I stared at the cross as I lifted it up to the ceiling. I didn’t understand why they were hiding so much from me. I thought we were family. We weren’t supposed to hide things from each other. But this is what they did, they hid who I am and that, that is the biggest secret hidden from me.

“Everyone…”  I muttered as I brushed my thumb over the cross. It reflected the light in my room so beautifully.  “Everyone hid everything from me…” I thought about it for a while. “No answer from anyone, I have to find the answers myself,” I slowly sat up and looked around my room.

This cross holds the key to the answers I want. But how?

“Wound yourself with it,” I looked at the mirror and saw that different side of me again. “Wound myself? Won’t that hurt?” I narrowed my eyes at her. She shrugged. “Suit yourself. I thought you wanted to know your past,” she raised her eyebrow with a cunning smirk on her face.

I hesitated when I stared at the cross. But I was shocked to see the tip turning into a blade. “So are you going to do it?” She asked. “Are you?”

Luhan’s POV

I’ve made sure of keeping Xiumin away from Sehun and vice versa. I should’ve known Chen was out to work and Kai was, well, clubbing per usual. Plus, Tao was shopping again so no one was there to stop the pair from tearing each other apart if Kris didn’t stumble upon them.

I was having my weekly talk with Rae. Jonghyun made me do this because he wasn’t sure how to train his sister wolf-wise. We were in the forest and she was seated on one of the branches. “I heard they fought again,” Rae huffed. “It is your fault,” I told her flatly. She nodded with a weak smile.

“I know,” she gently said before holding on the trunk of the tree, creating green moss on the surface she touched. “Have you taken your anti-depressants?” I asked. She nodded. “Oppa never forgets to remind me. He always has the patience with my emotions but I never stopped crying when the effect wears off,” she explained.

“You’re a wolf now. Don’t let those human emotions get in the way of what you are.”

“I know.”

“Xiumin is doing fine. He’s recovering from the last fight he had with Sehun.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“I know you will.”

“Stop reading my mind.”

“It’s in my nature. And it was obvious, knowing you.”

“What about that Sujin? How is she? I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“She’s happy.”

“Are you happy?”

“I’ve never been happy since the tragedy.”

“You looked like you were happy when I first encountered your pack.”

“You don’t know anything.”

“I know how to read emotions, Luhan. And that was very human of you,” she smiled sadly at me. “I know you’re more of an expert on humans than me but remember, I don’t have the heart like others do,” I defended myself. She giggled.

“Okay, I won’t bother you that much. Tell me how to control my vines then.”

After that, I decided to take the twins out along with Lay who has been acting suspicious lately. The twins were wearing matching shirts as they held on my hands. Lay was counting the money we were allowed to spend. Minwoo was reading this book Chen gave him and Siyeon was pointing at different buildings and telling me how amazing they are.

“Uncle, Uncle, can we go where umma is working?” Siyeon asked. I raised an eyebrow. I’ve never really asked MiYeon where she worked. She was always secretive but I knew she was supposed to be trusted these times. It was obvious how much she wanted her children to be safe and put away from harm.

“Do you know where umma is working?” Lay gently asked. Minwoo nodded. “She works in a dance studio near the parking lot near the mall!” He elaborated. Lay almost chuckled at the child’s response and so did I. I admit I feel the most human when I’m with these kids.

“Dance studio? I never expected her to be a dancer,” I commented. “She always had this flexibility and gracefulness when she moves though. Being a dancer suits her if she doesn’t go out killing her students,” Lay pointed out. Minwoo and Siyeon dragged us through the crowd and finally, we reached the studio.

The building was around 3 floors tall but the space covering it was wide. When we entered, the receptionist automatically recognized the kids and waved at them. “Minwoo, Siyeon!” She greeted the kids. “Sunny-eonni!” They ran to the receptionist while Lay and I were frozen on our spot.

I can never forget this woman. She almost killed me. She is Sujin’s relative. She’s part of the SNSD pack before the tragedy finished. Lee Sunny, and I very well knew she was still alive. She was there in front of us, having a phone in her hand and wearing a blue dress with a red ruby belt. She looked the same, except I couldn’t sense anger in her system. It was filled with positivity.

“Oh, and you must be Han and Yixing, MiYeon-ssi told me a lot about you,” Sunny smiled brightly at us. I signalled Lay to act according to the situation and went to the receptionist’s desk. “I’m sure there’s nothing good to talk about if it’s about us,” I said. Lay agreed with me. “No, no, she told me your family is so lively and there’s usually no dull moment,” Sunny said as she carried Siyeon in her arms.

“Hey, Sunny, who are you talking…to,” when I turned my head, I saw Hoseuk and Jimin together. Jimin’s eyes widened while Hoseuk raised one of his eyebrows. After snapping out of his daze, Jimin hugged my shoulder to my surprise. “Oh, you two!” He playfully said. Hoseuk decided to play along and shook hands with Lay.

“I didn’t know you were friends with these men,” Hoseuk said. Sunny clasped her hands. “So you know MiYeon-ssi’s relatives. You never told me that,” she smiled at the two men. “We know each other very well,” I muttered angrily. Jimin’s grip tightened. I knew he wanted me to play along. Sunny didn’t remember us at all. It was obvious for all of us.

“You,” Siyeon pointed at Jimin. I shot a look at her and she understood. She was violent but I knew she understood. She trusted me and she whispered something to Minwoo. “Sunny, could you get MiYeon?” Luhan asked. Sunny nodded lightly and quickly went to where MiYeon was supposed to be.

“Why is she working here?” Lay asked. “Let me explain,” Jimin began.

“She has been working here for a few years already, even before she got pregnant. But Hoseuk and I made it a secret from Suga and Jungkook and V. She begged us for a job since we were the only people she could cling to. She told us that she needs money. She can’t start a family without money.

‘Jongdae and I are going to start a family. I know you hate me and I know you want to kill me but please, let me live for my family. I will do anything,’ she told us as she went on her knees. I know it’s unbelievable. But she was on her knees. She looked pitiful. She was pale as usual. She had the same face but the expression on her face was different.

Her fierce eyes weren’t the same. The eyes that were full of lust for blood turned into gentle eyes begging for mercy. But we always rejected her. Until the time when she was pregnant, she didn’t come to us. We were pretty sure she gave up. Ten months later, she returned to us.

‘Jongdae and I have twins. Jimin, Hoseuk, have mercy,’ she said as she clutched on my shoulders. She was tall. She was around my height so she didn’t really need to look up. She didn’t wear any make-up. Her face was bare. Her expression was so pitiful that my heart almost sank.

‘I will do anything… any—‘

“What are you talking about?” MiYeon casually entered the room and the twins ran to her and hugged her legs. All of us shut up because of the sensitive topic. She raised an eyebrow.