Minho woke up to find himself lying on the floor. His head was throbbing as he sat up slowly and looked around for something that would help remind him of what happened.

"Taemin.." he mumbled subconsciously and his heart skipped a beat. "Taemin? Taemin!" He pushed himself up from the floor and looked around frantically. He's gone, taken away by that guy who called himself the Shadow or something. If he came from the same world as Taemin did, how would Minho be able to find them when he could barely find the things he had lost in the world that he lives in? Images of the last day he saw his brother came flowing back into his mind, how he smiled when he walked out the door with that old backpack and red sneakers that he wore so often, how he never walked back in. 

No, this will not happen to him again. He didn't want to lose Taemin, the one who picked him up when he lost his brother, the one who held him so tightly when everyone else couldn't be bothered to listen. The only thing left with him that had any connection to that other world was Taemin's gift to him the first time they met, that small bottle. He searched his pockets, reaching deep into the denim material before he found it, warm and small. It was still glowing like how Taemin used to and Minho held it close to his chest, he could almost feel him close by and an image form within his head. A figure of another person, a figure similar to Taemin's, and as if he knew it all along, he mumbled a name. Kibum.

~ ~ ~

On his way back home, walking along the streets after his lessons, Minho took out the bottle again and held it up so that it glistened under the sunlight. Who is this Kibum?  Could he be another Guardian? If he was, then he would know a lot more about Taemin's world than Minho did. He would be able to tell him more, and maybe even help him find Taemin! But the greatest problem at the moment was that Minho had completely no idea where to find this Kibum.. Which basically equals to no progress at all.

"Taemin.. Where are you?" He sighed, his chest aching from a strange longing. He had barely been able to sit through his lessons that day, knowing that he wouldn't be able to see Taemin when he went home, and worrying about the Guardian's safety. Just then, a gust of wind brushed past him, picking up the leaves that had fallen onto the sidewalk. Something about the leaves that were picked up caught Minho's attention, so he reached out for one that had landed on his shoulder. The moment the leaf came in contact with the bottle he held in the same hand, it was as if someone took a pen and began writing on the surface of the leaf, with an ink the same shade as the liquid within Taemin's bottle.

Tomorrow 5.30 p.m.  Clearing in the forest behind the school.

Could this have anything to do with Taemin? It could be a lead towards finding where Taemin was taken to. With that sense of hope within him, Minho kept that leaf safely in his bag, awaiting the meeting the next day.

~ ~ ~

Extra lessons, Extra lessons, Extra lessons..

Minho mumbled and cursed under his breath as he ran as fast as his feet could carry him through the forest, trying not trip over roots and fallen branches of the uneven forest floor. He was held back by his math teacher for extra lessons as the said teacher had observed that Minho had not been listening in his class and his homework were in a mess. If it had been any other day, Minho would have been sincerely apologetic and would have reflected on his mistakes without complaint, but today was no any other day. He needed to meet whoever that sent him that leaf note the day before at 5.30 pm and the teacher had only let him off at 5.20 pm after constant pleading and innocent smiles. He had no idea how particular about punctuality this person was and he didn't want to give a sloppy first impression when he could be asking a favour from this particular someone that he was about to meet. As he manouvred his way through the thick forest, dodging tree branches and jumping over small bushes, he took a quick glance at his wrist watch, 5.29 pm, almost there. He spotted the light at the edge of his path and ran as fast as he could towards it. As he burst out of the trees, he heard his watch give a light beep indicating the 5.30pm mark.

"On the dot.." he panted as he fell forwards onto the grass, exhausted by the running.

"You impressed me, Choi Minho." a voice of light tinkle, similar to Taemin's but deeper and more mature. Minho looked up but there was no one insight.

"Hello? I believe you sent that invitation?" he got up on his feet, advancing towards the centre of the clearing where there was a stump of a fallen tree.

As he sat down on the stump, a familiar gust of wind swept from the trees behind him and gathered the leaves that were scattered across the clearing. They  swirled around him and came to a spot where they all gathered and fell into a pile, revealing a person, no a Guardian. He had white wings, white clothes and the same white blonde hair that Taemin had.

"Are you.. Kibum?" Minho was in awe, they all had their own special ways of appearing.

"Apparently, yes. And you are Minho?" the mortal nodded and shifted uncomfortably in his seat, eager to ask the question he kept with himself for the past two days.

"Before I let you ask your questions, let me formally introduce myself first. I am Kim Kibum, a Guardian as you would have known. I am also Taemin's mentor and some what like his bodyguard if that's what you humans call it. I've heard of what happened and I wouldn't put all the blame on you, but it's still partially your  fault for capturing his heart and getting him into all this mess." Kibum glided around him on the grass, his wings swaying in the light breeze.

"Do you know where he is now?" Minho clutched the bottle in his pocket, feeling comforted by the warmth.

"Possibly in the House of Dark, Jinki wouldn't take him to the Prison of Death even after what he did.. Though I hope that they have yet to curse him yet.." Kibum stopped infront of Minho and noticed how his hands were kept in his pockets the whole time.

"Can I see what he gave you?" Minho was reluctant, he never showed anyone Taemin's bottle before and he just met Kibum, how could he know if he was lying?

"Come on, do I look evil to you?" Kibum whined as he folded his wings and stepped onto the soft grass. Minho bit his lip and took out the bottle, carefully passing it to the other. The Guardian's eyes widened at the sight of the liquid in the bottle, he pressed it against his chest and closed his eyes.

"What? Do you know anything about what's inside?" Kibum's eyes flew open in astonishment.

"You don't know what's inside?! Are you kidding me? I believe you spoke to Jinki before they left right?" Minho was shocked by Kibum's reaction, he had no idea who Jinki was and had no recollection of ever speaking to someone named Jinki.

"That Shadow guy!" Minho's mouth formed a wide 'O' when his mind raced to recall what they said before Taemin was taken away.

"Yes you ignorant mortal. The Guardians have the most precious fluid flowing through them, providing them with energy.. In human terms, it's his blood." 

"His blood?" Minho starred at the bottle, stunned. Human blood was red, it never occured to him that Guardians had golden fluid flowing through their body.

"It's still golden.. That means he's still safe." Kibum clutched the bottle tightly, "but barely.." and he returns the bottle to Minho.

"What do you mean barely? What would happen if they cursed him?" Minho caressed the bottle with his fingers, such a powerful substance held within this tiny bottle.

"I mean we need to get to him before it's--"

Just as Minho kissed the bottle, it glowed brightly and the liquid inside began to bubble. Not vigorously but visible enough to know that something was not right. The glass surface alternated between hot and cold against Minho's fingers. Then the bubbles turned purple, bubbling within the golden liquid before turning the entire contents a shade of dark purple then into one of pure black.

Minho's jaw dropped, what just happened?

"--too late.. and.. that's what happens.."

Hello! So.. chapter 4 is here! and so is our almighty Key, Kim Kibum!! This chapter was kind of short i guess? Couldn't churn out the words to fit in the story line just yet.. But here we are, hope you enjoyed this chapter! :) Thanks to my dearest subscribers for supporting and do comment! <3

@Capriplue: Thanks! XD