Listen to Dreaming by Lee Min Ki : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvGmgaw4Mpo

"You need to stay away from them."

I blinked and turned around. Key pushed up his glasses and narrowed his eyes at me. I raised an eyebrow and waited for him to elaborate.

"Stay away from.... ?"

"THEM." Key jerked his thumb behind him, making me look over his shoulder and catch a glance at Zico and Aiden. The two were laughing at something, suddenly growing quiet, then laughing again. In short words, they looked crazy.

"What did they do?" I asked, pushing away Key's concerned look and refocusing on the nominations for Yoona's dance costume. 

Suddenly Key grabbed me by the shoulder, pushed me down on the chair and sat down on his knees. I widened my eyes, nevertheless crossing my arms and patiently awaiting his kind words.

"Listen girl," Key started, his serious expression making it difficult for me to remain calm. "You need to understand that Verdelann is more ed up than any cheap . Don't pretend like you have NEVER heard that language before.

"Back to the point. Verdelann might look like the best synonym for 'beautiful' and 'surreal' and 'out of the world'... But there are dirty layers that are hidden by all this pancake." Key's hands fluttered around at the last sentence and suddenly, I found my attention peaking.

"They are not Verdelann's cup of tea," Key whispered. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering the need to talk in such a hushed tone when the said people were not less than 200 metres away.

"Trust me, they know everything. And I know my whispering is not going to help, but it's worth a shot. A shot at keeping you safe."

Key's last words made me gulp and I pursed my lips as he nodded. "That's right, your suspicions aren't unreasonable. There's something funny about Verdelann and there's no need for you to think you're alone. The 'Arthurs' might be cool for preteen fantasies but there's no joke that there's something awfully weird about young men having all the influence on the workings of a town."

"How can you guarantee that?" I found myself whispering too. Key shot a quick glance at Zico and Aiden, the two figures now looking towards the other side, not talking to each other. Key mouthed, 'follow me' and I did so, quietly tracing his footsteps as he walked me to the amphitheatre.

"I'm surprised Yoona hasn't told you yet," Key said, his voice louder and more confident than before. I jerked a bit, stalling at his statement.

"Told me what?" I asked. Key smirked and shook his head.

"So Im Yoona can keep secrets but not share them... not a bad trait." Key shook his head again, making me grow worried. What was it that I should know?

"Why do you think Yoona is not close to Aiden? You've seen her speak to Hoya, you've seen her greet Zico and Top with as much warmth as any other Verdelann citizen. Hero is sort of in another dimension altogether so he doesn't count. But what about Aiden? The resident playboy, the most attractive Arthur? Why not him?"

Curiosity rumbled in my stomach and I realized that Yoona's vague answer (had she even answered?) had not satisfied me. My mouth ran dry as I watched Key's lips part. 

"You need to promise that this won't go beyond HERE." Key waved two fingers between the two of us and I fervently nodded. If Yoona couldn't tell me, there had to be reason for it. A reason I was meant to know.

Key stepped in closer, our foreheads almost touching. "If Yoona ever told you the tale about the five families, the fathers, the friendship between her father and Aiden's...."

I nodded. Key frowned. 

"I knew it. Well here's the bad news. That was all a lie."

Shock struck my veins as my heartbeat started racing. 

"Those five guys everyone adores?" Key said. "They don't have a history. Do you know why? Because they ARE history."

                                                                                        ****************************************

"Where?"

Zico pointed towards the amphitheatre and I froze as I saw two figures standing close to each other.

"Why haven't you done anything?" I hissed.

Zico's face fell. "You want me to crash their party and assert the truth? Come on Hero, you know it was a better idea bringing you here."

"," I spat out and quickly focused on Saya. Blocks of red and purple, a deeper shade than before, surrounded her body. I could feel the heat of disbelief violently jumping inside her, my teeth gritting against another as I recognized Key's Shade. His nature was anyway suriving on gossip, but it was all the more irritating that he was genuinely concerned.

Concerned that I would hurt Saya.

Concerned that Saya was being foolish around me.

"He's no one to decide for her," I said, my nostrils flaring. Before I could make a move, however, another familiar figure walked in on the scene.

My temper died down as Woohyun interrupted the heated discussion. Of course he would jump in. Our exposure was his exposure too.

"It's settled," I murmured. Zico and Aiden nodded, the latter's face growing grey with weariness. My eyes flitted towards Saya, my heart not in it's place anymore. The purple haze that disturbed me had returned to haunt her.

And I wasn't around her to chase it away.