Hyewon was drained. She woke up at dawn, laying on a bed in the medical wing. She realized that she must've passed out again.

Hyewon tried to move but something heavy made it hard to do so. Looking at her arm, she saw Yena sleeping while holding her hand and Chaeyeon too but she’s seating on the other chair. It was Chaeyeon who noticed her movement.

"What are you doing? You can't move just yet. You still need to rest," Chaeyeon assisted her to sit up and that woke Yena up.

"Kwangbae!" Yena was about launch herself but was stopped by Chaeyeon, she's afraid that the duck would hurt Hyewon from the action.

The two tried their best to accommodate Hyewon's need. Even though Hyewon had insisted she was fine, the two continued still.

Yena was peeling apples while Chaeyeon peeled the oranges when Yujin entered. Hyewon was expecting the kid to jump on her but to her surprise, Yujin didn't. Instead, Yujin cleared and only gave her a nod. Yujin excused Chaeyeon for a moment.

"What happened to her?" Hyewon was dumbfounded.

"Um... Ms. Park told us everything... Like everything, from your past up to your session just now," Yena softly answered. “She’s kind of frustrated that you didn’t tell us everything, you know, that you have a sister too and—wait. What are you doing?”

Hyewon pulled her IV as if it doesn’t hurt. Well, it doesn’t since she’s been meeting the medical apparatus ever since. She dresses in her clothes. Stoned how Hyewon moves nonchalantly, Yena was not able to stop her and ended up watching. “Don’t tell anyone you saw me left. Just make up an excuse that you woke up and I was already gone,” Hyewon said to Yena.

“Where are you going? You still need to rest. Dr. Myoui will kill me if she found out that I let you. I mean, Ms. Park will definitely find out I was lying with the help of her powers,” Yena reasoned with fear for her own life.

“Trust me, Yena, I’m more than okay now. I don’t need any more rest. And every second's pass, I don’t know if our friends can hold on any longer.” 

Hyewon was indeed fine. During one of her sessions with the two older mutants, after her outburst when she recovered her memories, she also rediscovered every ability she has. And one of these is being able to heal herself and locate certain things or people by only looking at their image. After having a talk with Suhyun, she decided not to wait for anyone to rescue her friends and do it herself just because she can. She didn’t share this idea with anyone since she thought they will only try to stop her.

“You didn’t answer my question tho. Where are you going?” Yena clung to Hyewon’s leg when the taller started walking to the exit. “You might need a backup. Bring me. Chaeyeon will handle the lying for us,” Yena insisted.

“This would be dangerous for you. I can’t let you get hurt too. They’ve hurt enough people,” Hyewon answered while she’s shaking the duck off from her leg. Eventually, Hyewon gave up. “Fine! You can come. BUT, I want you to stay behind me. So I could protect you from anything.” Yena happily nodded.

*****

Hyewon ended taking two more of her friends; Chaeyeon and Yujin. Yena was really bad at lying. With only one strong gaze from Chaeyeon, she broke, spilled everything to them. To get off the hook, Yena invited them to their quest indeed which of course, Hyewon disagreed. Yena cannot lie but she sure hella can persuade someone. “Maybe this is my hidden ability. What do you think?” Yena whispered to Yujin as they carefully avoid the teachers and guards roaming around the halls.

Soon they arrived at the gate but it was guarded with teachers, which means it will be definitely harder than walking around the hall. “Damn. They really don’t want anyone in nor out of the place,” Yena commented as they look around and figure any possible escape.

It would have been a walk in the park for Hyewon. If only her friends are not made out of 100% of stubbornness, she would have found Minjoo and Chaewon minutes ago. “So, what’s the plan?” Yujin asked. The kid was still frustrated but she sets it aside. Right now, Minjoo was her priority, to save her girlfriend from the heartless people who took her.

With Hyewon’s lead, they successfully hijacked a van. Hyewon drives the van to the gate as her three friends hide in the backseat. “Aren’t you a student?” the guard instantly asked as soon as he saw the girl’s face. Hyewon touched the man’s head and used her mind manipulation ability, “You’ll let me out with no questions. During your break, you’ll go inside the control room and delete any footage of this. And as soon as you’re done, you won’t remember any of it. Especially my face.”

“Awesome! You’re a jack of all trades! How did you do that?” Yena gushed as she moves to the front seat. When they started to drive out the Academy.

“Lykos trained us to do many things with our powers and if they don’t get the result they wanted, they’d go for option B which is to get another experiment done to us,” Hyewon honestly answered.

“Is she really your sister? Like biologically?” Chaeyeon courageously asked Hyewon about Suhyun.

“Not really. They only made us think that we’re family so we won’t go against each other or against them, the organization. Suhyun was more than just a sister to me, she was my everything. She was my rock during my darkest time… I loved her.” Yena swore that she could have spitted a drink if she has any at the moment but since she got none, her eyes did the expressing. Her eyes almost fall off from its place. “You love her?!” Yena asked hysterically.

“No! Loved, Yena, loved. Past tense,” Hyewon corrected the duck.

“Can we stop gossiping and tell us your plan? Gossiping won’t help us find them,” Yujin coldly said. Chaeyeon tapped her knee, hoping it would calm the giant even a little.

“I don’t really know… I haven’t thought that far actually. I thought we would get caught in the gate,” Hyewon truthfully replied. Now she has said it out loud, she was now definitely sure that this was a bad idea. “I really should’ve waited for them to fall asleep or put them to sleep,” Hyewon thought to herself.

“Is this some kind of a joke? Why would you say you’ll rescue them when you don’t even have an actual plan?!” Yujin raised her voice, she can’t hold back her emotions anymore. Hyewon understood where the kid’s anger is coming from. Whatever Yujin or Hitomi’s feeling is probably more than anyone else. She mutters an apology and drove quietly while she comes up with a plan and lets the three get the rest they need.

*****

“Are you girls aware that the four of them escaped? Any of you knew that Hyewon can control anyone with only a touch?” Ms. Park asked while the video of them escaping was playing on the monitor. The guard was caught when he was trying to delete the footage. The girls were shocked. They knew how upset Yujin was but they never thought that they would do something reckless.

“Why are you asking us? We obviously don’t know anything. You are the one who has sessions with Hyewon, aren’t you supposed to know this ability of hers?” Sakura asked back. As of the moment, they’re all on edge. Emotions have already taken over their thoughts.

“You’re the one who’s hiding something from us. You never told us anything about her tattoo or your findings. You gave us vague answers whenever we asked,” Wonyoung didn’t hold herself back.

Ms. Park and Dr. Myoui glanced at each other. “See? You two are communicating again and you’re telling us no !” this time it was Yuri. She knew her duck had always liked the idea of being a hero but she never thought that Yena would actually act on it so carelessly. Yena has still got a long way to go with her own ability.

Ms. Park released a sigh, “Hyewon is dangerous, very dangerous. That’s why I asked you to watch her closely since we don’t fully trust her. I saw her future during one of our recent sessions. She’s a ticking time bomb… She’s stronger than any combined mutant in this world. She could have the world wrapped around her fingers in a blink of an eye. We’re asking you this because she might put the three in danger. She recently had a talk with Suhyun, someone close to her that can control her without lifting a finger. Suhyun is a product of Lykos, the organization that made Hyewon. They were the only successful experiment they had but currently, we received a tip that they’re trying to do produce more. Do you girls finally understand what I’m trying to say?”

The girls were speechless. They knew that Hyewon was special but they never once thought that their friend could be a weapon of destruction. This also made them doubt Hyewon’s action. Were they manipulated? Was Hyewon ever real with them? Her actions? Her words? Is she really putting her three closest friends in danger? These are just some of the questions they have in mind.

“Let’s give Hyewon the benefit of doubt… I have this feeling that she would never do that. She’s been always honest to us. Sure she left some details but maybe she did it for the sake of our safety...?” Eunbi finally spoke.

“Didn’t you hear anything she said? Hyewon can manipulate anyone as she pleases, she’s a weapon of destruction. And based on her past, she has a lot of reasons to be angry and destroy the world. We’re not even really sure if they found us because of Yujin’s camera or because of her,” Nako reasoned. As much as she wants to be optimistic, the pieces fit only to one hypothesis.

“We still cannot judge her just because of that! She helped everyone who needed it of her own will! She’s still our Hyewon regardless if she remembered anything or not,” Eunbi defends her roommate.

“You’re only saying that because you like her, Eun. Try to put yourself in my shoes, Hii-chan or Yuri’s. We need to think about this logically,” Sakura said.

Eunbi can’t believe the words her friends were saying so she walked out. She doesn’t know where she’s going, she only wants to be alone for now but it will be hard since the number of guards roaming around doubled. She found herself walking to the garden. There’s no guard around but she knew there would be a surveillance camera so she made sure to stay at the camera’s blind spot. Eunbi cried her heart out. She’s worried for everyone’s safety, mostly Hyewon’s since everybody thinks she’s dangerous.

Despite her blurry vision, Eunbi saw from the peripheral that someone is standing in front of her. Handing her a handkerchief. Eunbi sniffed and wiped her tears with her hands, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know there’s someone—Sian?”

“Hi,” the mutant shyly greeted. Sian sat next to Eunbi when the older finally accepted the handkerchief. “Looks like you need someone to listen to you? Want to let it out? I promise that I won’t judge and keep my mouth shut,” Sian offered.

Eunbi was desperate. Hyewon used to be the person who would comfort her immediately but obviously, she’s not around so she told Sian everything and the latter kept her promise. She attentively listened to her. “Well, that’s about it I think,” Eunbi sniffed.

“I know I said I’ll keep my mouth shut but can I say something?” Sian asked. Eunbi was still trying to steady her breath she replied with a nod. “Maybe Hyewon isn’t a weapon at all but our kind’s salvation? It only came from a non-mutants perspective, right? What do they know about our sufferings? They don’t even understand us nor want to accept that we’re all human as them. Maybe Hyewon is the key to our freedom and that’s the only way.”

It made a point but Eunbi doubts that Hyewon would want it in that way. Hyewon was never the type to be aggressive unless she has to be or she was triggered.

“I hope wherever you are right now, you’re safe. Please, Hyewon. Please, come back to me alive,” Eunbi prayed.

“Thank you for staying, Sian. Really.” Eunbi hugged the girl before she left the place. Unknown to her, it wasn’t Sian, it was Suhyun who shifted in Sian’s skin.

“You’ve made quite an impact here, Hye. I wonder how far you’d go just for them? What did you see in them that changed you? Was it her?” Suhyun let those words out in the air. She shifts from guard to guard and blends in to safely retreat from the place.