[A/N: Poster by LittleAngelChinita. Thank you! xx]

Kris was walking alone in the dark after he left Seohyun with Kyuhyun in the city of Seoul. He was walking just around SM Town right now, unsure of what to say to his brothers as he failed to bring Seohyun with him to let her see Lay. Thoughts clouded his mind but as soon as he reached the door steps of their house, his eyes immediately adjusted to what he was seeing. Seohyun was standing in front of the door, contemplating whether to knock or to just leave.

“Seohyun?” Kris asked. Seohyun turned around and saw him. He went up a few steps and faced Seohyun to make sure what he was seeing was real. “What are you doing here? I thought I left you with your trainer.”

“Yeah, you did.” Seohyun looked down and then glanced at Kris once more. “Turns out I run faster than an angel.”

“I—I did not fly on my way back here.” Kris admitted. He had so many thoughts that a long walk was useful. “But what are you doing here?”

“Kris,” Seohyun started as her mood changed. Her face showed worry and uneasiness. “When we parted ways earlier, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the things that you told me.” Kris listened. “I came here because I think I know the angel you were talking about.”

“I—I don’t know what to say.” Just as when Kris thought he failed, Seohyun came as needed.

“It’s Lay, isn’t it?” Seohyun said. “Lay’s an angel. If I haven’t known you as an angel, I would have taken Lay right away as an angel.” Seohyun laughed a little thinking how Kris looked stern and stiff all the time compared to Lay who was sweet and pure-looking. “Lay was the only one I talked to about Jaejoong’s injury other than you. Lay has always been a good friend to me, he saves me most of the time and talks to me—we connect in some sort of way I couldn’t properly describe but the thing is, that night when I talked to Lay, before I left him… he asked me if I really want Jaejoong to get healed and I said I was desperate for it. The next day, there comes Jaejooong healed.” Seohyun paced back and forth. “And I am certain that only angels can heal such wound. If it wasn’t Lay, then what the hell am I doing here? You told me I need to visit that angel and here I am. Please tell me.”

Kris stepped forward towards the door. “You came to the right place.” He twisted the door knob and faced Seohyun before entering, “Come inside before anyone sees you. No one can know about Lay’s condition. Vampires don’t die, do they?”

“Hyung, is that you?” Suho opened the lights on the front door and saw who came. “What is she doing here?” Sehun and Luhan appeared behind Suho. They were surprised but not as much as Suho was.

“Calm down. I thought I told you to get some sleep when I left?” Kris walked past Suho and the others with Seohyun who tailed along.

“Wait, hyung.” Suho walked after Seohyun who stepped aside for him to pass along. “You don’t understand.”

Kris stopped walking before going upstairs and faced Suho. Seohyun, Sehun and Luhan stopped walking too. Sehun and Luhan couldn’t stop glancing at the vampire. She was definitely a sight to them—she was a vampire and her skin was looking very porcelain and perfect. They may have seen her around before but this time, with her standing close to them, she looked perfectly different.

“She already knows that Lay is an angel. What else do you want her to know?” Kris’ eyes glimmered in silver which made Suho step back a little. He lightly shook his head and walked to the kitchen. Sehun and Luhan followed her. Chen and Chanyeol were waiting upstairs for Kris and Seohyun and saw what just happened. They glanced at each other with worry but this time, they were on Kris’ side. They trusted him as their leader for the longest time. Besides, they share the same trainer as Seohyun. There’s no way they would side with Suho who appeared to be close minded in this situation.

Kris went upstairs and Seohyun followed him. There, they saw Chen and Chanyeol waiting in front of Lay’s room. Kris opened the door and gestured Seohyun to go inside. He did not follow her inside so he just closed the door. D.O. and Kai came along and Kris signalled Chen and Chanyeol to follow him to the balcony. D.O. and Kai stood in front of Lay’s room to guard if anything happens inside that room.

Kris’ hands rested inside his pocket as Chen and Chanyeol stood beside him on the balcony. The night was getting deeper every minute that passed by. Kris still could not believe that Seohyun figured everything out without his help.

“It’s dangerous to have her around.” Chen said. He was almost whispering for Seohyun was just a few rooms away from them. “I know you had to do this, and I know we agreed on this one, but hyung, I am certain as the others, it is not safe to have her around.”

“Chanyeol, what is he saying?” Kris asked the other angel.

Chanyeol looked down at first and tried to figure out how to start. “Suho told us about this after his studies regarding… Jaejoong’s studies.” Kris waited for him to continue. “Jaejoong has those papers about angels because like us, vampires are looking for a cure too. Vampires are cursed to never fall in love. Angels are the way to break that curse.”

“In what way?” Kris did not seem to believe it.

“The only way to break the vampire’s curse is to kill the angels.” Chanyeol said. “Jaejoong has been finding us for the longest time. In every part of the world. Those files that Suho got from him? They were from different countries. He’s been everywhere—“

“And now he’s here.” Chen said. “If Lay dies, Jaejoong’s eleven angels away from breaking the curse.”

“Not just that, if Lay dies, the whole town will know about it, so as Jaejoong.” Chanyeol added. “If he finds out about Lay’s death, which is inevitable at the current situation no matter how much we deny it, with the information he has about us, he’ll know, hyung.” Chanyeol looked very worried. “He’ll know about EXO.”

“And the trust you’ve been trying to build with TVXQ would be ruined. In the end, it won’t just be Jaejoong running after us, it will be the whole town.” Chen said. Chanyeol agreed.

Kris started thinking—even asking himself when the time will come for him to stop thinking for a while. But this was something big—even heavier for his broad shoulders. It’s not just for him, it’s for the whole EXO. To think that Exo-K left heaven for Exo-M, for him, there is no way for him to bring them down right now.

“Hyung, we have to leave this place right away. After Lay’s soul departs, we can go as far as the ends of the earth. We just have to run away and find the cure for our own curse in other places.” Chen said.

Kris took a deep breath. Leaving? That would be a good option but there would be so many to be left behind. Including Seohyun. Including the whole town that was so kind to them and welcomed them whole-heartedly. Leaving would just make everything more suspicious. If they leave, will they be able to run away for the rest of their lives?

“Do we really have to leave?” Kris asked. Even after all the explanations Chanyeol and Chen gave to him, all he could say and ask was composed of six words.

“Do we have any other choice? There is nothing but death for us here.” Chen said. Luhan and Sehun entered the balcony as well.

“Suho’s sleeping. God, his mind needs to rest.” Luhan said as he leaned on the railings of the terrace. Sehun stood on the other side of Kris.

“Man, hyung really got wits but he’s definitely going to lose it soon if we cannot break our curse.” Sehun added and sighed.

“Just relax, he’s going to be fine. He just needs rest, sleep and to see Lay in his dreams. He’s going to understand it.” Kris tried to understand Suho despite the fact that he was always caught in arguments with him. Kris patted Sehun’s back but he just grumpily shook his head.

“No, he won’t even ever understand.” Sehun crossed his arms. “We’re brothers but Suho was always the loyal one. Before we went down from heaven, it could have been sooner but Suho-hyung was always delaying us. He wanted to stay there and now, I think he’s just finding a reason to blame it all on us.”

Kris was lost of words for that moment. Even if Suho always found a way to argue with Kris, as a leader, he had always forgiven him. “Well, I didn’t know that.”

“Well, now you know, hyung. That’s why he’s—“ Sehun was cut off by Chanyeol.

“That’s enough, Sehun. It’s okay now.” Chanyeol said as he witnessed everything that Sehun was saying as part of Exo-K. “He still chose to be with us, let’s not forget that. Let’s just hold on to the things that will bind us together, not drift us apart.”

Xiumin entered the balcony and tossed a Rubik’s cube to Luhan who started twisting it to places right away. He looked around first and saw how bothered everyone was. “Baekhyun and Tao were fighting over that cube and each took forever to finish so I took it to end eternity.”

Luhan chuckled lightly, and so did the others. “Those two.”

“They’re watching over Suho—more like forced him to sleep because Luhan and Sehun did not help much.” Xiumin explained.

“We were trying to get him to sleep before you came, hyung. So if you thought we were on his side, we’re more like trying to just let him sleep—not take sides.” Luhan said and raised the Rubik’s cube that was already fixed in a matter of minutes. The others started teasing Luhan and Sehun for failing to put Suho to sleep. They started laughing and tossing the Rubik’s cube around until it hit Kris’ but he was fast enough to catch it. He laughed at himself for that one—this was his family. And will always be. He lived for no one but them. He lives to protect them.

“Good catch, hyung.” Sehun said as he took the Rubik’s cube from Kris and played with it. The others started having little conversations and that moment, Kris did not dare to intervene or start a topic they could all relate to. Even if there were more essential matters to talk about, that moment, the sight of his brothers was enough to see through the future that they would all be fine. They will all be alright and the gates of heaven will be opened for them. He shifted his gaze to D.O. and Kai who were waiting outside Lay’s room. For a moment there, Seohyun crossed his mind just as when he thought everything would be fine.

D.O. and Kai stood up as soon as the door before them clicked open. Seohyun glanced once more at the lifeless body of Lay. It sent an excruciating pain to her non-beating heart to see someone so close to her die. She could not imagine Kris’ pain for losing a brother as much as she could not imagine someone from Girls’ Generation die. It was painful to see Lay lie on his deathbed and have no means of bringing him back to life. No matter how anyone would try to tell her it wasn’t her fault that Lay’s dying, it still made her think it was perfectly hers. If only she did not tell Lay about Jaejoong’s injury, he would not have done something that would send him to his own death. How could she be so hasty about this? She was blinded by Jaejoong. And everyone knew it was all so wrong. She’s done enough for him.

And this time, she could not just let Lay die. There must be someone who can bring him back to life before he dies.

With that thought and determination, Seohyun closed the door behind her and saw two members of EXO waiting for her outside—whom both looked more like guarding or something. They immediately rose from their seats to respect her as their senior. They bowed in respect but Seohyun did not return the bow. She had to leave immediately. She has to find someone or something that would bring Lay to life right at the moment and she’s gotten no time to waste.

As she was rushing down the stairs to leave, she heard footsteps behind her. She thought she knew who it was, but nevertheless, she did not turn her back. She had to leave at once.

“Wait, Seohyun!” Kris called without honorifics. “Hold on, where are you going?” He stopped Seohyun by her arm. Kris was taken aback by her red swollen eyes. They were moistened and tears are threatening to fall but it was obvious that Seohyun was trying to keep a cool figure.

“I have to go, and by the way, did I mention your place is scorching. You have to adjust the air-conditioning system.” Seohyun and removed Kris’ hand that gripped her arm. “I’m sorry, I have to go now. No one can stop me this time.” She continued walking down the stairs and made her way to the front door.

D.O. and Kai trailed behind Kris as soon as they saw Seohyun left Lay’s room. Kris questionably looked at them. “Hyung, you can go. We’ll talk to them.” D.O. said as Kai nodded in agreement. Kris looked at them with gratitude and hurriedly walked to leave their house to chase after Seohyun.

“I told you nothing can stop me. You should go and look after Lay’s body and I’ll return soon.” Seohyun said in determination. Kris held her back once again and this time, Seohyun’s swollen eyes shone in golden hue which made Kris step back a little. “I—I’m sorry. I just have to go, Kris. Just let me go.” She said as the color of her eyes faded slowly to its natural hue. It may have seemed normal but it was Kris’ first time to witness this happen without seeing Seohyun looking away for her eyes to change color.

They looked pleasant and peaceful.  Kris just stood there amazed by what he had seen.

“I’m doing this for Lay, your brother. It doesn’t matter how many angels are out there, but if they can’t do anything to help him, I won’t just stand there and watch him die.” Seohyun said with sincerity shown through her eyes. “I may not have the right to do this, but please. There’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“No—no.” Kris uttered. “I’m not here to stop you.” His hand that gripped Seohyun’s arm slowly slid down to her hand. “I’m here to come with you.” Seohyun could have blushed—if only blood ran through her veins, they would surely run through her cheeks. “For Lay.”

Seohyun looked behind Kris and saw the other members of EXO on the terrace of their house, watching them. If Seohyun’s eyes weren’t that blurry because of the tears that she cried inside Lay’s room upon seeing his lifeless body, she swore to heavens and hell, she saw their eyes gleaming in different colors—unusual colors as that of the vampires. Those colors showed simplicity and clarity compared to vampires that showed nothing but strength and anguish all the time. They were more like Kris’ warm yet affectionate silver eyes. If only she could have seen them clearly.

But nothing seemed clear for Seohyun. Right now, what’s clear to her is the picture of Lay dying and she has to find a way to save him.

She squeezed Kris’ hand on hers and they disappeared in the forest.

The city was bright and magnificent as it always was that night. Kyuhyun stood beside a street light waiting for nothing—his mind was just occupied that he could not find the urge to move from where he was standing. He went to the city to visit Seohyun, his most valued trainee that everyone must have been missing in the town, yet as soon as they saw each other, they shared limited conversations and Seohyun left right away. Knowing Seohyun for a long time, it was not normal for her to leave just like that and say the lamest excuse—or actually, Seohyun said nothing but ‘I have to leave, I’m sorry’ and a text that says ‘I’ll catch up with you next time, oppa. Thank you for the visit and sorry for the rush.’ Kyuhyun was not mad. He could not ever bear a grudge against a professional heartbreaker and someone he had trained and known over the years. He was just left with questions that needed to be answered. He was worried for Seohyun, not for whatever she was dealing by herself, but for whatever it is that might put her to danger.

As her trainer, he was responsible for her actions. However, the endless struggle of fulfilling two heavy missions at the same time may have affected Seohyun. Kyuhyun just had to know that from her. He could help her if only she would let him.

But tonight, she just left him.

“Kyuhyun-oppa?” A familiar sweet voice came from a near distance. He glanced to his left, then to his right and saw where the voice came from. “What are you doing here? When I was crossing the street I thought it wasn’t you.”

Kyuhyun chuckled lightly and cleared his throat, “Well, I’m in the city.” He smiled back at her.

“For a second there, I thought you were a statue!” She laughed like a child and her deer eyes shined along with the street lamps.

Kyuhyun chuckled even more, “Stop it, Yoona. Just admit it I’m as handsome as a perfectly sculptured statue.”

Yoona pouted, “That sculptor must have been paid a lot!” They laughed together lightly. Yoona sighed and looked around, “Are you waiting for someone? You should not be leaving the town and your trainees, you know?”

Kyuhyun shook his head, “I know, I know.” He sighed and added, “Well, I left them in the care of their leaders, but I also have a trainee here in the city, so…”

Yoona got who Kyuhyun was talking about—Seohyun. “Ah, my dongsaeng, neh?” Kyuhyun nodded. “Donghae-oppa mentioned it to me when I accompanied Jessica-unnie to talk to him. But what are you doing here alone?”

“W-wait. Jessica talked to hyung?” Yoona nodded. “That’s good. I hope those two patch things up.” Yoona nodded again.

“Should I go now, oppa? Seohyun-ah must be arriving soon.” Yoona patted Kyuhyun’s back to leave. “Don’t punish her for being late!” Yoona was about to leave but Kyuhyun stopped her.

“Actually, I already met up with Seohyun.” Yoona stopped on her tracks. “It’s just that tonight was probably not a good time to visit her.”

Yoona wanted to ask more. She knew some things that Kyuhyun probably did not know about Seohyun. But then again, Sooyoung held her back before and as a good sister, she chose to respect Seohyun’s privacy and Sooyoung’s advice as a loving sister. “That’s unfortunate.”

“Don’t remind me.” Kyuhyun said and they both chuckled. “So how about we go together back to the town?”

“Is that a call for a race?” Yoona teased to put up a lighter mood.

“You’re challenging a trainer? That’s not good.” Kyuhyun shook his head.

“It’s not bad either.” They both chuckled but each other’s eyes shone in respective colors. In a split of seconds, they raced back to their town.

Seohyun and Kris stood before a mansion in the city with enormous gates that stood tall. They could only see the façade of the gigantic gates but they were pretty sure that the mansion itself was more classic and breath-taking than these fences.

Seohyun dialled her phone, “I won’t be coming home tonight. I’m spending the night with Kara. Slumber party.” Seohyun said in a stern voice as she kept on ringing the door bell. Kris just stood beside her and heard what she said over the phone. It was only a voice message so she ended the call right away. She pressed the doorbell once again.

“It’s already late, maybe we should go back tomorrow.” Kris said as he looked again at the well-designed gates. They were very stylish and it made him wonder if the gates of heaven were like this.

“I’m not letting a second pass without doing anything.” Seohyun pressed the doorbell once again.

“Lay’s death is inevitable. There’s nothing we can do now but accept it and wait for him to come back to life,”

“How long does it take for him to come back to life?”

“A few years.”

“And you can live with that?” This silenced Kris. “I’m responsible for his death and all I’m asking for you to do is to trust me on this one.”

Kris looked down realizing Seohyun was right. “Okay.” He mumbled. He looked up again at the tall gates and asked, “What are we here for anyway? Who lives here?”

“Kara.” Seohyun said and the small gate clicked open. “Oh, god! How could I forget? These gates won’t open unless you mention who lives here.” Seohyun walked inside and Kris followed. The gate closed as soon as they stepped inside.

“What kind of magic is that?” Kris whispered. Inside, there were small plants and floating lanterns, if Kris’ eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. There were small pieces of crystals that hung along the path which reflect lights everywhere. It was as if walking along a paradise. The front yard was amazingly beautiful—even to Kris’ eyes who was a man. Except from the plants and small trees on the front yard where they were walking, all the others things seemed to be floating.

“This place hasn’t changed. It’s still beautiful.” Seohyun said. For a minute, she thought she forgot about Lay’s condition. The place was brilliant. It was spectacular as the ornaments everywhere were perfectly fitted for the place. Kara were not just stylish in fashion, their home was not an exemption to be well-designed.

“Whose place is this?” Kris asked.

“I already told you outside. This place is Kara’s home. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Just like them.” Seohyun continued leading Kris towards the house itself.

“It’s beautifully strange.” Kris continued following Seohyun until they reached a pathway that leads to a mansion. He stopped on his tracks and admired the incredible beauty the mansion possessed. They were dim lit with small fireballs that floated as well. This place is not just magical, it was weird but Kris felt no fear. His mouth was agape and Seohyun had to go back towards him and pull him by his wrist.

“We have to keep moving.” Seohyun said as Kris started walking again. “They have to know we’re here and that we did not come to harm them.” Kris stopped on his tracks which made Seohyun halter too. “What?”

“I am not going to take another step unless you tell me what Kara is.” Kris said. “I am not risking your safety if I don’t know what to protect you from.”

Seohyun softened. Kris was being protective as angel that he was. “That’s one of the reasons why you are so different with vampires. Angels always strive to protect while my kinds will always go and fight.”

“Are you saying I’m coward?”

“No, just hurry and take more steps with me.” Seohyun said. Kris could see her eyes sparkling even in the dark. “We’re almost there. You’ll be even more amazed when you meet them.” Kris just followed Seohyun to get this done with.

Soon, they finally reached the front steps of the mansion. The steps were like that of a palace. They were small but wide. It was like entering palace but it was so hidden.

Even if Seohyun had been here before, she still couldn’t help but admire the beautiful manor. It was nothing like the vampire’s houses at SM Town. They have big residences but not as huge as this.

“What are we waiting for? Just go and knock.” Kris told Seohyun. Much more to that, he wondered why this huge place had no guards and why the door bell was yards away from the manor. Who will even have the courage to walk that far just to open the gates?

“Them.” Kris followed Seohyun’s gaze when she said this. Her eyes lit up at the sight of five gorgeous ladies that walked down the front steps. For a moment there, Kris never thought humans could pull off these kinds of clothes—the only people he saw beautiful are vampires with porcelain skin.

Suddenly, one of them chuckled. “Let’s cut this runway, shall we?” The four other girls chuckled with her. “What made you visit? Yah—Seohyun-ah! Do you know how we had to move fast to dress up like this?”

“I can imagine how everyone’s using their spells to be dressed.” Seohyun winked and shared a laugh with them. Her smile slowly faded and Nicole saw her eyes.

She walked slowly towards Seohyun. “You came for something, tell me.”

“I brought a friend.” Seohyun gestured at Kris as he bowed at them. Kara’s eyes gleamed in royal pink. “Please, trust me. He’s not dangerous and we need your help.”

“I know,” Nicole said in delight. She smiled at Seohyun and asked her to come inside. “Come, bring him inside. Let’s talk there.”