SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING YESTERDAY! T^T Like I had said, I didn't have enough time to write and update because of church and then going to my cousin's house to celebrate my cousin's birthday. (I slept at 2 a.m. and woke up around noon to take a shower and start writing.) I'll see if I can double update today, but I'm not entirely sure. Please comment because going one day without one was like a withdrawal. Thanks for commenting or subscribing! I love you all! Please tell any of your SHINee/EXO friends about my story. :D (Oh, geez, my dad's b-day is tomorrow and I don't know whaty my family is going to do. O__O) Excuse me for mistakes or confusion and hope I didn't forget anything. Read on!

(Third Person POV)

"Omo," breathed Xiumin and Chen, eyes wide. Tao looked bewildered, mouth parted in surprise. Even Kris was taken back, looking rigid and perplexed. Lay shifted in his seat uneasily.

Luhan shook his head and furrowed his brows in befuddlement. "Did I just hear that right?" Did he accidently misheard the girl's words?

"It's true," interceeded Yongguk fervently from his spot by the wall. "She's been confirmed by the Demon King and Mother Almighty. Demons and guardians all alike finally noticed her true identity."

"Even I considered Alaina to the Peacemaker when I first met her," confessed Onew sheepishly, scratching his cheek. "But I was very confused with all the obstacles in the way to affirm it."

Staring down at her lap, Alaina looked blank and assessing. "Who could have thought I would suddenly feel like me when I don't even know who I am?" she muttered to herself. She shook her head, driving those troublesome thoughts away and looked up more animiatedly. "Believe me, it's a shocker to me, too. But somehow...it makes sense. I know it."

EXO-M exchanged peculiar glances. They hardly knew her but everyone else was sure positive about the proclamation.

Luhan was staring at Alaina as if she was a priceless artifact he was trying to set a price on. But there was none, because it was impossible.

A sweet-looking girl like her is the Peacemaker? I guess fate knocked us off our feet again, he thought.

"Maybe we should finish up the story," suggested D.O. "There's still a bit of holes remaining."

Alaina nodded and cleared . "Because the spell wore off completely, I guess when I saw two demons - who were like brothers - fight, I got frustrated and scared and my emotions triggered my ES. I had sent four of the 'good' demons and all of the guardians in my own dream world." Her hand trailed up to touch her head involuntarily. "I saw so many memories, but mainly the words of Mother Almighty and the demons during their human lives. I knew what I had to offer them. As the Peacemaker, I have influence over mortality, which is basically like ying and yang. If one has a change in heart, I can offer them reconcile, and they will be given a second chance." Alaina took a deep breath and smiled very widely, but very sweetly. The smile was directed towards Zelo and his hyungs. "I returned the demons their lost souls and converted them into guardians. But in return, I had to bare the injuries they were substaining as a payment. And the four demons are right over there."

"You were demons?!" accused Xiumin, pointing incredulously.

"Not any more we're not," said Youngjae flippantly, rolling his eyes.

"Yah, back off," said Alaina in a defensive, childish tone. "They're my friends." She caught the small smile on Zelo's lips and smiled inwardly.

"But friends with them?" Xiumin looked freaked out, thinking Alaina was off her rocker.

"Sit down," sighed Kris, rubbing his forehead in vexation and Xiumin did so he wouldn't aggravate his leader.

"It's only them four," clarified Suho appeasingly. "The other two were too corrupted to be offered a choice and still are out there. We don't know where they went."

"I'm still worried about Block B, though," added Baekhyun, a slight crease on his forehead. "What happens when they hear about B.A.P.'s changes?"

"And the other demons," put in Daehyun gravely. "We had connections and channels from the Reversed World. They probably already figured it out and are organizing a new approach."

"Still after Alaina?" asked Taemin bluntly and Daehyun nodded unwillingly. Taemin had a pout-like frown on his lips.

"She must really be the Peacemaker," Tao said in awe then brightened at an abrupt thought. "Wah! Shouldn't we be telling the other groups and inform home base?"

"Ani, not yet," replied Onew. "We all need to catch up and rest. Also, we're still wary about the other demons, especially Block B."

"Block B is in Super Junior's territory," stated Minho. "They can't exactly escape them so easily and suddenly outright attack us."

Key peered at Alaina and frowned slightly. "Alaina, your ES needs some training now. We're going to have to train you now."

"Ne," she replied seriously. "Right now, I think I'm supressing it correctly. But everyone can still sense me, right?"

They all nodded. Her ES was falling and pulsing as she tried to contain it, but she was only a novice. A fool wouldn't notice her presence.

"I can help you," spoke up Zelo tentatively.

Alaina brightened when he spoke (which made Taemin and Kai pretty annoyed). "Ah! That's right! You're good at controlling your ES. Can you help teach me? I don't want to only burden Key umma."

Zelo nodded carefully, acutely aware of eyes trained on him. More like glares from two certain people.

Jonghyun straightened out his neck tiredly. "Ugh, tomorrow we're going to have to clean up the messes we made during our battles. We have to make sure we leave not a trace of our ES behind."

"Want us to help?" offered Kris, being productive of his group's services. "And Lay can heal up your wounds faster."

"We would be most grateful," accepted Onew.

"Anything for our brethren and hyungs," agreed Lay with a nod.

Storytime ended with answers filling in the empty holes. Jonghyun, Key, Sehun, Minho, Baekhyun, and Chanyeol had to be treated by Lay for their more afflicting injuries. Kris, Luhan, and Suho were discussing about the clean-up crew for tomorrow. Heading towards the kitchen, D.O. and Key were tagged along with Tao, Xiumin, and Chen to make a sufficient dinner for twenty-two people. And Alaina went to go talk to Onew about B.A.P. The mentioned group were more relaxed in the room with less guardians, and they conversed in low voices.

"Is it possible if they stayed here?" she asked him. "I'll need Zelo nearby if he's going to teach me about ES control..."

"What?" Kai and Taemin snapped their incredulous gazes at her. She gave them an admonishing look and they backed down just a tad.

Onew sighed collectively, carding his fingers through his hair. "I'm not sure. We only have one more spare room."

"I think they won't mind," said Alaina.

"You mean stay here like permanently?" stressed Kai.

Onew and Alaina both nodded in unison. "For now. Sooner of later, we'll have to bring them to the Reversed World with us so they can be properly trained as guardians," said Onew.

Both Taemin and Kai frowned, not agreeing to the notion. Alaina nudged Taemin with her elbow pointedly.

"Yah, no being mean to my friends," she chided them.

Taemin hugged her to his side and mumbled in her hair, "Why can't you have normal friends that I actually like?"

Alaina poked his side. "I did, but they're at a place called school, from which, I remind you, I am barred from ever going to again."

"You should let her back in school, hyungs," Kai said, crossing his arms. "People won't believe her being sick for so long."

Onew smiled mischieveously. "Unless they're getting the information from me." His eyes twinkled knowingly.

Taemin rolled his eyes. "I know, you devious dubu leader. Everyone always listens to you."

"I'm going to tell B.A.P. they can stay," inserted Alaina and slipped out from under Taemin's hold. She lightly glided towards them and smiled politely. "Onew oppa says you can have the spare room. I'll bring some extra blankets later if you want."

"Kamsamnida," thanked Yongguk respectfully, bowing his head.

Alaina held out her hand at Zelo and he took it timidly. She helped him up to his feet, his height towering over her. "Should I address you as 'teacher' since you're going to instruct me?"

"Er, aniyo," he replied, almost unsure and shy. "Just Zelo is fine."

"Or Junhong," suggested Daehyun with a small, teasing smile. Alaina loved it after one day, they were acting like normal people - like themselves. They were growing both out and into their personalities.

Zelo blushed lightly and made a disgruntled face at his hyung. "Yah, don't give her any ideas!"

"I'm stealing her away now," said Kai bluntly, appearing behind Alaina and wrapping his arms around her waist, effectively tugging her away in his secured hold. B.A.P. watched the two banter and wrestle as Kai led his soulmate away.

"Kai!" she protested as Kai half-carried, half-dragged her out of the room and into the hallway.

"That's what happens when you flirt with other people," he only said.

"But I wasn't flirting, I was being ni-"

Alaina was cut off when Kai kissed her on her lips, silencing her easily, his hand holding her chin in place, tilting her face up to his. Her mind went haywired and she felt her face heat up.

"Like I said, no flirting," he said, grinning. He had to admit, her plush lips were very luscious. And this time, he kissed her.

Stunned, Alaina blinked repeatedly, then her gears worked again. "Kai!" she gasped, her face coloring a deep scarlet.

"Kim Jongin!" Taemin ran down the hallway to chase Kai furiously. "Who said you could kiss her like that?"

"No one, that's the point meaning I can kiss her!" Kai retorted, as Taemin hunted him down. They breezed upstairs, and Alaina could still hear their loud bantering and rowdy footfalls. She fanned her heated face.

"They sure are argumentive," commented a soft, musical voice and chuckled goodnaturedly. At first Alaina mistook his voice as Suho or even Taemin, but it was the sweet, deer-faced boy, Luhan. Alaina had to remind herself that Luhan was dramatically older than her. Actually, everyone was, even the youngest of them all, Sehun.

"Er...ne, they are," Alaina managed to reply finally. Her cheeks were still pink. "Um, you didn't happen to see..."

"You and Kai kiss?" finished Luhan. He smiled amusedly, eyes twinkling. "Maybe."

Alaina face-palmed herself in embarrassment. "Aish."

Then Luhan looked concerned. He inclined his chin at her arm. "Are your arms better?"

"Oh, ne, Lay is a very good healer," said Alaina sincerely. "I am very grateful for his help." She touched her left arm, recalling the searing pain that made her want to hurry up and die but she held on to her consciousness. She wasn't going to leave Taemin, Kai or anyone else.

Luhan narrowed his eyes on her two tattoo rings. "It's kinda...unnerving knowing you have two soulmates."

"I thought that, too," Alaina admitted. "But it's not like I could pretend I never bonded with Kai and let him wallow in despair while I was with Taemin. I love them both because they complete me." She smiled very angelically, that it even dazed Luhan who was known for his cute smiles. And her perspective of the double bonds, she wasn't even concerned just about her opinions, but others.

Luhan blinked then chuckled. "You make me feel inferior when you smile. You're prettier than me."

Alaina shook her head in disagreement. "I beg to differ. You're way pretty, but a handsome pretty, like a prince."

Luhan contemplated, tilting his head. "Usually I don't like it when peple refer to me like that, but since you said it in your beautiful voice, I accept your compliment." He bowed his head like a gentlemen.

Alaina blushed modestly, palms over her cheeks as if she could hide her face. "Y-you compliment me too much, aigoo."

"Yah, Luhan hyung!" Kai shouted from the upstairs railing. He was pointing accusingly at his hyung. "Are you flirting with her, too?"

Alaina shifted uneasily, and before Luhan could say anything, she blurted out, "Um...I'm going to hide behind Key umma before he kisses me again. Excuse me." She hastily shuffled past Luhan and ran into the kitchen as Kai and Taemin rushed downstairs. Kai pouting at Luhan who .

"She's a keeper," Luhan laughed at the younger guardian.

Kai grinned at that happily. "I know, right?"

...

(Third Person POV)

"B.A.P. has failed," said the leader flatly and disappointedly.

"More like they became enemies to us now," corrected someone very dryly.

"I find it rude they dare ask us to open a portal, risk our hides to exposure, and decide to bail!" someone vented very angrily.

"So do we call on Block B instead?" wondered someone else."They are the only demon group who are capable and near the Chosen One in the human world."

"Perhaps," allowed the leader drolly. "Or we can send someone else to coordinate with them."

"Like who?" demanded the second person.

"I hear some women are interested in partaking in the action," said the leader casually as if he was relaying some news.

"And I ask again, who?" pressed the persistent person.

"BEG will be willing to help," clarified the leader.

"Them?" This person was skeptical. "Aren't they near f(x)'s area?"

"They'll think of something," dismissed the leader. "Looks like we have to re-plan and re-group for now."

"Ne, leader," chorused his groupmates.

...

(Alaina's POV)

I was more happier and just...content.

I had found out my true identity, and thus, helped the guardians with their purpose here in the human world. I had given B.A.P. and more importantly Zelo's wish to become something other than demons, but as guardians. The first battle was won by us. We might've not known where Himchan and Jongup had disappeared off to, but they wouldn't be able to confront us with their weak numbers.

Thanks to Lay from EXO-M, my family was perfectly fine and healed. He even saved me from the brink of death, for which I was forever in debt to. It was nice to see EXO has a whole. They were all like brothers, and to me, more to the addition of my family.

B.A.P. would be staying in the SHINee house. They didn't have anywhere else to go and I personally wanted to keep them close, mainly because I've grown fond of them as friends. Zelo volunteered to be my teacher for my ES control anyway, I needed him close. Onew and Suho had spoke things over and agreed to have them taken under their responsibility as new guardians.

It was getting crowded in the house, mainly for seating arrangements in the dining room and kitchen, but also for sleeping arrangements. EXO-M would be transported back and forth from Beijing by Kai, so no worries about them, but for such a big house, it was feeling more...cozy.

Dinner was a highlight. I had gotten used to Onew's ultimate cravings for chicken, Chanyeol's big appetite, and Sehun's vice for sweets, but Xiumin and Tao were another oddity. Xiumin loved to eat, especially meat buns or anything Korean. (I had just figured out that Chen and Xiumin were native Koreans.) Xiumin stuffed his face and we would laugh at his eccentricness and puffy cheeks. Tao was adorable and childish for someone who could look intimidating and strong. He and Sehun constantly liked competing in aegyo contests, even at the diner table.Tao would like eating different foods and even share with others, like he was spreading out his charm with the food. Since seeing a new soulmate pair, I observed the interaction between him and Kris. Kris was usually cool and aloof looking, keeping a poker face, but he was actually a good, warm-hearted person. He watched after s, and even from EXO-K, with a tender expression in his eyes. But I noticed his gaze would linger on his soulmate the most, his reserved expression softening in gentleness for Tao.

What surprised me was Kris wasn't the oldest in EXO-M but was the leader. Instead, Xiumin was the oldest, and even baby-faced Luhan was older than the tall leader. But Kris was responsible, apt, astute, and had this firm leader outlook to him - that's why he was chosen as the leader. He even knew a couple of languages. In all he could speak in Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, and English (with a Canadian accent). Admiring the leader, I wished I was intelligent with an affinity in languages like he was.

Music and dancing was one of the main and foremost favorite subject between the guardians, but EXO had the same music, concept, and nearly similar dance routines and began discussing over it since they were all gathered. Luhan and Chen were going over songs and lyrics with Suho, Baekhyun, and D.O. Lay and Xiumin were absorbed with the dance moves Kai and Sehun were describing. Chanyeol, Kris, and Tao were going over beats and raps.

After dinner finished and dessert was inhaled, I was washing dishes with Key and Onew. There were so many dishes and plates but I didn't mind. Minho had joined the rappers in their discussion. Taemin was upstairs with the dancers as they all showed off their moves. Jonghyun was harmonizing with the singers in the music room. I could hear them from all the way downstairs.

I noticed B.A.P. hadn't really interacted with the other guardians much. Youngjae and Daehyun politely had helped clean up the table with D.O. and Xiumin, but that was basically it.

"Yah, Zelo, can you help with dishes?" I asked him over my shoulder, seeing him sitting at the counter, fiddling with his fingers. "I know that Key umma and Onew oppa want to join the others."

"What are you doing, Alaina?" Onew whispered to me.

"I just don't want him to feel awkward," I whispered back.

"Ah," he said in understanding. He smiled pleasantly at Zelo, his eyes twinkling in kindness. "Would you mind helping Alaina? I don't want her to wash all the dishes alone."

"Um...sure," Zelo finally answered tentatively and came over to the sink.

"Just follow Alaina's instructions," Key told him, handing the younger boy gloves.

"You can rinse and dry," I told him affably as Onew and Key exited the kitchen, taking a wary peek at us before leaving. "Then place the dishes in the drying bin in an organized manner."

He nodded mutely and began with his chore. I appraised him, "Good work."

"Thanks," he muttered, eyes down.

"So where are your hyungs?" I asked conversationally as I scrubbed.

"I think Youngjae hyung is in the backyard and leader and Daehyun hyung are rearranging the room," he replied.

"After this I'll go get extra bedding for you guys, araso?" I told him, smiling sincerely.

"Komawo," he muttered again.

Zelo didn't seem so keen and still awkward, his spine straight but shoulders slouched. A bell rang in my head as I thought to cheer him up. I slipped off my gloves, rubbed my hands together with soapy water, made a circle with my fingers, and blew a huge bubble.

"What the-" he uttered when the bulging bubble popped and I laughed. It was just like the time when Kai was helping me with dishes.

"Wanna try?" I asked him in almost a gleeful, childish manner. "Like this." I repeated the process and blew a massive bubble that was bigger than my head. As if he couldn't help it, Zelo poked the bubble and it popped in our faces. We both laughed.

"Yah, that's silly," Zelo said to me, but a faint, amused grin formed on his lips.

"But it makes washing dishes fun," I retorted with a beaming smile. To prove my point, I blew soapsuds at him and he laughed as the tiny bubbles floated and tickled his face.

"What's going on here?" asked Youngjae as he stepped into the kitchen, hearing our laughs. He looked puzzled.

"Nothing," both me and Zelo chimed and innocently continued to clean.

Youngjae cocked a brow. "I see." He rolled his eyes. "Kids."

...