Author's note:

I have to say. I think this may be one of my favorite chapters. Atleast, the chapter that I am impressed with. I'm not sure about you guys... you might kill me. But, hey! I'll just... -puts on helmet- , yeah! Comment and let me know! Kill me if you want to. LOL. Stay sharp, take care, guys~ (Oh. Because of Exo being all perf... they'll make more appearances OKAY. And well, I had this idea for a while now. I write down my ideas in a notepad. And welll.... you'll see what I mean in the future chapters. Stay awesome~ It's a pretty long chapter too. I guess I got 'in' to it. Haha!)

I’m an idiot. I fiddled with the red ribbon that Kevin gave a long, long time ago. It’s probably just the stress getting to my head. After what happened yesterday with Chen, I just got so terrified. I was back in the hotel room, the room Kevin and I stayed at. Knowing that Kevin had an interview this morning, you snuck back in to pack some of my bags. I was planning to go back… but now I’m starting to regret what I told Kevin. I must have hurt him. After all we’ve gone through, how could I just give up? My heart felt heavy, and my shoulders felt sore. Your body sat on the messy bed, and you looked around the room.

Not a single cloud in the blue-painted sky. It was beautiful out. The sun was strong; you had to divert your eyes away from the window to avoid its strong glare. I traced Kevin’s pillow with my index finger, and smiled. I guessed Kevin was either in a hurry, or just didn’t feel like making the bed. After all, you’re the one who always did. That lazy bum, I chuckled. I guess I have two people to apologize to. I sighed in regret.

You walked over to the crimson-colored curtains, and drew them back. Down a few blocks, was a bakery that had a chef you were very familiar with. Someone who saved your life last night, and all you did was shun him. Left him there.  Your guilt brought you to the mirror as you drew your hair back into a tight bun, wrapping it with a pink bow. You picked your favorite summer dress with a floral pattern, and put on flats that matched your bow. Here goes nothing.

You fiddled your fingers nervously as you tried to make up scenarios of how to apologize to Nat—no, Chen, right. You face beamed with a smile, but you thought: No. Too happy. You tried to display a neutral expression. He might think I was forced to apologize to him. You sighed in exasperation, and found yourself frozen in front of the familiar door. Here we go… Your right hand pushed the door open and a wave of a warm scent escaped. Fresh batch of cupcakes, you assumed. The counter was empty, Chen was nowhere to be found. You waited awhile, but grew impatient as the paranoia got to your mind.

“Is anybody here?” You rang the bell, tippy-toeing to look inside the kitchen.

Then quick footsteps made its way outside; an unfamiliar face appeared:

“Hi, may I help you?” The old man asked while wiping the vases.

“Uhm. Does a man named Nate work here?” You asked the friendly senior who shook his head with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, I own this bakery, and I never hired anybody by the name of.. Nate, was it? You must have the wrong store, young lady.” He smiled. “Would you like a free cupcake, my dear? You seem quite pale.” You took the warm cupcake with welcoming hands, and thanked the old man. You took your steps out in the sun, and you exhaled harshly.

Don’t tell me I have to go up there. You looked up in the sky, and cursed. Time to call Ren.

***

“Thanks for doing this for me, Rennie.” You smiled at the mature blond who just nodded. You looked at your reflection on one of the rocks, and examined the white cloak Ren gave you. A white cloak that touched the floor and the white hood over your head. It had golden rims, but was surprisingly very light on your frail body. “Why did you give me this cloak, Minki-ah?”

“I thought it suited you.” He just nodded, his eyes looking forward.

 You and Ren were on your way to Starioleum HQ, where the Elders reside in. He hasn’t looked at you since you’ve met up with him with the request of getting transported back to the realm. He’s still hurt, isn’t he?

“No , I’m not. I’m just very, very sleepy, ____. You do know just because we live ‘up here’, it doesn’t mean we don’t have our own time-zone.” Ren chuckled, pushing his bangs away from his dazzling eyes.

“Reading my mind, huh? Something I really… a pet-peeve.” I rolled my eyes. Ren chuckled, and just kept his eyes on the rocky path. Each step you took on this path, your feet would light up. It was pretty cool. Beyond the horizon, you saw the white building, surrounded by rocks that glowed in many different colors. Starioleum HQ. I haven’t been here since… since, I came to get Kevin back. I didn’t think or even wanted to come back here. That was so long ago, you thought to yourself.

“What do you want with the elders anyways?” Ren asked, keeping his eyes forward.

“I have business with one of them.” I muttered, keeping everything discreet. Ren just nodded, and stopped walking.

“Go on ahead. I have a lecture to attend to.” Ren smiled. “I’m sure you know your way. When you need to head back, just yell.”

“Still a student, Minki?” You chuckled at the blondie. He shook his head, and said:

“I’m their teacher. See you later, squirt.” You rolled your eyes at the new nickname, and watched him run down the path. Couldn’t he just teleport—Suddenly, Ren disappeared, leaving a trace of stardust. Oh. You laughed.

You walked into the large building, and were greeted by a large hall. As large as two football fields. They must have done some renovations… you thought to yourself. You heard nothing but your own footsteps that echoed after each step taken. The floors were of a marble white and the walls were white as well. There was nothing on the walls, no picture frames, no clocks, nothing. Then again… this is a different realm. You kept walking; it seemed almost like 15 minutes, but you finally made way to large white doors.

“HALT.” You heard someone yell. You turned around, and a guard (you assumed) circled around you with suspicious eyes. “Identity please? And reason for the request of audience with the elders?”

“I’m an old friend of their—“

“They don’t have time for your precious little games, commoner. I suggest you go back home to your husband and kids, and forget ever coming here.” The guard glared, his hands grasping aggressively on his spear. His free hands pulled the hood back sharply, pulling strands of my hair as well. You winced in pain. You backed up cautiously, and raised your hands up.

“Look. I just… I just wanted to apologize to Chen. I—“

“How dare you use thy name without honorifics. It must be you, the reason why Elder Chen has come home with scars, and bruises. You must be punished, condemned! Put to death!” The guard held, pointing the spear right at my face, its sharp point only inches away from my face.

“I—“

“What is happening out there?” You heard a familiar voice yell.

The guard turned around to the door, and kneeled down. His head faced down to the closed door.

“Elder Luhan. There is a young lady here who has requested you and the elders’ precious time for silly reasons. She has pathetically used Elder Chen’s name in vain, she shall be punished. I will take care of everything, Elder Luhan. Please, go back to your chambers and rest.” The guard answered.

“Are you ordering me to go back to my chambers, Guard Rian?” Luhan’s voice raised.

“N-No, Elder. I’m sorry.” His forehead on the ground.

“Let her in.”

“But, Elder—“

“Let. Her. In.”

The guard stood back up, and gripped on the large door bar. He glared back at me with suspicious eyes and whispered: “If you so do something stupid or reckless, this spear will not go home without blood.” You glared back, and turned away. Your hands pulled back the golden hood over your head. You walked in into the familiar white room, and felt nervous. You inhaled, and exhaled calmly as you walked to the 12 elders who sat on their thrones. This… Déjà-Vu.

You halted in the center of the room, and looked around for Chen. There he is. Chen sat on the throne with the scorpion symbol. You walked in front of him, and pulled down your hood. His eyes widened. He stepped down is throne quickly, and grabbed your wrist; pulling your arm upwards.

“Lay.” Chen called his fellow friend. “I want you to heal her right now.” Chen asked his friend gently. You pulled your arm away harshly, and rubbed your wrist.

“I told you. I don’t need any healing.” You stared at Lay who was walking towards Chen and I. “I’m fine. I can take care of myself. Bandages will do.” Your eyes met back with Chen’s. He rolled his eyes, and sat back on his throne lazily.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, ____?” The gentle Luhan smiled. He still looks so young, he could pass for my younger brother, you thought.

“It has, Luh—Elder Luhan.” You corrected yourself.

Luhan let out a small giggle, and covered his mouth. He shook his head with a smile and said:

“No need for honorifics. I’m your friend. Luhan only is perfectly fine, ______-ah! Now, if you do not mind, may I ask why you came here to see Chen specifically? I’m kind of hurt. Haha.”

You looked back at Chen, who was slumped against his throne. You stepped closer to his ‘royal’ seat, and murmured:

“I wanted to apologize, Chen. After what you’ve been through to protect me yesterday, all I did was shun you, and… I wasn’t very nice.” You held onto your arm. “I’m sorry for yesterday.” You just put it all out; you didn’t know what else to say but sorry. Chen eyed you as if you were infested by some disease, and just turned away.

“It’s fine. I guess.” Chen muttered. He jumped out of his seat and approached you quickly, his eyes; the colour of lightning. “Just… if you ever do that again to me, I’ll forget this apology. Maybe, the thunder shocks will be mine next time.” He growled. “I’m sorry for trying to protect you, princess.” He snapped. You watched him storm off into another room. You looked down, and felt pretty bad.

“Don’t worry about him. He...” Luhan stopped; then just shook his head. He coughed, and pulled me into another room; I assume it’s his ‘chambers’. “Look. Don’t worry about Chen; it’s just… I guess it’s a bit of a déjà-vu to him.”

“What do you mean?” you asked, and sat on the chair that Luhan provided you.

“Long time ago. Probably even before you had a name, correction; WAY BEFORE you had a name, Chen was pretty much in the same situation as Kevin was. Falling in love with human. Well. Not the turning into a Starlite and such, but just being a Starlite, and loving a human. You catch my drift. That human, that girl, like you, was threatened by past enemies similar to…”

“Ehrian.” You completed. Luhan nodded, and grabbed a glass of wine; placing it in your hand.

“One stormy night. Someone was able to grab a hold of Chen’s power; utilizing it to terrorize a town. Her town. The one he loved.” Luhan paused for a moment. “Chen, he wasn’t an elder yet; in fact, neither was I. He was just like Kevin, a student; training. Chen heard about the raids and terrorism in his lover’s town. He went there directly once he heard that the girl may be harmed; that she was a target. He searched. Kept searching. The town was bombarded with death. And well…”

“What happened to the girl..?” You asked worriedly.

“Well… Chen… he.”

“She was gone.” You heard Chen’s voice weaken. You turned around, and you watched Chen walk closer to the both of you. “I never found her. All I found was… her pendant, covered in blood. The pendant I gave her for our 2^nd anniversary together.” Chen took the glass of wine out of my hands, and sipped. “I figured… that she was shocked to death. I searched for her for days; never to be found. Years later… I became Elder of the society when things were going rough. Along with Luhan… Suho… all 12 of us were elected. We came to a decision… that Starlites are prohibited from loving a human.” He stared at me with hurtful eyes. “That if it were a case; that Starlite would die, and his/her children will be taken away from their human parent; never to be seen again. Fostered by Starlite parents, memories wiped of their days with humans, trained like any other—“

“That’s cruel.” You yelled at Chen. “Ho—Just because of that one situation, you took the loved ones of many others. How dare you.”

Chen’s eyes glared back furiously; his hands blazed with thunder. He grabbed your cloak, pulling you close to his face aggressively, his free hand filled with shocking energy.

“Chen.” LuHan warned him.

“I did this. So then I could spare pain and hurt of my people and yours. No more humans will be harmed; I’m doing you a ing favor, princess. Why don’t you just be happy with that? You’re even lucky… that Luhan is here. I would have wiped your memory like an eraser.” He growled. “But apparently, you’re some exception. You have this security clearance as you humans would say. One wrong move though, you will stripped of that. And you will never see Kevin again. We’ll wipe his memory if we have to.” Chen let go, and scoffed.

“You were definitely putting an act when you were pretending to be Nate. There’s no way someone as gentle would be this… cruel.” You glared at him. “Why am I an exception again?” You stared at Luhan.

“Because you’re our bait.”  Luhan muttered in guilt.

“Bait?” You repeated. You looked at Chen. “Bait?” You repeated once more.

Chen sighed. “I was against that from the start since I lost her to the very thing we’re using you for. You’re Ehrian’s target right now.  The only way we could get to him is by using you; monitoring you, protecting you… Letting him get to you so we could nab him.”

“That’s why you were Nate. You were undercover.” You realized. “But why you? Why not, Ren? Kevin? And wait. I thought Ehrian was in jail. I thought… Kevin told me; he went to see him; and ask him questions about why his lover was there.”

“We lied.” Luhan whispered.

“But Kevin told me that he visited hi—“

“We could… alter our appearances. We…____.” Luhan gazed towards me apologetically. “We lost him long before while Kevin was still in training. It’s a secret not only kept from you and Kevin, but our whole society. If it came out, everything would be in chaos. Ehrian could come through easily as every Starlite panic. We could be giving him want he wanted.” Luhan stayed quiet, then continued: “Ren and Kevin can’t handle him. And Chen pretended to be Nate because he knows this…this technique to seal him and his ing allies. We need you. If you’re dead, we’ll be at square one. We’ll need to find another person to use. Your… your situation was perfect to use.” He explained. Guilt written all over his face. You stared at both of them with disbelief.

“Bait.” You repeated. “When Ehrian’s girlfriend was… at my apartment; pretending to be Kevin…were you guys… wa-watching? An-and it doesn’t make sense. She… Ehrian’s lover said that I locked Ehrian away. Are you telling me that… Ehrian is hiding from her as well?” You tried to contain your fear; but it was obvious.

Luhan and Chen stared at each other for a moment, and stayed quiet.

“Answer me, dammit.” You snapped at them. “I want to know!”

Chen nodded. Before you storm away with reckless words, Chen interrupted: “First of all. Yes, we were watching. We knew Kevin was coming to protect you. If we interfered, we would have had our cover blown. We wanted Ehrian’s true intentions, not his lover. Once we get Ehrian, we get any person that is on his side. Any affiliations associated with him; including his girlfriend. And… it was definitely not Ehrian in that cage. Like said… earlier, we lost Ehrian way before his lover went to your apartment. It was Suho, pretending to be Ehrian when Kevin visited him.”

“I could have died. You used my life. Gambled with it. You don’t care of my safety or ing anything. If I died that night, you and your other stupid people would just find another person to use as ing bait.” You felt tears stream down you cheeks. The people you thought who were your friends were just using you; like always. Story of my ing life. “You’re not my friends. You’re just… using me. So.. Ehrian is still out there?”

Luhan nodded: “Yes, _____. He is.”

“And he’s still coming after me? For revenge?”

Luhan nodded again. “Yes. And he’ll try to get you… no matter the obstacle. You’re his, in his book. He will hurt you.” You felt weak, and frightened to the very bone. “We will protect you though. I promise you.” Luhan held your hands, and tried to smile.

“What do I tell Kevin?” You whispered. “I… He’ll end up reading my thoughts. Do...Do I tell him?”

Chen shook his head: “Too risky. We need him with a clear-head. We need him thinking straight; and not worrying all the time about you. If he knows about what happened… about how we were watching you at that apartment, or lying about having Ehrian… He will not hear a single word from us. You and Kevin.. You guys are our key to this problem. Our solution. If Kevin starts acting strange, more paranoid, it could give Ehrian a clue of what was happening, then spoiling everything, giving him the head-start.”

“Kevin is always worrying about me. You can’t change that.” You muttered. “I… Last night, I told him that I needed some time away from him. That I couldn’t... I couldn’t protect him if anything happen. I was supposed to pack my bags, and leave for Seoul tomorrow.” You explained.

Chen stared at the floor in thought.

“But... I was going to see him again today; telling him it was a mistake.” You whispered.

“Have you already called him?” Chen asked. You shook your head, and told him how you were planning to go see him after this visit. “Good.” Chen nodded. “Good girl.” You looked at him, confused.

“I..I don’t understand.”

“You will leave for Seoul tomorrow.” Chen ordered.

“But... weren’t you listening to what I was saying?” You raised your voice. “I’m going to tell him it’s a mistake that I won’t give up on us.”

“I know you won’t give up. But for this, for his safety, you’re going to pretend that you are.” Chen grabbed my shoulders, and explained further: “We need him, watching you. We need to give Ehrian a false signal. If Ehrian finds out that you and Kevin are no longer a couple, he will surely plan out an ambush. We will be there when that happens to you. We will seal him. You need to break up with Kevin. Until, this is all over.”

“You’re telling me to lie?” You felt your eyes sting as you pictured Kevin’s hurt expression.

“We’re telling you to protect yourself. To save our realm. To save Kevin. If… when this is done. When this is all over. We will no longer bother you. You will keep your children. You’ll live a normal life. We will be no longer your boss, but your friends. But, if you don’t willingly do this, I’m going to make sure you and your children; never see each other again.” Chen said; hurt, almost not wanting to use that as a threat. But it did work. A possible future to live happily. “If you do what I say the only time in the future when we have to interfere; is when you invite us to your child’s birthday party or any danger arise. You and Kevin will live happily. But I’m asking you to cooperate. Not for me. Not for the Elders. Not just for Kevin. But for the thousands of Starlites that need your help without realizing the danger amongst them. That could kill us all. Not only my people. But yours.” Chen pointed at you. You felt an immense amount of pressure. Dammit.

“_____...” Luhan pleaded. “I know…” He cupped your cheek. “It’s going to be hard. But… I beg of you… please.” Luhan’s eyes started to water. “I can’t see the Starlite children die because of that monster.” The precious deer’s  eyes then shifted to a glowing red. “I will not let him kill them.” He said angrily.

“…Kevin could hear my thoughts.” You looked at Chen.

Chen smiled.

“I can change that. Close your eyes.”

You close your eyes shut, and felt a hand on your forehead.

“You’ll feel a slight sting.” Chen warned, his hand starting to pulse with sudden energy. “Thank you, _____. Not just my thanks, but… from everybody. We’ll protect you. And I’m sure Kevin will understand in the end.”

“I.. I hope so.”

I hope so.