"Where are you guys headed?"

Kris turned around and saw Kairi, ready to leave with him, Woohyun, Lay and Yong Guk. He exchanged glances with his three companions and sighed. Woohyun stepped forward and said, "We have some work to do. We'll be back."

Kairi wasn't ready to believe that any 'work' would require them to walk out of the headquarters before the break of dawn. She took a deep breath in and began strapping on her jacket. Woohyun was about to protest when Lay held him back. 

"Let her come," he said. "She'll be learning more." The response of silence led to an agreement and the four men watched as Kairi tightened her laces. She ran towards them and nodded. YongGuk threw a worried glance at her, only to have her glare at him. 

"It's amazing how you two look alike," he muttered, widening his eyes and shaking his head. Kairi ignored the comment and followed them as they stepped out of the house. 

"It's going to be a long journey," Kris informed her. She looked at him, no words hiding behind her closed lips. She blinked in understanding and he nodded. 

"She's stronger than any of you think," Woohyun murmured, feeling offended at how they were treating his girlfriend. Kairi beamed at him and they entwined their hands together. 

"I'm glad you think that way," she smiled. Woohyun wanted to scoff and say something witty, but as they stepped out into the dim orange light of the world, he saw her expression and simply smiled back. 

After a brisk walk of fifteen minutes, the first morning rays hit the sky and reflected like a spotlight on the five outlaws. Kairi looked up at the grey sky, dearly missing the blue canvas of Paradise. She felt the warmth of nostalgia melting inside her and unconsciously tightened her hold on Woohyun. He looked towards her but she continued staring ahead, softness in her gaze. 

YongGuk looked at the couple and sighed. He couldn't deny that that was what he wanted. He found a hand resting on his shoulder and saw Lay giving him a friendly smile. YongGuk shrugged his shoulders and shifted his focus to the metal arch bowing down in a corner up ahead. 

Kairi looked up and widened her eyes. "We're using the subway?" None of the four responded and she frowned, quietly following them. YongGuk placed a card on the small box, a card that only three people in their team were in possession of. It was a card that Jiyong had specially crafted for their under-the-radar purposes, a card that would allow seven people to enter the station in one go. The other two were now in Suho and L's hands. 

Once the five passed under the arch, they began walking towards the four glass boxes, each taking passengers to a different line. The one tinted light yellow was towards East Paragon, the one with a warm rose tint towards South. The teal coloured one was towards West and the plain white one was towards North Paragon. 

Kairi waited to see which line they would be taking and watched as Kris unhesitatingly led them towards the yellow box. There weren't many people around at this time of the day, but the clacking of heels and the beep of security machines indicated workers heading for an early shift or to an office distant from their home in Central Paragon. The boxes were large, like the elevators of a hospital. All five were comfortably spaced out and once Kris pressed a button, the box began moving upwards. 

Kairi felt weird. The last time she had been in one of these boxes, the rose one in fact, was when she had been heading to the biggest graduation party with Joon and a few of their classmates. She remembered the conversation and the words that had been used and realized that she had always been used for her position, for her money. She had chosen to see what she wanted to see and despite staying in the dark for the past five months, she felt like she had just opened her eyes to the truth. 

"What happened?" Woohyun murmured, resting the back of his hand on her forehead. She shrugged him off and shook her head. 

"Memories," she muttered. Kris and Lay shot a glance at her that though was of curiosity, only intimidated her. YongGuk gave her a sympathetic look, then returned to observing where the box was taking them. 

The box began moving sideways and the five saw the other boxes moving around as well. It was like they were inside a rubix cube and someone from above was shifting them, trying to get the colours right through different twists and turns. That person would have to wait though, for the yellow box froze and the doors opened, leading the five out towards an empty platform. Kairi found a family of four about twenty feet away from them, a bright glow on their faces. They were wearing visors, light khakis and cargos and carrying what looked like picnic boxes. Further up ahead were a group of old men, loudly exchanging poetic verses. To her right, she saw an old woman and a younger lady, her daughter presumably, sitting on the bench in comfortable silence. 

Kairi then looked at herself and her teammates. Her black jeggings and deep purple high tops, Woohyun's shapely tanned face and jean jacket, Kris' tall formidable presence, Lay and his green-and-white ensemble and finally YongGuk, his latest blonde and pink hairstyle, all spiked up above his red Letterman jacket and loose denims.

She looked up at their guide and to his surprise, pulled his arm. "Where the hell are we going?" she hissed. 

Kris smiled. "You'll see."

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

"Ain't he a hot-shot."

Luhan gave a small smile at L.Joe's comment, looking towards the object of such a compliment. The man certainly was handsome -- tall, pale, dark hair falling across his forehead, a perpetual ferocity shining from his eyes. He was with two other men, each as good-looking as him. Their attractiveness seemed to be accepted universally, as seen by the respectful greetings being handed out to them. 

The shortest one of them, though still tall and broad-shouldered, caught sight of L.Joe and brightened up. L.Joe stiffened when he began walking towards him, his magenta coloured hair neatly spiked up and bobbing as he skipped towards him. However, as he grew closer, Luhan stiffened too. He caught scent of something, a brush of recognition and connection that spurned unknown feelings inside him. 

"Excuse me," he muttered and to the disbelief of L.Joe, left him and rushed across the room. 

"I saw you playing," the man commented. L.Joe put on his facade and smiled.

"It's been a long time since I last saw someone play Chopin like that."

L.Joe flipped his hair and nodded. "Thank you. And you are...."

"Typical Arts student aren't you?" the man joked. "Not aware of the world and its realities." L.Joe winced. There seemed to be a harshness riding his tone, but he chose to hide his reaction and shrugged. 

"I'm a member of the Ministry of Human Affairs. The Vice-President actually. Kim Junsu."

While L.Joe was reeling from a wave of shock, Luhan was searching for Baekhyun, trying hard to re-investigate what he had discovered. It wasn't possible but then, what was not? He finally found a familiar looking suited man at the buffet table, chatting with Taeyeon and tapped his shoulder. 

"Baekhyun I---!"

Luhan froze when the man spun around, revealing himself. It was one-third of the trio he had seen earlier, the man with the dark hair and pallid complexion. 

"Forgive me," Taeyeon said, looking flustered. "He's my bodyguard."

"Baekhyun?" the man said. His voice was mocking and rustic, a dangerous warmth enveloping his words. "Ms. Kim, have you by any chance hired bodyguards who are not even aware of the bureaucracy and its members?..."

The man clicked his tongue, then smiled, the mystery still there. Luhan still hadn't said a word, but bowed when Taeyeon shot him a warning glance. "I'm Luhan," he said, introducing himself. 

"Nice to meet you Luhan," the man said, offering his hand. "Since my position is too embarrassing to talk of, Ms. Kim why don't you introduce me to your new acquaintance?"

Taeyeon flashed an excitingly fake smile and said, "You should be flattered to know Luhan, that you are standing next to the Head of the Ministry of Information and Security, Mr. Kim Jaejoong. Greet him properly, will you?"

Luhan blankly obeyed and in his soft tone, apologized for the previous mishap. He stepped away from the pair who were laughing and commenting on some diplomat who they had been talking about earlier. He found the man look at him again, this time giving him a smile that sent shivers down his spine. 

"What happened?"

Luhan jumped almost three feet in the air and turned around to find Baekhyun smiling down at him. He grabbed his teammates arm and took him far across the room, inside a hallway next to the emergency exit.

"What the hell Luhan?" Baekhyun asked. "What happened?!"

"We're in trouble," Luhan said. Baekhyun backed away, shocked at his first glance of confusion in Luhan's eyes. 

"Why....?"

"That man talking to Taeyeon--sshi?" Luhan said in a hushed tone. "And the other two men with him?"

Baekhyun searched Luhan's memories and nodded his head. "What about them?"

"Remember the story Duizhang told us of the strongest EXO students sent as tributes to the government? So that Paragon could easily intervene in our affairs?"

Baekhyun's blood ran cold. "Is it..."

"It's them," Luhan hissed. "The ones that were like mythology to us. Park Yoochun, Kim Junsu and Kim Jaejoong."

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

The train passed through empty and sparse fields, moving at the speed of light. Everything was a blur outside but upon returning her gaze to the man next to her, everything was clear.

Kairi was panicking inside. What if someone recognized her? What if the train stopped and they found themselves surrounded by Paragon officials? Lay seemed to sense her anxiety and reassured her that they were 'extremely safe'. She believed him and continued looking outside. 

"Kyoto," the monotonous announcer said. Kairi widened her eyes as the door opened. She stepped out with her four acquaintances into a glass box with wooden floors and watched as the closing doors of the metro moved further away from her.

The train had filled in during their journey but no one had paid them any attention. Now she was flying above the Kyoto train station, waiting for the exit doors to reach her impatience. 

"You're very curious, aren't you?" Kris chuckled. Kairi threw him a scowl and jumped out of the box when it opened. 

The morning had just begun and the people of Kyoto were out and about. The roads were filled with workers, students, bicycles and rickshaws. An elevated rail line carried the town tram from one part of the neighbourhood to another. This was the closest Paragon could ever come to nature. Towards East Paragon was where Paragon's beautiful mask lay, the decent greenery and simple life being 'proof' that there was space for everything in Paragon. 

Kris lead them down a narrow road that opened towards an intersection. He signalled they follow him inside a small bakery, the wafts of flour and essence making Kairi, YongGuk and Woohyun feel giddy. 

"Woah," YongGuk exclaimed as he caught sight of a freshly-baked pound cake. The young woman behind the counter blushed when Lay smiled at her. She asked what they wanted, her smile faltering once Lay showed her his tattoo. The recognition of their identity seemed to have depressed her as she quietly nodded towards a door on her right. 

"She knows who you are?" Kairi asked in shock. 

"We're not alone Kairi," Lay said, giving her a smile full of bittersweet feelings. He asked her to look at the lady behind the counter and upon a concentrated glance, Kairi found an incoherent symbol tattooed on the nape of the girl's neck. 

Her mind rambling with questions, Kairi followed Kris and Lay while Woohyun and YongGuk stayed behind her. Suddenly they were enveloped in darkness and Kairi was reminded of the time when Woohyun had led her inside the tunnel, at their first hideout. 

"Doesn't this remind of you something Woohyun?" she teased. He semed to have been insulted and lightly pinched her waist. She grinned in response, but of course, no one could see it. 

They continued walking, a light from an unknown source helping them follow Kris' footsteps. After what seemed to be almost half-an-hour of trudging, Kairi gasped as she noticed the tattoo on Lay's arm glowing. She stretched her neck and saw that Kris' tattoo on his left bicep seemed to do the same. Woohyun noticed, but wasn't as fascinated as her. YongGuk simply pouted his lips and nodded his head in appraisement. 

"Here we are," Lay announced. An extremely narrow slit of light stood before them. Woohyun was about to make a sarcastic comment when Lay traced the gap and the rocks began opening up. Kris and Lay walked ahead, warning the three shocked people to be careful of their steps. 

The five found themselves on a rocky platform, jutting out of a cliff. They were nestled inside the greenery of a hill and as they looked around, the three non-EXO members left their mouth hanging open in wonderment. 

YongGuk was the first to collect himself. "Where do we head now?" Kris smiled and pointed ahead. He then looked down at Kairi and patted her head. 

"Welcome to our home, Miss Lee."

Standing majestically among the hills opposite them was a monastery, the School of EXO.