~CHAPTER 28~

"Code Red: Protect the maiden"

“Did you find anything, Jiyoung?” I asked while I was searching the grassy area.

Jiyoung didn’t reply. She smirked while her glasses reflected the light. She moved a step closer to Hana, silently. A small knife slid from her jacket to her right hand.

*Be gone...* Jiyoung raised the knife from the left upper part. She was going to slash Hana’s back.

“What are you doing?!” T. Jung screamed at Jiyoung. Jiyoung suddenly slid the knife back on her jacket through her sleeves again.

I turned and saw T. Jung. “Eh? I was searching for the eggs.” *What is she doing here?*

“Ani. I didn’t ask you. I asked her.” She pointed at Jiyoung. I felt hurt when she said that. 

Jiyoung suddenly narrowed her eyes. “What do you think I was doing?” She tilted her head.

T. Jung raised her eyebrows then she curled it. “I-I actually don’t know. I thought that you were-“

“I was only blocking the sun’s rays. It makes my eyes hurt.” She coldly answered while placing her hand to the direction of the sun.

“Ah. I thought you were doing something else.” T. Jung sighed then smiled.

“Why did you come here?” I asked her. 

“Luhan and Sehun already found the eggs. We should head back.” She coldly answered and turned.

I placed my hands on my waist while I let out a sigh. “Whoa, that was fast.” I thought I'd find some adventure here.

I walked beside T. Jung even if she's cold to me. I mean I couldn't blame her for what happened yesterday. Kai and I ruined their date.

"Ahm, about yesterday-" I pointed my fingers together. I took a glance at her. She stopped walking.

"What are you to Kris?" She crossed her arms. 

"Huh?" I stopped walking and so did Jiyoung.

"I heard you're neighbors." She raised her eyebrow.

I awkwardly nodded. "Neh."

"I thought so." She rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I warn you to stay away from him. I know you like him but remember that he's a teacher. AND, we're dating." She smirked then turned and started to walk.

*What did she just say?! How can I stay away from him? And who is she to order me on what to do?* I looked at her back with dismay. *She is not the teacher that I thought I would get along with. I can see her true color. Kris, do you even know this? Or are you blind?*

Jiyoung touched my shoulder. "We should get going or do you wanna stay here?"

I sighed then I slapped my face with my two hands. *Gotta pull myself together if I wanted to win.* "Let's go." I smiled at her.

When we arrived there, the group became complete.

“So what do we do next?” I asked her.

“Here is your next task.” She handed it to Haesung. She smiled at her. Haesung rolled her eyes.

“Congratulations on finding the eggs! Now, crack it and see what’s inside.” Haesung lousily read. Luhan distributed the egg. He had one and so were Sehun and Haesung. They cracked it.

“You will need these papers to find the location of the key to the box.” Haesung read then they got strips of papers on their hands. “What does it say?”

“Below the showering rain of the heavens...” Haesung read the phrase.

“Under the two earthly rooftops...” Sehun read his.

“The key is between the gaps of the broken single stone.” Luhan ended.

“I’m not good with poetic words.” I shook my head. *I'm good in math, though.*

“I think I know what it means.” All of us turned to Jiyoung. “Can’t you see it?” She asked all of us and tilted her head.

“Tell us.” Luhan said.

She smiled. “Do you have the map? I will show you what I mean..” Luhan handed her the map. She read it and started walking.

We left T. Jung on her permanent position. *At last, I can leave that masked teacher.*

“Does she know what she’s doing?” Rian crossed her arms.

"I guess so. She's really good in English literature." *I'm only good at Shakesperean love quotes.* I shook my head again.

It took us a few minutes to reach a certain spot.

“There. That’s what I mean.” She pointed at the waterfalls in front of us.

“Omo...” I was amazed by the fantastic view.

“Below the showering rain of heavens...” Jiyoung pointed at the sprinkling waters created by the falls. “Under the two earthly rooftops..” Then, she pointed at the huge cave ins that made the edge of the waterfalls.

“And last is... The key is between the gaps of the broken single stone.” She pointed at the part below the waterfalls.

“Omo!! You’re a genius!” I smiled at her. Jiyoung smirked as she arranged her glasses.

“You did well.” Luhan patted her back. “Let’s go and finish this.” She smiled again then she looked down.

We walked towards the side of the waterfall. From the place I’m standing in, I could see a shiny object standing on the rock. Luhan waved his hand to the back signaling us to stop walking. “I’ll go by myself.”

We, even Sehun, stopped walking. Luhan held the grasses on the slippery stones to stay balanced. He walked slowly towards the cave-in. When he landed his foot on the ground, he quickly grabbed the key and walked back.

“I can already see the target, over.” A guy with a black shades wearing a bluetooth is preparing to shoot Hana. He was a sniper. He was hiding in the big tree 40 meters away from the falls.

Luhan was already walking back to the side. Sehun caught him when Luhan almost slipped on the rock.

“Thanks.” Luhan showed us the key on his hands. “Let’s go.”

Haesung and the other girls started to walk up and so were Luhan and Sehun. I, on the other hand, felt someone was watching me. Thump Thump Thump...

My heart beat hardly again. I looked at the direction where I felt the presence was. I could hear a giggling voice again. It was the same as before at the school.

“Target lock. She’s looking at me, over..” The guy closes his one eye as he focus on Hana.

I narrowed my eyes. Suddenly, my feet doesn’t want to move. Thump Thump... I panicked.

*Help.* I closed my eyes.

Meanwhile, Kai was with his teammates when he heard a voice.

“Hana...” He turned back and gazed at the grassy trail. “She’s in trouble.”

Without no one noticing, Kai teleported on the tall grasses.

“Where is Kai?” Minyoung asked the other girls. There was no one behind her.

“Heelllpp..” I whispered. I thought the others will think I’m weird.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm. When I opened it, I saw Luhan.

“Hey.”

“Luhan....” My stoned knees began to waver. “There is someone there..” I pointed towards the direction where I felt the presence. *Why did I asked him? I know his the enemy but..*

Luhan tilted his head towards the guy’s direction.

“I think he saw me..over..” The guy started to press the trigger. Then, out of nowhere, Kai appeared behind the man. Kai had the purpled blade on his hand.

“I’m going to kill you in 3 seconds if you don’t put that weapon down.” Kai placed the blade on the guy’s throat.

Luhan sensed him. “It’s okay.”

He helped Hana stood up. *I don’t know what I’m doing. But I've got no choice but to trust him. .*

Hana looked at the guy’s direction then she felt somewhat relieved. “Okay.” Luhan escorted her to the others.

“3.....” Kai counted. The guy’s fingers began to tremble. Hana was no more in sight.

“2....” The blade slightly cut a small portion of the guy’s neck.

The guy had no other choice but to put the sniper down. Kai smirked then he knocked off the trembling guy.

“Now, you’re safe.” Kai teleported back.

At some time Luhan and I set our feet on higher ground, he removed his hands from my arms then walked away. The group sat on an area with big stones. I planned to keep everything to myself. But, thoughts came running in my mind. *Are they the assassins?!* *How did they know I was here?* *What happened to me back there?* I placed my hand on my chest.

“Now that we got the key, what’s our next move?” Haesung asked. I paid attention.

“Does the map say anything about the location of the box?” I asked them.

“....” Jiyoung stayed quiet.

“Jiyoung, you have the map right?” I asked her.

“Huh?” Jiyoung gasped. “Y-yeah.”

“Can you see any marks or clues about the location of the box?” I stood up then walked towards her.

Jiyoung gave Hana a sharp look. But Hana couldn’t see it because of her glasses.

“There is.” Jiyoung pointed at the map. “There is small red mark on this spot. But the only way to go there is to cross a bridge.”

“Mwo?! What kind of bridge?!” Rian stood up then rushed to Jiyoung’s side.

“I don’t know... It doesn’t say here.” Jiyoung looked down and smirked.

“I will not cross a bridge.” Rian gestured her hands in front.

“Why? Are you afraid?” Jiyoung looked up at her.

Rian’s eyes widened. “It’s just,..it’s not my thing. So, no.”

We headed towards the direction of the bridge.

*I need to tell Kris-hyung about the incident. He's our leader after all.* Kai got his phone from his pocket.

Kai called Kris while walking on a grassy path with his teammates.

"What is it?" Kris asked coldly. He was still mad at Kai.

“Hyung, they’re here..” Kai said in a serious tone. *

“What?!” 

“Tsk. Someone tried to kill her while doing this thing..” Kai clucked his tongue.

“Where are you now?” 

“I’m with my teammates. I need help. Sehun and Luhan were on her team. I couldn’t handle this alone.” Kai clenched his fist.

“I’ll tell Suho and Lay. Be careful. I’ll back up you as soon as I get there.” Kris turned his phone off.

Kai placed his phone on his pocket. *Hyung, be fast and think about Hana's safety first.* Kai’s team happened to pass by the other blue group.

“D.O.!” Kai ran towards D.O. Then he dragged him to a spot behind the tree.

“What dude?” D.O. looked at Kai’s nervous face. “Something is up?” Kai nodded.

“The assassins are here. I spotted one and he tried to shoot Hana.” Kai said in a small sound. They glanced at their teammates who were talking about their progress.

“How did they know she’s here?!” D.O. raised his eyebrows then furrowed. Then, he remembered Chanyeol. “You gotta be kidding me! Chanyeol-hyung joined the enemy?!”

Kai looked down. “Tsk. I guess he lost his mind.” *Same as Kris-hyung.*

D.O. sighed. “Do the others know?” Kai nodded. “What’s Kris-hyung’s plan?”

“He’s on his way. He already told Suho-hyung and Lay-hyung.”

“Do you have a phone? Mine was broken. Tsk. It fell on the river.” Kai handed D.O. the phone. D.O. called somebody. “Hello, this is D.O.. Code Red. Protect the maiden.” D.O. turned his phone off.

“Who did you call and what’s code red?” Kai tilted his head as he accepted the phone.

“It’s my apprentice.” D.O. smirked. “Well, I better go with my group and observe the surroundings.”

“If we happen to spot any of them, do you think we should kill or just make them unconscious?” Kai turned to D.O. who started walking.

“Yah! Who told you it’s right to kill? Yash!” D.O. whacked Kai’s head. “You can only kill if he resist or fight back.”

Kai laughed. “I know. I know. I was just kidding.” Kai smiled. In one second, it returned to serious again.

A figure with only lips is seen answered the phone.

“Hello, this is D.O. Code red. Protect the maiden.” The figure smirked as it closed the phone.

“At last, he gave me an order and it’s a dangerous one.” It was Daeji. She was with her group. “Shiro-oppa!” Daeji ran towards Shiro. “I am not feeling well. I need to go back.”

Shiro tilted his head. “You sure? We’re close to our destination..”

“Yeah. I’m way sure, oppa..” Daeji pouted then blinked a few times.

Shiro sighed and nodded. “Do you want some company?” Daeji shook her head.

“I can manage.” With that, Daeji turned and left the group. *Now, I only need to find Hana.*

I and my teammates arrived at the hanging bridge. It was high. One can see the raging river 30 meters below. I kneeled and placed my hands on the ground just to see evrything below.

“It’s so high.” I stood up then looked at Rian. “I think you should stay here.”

Rian agreed with her. Jiyoung smirked.

“I’ll stay with her.” Haesung suggested. Rian turned to face her.

“Thanks.”

Sehun felt the sudden breeze of the wind. The trees on the other end of the bridge swayed recklessly. “Hyung.” He touched Luhan’s back. At that moment, Luhan understood.

“Let’s go.” *Let's finish this here and now.* Luhan held the ropes of the bridge then started walking. Sehun was behind him. Then it was Hana and Jiyoung.

The bridge swayed side to side because of the strong wind.

Sehun’s eyes turned green again. He narrowed his eyes then in one glance, the wind became calm.

Hana was relieved. *Phew.*

Without anyong knowing, Jiyoung smirked and pressed her phone. It was the signal; a signal for an assault.