The time I manage to grasp it is the moment it turns to ashes.

If it was another ordinary and cliche story, the moment would have surpassed in slow motion but life goes on at a fast pace. We might actually be running out of time. Right now, the professor was calm. Possibly, too tired to go on a rampage. Taehyung was locked up in a private room inside the facility. Bangtan acted like everything was normal. Then there's Hani who couldn't bring up the courage to face Jungkook, rather she felt like she didn't have the right to even be a meter near him.

Another day has gone by and Taekhyun looked up to see the sun set. "The clock has now pointed to three, whose past will affect his present and deny their future?" He silently muttered to himself. He packed up and closed a book he has yet again finished. Very soon, he'd have to start moving. He must bring down the madness that has gone for too long and has tainted his whole being, after all he wasn't human anymore. He reached for his phone in his back pocket and dialed Yoongi's line.

Hani got home earlier than usual. She expected her house to be empty as today was the expected day off of their housekeepers and only the guards outside were present but as soon as she got near the living room she heard muffled whimpers. She went to inspect and saw her stepmother. She didn't expect to see this as her stepmother was usually so composed and a woman who hardly showed weakness. She didn't want to mind her nor get involved in the business of others so she started to head upstairs but her nagging conscience was a little too overbearing. She 'tsked' and turned back to the living room, got a tissue and offered it to her stepmother. Hani actually doesn't have bad blood towards her stepmother, rather she hated the fact that her father chose another woman aside from her mother.

"Thank you." Came the silent gratitude of her stepmother. Seeing her cry made Hani remember the crying face of her own mother. She keeps reliving things in the past causing her to feel even more regret.

"Why are you crying?" She tried to sound sincere but it came out rather awkward.

"I just miss my son."

"You have a son?" She replied a little shocked from the statement of the former. Not that she knew anything about her to begin with. She never spent the time to get to know her.

"Yes, he's a year older than you."

"Where is he?"

"He disappeared... one day while playing with his friends." She mustered a bitter smile trying not to shed a tear again.

"Didn't you ask his friends his whereabouts?"

"They knew and I knew but.."

"Jaeyeon!" Came the warning tone of Hani's father.

"Hajin.. she should know.." She replied with a pleading tone trying to convince her husband.

"It's not yet time."

"What do I need to know?! I'm so sick and tired of being kept in the shadows! Dad, I deserve to know, I'm fed up with trying to act like I don't see anything going on."

"It's for your own good."

"Yeah right. That's what they all say." Hani uttered and went straight to her room leaving her father and stepmother to talk things out.

"Hajin, why are you keeping this from her?"

"I don't want to lose my daughter just like how I mercilessly killed Mina."

"You didn't kill her, it was suicide. Hajin, forgive yourself."

"It's my fault Jae, if it weren't for my stupid pride... we would've still be a happy family and you wouldn't have to act like my wife."

[PAST: Hani's mom]

A long time ago Mina dated the superstar Moon Jitae. Jitae always competed with his rival Song Hajin. Jitae favored his career over Mina and decided to break up with her before the tabloids could find out about their relationship. In a twist of events, fate brought Mina and Hajin together as Mina had become an actress and became the leading lady in most of Hajin's films. They went public about their relationship a year later and received the support of many, they were a perfect couple. Years later, Hani was born and Hajin was at the peak of his career, leaving Jitae behind. In rage and jealousy, Jitae kept blackmailing Mina into having a divorce because he knew how much Hajin loved her. She had no choice but to protect Hani's life, so she agreed to it. Nonetheless, Hani believed in her mom and loved her the same. Her husband, who never knew, loathed her so much when Jitae told him about his relationship with her. He cursed her and made her suffer just for the sake of his own pride.

[end]

"There's a reason for everything, let's do what we can hmm?" Jaeyeon said trying to assure Hajin.

"We have to bring him down, no matter what the cost is. For Mina, your son and everyone else whose lives he messed up."

Taehyung opened his eyes slowly as he tried to recall events the past few days. His head was throbbing as if he had just drank a load of alcohol the night before. The monitor in front of him , only to be welcomed by a face he doesn't want to lay eyes upon.

"How are you feeling?"

"Concerned now are we?"

"Of course. I have to show concern to precious experiments as if they were my own children."

"Tch."

"Pissed off now are we?" The person on the screen uttered trying to follow the tone Taehyung used a while back, making it seem a little childish.

"Shut up."

"Have you learned your lesson? You really should behave properly just like the little pawn you are, your brother's life depends on it." The demon laughed maniacally and just like that the monitor has shut off and the door has opened, once again his longer leash has gone back on.

I need to see Jin hyung. He thought and started to walk, not minding his heacdache- after all it has become a normal routine.