Chapter 6; Speed

"Why do you have a labyrinth? Why Baekhyun" Kai seethed at the phone, Baek beginning to feel regrettable on the other line.
        "Just find her." He answered, entering the tangled vines. Vera had disappeared into nature's maze, her laughing audible in all directions. Very convenient (for Vera) that Baek owned an endless garden, however mind boggling for Jongin (and Baekhyun himself) to find her. Kai had left Ana without thinking, as did Baek. It hit the two when they were lost inside the ivy walls, any exit invisible.
        "Vera! Get over here!" Jongin growled toward the sky, spinning in circles.
        "Haha!" The wind carried her chime like laugh, sweeping up bits of gravel.
        "Where are you?" Baek ran through twists and turns, cursing under his breath. He had never took the time to study his own garden, thanks to his interest of paints. Maybe even the hectic keeping up of Ana and Kai's quarrels.
        "Come and catch me!" Vera giggled, the dumb innocent girl showing herself once again.
        "Why did you do it?" Kai yelled, his breathing hoarse as he attempted to retrace his steps back out. He was suffocated, out of breath.
        "There are reasons!" Vera whispered, her voice tingling Jongin's ear. His head snapped toward the sound, moss covered branches in its place.
        "WHAT ARE THEY?" Baekhyun answered, unbelievingly finding his dongsaeng in the heart of the maze. Both of their chests heaved roughly. Surrounding them, the core of the labyrinth branched out into five different passages, all hooded by the falling darkness. As much as Vera was their enemy, nightfall was too. If they couldn't catch her now, they would never catch her. They wanted to end her, but help her. Lock her safe and sound, away from trouble.
        "We can talk this out you know." Baek said to the midway tunnel, a rustle of dried leaves replying back.
        "No. We can't, Byun. Baek. -Hyun." And with that Vera pulled out another knife, sending it straight for forgotten Kai.
-
        The rapper pulled Ana off him, guilty when she winced. Her shoulder dribbled fresh blood to the not-so-spotless-now floor.
        "Was Vera always this...crazy?" Ana almost laughed, her breaths still small and raspy.
        "She was. But we ignored it. She was just so good at everything. Athletics, school, ...crimes." Chanyeol paused, looking at Ana's shoulder" when mom died though. She became even wilder. School grades plummeted to nothing. Crimes became noticeable and frequent. And if she wasn't eating or sleeping, every waking moment was for 'gymnastics'."
        "While she watched me go to auditions, I watched her slice off mannequin heads." The older Oppa said something that fit into Suho's story, Vera 'watched' him go into the building. With a passcode. Vera was the elite criminal, the one in Junmyun's tale.

        "Hello?" Chanyeol's outspoken memory was interrupted by an essential phone call.

        "No bullcr*p Chanyeol, listen: Report her! Get her arrested! Don't make me have to remind you what she did to Ana." Kai shouted at the elder hyung "She attempted to poison her! Ana could've died! And you're here doing absolutely nothing!"
      "Jongin, I can't do that. She'll be locked up forever-"
      "WHY!? Why can't you? She's mad! Insane! Dangerous!" The reason of course was obvious, though Kai didn't expect the last word of his response.
      "Because," Chanyeol paused hesitantly "because, she's my sister. Vera is my sister, and I repaid my debt."

Ana gaped in awe, the knife in her shoulder slipping out numbly.

"Sheeeethhh" went the 'v' etched blade, clattering next to Kai's girlfriend.
-
        Jongin's eyes widened and he sprung up from his slouch on the ground, much too slow. A foot away from plunging into Kai's heart, it reached Baekhyun first.

Baek's eyes filled with panic as the metal buried itself into his skin.
-
        "Ah." Ana and Baek simultaneously choked out.

Ana was fine.

Baek was not.

Kai was fine.

Chanyeol was not.

And Vera? The stepsister of Chanyeol? The criminal in Suho's story? The two-sided beauty?

Gone.

Gone like the painting.
 

Me: *Runs back into maze* To avoid your hits from the cliffhanger.