"Are you sure we can talk here?" 

"It's fine, Tzuyu. I also need a break from that office. The Mutant Movement and Hyewon's case is starting to get more stressful. Shouldn't I at least breathe while I can, don't you think?" Jihyo leaned at the taller girl's shoulder which also put the girl at ease. "So, what did you find out?" 

"Hyewon's parents indeed worked as researchers for an underground organization. Her parents were forced to do so in order to pay off their family's debt. After losing his wife and son, Dr. Kang lost grip of reality and manipulated his own daughter to be a lab rat. And as we saw, he was successful. Hyewon is their first successful attempt in converting a human into a mutant," the tall girl explained. 

"What about the tattoo on her back? Found anything about it?" 

Tzuyu nodded. "It was the organization's emblem," Tzuyu handed a folder to the Headmaster, "You know, similar to the ones they do in factories, copyright to their products. Seems like they are planning to create more." 

Jihyo closely looked at the folder. There's a clear photo version of the similar tattoo that they found in Hyewon recently. The tattoo was a circle that looks like represented a moon with a howling wolf inside it. 

"Do you think we could trust Hyewon?" 

"To be honest, I'm not sure. Mina and I are still trying to figure her out, with what happened, she became harder to read. We don't know if she's really cooperating with us or just slowly trying to manipulate everyone." Both mutants exhaled deep sighs and stayed silent after. 

Unknown to them someone was listening to their whole conversation. The person was sitting on a branch of a tree that was just above the two adult mutants. Her mind spiraled with the information she doesn't know what to do with. She's just a student who's still trying to grasp her ability and who just happened to be hiding in the garden to avoid getting scolded for neglecting her loads of assignments. 

***** 

The group was at their usual lunch table outside. Even though Hyewon's back, she didn't join them today like she didn't the other day. 

"That's it! If no one's going to say it then I will... WE NEED HYEWON BACK!" Yena shouted. 

"Yena, calm down. She said she's not in the mood to eat, let's respect that." 

"No, Chaen. Hyewon is a huge foodie! No matter how foul her mood is, nothing like good food can't fix that. They're serving her favorite to for Pete's sake! Can't you see? She's shutting everyone out, including Eunbi!" Yena was frustrated because she misses her best friend and what she even finds even more frustrating is that she can't do anything.

"Babe, imagine how Eunbi feels then. She's her roommate but she avoids her the most. Do you understand? We're just frustrated as you," Yena being the group's mood maker along with Yujin and Chaeyeon, it's hard to try to cheer them up when they are the most frustrated about the issue. Everybody knew how close these four are with Hyewon.

"Yuri's right. Eunbi doesn't seem to be listening to us. I mean, just look at her." Chaewon pointed to Eunbi who's playing with the food on her plate.

"I love Hyewon but can we stop talking about her for a second? Nobody hasn't noticed that Wonyoung missed breakfast and lunch? Seriously?" Nako was worried for their youngest. It wasn't Wonyoung at all, the kid would always tell what's bothering her even the smallest thing.

"She said she was unwell so Ms. Hirai let her have the day off," Yujin shrugged.

"I'll check on her room later," Chaeyeon volunteered. "Let's all go to our classes for now." 

***** 

Chaeyeon did really check on Wonyoung when she had an early off from her last class for the day. Since Wonyoung doesn't have a roommate, Chaeyeon didn't bother to knock and barged in. When she entered the room, she was expecting their giant baby but she was welcomed by another familiar face, "Hye?" 

"Huh?" The girl tilted her head out of confusion. Chaeyeon hurriedly reached for a small mirror and handed it over to her friend. Based on the voice, it almost sounded like Hyewon but not really. There's a lingering softness with the person's tone.

"What?! Why did I turn in to her?! When did I even shift myself into her?!" With the reaction shown, she confirmed that it was Wonyoung. She should be panicking as to why the youngest suddenly shifted into a different person with almost perfect details but Wonyoung was just venting her issues about her powers not cooperating with her a few days ago yet she still somewhat feels proud for her friend even it was an only small accident.

"I can't turn myself back! Chaeyeon!" Wonyoung said in a panic.

"Hey. Relax. Remember your lessons, yeah? Now, breathe." Chaeyeon joined Wonyoung in their short breathing exercise. When she failed to turn back to her own skin, the giant plops herself in the bed and started to cry. 

Wonyoung has been dying to perfect shifting from her to another person but she hasn't thought about this issue that she'll fail during one of her attempts. She wasn't even trying to today because she's not been feeling well.

"Chaeyeon... What do I do?! I can't let anyone see me like this. Most especially our friends! I'll die from embarrassment if either Hyewon or Eunbi sees me. I think Eun might even hate me! Not to mention Yujin and Yena, they'll surely not let this one go." Wonyoung burst into tears. Chae tried soothing her baby with words that usually help the latter but they were interrupted when someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" 

"Chaen? It's me, Hyewon. Is Wonnie there? Yujin told me she's been unwell since morning so I got her some meringue and macarons." 

Chaeyeon looked at the person of interest. Wonyoung was shaking her head no then they started to bicker whether to let Hyewon in or not. 

"You cannot let her in! You can't let her see me in this weird state!" Wonyoung loudly whispered. 

"You have to! She's your other parent too! She and Eunbi!" Chaeyeon leveled with the youngest voice. She knew she was supposed to handle the situation better since she's older but whenever she's with Hyewon, it made her feel like she's walking on eggshells.

"Is that Wonyoung? Is she okay? She sounds awful," Hyewon again interrupts and is now feeling a strong urge to come in. She kept on knocking while the two continued their bickerings. When she didn't get any response from any of the two, she forcefully let herself in. Thankful for her reflexes, Wonyoung was just in time to pull the blanket to her face and acted sick but who is she kidding? Hyewon has a keen eye even during sparring, what more if someone acted strangely around her.

"Wonnie?" Hyewon calmly called. She puts her gifts on the table and joined Chaeyeon sitting in the bed. "Brought you your favorites. Are you alright?" Wonyoung tried to sound normal as possible she could but it only made Hyewon worry about her more.

Hyewon finds it weird; why would a sick person cover her whole body. She should be letting her body breathe as you let your body rest in bed. 

As soon as her situation is revealed, awkwardness thickens. Hyewon can't find a way on how to ask the youngest while Wonyoung doesn't know where to start explaining since she, herself did not even know when and how it started, and Chaeyeon was just sitting in the middle, shifting her eyes from the real Hyewon to the copied Hyewon. Nobody would even think that Chaeyeon was playing Spot The Difference with them already. 

"Wonnie, you missed Hyewon's mole on her nose and you didn't cover yours, the one that's beneath your eye," Chaeyeon pointed at her two friend's mole hoping it would break the tensed atmosphere.

"Hey!" The two said simultaneously leading them to another dead air. Chaeyeon failed to alleviate the awkwardness so she muttered an apology. 

"I'm sorry..." Wonyoung spoke with a small voice and a hint of embarrassment. But Hyewon still commends the youngest's effort to be the first one to talk. Wonyoung doesn't even need to apologize but she'll not deny that she's curious tho Hyewon refrained herself to pry.

"Hey, that's fine. No need to be sorry, Wonnie." Hyewon calmly asked, "Do you want to go to the medical wing? Perhaps to Ms. Park? Chaeyeon and I will assist you." Wonyoung shyly nodded her head so the two older mutants decided to bring Wonyoung directly to an expert, Ms. Park.

***** 

It was the middle of the night when Eunbi woke up. They have separated their beds to give Hyewon her space to cope on her own. It was torture on Eunbi's part but if it will help Hyewon, she'll gladly endure it until Hyewon is all well. 

Hearing a murmur, Eunbi shifted in her bed and found out that the noise was coming from Hyewon. She got a real scare for a moment but it changed to worry as soon as she realized that her roommate was actually struggling in her dreams, it seems. 

"Not this again." 

Eunbi softly wakes Hyewon up. Luckily, it didn't take her long Hyewon almost threw herself at Eunbi when she woke up, she was drenched in sweat and tears. Eunbi calmed Hyewon through soft comforting words. The younger spoke when she finally breathes steadily, "Can you sleep with me tonight?" Eunbi of course didn't reject the request. She would actually volunteer if the girl didn't ask.

Tonight, Eunbi was the big spoon instead of Hyewon. Eunbi was humming a soft melody that usually helps the taller girl. "I finally remember everything... Where I came from and whatnot... Did you know that I was actually trained in combat? The thought probably didn't even cross your mind. Well, I never did so why am I expecting that you would," Hyewon dryly chuckled. "I was dreaming about the day when they were finally done with me. I was in so much pain but no one bats an eye. They're all so focused to make the experiment successful. I guess it's probably reasonable since they've been doing it to me for years. You'd probably be shocked if I told you that my own father led the whole operation."

And Eunbi was indeed shocked. She could never imagine how can a father do that to her own child, treating her with no value at all as if doing an experiment on your own kid is the most normal a father could ever do. "I'm sorry..." that was all Eunbi could say but she hugged Hyewon tighter to convey her sincerity and sympathy. 

"You don't have to. Dad was probably not, perhaps if the experiment failed he would... Eun?" 

"Hmm?" 

"If the world is ending... Say, tomorrow-- or at least mine, can you promise me that you would stay with me till my last breath? Just to help me move on from this life in peace?"

"No... There no need for the world-- yours or anybody's to end, I will and always will stay beside you no matter what and that's a promise."

Hyewon faced Eunbi and hugged the older tighter as if her life depends on it. Now that she has finally said it, Hyewon thinks it will be now easier to tell the others without being scared since Eunbi will be with her throughout. 

In that position, Eunbi cradled her roommate to sleep as she continues to have a discussion with herself regarding her feelings that bloomed for the younger mutant.