Kyungsoo and I sat on the floor of the visiting area with the smell of newly-opened paint wafting through the air. We were attempting to paint masks that would hopefully look like the ones worn by shadows. The plan was simple: to enter the enemy’s headquarters in disguise.

I sighed. Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?

I held the brush carelessly as I gazed absentmindedly at the ceiling with worry in my eyes. I let out a sigh once more, and this made Kyungsoo’s eyes bore on me.

“How’s Tao?” I asked for the umpteenth time. Kyungsoo is probably feeling annoyed already but it didn't show on his face. 

“He’s okay, Mi Yeon,” D.O. let out an understanding smile. “Kris is there with him.”

I nodded and went back to painting.

Two days ago, we received our first casualty. As we’ve discussed on the first day, following shadows would be a task we'll take in turns. Kai and Sehun were the most frequent ones to go out, but in the instance they don't, it’s either Tao and Xiumin together, or Chanyeol and Kris. Kyungsoo was officially in-charge of hearing from everyone and reporting to me. Sometimes, I go out with Kai too, and even Sehun. Frankly, it was tiring to be with Sehun. Our conversations always go like this:

“Slow.”

“Shut up, Oh Sehun.”

“You're starting to look like a pig, you do know that right?”

“Shut up.”

“I could try melting the fats for you, but I doubt they will…”

                “…”

                “Have you ever considered plastic surgery?”

                Then I’d speed off to god-knows-where with him right at my back, laughing his head off. Oh Sehun is such a kid, a bully, and a pain in my ears. I’m still waiting for the day he’d realize that but I doubt it’ll come any sooner. Sometimes, he’d even put his arm around my shoulder and occasionally, rub his neck, and flip his hair. All those acts really make me scrunch my eyebrows. I have no idea whether he do those out of habit or perhaps intentionally, but I hate it. He reminds me so much of his best friend, and the gestures itself make it very obvious to me he doesn’t want me considering anyone else.  

                With Kai however, it’s always so intense and different. When it's just the two of us, we’d almost always come out at night, then he’d do his favorite kind of transportation -- flying. He would land on roofs every few distances while I search for shadows on our trail. Kai holds me tightly around my waist while I grip his shoulders so as not to fall.  I couldn’t use my wings to fly on my own because it will attract unnecessary attention. Or so I convinced myself. 

During one of these instances, I asked Kai why he likes air out of all the elements he could control. He gave me a very factual answer.

                “Everybody needs air.”

                “Then why not water?” I remember asking. “Everybody needs water.”

                He looked at me serenely as he answered, “You could live for hours without water. You can’t last minutes without air.”

                To anyone, it was a really simple answer. To me, it says a lot about Kai. He wants to be useful. He wants to be needed. He wants to save many.

                It was only after three weeks when Sehun and Kai were able to successfully trail shadows flying back to their headquarters. They immediately went back to inform us where the location was. It was near the Ministry of Korea, at that Haunted Manor ever goes near at. It was believed to be owned by a really powerful chaebol who died a couple decades ago. The said place is now owned by the government. No one knows why it hasn't been demolished yet. Every year, the manor is opened to the public at a specific day, and a number of people are allowed to go in. I remember hearing before in the news why it was called haunted. About a total of ten people have been reported to get lost and never again found there. I remember thinking it must be because the place was just too big. Now I know better.

                I haven’t seen the place up close yet, but somehow from their description, it already seems to be screaming, “Enter and Die”. I immediately asked Kai to accompany me to the place the next day. And so we did.

                We went there early in the morning. We didn’t enter the manor because even just outside, I could already feel something powerful and evil about the place. The gate was elegant but it was not like Seijira’s where you can’t see anything. In fact, it’s almost as if the manor is inviting anyone to go inside. Kai was serving as a lookout as I peered through the gate. The grass was well-kept and all the curtains were drawn.

                Kai tugged my hand after a while and whispered to warn me someone’s coming. I immediately hold on to him and we flew high up. That’s when I notice something vibrating around the borders of the manor.

                “Kai, that’s—"

                “I know,” he said. “They’ll immediately know if an unwelcomed person crosses the gate.”

                And so, we left the manor and called for a gathering the moment we arrived at my mom's place. That’s how the second action plan was decided. With the security in the manor, we figured out that the only way to get in is through the sewers, however, as the detection’s range is unguaranteed, we also talked about how we will slowly get to know the place. Chanyeol is to transform and get in the manor. He will be accompanied by two others, but only Chanyeol would go inside. He understood the danger of the situation and was pretty determined. I was honestly afraid for him but if Chanyeol himself is determined to pursue the task, then I should not say anything. Still, I told him that he is only allowed to work through our plan for three tries. Beyond that, then we would have to think of an alternative plan rather than continue endangering my warriors. We’ll finalize the situation then and get my mom.

                That’s how we started mapping the place. On the first try, Chanyeol was only able to track the path from the closest manhole to the manor’s kitchen. He didn’t have much trouble and he said the inside was completely empty. There were lots of antics that looked like it could be in a museum. On the second try a week after, he went back to us, completely disheveled and tired. That’s when we got wind of the first trouble. Chanyeol said it’s hard to remember where everything’s at and that’s not because the place is huge. It’s because of the way the manor was built. There were staircases everywhere and doors that don’t really open to any room but are just there stuck at the wall. The same goes for the windows. Some are even stuck on the ceiling, and there are stairs that lead to a dead end. The paintings and other decorations are same for some rooms, even their placements. There are a lot of crooks and nooks and about a