White. That was all he could see.

The boy opened his eyes, staring at the blinding ceiling. He sat up from the bed and looked around, but his vision was blurry. Footsteps sounded close to him, and he stiffened and held up his hands in defense.

A gentle female voice chuckled softly. “I’m not going to hurt you. How are you feeling?”

The boy was astonished, but he tried to reply, lowering down his arms. “O-Okay?”

“Good. I’m glad that you’re alive.”

“Who are you?” The boy squinted at the figure in front of him, but he couldn’t focus. The woman leaned in and touched his arm.

It was painful, like a hundred knives piercing throughout his body. It was like she was playing with his mind. He tried to scream, but no sound came out. He writhed and struggled, but the woman held on to his arm, pinning him down. Tears started to streak down from the boy’s face as he tried to withstand the agony, clenching his fists as hard as he could.

Then it just a few seconds, it was over, and the woman let go of his arm. Weak and drained, he fell back against the bed, sighing in relief as darkness and unconsciousness swallowed him whole.

~+~

“I’m telling you, I don’t know!” Tao replied furiously. “Someone knocked me down, and the next thing I knew my hands were tied and–“

“You could’ve at least seen the culprit’s face, couldn’t you?” Luhan shot back. “So how are we going to find the guy if we don’t even have a clue to start with?”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!”

Two days since Charles died, tension had been rising throughout the group. They questioned Tao, but he couldn’t remember anything. Luhan had found that hard to believe. Kyungsoo sighed as he stood up and walked out of the room, trying to block out their bickering voices.

Sehun was outside, leaning on the railings with his eyes closed. Kyungsoo lightly tapped his shoulder, and he turned around, smiling lightly.

“Kyungsoo.”

“Sehun.” After that, neither of them spoke, just stared up at the night sky. They had known each other long enough to guess what the other was thinking, but even so, Kyungsoo opened his mouth.

“You know, Sehun?” Kyungsoo turned around and smiled at the other boy. “Thanks for accompanying me. I appreciate it.”

“I’m not sure if I made the right choice, coming with you,” Sehun murmured, his eyes wistful yet sad. “I seem to have gotten too attached.”

There was a pause, then Kyungsoo cocked his head to one side, slightly confused. “What do you mean–“

They were interrupted by the door banging open and Tao rushed out, his face flushed and eyes worried. “Have you guys seen Kai?”

Startled, Kyungsoo shook his head. Sehun gazed at the boy and could instantly tell that something was wrong. “What’s up?”

“He’s not here,” Tao said, his voice becoming incredibly high-pitched. “I knocked on his door just now but he didn’t reply, so I went in. He wasn’t there. I checked and his bag was taken. It’s possible that he went out on his own.”

“What?!” Kyungsoo was shocked. How can Kai just go out on his own in the night? He stood up and brushed past Tao briskly, heading towards his room.

“I’m going after him,” he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “You guys stay here.”

Sehun shook his head, opening his mouth to object. “I can’t just let you–“

“Stop it, Sehun.” Kyungsoo rounded on him, his eyes black with worry and anger at the same time. “We need you to protect our remaining hideout. What if someone else comes again and attacks us?”

“But I–“

“Luhan,” Kyungsoo gazed into Sehun’s eyes. “You need to protect him.”

Sehun looked crushed, torn between two people. Tao, on the other hand, nodded quickly in understanding.

“We’ll be waiting for you.”

Kyungsoo nodded and smiled at the younger, patting his shoulder. “I’ll be back with Kai, I promise.”

~+~

“ ‘I’ll be back with Kai’ I said,” Kyungsoo muttered to himself. “But how am I supposed to find him when I don’t even have a clue?”

He trudged through the night, mumbling curses at Kai under his breath. How troublesome can the boy get? Making everyone worry like that. Letting Kyungsoo go and search for him when he clearly had better stuff to do, like finding the killer.

He turned around the corner, and that’s when he stopped in his tracks.

A white drone was right in front of him, and as Kyungsoo opened his mouth in surprise, it spoke.

Scanning. Do Kyungsoo, Colonel rank. Activation starting.

Kyungsoo widened his eyes in alarm. Activating? What was activating? He scrambled backwards in haste as the drone opened its hatch suddenly....

.....To reveal nothing.

Kyungsoo blinked twice in confusion, then slowly stood up, edging carefully over to the drone. To his surprise, it started speaking again.

Do Kyungsoo. This was sent by the Republic to ensure that you’re still alive and well. When this message finishes, the drone will blow up in thirty seconds.

So it was from the Republic. Kyungsoo made a mental note to himself about the thirty-second detonation.

Apparently, scientists have examined the crime scene. It was approximately carried out at night, 10pm. Security cameras were working well, and we’ve managed to catch a dark hooded figure, but his face wasn’t clear enough. There were also a few other men.

10pm? Kyungsoo frowned. How could the culprit have gotten in without disturbing the drones outside?

The drone will give you a transmitter device. If you have any emergency, or if you find the culprit, you can contact us and we’ll be there right away.

The drone used one of its claws to reach out and hand a small, pen-like device to Kyungsoo. He took it and tucked it in his pocket.

That ends the message. Thirty-second detonation starting now. 30...29...28...27....

Kyungsoo ran in the opposite direction without hesitation, leaving the drone far behind. A few moments later, he heard the small explosion, and realized that the drone had done its job. He sighed in relief and resumed his search for Kai, but his head was swimming with clouded thoughts.

First of all, how did the culprit get in? It confused Kyungsoo a lot. There were drones outside the building of the headquarters, surrounding every corner. There shouldn’t have been anyone able to break in.

Second of all, it was at around 10pm, when most soldiers were on duty outside. Which meant that the culprit was familiar with the place, and that he deliberately chose the time.

“But it doesn't make sense.....” Kyungsoo frowned. The Republic had never allowed any Inferiors inside, but yet the murderer was an Inferior. Did it have something to do with the annual election that Kai had spoken about?

It was at this point that Kyungsoo just realized how stupid he was, going out to find Kai. He was a freaking teleporter for God’s sake; he could be on the other side of the country. Kyungsoo grabbed his head in frustration and kneeled down, wanting to tear his hair out. His head was about to burst.

“AHHHHHHHHHH–“

“Um....”

Kyungsoo stopped screaming and looked up in surprise, only to see Kai in front of him with one eyebrow raised. “.... are you okay?”

“K-Kai?!” Kyungsoo stood up too quickly, tripped and fell on his . “Oww....”

Kai started snickering, much to Kyungsoo’s embarrassment. He flushed, glaring down at the floor. Kai held out his hand, pulling Kyungsoo up.

“May I ask why you’re here?” Kai questioned, a smirk still on his face. Kyungsoo sighed and looked at Kai with narrowed eyes.

“I came to find you. You left without anyone knowing, so Tao–“

“He thought I went out to....?” Kai interrupted, the smile on his face faltering. “I’m not that stupid.”

“Well, um,” Kyungsoo mumbled, wincing at Kai’s harsh words. “I was worried.”

Kai’s expression softened a little and he reached out hesitantly to brush Kyungsoo’s cheek, only to draw back at the last minute. “Thanks.”

An awkward silence continued. Kyungsoo shifted uncomfortably while Kai looked the other way.

“Um, I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo suddenly blurted out without thinking. “For what....I said the other day.....” his voice faltered towards the end.

Kai looked confused for a while, then he laughed. “Oh that? Don’t worry about it. I can always find someone else when you leave.”

The stinging words shot through Kyungsoo’s heart like daggers. He flinched, but stepped forward nevertheless. “No, Kai,” he said desperately, grabbing his hand. “I didn’t mean to say–just–Kai.“

Frustrated that the younger didn’t understand his words, and angry at himself for not realizing his own feelings earlier, Kyungsoo reached out for Kai’s shirt and pulled him in, pressing his lips lightly to Kai’s for a few seconds before pulling away with his face flushed. Kai stood there with his eyes wide, not sure what just happened.

“Kai, I–“ Kyungsoo looked down at the floor, refusing to look at the other boy in the eye. “I think–“

“Kyungsoo.” Kai murmured gently, interrupting his words. “Kyungsoo, are you....are you in love with me? Or am I just too naïve to think this way?”

Kyungsoo didn’t say anything. Kai slowly walked over to him, reaching out and caressing his cheek. Kyungsoo raised his head, blinking shyly at the younger as Kai leaned in and their lips connected once more. Kyungsoo responded by closing his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Kai’s mouth on his. Then they broke apart, and Kai whispered those words again, his dark eyes gazing intently at the other boy.

“Kyungsoo, are you in love with me?”

Kyungsoo squeezed his eyes shut, burying his face into Kai’s chest. Then slowly, gradually, came the muffled reply, “Y-Yes.”

I am hopelessly in love with someone I shouldn’t be.

Author's Note

Sorry for the super longgggg delay in updating :( But hey I'm back! Hehehe hope you guys like this chapter! :D More clues and Kaisoo goodness <3