“And don’t come back!”

   Auntie’s words hit me hard, a hammer to the chest. I know, I know, it was selfish. If I come back I put all their lives in danger. Just look at Adela, I am pretty sure the royal guard took Adela because they thought she kidnapped me. Why they chose her is beyond me, no one can understand the royal guard, at least no one human. And I am human.

(((Flashback)))

“Adela got taken.”

The air left me.

Adela…taken….Why?

“What?”
“The royal guard took Adela?”
“Why?”
“What could the royal guard possibly want Adela for?”

   The last time the royal guard took someone-well lets just say no one saw them again. I nibbled on my lip tried my hardest not to cry. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to her, my best friend.

“Why did they take her?”

V, Kookie, Bobby and some BTS members exchanged looks, the others looked at their feet. No one spoke. Auntie came down the stairs; her sharp eyes instantly fell on BTS.

“What happened?”

Her voice was serious as she sat down.

“Adela and I were at her house and then the royal guard broke down the door and tried to take Areum. Of course we fought back but they still took her. I couldn’t do anything, they had guns and weapons.”
“It’s not your fault. Did they say why they took her?”
“No”

Auntie’s mouth thinned into a line.

Why wasn’t she surprised BTS was here?

 Whay wasn't she surprised Adela was taken?

Why does she look like she expecting this?

  Why does she look like she knew that Adela was going to get taken?

“This is not good.”
“Why would they take her?”

I asked, tremors run through my voice.

Pull yourself together Areum. Crying won’t help Adela. Be strong Areum. You promised to be stronger!

“I don’t know”

Lies.
V lied to me. My brothers have been lying this whole time.

“Either way it isn’t safe for you to be here Areum.”
“Why? Why does she have to go?”
“If the royal guard is taking people again then her being here isn’t safe for her or us.”
“Auntie’s right. Plus is if I go back to the upper side I might be able to figure out why and help get her out.”

No one argued with me.

(((End of flashback)))

     Chanyeol and I walked through the human streets. Girls ogled at Chanyeol and gave me distasteful side-eyes. I wanted to punch their plastic faces.

    How could my so-called Appa, Jin, authorize this? Kilin, my royal mother, said he is on the counsel whatever that is. All I know is he could’ve stopped this.

 How could he? Adela saved my life. Adela, my only human friend… how could he?  

     I’ll kill him if anyone hurts her. I don’t care if he is my real father. Adela, Bobby, Kookie, and V matter more to me. They raised me. They made me smile or laugh when times were hard. They were with me all these years when I was starving and beaten. They were taking care of all those 17 years while the Zhangs didn’t look for me. I shouldn’t have accepted them so easily.  They are not my family. My family is here, in lower Ametria. If I were to choose between my human-my real family and the people I am related to, I would choose my real family in a heartbeat. 

“Areum? Earth to Areum?”
“You look like you’re about to kill someone.”
“I want to kill someone.”
“Hear their side of the story first.”
“I don’t want to!”

A pout pulled at the ends of my lips. Chanyeol sniggered. 

“What?”
“Nothing, nothing.”

I squinted up at him, which only caused more laughter to erupt from him.

“Sometimes you’re just too cute”

Awkward silence surrounded us. A blush spread across my cheeks.

Chanyeol POV

“Sometimes you’re just too cute”

Did I just say that out loud?
!
Stupid stupid stupid!

My face flamed. This is the second time I’ve said something embarrassing to Areum. 

Nice Chanyeol, totally not being a blabbering idiot right now. You’re doing a really good job at acting normal and cool. 

“Are you okay?”

Areum changed the subject and thank god she did, I was about to suffocate from all this awkwardness.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

I lied, sort of. My dream still haunt me.

“Liar.”
“Alright, you got me.”
“Is it the nightmare?”
“Yeah”
“Tell me.”

I paused and took in a shaky breath.

“It’s bothering me. It seemed so real, like a memory. And why would I dream of Yejin and this blurred-face girl?”
“I don’t know, but I had a similar dream. This guy with a blurry face appeared. And I dreamt of V. I thought it was real too. But V is alive. Dreams don’t make sense.”
“I guess.”

We fel