earlier. We don’t find it wise to go asking questions to humans. Especially Luna. It would only stir her up.”

Onew looked over towards Luna again, too busy bothering her sister with another round of talking. Then he glanced over to Minho’s table; he and his cousin sitting diligently across from one another. Their heads were down, looking at the food that neither touched, probably acting as if they couldn’t hear what was going on right now. He turned his head towards Kai who sat next to Taemin on his left, away from where Onew was. Kai wasn’t subtle about anything. He glared his eyes directly in Onew’s direction, spewing a strong hatred. Not but a few days ago, Onew would have felt threatened over that look, but lately, not so much. With a soft yank, he pulled Taemin’s grip. For a second his eyes glazed over to Kai who seemed a bit irritable and ready to pounce given the chance.

“Then you also heard us say that you two don’t seem to have enough information as it is.” He told Taemin.

Before he could get another whisper-lecture from him, Onew started over to the table in long strides, ignoring other students that peeked over in interest.

There was this moment of odd solitude in his thoughts as he walked over, not sure what the hell was going to come out of his mouth. He locked eyes with Luna before even reaching her table. She and her sister looked over at the same time, staring him down; one, like he was a piece of candy, and the other, like he was the devil’s incarnate. He stopped his tracks directly next to Luna and looked down at her with stern eyes.

“Luna, I need to talk to you.”

His voice was a mid-tone. He neither spoke too loudly nor too soft, but instead hoped his luring eyes would do most of the talking. V looked up at him as well and pursed her lips, leaning back a bit.

“What do you want all of a sudden.” She said in a sneering voice. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him.

Luna yanked her head in her sister’s direction and narrowed her eyes as well; a warning for her sister not to say anything further. She cleared . Like a lady, she dusted off invisible lint from her skirt before standing up.

“How can I be of service?” She gleamed.

“Is it okay if…” he looked towards V again. “we talked alone?”

Luna turned to her sister who shook her head immediately.

“I’m not moving from my spot.” She retorted.

Luna rolled her eyes, flipping her long straight hair to the side as if to scream, REALLY, but grabbed Onew’s arm just as Taemin had not moments ago, and pulled him over towards an empty wall where no peering eyes or ears could reach them. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a teacher walked into the room, peering over the mass array of students.

“Minho, Taemin, Kai, and Donghae. You’re needed in the principal’s office.” His eyes finally found the two tables of families sitting across from each other as longtime rivals, not the supporting family partners as Onew and Key were told they were.

Key. He moved his eyes away from Luna for a second and found his friend sitting alone at their table. Key was watching too, as the two families got up at the same time like robots and made their way towards the teacher. Other students watched in whispering gossip as well, but Key found Onew’s eyes and shrugged his shoulders; as if knowing the question that was running through his mind: ‘what the hell were they being called for?’ Suppose it wasn’t too suspicious, seeing as their family always seemed to have something come up, but ever since both Onew and Key had been in the loop about their world, everything seemed suspicious.

When the two families disappeared with the teacher, regular student talk and activity went on like nothing ever happened. He saw Key shrug again and go back to messing with his food that Onew was sure he was never going to eat. Luna punched him lightly against the shoulder, turning his attention back on the situation.

“There situation ain’t nothing really new. Whatchya want to talk about?” Her lip curved up to its sides like a mischievous cat.

There was a glisten of curiosity in her eyes. Perhaps Minho and Taemin were right, but then again, neither of them or their little Cerberi family were in hearing distance to even know what he finds out. Or were they? He wasn’t really sure how the whole hearing range thing went.

“Stories,” he answered, “you know a lot about them.”

Her mischievous smile turned into a sneering grimace. Her lips pursed, probably expecting something else.

“Yeah, so. I don’t need to hear about how you don’t-“

“No, no. I want to hear one.”

The expression on her face erased. Her demeanor calmed.

“You want to hear a story?” Her brow lifted.

“Yes. One in particular actually. If you know anything, that is.”

“Oh yeah.” She smirked again, crossing her arms across her chest. “What are you looking for. I know lots of little tales. You know, for the crazy lady of the school and all. I know that’s what people call me, even if they do like hearing my stories. That what you call me Onew?”

That annoying echo of maybe Minho and Taemin were right started to sound off in his brain again.

“No,” he lied, “I never discredited anything you said to a degree. I always gave you credit, where credit was due.”

She thought for a moment, eyes peering up at the ceiling, then nodded.

“What particular tale ya lookin for?”

“One about the woods,” he answered immediately, almost like a kid in a candy store seeing his favorite flavor. He didn’t want to sound anxious but it came out like that nonetheless.

Even so, it didn’t seem she noticed. She just nodded along.

“Um…particularly about anything…ya know… with creatures.”

“You want to know about the monster story I’ve been telling the whole school about since that creepy night happened?” She asked, almost comically.

“Not specifically. I was wondering if you knew of any other stories that went on about the woods. Ya know, any other supernatural tales. You’re always going on about what you think really goes on there.”

She nodded again, but carefully looked him up and down, starting from the tips of his sneakers to the glistening brown of his irises.

“I got a story alright. BUT. It’s gonna cost ya.”

“What exactly?”

“A date. I want one date with you. And it has to be my pick.”

His heart skipped a beat, but he’d mentally prepared himself for this. Key was right; she did exactly what he said she was going to do.

“Ok.” He breathed.

“Deal.” She gleamed.

She inched her finger in the air for him to come closer. Though the intimate space they were sharing already was enough for him, he did as she said and made himself even more uncomfortable.

“There’s this one story I heard a long time ago. It’s the reason my whole suspicions for Minho and Taemin’s family started. The story was weird, they were weird. Ya just learn to put two and two together.”

“Apparently long ago. I mean, super long ago. I think like hundreds of years if my story’s straight. Before there were creepy monsters hovering around the forest, there used to be these powerful god-like creatures that protected the forest from humans. I heard they were big and fearsome, something outta one of those Hollywood films, ya know. They could control the forest and while they protected the forest, the forest protected them. It had like secret homes for them to live in and what not. Villagers and stuff always tried to find one of the creatures, ya know cause nobody’s technically ever seen them. Only when a human was doing something crazy in the forest would something weird happen and have them packing. The story goes, that there were supposed to look half human or something.” She tapped her finger against her lip as she thought.

Onew furrowed his brows. This, was not sounding like Cerberi. Maybe her story was wrong. Maybe both he and Key were wrong about getting information from her. She was the crazy lady for a reason, after all.

Luna spotted the way he was looking and scowled a little.

“You don’t believe me, do ya.”

“No, no. I believe you.”

She pursed her lips, then sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Why do you want to know all this anyway?”

He shook his head.

“Not apart of the deal.”

“Fine.” She huffed. “Tragic though. The outcome, ya know.”

“About what? The creatures?”

“Yeah, well, in the story, these godly creatures were said to have been slaughtered. Somebody got rid of ‘em all. That’s why we don’t see any today. Or, ya know, that’s how the whole tale goes.”

The bell rung, sending a shock through the both of them, their skin jolting a bit.

“Well, I’ll see you around Luna.” He said quickly, joining Key as fast as he could as they headed out.

“DON’T FORGET OUR DEAL!” She hollered from behind; an echo he’d wish he’d never heard.

****

“Key, are you even listening to me?” Onew asked as they packed their things from their bookbags into their lockers.

The day had gone by and no matter how many times Onew tried to tell Key what he’d learned, he wasn’t even sure if the boy was listening.

Key packed some things from his book bag to his locker in a daze. Eyes glazing over.

“What?” He asked in a soft voice, his mind coming back to reality.

“The story. You know, that Luna told me about? I’ve been telling you that it doesn’t add up. It’s not sounding like the Cerberi. I don’t know…I don’t think we can trust them.” He mumbled the last part.

Key closed his locker and sighed, half the conversation going through one ear and out the other. Onew touched his shoulder.

“Hey, are you alright?”

Key lifted up his eyes and nodded his head.

“I just think I’m gonna head home a little faster than usual. Guess I’m just not feeling that good today. I keep getting this queasy feeling in my stomach.”

He touched his belly softly, almost hitting his camera that hung beneath his neck. A camera he’d forgotten about as the day went on.

“I can walk you-“

“No, that’s fine. I just think I need to walk by myself. Hopefully, the solitude and fresh air will help.”

Onew grimaced but nodded his head.

“Call me when you get home?”

“Definitely.” Key lifted his lips up in an attempted smile and made his way out.

The streets were unusually quieter than what had been earlier today. He looked around and only saw about two cars driving. A couple of students went their opposite ways as they headed home. Meanwhile Key couldn’t shake this horrible feeling in the depth of his stomach and his thoughts. Something was off and he couldn’t pinpoint it.

He followed his own two feet with his head held down, trusting his gut to take him home, but when he came to the area where his house sat…something…something was amiss. He trotted his feet down faster, going around the corner of the house to get to the front. His camera swinging against his chest.

The door…it was open.

His aunt never left the door open.

In slow, steady steps, he ventured closer to the door. He knew what happened next. He’d seen it in many movies before. He goes calling out his aunt name and the killer comes from around the corner…only…there was neither.

When he entered the house, everything was jumbled, a mess. Cabinets were opened, dishes were shattered against the ground, the fluff of pillows were ripped out. The horrible queasiness he’d felt when walking, increased. There was blood, on the ground. A trail that dripped from corners of the house to the outside. How? How had he’d not noticed it before? His hands shook, his heart raced. But for some particular reason, he didn’t feel as though there was anyone in here. The smart part of him told himself to call the cops, call Onew, call someone, but his hands wouldn’t do it. Instead, he whispered out her name, frightened at what he might get back.

“Aunt Kim…” He spoke. “Aunt Kim.”

Key searched around the house as quietly as he could, but there was no sign of her.

His fear enhanced.

The woods.

Why he was thinking about the woods at a time like this, he wasn’t sure, but something was telling him to go to the woods.

No, call Onew. He told himself. But his feet turned towards the door and he found himself, not long after, running towards the forest.

He sprinted down the streets, the icy wind picking up from nowhere. It blew in the strands of his hair, whistling against his skin. Goosebumps crept up his back and against his arms. He’d never ran this fast before. The street was a blur, the trees were a blur. He went so fast; his camera didn’t even swing against his chest anymore. Before he could breathe his next breath, he was deep in the woods. An area unfamiliar to him. How had he gotten here so fast? Where was he exactly?

Then he saw it.

Or her.

His aunt; laid amidst the middle of the woods, arm flailed out at her sides, mouth strewn slightly open. Blood laid across her waist. His heart beat crept faster and faster. It could explode at any minute if he let it. Tears rushed down his face before he felt them swelling up. He couldn’t even find the voice to speak. To call out her name. He ran up to her.

Her eyes were strewn open.

They turned to look at him in widening horror.

No.

Not at him.

At something else.

They were not alone.