*Re-edited version 11/18/12*

Very, very sorry for another late update. My stinkin' laptop froze on standby and I had to take out the battery twice and reboot it. Then it needs to reload alot. Woe is me. T^T Anyway, if my laptop keeps acting this way, I'll be updating late at night then, around nine-eleven central time. Excuse me for mistakes or confusion. You might be wondering why Zelo is bullied by his hyungs but all will be revealed in due time. This is kinda a filler chapter, too, but the main character bonds with the four playful kids in EXO-K. :D Please leave comments or subscribe, thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't own pics.

(Alaina's POV)

Repetitively in my dreams, I kept seeing Zelo alone in a dark, cold place, wandering for a hideout so he could be separated from those mean people. The same mean people who were all he had left in the world. No matter where he prowled, he was forsaken, isolated from the world. Sometimes I saw him sitting on a bare rooftop, or idle in a tree, or looking out a window tristfully. Aside from being lonesome, he was distant and detached. Instead of donning that stoic mask, it fell, revealing a miserable, crestfallen youngster, yearning to be a person again.

I realized how lucky I was to even have people who knew and cared about me back then. Ayano, Yuki, the caretakers, the orphans...

Zelo was an orphan, too. Upon choosing to be a demon, his existence was 'dead' to his family - but presently, they were no longer living, having died not knowing their son, nephew, or brother had always been alive. Zelo was adhered to his friends because of his loyalty, because he didn't want them dead.

Not like he considered them as friends anymore.

I caught little glimpses of his hyungs - demons like him. I tried recalling their names but it was blurry. But I gathered enough.

Finally, I woke up.

"Ugh," I exhaled but then wheezed into a raspy coughing fit. The oxygen mask bothered me, secured over my face. The blaring fluorescent lights of the hospital room blinded me. I blinked from the dazzling brightness, spots blotching my vision and then fading gradually. I heard the steady beep of the heart monitor. Sunlight streamed from the window, signaling it was morning. How long have I've been out? I remember seeing Taemin and shouting after Zelo not to leave. A nurse had rushed in to sedate me...

"Alaina?" inquired a gentle voice.

Turning my head, I found Onew sitting sagely in a hard plastic chair by my bedside. He looked taxed and worn but was smiling at me.

"Onew-oppa?" I whispered, not daring to raise my voice and make it rattle.

He nodded. "You feeling any better? You've been asleep since yesterday evening." He glanced sideways and inclined his head. "Taemin wouldn't leave and stayed the night."

Raising my chin to peer past the bow of my hospital bed, I found Taemin sleeping in a small loveseat, a jacket thrown over him as a blanket. He looked exhausted, his fading blond hair ruffled and windswept, little bags forming under his eyes, and so were tense lines. My face softened at the sight of him.

"He stayed up since three in the morning and it's only nine right now," confessed Onew. "I came by around eight yesterday to relieve Key and Jonghyun. Right now, Suho, Sehun and Minho are patrolling around the hospital to see if anyone is spying on us. Taemin wouldn't leave your side and when he finally conked out, I carried him to the couch to sleep." Onew sighed and ran his fingers through his hair exasperatedly. "The thing is...Taemin, Key, and Jonghyun had encountered the spy - Zelo's back-up - and talked to him. He says his name is Youngjae, and claims...you'll be taken from us, no matter what the circumstances."

I blinked and widened my eyes. The name Youngjae...

"Youngjae is Zelo's hyung," I blurted out in revelation. "He's a demon who's not so harsh on Zelo but follows his leader's orders accordingly. Youngjae is known as the 'Cloaker' and I think he's the third youngest of B.A.P."

Onew's crescent eyes widened in realization. "Omo! You got a reading off them!"

I nodded wearily. "So many memories, and dreams, it's hard to put the pieces together but I obtained so much information. It's like a landslide in my head." I took a moment to breath, my throat dry and coarse. "I see some faces but they're so dim. I know all their names, too. Aside from Youngjae, I know of a Jongup, Daehyun, Himchan, and their leader...Yongguk."

"That's great!" exulted Onew, clapping his hands, the good news uplifting him from his distress. "That information will help us track down them down. You said their group name was B.A.P? Hmm...they must be a new secretive demon group kept as a trump card..."

I coughed again, throat pulsing in pain, but I continued to talk steadily, "I have this sense that you should be careful with Yongguk and Himchan the most. Their powers bother Zelo..." I shook my head, clearing my head of Zelo. "Youngjae and Zelo aren't much of defensive or offensive fighters but they are smart and trained in hand-to-hand combat. They do want to kidnap me, but they want to keep me healthy and alive, so they don't plan to kill me on the spot. Although Zelo and Youngjae are taking orders from Yongguk, their leader is being prompted by someone higher-ranked than all of them. It's all dark and gloomy where they stay. It's somewhere in Seoul. I think the place they're staying at is an old church or an abandoned community building."

I rasped and inhaled thickly for air, my throat and lungs burning. I was overwhelming my condition by spilling out whatever information hurtled to mind.

"Easy!" cautioned Onew. Pouring water into a cup, he pulled my mask aside so I could take a drink, soothing the dryness dwelling in my throat. My stomach rocked and contracted, not having eaten anything wholesome since lunch yesterday. I shouldn't have skipped dinner so carelessly.

"When am I going to be discharged?" I asked hoarsely, laying back down.

Onew rubbed his neck, contemplating. "Maybe late at night or tomorrow morning depending on your condition. But I can hurry up the process if I talk to the doctors."

I nodded. I didn't like the bare whiteness and sterile scent of hospitals. Onew patted my hand and left the room.
 

...

"Wait, so D.O. filled in for me at the cafe?" I asked in amusement as Onew drove us home. I suppressed the level of my voice to be soft and low, almost breath-like. Taemin was sitting in the back with me, barely awake, his head lolled on my slim shoulder, but his arm reassuringly wrapped around my waist. Minho was in the passenger seat, and Sehun was in Suho's car, driving ahead of us.

"The daughter of the cafe - Chunhei was it? - was quite surprised when a handsome boy wanted to fill in for you," Minho chuckled. "Key wanted to do it but was tired from the stake-out and gave in."

"From what I hear, D.O. loves it there," said Onew with a smile. "He wants to work there but thinks he shouldn't bring attention to his presence to alert the demons he's near you."

"Ah," I uttered in understanding and smiled fondly. "That's nice. If he wants, I'll go over recipes with him."

Onew and Minho laughed. "I think he'll like that," approved Onew.

I had a warm welcoming when we arrived home. Sehun led us to the door eagerly, Onew held onto my arm supportingly, Minho half-carried, half-dragged an inept Taemin, and Suho trailed after us with tender smile.

"Princess!" Sehun exulted, flourishing a hand as he opened the door for me. "Welcome back!"

I giggled and bowed my head. "Komawo, Sehun. You're so cute."

He beamed at me. "I live for aegyo."

Minho whispered to Sehun mischievously, "She has a weakness for kids and aegyo. Remember that."

Sehun raised an intrigued brow as we went into the living room. Not including Jonghyun, Key, and D.O. because the first two were sleeping and the latter was working, the rest of the household waited for us. "Is that why she loves Taemin more than the rest of us? Not because of the bond? Just because he's cute?"

"I heard that," mumbled Taemin groggily, rubbing at his droopy eyes. Minho lugged him to a couch where he slouched. "And I'm naturally cute, but don't call me that."

They all laughed. I only smiled.

Chanyeol beamed sunnily at me. "Feeling better being back home?"

I sighed in relief, sitting down by Taemin. He plopped his head on my shoulder again. "You have no idea," I rasped.

Kai frowned, leaning away from the wall. "Does it hurt talking?"

I pursed my lips and shrugged dismissively. "Sometimes. I just have to make sure to take medicine and drink water."

Baekhyun's eyes shone. "Ooh! Does that mean we get to baby you? It makes sense since you're the youngest of us anyway. And all the ummas and appas are busy today so it's not like there's no one else to fit the job."

Exo-K and the youngest two of SHINee glanced at their leaders for permission. Onew scratched his cheek contemplatively.

"I guess so. Jonghyun and Key are sleeping. D.O. is at the cafe. Suho and I are going to do more research from the information we received from Alaina. Minho, you might want to accompany us, but can you take Taemin to his room first? He looks like a zombie."

Minho nodded amiably while Taemin complained under his breath. Using his powers over gravity, when Minho picked up Taemin in his arms, the boy was light as a feather. He carried him to his room upstairs.

Onew handed Baekhyun a bag and a piece of folded paper. "Here's the set of instructions for the medicine. Don't do anything stupid."

Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Sehun, and Kai saluted. "Roger that."

I rolled my eyes, watching the leaders leave to Onew's office.

Chanyeol clapped his hands. "So what do you want to do first?"

"Can we go to the backyard?" I asked them in a small, conserved voice. "It's nice out today."

"Want me to carry you?" Kai asked me when I stood up.

I shook my head. "We should still be careful with contact. And I need to regain my strength by exercising more."

"Aish, you look skinny, you need to eat more," commented Sehun, pouting as we headed down the hall and to the patio.

"And maybe stop getting hurt," added Chanyeol thoughtfully.

I chuckled. "I've been attracting danger left and right ever since I moved here. Back in Japan, my life was very drab and boring."

We sat at the patio table, the awning above us providing shade. The temperature was warm and the air nice and laden with the scent of flowers.

A lightbulb blinked on in Baekhyun's head. "Ah! Can you say something in Japanese for us?"

"Yeah, yeah!" agreed Sehun childishly.

I pursed my lips; Kai thought it was weird that we both did that, not to mention our plush lips were made for nibbling on. "What do you want me to say?"

"Say I'm cute," joked Sehun and laughed.

"Sehun ha kawaii desu," I said softly and couldn't help but smile at his wish.

"Aigoo. You sound so cute," Sehun said with a cheerful laugh.

"Do you ever speak Japanese to Taemin?" asked Kai curiously, leaning over the table lazily, reminding me of a lounging cat.

"Sometimes," I admitted. "That's how I told him I loved him - in Japanese. He understood me." I blushed cherry red when I told them this, sharing a private moment.

Baekhyun glomped Chanyeol and they shared giddy laughs. "Awww! So cute! You have a lot of aegyo!"

"That really never matter to me," I confided. "Aegyo. My dongsaengs in Japan have that job." My eyes softened when referring to the orphans.

"You miss them?" Sehun asked me, tilting his head as he observed the wistful expression that crossed my face.

"Of course, I do," I replied. "I wonder if I'll ever have a chance to visit them again..."

"I don't think SHINee would begrudge you from going back," pointed out Baekhyun. "They really care about you."

Not unless you knew what I was visiting to, I thought, but kept my smile unwavering. "Ne, SHINee is my family, too." I chuckled humorously. "Onew-oppa is my cousin afterall."

They laughed with me.

"What about us?" Chanyeol wondered, grinning as his eyes twinkled. "Are we your family?"

I glanced at each of them warmly. "Ne. Cousins, perhaps? I kinda see Suho and D.O. as one couple with Kai as their kid and Baekyeol as the other one, with Sehun as your kid. Because in the SHINee family, Jongkey are my parents, Taemin is my boyfriend, and Minho and Onew are my oppas."

Chanyeol reached out to ruffle Sehun's mushroom-styled hair. "You hear that, son? You're my kid!" he teased in a overly sweet voice. Sehun swatted away his 'appa's' hands from messing his hair further.

Kai huffed, pouting the slightest. "It's bad enough Suho-hyung and D.O.-hyung nag me because they're older, but as my parents? I'll be grounded for eternity!"

" for you!" chortled the other three and Kai whined under his breath.

We're definitely a family, I thought fervently.
 

...

(Onew's POV)

"You found something?" Suho asked, Minho and him rushing over to where Onew was glued at his desk, trifling through his M-Tech computer. He had been diligently rummaging through forgotten files and articles.

Onew pointed at the screen. "I read from a file involving the demon group, Block B. Block B were wrecking havoc nearly twenty-five years ago back home. The report states that Block B were training newly created demons with strong potential. It also states how the demons were previous humans. It would match with the portal usage during the time, a transfer from the human world to the Reversed World."

"Do you think it's B.A.P.?" Minho questioned, frowning. "Seeing the dates, the 'death' of Choi Junhong only happened about two weeks before Block B's sudden chaotic activities. Zelo had to be there, he was one of the 'newly created demons'."

Suho skimmed at the report intently. "Apparently, Super Junior, who debuted from the Academy about ten years previous from the time, intercepted them and made them draw back. Block B fled with their new creation of demons."

Onew raked his fingers through his long locks and huffed a breath. "Block B must've proposed B.A.P. the offers and trained them, but for what reason? Usually, the offers are for those with dark potential as demons, wanting to harness darkness - that, or for those who've been corrupted or bargained with their lives. From what Taemin told us, Zelo didn't want to be a demon but accepted the offer anyway. Alaina implies that Zelo was...influenced to take the deal. Was it between life or death? Was Block B that intent on recruiting B.A.P.?"

"Demons have been popping up from nowhere these days," groaned Suho tiredly. "Most are just abandoned to create a mess for us guardians."

"A distraction maybe?" suggested Minho. "I know Super Junior is busy in Incheon. And I heard they'd split their numbers in half to spread their range of protection in Japan."

"Whatever it is, I don't like it," Onew said. "Block B hasn't shown their faces in over forty years. They're still probably searching for the Peacemaker while we're stuck in a maze."

Suho frowned at the reminder. "The Peacemaker...how long as it's been since she has been reborn?"

"About fifteen to sixteen years I think," replied Minho with an offhand shrug. "She should be around Alaina's age as a human."

Suho rubbed his chin as he pondered. "Do you think the stir of demons is because of the Peacemaker? Her presence perhaps?"

"I really haven't thought about her in a while," admitted Onew, leaning back into his chair. "I've been too worried about Alaina. Jonghyun wants us to protect her more, shelter her more, but she hates being caged under our protection. What he told me about Youngjae, the demon states they'll take her from us without fail."

"What do they want from her?" Minho was aggravated. "She may just discovered she's an Inhuman, but that makes no excuse to be stalking after her."

"Her powers?" Suho suggested. "Maybe the spell like we previously thought?" A bell rang in his head. "How about both?"

"Both?" inquired Onew, cocking a brow. "Her powers and the spell? I guess, I mean, the spell is what's messing up the...control system of her ES."

"Not just that, Onew-hyung," insisted Suho. "I think Alaina has more powers than what she's affirmed. Maybe even the quantity of her ES is something to consider to."

"Than she has way too much power for one person," Minho said, disapproving. "The demons want that? And what? Turn her into a demon?"

"I hope not and we will not let that happen," Onew asserted firmly.

Suho slouched into an armchair with a sigh. "So complicated. I think we need to organize our hypothesis and make a timeline or something. Also, we're going to need to start up a discreet search to look for the building Alaina saw B.A.P. reside in."

"Should we excuse Alaina from school for a bit?" asked Onew, but he didn't sound keen on the idea. "I'm worried Zelo might pull a stunt at school, especially when Alaina wants to convince him to leave B.A.P."

"She won't like it," remarked Minho. "And she'll hate it more if we're going to capture Zelo for an interrogation."

"Just ignore her objections," said Onew. "She's needs to fully heal, anyway. She just recovered from her previous injuries..."
 

...

(Zelo's POV)

Zelo was running away from his hyungs. They chased after him like prey, their reason: because of his slip-up. Not like they cared, they just wanted a reason to pick a fight.

When he jumped onto another roof, Zelo skidded to a halt when a stream of faint purplish gas created a dangerous veil in front of him. He spun around to meet two figures approaching him leisurely. He clenched his hands into fists, ready to defend himself.

One of his hyungs shook his head mockingly. "Tsk tsk, Zelo, you shouldn't run away. You let the poor Chosen One get hurt again and need to be taught a lesson. I thought Yongguk-hyung specifically told you to stay by her side?"

Zelo gritted his teeth. "Stop being a bully, Himchan-hyung. It's not like I could stay by her side with all the guardians guarding her closely."

Himchan beckoned with a finger and the smog converged closer to Zelo, forcing the boy inch forward closer to his hyungs. If Himchan wasn't an expert with controlling his powers, the smog would've dispersed and poisoned the air around them.

"I would've just wiped out those stupid guardians when I had the chance," boasted Himchan confidently. "With my power, they're useless to defend themselves."

"You should've just kidnapped the Chosen One," remarked Zelo's other hyung. Jongup crossed his buff arms coolly. "You had that one chance, why didn't you take it? You're delaying the inevitable, Zelo."

Zelo didn't respond, only glowering back at his hyungs defiantly.

Jongup rolled his eyes at the silent protest. "Aish. Whatever, kid. You've grown too soft. Not like you were hardcore in the first place." Jongup reached into his pocket and produced small golf-ball-sized packets. Inside was filled with powders and mixtures found in fireworks or bombs. Zelo tensed as Jongup grinned at Himchan, both thinking the same thing.

"Since Yongguk-hyung won't teach you some discipline, we'll have to do it. We have nothing fun going on anyway," said Himchan wickedly, raising his hand higher. The acidic veil enclosed Zelo in a tight space.

Jongup smirked. "Let's see how long Zelo will last this time. Too bad Daehyun won't join us, he's getting boring lately." Jongup tossed one packet at Zelo.

Instinctively, Zelo covered his face with his arms and closed his eyes.
 

...
 

(Alaina's POV)

The rest of the day was...fun.

Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Kai, and Sehun dragged me into the game room where they insisted I play video games with them.

I protested in the beginning, saying I'd liked it better if I'd watched, but they urged me to. I ended up playing this racing game - Mario Kart - and Sehun and I kept on winning. The boys were astonished a novice like me caught up to their level so fast. Then we played Monopoly - a board game I was very skilled at - and started bankrupting the boys after a few rounds. I couldn't smudge the ridiculous smile off my face. The boys made it so easy to smile. They did take care of me, yes, making sure I took my medicine and drank lots of water, but they were very playful and brotherly.

"We should make dinner," pipped up Baekhyun, noticing the time. "D.O. should be back soon from your shift."

"Remind me to thank him," I said as we headed to the kitchen. I swigged some water as I pondered what to whip up for dinner. Key was still resting and D.O. was returning home.

I clapped my hands together. "I'll make sushi!"

The boys brightened positively. "Sushi?"

I nodded. "But I'm going to need help."

"I should probably sit down then," said Kai, taking his own advice.

Sehun snickered. "Kai is horrible when it comes to cooking - or baking."

"It's fine," I dismissed simply, gathering some ingredients and cooking utensils.

Sehun started washing rice under my instruction and putting it in the rice cooker. The only thing Kai was good at was cutting up pieces of fish and finding something relevant for me. For a person who liked cosmetics and shoes, Baekhyun turned out to be a decent cook and assembled sushi quite nicely. Baekhyun gaped at me in admiration as I showed him how to create little artistic pictures in the sushi. Baekhyun and I kept chiding Chanyeol who stole bites now and then. Sehun and Kai set the table as Baekhyun and I organized the platters and tidied everything neatly.

Chanyeol lumbered off to greet D.O. when he returned home and rushed upstairs to summon everyone else down for dinner.

D.O. ambled into the dining room. "Oh, what's this?"

I beamed at him, he blinked at my...aegyo?

"We're having sushi for dinner," I told him brightly. "The boys helped."

"Kinda," corrected Baekhyun. "I helped the most while the rest of them lagged."

"Yah!" yelled the other three in protest.

"Oh, D.O, you're home," said Suho as he appeared in the dining room along with Onew and Minho. "How was work?"

D.O. grinned at me. "I loved it. No wonder you still work there."

"Komawo, for filling in for me," I thanked him sincerely.

D.O. waved it off. "No problem." He and Suho struck up a conversation about what happened when he was gone. Nothing much.

I nudged Kai, my sleeved arm hitting his side, barely noticing how my silent ES fluttered for a second, and whispered, "I know I paired them as your parents, but they naturally act like a married couple."

"I know, they act like my parents, too," he whispered back, grinning amusedly.

"Why are you smirking at us?" D.O. raised a brow at us. "Kim Jongin?" he inquired.

Kai smothered his smirk. "Nothing, umma," he said innocently, hands behind his back. I bit my lip to restrain a laugh.

D.O. ignored his 'son' and sat at the table.

"Sleepyheads are finally here!" announced Chanyeol, dragging a drowsy Taemin into the dining room. Jonghyun and Key trailed behind them, yawning. Taemin brightened, his lethargic expression wiped clean when he saw me all delighted and smiling. He came over to plant an enthusiastic kiss on my forehead. I blushed at his sudden affectionate actions.

"Awwww!" we heard voices chorus.

"Not at the table," Kai whined, fake gagging.

"Sit down, kids," Key told me and Taemin and we obeyed, sitting across from our 'parents'. This family dinner was the best one ever.
 

...
 

"Will you even fall asleep again?" I asked Taemin skeptically as I came into his room in my pajamas. Under my shirt, you could take a glimpse at the bandages over my bruise. I had just finished writing a letter to Ayano when I was in my own room.

Earlier in the day, Taemin had slept for a large amount of time, tipping the balance of his bed routine. It was about ten o' clock when I decided to turn in whilst Taemin was energized from rest and food. He flopped around foolishly in his bed.

"I honestly don't know," he sighed, pouting.

I sat cross-legged on the bed and poked his cheek. "Sehun wasn't kidding when he said you were cute."

"I'm not just cute!" he protested. "I'm manly and beautiful."

I brushed back his hair so I could see his eyes staring at me, like little stars. "Is that how you see yourself?" I asked softly. "Because in my head, you're...an archangel. You've always been like to me when you jumped from the roof that night, the moonlight complimenting every flawless feature you have, the way your eyes outshine the stars at night."

Taemin listened to my silky words, his eyes softening.

"I guess when you say it...I'm okay with being an angel," he whispered and smiled fondly. I leaned down to peck his lips but he took advantage of the situation and flipped us around to where he was leaning over me, kissing me instead. I was giggling.

Someone pounded irritably on the door. "Yah!" shouted Key-umma. "You two better not be doing anything inappropriate in there! Go to bed!"

"Araso!" we called back and shrugged under the covers. After turning off the light, Taemin held me close, with his lips pressed against my forehead, I could feel his smile. I was also smiling, very tenderly against his chest. His familiar, comforting scent lured me into the edge of sleep, calming me.

"Have sweet dreams, yeobo," he whispered to me, nuzzling the crown of my head. "Nothing but good dreams..."

My eyes drooped tiredly. "Mmm..."
 

...