Our little escapade to the palace would take about 2-3 weeks, according to Luhan. I didn't know how he knew that, but right now that didn't really matter. Maybe he was a runaway, a former prisoner, a slave... Okay, I was getting off track. But the point was, he knew how to get there, so we left at once. 

 

          Ever since we started our journey, we've been attacked 4 times. My life has been a series of similar incidents recently, so this was nothing new to me. I could even sort of sense when an attack was coming. That time when Hyesun and I were attacked, I actually had a bad dream the night before. I was confident that I could warn Sehun and Luhan if ever we were attacked again, so I kept my senses on alert. 

 

           A few days passed with my senses not reacting to anything. Every night we rested in some place hidden among the trees, and we took shifts to keep watch for anything suspicious. 

 

          One night, I couldn't sleep for some reason, so I decided to accompany whoever was keeping watch outside. I checked the sleeping bags beside me and saw Sehun curled up in his sleeping bag and snoring peacefully. I guess that meant that Luhan was outside. 

 

           I tried to step out as quietly as I could, but due to my rotten luck and unfailing clumsiness, I managed to step on a leaf. It made a crunch sound. His head jerked up and he looked at me. I felt myself turning red. 

 

          "Sorry, I-"

 

          "Can't sleep?" he asked. 

 

          I was too dazed to reply, so I just shot him a duh look. 

 

          "I guess that was a stupid question..." he looked embarrassed and his face got all red. "Forget I said that, okay?" He said. He looked somewhat... lonely, like he really wanted some company, even from someone as much of a stranger to him as I was. 

 

          I managed a small nod and an awkward smile. he patted the space on the grass beside him and motioned for me to sit. I did, though it felt kind of weird.

 

          "So... what are your hobbies?" Geez, could I have said anything to make this even MORE awkward? 

 

           "Hyemi... are you hitting on me?" Luhan asked, an eyebrow raised, mocking.

 

           "God, no! Can't you tell when someone's trying to make conversation?" I heard myself say, mortified.

 

           Luhan laughed, and it sounded like something he was bad at. Like he wasn't used to laughing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He went on like this for a while. When his breathing returned to normal, he said, "I like singing."

 

           I must've given a NO WAY! face, because he quickly added, "Honestly!"

 

            I was surprised, but he just shrugged. "Guess I just don't look like a good singer."

 

           "It's not that!" I tried to save myself, "It's just that you guys are, you know, living in the forest and stuff. I just don't see how there's time for you guys to, say, vocalize or whatnot." Okay. That sounded stupid.

 

           He smiled confidently and said, "I'm all natural, no practice required." I rolled my eyes, I didn't think he was the arrogant type, but I guess he was just joking. "It runs in the family," he continued. 

 

          "Sehun?" I asked.

 

          "Sehun?" He replied, surprised. "Oh, no. We're just friends. Oh, wait. That sounded wrong. Anyway, we're childhood friends.., although we do look a bit similar... But yeah, he sings too."

 

             I made a mental note to make sure to hear Sehun and Luhan sing next time. I also wanted to know about Luhan's family, but we just sat there for a couple more minutes, enjoying the night.

 

 

          "Oh, there you guys are." He seemed relieved to see us. "Something's coming." 

 

          The three of us automatically formed a little circle, with our backs to each other. We were prepared for anything that would attack us. And that's when we heard it howl. 

 

          I felt Sehun's arm tense next to mine. "Wolf."