Hana caught a glimpse of the same woman, standing with her white dress as the corner of her lips perked upwards. Like she was happy to be seeing Hana in her sight again.

 

"I've seen that you got the pearls." She spoke, breaking the silence between both of them.

 

"I am."

 

"There's still a long journey to go."

 

"Why me?" Hana questioned. It bothered her many times, why she had to be the one having to face all difficulties along with the EXO members.

 

"Because you belonged to the Empire of Forlasea," the woman answered and caressed Hana's cheek for once, "You'll have to fight for it. You have to be brave and strong enough to go through all of these."

 

"But, I-"

 

"I know you can. I believe that you're brave enough for this and you're able to bring everything back to normal." Hana wanted to reach for her hand but the woman disappeared with the wind, leaving Hana hanging in her place.

 

This is confusing. Out of all, why do I have to go through all of these? Who am I?

 

 

 

Hana opened her eyes right on the moment and noticed twelve pairs of eyes were staring at her, worriedly. She noticed herself was laying on a couch with Lay sat beside her to examine her condition.

 

"Finally, you're awake!" Tao breathed sigh of relief when he was about to cry seeing Hana was actually being conscious after collapsing out of sudden.

 

"…What happened?" Hana asked when she abruptly sat on the couch and straightened her body. She felt the sore pain around her thigh and she guessed it was from running too much back then in the forest.

 

Her head was still throbbing for a bit. It was just a dream.

 

"You collapsed while holding the black pearls." Chen told her. Hana jerked her head upward to meet her eyes with them. The black pearls. There was something wrong with those things.

 

"We thought you died or something," Chanyeol interrupted and saw D.O sent him a death glare to shut his mouth from saying anything. "WHAT?" Chanyeol looked back like he did nothing wrong. "I wonder if fainting is your hobby," Sehun formed a sly smirk but he got a quick nudge from Luhan.

 

Hana stared down at the floor when she had no idea what made her to be in that way. Things getting weirder when she get involved with The Secret Map and the black pearls.

 

"W-Where are the black pearls?" Hana locked her eyes on Suho. She knew that he could be responsible to keep it when she was unconscious.

 

"Yah, do you-"

 

"I need to look at it. The black pearls must have some sort of connection to me when the moment I held it." Hana cut off Sehun's words and the guys furrowed their eyebrows of confusion over her words.

 

"What do you mean?" Luhan asked.

 

"The only thing I remember when I held the pearls, there were a few faces I couldn’t recognize appeared in my mind. And I'm very sure I haven’t experience nor see them yet."

 

Xiumin went to take a seat immediately beside Hana and held her shoulders, "Are you sure?"

 

Now, everyone grew curious. It was something that they didn’t expect to happen on her. "Yeah. And there was an image of Sehun, cried for help when he was being dragged to somewhere. A place that I haven't seen before."

 

Sehun froze at his place. "You're not talking nonsense, right?"

 

"I'm not. I'm sure this is something that has connection with me. As if the black pearls gave me the image of the future. Or am I thinking the wrong way?"

 

They weren't answering to her question instead Suho let out his heavy sigh, "Open your map."

 

"Deh?'

 

"We need to check our next journey. Something is not right." Suho ordered and Hana quickly took it out from her bag before unrolled the map on a table across with her. The members gathered around to look as The Secret Map started to blink and showed, passing their first journey.

 

Their eyes fixed on the next journey that they would have to go. It was a Secret Roses Maze.

 

Hana furrowed her eyebrows, followed by the others who grew confused with the unfamiliar name of the place that they would have to go.

 

"Have you heard about this place?" Hana jerked her head up to look at the members but they could only shook their heads. "This is the first time we've ever heard of it." Lay answered.

 

"I wonder what secret does the maze holds," D.O added.

 

"Probably, a monster is hidden along the way through the maze," Chen made his own conclusion and didn’t realize Tao's face changed pale by the mention of 'monster'. "For real?!"

 

"It could be for real. Who knows? All we need is to be prepared with whatever that is coming ahead," Kris spoke up and earned a nod from Suho. "We'll be there in another two days. After all, we need to get some rest." Suho continued.

 

"Kim Hana," Suho called for her name once again. She looked up to see him in the eyes, "You will have to learn basic things to protect yourself. Luhan and Kai will be in charge to teach you for these two days. At least you know something basic."

 

Couldn’t say more, Hana gave him a quick nod to agree with his decision. I need to learn something for myself, too. I can't rely on them all the time.

 

 

Turning her head to the right side, she caught Luhan was plastering her a wide smile of excitement knowing that soon, he would be the one to teach her. Somehow, he thought that it was a chance or him to get to know her more.

 

 

---

 

 

"We need to find her this instant!" Yongguk slammed his hand on a table, causing Zelo to jerk his body of shock. That was too sudden.

 

"But, she's with EXO. It's impossible to harm her. She belongs to them." Youngjae replied, earning a death glare from the leader. "I don't give a damn about that! She is the key for us! We shouldn’t let her be with EXO or else…."

 

"Or else?" Zelo asked while blinking.

 

"We'll die in the prince's hand." Yongguk answered as he stared at a blank wall across him. All of s were looking at the leader and knew how they should be serious enough with it.

 

"Jongup and Daehyun, both of you will be finding where she is. We don’t have time. I can't simply let this girl enjoy by having fun with them." The leader ordered and left the members in the secret room of theirs.

 

Zelo was puzzled, again. "So, when are we supposed to kill them?"

 

Himchan rolled his eyes and stood up, "You always be the last one to catch up with the leader's order. Pft."

 

One by one left the room and leaving the maknae alone by himself. He titled his head while having his own thoughts, "Can we just stay in peace rather than having to fights? Geez."

 

 

 

 

Hana get off from her bed early in the morning after taking a short nap right after the dawn. She stretched her arms and legs for a couple of minutes before walking out from the room which belonged to her for a moment, lazily.

 

Catching the smell of bacon in the kitchen, Hana made her way to follow the scent and saw Lay with his apron tied around his waist.

 

She went to him before he already noticed her appearance that morning. "Good morning, Lay!" Hana greeted cheerfully and beamed a wide smile. Lay turned his head to his side and saw her, "Good morning, Hana. You're awake."

 

 

"I already woke up before the dawn and decided to get some nap," she leaned against the counter to peek at the food that he cooked in a pan. "What's for breakfast?"

 

Lay shook the bacon in the pan with his hand skillfully, "Bacon and toast bread with eggs. And cheese!"

 

Hana chortled, "Sounds good. I love that. Where are the others?" Hana helped to pick a few plates for Lay. "Still sleeping. Could be tired with what happened yesterday. Except Kris and Suho. They left the house a couple minutes ago."

 

"Where to?"

 

Lay cracked open the shell of an egg into a pan, "To the castle."

 

"Why?"

 

Lay gave her a small smile when he glanced at the girl who was puzzled, "I heard they got something to do. They will be back before the sun sets. Suho told me to remind you about your practice with Luhan and Kai."

 

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that."

 

"Can you help to bring me the sauce?" Lay asked after flipping the egg in the pan. Hana nodded hurriedly went to reach for it.

 

 

 

Suho and Kris entered the castle and walked down the hallway. A few maids who happened to be knowing of their appearance, immediately gave deep bow to one of them.

 

"Good morning, Prince Joon Myeon." A head of the maid greeted him when he reached at a big wooden door in front him.

 

"Good morning. How's everything?" Suho asked with a smile was still on his face ever since he entered the castle. All of the guards and maids known him well for his kindness and how humble he is whenever he met them.

 

Kris stood behind him, escorting the leader who is actually a prince of the Empire of Forlasea.

 

"Good."

 

"Any good news?" Suho finally asked and the expression on her face told him more than enough. He sighed heavily. "I'm going to see her then."

 

By then, the big door was squeaked opened, revealing a huge bedroom which belonged to someone who had been in there for many years.

 

It was silence right when Suho entered with Kris followed behind him and stopped in their tracks when they were standing next to a bed with a mid-aged woman, laying on it, unconsciously.

 

"Your Highness, it's a pleasure to see you here," Jung Soo Jung, a personal care who had been taking care of the queen all this while, bowed when she faced him.

 

 

 

"Me too." He replied and eyed to his mother who was still pale like how he used to see. "Is there any improvement about her?"

 

Soo Jung shook her head, "I'm sorry. There's no improvement with her condition."

 

Suho felt sorry by the look at his weak mother who laid unconsciously on the bed without being able to move nor wake up from her coma. The previous war between the two empires made his mother to be in that way.

 

His hand went to reach for her hand and he held it, firmly. Please, wake up. There's a lot of things that you need to know and see.

 

"Do you need some privacy? We'll leave the room for you." Kris held his shoulder when he saw how Suho was silence with no words. The prince nodded his head before realizing Soo Jung and Kris left him in the room.

 

"Mom, I don't know how longer we have to wait until we're able to bring what belonged to us," Suho spoke and rubbed the back of her hand. "There's this young girl. I believe that her presence can help us to bring everything back as before."

 

"Please, wake up. I can't live without you. You have to be strong and be with me to protect this empire."

 

His tears welled up in his eyes and fell on the back of the queen's hand. The pain in his heart for seeing her in that condition hurt him so much.

 

 

 

Suho and Kris left the castle after spending for a few hours in there to check out everything was fine among the maids, guards and knights while protecting the place.

 

Fixing a sword at his waist, Suho looked at Kris, "We need to get back before the sun sets. I wonder if Hana starts to practice with them," As Suho was about to leave, he heard a voice called.

 

It was one of the maids. "You forgot this, Your Highness." She handed him a small bag which he usually carried all the time. While he was busy talked to the maid, Kris sensed something weird.

 

He glanced at the front and his eyes trailed on each directions. Why do I feel something isn't right? Is there someone watching us secretly?

 

Signaling one of the guards near with him to come closer, Kris whispered to him, "Make sure to be alert with everything."

 

"Yes, sir." He nodded his head and went back to his place before Suho came back to reach for him. "Let's go, Kris. They must be waiting."

 

By then, they left the castle immediately and Kris glanced for another time to make sure it was just his feelings and nothing went wrong.