He's gone. He's dead. He may not be dead yet, but with his big mouth and his tendancy to make most people want to kill him, he'll surely be dead soon.

I pace around my kitchen, pressing my palms into my forehead. Think, Key, think. I need to rescue this king, this king with huge puppy eyes and a haughty tilt to his chin and something strangely attractive in his movements and the way he holds himself when he's not king, and I need to do it fast. I need to do it now.

Four years ago. 

Four years ago was the academy. Okay. Okay, I can do this. The academy. Who was there? T.K. Ram, Ravi, Hyukjin. J-Da, Jr. B-Bomb. Mir was, but he's gone. He's dead. And the instructures are all dead, as well. So they're out. I know Ravi and Hyukjin got sent to Canada, so they're out. T.K would never. No matter what. So he's out as well. I heard a rumor that Jr got caught in France a year ago, but who really knows with that kid.

That only leaves J-Da and B-Bomb, the ones who I stll contact with. Let's just hope it's not Ram. She was charging away, a knife in her boot and a gun slung over his shoulder, last I saw her. With that girl, it would be almost good if she got shot down before breaching the academy. 

I sigh, halting my pacing to glance out the window. Taemin'll be in school for another four hours. That leaves me enough time to get to J-Da and B-Bomb. 

Right?

~~~

I recoil. "I don't know you." I wish it was true.

He chuckles, and the sound is light and airy and innocent. "Just because a memory is unpleasant doesn't mean it's unimportant." I squint at him, while trying to get away from him, by imagining my room at the palace. It still doesn't work.

"Just because a memory is unpleasant doesn't mean I want to piece apart the importance of you murdering my brother," I spit at him, and he looks at me with amusement in his eyes.

"Please, Jonghyun, we're trying to be civil here. If you aren't nice to me, it's not my fault if I loose my temper." 

"You freaking kidnapped me!"

He tapped his chin. "I prefer to think of it as giving you a vacation."

"Well, I don't appreciate it." With perfect calm and perfect control, he slaps me, snapping back my head, leaving a sharp pain in my cheek and a fury forming in my stomach, a fury at being so powerless when I used to be so powerful.

"Please, Jonghyun. Civilness." 

~~~

"Well, Key. God. It took you long enough to visit, and you didn't even bring cake." I rocked back on my heels as J-Da released me, grinning. She didn't look so different, four years to now. She was taller, more built, her pretty face framed by brown and blonde hair, dressed in combat boots and ripped jeans. 

"God, sweetie, you're so grown up!" I cooed, smiling back. "17 now?" 

"Yup. 22, right?" 

"September. How are you? I haven't seen you since the Freeze two years ago!" J-Da grinned, and I was swept back with a wave of nostalgia. I missed them, all of them. Mir, Jr, B-Bomb, even the crazy, rather insane Ram. I miss them all so much. 

"I'm great. Caught some people, met some people. Killed some people, saved some people. Ran a couple bridges, dived a mountain, jumped a couple prisons." J-Da was, and still is, the kind of person that had thrived at the academy. She loved challenges, she loved danger, she loved anything as long as it was terrifying. 

"Boys?" I asked her, arching an eyebrow. 

She smiled. "Maybe. How 'bout you? Boys? 'Cause, you know, I heard that the king is dating an assassin."

I pretended to look offended. "Um. No, thanks. He is literally the most obnoxious person on this planet." 

"But hot," she said, winking. I rolled my eyes at her, then the door behind J-Da opened. 

"Omigod. No freaking way, sweetie. Bomb? Really?" I squealed. B-Bomb instantly smiled when he saw me, and bounded down the stairs to me. 

"Key! Hey, King," he said, grinning. "I heard the lovely king was quite taken. You gettin' money?" 

I rolled my eyes at I'm, then stepped back to appraise the situation, pointing a finger from B-Bomb to J-Da. "Sweetie? Bomb? How long?" 

J-Da smiled, just a little wickedly. "A year? Two? I don't know." B-Bomb grinned, but more softly, and slid his arm around J-Da waist. 

"She's too pretty," he informed me, in a stage whisper. 

"She's too young," I informed him in a stage whisper, and jumped back, laughing, as J-Da shot me a look. "Sweetie, you're gonna drive away the potential boys with that killer glare. I mean, I know Bomb is hot, but you don't need to take pity on him like this. I could totally hook you up wi-" I shot to the side, and shoot an offended glare at B-Bomb. 

"You could kill me with that, you know!" 

He shrugged nonchantly, while a smile played at the edges of his lips, as he tried to keep his stoic face. "Oh well." 

I snickered, then remembered what I had came here for. Sighing, feeling my good mood slip away, I ran my hand through my hair. It clearly wasn't them. 

"I need help, guys. Do you remember where the academy is?" It's my last shot. I don't know where else to go. 

Twenty minutes later, I departed from the happy couple with several hugs, several promises to visit again for New Year's, and to meet at the Snow Festival, a scroll of directions running through my head, and just a bit of hope. 

I hope you all liked this! I just made J-Da and B-Bomb date cuz I jsut think they're be adorable together. Random, I know. I'm okay with it. 

I'm going to try to update tomorrow for Onew's birthday, but If I don't get around to it tomorrow then I won't until after New Year's cuz I'll just be soooo busy, so everyone: Merry Christmas! Have a great New Year! I love you all, and I hope you're happy this holiday season even if you don't celebrate. 

XD