Someone knocked on Sunny’s door. Her eyes slowly opened, and the sunrays gave her eyes a shot of pain. Right after eating breakfast, she went straight back to bed. Hopefully to get rid of that headache, and to not think a little bit. She looked at the clock. 6:00 p.m. Today was going to be a full sleep day for her.
 Another knock came from the door, a little louder then last time. “Yes?” Sunny called.

 “Are you descent noona? Can I come in?” Hyun-Woo shuffled behind the door, almost like he was leaning against it.

 “Come in Hyun-Woo.” Sunny rubbed her eyes so she could wake up.
 Hyun-Woo slowly opened the door, and poked his head before entering. He carried a tray that held a chocolate sundae and a laptop starting a movie. He grinned brightly as he plopped down beside Sunny. She made room so he could sat beside her comfortably.

 “I though you could you use something to wake you up. I put in our favorite horror movie, with a side of ice cream topped with sprinkled and chocolate. Just the way you like it.”
 They used to do this when they were kids, scaring themselves with horror films, and then calming down with a spoon full of ice cream. Hyun-Woo handed her a spoon as the film was getting started. Death Bell 2 flashed on the screen in bold white letters dripping blood.

 “Hyun-Woo, what are you doing?” Sunny asked.
 Hyun-Woo stopped midway as he was lifting his spoon to his mouth. He casted a confused glance at her. He shrugged, “Eating ice cream, with my best friend.”

 Sunny rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. I thought you would be busy all day today.”

 “What else could I possibly that’s not this?”

 Sunny shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. . . making out with your girlfriend or something.”
 Hyun-Woo stopped eating his ice cream and starred at her for a moment. Sunny didn’t feel so soft for him at the moment. She still had a slight headache and was still thinking about that thing last night. But she imagined it differently. Instead, it was like a war. They were all in a field surrounded by thousand and thousands of trees. Sunny was watching from above a tree. Her white dress was ripped, she had on no shoes, and her hands were tied. Over to the right, were just the boys. No sign of their father, or that other man that came in the dining room. It was just them, and Kris standing proud and strong in front of them all. They all wore some kind of weapons strapped on to their waists and backs. Over to the left were the girls. But something was different. They wore their hair in pony tails, and they wore long dresses. Bom in dark violet. Minzy in a short sky blue dress with ruffles. Dara in a long green dress decorated with stars. And CL dressed in a frightening scarlet red, holding a staff with a decayed head on top. What was the most different about this whole image, the boys had glowing white wings, and the girls had dark black wings with a slight purple aura around them. Like the Fallen in the paintings.
The sky was almost black, the stars moving fast as if running for their lives. From below Sunny caught sight of one of the boys starring up at her. Chanyeol moved his mouth, but Sunny couldn’t make out the words. He nodded after saying it, and Sunny nodded back. Lightning struck. Fire set ablaze upon one if the trees. The sound of a grandfather came from afar. The earth seem to move beneath their feet, grumble, grumble, grumble. The wind wiped this way and that. Frost covered the land beneath their feet. The cold should have reached Sunny, but instead warmth hugged her all over.

 But she couldn’t hear anything. The girls and the boys opened their mouths, as if yelling obscenities. Then they charged to each other. That’s when Hyun-Woo opened the door and woke her up.
 It was okay though. She didn’t want to know what happened next in that dream.

 “Why the sudden mood noona?” Hyun-Woo asked, giving her curious puppy eyes.

 Sunny shook her head, looking away. “I’m just tired, Hyun-Woo. And after all, I did think you had plans today.” She took a spoon full of the ice cream, and it melted coolly upon her tongue. It was the feeling when that ice appeared upon the ground. But she still felt warm, as cold as the ice cream was.

 “Well, I’ve been with Hee-su all morning,” He admitted. “But when I came back, you were still sleeping. I was actually waiting all afternoon for you to wake up. I just wanted to talk to you about last night.”

 Sunny looked to the computer. The scene with the new teacher entering the classroom, tripping on the way, was on. She took another spoon of ice cream. “Ask away if you have any questions.”

 Hyun-Woo nodded. “Good. Um, I’ve never seen their house. How is it?”

 Sunny shrugged. “It’s pretty big. Actually no, it’s very big. Possibly a castle I might say, a palace. It’s so nice and clean inside. It even comes with maids. I was truly amazed.”

  Hyun-Woo nodded. He didn’t expect those boys to have that big of a house. A castle. A place. A streak of jealousy flowed through him.
 “Oh. Cool. Well, how about the food? Was it as good as the house interior.”

 Sunny chuckled. “Please. It was amazing. I think the turkey was the best.”
 Sunny actually wanted to say something about the girls coming in, and the strange weather inside and outside the house. But for now, she wanted to keep it all to herself. It was best he didn’t know anyway. Hyun-Woo would probably march down there and ask for an explanation. Her cousin would do that.

 “Yeah. That’s good but, I want to know,” Hyun-Woo scooted closer to Sunny, leaned in and whispered. “You have to tell me, did any of them touch you?”

 Sunny furrowed her brows, and slipped the spoon out . “What?”

 “You know, did anyone of them put there hands on you. Tried to hold your hand, hug you. . . kiss you?”

 Sunny shook her head slowly. “I don’t understand, Hyun-Woo. Why are you asking me something like that?”
 She didn’t remember the boys ever touching her. Except, maybe a few times. But she mostly remembered Bom’s ice-cold grip.

 Hyun-Woo sighed. “It’s mostly because. . . Tao told me about kissing you on the way home. He and all his brothers are so alike. And maybe you couldn’t see it, but it’s clear in front of my eyes. They like you Sunny, but not the way you could hope. They have a possessiveness in them, and you’re their target. Tao told me, when he was leaving from our house. You know what, I think it’s best if you keep your distance from them. Their bad news.”

 Sunny couldn’t believe that. Sure, she noticed the looks the boys would throw her, like a ‘love-fallen’ kind of look she took as just a look. But now that Hyun-Woo is mentioning all of it, it did seem like they liked her. Maybe a little. Just a little. And. . . maybe she liked them too. . . maybe a little. Just a little bit. There was that jealousy when Suho was so close to Hee-su. She was confused as to why she was jealous and upset. She shouldn’t have been. But she was. Oh, how confusing.
 Sunny shook her head. “Their our friends, Hyun-Woo. What trouble could they possibly cause?”

 “I don’t know about our, but they are your friends. And that’s the way it should be. I don’t want to loose my noona already.” Hyun-Woo gave her a soft smile, similar to the smile when they were twelve. When they were climbing there back yard tree, and Hyun-Woo let her get to the top first.

 “Their sweet boys, Hyun-Woo.”

 “You say sweet, I say suspicious.”

 “They are sweet. Their not like normal boys. Like. . . like Baekhyun is the kind of boy who actually drinks coffee. Chanyeol likes to take naps in the sun. Xuimin reads under his maple tree in his backyard. Lay is calm and collected, but Suho says he lies. A lot. It’s. . . like characters from a book. They are literally every girls dream. My dream especially.”
 Sunny paused for a moment, then looked at Hyun-Woo. “Can I tell you about this dream I had?”

 Hyun-Woo hesitated, but nodded.

 “I don’t remember much, but the boys were in it. They were standing against four girls, who had black wings like the Fallen. And the boys had large white wings, like the Archangels. They were glowing. And I was in trouble, but I knew they were going to protect me.” She smiled at thought, almost on the verge of tears. “I love them like brothers. And they would never hurt me, physically or emotionally. I have faith they’ll stick by me and never leave. It’s like your relationship with Hee-su. We’re just too close.”
 Hyun-Woo smiled, a kind of weary and sad smile though. He nodded. The two continued eating their ice cream and watched the rest of the movie silently, only making noise when the scary parts come up and someone squealed with horror.

 As Sunny kept on to the bright and happy feeling of the boys inside her heart, she didn’t know how that feeling would slowly crumble into bleak nothingness.





 Sunny decided not to go to Sunday school that day. She slept through that day too. She had that angle dream again.
 There was more to it this time though. The part where Chanyeol mouths to Sunny from below. Her dream self looked closer this time, wanting to know what he was saying. He slowly made the words, “Be safe.” Sunny nodded.
 Ice covered the ground slowly beneath their feet, and the warmth hugged her from the tree. On the left she heard CL say, “Your giving her too much credit. She’s nothing.”

 The same thing she said in the dining room.
 “Your no match against us, and a Protected.” Kris said, crossing his arms determinedly.

 “Shells can not suddenly gain power.” Dara said calmly, looking up at Sunny. She narrowed her eyes into slits as she looked away. They were repeating everything she heard before. Why was that? As she starred down to the tree, she did realize they were talking about her. But, what’s a Protected? Was she something else, something special. Those words CL said to describe the boys.

 “You don’t understand. The boys will have their prize.” Minzy said, releasing that terrifying laugh. Bom was saying nothing, just like in the dining room. Why was she so quiet, when she seem like one of those confident people. Bom was just starring determinedly at the boys, like the rest of them.
Thunder sounded through out the sky. That grandfather clock was ringing again. Where in the world was that clock?
 The trees swayed in the wind except Sunny’s tree. She knew why. She was protected by something. They wouldn’t let her get hurt.

 The trees behind the girls rustled. A low growl wisped through the tan leaves. The boys looked at them, waiting. The girls smirked and looked behind them too.
 The first thing Sunny saw was claws. Nasty dirty hands, and pointy nails. Then dark figures appeared five of them to be exact. They were all boys, looking to be the same age as Sunny‘s angles. But something about them made them older. Was it the glowing red eyes? No way. It just made them look scary. Or maybe it was their torsos, built but lean and shining even under the black night sky. Even their toes were dirty, hairy, and ugly. They crawled on their fingers and toes, like some kind of beasts. They bared their teeth, pointy teeth that is. But they were clean and shiny, unlike the rest of them. One of the boys, who was bigger then the rest with large muscles and short brown hair, growled lowly towards the angles. But they were not fazed, only keeping those determined looks stuck to their faces. The beasts crawled beside the girls. CL bent down and petted the leanest of them, with dark chocolate hair. “Aren’t they just adorable?” CL said, looking at Sunny as if talking to her. But she probably wasn’t.

 The lean beast shrugged her hand off his head, and stood tall and straight. He smirked, showing those strangely pointy, pearly whites. “No touching.”

 CL smirked back.

 “Like we said, the Fallen can not beat us.” Chen said, walking forward and holding tightly to his sword.

 “You can’t protect her for long. Just watch, the prophesy is true.” said the beast with the short curly hair, and the longest of nails that seemed to protrude from his skin as he spoke. “Skin so pearly white will be our bread. Blood scarlet red will be our wine. And bones so crunchy will be our power source.”

 One of the beasts, lean, blonde, and green-eyed starred up at Sunny. He smiled. “A meal to behold.”
 Sunny shivered from head to toe. They were going to eat her. And by the look’s of it, they were going to do it slowly and viscously. This time, Chanyeol and Lay looked up at her. The look they gave was so caring. Those beasts wouldn’t eat her. Her angles wouldn’t let that happen.

 “And sorry but, we don’t like to share.” The tallest of the beasts said, giving a little cocky smile.

 “Neither do we, my friend.” Kris said, sending a smirk. The tall beast growled again.

 The largest and animalistic of the five hunched back down on the ground and sneered. “Enough talk. Let’s get this over with so I can eat.” He spoke gruffly and through his teeth.

 That’s when the thunder sounded again, along with that far away clock. Lightning struck the spot in between the two enemies, making the ice melt away into water. The beasts crouched down into their animalistic form again. The girls smirked and got into a ready position. So did the angles. A moment of dead silence sounded, just the thunder, powerful and strong, like even God was worried about this battle. Lighting struck again. Sunny was starting to feel faint. Dizzy. Out of focus. It was happening so fast. The last thing she heard was shouting, snarling, growling. And the really fuzzy image of the two sides charging for each other.
 These dreams had to mean something. They were not just dreams, or nightmares, or night terrors. They were some kind of signal. A warning. She should stay close to the boys. They were truly her saviors. Saving her from depression when Hyun-Woo stopped coming to her all the time. It was her way of feeling safe after all.

 She decided to ask the boys about that dinner night. Hopefully they could give her answers, and not lie. And that weird weather, and about their father.
 She also wanted to slip into asking about going into their house again. She was also wondering about that grand father clock. When she entered there wasn’t a clock in the main hall, and it was so loud and hypnotic.

 Hyun-Woo wanted Sunny to drive with him and Hee-su, but Sunny declined. She wanted to be alone, to decide the questions she was going to ask. Who were those girls? What were they doing there? What was that strange weather? What is a Protected? Who are you? That was the main question. She knew they were something more, especially in the impression of her dreams.
 She entered singing class, looking around the room for Chanyeol, Xuimin, and Sehun. But they weren’t there. Well, that’s them down. But she still had the other classes.

 But again strangely, they weren’t there. Not Kris, not Sehun, not one of them came that day. That’s disappointing. They can’t all be sick at the same time. Sunny didn’t know how, but she knew it must have been the cause from last Friday. It has to be.
 She was going to get her answers. So, she tried the next day. They all weren’t there either. Not Lay, not Tao, not one of them. Another disappointment.
Wednesday. “Where could they be?” Sunny asked herself. All during lunch, she looked everywhere around the school. Classrooms, empty. Offices, empty. Library, empty. Behind the school, just a bunch of students who changed out of their uniform to play sports. And usually, Kai would be among them. Great.

 Sunny got worried when they weren’t there the rest of the week. So during that weekend, she just gave it time. Let them sort out their own problems. They were probably even talking to those girls again. Without an audience.
 But no, when she returned Monday, they still weren’t there. Even Hyun-Woo were wondering where they were. He pointed out they usually swarm her like locus by now.

 As she returned home, walking of course, her mother greeted her from the kitchen. The warm and tasty smell of chicken wafted through her nose.
 “How was school?” Lynn asked.

 Sunny slumped on the counter seat and threw down her bag. “Good. Confusing. Irritating.”

 Lynn widened her eyes, and smiled. “Well that doesn’t sound so good. Mind giving me the reason why?”

 Sunny sighed. “I didn’t see the boys all last week. And I didn’t see them today either. I think something’s wrong.”

 Lynn pursed her lips. She turned off the steaming stove and opened two pots. One contained vegetables, the other was filled with rice. The chicken still needed a little more time.
 Lynn removed her mittens. “So. Maybe they went somewhere, temporarily. They could be back any day now.”

 Sunny shook her head. “No way. If they were going on a trip, they would have told me. I really want to talk to them, mom. But I don’t have any numbers, and no one knows where they are. I tried their house last Friday, but no one is answering the door. I’m so worried.”

 The bell dinged. Lynn turned and opened up the oven. Out came her mother’s baked chicken topped with foreign spices to make it spicy. “Well if it’s so important to you, I’ll do some snooping. I do know Tao after all.”

 “You only met him once, mother.” Sunny said, watching as she carefully dribbled barbecue sauce on the chicken.

 “Yeah, but I have the feeling we’re really close. I can tell he likes me too. I can help you with this little ‘dilemma’.” Lynn took a spoon of vegetables, rice, and two pieces of chicken. She set the plate in front of Sunny.
 “Eat. You’ll feel better. And eat all of it. If you don’t, that garbage goes straight to the ocean.”

 Sunny softly chuckled. Eating her mother’s food could calm any nerves, but today she was feeling extra anxious. And the pepper on that chicken didn’t make it any better.





 Why then, Sunny continued having the same dream every night. The claws, teeth, lightning, ice, and her mysterious grand father clock. And they always end the same way: her passing out as the enemy sides charge at each other, only the last thing she hears is gnawing teeth and loud roars.
 Not only were they making her upset but the boys didn’t come to school all this week either. Now she was sure that they were on no vacation. In fact, she was sure that they would take her with them. No way would they just leave without saying a word. Tao said that. And the rest of them.

 Plus, she was alone most of the time. Hyun-Woo and Hee-su are off somewhere after school, so it was all going wrong. She didn’t want to get depressed, but that’s only if her angles would come and save her. But no. They were gone somewhere. And the news her mother brought upon her that Friday night didn’t make her any better. In fact, miserable is the emotion she felt.

 Friday, after getting off school she headed to the beach. She walked around, humming the guitar song Kris played in front of the school once. Kicking around in the sand, the water, the rocks. For a moment she felt completely relaxed. Like there was no trouble in the world. And then, that memory came into her mind. The first time she met the boys, and it was instantly friendship. Wow, the memory was amazing. They’ve been friends for five months now, and nothing ever changed about them. Except. . . the dinner. And not showing up at school.
 Sunny sighed. “Oh gosh.” she muttered.

 Sunny put back on her shoes, and headed for home.
 She knocked.
 Lynn opened the door. “Hey honey.”

 “Hey mom.” Sunny entered the kitchen. “How was your day?”

 “Perfect.” Lynn closed the softly. “And you?”

 “Well. . . I defiantly feel relaxed now. I think I’m going to take a shower now.”
 Lynn nodded. Giving a content smile, she headed to the washroom for the towels. But Sunny didn’t catch that sad look in her eyes. Un-sure. Glossed over. And she was very silent gathering Sunny’s clothes.

 After the relaxing hot shower, Sunny put on her favorite silk dress. Although it was a little hard. The hem was browning, and the sleeves were a little torn. But, she still fit it and it was comfortable.

 Sunny entered the living room. Lynn was sitting on the couch, reading one of her favorite books, “The Mocking Bird”.
 Sunny slumped beside her. “Everything okay?” she asked.

 Lynn closed the book and set it down on the coffee table. She sighed. “Are you really relaxed now?”

 Sunny sat up. “Why? What happened?”

 Lynn shook her head, slowly and sadly. “I don’t know how your going to take this. I wanted to make sure you were calm at first. Sorry I asked that question.”

 “Just tell me mom. I can’t be that bad.”

 Lynn sighed. She took Sunny’s hands in hers. “Call to mind, what I’m saying is true, and I can do nothing about it.”
 Sunny could sense the sadness from her. She feared she would probably feel the same way.

 “Your best friends, Sunny. They un-enrolled from the school, just last week Sunday evening. That’s why they didn’t come to school, or didn’t answer your knock at the door. I think they moved away.”
 Sunny paused. Silent as a mouse. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t believe it. They couldn’t have moved. And without telling her? No way.

 Sunny removed her hands beneath her mother’s. “No. No way.”

 Lynn pursed her lips. “It’s true. They moved, Sunny. And unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be seeing them again.”

 “Are you sure their not at the house?”

 “I checked the address. Apparently it doesn’t exist anymore.”

 Oh. . . God.
 Sunny face contorted into sadness. Grief. Despair. The relaxing feeling she had melted all over the floor. Sunny let go of Lynn’s hands. Her mother called out to her, but Sunny ran off out the door. Crying all the way, Sunny headed to the beach. The boys address doesn’t exist anymore? She was there last week. How could it be gone? Sunny would find out. Sunny took the short cut, going through a cave and heading straight to where the rocks grew their largest. The house was right behind there. She climbed up over them, slipping a little since they were a little wet. As she stood to the top, she froze. Starring ahead of her, she looked rather confused. Shocked. Amazed, even. The large mansion had completely disappeared. Garage and all. In fact, all that was there on the ground where growing flowers of all colors. Pinks. Purples. Greens. Oranges. All the bright colors of the rainbow where there.
 Sunny slowly walked to the flowery field. She slowly sat down in the center. It’s gone, she thought. It’s all gone. And so are they.

 The tears started to spill fast now. Emotions spilled on to the flowers and her night gown. Sunny picked a flower of each color. She stood, and ran off to the beach.

 Sunny ran into the water, and chucked the flowers in the water. She slumped into the water, not caring she and her already tattered dress was getting wetter by the second.
 Sunny wept. Sobbed, actually.

 “Sunny!”

 Sunny gasped as she looked back, her tears still spilling from her eyes. Could it be. . .?
 Two figures came over the rocks. Hyun-Woo was wearing his bright blue pajamas, and Lynn looked to have ran straight to Sunny when she left. But her shawl was missing, and her dress was wet from her hip to her ankles. Sunny turned away from them, looking down in her lap.

 Hyun-Woo and Lynn ran into the water. The crouched low to her. Lynn put her hands on her shoulders. “Sunny. Oh gosh, I am so sorry.”

 “Go away.” Sunny wept.

 “Sunny? What happened? Auntie told me to follow her, but I didn’t know we were following you here.” Hyun-Woo looked back at that large patch of flowers, and sighed. “Man. Wonder how that got there.”

 Sunny grumbled.
 “What?” Hyun-Woo asked.

 “They left, Hyun-Woo. My best friends, the ones that said they wouldn’t leave no matter what, moved away. They un-enrolled from the school, they got rid of their beautiful house.” Sunny sniffled. “But the thing that rips my heart the most, is that they didn’t even say good-bye.”
 Sunny wept in her hands, leaning her head into her lap.

 Lynn pulled her close. “I’m so sorry, honey. You must have really like them.”

 Sunny sniffled again. “Actually mom, I think I did.”

 Hyun-Woo sighed. “Aish. I knew it. See noona, they broke your heart. And I knew they would do it sooner or later. I’m so sorry you let them get so close to you.” He put a comforting hand on her back, rubbing up and down slowly.

 Whilst Lynn threw him a look, Sunny sighed. “Me too, Hyun-Woo.”

 Looking into the sunset, Sunny continued spilling her sad tears on Lynn’s night gown. The tears were horrible but true. She liked every single one of them, and for them to leave just left a big wide hole in her heart.