The moment they landed back to Seoul they were immediately transported to Dara’s mansion located in the city, it was directly in the middle but completely hidden away from any paparazzi or anyone who would have their attentions caught by them. Of course there were millions of questions from both assassins and idols when Dara only ordered them to get in the bus and stay put until they reach their destination.

The leader of the assassins wore a deadly cloak of aura on her; no one had dared to directly question her decisions or asked anything for that matter. The ride to her mansion was quiet; the silence burdensome to the ahjussi who had drove the idols to the plane site days ago. He wanted to at least make it fun for the idols that just came back but having the leader sitting close by him had his lips pressed tightly together.

The air was dense, almost as if someone didn’t want them to be breathing moreover, live. Heechul could sense that a heavy matter was weighing their leader down, so much that it had seemed to have taken her thoughts away. He also didn’t fail to notice the lack of eye contact the girl had with him or any of them, she was purposely avoiding them but they didn’t know why. They would like to know why but chances of the leader telling them were small.

It could have been any matter at all, nothing grand as they have grown to know that their leader never kept anything important from them but this time was different. She was afraid that if they happen to look straight at her they’ll see how scared she was, that behind that hard shell she put on there still lays the little girl running for her life. However, it wasn’t only her life that she was afraid of this time around because as much as she wanted to lock them away for safety they were all involved now and it was all her fault.

“We have arrived young lady” the ahjussi announced, jolting the bus to a stop right in front of a rustic gate in which vines interlaced through. The house behind it was elegant, an English manor that perhaps was older than all of them was but its beauty stood against time.

 Dara heaved a sigh as she brushed her hair back, her exhaustion because of her thoughts gradually showing. She got off the vehicle first, taking a key out of her bag and unlocking the chain that closed them out from the inside.

“Everyone, just get inside please” she said, opening the gate widely for all of them and one by one they took their luggage out then made their way inside. All of them stopped midway and looked back to the girl who was having a little conversation with the driver.

“Jae, do you know what’s going on with Dara?” Gahi turned to the single idol/assassin that was walking behind all of them and now in the front. The assassin had hoped for a positive answer but she had already expected the latter to not know anything.

“Nuna seemed happy before we left though, I wonder what happened” Myungsoo said and all of them nodded in agreement, but before they could further discuss the girl’s odd behaviors she had started to walk towards them and behind her was a locked gate.

She looked straight at them, smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes and sadly it didn’t seem like it was going to anytime sooner. Dara gestured them to move forward and for a second they hesitated, but then moved so. They would occasionally look back to check if the assassin was still following them and fortunately she was still there walking, though it would have looked better if she didn’t as she very much looked like a zombie.

The moment they set foot inside the manor they were all past surprises, after everything that had happened there were no spaces for surprises and such. They had gotten used to it, but not when Dara had left the door open and she stood in the middle of it.

“For the next three days you are all going to be staying here. I’ve got all rooms and instruments needed to make it look like you’ve actually went in for a music program. Also, there will be people coming in to help with everything but till then you are all to stay here” she had announced and then they noticed that her bag was missing, nor any of her things for that matter.

“After that, what happens?” Jaejoong asked sharply.

“After that you’re all be going back to your groups and dorms, same with the seven assassins …” she answered and all of their eyes narrowed at her as if she just spat some out of this world words that they just heard.

She made a stern look at everybody in that room, one that said no questions will be answered no matter how many times they were asked. But Jaejoong wasn’t going to have of the the girl was giving them, mostly him after they have decided that they’ll work together to solve everything.

“Dammit Dara, if there are any problems just tell us. That’s what a group is about and just because you’re the leader that doesn’t mean you need to carry all of it, we’re all here to help you carry it” Jaejoong snapped, he was stepping on the line but he didn’t care. He was tired of having to stay back and wait for the girl to say something first, he couldn’t handle being kept in the dark especially when the matters involved the life of the girl whom he’s in love with.

“I … There are no problems whatsoever, it was decided that the witness protection program held on the eight idols is diminished on the third day” she answered simply but the coldness in her voice and the lack of warmth in her eyes made the answer seeming to have another meaning than its blunt explanation.

It was quite obvious that she wanted to say something different from the way she started her reply, but quickly took it back and gave another.

“Where are you going?” Sungjong croaked.

“Out” that one word answer rang endlessly in their ear and with it the door closed in front of them.

“She’s got to be kidding me” Jaejoong groaned and was about to run after the girl but Hyunseung just grabbed him by the collar and stopped his tracks. “Hyung, if you value your life don’t go running after someone you’ll never catch” the latter said, his voice low.

“There’s something she’s not telling us” Hyuna then spoke.

“There is, bu