"I'm running out of time." Kris said quietly, "The blood moon doesn't come for another six months, yet he expects results now. And you're the key to his answers."

Suji stood in bewilderment, hearing everything yet understanding nothing. Blood moon? Running out of time? She knew nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nothing other than the fact that she will become a sacrifice for the others. "What do you mean? Why me?" She had nothing to do with them. What had she done to deserve all the attention they have placed upon her?

"You know too much. And he knows that you know." He took a step forward, his eyes cold and calculating as he surveyed her reaction, "You will be our undoing. There were only six months left, yet you revealed your knowledge to him." His lip curled, exposing his pointed teeth, gleaming in the light of the afternoon sun, "For that, I have no choice but to kill you… and my future." His eyes were set with a hard determination, as though having realised that he could not escape his fate.

"You'll be caught. I am the heiress to Hwasung Group and the major shareholder and head neurosurgeon of Seoul Hospital. If I suddenly go missing…"

Kris let out a harsh laugh, eyes never leaving her face, "You think I care what humans you place on my tail? They won't be able to place a scratch on my skin! The one human who could kill me will be the first to cover your death. He has more power than you can imagine. Next to him, Kim Suji is just a nobody."

"My parents will never stand for this! They'll find you and they'll-"

"Who said that I'll hide like a rat?" He snarled in triumph, "I can kill you right in front of your parents. In front of the whole world. And still, no one will care."

"That's a foolish thing to do Yifan Gege." A familiar voice spoke behind Suji; one that she hadn't heard for a long time, "You know that that's strictly forbidden by her."

Suji turned, gasping in shock, having been snuck upon with such absolute silence. To see them all was such an unexpected gift that she froze, unsure of how to respond to their presence. The five of them stood shoulder to shoulder from the inseparable , Yixing, Luhan and Minseok, to the two nameless boys she had encountered during her first visit to the hospital and, right at the very front, Suho, standing so tall and proud and so undeniably Suho that it were as though he had never left her.

Kris smirked, "I was wondering when you were all going to show yourselves. He didn't have the strength to stop time for all of you as well as myself and Suji here."

"It's pretty noticeable when all our customers froze before our very eyes." The voice mused, "We only decided to get involved in your little banter when you started spouting these foolish plans. If you disobey her, you'll be punished dearly. You know that."

"I don't have any other choice, Lay." Kris spat, "He wants me to give you all up now. The plan would have worked if it wasn't for her!"

"We'll simply hide." Yixing snapped, so uncharacteristically irritable that Suji could only stare in amazement, "You know that we won't allow ourselves to get caught. There's no need for you to sacrifice yourself in their place."

"Lay's right." Suho spoke with a patient, yet authoritive air, "When we leave this planet, we 'll all leave together. Not a single one of us will remain behind. Besides," He allowed himself a small grin, "What's the worst he could do?"

Kris didn't smile back, his voice was low and grave as he spoke and Suji caught a shimmer in his eye that hadn't been there before. "He'll kill them both. Starting from Tao."

His voice cracked as he eked out the name and he appeared to sag downwards; the red rings around his eyes more visible than ever before and his voice rising to a trembling wail, "He'll kill him, Lay. He doesn't need him anyway. All he needs is Chen for the time being."

Luhan darted forwards in alarm, catching the man as he staggered and fell forwards, hands gripping his face as though to tear the skin off. Suji backed away cautiously, wincing at the wrenching pain in his cries and looking at him through new eyes.

"What do I do!?" He screamed into Luhan's shoulder, clutching onto him like a life saving raft, "I don't know anymore! I've tried so hard to no results and every night…" He squeezed his eyes shut as though trying to wipe out a vision so horrific that it burned him, voice trailing away to a weary murmur. "Every night I hear them. I lie in the same building as them and I hear their thoughts crying out to me. His voice… I never hear his laughter anymore." He keeled over into the dust, sobbing hysterically. "Every night, I can't sleep. Tao… He's hurting. My Tao…"

Minseok dragged her into the house, past the statue-like figures of the very people she had seen enter the hospital, now frozen mid-action. They were eerily still; their skin waxy and dull as though dead. Suji had picked up from the conversation that time had somehow stopped for a moment and that they were walking through a break in its continuous cycle. The silence was absolute with the stillness of immobile particles. Even the breaths she took in felt heavy, as though she were on liquid. She hadn't noticed the effects earlier, but now that she was aware of the situation in which she stood, every movement seemed slow and lethargic.

Cancerous and sick.

"Wh- What's going on?" Suji blustered, alarmed at the tears and yells they have left behind them, "Who's Tao? Wha-"

"Be quiet and come with us." Minseok hissed, impatiently tugging at her arm. He glanced nervously behind him and quickened his steps, sighing with frustration at her awkward steps.

"Don't worry Suji ya." Luhan scampered beside her, eyes as round as ever, "We'll fill you in on everything soon."

They urged her upstairs, into their spacious living quarters, as though fleeing from a bomb about to explode behind them. Suji could hardly see where she was going, let alone take in her surroundings. They were just passing door after door after door and she could hear whispered murmurs of new voices behind them as well as the soft pattering of bare feet on tiles. Minseok held her with a vice grip around her waist and left wrist as though afraid that she was going to fall. She was grateful for it. If not for him, she would have dropped to the ground, unable to continue with the effort each step took.

The door slammed shut behind her as they finally stopped and Suji sagged in Minseok's hold, knees buckling beneath her. She felt herself being lowered onto something soft; her limbs splayed over the warm surface.

"Isn't she being a bit overdramatic?" she heard Luhan scoff playfully, "Tao's already made time turn again."

"Humans are much harder hit than us, Lu. They're weak creatures, remember?" Minseok reprimanded him gently, tweaking the younger's ear between his thumb and forefinger.

"I know that Hyung! You don't have to treat me like a child!"

"What's taking them so long? Where's Kai when you need him?"

"He's outside with the others." Another soft voice piped up. One Suji instantly recognised. "Lay hyung needed his help to move everyone indoors."

Her eyes flew open with shock and the realisation of what his presence meant. "Kyungsoo?"

He stood in front of her, not a hair on his head altered since the last time she had seen him. Still short and petite, eyes bulging as he stared at her. He stood hunched over with his narrow shoulders up to his ears and head downturned until his eyes were half hidden beneath his dark fringe. Suji had lost count of how many times she had pressed into the base of his spine with her knuckle, scolding him to stand up straight. He was the kind of son her father would not have wanted.

Yet, here he was, still very much alive and well.

"Kyungsoo ya! You're alright!" Suji jumped up, feeling so relieved that she threw away all her misgivings and flung her arms enthusiastically at him for a hug. What she hadn't expected was for him to duck away, leaving her to crash and lie sprawled on the floor. Though the impact pained her body, the thought that he would so easily leave her to fall gave her chest an unusual squeeze and she was struck with a small twinge of regret.

Had he always been so distant with her?

It seemed like only yesterday that he was nagging at both her and the other boys like a mother. He hadn't been impressed by their attempt at cooking spaghetti, taking over with an instinctive efficiency and a palate that could be descried as genius. He was the eldest in terms of both maturity and age, yet his unfortunate size made him the target of the others' pranks and tricks. However, he had always held his own in their household and was never hesitant in doling out smacks where they were deserved. After a while, even Jongin and Sehun had begun to respect his space and belongings at times. He was no longer the shy timid boy he was when Suji had first seen him. However, now it seemed that his barriers were lifted back to its full height with her on