"That sounds too good to be true," Hana remarked, her eye to the front. Sehun was by her side. They would watch as the Shields- warriors with defense ability- built a force field around the castle. For the time being, around a thousand more would be caged inside, waiting for uncertainty of war. "I mean... He didn't say anything? No words at all?"

            "He didn't react offensively," Sehun recalled, feeling at ease. "I guess it hit him badly."

            "That still sounds too good. As if it's some sort of fairy tale reconciliation. Not that I'm saying you should still be hellbent on your revenge. Just that..." Hana shrugged. "Well... It's quite complicated for the two of you. But better than before, isn't it?"

            "I don't know," He glanced at her. The truth was that he did feel better after everything. But what about Jaejoong? How would his older brother feel? Sehun couldn't figure him out, because since the day before, he had kept a poker face, a calm facade to lie to others that he was fine and almighty. The conversation remained secret between the four present in the room last night.

            "If I had chosen him, would you react differently?" Hana threw the question out of the blue. She caught the glance of people who saw Sehun. They saw him, but they didn't know what happened. Let them wonder, she said.

            "Is that supposed to mean something to me, Hana?" His tone was a little bit brighter, finally. He seemed so tense before.

            "I'm not sure," Hana chuckled lowly, "And don't give me that knowing look. Oh. I hate you." When she saw his displeasure, she laughed and playfully gave him a look of mischief, "Kidding. I might not hate you."

            As soon as she was done saying those words, Hana pulled away again, feeling the watchful eyes everywhere. Most of them stared in pure curiosity. Some of them glared at the two, but when Hana caught those stares, she glared back.

            "They are watching," Sehun was the one who made the remark. He, too, was well aware of the looks people were giving him. But he was so used to it now that he didn't actually feel anything. He grew up having everyone's attention. His father, his friends, the entire clan and the whole Shadow world.

            "Do you hate the attention?" Hana carefully asked. She, herself hated the attention, but came to term with it. This life was inevitable to her, she just had to find the good in it. It crossed her mind that Sehun had been like her, for a longer period of time, because he would be the successor of the throne one day.

            "I never did like it much," Sehun looked unconcerned. The morning wind was softly blowing the hair, keeping them messy, just the way she liked it. She wanted to run her fingers through it, combing it, trying to tame it down, but reminded herself not to. "I've never wanted it. But I've learnt to live with it."

            The two of them walked again, avoiding direct sunlight, especially now that Sehun was a vampire again, just as vulnerable to the sun as she was. Most of the Shields came from the Faeries, which shouldn't have been a big surprise.

            "Is this really where it's supposed to end?" Hana whispered, focusing only on the slowly built, transparent shield around them. The shield only appeared visible when she concentrated hard enough to see. She tried to touch it, but Sehun held her back, "Don't. You don't want to bounce back a few meters away."

            "Look who finally decides to show up," Luhan snickered from the back. He showed up with Kai by his side. Upon seeing him, Hana's whole face brightened up like she hadn't been for days. She wanted to give him a hug so badly, but restrained herself.

            "Hi, Princess," Kai greeted her softly, and regret instantly crept up his heart when he saw a smile so wide, plastered on her face. She looked so, so happy to see him. On the contrary, he was miserable the moment he saw her again. It was all kinds of feelings that he bottled in for so long that came up right at the moment, and it was indescribable.

            "Jongin! You're here! Where have you been, you jerk!" Hana threw a light punch to his arms, sniffling a bit.

            "You're ignoring me," Luhan frowned a little. "Well, it isn't like I care anyway."

            "Hello to you too, Luhan," Hana turned to him and scowled. Sehun bit back a smile that threatened to appear on his face. There was never a day when Hana and Luhan were actually good to each other, though Sehun never did understand why his friend would hate her so much. He seemed to hold a grudge against her for whatever reason Sehun didn't know.

            Luhan replied with a snicker. He didn't say anything and simply turned his back to face Sehun. Hana rolled her eyes and turned back to Kai, whose eyes were unreadable. His lips graced on a thin, soft smile. Sehun kept observing him, as well. Hana pulled back, just aware of his restrained expression.

            "Jongin... Is there anything wrong?" She asked with a small frown. She dared not to move forward, as if a little move would hurt him so. And maybe it would, just in a way Hana would never know.

            "Nope," Kai concealed his feeling all too well. He was good in this. So good that no one but his two best friends knew. He pulled her into a tight hug, like he usually would and ruffled her hair. He wasn't one to care about all the disapproving stares and glances. "Why worry so much, Princess?"

            "Are you sure?" Hana whispered back, patting his back, but held him just as tightly. She was scared she would lose him again. She needed her best friend by her side, something to hold her down when she was pulled so high in her fantasy with Sehun. Kai was the only one she trusted enough to do so. "You don't look so well."

            "I lost someone yesterday," He lied right through his teeth, so smoothly. "I'm a little bit sad." But a little bit was an understatement.

            "A family member?" Hana asked, referring to the fight yesterday. Not once in her mind did she think that what they had in mind were completely different things, which held different sentimental as well.

            "You could say so," Kai held her still, because he was afraid that if he pulled away, she would see through his lie. He wouldn't let her. He'd rather die than ruin their relationship any further. Besides, he respected Sehun too much to take her away from him.

            "I'm sorry," she buried her face in his chest and patted his back once more, before pulling away. She was sorry for someone who had died in the battle, Kai's family member, or so she thought. Kai chuckled, but it was short and fake. He wasn't happy that she was sorry. He lost her, and the last thing he'd need to hear was an apology.

            "You don't need to," Kai shook his head. "We all lose someone everyday."

            Such a sad thing, to lose and to cry for the loss. Because they were immortals, the death was inevitable for everyone around them. They said time numbed the pain, but it wasn't true. Hana remembered a book she once read. 'Forever does not make loss forgettable, only bearable'.

            And suddenly pictures of his dad appeared in the back of her conscious mind. Just then did she realize how much she missed him. Maybe after all this ended, Sehun would allow her to visit him sometimes.

            "What are you thinking about?"

            Hana snapped back to reality and smiled to him, "Just things from my past. My father. He's the only one I miss, strangely. Miyoung's already here. Speaking of her..." She just remembered. Her mind had been very chaotic lately. "Where is she? I haven't seen her since the party preparation."

            "She's guarding the children in the human world. Don't worry, she's fine and healthy," Kai reassured her. "Miyoung said she'd be back before you even know it. And that she missed you, terribly. But then, she's too busy to say everything else."

            That girl... Hana chuckled. Still the same Miyoung. Thank God she was fine.

            "Tell me, when you were first introduced to me, she said you were her cousin. Is that really true? I mean... Hwang and Kim don't really interact with each other in the clan, do they?"

            "We're all related somehow in this clan," Kai shrugged. "Mine and hers are pretty far, but we're related in some wicked way. We are not cousin, but we are related. That's all I can say. She's born in a completely different generation from me, though."

            "You're old," Hana burst hard in laughter. Kai, too, laughed with her, seemly enjoying the conversation. "I never realize how old you are. Should I call you grandfather right now?"

            "It's not polite to ask for someone's age," Kai feigned hurt but answered anyway, "And I bet I'm much older than your grandfather, or your great grandfather, or your great great grandfather for that matter. I am half a millennium."

            Now it was Hana's turn to gasp, her eyes widened. Five hundred years was old, indeed. "Seriously? Five hundred years old? Oh God, what have you been doing all these years?! Wait, that means Sehun and Luhan...?"

            The two turned their head as soon as they heard their names being called. Kai stifled a laughter at their expressions and whispered to her ear, "They're as old as I am, though Sehun's supposedly the youngest amongst us all."

            Hana burst into another fit of laughter, and Sehun watched her in amusement. Kai observed how his eyes seemed to light up a bit, and how he followed her every movement, like she was the only person he saw in his eyes. Kai knew he could never beat that. Not that kind of love, where one was fully committed to the other.

            They were soulmates, and the image was clearly reflected in their eyes. Maybe one day, Kai would understand how it was to love someone like she was his entire universe, the core of his life, the sole existence of his. Maybe one day... When he was healed from the broken heart and ready to love another.

            Maybe this was what Luhan felt, as well. A hundred year of bittersweet feeling with Sehun. Kai hoped he let go. So that the two of them could find another that would love them as much as they did. Sehun had gotten his redemption and his mate. He hoped Luhan could find his someday later.

            "You're spacing off," Hana curiously stared at Kai.

            "I was thinking," he muttered back, still quite dazed. This female in front of him, in all her glory, so beautiful, so much in love. Not his. His best friend. And only that.

            "I forget that I have wanted to ask you something," She bit her lips and hushed him away from the reach of Sehun. He followed her to one corner, where everyone else immediately scurried away when they approached. He had a feeling what this was about, but waited for the words to come out from her own lips.

            "Is this about Sehun?" He asked, his eyes still on Sehun. He was probably talking about war strategies with Luhan.

            "Something like that," Hana shifted uncomfortable. She dared not to look at anyone else, and focused her attention solely on Kai. "It's about Jaejoong, actually. I have a plan, but... I'm a little bit doubtful about this. I need your help, Kai. And I need you to swear that you'll keep this a secret from anyone. Not Sehun, not Luhan, not anybody."

            The urgency in her voice suddenly alarmed him. She looked like a sinner, wanting to confess all her sins and let go. But it couldn't be, could it?

            "I swear. Not to tell anyone. Now spill it to me, Princess."