"You're human?" The boy asked her.

She tilted her head, her eyes emotionless. "Yes, Zico, I would have thought you would have noticed by now."

He pursed his lips, the blood in his veins growing hot, and pushed open the door, walking out without hesitation.

"Zico! Wait!" Kyung called behind him. Had he forgotten that they were locked out? Or was he just suicidal.

"Let's get out of here." Jaehyo said, clumsily trying to stand up. 

Kyung stood up just to help him walk. As he held the door open, about to exit, he looked at X. She had just been standing by, watching the events transpire with curious eyes. Innocently, she held up a hand. He frowned, unable to make the connection between her and the monsters they fought with for survival. He walked out and closed the door, walking down the corridor and turning the corner just to face Zico and Jaehyo's backs and the savage faces of the Hyenas beyond them, hunch backed and grinning.

"82." The one standing in the middle said, his voice authoritative, his eyes crazy, his mouth just short from drooling. "Go check if there's more."

"Aye." A tall one with large eyes, larger ears, and a five foot smile giggled, pushing past them roughly, almost knocking Jaehyo over.

Kyung caught the look on Zico's face. He was pissed.

He sighed, what a stupid leader.

-

"Explain yourselves." The commander of the Institution only turned to face them once the Hyenas had left the room.

Kyung swallowed his spit, intimidated by the man's mere presence.

Code name: J. 

Years ago, when the humans had first arrived at their planet, they had received them with open arms, eager to learn about races far beyond their galaxy. However, soon after, they revealed their true, hostile intentions, beginning with the bombing of a central metropolitan area. J had been a worker in a government's defense agency, and, upon the death of nearly every other high ranking official, he had turned it into the Institution. That was a brief summary of what ever single person knew, it had been taught to them since childhood, the atrocities that were committed by the human beings. That's why every child did their best to become strong, to be chosen by the Institution to fight against those monsters. 

Despite the dwindling of both species' numbers, the humans continued to attack shelters, which is why the blocks existed. 

"Why is the Institution keeping a human pet?" Zico spat out the last word, anger blazing in his eyes.

"Zico!" Kyung hissed.

J's composure didn't so much as falter. "I'd hardly call her a pet."

"She claims there's a letter between W and Y. X." He said, his jaw clenched.

"It's ridiculous." Jaehyo started, shaking his head.

"It's true." The older man spoke over him, his eyes fixed on Zico. For a moment they turned towards Kyung, but it was just a glance. "She's a member of Block X."

"Why would you enlist a human in the Institution? Does she fight against her own kind?" Zico's questions sounded almost like demands.

"She is not a warrior." He dismissed the notion as if it were absurd. "Let's put it this way, she provides us with information."

"About the humans." Kyung checked.

"About the humans." J confirmed. 

"How does she communicate with them? You can't possibly let her out." Zico frowned.

"Have humans developed telepathy?" Jaehyo asked, concerned.

The other two boys' eyes widened, of course, the humans had somehow carried out experiments on each other that led to their obtainment of ridiculous strength and occasional abilities that weren't short of supernatural, but for them to have psychic powers would put them and other blocks in a whole new kind of danger. 

"No, no, most humans don't have such gifts." J waved their worries away, but they didn't miss the most. 

"So some do?" Kyung asked.

"Many claimed to, in their original society, but it was never backed up with evidence." Their commander assured them. "You boys have steered me completely clear of the real issue at hand. Even though I am now sure that it has an awful lot to do with X, you haven't explained why exactly you were out after lock in."

"Your pet tried to kill Jaehyo." Zico said, unfaltering.

"Don't be ridiculous." J didn't even bother correcting his use of pet again. "X doesn't kill."

"She bit half my neck off." Jaehyo said, his voice faint.

"Your neck looks intact, Jaehyo. What are you saying?." 

Kyung just watched them argue, trying to make sense of things. X had planted a seed of doubt in his mind and J's words slowly watered it. 

After a few more vague explanations, they were let go. But not before they received a command to keep Block X confidential and without escaping punishment.

-

"Good luck!" B-Bomb called, following Taeil and U-Kwon out of the training center. 

"I'll save you some food." P.O said, biting his lip and holding the door open.

"You better." Zico grunted, breathing forcefully under the weight of the heavy block he had been left to hold over his head for two hours. There were still ten minutes left.

"We're lucky they just gave us one day of intensive training." Kyung said, his arms shaking from his smaller weight. 

"I'm really worried about you, Kyung." Jaehyo piped up, his sweat dripping to the floor around him. "Maybe you'll shrink."

"Can that actually happen?" Kyung asked, startled.

"No, you friggin' idiot." They both shut up at Zico's annoyed tone of voice.