Teacher Kim read off the names on the roster. Each student raised a hand and made a ‘Present’ indication, as was suppose to. Taemin sat in his chair with his eyes closed, listening for strange patterns in breathing, one in particular.

“Evans, Bea.”

There. He heard it. Teacher Kim hesitated before saying her name, like he knew she wouldn’t be coming to class. He continued going through the list, noting Taemin’s raised hand at his name and checking off presence. He sat back in his chair when the bell strung and crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for the room to empty. Someone stepped into the room, heels clicked as the footsteps approached. Taemin felt a nudge to his left, it was Key, he knew.  He nodded his head without opening his eyes, the lingering scent of lavender swiping at his keen nose.

“I didn’t see Jonghyun leave homeroom.” Key informed. “He wasn’t in first period either.”

“Where’s Abby?” Taemin frowned, not liking the missing steps of a dancer.

“Where do you think?” Key’s tone turned harsh at the mention of his Guardian. He hadn’t told the red-eyed girl that she wouldn’t be able to spot Yoseob for information anymore--it was unbearable to even think how she would show devastation.

“I sent her to check on….” He began to lie. Taemin looked at him now, eyes darkened by coal and champagne hair askew. “Bea saw you two at the river.”

Taemin’s eyes narrowed. . “Head to the Observatory. Stay with her until-”

“She’s in her room.”

The muscles in Taemin’s body could have ruptured--if he wasn’t filled with ability to move faster than Key could see. The human is used to this by now and flipped around to follow, stopping on his third step when he saw someone blocking their exit.

===

The black sports car slowed and turned into a hidden entrance covered by thick tree limbs and vines. It drove with headlights on full florescent till a clearing could be seen. A graphitized shack with a single boarded up window and an off the hinge wooden door shined in all its pathetic glory.

“The is this?” was the response from the unimpressed female.

Jonghyun clicked his tongue. “Where the fun is, princess.” He pulled up right in front and cut the engine.

Bea hopped out, glad to be out of that confinement and put her hands on her hips. She gave the shack a disapproving once over and looked to her left as Jonghyun stepped around the front of the car. He half smiled and nodded his head in the direction of the shack.

She cocked a brow and said the first thing that came to mind. “You think I’m easy?”

“No, sweetheart.” He came closer and lifted a hand to point at her chest. “I think you’re the type of person that knows how to have fun.”

“You’re right about that.” She swat his hand.

“First thing first. Rules.” He moved his hand between them to show a single digit. “One, stay by me at all times. Two, don’t drink anything they give you. Three-”

“What the is up with rules?” Bea cut him off. “And who is ‘they’?”

Jonghyun lowered his hand, “See that beat up shack?” he threw a thumb over his shoulder. “It’s only the entrance.”

“To what?” Bea was getting annoyed now.

“Fun.”

“You know, that word is getting repetitive. How about a real explanation?”

“Don’t you feel it?”

“Feel wha..” she paused. The dried grass under her feet felt like they were moving, no it wasn’t the grass, it was the dirt beating against her sole. “An underground club?” she guessed.

“You’re not as stupid as you look.”

She would have kicked him if it weren’t for the sudden noise of scraping cement and giggles coming from the shack. Bea peered around Jonghyun’s shoulder to see a couple emerge from the rickety door. The long-haired man was tall and hand his arm around the waist of a smaller, brunette woman wearing impossibly high pumps and a leather jacket.

“Oh look Taecyeon, children want to play with the adults.” The woman spoke with a sneer, pointing rudely in their direction before flipping her hair and continuing to walk past the front of the sports vehicle.

“,” Oops, did I say that out loud? Bea watched the back of the woman’s head snap to the side and glare squarely at her.

“Excuse me?” The brunette woman scoffed. “You want to run that by me again freak?”

“You heard her.” Jonghyun glanced over his shoulder with a bored expression, eyeing the newcomers. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call my date anything beside a title.”

“This little,” the woman stopped and took in Jonghyun’s unique hair colors. “Two little freaks.”

“YoonA,” the guy beside her wore a confused expression. “They’re just kids.”

Excellent. Not bothering to give any explanation or warning, Jonghyun disappeared from Bea’s sight. In three seconds she heard a yell, something heavy hit the ground and an unmanly scream. Bea rushed around the car to see YoonA toppled over her heels in dirt and two dark figures struggling on the ground. The bigger guy, Taecyeon, had his head turned unusually far to the side and was stretching his hand out desperately in Bea’s direction, pain in his eyes from the blonde head his neck.

OH. MY. It’s like Yoseob all over again! Bea wanted to yell at him to stop, she wanted to run forward and pus