Listen to Day By Day by T-ara : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GcYGmSW1ns&

                                                                                    KAIRI

"And then poof?"

"Poof!" 

I laughed while Lay tilted his head, beaming at me. He had the most ridiculous sense of humour, but something about him cheered me up. It was the first time in a long time that I had connected with someone so instantly and even I was in awe of how wonderfully I had gotten along with the so-called 'unicorn' of EXO-M.

I turned around and found Woohyun, far behind me. He was looking at his steps in a contemplative way and when our eyes met, I waved. He gave a small smile and I turned back around. 

Less than 24 hours ago, I had lost my ity to this man. 

This crazy man who I hated the first time I had seen him.

This man, with so many scars and a broken heart. 

While I had been lying inside the cabin with him, the thought of Woohyun trying to let me in despite his past made me tear up. It broke me, the thought of him pushing his wounds away so he could make space for me and me having been hurt too, understood how painful the process was. 

"How long?" I asked, my question open for everyone to answer. Lay shrugged and tapped Chen's shoulder. The latter turned around and right away, answered, "Another twenty minutes and then we can use vehicles."

I heaved in relief. I could feel the blisters on my feet breaking and bleeding and I was confident that once I took off my shoes, I would be presented with a beautiful patchwork of blood, old skin and warts.

A deep ache reverberated inside me and furrowed my eyebrows, confused. Where was this coming from? I glanced around, wondering if the EXO guys were playing one of their psychic games with me. Well, Lay had already informed that they weren't supernaturally inclined but still....

Moments later, I recognized the ache. It was dull but heavy and seductive. Tomorrow morning, we would be in Paragon. 

I took a deep breath in, suddenly feeling nervous. Lay must have sensed it for he patted my head. I flashed a quick smile, fake and useless. He ignored it and seemed to appreciate my effort to put up a front. The moonlight dimmed behind the clouds and we continued walking, but the strength in my legs left my heart weak and frightened. 

Home. Paragon. The tall skyscrapers, the dull blue--almost gray--skies, the crowds, the cars, the elevated roads and highways, the skyline cabs, the constant flashing of neon lights blinding the concept of day and night....

No matter how I looked at it, it was my home. All these months spent with my new family had been an eye-opener, but how could I just go back home and not feel anything?

Suddenly, the possibility rang out, laughing in my ears like a hyena sitting on its prey. The possibility that I wasn't going to make it. The possibility that despite our efforts, everything would fail.

                                                                                      PARAGON

"Hyung!"

Jay stormed inside the headquarters, his sharp eyes a cocktail mix of incomprehensible emotions. His anxiety must have vibrated off the walls for moments later, the entire loft was full of curious eyes. 

Jiyong pushed himself through the crowd and looked at Jay, whose eyes were cautiously flitting towards Dayoung. Himchan got the hint and kneeled to the ground. 

"Let's go to the room Dayoung-ah," he said, his reassuring voice failing with its tremble. Dayoung wasn't a kid though and she wasn't fooled. She gave the room a once-over glance and finally, rested her eyes on Jay. 

"They took Lauren, right?"

Jay remained silent, his eyes fixed on the ground. Dayoung moved forward, her eyes swimming with tears. 

"They took her and her like an animal, right?"

Gasps arose and when Jay didn't answer, Dayoung collapsed on the floor, hollow tears falling down her face. She wasn't crying, nor was she shouting. But the silence was piercing and even Jiyong, now standing in front of Jay, was frozen. His expressionless face spoke volumes of the whirlwind inside him and after a while, he said, "Is it true?"

Jay slowly nodded. 

"She's only thirteen!" Jiyeon cried. She shook Jay by the shoulders and pushed him. "Why didn't you stop them?? She's only thirteen, for s sake!"

Baekhyun stepped forward but it was Yong Guk who reached on time, taking Jiyeon in his arms and hushing words of empty reassurance. 

"Tell us everything," Jiyong ordered after a beat of silence. He himself looked disturbed and uneased by this news. 

Jay nodded and started. "Okay, so here's what I've got.

"Apparently the moment the news broke out, about Dayoung's disappearance, the General ordered a warrant agains Lauren. Her parents complied -- they share secretarial positions in the state office and are really loyal to Paragon -- but none of them were aware that Lauren was being taken to the dungeons, not the bureau."

Jay took a deep breath and winced. "At first, they beat her. Black and blue. Middle Ages and all. She confessed whatever she knew, which was nothing. But when the General heard that she was Joon's potential mate, who is now his right-hand man, he couldn't let her soil their reputation. So he ordered four of the worst male prisoners to.....okay. Um."

Suddenly Jay's expression changed. "But then this man entered the scene. He made a deal with the General and within minutes, the punishment had been changed. Instead of a brutal , Lauren was punished by that man and after that, she was going to be handed over to him. Joon wouldn't want her or most probably the General thought she was too tainted to be his most important officer's second half. So now Lauren's with this guy."

"What's his name?" Jiyeon hissed. 

"Simon," Jay said. "Simon Park."

                                                                    ********************************************* 

"How was she?" 

Simon glanced up and smirked. "Stop being such a kid."

C.A.P threw his hands up in the air. "What? I was just curious."

Simon pulled the fingerless gloves out of his pockets, its knuckles adorned by stainless steel chains. It was custom-made and one of his most prized possessions. He slipped his hands through them and twisted his neck. He glanced at the man next to him, his eyes bright with anticipation. 

"Oh come on, you serious?" 

C.A.P nodded. "Whether I wanna know if the rich Institution girl is able? Hell yes."

Simon rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to say anything."

"Of course you won't! You always get the fit ones! And I? Fat-assed lesbos."

The door opened and the two stood up. A tall, scrawny looking doctor with two female nurses walked out. He pushed up his glasses, signed the report in his hand and handed it to Simon. 

"I just need your signature---" Before the doctor could say anything, the man snatched the paper, signed on the dotted line and handed it back. 

"I've done this before," Simon muttered. "I'm guessing she's mine then?"

C.A.P looked between the doctor and his colleague in confusion. "Wait, what?"

The doctor, his flustered expression fixed by a poker face, nodded. "The General's orders."

The little troop exited the hallway. Simon heaved a sigh and was about to open the door when a hand landed on his shoulder. 

"Can I--"

"NO," Simon hissed. C.A.P furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, watching as his co-worker took a deep breath, recollected himself and said, "If I go beyond my comfort level, I'll be axed. You know that."

C.A.P nodded in understanding and left for his duty. Simon waited for the last echoes of distant footsteps to disappear. Right when the coast was clear, he looked at the door and bit his lip. Heaving a sigh, he opened the door and entered. 

His stomach clenched the moment he saw her body, sprawled across the board like a wet rag. There was blood all over her thighs, her lips swollen, his fingerprints smeared onto her arms like tattoos. Hesitantly, he poured water from the jug into the steel glass and offered it. 

Lauren slowly opened her eyes and moaned. A lone tear trickled down her face, making Simon grit his teeth and push the glass closer. 

"You still need to live," he murmured. Lauren shook her head and the moment she realized her hopeless state, the once beautiful princess of the Institution transformed into a wrecking ball of howling cries. 

"Who are you," she cried. She looked him in the eye and he struggled to stay put. "You said you'll take me away."

"I will," he murmured softly. "I promise."