Changjo woke to the sound of the front door being flung open. He had fallen asleep sitting upright on the couch while watching TV with Niel and Chunji. The other two looked over their shoulders as Minsoo walked in.

"We're back!" he said with a smile and a wave, tossing the keys onto the counter and shrugging off his coat. Byunghun strolled in after him and shot Changjo a mischievous glance. Changjo only had a moment to be confused before he heard Ricky running down the hallway outside.

"CHAAAAAAAAANGJOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he yelled, bursting through the door, whipping past the other boys and dropping a pile of shopping bags onto the floor. He leaped onto Changjo's lap and hugged him.

"Changjo! Changjooo! Look! Looklooklooklooklookielookielook! Look in the bags!" He cried, excitedly pointing at the ones he had dropped a few feet away.

"I would, if you'd calm down and get off of me!" Changjo laughed, lifting Ricky up and depositing him on the couch. Chunji leaned over and began handing Changjo the bags. He started to open one, but was stopped.

"Noooo! Open them here, where I can see and explain!" Ricky whined, and with a roll of his eyes Changjo sat back down on the couch.

"Can I open them now?" he asked, eyeing Ricky suspiciously.

"Mmmhmm!!" Ricky replied, nodding vigorously. His eyes were bright with excitement, and he couldn't stop wiggling in his seat. Changjo picked the smallest bag first, and slowly picked out it's contents one by one and set them on his lap. They were clothes; shirts, to be more exact. There were about eight of them, all different colors and styles, some v-neck and others long sleeved, some with graphics or stripes or patterns. Changjo checked the tags; they were exactly his size. He looked up, and Ricky looked as if he were about ready to burst.

"Do you like them? I picked them out! All of them! Even the stuff in the other bags! For you! I figured you'd need something else to wear than the clothes you got in headquarters. They're the right size, right? You like them, don't you?" His eyes were shining and he was smiling proudly, pointing to the other bags, "open them, too! We didn't have enough money to get belts or anything else yet, but all the basics are there."

"I love them. They're great. Thank you, Ricky, really," Changjo said, smiling. Though he'd only known him for a short time, but already he felt very close to Ricky.

"Well, go on, open the rest!" Niel ordered, pointing at the other bags. He was sitting on the arm of Chunji's chair, who was absently playing with the strings of Byunghun's hoodie, who was sitting at his feet. Minsoo stood with his back against the counter, arms crossed, but a smile on his face. Changjo nodded and opened each one, examining the jackets and sweaters and jeans and shoes inside each one. The more he opened, the more Ricky calmed down, and soon there were no bags left. Changjo opened his mouth to thank Ricky once more, but was interrupted.

"Well," said Niel, "I'm going to go to bed. That's the last time I wait up all day and night for you guys to get back from a simple shopping trip that should've only taken a few hours."

"You're not going anywhere," Minsoo said, shaking his head.

"What? Why?" Before Niel could protest any more, there was a knock at the door.

"That's why," said Minsoo as he turned to answer it.

"Who's here?" Changjo asked, but the others just shrugged their shoulders in conjoined confusion. A soft, low voice came from the now open doorway.

"Are you absolutely sure you weren't followed? Nobody knows you're here?" Minsoo asked, blocking the mystery arrival from getting into the apartment.

"I'm sure. Besides, even if I was, they wouldn't find it too suspicious. They know that you and I have been friends for a long time," replied the voice. Minsoo nodded and moved out of they way so the guest could enter. He was of medium build, with light brown hair that swooped over his forehead and past his ears. He wore a white collard shirt, a brown pinstriped vest, and brown slacks. His red tie hung loosely around his neck, and black rectangular glasses framed his warm chestnut eyes.

"Onew!?" exclaimed Niel loudly, "what are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too, Niel," he replied, laughing. His face broke out into a sincere smile that lit up his eyes. Changjo decided then that he liked Onew, whoever he was. 

"I didn't mean it like that, it's just I was surprised is all," Niel recovered, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah yeah yeah, we're all so surprised. Anyway, please, sit," Minsoo said, striding to the center of the room and pointing at the chair nearest Changjo. Onew did as he was told (despite tripping slightly over the rug) and turned to Changjo.

"You're certainly looking better," he said.

"Um..." Changjo began, slightly confused and unsure how to respond.

"Oh! Sorry! I forgot that you wouldn't know who I am. I work at Headquarters. Part of my job is monitoring new arrivals. I looked after you for your first few days there...such a unique case..." Onew replied with another bright smile. Changjo could only nod before he was interrupted once again.

"Anyway, Onew, since we probably don't have much time," Minsoo interjected, scanning the street below through a crack in the blinds, "why don't you tell me whatever you wanted to see me about?"

"Ah, that. Well, I think that first we should explain to Changjo about the...uh...you know..."

"Right. So. Changjo," Minsoo said, turning to face him, "how do you feel about the Project?"

"I...well I guess I'm not particularly fond of it," he replied with a shrug.

"And do you think you're alone in feeling this way?"

"No...?"

"Correct! There are many of us involved with the Project, mostly Systems, who despise it. However, there are many, many more who approve of it and see it not for what it is, which is a sick and twisted abomination, but as the cure for the 'human condition'. The Project is a very dangerous operation, the Virus an extremely dangerous tool. So, in order to try and stop it, some of us have formed a sort of...rebel alliance. Our main goal is to expose and destroy the Project, though we'd like to find a cure for the Virus as well. Onew, a System and scientist for the Project, is one of the founders of the Rebellion. Everyone else here is a member." Changjo looked around the room at each of the other boys, his gaze finally falling on Minsoo.

"Can I join too?" he asked.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Minsoo replied, his face cracking into a crooked grin. "So. Onew, now that that's over with, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

"I think you should look at this," he replied gravely, reaching beneath his vest and pulling out a newspaper, "page three." Minsoo grabbed the paper and quickly flipped to the page, his eyes rapidly scanning it. 

"Beijing homicide rate increases 400% in just three months," he muttered, still reading, "a mysterious string of seemingly connected murders and kidnappings have run rampant throughout China's capitol. Police trying their best...public in a panic..." Niel lowered himself to the floor, his mouth open with shock. Byunghun and Chunji looked stunned, and all the color had drained from Ricky's face.

"It's the Project. They're compensating for the failures in other countries. China is now covering for Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and many others. They're going to begin with Russia soon as well, for Taiwan and many of the island nations. Japan and Korea may be next, since we're all that's left."

"Wait, I thought that..." Changjo started, but fell silent.

"Thought what?" Onew pursued.

"Well, when I was in Headquarters...one of the Systems, I think his name was Five, told me that the Project had Headquarters in every nation on the Asiatic continent."

"Five's just doing his job. They did. Not anymore, though. Nobody's supposed to know that the Project has failed everywhere but here, Japan, China, and Russia. Obviously, they're still going to make up the losses by increasing the number of Systems in those countries," Minsoo explained.

"Call him by his real name, not that stupid fake one he's made up. Heechul is also determined to try and make every other System as brainwashed and crazy as he is," Onew added, "but anyway, that's not all I wanted to tell you. The Project is planning something. Something big. I don't know what it is yet, it hasn't reached my department, but whatever it is it can't be good. They say it's going to be their 'grand solution'. As soon as I know more, I'll let you know, but for now all we can do is wait." Silence hung in the air for several minutes. Minsoo stood, head down, deep in thought.

"You should go. They'll be looking for you soon," he murmured. Onew nodded and walked over to the door, silence still coating the room.

"Right. Goodnight, then."