Blankly, Mina stared at the wall without moving. Since the time she woke up, the same scene has been running in her mind. The sight of the fire, the sound of the deafening explosion, the look on Baekhyun’s face plus the blurry image of Chanyeol looking at her direction from the opposite window.

She heard from Sia that it was a mess when the professors got to them after extinguishing the fire. The whole floor was sealed off and the investigation ensued right away. Sia informed Mina that she was found unconscious on the floor without anyone else getting injured. It looked like Baekhyun left the scene before anyone could see him there.

It’s still a big mystery to her – why was Baekhyun there? Was he actually protecting her? But why when he despises her? Why would someone like Baekhyun save her?

She looked at her leg, remembering the deep cut the shattered glass made on it. Thanks to Lay, the cut on her leg looked nothing but a mere discoloration.

Taking a deep breath, she shut her eyes and rested her head on the headboard. The frustration building inside her was starting to be unbearable. She looked at her desk where Jinhee’s diary was lying together with her other books. She got off her bed and walked towards the desk. She looked at the diary for some seconds before picking it up. She flipped the pages until she came to a stop. 

DON’T TRUST ANYONE.

Her eyes were glued on those words, wondering if Jinhee lost trust on the members of the Royals in the end. The ripped pages from the diary made the mystery even harder for her to figure out. She flipped the pages once again.

Entry 023

It’s been a week since Tao and Luhan were found lifeless. Fear’s literally eating me up. How could someone even do that? No one would dare speak their minds about what happened but I know that they have their own theories. The Black Organization’s on top of my list.

Entry 024

I can’t believe they even thought of that. I can’t believe they suspected us.

Entry 025

No one’s talking about it but I know and I can feel that we’re already drifting apart. Doubts and suspicions are pushing us away from each other.

I tried talking to Baekhyun but he just gave me a cold shoulder.

Entry 026

Sehun and Kai had a big fight. I’ve never seen them fight like that before and it scares me that we’re all going to end up fighting each other. I just wish everything can return to how things were before. But I don’t think that’s even possible.

Entry 027

Suho came back to the Manor late at night and I heard Chanyeol confronting him about it. I don’t know if Chanyeol’s just making irrational presumptions but I heard him suspecting Suho. Lay tried to appease Chanyeol but Chanyeol is Chanyeol, meaning he doesn’t really do well with such things. I ended up getting in between them. Fire and water – the opposites. There’s just no way to patch things up between us anymore.

Entry 028

It’s been weeks since that dreadful day. It seems like life here in Core is going normally like before. Students are still talking about it but not as much as before. The Council and the Elders are still quietly investigating about it but I think some of them have already given up and just pointed their fingers on the Black Organization. But for us, we’re still keeping our mouths shut – not really talking much. The trust that we once had is nowhere to be found.

“Mina.”

A knock on the door came after that. Quickly, Mina hid the diary inside her drawer.

“Mina.”

She cleared and walked towards the door before Suho could call her name once again.

“Mi-”

Suho stopped midway when Mina opened the door. He greeted her with a small smile. She wanted to return the greeting but she couldn’t find the energy to smile back at him. Her mind’s full at the moment.

“Dinner’s ready.”

Silence.

Deafening silence.

Mina couldn’t even tell if she’s chewing a piece of meat or a piece of rubber. Her mind’s floating elsewhere and her attention’s not on the steak that she’s currently slicing.

The sound of their forks and knives against their plates was the only thing that could be heard in the dining room. Mina couldn’t bring herself to swallow her food when she knows that the man who potentially blew up the lab room was sitting on the other end of the table, eating like nothing happened.

“Mina.”

Hearing her name, Mina snapped into reality and she realized that Chen and Lay were looking at her as if she did something wrong. Then, her attention went to the glass of wine which she spilled unconsciously. She let go of her utensils, making a cluttering sound when they came into contact with her plate. Sehun, who was silently watching, passed her a napkin to wipe the spilled wine.

When she lifted her head, she saw how Chanyeol was staring at her with his signature judging expression. She wanted to just brush it away but there’s a part of her that’s been so tired ignoring Chanyeol’s and Baekhyun’s ty attitude. So when Chanyeol raised his brow, challenging her arrogantly, she couldn’t let it slide anymore.

She slammed her hands on the table, making everyone look at her in surprise. Her eyes were on Chanyeol who was also looking at her.

“Mina, what’s wrong?”

Lay’s voice sounded so distant.

“What’s your problem with me? What did I do to make you so mad at me?” she asked, still trying to keep her voice at a normal volume. “Did I do something to offend you?”

Chanyeol slowly let go of his utensils before wiping his lips with his napkin. “Your existence alone offends me.”

“What?” Mina couldn’t believe her ears. Her brows were knitted in confusion and anger. “M-My existence?”

Chanyeol reached for his glass of water and sipped from it before nodding his head. The other boys watched in confusion, not really fully grasping what’s happening right in front of their eyes.

“Half-bloods, I mean,” Chanyeol said, putting the glass on its original place. “Your existence alone appalls me. No breed, no manners, no-”

“Park Chanyeol,” Suho interrupted.

“-whatsoever. Group of murderers. Worthless-”

“Hey, stop it.” It was Sehun this time.

“-piece of-”

“PARK CHANYEOL!!” A strong gush of wind filled the room, making the chandelier and even the paintings sway violently. Sehun was already standing. He was glaring at Chanyeol who looked unfazed.

A grin came to Chanyeol’s face. “-,” he finished. “Oh look, you’ve got yourself another knight. How romantic. Everyone’s worked up to come to your defense.”

“Why are you so twisted?” Chen asked in frustration.

“You don’t know?” Chanyeol asked, turning to Chen. “It’s because of them.” He then looked at Mina. The latter balled her fists as she could feel the anger boiling inside her on the verge of exploding.

“Is that why you tried to kill me?” she asked with a shaky voice. “Is that why you set the lab room on fire? Do you hate me that much to the point that you want to kill me?”

“W-What are you talking about?” Lay asked, looking up at Mina.

“I saw you behind the window, looking inside as if you were watching if your plan succeeded or not.” She started. “SO DON’T PLAY DUMB AND ANSWER ME!!!” Mina shouted.

Chanyeol’s expression hardened. “If I was the one who tried to kill you, you wouldn’t be here right now because I would’ve made sure that you died right there and then.” The hatred in his tone was so raw that Mina felt like her anger was overpowered by a fiery ball of fury.

Another wave of silence came next as Chanyeol held Mina’s gaze with hatred and anger painted all over his face. “Do you get it, Miss Han?” he asked sarcastically. “And don’t you ever dare raise your voice on me. A half-blood should know her place in the food chain.” And with that, Chanyeol stood and took his leave.

He did not really deny Mina’s accusation straight to the point but one thing’s for sure, Chanyeol’s capable of doing it. With all that hatred and anger in his body? Mina’s sure he could do it.

Gasping for air, Mina shot up from her bed. Cold sweat was trickling down her forehead, neck and back. She immediately shut her eyes and shook her head, trying to shoo away the images that she saw in her dream. It’s pretty obvious that she’s really shaken up.

Her nightmare’s so vivid that she could still feel herself shuddering at just the thought of it. She saw herself lifeless and nobody was there to bring her cold corpse back home.

Swallowing the lump formed in , Mina pushed her blanket away and got off her bed. She poured herself a glass of water an