“Hey Kris, it’s time to wake up,” a soft voice behind the blackness of closed eyes called out.

“Hm?” Kris slowly opened his eyes to see Suho leaning over him. Kris tried to sit up but quickly realized he was being held onto by Tao.

“Be careful not to wake him up,” Suho whispered as he quietly exited the room.

Kris cautiously backed out of Tao’s embrace. Tao seemed to sense this and gripped tighter onto Kris’s shirt. Did I wake him up? Kris thought.

“Just a few more moments,” Tao mumbled into the pillow.

“Okay,” Kris said unsure of whether Tao was awake or asleep. He laid back down and the younger cuddled closer. After a few more moments, Kris sat back up again and tried to climb over Tao, which isn’t an easy task when you’re half-awake.

“Are you leaving already?” Tao turned over.

“Yeah, It’s 7:10 already,” Kris replied while picking up the track suit Suho had brought for him.

“You’re changing in the bathroom?”

“Yeah….why?”

“Is it that awkward to change in front of me?”

“No… I mean… kinda… but…” Kris looked down.

“I’m just teasing you.” Tao smiled, “Now go get changed.”

With that, Kris quickly dressed into the track suit. Unsure of what the day was going to be like, Kris styled his hair a little more than usual. With a long sighed, Kris headed toward the dining room. Tao surprised him with an American style breakfast, something he’d missed for the past few days. Kris assumed Tao knew how to cook, but was better than he expected.

“This is really good,” Kris complimented while chowing down.

“Thanks. The first time we went out to eat was to eat breakfast. It’d been the first time I’d even eaten American food and I loved the way it tasted. So, I made sure to memorize how to make it. You’d always say it tasted better than the restaurant,” Tao nostalgically recalled a paradox past.

“Haha, why wouldn’t you have believed me?”

“I just thought you were trying to be nice, especially since you CAN’T cook.” Tao laughed.

“Heeyyy, I can cook cup noodles!”

“Alrighty, tonight I’ll make dinner for you and tomorrow you can make cup noodles for us, how does that sound?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Kris joked. There was a sudden knock at the door. Suho answered the door and two men in full body armor entered.

“We’re here for the next Titans” one of them spoke.

“I guess it’s time already.” Kris sighed.

“Be careful.” Tao hugged the older.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun quietly emerged from their room. Chanyeol had his track suit zipped completelely up. Both hugged each other tightly before Kris and Chanyeol followed the men outside. The door tightly shut behind them; no turning back now. There were barriers lined up to keep the citizens away. Many of them were yelling profanities at the two and holding disgraceful picket signs.

“People really don’t like us huh?” Kris turned to Chanyeol who had been unusually quiet.

“Yeah I guess,” he said simply.

“Is something wrong? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Chanyeol quickened his pace, ending their conversation.

After a short walk, they reached a large auditorium-like building. Guards flooded the perimeter. Once through 3 sets of doors, they entered a room with steel walls and it was full of exercise equipment.

“You have exactly 4 hours to warm up and start working out. After that will be lunch. Then, we will show you a short video to…motivate you. Finally, we will work with you on using your powers and strategies. Any questions?” A guard said sternly.

“Nope,” Kris and Chanyeol said simultaneously.

“Good. Now warm up,” the guard instructed.

Both began stretching to the light marching music playing over the speakers. An awkward silence filled the entire room.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Chanyeol?” Kris asked, freaked out by Chanyeol’s unusual silence.

“Kris, I’m probably going to die soon. Do you THINK I’m okay?” Chanyeol growled.

“Hey, calm down.”

“Kris, you really don’t get it do you? You’re going to die in a couple of weeks!”

“I know, it just doesn’t feel rea,l I guess…”

“It doesn’t feel real? You’re joking right?” Chanyeol began stepping closer to Kris. Kris instinctively began backing away. Suddenly Chanyeol rushed at him, grabbing Kris by the collar of his track suit. He threw Kris to the ground and pulled back his right fist, preparing to strike. “IS THIS REAL ENOUGH FOR YOU, KRIS?” Chanyeol shouted in the other’s face.

“Chanyeol…” Kris bit his lip. He didn’t want to look weak but couldn’t help but cower from Chanyeol’s fury. The guards ran over and broke the two apart.   

“Is it sinking in yet, Kris?” Chanyeol said with softer, wet eyes. “Think about the pain you’re going to cause someone and the pain you’re going to feel.”

Kris was taken aback. Reality was starting to settle. One of his new friends would give him those same evil eyes and attempt to take his life...and he would have to do the same. Kris’s breathing quickened as this thought ran countless times through his head. He’d have to kill or be killed.

Once Chanyeol calmed down again, he was allowed to rejoin Kris in the training room. Both were quiet but on friendlier terms.

“Other than that... is there anything else bothering you?” Kris finally asked after a half hour of silence.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because if you had truly calmed down, you would’ve ped your jacket by now. It’s still all the way up,” Kris pointed out.

“Oh, haha,” Chanyeol laughed awkwardly.

“So it already.”

“Nah, I mean I’m more comfortable with it up like this.” Chanyeol forcefully smiled.

Kris dashed over to Chanyeol and struggled with him to the zipper. Unsure of whether to two were fighting again or not, the guards cautiously approached them. With success, Kris eventually removed the track suit jacket to reveal a plain white shirt. Kris spotted something usual though.

“Is that bruises on your neck?” Kris asked innocently. Chanyeol laughed at the question.

“Sure, if you believe they’re bruises, then they are. Just don’t tell anyone else about them, okay?” Chanyeol snickered to himself.

“…. Unless those are hickies…” Kris suddenly realized.

Chanyeol only grinned a cheeky smile at Kris’s remark.