“It should be against the law to make us work at these hours.” Sehun complained. “I’m a minor, you know? I could sue the company for child abuse.”

 

“If that was possible the authorities would have shut down S.M. a long time ago.” Suho replied without of trace of humor in his voice. Like the rest of the group, he wasn’t a morning person.

 

“Lets get this over with and maybe we will have a couple of hours to sleep before the performance.” Chanyeol wrapped his hands around the leader’s neck and slumped on his shoulders.

 

The six boys had just arrived the studio and were heading to the stage through the audience’s seats. As they walked past rows and rows of seats they caught sight of EXO-G on stage. They hadn’t noticed two of the members were missing.

 

“The girls are here already.” D.O. pointed out.

 

“Poor them.” Baekhyun shook his head. Weird, Kiko is not with them.

“Where’s Lexx?” Sehun said without hiding his disappointment.

 

Jae was the first of the girls to notice the boy’s arrival. She smiled broadly at Suho and waved enthusiastically. Suho couldn’t help but smiled back at her.

 

“The leader is smiling...” Kai elbowed Chanyeol. “It’s creepy.”

 

They all laughed as they approached the main stage.

 

“Hello.” Yujin bowed.

 

“What’s up!” The boys bowed back.

 

“Hey, I thought you would’ve already finished practice by now.” Chanyeol said.

 

“Well, we should have. But Lexx and Kiko went to look for replacement mics about thirty minutes ago and we haven’t seen them ever since.” Hannah shrugged.

 

“Maybe we should send someone to look for them…” Jae said.

 

Then something caught D.O.’s attention. He saw some weird movement on the catwalk suspended above the stage, but it was to dark for him to understand what was going on.

 

“GUYS! HELP!”

 

“Huh?” Everyone turned to the back left corner of the stage. Moments later, Lexx emerged from the darkness. She was clenching her abdomen and the stream of blood ad already reached her chin.

 

“H-HELP!” She bawled.

 

“OH MY GOD. LEXX!” Everyone ran to grab hold on her. Kangin was the first one there.

 

“What happened?!” He asked as he picked the wounded girl and sat her on the floor.

 

“L-Lexx.” Sehun stuttered as he reached for her hand. He felt a knot forming in his throat. “Why are you like this?”

 

“S-Sehun..” She looked at him. “That man…and then Kiko.”

 

“What happened to Kiko?” Baekhyun was suddenly on the floor next to her.

 

“Lexx, calm down.” Yujin her head. “Where is Kiko?”

 

“Help her.” Lexx said. “She went after him!”

No one could really understand what Lexx was sayin, but they all knew something was wrong.

 

“That’s it.” Kangin frowned angrily. “Donghae call security NOW.”

 

“I’m calling an ambulance.” Hannah’s trembling hands reached for her phone. Her eyes were getting teary.

 

D.O. had a weird feeling. He took a few steps back and looked up the stage once more. Could it be that…

 

His fear became reality when he finally managed to make out Kiko’s bright blond hair and a second person standing on the catwalk. The man had a shiny object in his hand and Kiko was backing off slowly.

 

“JESUS CHRIST!” He pointed upwards. “There she is!”

 

Everyone finally noticed the whole scene that was happening above their heads.

 

“Who is that?” Jae asked, laying her eyes on the other man.

 

They all gasped when they saw the person launch himself at Kiko, who didn’t even had time to react.

 

“KIKO!” Hannah screeched and covered with both hands. Now she was really crying.

 

Baekhyun didn’t say anything and just sprinted at the speed of light to the backstage.

 

“I’m going!” Jae tried to follow Baekhyun, but Suho stopped her.

 

“No. You’re staying here.” He said with all the seriousness in the world. “I’ll go.”

 

“That’s my friend up there!” Jae pushed him away and kept running.

 

“JAE!” Suho ran after her.

 

“ security!” Kanging barked. “I’m calling the goddamn police myself. Kyuhyun, go after the kids. Don’t let them get hurt!”

 

“Right.” Kyuhyun nodded.

 

Yujin glanced up one last time. Kiko was laying on the floor now, motionless, while the man had climbed up the catwalk’s railing and was working on one of the lights.

 

Chanyeol was the first one to react.

 

“THE LIGHT IS GOING TO DROP! OUT OF THE WAY!” He shouted.

 

“WHAT?!” Hannah looked up as well. Then she felt someone wrapping his hands around her abdomen and lifting her off her feet. It was Kai.

 

“Don’t just stand there!” He told her as he jumped of the stage with the girl on his arms.

 

Kangin had thrown himself over Lexx’s body and both kids were wrapped in Kangin’s protective arms.

 

Kyuhyun, who wasn’t aware of what was happening and was still heading backstage, had unknowingly positioned himself right below the spotlight.

 

Yujin’s blood went cold as she saw the heavy piece of metal and glass free falling from above. It would sure hit Kyuhyun.

 

“KYU!” She ran, trying to warn him. He didn’t seem to understand whatever she was saying, leaving, Yujin with no other option.

 

Just before the light made contact with Kyuhyun, he felt someone violently tackling him to a side, followed by a loud crashing sound.

 

He opened his eyes and found the pieces of glass and rubble only a couple of feet away from him. Yujins body was also next to him. Not one of Kyuhyun’s hair was harmed.

 

But Yujin wasn’t so lucky.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“JAE!” Suho kept calling as he ran behind her and Baekhyun. “STOP!”

 

But Jae kept running despite Suho’s yells. She had known Kiko for a long time now and she knew exactly what that crazy girl was capable of. Only Kiko would think of looking for a fight against a dangerous man.

 

Don’t be stupid, Kiko. Just wait for us…She repeated over and over in her head.

 

Baekhyun was way ahead of everyone, almost at the stairs that lead upstairs. His mind was fuzzy and he felt a weird heaviness built up in his heart. He wasn’t thinking whether it was dangerous to confront that man himself or if he was harmed in the process. He just wanted to see Kiko out of danger.

 

He fled up stairs at incredible speed and slammed the door open.

 

Before his eyes he saw the attacker staring down at an unconscious Kiko, as if deliberating what to do with her.

 

“YOU.” Baekhyun seethed . “Stay the HELL AWAY FROM HER!”

The man took a fighting stance and prepared for a confrontation. Baekhyun did the same. In that moment Jae arrived with Suho right behind her.

 

“Kiko!” Jae tried to run forward, but Suho held her back with all his strength.

 

“Baekhyun don’t you dare take a step.” Suho warned without taking his eyes from the attacker.

 

“I can’t let him go.” Baekhyun spat back. “He’s dangerous. Just look at what he did to Kiko.”

 

“That’s exactly why I won’t let you get in a fight with him.” Suho replied. “We will take Kiko to the hospital, okay? Let it go.”

 

“I can’t…”

 

“BAEKHYUN!” Suho roared. “You will shut up and do as I say!”

 

Baekhyun hesitated for a moment. He glanced at the attacker and then at Kiko. Suho was right, Kiko was the priority. The man in black took advantage of Baekhyun’s hesitation to escape through the other side of the catwalk, disappearing into a second flight of stairs.

 

In that instant the three of them ran to Kiko. She had a swelled cheek and a cut on her lower lip, but aside from that she didn’t seemed to be in danger.

 

“C’mon Kiko.” Jae patted her cheek softly. “Wake up.”

 

“Lets take her to the others first.” Suho said. “Baekhyun, help me carry her.”

 

“Y-Yes.” Baekhyun nodded. His hands were still trembling with rage, but he was slowly calming down.

 

“You will be alright.” Jae whispered in her friend’s ear. “I’ll make sure of it.”