❝secrets

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                                 Those people who claimed to have lots of secrets are those who are afraid to live in reality.

Kai's perspective 

“… Where is Xiumin?” Luhan’s question took me by surprise. I never really thought he’d be this truthful. I stiffened at the corner and stared at him with doubt.

What the hell, Luhan? I cursed silently. Why do you have to be so frank and scare others off? I gazed at Kyungsoo’s blank expression, definitely overwhelmed by the thought. I took a deep breath to keep my composure and stepped forward towards Luhan. As he noticed me, I received a glare which I sent back. I took a grab of his forearm.

“Can I talk to you?” I tightened my grip. “Privately.”

“No!” Luhan said through clenched teeth. “Not now, Kai.”

I yanked him off Yixing’s hold, probably harsher than I thought. “You have no choice, partner. What I want always happens, you know.” And I brought him somewhere by teleportation.

I have no exact place in my mind that time though so we ended up on the beach. The strong cold breeze blew and the air smelled salt, making my skin to feel sticky. I can hear the gentle rushing of the waves to the shore as if telling me to relax.

“Why am I here?” Luhan avoided my gaze. “There is nothing left to discuss.”

“There is!” I lost my temper so, yeah, I yelled at him. “You are frightening the members. Even if you know the truth, you should learn how to keep a thing.”

“Why should I?” He also burst out. “Everyone has the right to know what was going on. We are all in here and it is unfair if only we know the truth, right? I am just making all things just.”

“Just? And do you think startling off the members will make everything just?” I stared at him disapprovingly. “sometimes, you will have to keep quiet and consider the things you knew as confidential—secrets.”

“Secrets? And what advantages will this give to all of us then? Yes, I admit that have I read everyone’s mind to train my abilities and accidentally, I figured out the planned conspiracy. So what?” He pushed me hard I almost tripped. “I don’t live with secrets because those people who have lots of it are those who are afraid to face reality.”

“So what are you fighting for then?” I clutched his shirt. “Faith?”

“Yes, Kai. Faith!” He looked like I just shattered his hopes, like a lost child. “We are partners, remember? And we are in this game. This is reality and you can’t deny that from me. I am not blind. I am well aware that we should work hard together but yet you don’t have even a single faith on me.”

“You are the one who doesn’t have it.” I pushed him to the ground.

“Because you don’t show it in the first place, hypocrite!” He wiped away a tear that just rolled down his right cheek as he stands. “How can I trust my life to a person who can’t even believe me, who has a lot of suspicions, and keeps secrets from me?” He turned away and started crying. “I know you are hiding something.”

I took a deep shaky breath. “Okay. Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to have a fight with you.” I slouched down on the sand, sighing in exasperation. “I just wanted a small talk. I never thought it would lead to a quarrel.”

I didn’t get a response from him but I can hear faint sobs being carried away by the wind.

“I’m sorry, okay? I promise I’ll tell you everything from now on and let’s start with the poison.”

The sobs halted. “Yixing have the capabilities to heal Chen, right?” He asked, way too dreadful.

I closed my eyes and bit my lip. I know he would ask this. “Yes.” I started off. “Yixing can do it.”

“Then why did you stop him?” He turned to look at me.

“Because he’ll die.” I stared straight into his unnerving hazelnut brown eyes. “That poison, the Taste of Greed, is a cursed one, probably the most dreadful poison ever made. Whoever that would try to extract the poison from the infected and succeed will suffer and die a slow death, mostly by septicemia. However, if the infected is left uncured, his mentality would completely change as if he is reborn to be a different person. He will certainly not die but if it reached his heart, greediness will rule. It was a rapid process.” I paused for a while to see how he is taking it. “He will lose his compassion for all of us and he will not hesitate to kill anyone if it benefits him. He will do everything to survive even if it means losing all that he has. He has become a great threat for all of us and we have only two choices to stop him: either Yixing will die or we’ll kill Chen.”