(c) 2NE1 It Hurts by sbr19 (http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/320/e/2/2ne1___it_hurts_by_sbr19-d5l6ti9.jpg)

I panicked.

I was reading the second writing when I heard footsteps downstairs, shuffling around as if they can’t stay in place. It was then I realized something is wrong because the footsteps doesn’t belong to the boys. They were heavier and stronger, like it belongs to people who are in charge of brute force. The more the shuffle around, the more I feel the house shaking.

I transformed the envelope back to being a box and thought where to hide. Since my physique is thin and small, I thought I could fit in the gap under the big China cabinet at the side. Without thinking much further, I quickly crawled inside and turned into fetus position, hugging the box close to my chest.

After a few seconds, the door suddenly opened with force so strong I thought the whole room would collapse. The person went inside, his heavy footsteps almost creating cracks on the wooden floor. He checked every nook and cranny. He took off all the drawers in the China cabinet and flipped the couches. My heart stopped when he lifted the cabinet with his hands.

All I could do was close my eyes but even after a few seconds, I never heard any huge, growling voice. So I opened one with all my mustered courage and saw that he wasn't looking at me. His attention was fixed to something else.

"What's that?" He asked, sending shivers down to my spine. It wasn't the same shivers GD gives to me, but more of a worse than a better.

He placed the cabinet down and went towards the porcelain I made with the boys when we were bored. The guard grabbed it with his hands, looked inside and then smiled.

"Woah." I muttered softly, shocked at his actions.

He placed it down and exited the room peacefully, whistling while he walks. The guy must've liked porcelains and I was lucky to be saved by one.

I didn't go out after a few minutes. With the box in both of my hands, I crawled out from the cramped space.

I turned around and saw GD looking at me with the same eyes he gave whenever I don't eat, though this was much deeper and stronger. I tilted my head to the side and he suddenly ran up to me.

"G--" I tried to say but failed when my voice hitched with the sudden hug. I returned it back quickly nonetheless, placing my hands on top of his back. He squeezed me and placed his nose on my neck.

"What's wrong?" I asked as nonchalantly as I could be. He can easily sense that something happened to me if I didn't and I don't want to worry him more than I am now.

"I'm glad you're safe." He whispered and his voice tickled my neck.

I 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 lied and pressed my lips. The real thing is I was scared and my insides are shaking. The more bad things happen, the more I realize than my existence means danger to the boys. They fear me now more than I fear them before, and that itself is a reason why I should get on with this without them. I know I couldn't stay here any longer. I am a walking danger. The fact that I am a Pax and an overstayed offering can affect both the boys and me. Since I am after all the first offering to be spared, they don't know what to do to me, but the mere fact I am still alive means there is flaw to their government, though I am meant to be killed as a criminal. Moreover, I am a Pax. My identity and circumstance are both hated by the government.

GD broke the hug and started ruffling my hair. "I'm really glad you're safe."

I smiled at him. I am but you are not and that mere fact pains me.

After cleaning up, I stayed later than the boys to check up on the things and read the second writing, which I have decided to hold on reading for three months until the news of the Pax die down.

It is a fun fact that even though the boys badly want to look ugly, they take care of their hygiene so much. Though they can't take off the make-up since it is permanent—which is a bother—they wash their faces and brush their teeth before going to sleep. They even take a bath every day.

I made sure they are tucked in their beds and are sleeping soundly before I went to the music room to read the second writing. Since after all, it is nearer to the bedroom.

I clicked the box to transform it to its original shape, back to being an envelope. I opened it and slipped the second writing out.

November 01, 1977

It has been five years since I told you about my discovery and today is my birthday. I am turning 21 this day, the age considered as ripe for monsters. I am cutting my blood and let it drop on the Lapidem Conditorum to swear my allegiance to my kind. A pact that can never be broken. I will die if I did.

There has been no discovery since I found out that I am a Pax. After all, I was just 16 that time and can't get out of the training center or even my own house. Today, I can after I swore to the Lapidem Conditorum the only problem is how can I show to them black blood and not red. After that, I can research about my kind.

I am now a guardian of a Haunted House in Gangnam with my group called 1TYM. They all know I am a Pax. Why I decided to tell them? They are my friends and like me, they are also Paxes.

We are shocked to find out. One would easily ease out from inspection. But 5? How did the training center go in reviewing the babies?

We have, somehow, activated our Pax tattoos that appear at unlike places when we were given our Esurients. It was smoking when it appeared and we almost thought we can cook with it. And Baek Kyung was the most unfortunate because his tattoo was by his inner thigh and when he got it, he looked like he just had .

*(Monster are so rough they literally smoke [if can't make fire] and catch on fire [for monsters that can make fire])

The writing became messy instantly, as if he's in a hurry. I squinted to read it.

I can't continue this letter and it may take time before I write a new one. I'm sending you a phone and go contact Teddy. He's one of 1TYM and he's our leader. Ask him what happened to me today.

It's time for my daily flu shot.

Keep safe,

Kwon Henry

The paper turned into smoke and spiralled to my arm. It created a new command-tattoo that says: Contact Teddy.

What has Teddy have got to do with this? Oh yeah, he's a member of 1TYM, meaning he's also a Pax himself.

If he has survived this long, then he has known many things that can help to our kind’s survival.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was near to midnight, ten minutes before to be exact. I transformed the envelope back into a box, and stood up, now finally going to sleep. I planned to call Teddy tomorrow.

I woke up first. They were all snoring when I woke up, and Top, as usual, looked cute while snoring. I yawned, wore my slippers and finally went out to prepare breakfast. After all, we have agreed that whoever wakes up first will cook. Daesung stirred when I made a slight noise at opening the door and when he had fallen back to his pillow, I finally exited.

“Ahhhhhh!”

I almost fell face down on the floor when someone shouted at the top of his lungs in front of me. I clutched onto my heart as I see a person in a black hoodie in front of me, his gray stormy eyes visible beneath the darkness obscuring his face. He shouted but he looked so composed in his spot. He had his hands tucked inside his pockets and his pants were torn by the knees, a fashion liked by monsters.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” He asked quickly and even though I can’t see, I could tell that his mouth is like shooting bullets. “Why are you wearing Kwon Jiyong’s shirt?!” He scandalously shouted.

It’s true I’ve used his shirts as my pajamas. I can’t help it. I have no clothes.

I bowed and introduced myself, “Good morning, I am Sandara Park. I’m the recent VIP. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh my god,” He gushed, sill composed. “It is not nice meeting you.”

He sighed, pulled his hoodie off his face and I saw a man in his early fifties, with a nice stubble on his face and look that can pierce right through you. "What are you doing here? You should've been sent back to your home three months ago..." His voice trailed off as if remembering something. "Oh yeah, it's too dangerous."

"Do you want some tea?" I asked. He must be an executive from YGE to know that the CEO ordered to not let me go back to my house until the problem with the Pax subsides. The old man smiled subtly, and replied, "Sure."

I've led him into the kitchen and after a few minutes of brewing tea, I served him one in a teapot. He seemed to like the manner it was served because he complimented the tableware and the tea itself. I sat opposite of him and said, "You haven't introduced yourself, sir."

He laughed behind his cup, which was raised halfway and after taking a sip, he put it down. "I'm Teddy Park. I am one of YGE's producer so I train young Praestabilis monsters. I was once assigned in this same house 40 years ago. It has been long."

I spared a glance at the tattoo in my arm and saw the words: Contact Teddy. If he's from YGE and a former guardian, then he must be the same Teddy Kwon Henry refers to. I stood up abruptly, making him jump in surprise and said, "Please help me sir!"

"Wha-What?" Teddy stuttered and also stood up. "I'm sorry I should be taking my leave."

"You're a Pax." I whispered, so only he can hear and Teddy knocked off the tea set from the table.

"I-I am not!" He denied, trying to leave but the door to outside was behind me. "You're freaking me out. I'm going out. Tell the boys--"

"Sorry but you aren't going anywhere without helping me!" I said, spreading my arms out. "You have to go through me!"

"I'm a monster kid. You don't know what you're saying." He threatened me, pulling up his sleeves and balling his fists.

Irritated, I pulled my sleeves and showed him the tattoo Kwon Henry's letter left. Teddy seemed to not know about it and looked at the tattoo as if it's something ridiculous.

Frustrated, I grabbed the box from its spot at the waistband of my jeans and showed it to him but Teddy still looked at it as if he can't recognize it. He opened his mouth to speak, "What would you do with a box?" He almost scoffed in defiant annoyance.

I pushed the button and it sprang into the envelope containing Kwon Henry's letters. Purposely, I showed him the phrase he had written on the envelope. Teddy's eyes widen and he stammered, "Y-You're a mundane! You shouldn't have opened--!"

As my last resort, I pulled my shirt down and showed him my Pax tattoo. Teddy's eyes widened and in a daze he touched his left bicep. He pulled up his sleeve and I saw a gray mark ☧.

"A P-Pax..." His voice hangs around the room but I know he's assured now of my presence. "I have waited. They all died."

"Kwon Henry said that I should ask you what happened when you all swore to the Lapidem Conditorum. He left a phone but I didn't know you'd appear here personally. Teddy-ssi, please help me." I bowed and closed my eyes, praying. "Please."

"Let's go somewhere no one can overhear us." He said. "Follow me."

I followed Teddy deep into the house. We went to the second floor, went inside GD's study, and pulled a book that leads into a secret base and went inside the room.

Teddy seemed to know the place and was comfortable. It had a long table with five chairs propped at the left side. There is a pool table at the right with the balls in disaccord.  A dim light illuminated the room since it lacks windows, a makeshift chandelier from used bottles propped on the ceiling and that aside from the small sofa set at the middle, nothing is barely noticeable in the room. Teddy made himself comfortable on the sofa and motioned for me to take a seat. I obliged, holding the envelope closely to my chest and sat down opposite to him.

"Three generations. That's what it takes for a Pax to appear again in a family. My great grandfather is one then it got passed onto me. Paxes appear every after third generation in the same bloodline." He started. "Paxes weren't murdered when we were still teens so our kind was just feared back then, and so we had to hide. Knowing this, Henry's mother started giving him what he calls flu shots. Apparently, since she's a doctor herself, she told the agency and the government that Henry needs to take the shots every day. Before the coming-of-age ceremony, she all made us take the flu shots before letting our blood drip on the stone. Henry was the first who had to let his blood drip onto the stone. At first he was hesitant, but he still cut his wrist and let the blood drip on the stone."

I suddenly caught my breath.

"But black blood dripped out. It was the same for all of us too. Then Henry's mom made us this base secretly and told us all about the flu shots.  It was a formula designed to take out the Pax in us partially for 24 hours. She made it after learning from her husband that his family has a bloodline of Paxes." He continued and smiled. "I can deliver some to you. It helps a lot. Especially, after you stole those documents from EXO. You know,” He stopped, sighing then continued, “It’s Henry’s wife's former haunted house that's why it was hidden there not here. Henry told her before he died to hide it in somewhere safe. The government found out about the letters and have sent the monsters with their Esurients on there to protect that. Going in as a monster or a mundane can kill you but as a Pax, it can expose your identity but it is safe."

Teddy smiled at me. "I don't want to further decrease our kind so repay my help by letting me teach you self-defence."

I blinked my eyes twice, gaze momentarily at his tattoo and then hesitantly nodded.

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