Once everyone was full with Kyungsoo’s delicious food, the time finally came to clean out the mess they made while eating. Reluctantly, the boys stood up and complied with their task, without forgetting to leave some food in a plate for you in case you would be hungry later in the night. As soon as everything was done, tiredness began to get to some of them; Careful not to make any noise which could wake you up, almost everyone went up the stairs to take a good rest in their own room. The atmosphere was a bit tense since they were all worried about your condition.

Hoya and Sunggyu plopped down in front of the TV, in the center part of the large “U” shaped couch, the right side being occupied by the still sleeping Saja while the left one was already taken by Myungsoo, who was caught up in his book, totally oblivious of his surrounding. Or at least, he wished he could do that. But tonight it simply would not work. He couldn’t take refuge in his books anymore. Actually, he wanted nothing more than going upstairs to verify if you were alright. It’s not that he didn’t trust Yixing. In fact, he was one of the rare Jianhuren he trusted. However, being the distrustful boy he was, he didn’t really like the idea of the elder’s intrusion in your room. To be honest, he didn’t really like the whole situation in general.

He had found his little piece of heaven in this house. He was the silent, calm type. He loved to observe better. After being the witness of his mother’s death, he became the opposite of what he once used to be. A lively, funny child who wore his heart on his sleeve. During that period, he stopped playing with the other Jagers' children. He would just remain in a corner, completely silent. He would still give them a fake, small smile from time to time, so they wouldn’t worry about him. He had been glad to have them by his side, to have them comfort him the best they could despite their young age. Because the adults were way too preoccupied with their own problems. A few months later though, he didn’t came anymore. The others were eventually told that he was too sad to see them. That his father passed away a few days ago. However, Myungsoo returned. After a few weeks, he still came back. Because it was easier to deal with his pain when his mind was occupied. So that’s what the others did. They occupied him the best they could. From that day until now, they would snap him out of his thoughts when he frowned. They would do silly things to entertain him. They would talk to him even if they didn’t really have something to say. And he was thankful for that. He had already noticed how, even now, they would sometimes glance at him, discreetly judging whether he was alright or no. They doubtlessly were his family now. That’s why, even if he never showed it, he cared for them more than anything else. Actually, he cared for them even more than he cared for his own existence. But he still would not admit it openly. Honestly speaking, he was scared. Scared that if he ever let his feelings out, the people he loved would be hurt again. That was the reason why he always wore his forced, expressionless face on. Though, the others never questioned him about that. They never asked him why he changed so drastically. They never asked why he was rarely smiling, even now. They never asked him why he was acting as if nothing was worth his interest. They never asked why he seemed to be so empty. They just accepted him as he was. As a true, loving family would do. That’s why he had found his little piece of heaven in this house.

But he saw how most of the Jianhuren looked at him like he was a gazing-stock, an abnormal. And he knew he may be perceived as such. That’s partly why he didn’t really blame them. They didn’t know him nor the events he went through. The thing was he didn’t like being stared at as if he was a silent freak. As if he was dysfunctional. Because the weight of their gaze told him maybe they were right. That in some way, he was.

“Do you want to watch something in particular, Myungsoo?” Hoya intentionally interrupted Myungsoo’s thoughts. The latter looked up from his book and at the large screen in front of them, playing a random movie that the two others weren’t even watching. He inwardly smiled at their disguised attempt to change his mind once again.

“Yeah, it’s your time to choose tonight.” Sunggyu joined in with a smile, ignoring the fact that he never returned them.

“I will pass, then.” Myungsoo shrugged “Going to bed. Night.” He said before closing his book. Standing up, he made his way upstairs, always so silently.

*You are so obvious, you fools* he thoughts gratefully and an almost unnoticeable smile curved his lips upwards.

While walking to his room, at the end of the corridor, he passed by your room. His feet unconsciously stopped dead in their track as his head turned towards the ajar door.

“Sleep well” he heard Yixing’s whispering.

Seeing the older boy still wasn’t out of the room after a few seconds, a frown progressively appeared on Myungsoo forehead, in between his two raven black eyes. Immediately forgetting his tiredness, he noiselessly walked to the doorstep to see what was going on inside. He didn’t like it. What he saw. It annoyed him. The scene felt wrong to his eyes. He had the urge to dash in the room so he could remove the boy’s hand from your sleeping face. But he knew better than to yield to this brotherly reaction. Instead, he carefully stepped backwards. After a few minutes, Yixing finally came out of the room, carefully closing the door behind him, wearing a tiny smile which automatically faded once he acknowledged Myungsoo’s presence. He cleared his throat awkwardly, as if he knew he had been caught red-handed.

“Heading to bed?” he asked the black-haired boy, seeing the latter was planted in front of the door expectantly. Even if he was older than Myungsoo, Yixing never felt completely at ease when he was around him. For some unknown reasons, the silent boy loathed demons more than anything. He saw it with his own eyes. The hatred sparkling in Myungsoo’s as he came back from the fight against some of Leeteuk’s men.

“This is my home” Myungsoo finally declared with an icy voice. “Hence, what I am doing is none of your business.” He continued with a flat, empty tone which still managed to resound like a dangerous threat to Yixing’s ears. No doubt it was.

The latter was surprised to see how charismatic and impressive the quiet boy appeared with his words. He was always seen with a book in his hands and the way he expressed himself clearly reflected his taste for literature. Yixing opened his mouth as he was about to answer, but most to his surprise, the boy wasn’t finished yet.

“I can’t prevent you from approaching her considering she is also one of yours. However, if you or one of your friends lay a single finger on her or on my family, I will certainly not stand idly by. If that ever happens, if you ever make her suffer, I will make sure to kill you all without hesitation. Truce or not. I hope I am clear enough.” Myungsoo warned him, his facial expression suddenly brought back to life as a dangerous sparkle danced threateningly into his eyes. Yixing knew better than to provoke the bored-looking boy, so he simply nodded. Before he could utter a word though, the other had already returned to his quiet self and walked away to his room wearing his eternal blank face.

***

Approximately half an hour later, the peaceful silence was interrupted by muffled screams echoing throughout the house. In the living room, the two Jägers’ ears perked up at the sounds. It was doubtlessly coming from your room. Without wasting another second, they rushed upstairs, only to find your door already wide open.

They found Luhan sitting on the edge of your bed, pinning your wrists to the pillow and Sehun standing in front of the bed with a worried expression. Jimin soon hurriedly entered the spacious room with an even more concerned expression and wide eyes.

“What’s happening here?” Sunggyu almost shouted at Luhan.

“What do you think I’m trying to do?! I’m preventing her to hurt herself. But, hell, she’s stronger than she looks” Luhan cursed while you kept on struggling helplessly in your sleep as if you wanted to escape something. Your breathing was irregular and you had a panicked expression on your face.

“Is she alright!?” Suho asked as he stepped in the bedroom, followed by the others.

“She’s having this nightmare again.” Jimin stated with a displeased frown as he beheld your tear strained face and your quavering breathing.

“Dreaming the same thing over and over again is never good…” Yixing stated with a dark tone.

“This is not exactly the same.” Luhan spoke up, his voice a bit hazy. Your body calmed down a bit, but he still didn’t let go of your arms as he described everyone briefly the images he was able to perceive.

“How would you know?” Dongwoo snapped at the older boy, his eyes still on you.

“I just saw it. Do I have to remember you that I can read minds?” Luhan replied without bothering to look at him, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.

He noticed how you would think of these dreams while spacing out, silently voicing all sorts of questions to yourself. That’s why the blonde approximately knew how your original nightmare looked like, as you would unintentionally flash him some short mental pictures.

“And now, you are invading her mind too, right?” Hoya pointed out rhetorically, his question echoing as an accusation.

“I’m just trying to help her!” Luhan defended himself. “If you’re not satisfied with this, then get lost. But shut the hell up.” He barked at the other, who just glared in response. Sunggyu patted his friends shoulders, his way to say they needed to calm down.

“Weird…” Luhan mumbled unconsciously. He had succeeded entering your dream but what he saw was definitely unexpected. It was the first time he saw so much black. If there was one word to describe what greeted his eyes, it would be ‘nothingness’. You were trapped in the middle of a desolate, chaotic place with no way out.

In a dream, there was always a way to escape, whether it was a door, an object or anything which would cause an awakening. However, in this case, there was nothing.

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun inquired with a frown, obviously intrigued by Luhan’s reaction.

The blond haired boy didn’t hear the question as he was too engrossed in the scene to pay attention to his friend. He witnessed how a tiny source of light approached you. How it set fire to the entire place. How you hysterically struggled against your chains to free yourself. His heart dropped at the view you were offering and the others began worrying even more seeing your sudden agitated state.

Tightening his grip around your wrists once again, Luhan tried to take control of your mind to see if it could be of any help… Much to his surprise, after a few long, tiring seconds and thanks to his acute, trained telepathic skills, he managed to manipulate your mind to make your chains disappear.

The fact he could interfere clearly proved that this place wasn’t real. That it wasn’t a dream. It doubtlessly proved all of this had its source in the darkest depths of your mind.

“Of course! Why didn’t I think of this earlier?” he exclaimed incredulously, mocking his own stupidity.

“What is it, Luhan?” Xiumin urged the telepath to provide them with an answer.

“She is not exactly dreaming.” Luhan tried his best to give an understandable explanation to this rather complex phenomenon. “It’s more like a trick of her mind. She is trapped in her subconscious. That’s why she keeps on dreaming about the same thing over and over again. That thing she is dreaming about, it’s… a kind of memory. A bit like a recording.”

***

“I was waiting for you” a voice suddenly spoke behind you. You froze on spot.

It seemed familiar.

And yet, it wasn’t.

You didn’t know why but you felt the irresistible urge to turn around. It was so strong that you couldn’t struggle any longer against it. In a painfully slow movement, you turned your body back in the direction of the voice, backfacing the baby-bed and the child. As your eyes locked with the person’s own ones, they instantly widened.

It was a woman.

No.

It was the woman.

That woman. The very wom