Chanyeol hates July the fourth.

 

Firstly, it's Independence Day, the day that mocks Chanyeol's very existence.

 

Secondly, Chanyeol doesn't really enjoy waking up to find out he's still alive.

 

As the bell rings, signaling that their owner is up, Chanyeol stretches his aching body and throws the thin blanket off himself, then rouses the other Scaiv, Lay, who is thirteen Scaiv years old, but still twenty-five in human terms.

 

"Good morning and a happy birthing day." Lay mumbles sleepily, his lips puckered as he rises to his feet, brows creased in an uneasy frown.

 

"What time is it? Three in the morning?" Chanyeol asks. "It's too early to be up... Unless...."

 

Lay, whose eyes are now fully open, says,"Oh no. No. She can't possibly be thinking about getting another one of us. "

 

Chanyeol's heart starts to thud, faster and faster, his mind whirling in realisation.

 

Today is the Schaivo dando fiesta. And their owner has roused them early to bring them there.

 

The only thought in his mind is his owner getting yet another Scaiv, decreasing their already pitiful food rations, and perhaps, just perhaps, releasing one of them. She won't send them back to their home, no, it will be too troublesome. 

 

No, she will leave them to die.

 

That's what some owners do, and unfortunately, Chanyeol's scared that she might possibly do that this very day. Maybe she has grown tired and weary of them.

 

Chanyeol looks to Lay, who's panicked expression suggests that he's thinking the same thing.

 

"No. No. She can't do that." Lay whispers, horrified. 

 

"She won't want to keep three Scaivs, Lay. No one has more than two, she's already complaining about how much it takes to keep us" Chanyeol utters darkly, his expression shadowed.

 

"But we haven't done anything! We haven't messed up! We've been perfectly.." Lay struggles to spit out the word, and when he does, he does so viciously. "Pleasing."

 

Chanyeol shrugs, "Someone new to break, perhaps. You can't feel pain, and I've long learned not to  show anything, so maybe she needs a new plaything."

 

Lay's eyes shoot to Chanyeol, intensely fearful. "Then she might kill both of us."

 

Just then, the door creaks open, and Chanyeol rights himself and averts Lay's gaze, just like he's supposed to.

 

Fortunately, it's just a maid. Her eyes give them a once-over, then she motions for them to step out. Chanyeol stumbles disorientedly in only his underwear into the freezing hallways, and follows stiffly after the maid towards his owners' room. Lay catches his gaze, a warning in his eyes, and Chanyeol holds it for just two seconds, and no more. Looking at Lay is dangerous. His owner only wants his eyes on her.

 

Chanyeol focuses his eyes on the floor, his hands straight at his side, unwilling to feel cold, to tremble, to show weakness. She will only enjoy that more. He pushes his chest out, straightens his back, toes digging into the soft carpet as he walks. Footsteps sound like dull thumps on the floor, but to Chanyeol, whose ears are ringing, they sound weirdly distorted, louder, yet more muffled.

 

And then they arrive at the door. Chanyeol's head snaps up as the for swings open, revealing the plush velvet flooring and the silky bed sheets that he has come to hate. Just hidden behind the cupboard in a range of torture devices.

 

And she appears.

 

When Chanyeol first met her, his first instincts told him that she looked stunningly gorgeous, his eyes zeroing on the curves of her hips. Her eyes are a wide, bright electric piercing blue then, which Chanyeol now describes as a watery, pale color that lights up at the thought of administering pain. Her fingers are long and tapered, but Chanyeol hadn't noticed the long, sharp fingernails that often screeches along the wall. Her nose is sharp but delicate all the same, which Chanyeol had admired, but now he hates its purpose. And lastly, her lips are medium size but full, alas Chanyeol did not notice that it forms a menacing, ugly smile.

 

That was thirteen years ago, when Chanyeol was two Scaiv years old and she was twenty five. Now, at the age of thirty eight, she is no less beautiful to others, and true it is that her form did not age much, but to Chanyeol, her being has become something repulsive.

 

"Hello boys." It comes out as a lazy, bored drawl. Chanyeol's eyes harden, he looks down, and he and Lay both utter a good morning in a voice that is cheerful on the outside but dead on the inside.

 

"Come with me, we're going to the fiesta today. You remember the fiesta, do you?" 

 

Chanyeol utters a quiet yes, begging Lay not to show any sign of enthusiasm or panic, which he unfortunately does in the the form of a hitched breath.

 

Chanyeol's owner catches Lay's eye, and Chanyeol looks up just in time to see curve into a snarky grin before she lets out a trilling laugh.

 

"Oh, don't worry pets, I won't forget our toys." She admonishes, "you didn't think I would forget, did you?"

 

And Chanyeol can't help let out a tiny groan as she reaches out to grab two pairs of handcuffs, a whip, and a gag.

 

-----

 

Feeling warm in the winter is such a strange experience. Baekhyun, clad in a suit, is led to an enclosed amphitheater, stuffy despite the snow that falls outside. Human bodies- real human bodies are pressed against him, pulling his jacket, touching his hair. Baekhyun has never been showered with this much attention.

 

They are led up to a big stage. Scaivs are already there, Scaivs that Baekhyun doesn't know. They have diverse features, some with sun-kissed skin, others with fair and freckled faces. Red hair, blonde hair, brown hair. Tall, short. Long and lean, wide and muscular. Yet so disturbingly familiar, their faces equally tense, equally nervous.

 

When Baekhyun finally makes it to the stage, he looks down, and finally he is treated with a view of the crowd, his perspective owners. He hadn't been able to get his bearings when he entered-the room was buzzing with too much excitement, the unfamiliar voices rose loud and harsh, and the pure enormity of it had consumed Baekhyun in such a way that his mind had started to whirl.

 

But now, above the buzzing crowd, Baekhyun can see the whole amphitheater. At the doors, the minders standing guard. But that is the only seemingly harsh aspect of this event, everything else is all colour and food and music and friendly talk.

 

Suddenly, Baekhyun feels a sharp zap at his side.

 

"Stop slouching." A minder whispers, harshly, in Baekhyun's ear. He is instantly dragged back to reality, and the smile on his face fades to nothing.

 

"Baekhyun." Yifan tugs at Baekhyun's jacket sleeve. 

 

"What?"

 

"Look there. Isn't that...isn't that one of us?" Yifan points to the corner of the amphitheater, where a good-looking lady is propped against the wall comfortably, her clear blue eyes watching the crowd. Beside her are two tall, lanky men, standing on her both sides, both wearing loose clothing.

 

One has wide brown eyes, a full mouth, luscious brown hair falling onto his face, but his expression is cold, eyes slitted, determined. An expression that doesn't fit his soft features.

 

The other, shorter one looks more Chinese, blond hair that is probably dyed, with sharp cheekbones. His lips are thin, eyes a stormy grey. He looks on with anxiety, and he keeps clenching and unclenching his jaw.

 

"They can't be. If they are Scaivs, then she is the owner, and she wouldn't come here. After all, no one has three Scaivs." Baekhyun argues, though something tells him that they are.

 

"Maybe she'll get rid of one of them," Yifan says, looking worried.

 

Baekhyun scrutinizes them carefully. Yifan is probably right. The angry, bitter, anxious looks on their faces give it all away.

 

Just then, the taller one looks up, apparently breaking out of his train of thoughts, and scans the neat line of Scaivs with those deep brown eyes of his. When they finally land on Baekhyun, their eyes lock, and his eyebrows furrow. In those bare moments, his eyes seem to melt, pouring out desperation, helplessness, anger, all in one heated glance. Then the mysterious Scaiv turns away.

 

The tension in Baekhyun's stomach tightens. He looks back up to the stage, where the line is slowly snaking forward, down the stage  and towards the waiting queue of potential owners.

 

"Look, another one too!" Yifan points to a shorter Scaiv with huge, deer like eyes, peering at the Scaivs on the stage with some curiousity. His owner is young girl, around nineteen years old, tugging at his hand. Beside her Is also another younger girl, sixteen at least, looking excited. Baekhyun studies the Scaiv. He looks rather contented, holding the girl's hand tightly in his own, a hint of a smile dancing on his lips, a blush of red on his cheek- the leftovers of a kiss.

 

"Lucky guy." JongDae says, envy in his smooth voice. "Looks like he got himself a partner."

 

"The other girl looks like she's looking for one," Baekhyun says. He points to the queue, the announcer shouting the names as he releases the Scaivs into the crowd. "Get there as soon as you can. Maybe.. Maybe you'll have a chance."

 

JongDae nods, his face serious. "You too."

 

And just like that, JongDae's name is called, and he disappears into the crowd like a dust particle being into a black hole. Baekhyun wrings his hands and follows Chen's dark hair bobbing in the sea of faces, craftily slipping past reaching hands. Finally, he arrives in front of the mildly surprised girl, his face red with exertion and excitement. The other Scaiv smiles, offers a hand.

 

"Lucky stiff. He got there early." Yifan sniffs in disdain. He pulls Baekhyun forward. "Come on."

 

As Yifan pulls him forward, Baekhyun looks back to watch JongDae smiling, chatting, laughing, until they get too far and he is lost in the crowd.

 

After a few more minutes of waiting, Baekhyun finally hears his name being called. He slips past Yifan, who wishes him luck, and runs down the steps, stumbling half the way.

 

Someone grabs him by the forearm, he turns, and grins

 

"What's your name?" The woman asks. Baekhyun smiles even wider, his heart thudding wildly, telling himself to smile, to laugh, to be happy,

 

"I am Byun Baekhyun. Nice to meet you."

 

~~~~~author's note~~~~~

 

Heyyyy you all! Hope you liked this chapter. I know it's a little short but I'm really busy right now... *sigh*

 

As you probably guessed ( by my updated foreward and added tags) there will be some chenlu coming into play :))! Haha Luhan did get lucky didn't he. There will be a development in Kaisoo and definitely some Baekyeol next chapter. Watch out for it okay!!!!!

 

P.s IN CASE I DONT COME BACK TOO SOON:

(Comment)

Q1. Fave characters so far? (Except Luhan, Yifan and JongDae)

 

Q2. One of the Scaivs is very SPECIAL. Can you guess who and why? ( If you're the first to get this right I'll write a special chapter for you,anything at all)

 

Q3. PREDICT THE CHENLU RELATIONSHIP.

 

Signing out-Writerus_Da2nd