After their brief judo practice Yebin and Maru's bickering still didn't stop. Yebin decided to pay Grandma a visit so they went and took the bus home together.

Even after they reached Maru's home they were still arguing and while the girls entered, Maru was just pointing out to Yebin some of the million reasons why Crux was a bad idea when Grandma marched up towards the two. 

"And did you make a decision?" Her denture-bright smile flashed across the room.

Maru looked at her Grandma longingly and pointed out meekly. "I can't just abandon my Grandma alone, you know." 

Maru then turned towards her Grandmother and said, "And we have to live there until graduation. They said we can only go home if we get to the top ten, and I'm not smart like Yebin. I'd probably flunk out after the first week." She stressed out again then added,

"Aren't you going to miss me Grandma?"

Grandma rolled her eyes and laughed, "A little."

"Wah! A little?" Maru dramatically gasped and scratched her chest as if she'd just been hit by an arrow or something.

"We're not forcing you to go Maru" Yebin said, a faint fond smile quirked her lips, 

"But if you're worried about Grandma, you can always put your trust on me." Yebin's arms reached out to hug Grandma's side.

Grandma was the one who taught them Judo together before Grandpa died. And because Yebin's grandparents were long dead, Maru's grandparents had been treating Yebin as if she was their own grandchild along with Maru. Even though Grandma was a perfectly healthy woman despite her old age, Maru was still worried about her.

"And I don't believe you're not any smarter than I am, silly. I've known you for so long to know that you deserve this Maru." Yebin smiled and then her expression went serious again, eyes fixed on Maru's only whe she said,

"You are smart, and pretty and special in your own kind of way." 

The emphasis was so strong that Maru was stunned into silence. She wanted to laugh so badly. She could have rolled on the floor by now except that Yebin was being really sincere right now, and she was not the type of girl who enjoys rudeness or much of anything when she's being this serious, really.

Both Grandma and Yebin—bless their hearts—thought that the reason Maru got straight B’s was because she was bored. They were convinced she was some sort of genius who wasn’t being challenged. 

Grandma nodded in agreement and added, "And the Maru I've raised isn't a coward. She's a fighter. She's the bravest person I know."

Great. Now they're using psychology on her and it seemed to be working, because she immediately started feeling quilty towards Yebin, who dreamt about going there herself and yet here she was, not even being willing to try. And to Grandma, who blamed herself that she was the reason why Maru didn't have other friends because she was too busy taking care of her.

Maru in a breath and said, sounding utterly gutted. "Alright, I'll go to Crux. But if I don't like it there by Christmas break, I'm transferring back to SOPA no mater what."

Grandma then smiled so brightly it almost blinded her and cupped Maru's cheeks. 

"Your mother would have been so proud of you being chosen this way. She always wanted the best for you.” 

A rush of fear and anticipation made Maru so dizzy and thoroughly annoyed by the knowledge that, as usual, Grandma had gotten exactly what she wanted.

How would she survive there still remained a mystery.

Maru decided to go for a jog before the sun sets. Her whole body felt out sorts. And running usually helped her clear her head. And now that she'll be attending a new school, she decided she had a figure to maintain.

She started off at a decent pace down the road. People were already busy having their dinner so all she could see was the peak of the mountain off to where Crux sat in the distance, the small town looked peaceful, and the air around her was damp and still. The slap of her sneakers against the road was the only sound she could hear, and she calmed down a little as she ran.

Maybe things would be different at Crux, just like what Grandma and Yebin said. Maybe Maru wouldn't feel threatened.

Images of what might happen in the future seemed to block out all rational thought, so she didn't see the kid running towards her until they were about to collide.

He was looking over his shoulder and scowling at the road behind him, eyebrows knitted together like a dark smear across his forehead. He had long legs and arms, black hair with dark purple streaks—something that also seemed grayish when it caught the light and Maru swore he had the cutest elflike-ears she'd ever seen.

"Hey!" She yelled, ducking out of the way just in time to avoid being flattened.

He stopped and spun around. His gaze darted wildly from her face to the road and back. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He brushed it off with an impatient, trembling hand.

Maru saw panic in his eyes, and fear in the rigid, jerky way he kept moving, as if he couldn't afford to stand still.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"He looked over his shoulder again, and then took a step closer to her. Grabbing her shoulders, he peered right into her face. "If a man asks if you've seen me, say no, okay?"

Beautiful dark eyes stared out from those long spiky black eyelashes. She froze, unable to tear her gaze from his.

"Okay?" he repeated, shaking her shoulders. His deep voice cracked. 

She gulped, her heart pounding in her chest. Suddenly she had a taste of the fear that seemed to have consumed him. "Should.. I call the cops?"

"No!" His voice cracked again. "No." he repeated. "Just say you haven't seen me."

He let her go and started running down the block. When he got to the corner, he took a left and headed in the direction of an open space at the edge of the town.

Just as the boy disappeared from the view, a black sedan appeared at the head of the street, several blocks away. 

When the car didn't even pull to a stop and just drove straight to the direction where the boy had run off to Maru couldn't help but watch worriedly, gripping her knuckles until they turn white.

He reached out a hand agaisnt the blood-smeared wall. Fingers squealing on the concrete that left behind a black singe mark.  A Dead End. .

Then he heard the whine of motor engines skidding to a stop. Slow footsteps of someone stepping out of the car followed.

And he turned around and jerked his chin towards the guy, who was now in front of him. He didn't expect this to happen but through his peripheral vision, he figured there no way out. He was trapped. 

He cursed in his mind and stood there as the wind sailed through their hair.

"Come on,  you know you can't escape from your fate. Stop making things hard, kid. Unless you really want to get yourself killed." The guy said to him, he wore a black vest and slung on his arms were black assualt rifles, it looked like he was in a hunting season.

Which, in a sense, he was. 

"You are most certainly welcome to try. Hyung." His tone was casual, but his blood was boiling.

True to his word, the older guy lunged forward towards him but he  managed to side-step his attack, the older tumbled a little but regained his footing in mere seconds and spun around to face him and swung his fist towards the younger's face. 

"Stop this. I don't want to fight you, Chanyeol." The older gritted out.

He was fast. Faster than what Chanyeol initially thought.

"Why not?" 

Chanyeol tried to attack again, but the older was able to stumble out of the way and kick Chanyeol in the back, sending him face-first on the ground. 

He then had Chanyeol firmly pressed to the ground, face-down, with his arms pinned painfully behind his back.

"Not bad, Chanyeol, but not good enough." 

Chanyeol bucked, but was unable to break free. "Shut up." he hissed.

Not so far behind them stood a woman in black, arms crossed, observing from a distance. 

"Good job Kris." She acknowledged. And Kris stood up bringing Chanyeol with him. "And next time you run, try to come up with a better escape plan, Brother."

Chanyeol squared his shoulders and tilted his head back so he could look her right in the eyes, refusing to be intimidated by his sister,

the Hunt master, Park Yoora.

AUTHOR'S NOTES 
Chapter three is so short why Q.Q Sorry for the mistakes, didn't re check this before posting. I hope you enjoy :)

Don't hesistate to leave a comment or two after reading. Thank you. 

Love from the winter cat, 

Frost.