"Why did we let him go? He could have stayed with us. Been with us forever." Baekhyun was pouting again. He sat amidst some books they were studying. They had been studying even harder since they spent that first day with Kai. They weren't any better off then when they had started, but they enjoyed the company of the only other real person they'd met in their lives. 

 

"And who's would he have been? Yours? Mine?" Joonmyun got really close. He was just as disappointed as Baekhyun, but he didn't want to make his cousin feel any worse by giving him a lecture. 

 

He kneeled in front of Baekhyun and pressed his lips to the boy's cheek and sat back to his hand across Baekhyun's cheek then over his lips. This would make them both feel better, he thought as he leaned in again to kiss his younger cousins lips. Pulling at them with his own. Soothingly like he always did. 

 

Someone cleared his throat behind them and Joonmyun nearly jumped out of his skin. He hopped off the floor and away from Baekhyun. "I'm sorry, uncle. Oh, god. It wasn't.."

 

"What it looks like? I know it was." Philip looked less then impressed but continued. "But, that's not why we're here." Nicolas stepped forward beside his brother.

 

They rarely ever saw Joonmyun's father, so it had to be big. And if their romantic interludes weren't the problem, it had to be really big. 

 

*

 

"So you stopped us from actually communicating with those guys just for what, fun?" Baekhyun was irate. Joonmyun didn't try to settle him this time. He was really annoyed too. He hadn't wanted to admit that they had been prisoners this whole time, but he couldn't deny it now. 

 

"The truth is that they don't live here. In this dimension. On this planet. We tried to make it easier on ourselves not to fall into temptation. But," Nicolas sighed. "it seems like we can't prevent the inevitable."

 

"So, where are they? Will we ever talk to them? Ever meet them?" Joonmyun asked softly. He didn't want to continue this anymore if it meant that their future was hopeless.

 

"The monitors work just fine, but you have to know that other people can see your communications if you do attempt to use it. It puts not only you two and us in danger, but also the people on the other side. The red force is real. It's still very much alive." Nicolas warned. His face showing more emotion than the boys had ever seen. "And, I'm not sure if you will ever meet the others in real life. That's entirely up to you."

 

"Look, I'm sure you have many questions," Philip interjected. 

 

"Damn right we have questions!" Baekhyun grumbled. Still very pouty. 

 

"And we've tried to be impartial the whole time. We didn't want you to know any more than you had too, but we wanted you to be prepared. Just in case."

 

"And now... Is it the moment of 'just in case'?" Joonmyun felt conflicted. He didn't want to know what was ahead. But he knew that he needed to. It might just save his life. And everyone else's. "Is the red force coming for us?"

 

"It's probably already started." Nicolas replied ominously.