It was dark. Dark and cold, and maybe even wet. I truthfully couldn’t tell. My feet felt like icicles, and I was pretty sure I had been standing in a puddle when I was outside earlier. Now that I was inside? I dared not move. In fact, my hand was over my mouth, trying to keep even the slightest noise in as I heard their footsteps approaching. I had managed to avoid them while hiding under their noses for the better part of a day, and was so close to my objective, so close to the answers, that I was willing to risk everything, even my exposure. Of course, at this point I didn’t really need the answers. No, I had pieced enough together with just the snippets of conversation I had heard and the stories I had learned along the way that I was pretty sure I knew what I would find. But I needed to be sure. Needed to be certain. If not, there was a good chance all of us, from Soohyun and Hayi, the youngests, to Seunghyun- no, he was gone now- to Youngbae the eldest, all of us would be dead.

I heard the footsteps retreating and let my hand fall away from my mouth, still not daring to breath too heavily lest they should come back. A quick peak out from my hiding spot told me the immediate cost was clear, and I took that as my sign to hurry. Two seconds and I was across the aisle, another two and I was at the last desk, the last piece of cover I had. And just 10 feet in front of me? The door that led to his office, the office that I knew held all of the answers. I let the seconds tick by as I strained my ears, waiting until I was certain enough time had passed for the guards to be at the other end of the hall, before I took off. I shot across the open space, quickly pulling out the lock pic set that Daehyun had given me. By time I reached the door, I had the kit in my mouth and the two pieces out and ready to do their work. I took a deep calming breath as I inserted the first tool-

But it was knocked out of my hands. The door in front of me was suddenly gone and I was left staring at a pair of black trousers. I stood up as I followed the pant legs up to the suit jacket, the tie, and finally, to him. “Good evening Eunli.” I had seen him before and had heard his voice, hell all of us had, but to hear him speak my name? I felt my insides quiver. Of course he would know my name. As the first Chosen to ever have escaped, now only 1 of 2 left out, he probably knew every single detail about my life so far. It was actually the way he spoke it that put me on edge. It wasn’t harsh like I had expected, but soft and musical, with almost a sad quality.

I stood as tall as I could as I stared defiantly up at him. The sad look on his face wasn’t enough to make me forget. I didn't think there was anything in the world that could make me forget the sound of Bom and Dara begging when they had been dragged away, the sound of Seunghyun’s nose breaking as he tried to fight back when they tried to take him, or more recently the sound of Jiyong trying not to cry when he told me how afraid he was for the others since he was probably one of the next to be taken. No, I would never forget. And I'd be damned if I ever forgave. I took a steading breath as I glared up at the man in front of me. “Hello Heechul.”

I watched as he knelt down, slightly lower than eye level with me. It was strange, him looking up at me, a sad smile on his face. “I suppose you are here for answers, is that right?” He asked, his voice still holding that sad, almost comforting sound, as though he were speaking to a young child.

“Yes,” I tried to keep the contempt from my voice. It had been years since anyone had treated me like a child, and it was something I was not going to let start happening again now. “We deserve to know the truth. You may think-“

He laid a hand on my head as he gave a sigh and interrupted me. “Child, you-“

But I didn’t let him finish. I harshly shoved his arm, causing his hand to leave my head as he tried not to fall backwards, a look of shock on his face. “I am not a child. I’m 12 years old. I stopped being a child years ago. You of all people know that.”

He stood as he let out another sigh. “Yes, that is true. None of you are children anymore.” He looked down at me for another moment before turning and walking back into his office. “Well, come in then and we will talk.” I stared at his back and took a deep breath before I followed him. Looks like this was the end, one way or another.