Baekhyun only has a second to curl over Kyungsoo protectively before something painful is shoved against his arm and everything fades into black.

A sharp pain races through the side of his ribs and he gasps, curling over himself clutching at his side. He is lying on something cold and rough and the air smells of cramped space and cleaning fluids. The pain in his ribs start to subside just a little when it all comes back. A lifetime of memories are suddenly whirling around in his mind, clouding his thoughts, blurring past his eyes at the speed of light. His childhood, his alley life, his time with Kyungsoo, his time at the Center, Baekhyun tries to breath but he feels himself losing - losing - drifting away.

When he comes back to himself, he feels exhausted. As if he had lived through his whole life in the matter of hours. His head throbs, his ribs ache - he finally knows why- and his mouth tastes bitter. He blinks at the small space of the room he is in, he recognizes it - it is the solitary confinement room their Guests are sent to after they had been made use of and were waiting to be ‘retired’ or before they were sent to the waiting room. How long had he been here?

How long had he been here?

Baekhyun surged up grasping the bars of the cell with trembling fingers - he could have been here for hours, for days, and Kyungsoo… Kyungsoo could already be -

Baekhyun doesn’t know where he found the energy to do that but he screams. He clings on the cold metal bars and screams till he feels his throat burning. He feels a like a kite set loose in the eye of a hurricane, the world around him is falling apart but he is all but alone in the quiet heart of it, lost and helpless.

After what seems like an eternity a shadow moves in the dark space before him. It startles him enough to cut him off and he coughs, painfully and feels blood choke in his throat.

The General Examiner emerges from the shadows, the lines of his tall body blurred by the darkness around him. His hands are clasped behind his back thoughtfully and he has a curious look on his face.

“Gen - General Examiner-“ Baekhyun chokes out. “General-“

The General Examiner steps right up to the bars of the cell and looks down at Baekhyun.

“You should know by now that there is no point in screaming, Examiner.” he says and Baekhyun feels himself sink deeper into his desperation.

He leans his head against the cell bars and takes in a shaky breath.

There is silence for a long time.

“You could have been great, Byun Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun’s head whips up at this comment.

“Byun Baekhyun, Room 412.”

“You could have been the next General Examiner.  In fact, I knew, the moment I set my eyes on you, the same way the general examiner before me knew when he saw me, that you will be the one……” The General Examiner continued. “People like us were always the best for this job… those who have loved deeply and lost terribly always know pain well enough to create it….”

Baekhyun feels himself shake with emotion. “You are sick! SICK!”, he spits out.

Sehun laughs. It’s a y sound, sprinkled with just the right amount of humor and disgust.   “Sick.” He says as if he is tasting the word on his lips. “Well, then, Baekhyun, what have YOU been these past 7 years in this center?”

Tears spring in Baekhyun’s eyes, his head throbs and his whole body stings. He had not felt so much emotion