The following morning they both managed to leave behind their world of comfort and return to the harsh reality of corrupt council-men, unloving kings and helpless romance. Their once peaceful hotel room was now exchanged for a thin darkened elevator that would offer them both a few moments shelter before leaving them defenseless all over again.

The dreaded sound eventually came, alerting the boys of their arrival. They both managed to take a breath before the doors opened and the busy corridor welcomed them, staff and families alike rushed throughout the halls, some heading home while others seemed to be heading in the direction of the dining hall.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo easily joined the crowd, blending in with the hungry customers desperate to grab something to eat after such a fantastic night's sleep. A few shoves and misplaced elbows helped the friends gain first positions in the race to the buffet, Kyungsoo quickly handing the painter a plate so that they could move along faster. Baekhyun stepped back so that his friend could have access to the fruit baskets first, Kyungsoo snagged a few small fruit salads which he figured would be reserved for Jongin and whoever else was with him.

With his friend piling food up on his plate, Baekhyun was left to scope the dining hall out. His eyes trailing around the room, surprised to see so many people had managed to wake up so early on a weekend, while he, a dedicated all-round owl, was struggling to keep his eyelids open right now.

A sudden shift in his peripheral instantly caught Baekhyun's attention, the painter turning his head to follow what he could only assume was a waving hand. Sure enough, he spotted Chanyeol's head higher than any other person in the dining hall. He, Jongin and someone Baekhyun could only assume was a friend had arrived at the doorway, Chanyeol waving his hand to signal that they were going to find somewhere to sit since it was highly unlikely that the people currently behind himself and Kyungsoo would appreciate more people added to the queue before them. Baekhyun merely nodded his head before turning back to Kyungsoo.

"They arrived?" he wondered, speaking for the first time that morning. Baekhyun dipped his head, offering his new friend a grunt as a response. He was tired, it was the best he could do. Kyungsoo giggled and took it upon himself to pack Baekhyun some extra strawberries, the painter let out a small surprised gasp, blowing his dear friend an air kiss before skipping over to the juice section.

Deciding to show a little more variety to the overwhelming red breakfast he had prepared for himself (with a little influence from Kyungsoo), Baekhyun grabbed a bottle of orange juice to complete his meal, figuring that Chanyeol would want the same since he wasn't entirely sure of the man's interest in apple juice. With everything gathered, Baekhyun linked his arm through Kyungsoo and the two of them left the line, in exchange for powering through the seating arrangements.

They politely offered smiles to the other customers, whispering the various 'excuse me' when someone's chair was too far out for them to squeeze past. Eventually they arrived at the table their mate's had located, happy to find that the food and drink they had collected managed to stay on their trays.

As Baekhyun had foretold, Jongin and Chanyeol appeared rather stiff this morning. Their eyes wide as they calculated every one of their mate's steps and actions. Baekhyun and Kyungsoo spared each other a few small glances from across the table as they handed out the various pieces of breakfast they had gathered for the group. Since Baekhyun had yet to be introduced to the blonde haired man his mate had shown up with, he could only offer him a bottle of orange juice having expected Kyungsoo to know more about his tastes.

"Good morning." the painter whispered once the food was allocated and the boys had begun eating. He smiled and pressed his puckered lips against his soulmate's cheek, his lips curling higher when he noticed how shocked Chanyeol was. "Did you sleep well last night, giant?"

Due to his mate's inability to speak, Baekhyun allowed himself to stab his fork into the beautifully red strawberry. The juice instantly flowed against the metal, the painter's tongue reaching out to swipe against it the next second.

"Fine." Chanyeol choked out, his eyes blinking rapidly as he took in the sight before him. "I slept well last night, and what about you?"

"Like a baby." Baekhyun grinned, shyly covering his lips with his index finger. He wasn't very comfortable speaking with a mouthful of food, despite it being one of the more practised rituals in Korea. "Kyungsoo and I went to sleep early so we were able to sleep for quite awhile."

"Yeah," Kyungsoo agreed, fork half-way towards his mouth. "We had a movie night then crashed before eleven. What did you guys get up to?"

His question was directed at Jongin, who almost choked on the melon he was eating. He struggled to catch his breath, Kyungsoo instantly rushing to open up his orange juice for his soulmate to use. Jongin accepted it with a strained smile, his Adam's Apple bobbing as he gulped down the refreshing liquid.

"We were on our way back to the apartment but after we phoned Yixing, he explained that you guys had bought a hotel room. We almost died in the car because of Chanyeol's dangerous driving!"

"I apologized!" The red haired vampire hissed, his eyes darkening. "Stop bringing it up!"

"What did you do?" Baekhyun wondered, eyes narrowing. "Go on," he encouraged Jongin. "Tell me what he did."

"When we found out that you guys booked into a hotel we were already in your apartment's neighbourhood, so Mr Fast and the Furious over here thought that pulling an illegal U-turn was the best decision he could have made. He's just lucky that the car was capable of remaining on its four wheels the entire time because I swear that I saw the ground pressed against my window."

"Stop being so dramatic," Chanyeol rolled his eyes, wiping his hands clean on a napkin. "you were back-seat driving the entire way here. You literally told me to do whatever was necessary to get here as fast as possible!"

"Both of you are idiots." Kyungsoo announced, slipping a piece of kiwi past his lips. "Anyway, how are you doing?"

Baekhyun instantly became attentive, his eyes focusing on the blonde haired boy who had remained quiet but observant throughout the entire conversation. He sat eating the breakfast Kyungsoo had gotten for him and occasionally sipped on the orange juice Baekhyun had provided. He wiped the corner of his lips on his napkin before allowing the piece of cloth to rest back against his lap, he offered the table a smile before his eyes found Kyungsoo's again.

"I'm okay," he admitted, though Baekhyun could tell by his eyes that he was barely holding it together. "the stuff back home is stressful but I'm coping. I went through a bit of a spiral a couple days ago so that's why I reached out to Chanyeol and Jongin, I'm sorry for taking the both of them away from you. It wasn't my intention, especially since I've been wanting to meet you-"

Baekhyun almost jumped out of his seat, his breath catching in his throat when he realised that Sehun had turned to look at him. The boy was offering him a small smile, genuine and warm. Baekhyun instantly found himself relaxing, allowing his own smile to decorate his lips.

"No need to apologize," he stressed, forcing his shaking hand to pick up the orange juice bottle. "I understood that it was urgent. I do hope that things have gotten better."

"He's been stressing too much." A voice Baekhyun knew did not come from the table, spoke. The skin along his forearms prickled with goosebumps, his eyes widening as he slowly turned his head to the left only to find a ghost standing right next to their table. "Wait, can you see me?"

Baekhyun instantly turned away, his fingers crawling across the table to Chanyeol's. Once his mate's hand had curled through his, Baekhyun squeezed as hard as he could while offering his soulmate the most convincing smile he could muster right now. When Chanyeol turned to look at him, alarmed by the sudden pain he was inflicting onto his palm he quickly took note of the boy's distress.

"I need to make a phone call." he explained, hoping that Chanyeol would catch onto what he meant. The giant took a moment to ponder what his words could mean while his eyes scanned the space around them, when revelation dawned Baekhyun pulled his hand away and got up. He smiled politely to the table, pushing his hand into the depths of his back pocket to retrieve his phone.

He remained where he was in front of the table, ignoring the countless questions the ghost was trying to ask him. He kept eye-contact with the spirit, which seemed to frustrate it since Baekhyun wouldn't reply to its demands. Eventually the boy drew the phone to his ear, apologizing to the table again for his departure before making a bee-line for the toilets. The ghost stalked after him, demanding an explanation.

"You could have just given me five minutes to figure something out so that I could communicate with you!" Baekhyun hissed, staring at the ghost but talking into his phone. "Not everyone has the ability to see ghosts, which means that they would freak out if they found out I could!"

"Right," the spector sighed, his hand running across his forehead. "I forgot about that. I just got so excited since you're the first person alive who has been capable of noticing me, I've been screaming and yelling for attention but he never hears me, you can understand how that frustration has quickly changed to relief, right?"

"Look I know that you're going to want me to go back there and explain everything to him but I just met him, the other people I was sitting with are friends that I've made very recently which means that our relationships haven't quite had the time to strengthen in order to face something like this. You can understand that too, right?"

The ghost laughed, his shoulders shaking as he nodded his head. "Oh I know exactly what you're talking about, I know that bunch quite well since they're all Sehun ever talks about."

"Sehun? The blonde guy?" Baekhyun wondered for clarification. The ghost nodded his head and Baekhyun felt comfortable enough in the room to put his phone back in his pocket, besides they were in a stall, if anyone walked in they would assume he was talking on the phone any way.

"He's my soulmate, ever since my accident he's been freaking out and I have to see him suffer through it by himself. It hurts, you know, not being able to comfort the person you love." The boy sighed, his head hanging low between his shoulders.

Baekhyun could only nod his head in response, he felt pity for the being standing before him right now though he had never experienced what the ghost was trying to explain to him, Baekhyun was confident in his idea of it. For the past couple years he had the opportunity to communicate with many invisible forces, many of them sharing their burdens of their inability to communicate with their loved ones. Baekhyun may not know what it feels like but he had a genuine idea as to the level of pain and hurt that came with it.

"So you know those people out there?" He wondered, gesturing with his palm in the general direction of the dining hall. The ghost in a breath of air (though he didn't necessarily need it) and nodded his head, his fingers slipping into his jean pockets. "Does that mean that you're a-"

"Vampire?" The boy questioned, eyes wide when he realised that Baekhyun knew their secret. "Yeah, but how on Earth did you know that?"

"I'm Chanyeol's soulmate," the painter admitted, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "My name is Byun Baekhyun and I have a gift of seeing dead people."

The bathroom stall instantly filled with a beautiful melody originating in the boy's heartfelt giggle, the ghost's eyes squinting as his lips released the mesmerizing sound. Baekhyun wallowed in the simplicity of the music, his lips curling upwards in a small content smile.

"Well Byun Baekhyun, who has the ability of seeing ghosts, my name is Luhan and I'm Sehun's soulmate."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, though I'm sorry that it was under these circumstances..." Baekhyun admitted, his smile slipping from his lips. No wonder Chanyeol leaped at the boy's call, Sehun had just lost his soulmate.

"Believe me I thought that we would have a better introduction but it seems this one will have to do."

Baekhyun's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Oh I'm not really dead." Luhan explained, hands raised palm-side up in a defensive manner. "I'm still very much alive, though my body and spirit have separated for a little while since I'm in a coma."

"That can happen to vampires?" Baekhyun gasped, slamming both of his hands against his mouth. He cursed himself for speaking so honestly, if there had been anyone else in the stalls surely someone would have heard what he said. He had to be careful.

Luhan didn't seem to care, simply nodding his head to answer Baekhyun's question. "Of course!" He rolled his eyes like it was the most natural thing and to him it was, regardless of how strange it sounded to human ears. "The only way to properly kill a vampire is a stake through the heart or if we burn in sunlight, our healing ability takes over with everything else. My accident caused a head injury thus forcing me into a coma, my body is currently in the process of healing so yes I am very much alive."

"Then why are you here?" Baekhyun wondered, eyes scanning the walls of the stall. "Why are you appearing to me like a ghost who is supposed to be dead?"

"Oh, all vampires have that ability, though it is only accessible when a vampire receives a very high level injury." Luhan waved his hand, as if brushing off the question. "It's not something that every vampire can do since many heal differently to others, some vampires go their entire life without ever experiencing it! Since my body is currently healing back home, my mind was allowed to be projected out of my body and into the spirit-world where I can still watch over my family which beats being stuck in bed incapable of doing anything all day!"

Baekhyun eagerly nodded his head, if he was in Luhan's position - being incapable of moving from a bed- he would wish to have the chance to watch over his loved-ones too. Though he would probably dedicate most of his time watching over Lay since the teacher seemed to be quite spontaneous in his daily activities.

"The only down-side is that because we're not technically ghosts, we can't communicate or interfere with people's lives as real ghosts can."

"You mean like pulling a book from a shelf, opening drawers and cabinets? That kind of thing?" Baekhyun questioned.

"Yes exactly!" Luhan exclaimed, clapping his hands. "I'm only able to speak to you since you have the ability of seeing everyone in the spirit-world, apart from that the only other company I have is with Sky or Nana."

"You know Nana?!" Baekhyun shrieked, his palms slamming against his lips yet again. He cursed himself for shouting, praying that there was no one else in the bathroom.

"Of course I do!" Luhan shouted right back, confident in his tone since no-one else would be able to hear him. Baekhyun couldn't prevent his eyes narrowing and his lips pushing out into a pout, ghosts had it easier. "I lived with the old bat for a few years now, she was the one that taught me everything I needed to know about my current situation. She mentioned a boy she was looking over, though I never expected it to be you."

"Wait, if you lived with Nana, and you're Sehun's soulmate... then who is Sehun to Chanyeol?"

"Oh you haven't got that conversation yet huh?" Luhan giggled into his fist. "Sehun is Chanyeol's other half-sibling."

Baekhyun felt like his brain was about to explode, there was another brother?! "How many children did Kris have?!" he muttered under his breath, though the ghost was capable of hearing his every word.

"Not Kris," Luhan explained through his giggles. "Sehun is Suho's baby."

"Suho had a child?!"

"Technically he had 3-"

"What?!"

"Baekhyun?" Chanyeol's voice filled the room, his shoes squeaking against the floor as he quickly closed the restroom door behind him.

Luhan disappeared before Baekhyun's very eyes, having stepped through the stall-door without having to open it. Baekhyun almost found himself following the ghost, muttering curses to himself when he had to pause to unlock the door. He stepped outside to find a giggling Luhan standing by the sinks, his eyes locked on Chanyeol though the vampire was much more interested in his soulmate.

"Is everything okay? I couldn't hear you from outside so I decided to come and follow you. I told the boys that you had to call Yixing so they wouldn't try to follow you and interrupt your conversation..." Chanyeol sent one quick glance around the room before his eyes found Baekhyun's again. "Is the visitor gone?"

The blatant sound of laughter rang in Baekhyun's ears making him scowl. "No," he admitted through gritted teeth, eyes zeroing in on the figure by the sinks. "He's still here."

Chanyeol's arms wrapped themselves around his soulmate's waist, pulling him up against his chest. Baekhyun instantly found himself melting against the warmth his soulmate produced, allowing himself to cuddle into Chanyeol's plate smiling when he felt the vampire's grip get a little tighter. "Is he annoying you?"

"No," Baekhyun stressed out through a sigh, his shoulders deflating. "Its' just so draining having to communicate sometimes."

"I'm sorry," Luhan apologised, bowing the full 90 degrees. "Nana warned me about that but I just got so excited that I could speak with someone living!"

"I understand.." Baekhyun announced, Chanyeol having grown slightly accustomed to only hearing Baekhyun's side of the conversation. His mate, having sensed his discomfort, supplied the information. "He apologised for draining my energy."

"Ah." Chanyeol nodded his head, eyes still scanning the room hoping to cast a glance at the spectre but his body was incapable of finding anything out of the ordinary. If he didn't know any better he would have assumed that there was nothing in the restroom to begin with, but after having seen his soulmate's reaction and how relieved he was when Chanyeol arrived the vampire knew better.

"Can you tell him who I am?" Luhan wondered, his head tilted. "I only ask since he seems to know your ability."

"He does," Baekhyun explained, cuddling closer to Chanyeol though his eyes remained on Luhan in the mirror. "are you sure you want me to tell him who you are?"

"Why not?" The ghost chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe it will make him feel a little better, after all he has been worrying about Sehun too. Perhaps if you tell him, then maybe it could help you broach the subject with the rest of the family since they're going to have to know eventually."

Baekhyun sighed, allowing his hands to slip back over Chanyeol's shoulders and rest against the vampire's chest. He used whatever strength he had left to gently force himself away from his soulmate, though he was grateful for his arms remaining at his waist despite the space that developed by their upper bodies. "He told me that I could tell you who he was."

Chanyeol looked down at him in surprise, though his brows furrowed in the centre of his forehead. "Do I know him?" He questioned, brows raising when Baekhyun nodded his head.

"He introduced himself as Luhan." Baekhyun got to watch as the tired eyes of his soulmate instantly sparkled back to life, Chanyeol's brown eyes shining in the fluorescent lights of the hotel's restroom. His surprise instantly pulled a genuine smile onto Baekhyun's lips, the boy allowing his hands to slide back around the vampire's neck. "He said that he's grateful that you and Jongin came to Sehun when he called, he's been worried about him."

"Is he okay?" Chanyeol spoke through a voice-crack. Baekhyun's heart fluttered as his mate looked at him with such intensity, urging to know more. "Is he hurting? He's not dead right?"

"He says he's fine, a little stressed because of seeing Sehun so down but he's okay. He said that it used to hurt for the first two days of his injury but it's been repressed to a mere headache now. No, he explained that his subconscious is just wanting for his body to heal before he wakes up officially, he says it shouldn't be too long now."

A puff of air was released from the vampire's nostrils, his hands getting tighter around Baekhyun's waist before his feet were lifted from the ground. The painter let out a squeal as he spun around, a laugh escaping from his lips as Chanyeol twirled him round. Luhan looked on with a teeth-revealing smile, his cheeks blushing at the sight of Chanyeol claiming Baekhyun's lips with his own.

"Thank you," the vampire whispered into the air between them, Baekhyun still desperately trying to catch his breath. "Without you and your ability my brother wouldn't be able to rest. We suspected that Luhan's subconscious entered the spirit-world but there is never an opportunity to know completely since no one can ever see those within it, well... before you of course."

Baekhyun hummed in response, eyes trailing over his soulmate's face.

"You have no idea what you just did Baekhyun," Chanyeol chuckled. "I don't think I'll ever be able to play you back."

The painter threw one last look around the room, thankful to find it empty. Luhan must have bolted when things between himself and Chanyeol grew heated, his absence making Baekhyun grin as he turned back to his soulmate. "I have a few ideas of where you can start."

Chanyeol's eyes sparkled in an emotion Baekhyun had grown to understand, the stare making his stomach flip and his insides turn to molten lava. The vampire's hands slipped down from his lower back, drifting past his hips and landing happily on his . Baekhyun released a quiet moan, his eyes fluttering closed as Chanyeol nosed down his nape blowing hot air against the painter's jugular. Perhaps he should have been afraid when Chanyeol pulled back, exposing his blood-red eyes, perhaps he should have ran for the hills once he realised the boy he cherished was a vampire. But one thing was for certain, Baekhyun certainly did not regret pulling the blood-thirsty vampire back into a demanding kiss.

They say that newlywed is the happiest a couple is throughout their marriage and that everything after it goes downhill. Jessica wasn't one to believe in such things, she had married the love of her life a hundred and thirteen years ago and yet she was still the happiest she had ever been despite the situation she had found herself in.

Lee Donghae was a close follower of the current King, Kris. He had served under him ever since the man was named king, and he claims to continue serving his king even now despite the rumors of the King's unstable mentality. Kris always seemed to have an ulterior motive when it came to all aspects of his life.

When he first found out that he was destined to be the King once his late father died, the man started showing signs of impatience. Appearing at court claiming that everyone would return for his coronation in a year's time. Naturally everyone figured that it was a joke, since his father seemed healthy and unwilling to turn the crown over when his son was still so young. The council had often spoken out about these seemingly innocent jokes, reminding Kris that they would not allow him to take to the throne without his father's permission.

Exactly a year after the beginning of all the innocent jokes, the King and Queen at the time had decided to take some time for themselves, to relish in their relationship for sometime before they came back to the treacherous atmosphere that was the vampire court. However, their vacation was short-lived when a group of human mercenaries broke into their home and killed them both by driving stakes into their hearts. Their bodies instantly disintegrated leaving not even a trace of their presence behind. It became apparent quite quickly that the humans involved with the murder of the king and queen were mind-controlled to do so, ordered to do it by a vampire who was too frightened to do it themselves. Rumors spread like wild-life throughout the land, with many suspecting the king-to-be being the one behind the attack.

Fortunately the crown wasn't as easily turned over as Kris was led to believe, yes with his parents now dead that did in fact mean that he would be king but first he needed to find his soulmate. Yet, chaos once again ensued when Suho came into the picture. The man Kris' father had granted permission to marry the Prince before his untimely death, instantly became a hit within court as he had been raised by a wealthy family and his parents were willing to overlook the fact that the soon-to-be-king wasn't his fated soulmate. Their marriage was a business deal anyway, there was never really any love involved.

Jessica never felt right with Kris on the throne, growing up she had often heard stories that would chill her to the bone. But love has a way of finding its way in the world. She never meant to, but she ended up falling for a soldier in the king's army. As she had been raised a human in a village quite close to the vampire court, she knew almost everything there was to know about the way of life so when she did find herself agreeing to become a vampire for love she jumped at the chance.

Donghae had been so attentive, so loving and oh so charming. She had fallen for him at first sight and after a little push he too found himself completely enchanted by her. Now that she was a vampire it made their relationship acceptable in the eyes of the community, as females were often turned to help grow the declining population. Though Jessica never saw herself as a means to an end, being a vampire gave her a new life. One she loved unconditionally. Yet, she just couldn't understand why there was a pit in her gut, she couldn't understand why it had suddenly appeared when her husband had returned from a long-served duty to his king.

Donghae often spoke about his hatred towards Kris, but he would still follow his every word hoping for some kind of praise. Whatever it was it always made Jessica feel strange, her body incapable of explaining what it felt.

As she stared down at the pregnancy test before her, her heart felt full at the result. Yet her skin prickled in goosebumps and her stomach flipped in revolt. What was supposed to be the happiest day of her life ultimately made her sick to her stomach. She was pregnant with her husband's child, but she wasn't going to tell him about it.

The sky outside his window looked peaceful, the puffy white clouds were so irregularly placed that the blue struggling to peek through produced the most beautiful scene he had ever witnessed. He had been around for quite a long time and yet whenever his gaze fell onto the sky above him, he felt at peace. Like the entire world stopped turning, like time had slowed right down to allow him to cherish the few minutes he spent in complete peace. The chilling breeze blowing through the opened window settled across his heated skin, his heart at peace now that he had finished his work-out.

The television he had put on to fill the silence of his apartment, remained on in the background. His attention focused solely on the sky outside his window, though his ears would occasionally pick up certain words being said on the news report across from him. There hadn't been a report on his building manager's sudden demise just yet, though he could only assume that the police were keeping it under wraps for now.

A knock sounded throughout the apartment dulling the sound of the television and pulling the owner from his thoughts. Yixing sent the door a glance, a brow raised in question since it was obviously not Baekhyun and Chanyeol. The two boys promised to text him when they were certain of their next move, coming back to Baekhyun's apartment had to be a strategic operation especially now that someone was murdered by a vampire.

Still the teacher found himself casting a glance at his mobile for clarification. Seeing as how there hadn't been a silent notification that had gone unnoticed, Yixing turned his attention back to the door. His ears automatically strained to hear what was happening behind it, yet the only sound he could pick up was the stable breathing of an adult male.

Another knock reminded the vampire of the man's urgency, there was a possibility that the person behind his door knew for a fact that he was indeed inside. As a vampire, Yixing knew that his apartment allowed members of his kind entry without the need of invitation. Vampires didn't typically knock on doors when they knew they could simply enter the dwelling, but Yixing knew one who would.

The door creaked as he opened it, having foregone the option of looking through his peephole. His heart thumped loudly in his chest, his stomach dropping to his lower abdomen. The sight of the man standing before him, reminded Yixing of some of the worst years of his life.

"Hello Yixing," the man offered him a tight-lipped grin. "Do you mind if I came in?"

"Minho," Yixing bowed to the man before him, unable to rejoice in seeing his old friend. "It's been a long time."

"Too long..." the tutor admitted, shifting his weight onto one leg. "I have quite a bit to tell you but I don't have a lot of time, as I'm sure you're aware the King has returned from China."

Yixing's brows furrowed, how did Minho know that he knew about Kris' departure? Surely Chanyeol wouldn't have told him, knowing how devoted Minho was to serving his Father, right?

Yet the presence of his old friend filled the former protector with a sense of urgency, especially seeing how frantic the man's eyes were. Minho was practically itching to be let into his apartment, eyes constantly scanning the hallway for other presences.

"Yeah," he agreed, opening the door a little wider. "you can come in."

Minho released a sigh of relief, his polished black dress shoes stepping over the threshold and into Yixing's apartment. The former-protector took one last glance down the hallway, eyes scanning for anything out of the ordinary. He strained his ears but couldn't hear anything apart from the distant elevator music and the apartment tenants going about their business behind closed doors. When the coast was deemed clear Yixing pushed the door back into its frame, his fingers curling around the chain to slip it back into the lock.

When he turned around he found Minho standing by the end of the hallway, his shoes having been taken off in exchange for the extra pair of slippers Yixing keeps in his cabinet. In his hands he carried a dark brown briefcase that Yixing only realised he was holding now, paired with the suit he was wearing he looked like he just stepped out of a meeting.

"Well what can I do for you?"

"This visit is more about what I can do for you." Minho explained, hand coming up to loosen his pale blue tie. He tapped his long thin fingers against the briefcase, before turning on his heel and continuing further into the apartment. Yixing followed after him, finding him again in the dining section. His briefcase was open and he was in the process of pulling a few files from the interior, Yixing left him too.

The microwave was prepped with two mugs filled with blood. A countdown of one minute would be a suitable length of time for Minho to prepare and Yixing to collect his thoughts, afterall he was desperate to find out just how his old friend had found him after he had spent so many years under the radar.

With a ding their food was ready and Yixing took it upon himself to set both mugs onto placemats on the table, politely moving some of the files Minho had set down to avoid staining them. Though a few instantly caught his attention. They seemed to hold the Royal Family's Medical information, being vampires one would suspect that the members would have impeccable health but that was because they didn't know a thing about what being a vampire meant.

"I figured that you might want a copy," Minho explained shyly, his eyes unable to hold contact with Yixing's. "Especially since I recommend that you get out of the country."

The pieces of paper slipped out of Yixing's hold, floating in the air for a moment before landing on the surface of the table. His head turned to look at his old colleague, eyes narrowing in question. His jaw tightened as the words began to tumble from his mouth. "What do you mean by 'leave the country'?"

Minho released a sigh, collapsing into one of the dining room chairs. His hands came up to balance his head, eyes scanning the documents he had littered onto Yixing's table. "Everything here is a copy of the files Kris has at the Manor. When he came back from China he added to his pile, everything marked with a red label is a copy of that information."

Picking one up at random, Yixing scanned through the paperwork, his brows furrowed as he concentrated. Yet his jaw quickly released its tension when he realised just whose information he was reading off the page. "How much does he know?"

"He knows that he's the Prince's soulmate, I think that's more than enough information you need to get him out of the country."

"He's stubborn," Yixing stressed, drawing the mug to his lips. "he's not going to go willingly."

"For everyone's sake I hope he does," Minho fought back, eyes filled with panic. "he's human Yixing. He's not going to stand a chance against the King or his forces."

"Chanyeol is certain that he can protect him-"

"He can't win against them all, not as a human anyway."

"He's a male, you know that the only people on earth that can survive the change are females. If Baekhyun was to die with vampire blood in his system, there would be no saving him."

"Yixing, think about this responsibility, if you were to leave Baekhyun here in Korea there is a high risk of the King's forces getting to him. You can't even rule out the idea of locking him in his apartment because they'll find a way to get inside, whether by compelling someone to kill him or-"

"Our building manager was killed a few days ago." Yixing explained, suddenly reminded of the unfortunate event when Minho brought up the idea of compulsion. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"Your building manager?" Yixing nodded in response. "No, I don't believe I know anything about that situation. What makes you certain it was a vampire?"

"I know my own kind Minho, it was a vampire that killed him."

"What was his name?"

"Mr. Lee." he replied though instantly regretted it when he realised just how many Mr. Lee's their could be in the building manager sector of Korea. "Mr. Lee Taemu." he corrected. 

"I'll look into it, fish around for some information. I'll leave the information with one of the kids when I find it-"

"How did you find me?" Yixing questioned, not affected by the fact that he just interrupted halfway through a sentence. "I assume Kris knows where I am."

"If he does he hasn't shared it or written it down anywhere," Minho informed, shrugging his shoulders. "I found you the old way. I asked for you at your workplace. Now do you need any help getting out of the country? Will I need to locate fake passports or provide cash?"

"Nothing of the sort." Yixing shook his head, though smiled at the kind offer. "I have it all taken care of if necessary."

"And the human?"

"Renewed his passport last year though I doubt he would need it when he has fully capable vampires by his side."

His retort let a small smile on the tutor's face, Yixing recalling it from the time he would pick Chanyeol up from Minho's classroom in the Manor for his defense lessons though to everyone else the protector was quizzing the prince on what he learned during his classes with his tutor.

"I'll leave these in your care," Minho announced, gulping back the contents of his mug. "I'll be off." He exclaimed, having swiped his tongue along his front teeth to rid them of the staining blood. Yixing, being the ever so caring host, followed him to the door. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, old friend, even if it was just in passing."

"Stay safe." Yixing encouraged him with a firm grip on the man's shoulders. "Both of us may be on opposite sides of this war but I hope you know that despite it I still hold you in high regard for the times we shared. As one of your longest friends please keep yourself healthy so that when we do meet again we can do so comfortably."

"Alright," Minho agreed, tipping his head forward. He tightened his grip on his briefcase, before casting his glance across Yixing's face again. "then I must ask you to do the same. One day when this war is over, let me buy you a drink for old time's sake."

"Very well." The protector proclaimed much to his friend's delight. The two of them bowed to one another and within blinking speed Minho had disappeared from the hallway, taking with him the worry that had plagued his soul. Chancing one last glance down the hallway, Yixing without his phone from his back pocket. Without looking at the screen he pressed in a phone number he had been desperate to memorize.

"Chanyeol?" He announced once the receiver answered his call. "We have a problem."