Credits: Follow the Monster into Darkness (c) MikaAlaMode (http://mikaalamode.deviantart.com/)

As soon as I shut the door close, I covered my mouth and leaned onto the dust-covered, varnished oak double oak doors.

If my ancestors would see how red my face is now, they’d probably die again in laughter. Imagine them saying, A Kwon, embarrassed and face flushed because of a girl who just wanted to meet him and marry him. Of course, at first, I wanted to laugh when she said she haven’t met Kwon Jiyong because Hey, I am Kwon Jiyong but the moment she said that she’d definitely marry him, I couldn’t speak. I am momentarily defenseless. I mean, she even barely knows him right? Not that Kwon Jiyong is a different person. But Sandara is willing to marry him because it's her destiny even though she hasn’t met him.

I slapped my forehead and tightly closed my eyes. This is wrong—my feelings are wrong. I can’t marry a mundane—a human being or anyone who's not of my kind. I am not allowing myself to do so, even more if it's Dara. She would only feel the pain of the horrible circumstance she is in because of marrying someone like me. She would be left alone in her world since she can’t live in mine, and as for our children, they’d be with me since they’d be monsters—my kind. She’d be left in her world and it would be better if she’s banished but no, she’d be with them. Living but not actually living. Having a family but not actually having one. Loving but not receiving.

I furrowed my eyebrows, sadness filling my heart and walked off.

After three months, nothing happened extraordinary in Terribilis Locus after the Pax sighting and there were no news about what happened to our training center. He said we could hold on over a few months but how few is the word few?

I passed by Sandara who was holding a broom in her hand and a dust pan in the other. She turned, saw me behind her, and smiled. “Oh hey, GD.”

I lifted up my hand and responded, “Hey. What’s up?”

“Just cleaned the guest rooms. They can receive guests now.” She replied, smiling and as if realizing something, laughed. “Oh yeah, we don’t get guests.”

I walked faster to go by her side and chuckled. How lucky can I be to see that smile of hers? And how my luck could bring me to see it every day?

“Oh yeah,” Dara started as soon as we start down the stairs. “I forgot to ask ever since we had that talk. Do you perhaps know someone named Kwon Jiyong?”

I suddenly jerk, my right foot hitting my left ankle, and dropped all the contents of the box I was holding. It was a good thing that my footwork was fast or I could’ve fallen down the stairs. I muttered, “.” before picking them up and Sandara, after laughing, helped me.

“I was thinking that maybe he’s your kind.” She said, bashful.

I sighed. ‘What are you saying? You want to marry him still even if he’s my kind? You’ll just face social discrimination.” I forcefully gathered the papers, straightening up with so much force they started to have wrinkles. “You can’t be with him because you are not allowed to live in Terribilis Locus, and if ever you guys have kids, they’d be living with me—I mean, him.” My face suddenly turned red and I added, “Definitely, him. They’re going to be monsters.”

“Even so,” She started, smiling. “It would bring me happiness to meet him.”

“You don’t even know him.” I said, gathering all the remaining objects.

Dara smiled at me, hugging her knees close to her and said, “How can I explain this?” She scratched her right cheek with her index finger. “I want to fall in love with him to give my mother’s work a justice. People call her a fraud so…as her daughter, I would like to prove she isn’t. Even so, I would like to give us a chance. Maybe, you know, it isn’t that bad to fall in love to a monster.”

She still wants to meet me and marry me.

We stood up and stretching my arms, I handed the box over to her. “Can you place this in the music room? I need to do something upstairs.”

Dara happily accepted the box and said, “Sure.” She then walked down and off, until her head disappears inside the room.

I went back to the second floor and collapsed on the floor, my hand over my mouth. My ancestors would now die again, not in laughter, but now in pity. How can a love like this exist in this prejudiced world?

My forehead started to crease and I slowly stood up. No matter how many times would she say…that she wanted to marry me…that she wanted to marry Kwon Jiyong…I am not going to yield. It is after all, I love her that I don’t want her to experience detriment.

 I quickly set my thoughts aside when I hear footsteps going up the stairs. I've returned alert, like the demon and monster I am.

GD

The Voice suddenly said and the footsteps stopped as sudden as the Voice.

“What?” I asked, almost irritated and while raising a brow.

There was a moment of pause before he clicked his tongue and said, Check the news.

There was grief in his voice, different from his usual sassy and humorous one. Sensing there might be something wrong, I turned and started down the stairs with a speed my legs can keep up when I noticed Seungri frozen on his spot. He was the one running up the stairs.

“Ri,” I called, as emotionless as I can be to not raise suspicions if ever the feeling I got from Dara is still evident. He looked up and I noticed the unease in his gaze, as if something suddenly came up. "What's up?" I added, sensing that Seungri wouldn't budge any longer.

“Hyung,” He said in a husky and trembling voice, and then he cleared his throat. “Please check the news.”

I ran down the stairs, trying to catch up to Seungri who was literally flying in a very abrupt manner. His black wings had carried him to the end faster than my legs can do and it took him seconds to get to the living room when it took me a while.

The door was already opened because of Seungri’s pursuit and I entered the room, which was now basked in silence. The others regarded me, bowing their heads and I returned the favour as respectful as theirs. From the look in their faces, it wasn't good and it concerns us a lot.

Top wiggled a tape between his fingers and said, “I taped it in case you are late.”

“Thanks.” I murmured as I go towards my usual seat: on the floor. Taeyang moves so his legs won't hit my back.

Top Hyung puts the recorded tape inside the VCR and played the video. It started out fuzzy, monochrome setting coming out until one color came out after another and the news started.

BoA came out of view, clad in her expensive all-black outfit and her Esurient glinting from her arm, a sign she's from SM. Behind her, YGE’s building came into view.

“It is said that YGE’s president, Yang Hyun Suk, has violated certain rules the country’s president has implemented. As of this moment, the president has ordered the authorities to search the house of Yang Hyun Suk in case of evidences of planned rebellion. His artists, as agreed, will only be taken into question if Yang Hyun Suk is proven guilty of his crimes. According to Article 2 Section 3 of the constitution of the Terribilis Locus, any CEO of the training centers must oblige with any changes and orders the President wants unless they provide an excuse or deal. Any violations to this law is punishable by death. This is BoA for Terribilis Locus News and Terribilis Televisificae.”

“Everything is punishable by death in our world.” Top commented, gritting his teeth. “But I guess if sangjanim is proven guilty, we’ll be put into questioning, though we haven’t got any clue what that old man is thinking. Would that be even worse for him?"

“There is a reason…” I said and my voice trailed off as I find the right words. They all looked at me. “He has a reason why he would do that.” I continued.

“Everyone does.” Taeyang agreed. "And he's not the type to do something without any purpose."

“But why he wouldn’t tell us?” Seungri sighed. “Do you all remember when he went here?” We all looked at him as he continued with his definite hand gestures. “He said he had an agreement with the president for us.”

“He agreed for them to make our Esurients in exchange for YG's freedom." Taeyang said and pressing his lips together. "If the president is breaking the agreement, there is a reason right?" He added.

"But we don't know why sangjanim would even wish for YG's freedom. In what aspect are we not free?" Daesung said and looked at everyone. "If we are taking the word in, when did the other monsters aren't free that we are?"

Top sighed, shaking his head. "But we all know that sangjanim doesn't want to be tamed. He does what he wants to do like he's the ruler of his own world. He's the type to make that agreement."

"I think he's talking about the freedom of his monsters of the president's orders. Do you remember when everyone was required to use weapons in killing but was suppressed for us if we don't like it?"

The others seemed to agree with Seungri.

"But the problem now...is not what brought him to make such agreement nor is it how we are free." I said, loudening my voice a little with strong intonation. "The president broke the agreement and that's the problem. We may or may not be monsters' enemy number one after the search and that would be a problem."

Our heated discussion was laid down by a soft knock on the door and we all composed ourselves as composed as we can. Sandara peered her head inside and said, "Do you guys need anything?"

We all shook our heads, rapidly. "We're fine." I assured, my voice too fast.

"I'm just going to be in the second receiving room. If you guys need anything, just knock on the door." She said, shaking her fists as if insisting a knock before disappearing back to the hallway again. We waited for a few minutes before we started discussing again.

"I can't imagine a life being monsters' enemy number one." Seungri said. "What about the ladies?"

Daesung shook his head and looked at him in disgust. "That is one weird reason."

Top opened the television again and we didn't engage again in a talk until the news come back to update the former report. Soon enough, it did and we all moved forward in anticipation.

"It is recorded that there are no evidences of such crime by CEO Yang Hyun Suk in the vicinities of YGE. Furthermore, the president has ordered to extend the investigations to its covered Haunted Houses in Gangnam, Ichon, Koryong, Yongin, Yosu, Pyonghae, Daegu and Ulsan. To alert the public, the government is finding for a medicine for courage, specifically steroids. It is in a white bottle without sticker but with pen written label, unlike the common medicines in the market. For those who have seen the medicine, please contact the numbers below. This is BoA for Terribilis Locus News and Terribilis Televisificae."

I combed my hair with my fingers in frustration, grunted, and even, shouted. The others were worried. What have my training center has gotten themselves into? It's not just us who are guarding the houses are in danger but the whole training center. Those people who trained us for our future jobs may or may not be alive tomorrow. Those people we trained with may or may not be alive tomorrow.

Top sighed. "And that includes us."

Taeyang nodded and whispered, "And Dara."

Dara....

I felt my piercings glow, hurt me in some kind of way but it was gone instantaneously. The others also held theirs, confused for a second. As if it just pricked us for a moment.

Before I can think of a plan, our doors burst open again and ten heavily armed Monstrum Custodes ordered us to remain silent as they search for the whole house.

Dara!

It took a while and I was very unease. They brutally opened our cabinets, tossed our things as if they're nothing and take off some of the furniture from their spot. After hours of searching, they found no luck and the house looked like a bomb dropped off inside. It was a wreck. And so, their Alpha said, with a burger in one hand which I assume was from our fridge, "Do you have an offering that is still not dead?"

I shook my head deliberately.

He seemed to regard that as the truth and so he said, "Very well. We will now go. Thank you for your earnest participation."

They ran off again, disappearing behind the twin oak doors. Where they come from and how do they transport is still a mystery but I do not care.

After a few minutes, when I was sure they are completely gone, I ran towards the second receiving room, my feet bringing me there in heavy footsteps. As soon as I get there, I saw Sandara crawling out of a cramped space, particularly under the big Chinese cabinet at the side.

She has dust all over her, and she was clutching the same box CR gave her before. Aside from that, she looked fine.

She tilted her head to the side and I ran up to her.

"G--" She tried to say but failed when her voice hitched with my sudden hug. She returned it back quickly nonetheless.

"What's wrong?" She asked, nonchalantly.

"I'm glad you're safe." I whispered.

She laughed. "What? I just crawled under the cabinet because the box rolled inside. Then there were sudden footsteps but they were too heavy and fast for you guys so I thought they were strangers. I hid until they came out. It was weird, though. They seem untrusting."

I know. I tried to say but I didn't. Instead, I squeezed her and sighed.