He had this odd feeling at the pit of his stomach. Was he actually afraid of going to class? He should’ve been used to being alone and ignoring the others. He had done it perfectly in the last month. A full month of no VIXX and Jae Ren.

"Uh... Good morning?"

Leo blinked. Onew didn't inform him of visitors.

"Hey. Don't you talk? I'm sorry if I scared you..."

Hesitantly, Leo murmured a 'goodmorning'.

"Are you... I'm sorry but who are you?" The stranger asked again. "It's kind of weird meeting strangers in the kitchen."

Leo understood with a nod. "Onew hyung's my host."

"Oh. I'm Taemin. You are...?"

"Leo."

"Well, Leo-ssi, mind if I ask why you cooked so much food?" Taemin sat on the dining islands chair, studying the plate of food.

"I... I'm sorry. I'm used to cooking for seven people." He mentally kicked himself for having done such a stupid mistake. He couldn’t seem to correct that.

"No, it's okay. Key hyung is here, too, so it should be okay. Onew hyung does eat a lot..." Taemin laughed to himself. "I'll just dig in, if you don't mind." He said, earning a nod.

Key? Leo remembered the shape-shifter who invited them to WA. That felt so long ago. Well, yesterday did feel like it lasted for years.

"You're not much of a talker, are you?" Taemin asked, pouring himself a glass of water. "You're not asking so I'll just say it. I'm one of Onew hyung’s brothers. The youngest, in fact. But that's not saying much since I'm quite old already. Give or take six centuries old."

"Really? What magic do you use?" Leo decided it wouldn't hurt to talk for once. For a fraction of a second, he felt like the warlock hesitated.

"Yeah... I use time magic."

Leo nodded; feeling like his stomach just fell.

"You don't look surprised..." Taemin stated. "Is it because of that new Time Witch around? I want to meet her. I actually came as soon as I could from my latest mission when I found out. We Time users should stick together, you know? Say, do you know her?"

Leo didn't know how to answer that. Did he have the right to say yes?

"Taemin-ya! Look at the mess you've made!" Onew yelled from the other room. His voice resonated throughout the house. Leo was unsure how he did that.

"It was an accident! It just happens!" Taemin stood up abruptly to yell back.

"What did you do?" Leo asked, thankful for the diversion.

Suddenly, a different feeling overcame the anxiety in his stomach. He felt like there was danger all around him.

"That."

The room was decaying. With the walls being made of wood, the normal brown turned into a dull gray slowly.

Leo stepped back, looking around the room. He didn't know how to solve this one, but it didn't seem to be affecting him. He turned to look at Taemin and saw the latter with his eyes closed, concentrating.

"Taemin you- no, not the kitchen!" Onew was at the door, looking as horrified as ever.

Slowly, the kitchen started turning into its normal colour.

"What..." Leo murmured. He had never seen Jae Ren do that before.

Onew approached Taemin, flicking the younger on the forehead. "You idiot! Fix the library at once! All the books burst at their bindings!"

"Ow! Later, hyung. I'll fix it later! Geez, it's like living with a mother..." Taemin muttered under his breath as he plopped back down on his chair to chew his food angrily.

Onew sighed, rubbing his temples as he took a seat himself. "You could've called first. I would've set a barrier." He looked at Leo sitting at the other side of the table. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Taemin, as you see, is quite different from Jae Ren."

"Jae Ren? Is that her name?" Taemin's head whipped up, a new found excitement in his eyes.

"Yes." Onew said. "Taemin's magic is more unstable compared to Jae Ren's. If he doesn't pay attention, the area surrounding him either decays by being forced to accelerate it's time or go back to its original form- to the past."

"So this Jae Ren doesn't do it like me? Interesting..." He whispered to himself, though Leo could hear him perfectly clear.

"Jae Ren's more... contained. Actually, you two are opposites. She has trouble bringing it out while you can't seem to keep it in." Onew stated. "Why are you here anyway?"

As they talked and laughed, Leo couldn't help but remember his normal breakfast with VIXX. He didn't really join in, like now, but that made it feel even more nostalgic.

"Think about it carefully first. I'm not sure if you have a choice either way, but still. Are you willing to trade away your life now for another?" Onew asked him. “You can still stay with them, there’s nothing wrong with that.

I don't have a choice either way... Leo thought back then. But if I did, I wouldn't know the answer anyway.

"The Principal told me to let you study until I've contacted Seohae. Since she's one of the Witches out there the Sanctuary keeps tabs on because of past 'incidents', it shouldn't take too long. Give it another week."

Leo hadn't even noticed he was already walking to class. Every day he wondered if they had a good morning or if they were even still thinking about him.

He knew that they felt his indecision. But they could never feel what it was that caused that indecision in the first place.

No doubt, if they were in his place, they would automatically do anything to go back to Jae Ren, but it was different for him. It was like Jaekyun planted a compass in his head that pulled him towards Seohae. Knowing she was alive after all those years made his senses go haywire.

How could Jaekyun not have told him? How could she not have fixed him?

A part of him wanted to stay, too. Something was pulling him to VIXX, his brothers, and to Jae Ren. That was his heart.

The best form of acknowledgement he got from his brothers was a quiet 'hey' from N. Of course it would be him. He and Leo shared this secret together. He was the one who understood the most. He was always the one who understood the most.

"Is she doing all right?" He asked at once.

N glanced at him briefly. "Somewhat. She still feels the loss.”

"Does she say anything?” He almost regretted asking that.

"'Let him do what he wants.'"

"... Oh."

N nodded. "She's more understanding than I thought. When she said that, she wasn't mad or anything. She sounded kind of sad."

Leo didn't like that.

"If anything, everyone’s curious why you’re just going along with this.”

“Even you?”

N gave him a queer look. “Even me. Jae Ren showed you nothing but kindness. If anything, she favoured you more than me sometimes. Yet here you are, wondering who you should pick. It’s like the evil step-mother versus snow white.”

Leo didn’t know. Why was he putting himself through so much trouble? He should just choose Jae Ren and...

Then what? He'll have to leave with Seohae anyway.

“I can understand that Jaekyun didn’t fix that part of you, though.” N sighed. “Maybe she forgot? I don’t know either. But I’m willing to bet that she just wanted you to have the chance to do what you wanted, for once.”

“I don’t know what I want.”

N rolled his eyes. “Good luck with that.”

Honestly guys, yesterday was supposed to be a triple update. But because of the internet at our house, I had to postpone the other two today. I hope you all haven't gotten tired of me, hahahaha. Anyway, I'm thankful. Who knew this story would reach 300 subscribers? I was already surprised when it reached 100. Thanks guys~ I'll keep updating when I have the chance!