My eyes flutter open. All I can see I blurry shapes and colours. I blink a few times and my vision starts to clear.

"She's awake," someone calls out next to me. I move my head in the direction of the voice but my head throbs and I squeeze my eyes shut. "Does it still hurt?" the voice asks quietly. I nod, just a little. "Where?"

"My head," I say hoarsely. I'm surprised and I clear my throat.

"Lie still," the voice whispers. I do and I feel a cool hand on my forehead. Tingly warmth spreads out from there to my whole body and the throbbing disappears.

"There. Try to get up," the voice suggests. I sit up and miraculously, I feel good. No pain anywhere, not even at my right shoulder where's it's been hurting for the past year.

I focus on the person in front of me. An average, slightly good-looking man. "How do you feel?" he asks, concerned.

"A lot better, thanks," I smile. A big smile breaks out on his face. "That's good!"

I look around the room. It's my own room and I suddenly remember what had happened before I out. At that moment two people walk in. I recognize one of them--- Tai or Tao--- but not the other.

"Oh good, you're awake," the other one says.

"So what's the plan now?" asks the first guy. They all exchange looks and somehow it's as if they have a silent conversation.

"I'm Luhan," says the guy that just walked in. "That's Lay," he points to the one next to me, "and Tao I think you've already met."

"Nice to meetcha." I nod at them.

"So, down to business. After what happened--- after Kai--- you know you're not safe anymore, right?" I nod. "We don't lie, Adrienne. Especially not Xiumin." Ah, so his name is Xiumin. "So now, it's relatively simple. You have two choices: either join EXO-M--- that's us--- or be forced to join EXO-K later when they come for you again. Because they will, Adrienne, and don't you forget it. It's only a matter of time. We don't know what they'll do to you there, but I can assure you it's not good. Whatever you do, you'll end up with either group in the end, so I suggest you join us, now, and we'll protect you." Luhan looks at me expectantly. I guess we all know what I'll choose. I believe them now.

"I really have no choice, do I?" I sigh.

"No, you don't," Lay says somewhat sadly.

"Then I'd better pack my bags--- wait, what about school? What about my tutor kids? Richie? What do I tell them?"

"Just tell them you've got to leave, you're moving to somewhere far away--- just make something up." I nod in silence and get up to pack my stuff. I don't have much, just some clothes and random things. And my beloved guitar. I pull a dust-covered suitcase out from under my bed and open it.

I finish packing pretty quickly and I sit down to write letters to each and every one of my tutor kids. I've tutored them for more than a year now, and watching their grades rise from Fs and Es to Cs and Bs and even As... well, it makes me so, so proud. And they love me. I'm not going to just go without an explanation. It breaks my heart already to go without a proper goodbye. Richie too.

Dear Richie,

I'm sorry I have to go in the middle of the night without a proper goodbye, but something extremely urgent has come up suddenly and it can't wait till morning. And you were dead drunk asleep and I couldn't wake you.

Remember the day you took me in? When I told you I have no family whatsoever in the whole world? Well it turns out I have an aunt and uncle in Canada--- pretty far away since this is Hong Kong, but they're offering me a home and financial support for school and I can't possibly refuse. They've even sent me a ticket to Canada and the plane takes off early in the morning, so I can't stay to say goodbye. I'm sorry.

Remember, on that day, you told me you'd be my family? Even though we're so different, you and I--- you've really become family. You're the sister I never had, and for that I'm forever indebted to you. I love you, and I wish you good luck for the rest of your days.

I hope we'll see each other again someday.

Love,

Adrienne

PS you'll want to dump Kai, that new boyfriend of yours--- he's very disloyal--- he tried to hit on me right after you fell asleep. Just saying. Hope you find The One soon.

PPS one last thing: can you give these letters to my tutor kids? Thanks. <3

Luhan walks into my room as I'm finishing my last letter. "You ready?" he asks.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I reply. I stand up, guitar on my back, suitcase in one hand and letters in the other. "Where's Richie?"

"The girl? In her room." I go there, and I look at Richie, still fast asleep, dead to the world even after all the commotion, and I put the letter gently onto the bedside table. A lump forms in my throat when I realise this is the last time I'm ever setting foot in this house again, the last time I'm seeing Richie. I don't like lying to her, but what can I do?

I follow Luhan out silently, swallowing hard to get rid of that lump. I lock the door for the last time.

It's raining heavily outside. Perfect. Matches my mood completely.

We get into a small plane and I watch the building get smaller and smaller until it disappears into the darkness.

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eek! Lay! :D

oh and btw I'll try to update every other day... but actually I've already finished chapter 6 >:) muahahahahaaa ;P

@CatAttack1020: hehheh ikr?? :D I'll never look at Kai the same way again, that's for sure! x)