The goddess of Fate watched her favourite Messenger take a sip of the tea. Taemin made polite nods of appreciation. He was such a good boy, eager to please her and so very bored with the monotony of collecting Whispers. He would be useful.

She considered the lines of events that were connected to Taemin, and the lines of events that were waiting to exist. Fate narrowed her eyes as she erased the potential lines that she did not approve of and saw the new networks form in their empty spaces. Fate had a motive, or rather, a problem that she needed to rectify. There was an anomaly that she had not approved of but somehow had happened under her watch. And so she was working to have the problem fixed without upsetting the existing balance of both the supernatural and mortal worlds.

Taemin was waiting patiently for Fate to speak. He was content sitting in her presence but he felt that he was summoned. He normally did not go accidentally walking into her chambers.

"Taemin, how would you like to go on an adventure?" Fate spoke as if she was asking the question to the air. Her attention was still focused on positioning everything she would need.

Taemin perked up in his seat. An adventure sounded like something he would enjoy. Maybe then he would be able to show Yuki the dragons. Taemin was sure that he did not believe him when he said there were dragons in their world.

"You won't be going with the others," Fate clarified and Taemin frowned. The Messengers were units of five. If he was to leave the others then his position in Onew's group would be taken by another. He liked being with Onew, Jonghyun, Minho and Key. And he now had his Uncle Yuki with them too.

Fate's eyes refocused on the boy in front of her and saw his hesitation. She did not expect to see his reluctance. She had underestimated the bond between them all. Fate sighed. She would just have to put up with another anomaly to get the original and major fault fixed. "Your place with Onew and the others won't be taken. They won't be collecting Whispers. They don't need to be in the protective unit of five," she foretold.

"Then what do you need me to do?" Taemin asked her, but Fate shook her head. Giving details away was not her style.

"You are a smart boy, Taemin. You will know what to do when the time comes," Fate told him. "After all, you are one of mine."

Yuki stared at the image of the sleeping sick boy with his teddy bear; the boy's mother clasping her son's hands in her own. He had not moved from his seat outside the door. He was lost in memories of when he had given his old teddy bear to his son; on Hiro's first birthday held in the hospital. Just like he was given it in the first instance. Yuki was lost in thoughts of his need to be back on the mortal world to be with his family. He was thinking of the lies Taemin had said about knowing how to save his son, and of Key's mention of 1000 folded cranes.

And so Yuki did not notice the strange-looking man creep about the hallways. The creeper had pink and blue in his white hair. Metal earrings hung from his left earlobe like curtains; gold rings were heavy on his fingers. He wore a pale green satin shirt with ivory buttons. Ripped, black pants hugged his legs. GD doubled-back when he noticed Yuki. He had seen the likes of him before and was curious as to how another mortal was on their plane of existence. His face broke into a wide grin.

"Hey-ah!" GD loudly announced his presence and draped an arm around Yuki as he sat down next to him. Yuki stirred and regarded his visitor. He nodded back his hello.

"What is a mortal like you doing here with us?" GD cut to the chase. Yuki made no move to respond. He only returned to watch his family emotionally destroy themselves without him there to support them. GD followed his gaze and he nodded his understanding. It was the same story as before.

"I know how you can save your boy," GD told him. This time Yuki gave out a derisive laugh. Lies.

"I am not lying," GD told him in all seriousness. The loud mirth was gone from his eyes and he was lucid and calculating. He had witnessed with his own eyes the answer to his curiosity and he knew the price that had to be paid for it. GD would not participate in that task again but he could not say the same about others. And GD's eyes flickered up and made contact with Taemin's hooded brown eyes.

Taemin had left Fate and her tea and was back in the hospital hallways. He turned the corner and discovered Yuki with GD. GD spoke the rest to him although his mouth was near Yuki's ear. Yuki was still focused on the scene of Saki wiping away her tears. Hiro stirred in his sleep, clutching his teddy bear tighter to his chest.

"You have to use the power gained by making 1000 folded cranes." GD told them. "1000 cranes out of Whispers. With the 1000th crane, you make your wish and it will be granted. A Messenger has to bring out the Whisper, but a mortal like yourself can touch it and fold it. Fold it into a bird and let it fly free."

GD then playfully stood up from his seat next to Yuki and executed a fanciful bow towards Taemin. He then left them alone, the air pregnant with an awakened determination.

Taemin walked up to Yuki and crouched in front of the mortal. He saw the other’s eyes focus on him and they made a silent pact to undertake this mission. Yuki now had a clear way to save his son.

Taemin stood back up and glanced into the hospital bedroom. His gaze fell upon the caramel brown bear in Hiro's arms. He had seen that same bear before recently. In a photograph. In a leather tome of magical power. Taemin turned back to Yuki and his thoughts turned to what the other had said to him on that same day. Yuki was sick as a child too, but he had somehow survived.

Taemin looked back down the hallway that GD and Seungri had disappeared into. He had suspicions he needed to confirm before they  would leave.

Key stirred and opened his eyes. He discovered Minho seated next to him; Jonghyun was sleeping on the couch. Onew was sitting on the other chair in the room.

"Key." It was Taemin. Key turned to his other side and stared at the boy shadowed in the doorway. Both Onew and Minho moved at Taemin's voice and with the realisation that their other member was now awake.

"Onew, I am going with Uncle Yuki for a while. We have to make 1000 cranes. To save his son," Taemin told their leader without taking his eyes off Key. Thus, Taemin saw Key's eyes darken at the mention of the 1000 cranes. He saw the flicker of memory behind the dark, brown eyes of their blonde member. Onew, on the other hand, scrambled onto his feet, almost forgetting that one of his legs was bandaged and could no longer take his weight. Onew saved himself with his walking stick, spluttering for more information on this 1000 cranes business. But Taemin waved it away and began to address Key.

"You used to be a mortal?" he asked him.

Key hesitated. As far as he knew, only Onew knew of that fact. "Yes." he gasped out, his throat unusually raw. When Taemin made no indication that he had heard him, Key simply nodded his answer.

"Your son was mortally sick?" Taemin continued. Another nod.

"Was he saved?" Key looked away from Taemin at that question and stared up at the bedroom's ceiling. He nodded.

"You knew the exact details of how to make 1000 cranes, because you had done it too. Right, Key?"

"And I would do it again. And again. And again." Key whispered.

Taemin was now angry. Taemin understood what folding a Whisper meant. It meant that there was a soul whose last words were not delivered. And so that soul would have turned black. Key's wish created an army of 1000 Kuro-yurei, on top of the Failed Whispers that happened naturally. Too many times had they been attacked and wounded by the hunger of the Kuro-yurei. Their previous member in their unit of five ceased to exist because of these wraiths.

"What was his name?" Taemin finally asked him in the ensuing quiet.

"Yu." Key said, his voice stronger. "Yuki."

"Is he the same Yuki that is with us now?" Taemin continued.

Key shot an alarmed and confused look at Taemin. "What do you mean?" he demanded from the other. Onew threw a silent warning for Taemin to cease his questioning, and so he just ignored Key. Taemin turned back to the door and collected his umbrella. He would need to return to Yuki and so begin their quest.

Key had moved into a sitting position in his bed and was shouting at Taemin's back for clarification. But he was still in a weakened state and he convulsed in pain. Jonghyun moved off the couch and gently rapped at Key's head. "Fool," he told the blonde.