On the other hand, Kyungsoo’s beliefs contradicted those of the other ghouls. For him, living with humans was bearable enough and he was willing to do that for the sake of protection. CCG officers rarely hunted in the midst of innocent humans. Although they could confirm a ghoul’s identity from intelligence reports coming from their smaller bases, there was a possibility that those reports were inaccurate. Kyungsoo was lucky enough to skirt past them and act human as best as he could. If not, he would already be dead in a matter of seconds.

“How’s your night?” Kyungsoo inquired as they walked, turning his head to look up at Chanyeol. “Both of your eyes were red earlier. Did that mean you had your meal?”

“Yes,” Chanyeol nodded, fishing out his keys and twirling it around his finger. “She was really delicious. I would have enjoyed the meal for a little longer, but I sensed some doves lurking near my territory. I just had to get out of there.”

“Sooner or later, they’ll find you, Chanyeol, and you know it,” Kyungsoo warned him. “You have to be very careful whenever you eat. Although it’s only twice a month, the CCG has your territory covered. One of these days, they’ll come out of nowhere and ambush you… like what they did to Sungmin.”

Lee Sungmin was one of Kyungsoo’s older ghoul friends. He wasn’t a rogue ghoul who randomly attacked humans as he wished. Sungmin never ate humans unless it was absolutely necessary. A few days ago, a pair of CCG investigators caught him in the act, and killed him on the spot. Kyungsoo cried so hard when they found his mangled body.

Shaking his head in amusement, Chanyeol rounded the corner with his brother and opened the gate to the complex. “I’m pretty stealthy, Kyungsoo. They will find me eventually, but I can escape whatever attack they throw at me.” Chanyeol sounded so sure of himself that it made Kyungsoo very worried. As confident as he might be, his brother’s plans weren’t exactly top-notch. Sooner or later, Chanyeol would trip and fall into the wrong hands.

Kyungsoo didn’t want that. He didn’t want to choose between escaping to save his own life and helping his brother to stay alive. If possible, he never wanted to encounter something that would throw him off balance.

It was almost eleven in the evening and most of the apartments were pitch black and silent. On the contrary, two remaining rooms – his and Kyungsoo’s – were brightly lit. Chanyeol narrowed his eyes and stared at them intently, knowing that neither of them left anything open when they leave their respective houses.

“What do you think?” Chanyeol whispered, shutting the gate as silently as possible.

“Doves?” Kyungsoo asked anxiously, darting towards the lower level of the building and waiting for Chanyeol to follow him. Once he strained his hearing, Kyungsoo heard soft voices coming from their houses. They were too soft to be identified. When the two of them were in position, Kyungsoo tensed, unfurling his Kagune and letting it weave around his body like an armor. It flickered like a mirage of colors, a striking image in the dull, inky background of the night.

Chanyeol jumped to the next floor, smirking as his fiery red Kagune flicked behind his back impatiently. Kyungsoo was next to him a second later, wings of liquid black, crimson and violet fluttering like soft, spiky leaves dancing along the strong gust of the wind. Together, they sneaked closer to the apartment window, eyes turning redder when the voices increased in volume.

Upon recognizing their ‘guests’ Chanyeol face-palmed, dissolving his Kagune after wrenching Kyungsoo’s apartment door open.

The two intruders looked up in shock and smiled at them guiltily, taking note of Kyungsoo’s angry toy and Chanyeol’s beet red face.

Jongdae and Baekhyun, two of their closest friends, were feeling at home in Kyungsoo’s apartment. They weren’t even abashed when Kyungsoo continued to stare at them like he was so close to devouring them alive.

“Luhan’s in your apartment,” Jongdae offered. “We arrived about an hour ago. Baekhyun’s hunt was a failure, so we decided to drop by for some snacks.” He added, answering the question in Kyungsoo’s stare.

“Well can you get out now? CCG’s first patrol shift will start a few minutes. If they see our apartments in this state, we’ll all be dead.” Kyungsoo finally dismissed his Kagune and flicked the light switch. Instantly, the room darkened and the other ghouls grumbled.

“Thanks for the warm welcome,” Baekhyun said sarcastically, leading Jongdae and Chanyeol out of Kyungsoo’s apartment. “By the way, we have some news for you. Great news. But with the state of things, it will have to wait until tomorrow.” he smirked, following the other two ghouls out.  “Good night, Kyungsoo.”

“Good night,” Kyungsoo waved them off and closed the door, listening to his friend’s giggles and Chanyeol scolding them like a pair of kindergartners. Being friends with Jongdae and Baekhyun made him question his tastes often.

Silence enveloped the complex about fifteen minutes later. It was a normal routine of sorts in their neighborhood. Whenever curfew came, very few people – the ones who worked late – walked around in the open.

Hushed voices from the CCG made Kyungsoo’s hair stand on end, especially the malicious glint of their weapons in the moonlight. Since young, Kyungsoo learned from his temporary mother that CCG was ruthless when it came to ghouls. The foster home he and Chanyeol ended up in was run by a kind ghoul, so they felt safe and secure all the time. He couldn’t even imagine the two of them living a rough life shaded by the city lights. It was as if everything was a dream for Kyungsoo.

The other kids who were with them were all humans. They played together like nothing’s different and neither Chanyeol nor Kyungsoo treated them as food. All thanks to the older ghoul’s examples and the advice she gave them every day, they slowly appreciated the value of a human life, as well as the value of theirs.

Once he was alone again, Kyungsoo stripped off his travelling clothes and changed into his pajamas.  He wasn’t crazy about wearing pokemon print, but a comfortable bed was waiting for him in his room, beckoning him to rest his tired body. A new day gave way to a new ray of hope for ghouls like him. However, his dreams were the exact opposite of what he desired most.

----------

Kyungsoo’s vision was tinged red the moment his eyes closed and his body submerged in deep slumber.

A deep, velvety voice caressed him in all the right places, warm hands making their way around his body to spoon him from behind. It was another person beside him, a man with well-built biceps and strong hands that could easily cage Kyungsoo and never let him go.

Kyungsoo was small and pale in comparison, alabaster clashing against smooth mocha snaking around his stomach. He could hardly breathe from the sudden feeling of being touched, but he struggled to regain his composure. The wind was strong and it felt as if he was weightless, standing on top of everything with someone who clung to him for dear life. Both their heartbeats were above normal, sending Kyungsoo a message that something was wrong. That this wasn’t supposed to be the setting of his life.

Slowly, the man’s hushed words finally made sense to him. They were loving and kind, gentle as he treated Kyungsoo like a delicate doll resting against his body. Kyungsoo didn’t know him and he couldn’t see his face. He never did. Only the movement of his lips was visible, even if he chose to strain his eyes and look up in wonder.

Before he could unravel the mystery behind those enticing qualities, he felt the grip around him tighten exponentially. And he was falling and falling, plummeting to his death with the same pair of arms tightly wrapped around his waist.

----------

Bolting up in bed, Kyungsoo clutched the soft material of his shirt, heart hammering wildly in his chest as he shook himself out of his daze. Cold sweat clung to his back and to his chest, making the wide-eyed ghoul bury his head in his pillow. Kyungsoo shut his eyes and forced himself to calm down, knowing that Chanyeol could easily hear him from the other side. His brother barged into his apartment multiple times in the past and Kyungsoo did not want that to happen anymore.  He was already an adult and he could take care of himself.

It took a few minutes before Kyungsoo rearranged his bed and started his morning routine. The sun had barely risen from the horizon, but he could see small streaks of light escaping from the depths of the thick clouds shading the ground. The sight reminded Kyungsoo of hope and the infinite possibilities that came with the start of a new day.

He continued to think about it as he jumped into the shower and permitted the scalding bath water to assault his cold skin. Kyungsoo labeled himself numb from all the things he encountered in the past, but there was this lingering tingle at the tip of his fingers every time something was about to happen to him. Sometimes, he’d treat this as a good omen. But most of the time, he’d take it as a bad one.

Ghouls like him were often prone to danger, and it wasn’t exactly a surprise when they encountered one hurdle after the other. Even in school, in the middle of his classes, Kyungsoo stayed alert in case anything happened all of a sudden. He could barely trust his friends, much less trust strangers he knew nothing of.

Much to his chagrin, Chanyeol came in the middle of his inner conflict. Kyungsoo was standing in front of the mirror, appreciating his full-fledged Kagune and touching the tips of his ‘wings’. They shifted every now and then, brushing against his calloused fingers affectionately. “We need to go to school,” was Chanyeol’s first words as he leaned against the doorframe.

“Yes, I know,” Kyungsoo dissolved his Kagune and shouldered his backpack, brushing past Chanyeol before going out of his apartment. The brunette followed him silently, having memorized Kyungsoo’s moods and that he needed to give the other ghoul some space to think. Chanyeol might be loud, but he wasn’t insensitive to other people’s feelings.

The walk to school was quiet and uneventful. His brother tried to lighten the atmosphere, but Kyungsoo was too absorbed with his thoughts.

Upon their arrival, the first thing Kyungsoo saw was a crowd of students surrounding a body on the ground. The number of people was so thick that Chanyeol and Kyungsoo had to elbow their way to the middle in order to get a good view. And much to their shock, it was Taemin, one of their fellow classmates staring at the sky with dead, cold eyes and a large laceration running from his collarbone, down to his abdomen.

Despite being a ghoul and seeing this kind of thing as food, Kyungsoo barely held the contents of his stomach, opting to push past the other students and run to the side and sit. Chanyeol was on his heels in a second and the brunette Kyungsoo’s back soothingly.

Hansok University, a rather ‘safe’ place for the two of them, will now be a new target for the CCG. Kyungsoo was sure of it. He could practically see their pressed suits and their white suitcases appearing outside their gates and invading the university to investigate. Kyungsoo was so sick of this and he could barely hold himself, much less comfort Chanyeol who was good at hiding his real emotions behind a permanent poker face.

“Classes are about to start,” Chanyeol said in a low voice. “You can’t afford to look like this, Kyungsoo.”

Don’t be affected; that was the silent rule between them.

Kyungsoo struggled to abide it most of the time, but he had to force himself to take deep breaths until he was ready to face his teachers and his classmates. At least, in this state, CCG investigators wouldn’t be suspicious of an innocent student who looked so fragile and harmless. Although it would be better if he did not react at all.

Throughout the day, during his classes, Kyungsoo’s whole body was on red alert. Their professors did a good job of minimizing the damage of this morning’s incident, but Kyungsoo could still hear carefully crafted whispers and exchanges from his classmates. He chose not to comment, half focusing on the lesson as a trio of sleek vans entered the university’s grounds one by one.

They stopped near the body of the fallen student, men and women holding suitcases emerging out of the vans and going closer to the corpse. One looked towards the building, as if searching for one particular detail that made the whole situation clearer. Kyungsoo was fear-stricken when the man’s gaze focused on him, staying there for a very long moment.

His skin was a light mocha, silvery blonde hair shading his dark eyes as he looked and looked. A strange zing of electricity went down Kyungsoo’s spine and he was close to evacuating his seat and dashing to Chanyeol’s room with all his might. However, such act will give him away so easily. Pushing the panic back, Kyungsoo tilted his head and waved at the investigator, making it look like he was one of CCG’s biggest fans.

Kyungsoo sighed in relief when the man averted his gaze and shook his head like he was ashamed of the attention he was getting. The red- haired ghoul could only grin in triumph, going back to his lesson with a far more determined stare at his professor. He was safe – for now.

----------

“I can’t believe Teamin’s been killed in Hansok,” Luhan’s head lolled as the older ghoul leaned back on his living room sofa. The five of them, including Baekhyun and Jongdae, were having a small talk in Luhan’s tidy house. Since he was of age, Luhan was permitted by his parents to get a simple house and live alone.

His sanctuary, an average-sized townhouse, was often their meeting place for serious discussions. Two days had passed ever since the incident in Hansok, but the CCG investigators popping up all over the school grounds never ceased. They were similar to wild mushrooms growing in almost every climate all over the world.

The other students felt safe whenever they pass by the classroom hallways, but it had the opposite effect on ghouls like them. For all they knew, the CCG might be trailing them after school hours or during no class days. Kyungso needed some space to breathe. He needed it so badly.

“I’m surprised, but I had my suspicions that Hansok houses other ghouls in its arms. Luhan and I have been there countless of times and we both sensed several ghouls mingling with humans,” Jongdae added, his head in Baekhyun’s lap.

Shifting uncomfortably, Kyungsoo ran his fingers through burgundy-dyed locks, brushing the stray hairs away and sighing. “And soon, CCG will be able to catch them all, including Chanyeol and I.”

“Don’t be pessimistic, Kyungsoo,” Luhan chided the younger ghoul. “We can still hope they’re too blind to see the hints.”

“CCG’s never blind. I was there when they killed Jonghyun in his own house. He wasn’t even doing anything!” Baekhyun said, angrily nibbling on his lip. “How can you explain how they tracked him down? When did they start marking him as a target? Why do they kill the good ones and not the bad? I have a lot of things in my mind, but ghouls like us can’t answer any of them. Only CCG can, and it’s frightening to find out.”

Hanging on the wall behind them, Luhan’s grandfather clock chimed ominously, signaling the arrival of midnight. Meetings like this were often done when everyone was asleep, but Kyungsoo started to doubt their choice of time. His fingertips tingled unpleasantly, a shiver running down his spine as he stood up and gathered his belongings. “We’ll talk about this next time,” he side-eyed Jongdae and Baekhyun. “As for your good news, it will have to wait a little longer. No one’s rushing.”

“But we are rushing and we have to go now,” Chanyeol clamped a hand on his forearm, shouldering his bag. “See you later, guys.” He said, dragging his younger brother to the front door.

“See ya!” the other three ghouls said in unison, their voices dying as the two younger ones headed out.

After flashing them one last smile, both of them were out of the door, walking back to their apartment as casually as they could. They were minors in the eyes of the CCG, and it was best to keep calm and act like nothing’s unusual.

He and Chanyeol never spoke once they were outside, hands clutching on their school bag and eyes darting from left to right in case someone spotted them breaking curfew. It was deadly quiet for the first half of the journey. Kyungsoo started to relax and lower his guard, letting his brother lead him away from the eerie lights lining the streets and the glow of the elusive moon high in the sky.

All of a sudden, in the middle of their walk, Chanyeol halted, eyes landing on the dark tunnel they were about to pass. It loomed in front of them like a hungry mouth ready to devour its prey. Another second of hesitation passed before they were moving again, eyes adjusting to the infinite darkness engulfing their bodies.

The air was damp and humid, the faint projection of light at the other end encouraging them to worry of nothing and focus on walking. Kyungsoo clung to Chanyeol because he was scared and tensed, feeling another person’s presence in the tunnel. One foot after the other, they almost made it to the exit when…

A strong force sent Kyungsoo flying, senses too slow to react. Chanyeol’s panicked yell followed the crash, Kyungsoo getting on his feet despite the pain forcing him to surrender. A faint silhouette of a man caught Kyungsoo’s eyes when his vision stabilized. He was wielding a weapon in hand, ruby red remnants of a ghoul’s Kagune slithering like snakes on the ground. It was familiar, very familiar.

“Let go of him!” Kyungsoo shouted, unable to contain himself because this weapon was made from his mother’s Kagune. He could practically feel her essence radiating from it, caressing him and telling him that everything would be alright. Kyungsoo was horrified when it dawned on him that this man was the reason their parents never came back for them. A promise of three months became twelve long years of solitude on their part.

As much as he wanted to believe they would be able to survive, his brother was in trouble, and everything’s not alright.

Much to his surprise, the CCG officer stepped out of the shadows and into the light, the faint yellow of the street light bathing him in liquid amber. It was the same officer who stared at Kyungsoo two days ago. The same one with blonde hair and calculating eye.

“Ghouls like you deserve to die. No mercy is given to undeserving creatures – animals,” The blonde smirked, mocking, confident. Chanyeol was struggling to stand on his feet and his Kagune was barely enough to protect him from the blonde man.

Stupidity or maybe courage coursed through Kyungsoo’s now-red eyes at the sight of his only family suffering on the ground. Chanyeol managed to stand up right, yet his stance gave away the pain lingering under his skin. Kyungsoo was about to charge and shred this man to bits, but his brother beat him to it.

With the last bit of strength in him, Chanyeol attacked their foe, sharp tendrils of his Kagune heading straight to its target. A normal officer wouldn’t be able to survive this, but the blonde deflected it with his own deadly weapon, side stepping with ease and returning Chanyeol’s ferocity equally.

It was too late to do anything. Chanyeol instantly dropped dead on the unforgiving pavement with a thud. A blow to the head ended everything, leaving Kyungsoo’s only family in two unequal parts on either side of the tunnel.

Tears were prickling from the corner of Kyungsoo’s eyes, a damn of repressed emotions ready to pour out and consume everything in its path. Chanyeol’s head had rolled near his feet and he was too much of a coward to look down and grieve… because the one responsible for his brother’s death was still alive.

All his life, Kyungsoo never killed anyone in battle. His main concern was food, feeding himself and making him stronger. Corpses were his main target, but he resorted to living humans when he couldn’t find any of them around.

So right now, his body was shaking, eyes practically burning a hole in the officer’s head. Thoughts of ripping him apart, shredding his bloody uniform to pieces flashed in the ghoul’s mind the longer he stared. Kyungsoo wanted revenge.

Revealing his majestic weapon behind his back, Kyungsoo blindly attacked the blonde with all his might, jumping, aiming, firing and maiming like an out of control robot. His Kagune flared wildly, sometimes acting like a shield or as an offensive mechanism. He might have heard a scream of agony or bones breaking, but he was filled with so much anger that he never got a chance to look at his prey.

Chanyeol became the prey to this CCG officer, but Kyungsoo wasn’t about to become one as well. It felt like hours had passed since he started his assault, yet it had only been minutes and minutes of relentless fighting.

Gashes littered his exposed skin and blood dripped from his Kagune when Kyungsoo finally stopped. He panted, hands clasped together as he bent over and coughed. Chanyeol was avenged, Kyungsoo was sure of that. However, guilt made him open his eyes and stare at the battered officer lying on the ground. The man must be fighting to grasp the last minutes of his life, weapon lying pointedly on the cement like a taboo. His chest was heaving, his mouth open and gasping like a fish out of water.

Kyungsoo buried his face in his hands, tears of sadness, frustration and regret staining his bloody cheeks. He never meant to go overboard with the intent to kill, but here he was, doing what other ghouls do to humans. If Jongdae was in his place, the blonde man would have been dead by now. His friend was ruthless when he killed.

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo sobbed, stepping away from the two bodies helplessly mangled on the ground. “I didn’t mean to… I-I wasn’t – I… I’m sorry!” the red-haired ghoul wailed, turning on his heel and disappearing into the night like his parents did twelve years ago.

-----------

Kai was in pain, so much pain. He might have considered himself numb from taking too many blows from that raging ghoul, but he could feel everything from head to toe. Ever nick and cut suddenly became too much for him to take.

His lungs burned from gasping, holding on to the last bit of consciousness he had. The parts of his body he resented so much became the ones he desperately needed to save. Kai lost his arm and one of his legs, blood soaking his uniform as fast as water could fill a small basin. Earlier, before he trailed the two ghouls he saw in Hansok, Kai called for reinforcements. They should be able to find his body in a few minutes, considering the location he gave them.

Truthfully, this operation wasn’t supposed to happen tonight. It was a spur of the moment, and Kai realized his mistake not so long ago. The moment his eyes landed on that red-haired ghoul, something churned in his gut.

Although most people ignore their gut feelings, Kai used it to track down enemies and shut them up for the rest of their lives. A higher ranking officer like him should be cautious by observing his surroundings. Kai was just too focused on the taller ghoul that he forgot to deal with the smaller one. Yes, that was his biggest mistake.

At first sight, the redhead was weak and frail, definitely not a ghoul worth fighting. On the other hand, the brunette served as a threat to the rest of mankind. Together, those two might make a magnificent pair in whatever they do.

Two days ago, when Kai was standing on Hansok school grounds, he sensed nothing unusual at first. But as the minutes went by, his senses were tingling like crazy, encouraging him to get away or fight for his own life. Out of the two choices, Kai picked the latter. And somehow, his abrupt sighting of the red-haired student cause him to suspect the credibility of Hansok’s private investigators.

Ever since, Kai made it his responsibility to keep an eye on that student by taking late shifts corresponding to his schedule. For two days, Kai became his shadow and light, blending in with the surroundings and keeping himself hidden.

In fear of being sensed by the ghoul, Kai resorted to memorize the places he went to, including a decent townhouse and an apartment complex not too far from Hansok. Besides those two places, his subject never strayed too far, repeating the same routine over and over again. His lunch breaks were spent reading while eating a sandwich and his free time was consumed by boring trips to the library.

Kai was starting to doubt his life choices, but a clever move from his subject confirmed Kai’s suspicions.

Normal humans often adhered to the rules of the city. They would stay in their homes during curfew, except the other workers who chose to have an overtime. Plus, humans were pretty oblivious of their surroundings since CCG units were spread out in the city. Nonetheless, this particular student seemed to be jumpy, as if he felt that something was off in Hansok. From there, Kai surged forward and faced them head on.

Still lying on the ground, gurgling unintelligibly, Kai figured he would drown in his own blood, die because of stupidity and live in the afterlife with his head down and his pride smashed into pieces. The last tendrils of hope he had were pulling away from him so quickly, until he felt every single part of his body turning lax, his chest contracting horribly. Out of the corner of his right eye, Kai spotted the decapitated head staring back at him haughtily, as if it was blaming him for its current condition.

Turning his head with difficulty, Kai focused his attention on the gloomy celling of the tunnel, willing the pain to go away and leave him to be at peace. Before his eyes started to grow heavy, Kai thought he heard heavy footsteps of several people rushing towards him. Panicked voices followed afterwards, leaving Kai confused as the darkness took him body and soul.

----------

“Are you sure this is going to work?”

The sounds of beeping machinery was soft, caressing, terrifying.

“We’re not sure, Dr. Wu. He will be our first experiment for this project.”

Someone wearing a white mask examined him, dark eyes glinting with a mix of excitement and hesitation.

“What are the risks? Will he be able to live, Tao?”

Instruments were being prepared, metal clashing against metal.

“I’m not sure about that, but he’s dying, Kris. We need to do this before everything is too late.”

His skin felt wet and cold, water trickling, endless and demanding.

“What about the other?”

Something warm and dry replaced the cold.

“What about him?”

Skin to skin was different. Nerves too fizzled out and tired. He needed space.

“Well… never mind. Let us begin.”

Maybe this was a nightmare.

-----------

Sunshine was streaming from the gaps of the blinds when Kai came to his senses. The room was dimly lit, cold and somewhat lonely in nature. He had never slept in this kind of room before, but the setting, the aura of the whole place seemed familiar, in a way. Trying to shift in his position, Kai yowled in pain, clutching his stomach tightly. He couldn’t bend, much less examine where the pain came from.

“.” He muttered, panting and hoping that his body would comply for once.

Maybe it was his yell or it was already time for some rounds because a nurse opened the door and came in with a glass of water in hand. She gave Kai a small smile before placing it beside his bed. Afterwards, without even saying a word, she left the room, closing the door with a soft click.

Kai blinked confusedly, taking a deep breath as his hand closed around the glass of water. Then, with a jolt, he pulled it back, the events of his encounter with two ghouls flooding in his mind all at once. He only had one arm when the battle was over, so why did he have two arms, instead of one? What was going on?

“Hello, Kai,” The blonde male didn’t notice the arrival of a second person in the room. His hair was also blonde like Kai’s, but the color was a shade darker than his own. “You’re probably wondering what happened to you.”

It wasn’t a question; more like a statement for Kai to ponder. He blinked at the stranger, taking in his white coat and his stethoscope. At that moment, it all made sense to Kai. This visitor of his was a doctor and he was on a hospital bed, in a real hospital. Did his reinforcements call an ambulance for him?

“Yes, I am,” Kai breathed out, his voice strangely raspy. Something felt off in his movements, as if his limbs were filled with cement instead of bones and muscles. “How did I get my arm back? Did you do some kind of special operation on it?”

Producing a folded sheet of paper from inside his coat pocket, the blonde doctor approached Kai’s bed and sat on the empty space beside the CCG officer. “This is probably not the right time to orient you of our project, but I have no other choice, Kai,” The doctor smiled kindly. “I’m Kris Wu, by the way, one of the doctors in charge of CCG’s advanced project involving ghoul’s bodies. Kai, you may have noticed that your limbs are heavy and you experience pain when you start to move; those are the effects of our operation on your body.”

Cold sweat ran down Kai’s back, a sweet sting that caused him to shiver unpleasantly. The other man’s tone was laced with a different degree of seriousness compared to his superior’s orders to clean up the city as best as they could. If possible, this doctor probably held top secret information in his hands. “What kind of operation did you do?” Kai swallowed nervously.

“First of all, do you remember the ghoul you killed three days ago?” Kris asked, unsurprised of Kai’s reaction. The man’s eyes were wide with realization that he slept like a rock for three straight days. “Judging from your reaction, you probably thought it only happened last night. Sad to say, that was more than three days ago. If your subordinates did not rush you here at once, you’ll probably be dead.” Kris cleared his throat.

“Continuing, the ghoul you killed last night was identified as Park Chanyeol, one of the top students in Hansok University. He has a good record, no crimes to his name and not a complaint against him. In short, he was a nice young lad who peacefully went to school every day. Despite the fact that he was a ghoul, he and his brother have never been involved in any brutal killing.” Kris paused, catching his breath.

“Brother? That ghoul had a brother?” Kai asked incredulously, not believing the doctor’s explanations.

Nodding, Kris unfolded the paper in his hands and revealed a picture of Chanyeol and the red-haired ghoul. “This is Do Kyungsoo, Chnyeol’s younger brother. According to the data we have gathered, they were orphans for a long time, but they eventually ran away from the orphanage to study. However, even if these ghouls are better than all the rest, they need to be killed for the safety of humans.” The doctor let the information sink for a few moments, before continuing again with a hint of excitement in his voice.

“Moving on, our operation involved you and Park Chanyeol. You probably saw his Kagune – four deadly tentacles that could sharpen or soften at will. A few other ghouls have this kind of Kagune, but Park Chanyeol also had an uncanny ability to regenerate his body parts in a short span of time. Not Instantly, though. He needs to eat more to complete the regeneration process.”

Frozen on the spot, Kai began to fit the pieces together; his arm, the pain radiating from his back, that weird dream he was having. All of them led to one complicated truth as to why he’s still alive and kicking.

“We’ve transferred his Kagune, together with its sacks, in your body. It was an outstanding progress in our research, and we’re proud to say that Park Chanyeol’s Kagune inhibited the rapid healing of your body, Kai. As of now, you’re half-human, half-ghoul.” Kris concluded, folding the paper and standing back up. “Our department has informed the other investigators about this development, and they’re enthusiastic to see you once you become fully recovered. For now, you need to eat and gain your strength. A tray of food will be sent here in a few minutes. Make

“Make sure to finish it all, Kai.” The doctor gave him one last smile and went out of the room, heading to his next destination or to another patient.

Shutting his eyes tight, Kai willed himself not to scream his head off. He – Kai – one of the best investigators in CCG, was turned into a ghoul? What the hell was happening to his co-workers? Did they forget his hatred for ghouls and his desire to kill each and every one of them?

It wasn’t that hard to let him die instead of transforming him into an animal. The idea itself was so sick that Kai nearly tore his bed sheets in several pieces. Luckily, he had enough self-control to restrain himself. Kai took deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling alternately, until he was calm enough to rearrange his thoughts. Kris might be excited about this and the same could be said for his co-workers. However, Kai’s mind was closed to possibilities. All he needed was to kill ghouls for a living. And now that he was a ghoul himself, he wasn’t sure what to do with his body, much less act on his normal urges.

Minutes later, just as Kris said, another nurse strode in with a tray of food, its enticing aroma wafting in Kai’s nostrils. He his lips as the tray was set down near him. Having control over his hands were enough to keep him alive for now. Every slice of the scrumptious stake made him moan in delight. This was definitely heaven.

Kai finished his plate just as fast as it arrived. There were flecks of sauce on the tips of his fingers, so he them luxuriously, oblivious of the nurse’s disgusted expression. Once he was finished, Kai laid back down, accepting a glass of water and an unexpected glare.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, frowning at the nurse in confusion. “Did I do something?”

The nurse laughed humorlessly, gesturing to Kai’s empty plate. “I guess your own stomach is the one doing the thinking right now, so I’m going to refresh you about a ghoul’s diet, Officer Kai.” She stuck his head out of the door to make sure no one was listening to their conversation before continuing. “Ghouls can’t eat normal food. Their tongues work differently from humans, and every human food they eat tastes utterly disgusting to them. They can only drink coffee or eat humans. Which means…” The nurse’s eyes drifted to the empty plate, and it suddenly looked horrifying, rather than appetizing.

Suddenly, Kai felt like vomiting all that he ate. The realization of what the stake was made of caused him to shudder and swallow a huge lump his throat. Maybe his new system was messing with his mind, making him adjust to everything that was considered ‘ghoulish’.

Kai slapped a hand across his face, a sound so crisp and so clear bouncing against the cemented walls. Looking up, he spotted a small hand mirror in the nurse’s hold. She gingerly held it close to Kai’s face, reflecting a single red eye staring back at him. It was bright and hungry-looking, a polar opposite of how Kai felt deep inside.

He pushed the mirror away, unexpected tears b both his red eye and his normal eye. Tears streaked down his tanned cheeks, steadily wetting his soft hospital gown. Angrily, he wiped his tears away, repeatedly telling himself he could survive this, like he survived numerous fights in the past.

“Can you leave me alone?” he asked the nurse quietly. “I need time to think about this.”

She seemed to have a hard time because Dr. Wu specifically instructed her to accompany him for a short while. But since Kai needed to have time for himself, considering the abrupt change from human to half-ghoul, she obeyed his request without any objection. After all, if she was in his position, she would ask for the same thing.

----------

It didn’t take long before his fellow investigators summoned him to come forth. They scheduled an important meeting to discuss about Kai’s condition and to make future plans for CCG’s development. Kai had a strong feeling that they were going to use him for another mission in the future, but that wasn’t unpleasant on his part.

Since he was a brilliant officer, Kai hoped they would orient him about the abilities of his new body and how he could use it to help CCG. Eating human meat upon waking up was reckless. Kai should have gotten suspicious the moment they served him the tray of food.

Waking up after three days was nerve-wracking. A part of him had temporarily shut down due to his near death experience, and his thoughts were muddled. He couldn’t do anything in the meantime because he was in a different room usually used for experiment purposes. Kai admired their caution for his own body was slightly unstable and he might get sudden urges to do brutal things to the CCG community.

About a day and a half after he was released from the CCG hospital, Zhang Yixing, his friend and former partner, entered the room with Kai’s usual outfit in hand. A small smile was on his face and Yixing looked delighted to see him in good condition. Kai smiled back as he took the clothes, changing in front of the other male without any malice in mind.

“Sehun’s arranged a meeting in fifteen minutes. We should get you there in time before that brat gets impatient again.” Yixing rolled his eyes at the thought of an angry Sehun glaring at them. He and Kai had seen it several times in the past, and they weren’t a bit scared of the overall leader of CCG. In fact, only the newbies were afraid of the guy.

“So are they gonna let me live?” Kai asked with a smirk, fixing his tie and shrugging on his coat. “I know you’re a little fidgety around me, but I assure you that I won’t do anything weird.”

Yixing sighed and sat on the floor, looking up at Kai tiredly. “Sehun wanted to spare you for your new mission tomorrow. I’m not supposed to say this, but you are now CCG’s newest weapon. Your new abilities can help us exterminate those ghouls and ensure the safety of many families in the city.”

“You mean… this operation was for that specific intention?” Kai frowned, walking to the door and signaling Yixing to open it. “And I’m the test subject? Wow.”

Shaking his head, Yixing stood up and entered the pass code for Kai’s room. Instantly, the door opened and they were on their way to Sehun’s meeting. “This wasn’t supposed to happen yet. The officers were trying to find the appropriate test subject and the fitting ghoul for the experiment. However, your unfortunate encounter with those siblings forced them to start the process. Besides, having people like you in this place will be of great help to all of us. Kai, you’re one of the best officers I know. It must have been a lucky day for that small ghoul, and an unlucky day for you.”

Kai thought about it for a moment. Do Kyungsoo didn’t catch him off guard. In fact, the ghoul was too fast and too ferocious for Kai to take. He and his Kagune didn’t stand a chance against those startling wings blazing angrily from Kyungsoo’s back. But Kyungsoo, strangely, kept him alive. That occurrence was puzzling to Kai, even if he understood the young lad’s words a little.

“He’s just too strong and emotionally driven,” The blonde told Yixing, turning a sharp right and walking down the hallway leading to their meeting place. “Ghouls like that are very hard to face. I was at my fullest, but I was too weak to defend myself.” He added bitterly.

Despite these facts, Kai blamed Kyungsoo for keeping him alive. He’d rather be dead than be one with those animals. Kai was a prideful person in nature, and he couldn’t stand the knowing looks aimed straight at him from every investigator they passed. Their stares dug right into his soul.

“Forget about it, for now,” YIxing advised, pushing the double doors open and leading Kai to the seat at the very end of the long table.

Eight officers were seated at the left and right side of the table, while Oh Sehun sat at the head, opposite Kai’s position. Strangely, their presence sent a prickle of fear and doubt to go under his skin. He knew all of them for years, yet their presence, the looks they exchanged, were changed. It’s as if Kai accidentally chopped off his own head and bought another one in replacement.

“As we all know, Dr. Wu and Dr. Huang’s efforts paid off almost five days ago,” Sehun started, palm placed on top of the polished wood. “And their first ever test subject – Kai – came out with new bodily abilities. For days, we have discussed this dilemma and made a carefully crafted plan to be carried out tomorrow. The vote to keep Kai in the organization is final, but we need to orient him about the operation tomorrow.”

“What kind of operation will I be in?” Kai spoke up, garnering the attention of all the people in the room.

The person closest to his right, Minseok, wrote something on his notebook and answered, “All the groups of ghouls, their small clusters, should be attacked by tomorrow. On the next day, the remaining few will be hunted down and killed one by one, as much as we can find.”

“But not all the ghouls are bad.” Junmyeon argued, shrinking in his seat when Sehun shot him a deadly glare. “I’m just saying…”

Sehun slammed his palm on the table, standing up and leaning forward like a predator. “All ghouls are the same. They need human flesh to eat, and that alone is punished with none other than death. Cannibalism is highly unacceptable in this society, even if it’s one of their basic needs to nourish themselves. So without further ado, fifteen groups of ten CCG investigators will search the city tomorrow night. Anyone who wishes to stay behind is accepted, but we need more men and women to accompany the top ranking officers.”

“What about Kai? Where and when will he join us?” Jonghyun inquired, hands spread apart. “The other ghouls will notice him for sure, and that will blow Kai’s cover.”

“He should do the frontal assault with a mask to hide his face. Most ghouls do that in battle, and I think Kai needs to follow their example,” Minseok proposed.

The leader considered it with a nod, sitting back on his chair luxuriously. “I’ll tell Dr. Wu to finish it by tomorrow. As for you, Kai,” he turned to the officer. “Try to get accustomed to your new Kagune. I’m only giving you a short time to adjust, but mankind’s needs go first before anything else. I hope you understand where I’m coming from.”

The blonde nodded, fingers laced together. “I’ll do my best. Can I do that in the training room later? My room has too little space to practice this thing.” He couldn’t bear to call the Kagune his own. He’d collected and gained numerous weapons made of them and they reminded him of the bitter truth he swallowed down his throat. If possible, Kai wanted to throw it up and replace it with other important things concerning his career.

“Use it as long as you can,” Sehun said, waving his hand as if shooing Kai away. “Just make sure everything is set for tomorrow.”

“I will,” Kai nodded firmly.

A few minutes more and the short meeting ended, Kai and Yixing walking down the same hallway they’d been to. They exchanged thoughts along the way, discussing Kai’s recommended routine and his new diet.

According to Yixing, the meet Kai ate was from the dead victims of ghoul attacks. No one was slayed for the sake of feeding him, so Kai shouldn’t be too guilty about it. But no matter which angle he looked, he still ate a human being, whether he or she was dead or alive.

“Do your best, Kai,” Yixing murmured as he left JongIn to practice. “I’ll come back for you if you press the call button near the door.”

“Thank you for everything,” Kai smiled gratefully, waving as his friend disappeared around the bend. Entering the spacious training room, the blonde took off his clothes until he was down to his boxers. Dr. Wu had explained several points in a ghoul’s body and Kai remembered each and every one of them as reference.

Standing with legs spread, Kai closed his eyes and concentrated, gathering the energy within him and trying to summon his annoying tentacles. Unfortunately, his felt weird after concentrating, leading Kai to head off to the bathroom to take a dump. Concentrating be damned.

This activity needed a lot of work than he anticipated.

----------

To his surprise the next morning, he could summon his Kagune with little effort and make it move whichever way he wanted it to.  Kai encouraged the weapon to sharpen from the middle bend, up to its tips until it glinted evilly under the industrial lighting of the practice room. Park Chanyeol’s weapon wasn’t exactly attractive, but it was stronger than most Kagunes Kai collected in the past. He experimentally stabbed an innocent dummy in the chest and ripped it apart seconds later. Truthfully, he was proud of his achievement, despite the insistent rumbling in his chest and the distant humming at the base of his skull.

Once he stopped to cool down, Do Kyungsoo’s face kept appearing in his mind. Kai was confused because that red haired man was the cause of his predicament, yet his appearance alone made Kai rethink his life’s choices. For god sakes, he was a high ranking CCG officer. People like him shouldn’t dwell in thoughts that are pretty useless. Maybe Do Kyungsoo was just intriguing him or maybe it had a connection with Chanyeol’s Kagune.

He’d seen people cry, get angry and get hurt. Many emotions were revealed to him ever since he was a kid, but the gravity of that ghoul’s anger and sadness washed over him. For some reason, his question ‘why did you let me live?’ was replaced with ‘What’s the history hiding behind your identity?’ Kai shook his head, cursing himself for being this way, for being this kind of person. If he ever had a choice between dying a human and living a life of a ghoul, Kai wouldn’t hesitate to choose the latter. But he was at this point in life where he couldn’t make his own choices. The whole CCG made the choice for him, and he was forced to submit to their will. No matter which way, which angle he looked at it, there was no way out; just another hallway leading to another dead end.

Damn it.

Rearranging the training room to its partially damaged state, Kai didn’t bother to call Yixing over. He had to preserve his energy for tonight. It’s the least he could do. Plus, Zhang Yixing was a busy person like him. The other man did not look the part, but Kai saw him in action many times in the past. So, for now, Kai chose to be alone and handle himself as best as he could.

Normal days in the CCG headquarters weren’t impressive. People were too boring or too obsessed with killing ghouls every single day. Kai identified himself as one of the maniacs, but he wasn’t as blood thirsty as the others. Most of the time, he kept quiet and decided to read many articles, news about recent ghoul attacks in other places. They ranged from normal bites to brutal treatment to their victim’s bodies. Several times in a row, Kai was too disgusted to read everything. It was just too painful (and disgusting) to examine their bodies after the ruckus.

And since his house wasn’t too far, Kai could comfortably stay up late and come home to a welcoming bed and an empty kitchen. Those little things he treasured, the memories he made when he was a human, were for more important than anything else. Yes, he could kill ghouls all day without breaking a sweat, but he often asked himself if his actions were justifiable. Sehun was right with cannibalism, though. That alone gave the CCG the initiative to kill.

In the meantime, Kai waited for night to come, reluctantly taking a short shower before going to bed. While on his back, the blonde reflected, the image of Do Kyungsoo’s face oddly lulling him to sleep.

----------

Kyungsoo had trouble believing the rumors passed from ghoul to ghoul. He was hidden in one of the abandoned buildings in the city, keeping his head down to remain unnoticed. The redhead feared that CCG people would bust into his place and torture him for killing that blonde man. If only he had his brother and his friends, he wouldn’t be in this state at all.

From what his sources told him, CCG had taken down a lot of ghoul groups recently. Kyungsoo missed the action as usual, but he was contented to be one of the many shadows of the city. His sudden encounter with an officer left him scarred and guilty at the same time.

Scarred because he saw his brother drop dead before his eyes. Even now, Chanyeol’s decapitated head haunted him in his sleep, the brunette’s deep voice blaming him for not helping him fight the blonde man. Kyungsoo woke up to a sweaty brow and equally sweaty clothes clinging to his skin every time it happened. Those morning were more often than peaceful ones. It’s as if Chanyeol struggled to remain alive in his thoughts.

Picking up his black mask lined with gold, Kyungsoo wondered who CCG’s new weapon was. The officer who caught them by surprise was Kai, one of the higher ranked men in CCG. Luhan relayed the news through a telephone, amidst the distant buzzing sound from the other end. Though uncomfortabl and out in the open. Kyungsoo stood in the telephone booth for almost thirty minutes so he could get all the details from the other ghoul.

And his reports were certain.

CCG had a ghoul on their side – a powerful one. Luhan never mentioned the appearance of the ghoul’s Kagune nor the description of his face, and those missing pieces piqued his curiosity.

The CCG clean-up attacks were organized everyday starting from Monday night. It was already Thursday in Kyungsoo’s calendar, and the idea of lesser and lesser ghouls in the city stirred up his fear. Luhan, Jongdae and Baekhyun had evacuated on the night of the first attack. They, too, were scared of the cruel possibilities their future possessed.

So that left Kyungsoo on his own.

The night was young, but the streets were practically empty because of CCG’s earlier warnings to the whole population. From his position at the fourth floor of the building, Kyungsoo spotted CCG troops dispersing in the city. One after the other, they searched closed houses and establishments, shooting any ghoul in sight. Humans were spared, of course. They were not the target for this operation.

Kyungsoo swallowed hard when one of them examined his building. He was just about to ignore the CCG, when he saw the same blonde hair in the crowd, a white mask covering his face. Although he might be mistaken, Kyungsoo saw only one person who had that type of dye and aura. Because of the mask, he couldn’t make out his face. The only thing he was sure of was his endangered life and every single heartbeat the staring lasted.

Unforgivable guilt caused Kyungsoo to look away, furiously stuffing the black mask in his backpack, together with the other necessities he needed. One or two minutes from now, those investigators might reach his floor and capture him alive; he needed to hide somewhere else.

Upon hearing the first creak of the staircase on the third floor, Kyungsoo dashed towards the fire exit and jumped with all his might to the building next door. He interrupted a couple making out on the bed and he fought to keep the blush down as he made his strategic retreat.

Kyungsoo took the stairs two at a time, covering the whole building as fast as he could. Then, he burst out of the back door with as much speed he could muster, not bothering to turn around until he suddenly slammed into a sturdy chest.

Calloused hands gripped him tightly, rendering him helpless and vulnerable to the one who caught him by surprise. But imagine his shock when Kai’s expressionless face came into view, mask forgotten on the ground so the other man could take Kyungsoo away with him.

Kai was quiet. He didn’t brag, much less speak a single word of comfort. One whiff of Kai’s scent confirmed Kyungsoo’s suspicion that: a) he was very much alive and b) he was CCG’s newest weapon, and a ghoul at that.

Kyungsoo wasn’t sure how they turned him into a ghoul, much less kept him alive after Kyungsoo’s unforgiving assault to his body. However, he was sure the CCG didn’t plan on keeping him. Normal ghouls were easy enough to detain, so a faithful officer like Kai wasn’t any different.

“You’re making a mistake here,” Kyungsoo said as Kai dragged him to their detaining van a few meters away from where he was caught. The organization probably needed sample organs to experiment on them, just for fun. Ghouls disappearing in thin air was a strong proof of whatever projects CCG had inside their headquarters. “Do you think you’re doing justice to us ghouls by killing us?”

“Shut up. It’s not your place to tell me what to do. Ghouls like you are menace to normal people. The right thing to do is to hunt you down.” Kai said with a growl, stopping in shock when Kyungsoo twisted in his grip. They were face to face, Kyungsoo’s teeth bared and his body tensed.

“Remember that you’re also a ghoul now, Mr. Officer. CCG plans to exterminate all ghouls, right? Then you better hide or run away. Your won’t be saved by your position. And like you said, ghouls are menace to the human race.” Kyungsoo managed to tell him before Kai manhandled him into the van and closed it in his face. Kai turned around to join the remaining CCG fighters loitering around to look for more ghouls. He heard the squeal of wheels against asphalt, but he needn’t bothered to assure Do Kyungsoo’s safety.

Glancing down at his hand, Kai let out an unnecessary shudder. Despite his previous indifference to the ghoul’s words, they left a great effect on him. What will he do if Do Kyungsoo was right all along?

Helping the CCG was a pleasure for Kai – it always was. They were practically his family right from the start. However, that was when he was human, not a ghoul assigned to kill other ghouls. Kai felt strangely guilty. He was so confused of the situation that it was harder to think clearly.

Once all the ghouls were killed, what was his purpose in life? What use would he be to CCG?

Trash, a deep voice told him. You will be treated like trash. That’s what they did to the rest of us, what you did to me.

“Who are you?” Kai demanded, turning around to look behind him. No one was there to whisper in his ear, only empty darkness looming over him like a black tidal wave. Screams echoed in the distance, the scent of death almost making Kai drop to his knees and retch.

Me, Park Chanyeol, the voice answered, thoughts of hatred for CCG flooding his mind, until Kai had to clutch his head to keep his body steady. After the anger came the gentle coos to Kyungsoo, Chanyeol’s softer side revealed oh so slowly. Their thoughts muddled for a moment, experiences and previous predicaments of the siblings heightening his confusion.

Kai stood there dumbly, conflicting emotions making him unable to act on his urges. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo had a point, even if Kai wanted to disregard everything and keep fighting for his life. A lot of his comrades were out there hunting for his kind, ghouls who were hiding from the rest of the world.

This was a sudden change from within, a subtle dig from the other consciousness which was now alive inside his head. Kai wanted, needed to fight it, but a part of him held him back. Because deep inside, past the hard outer shell of his very being, he was also terrified for his own life. Kai failed to acknowledge it right from the start. Or he was purposely ignoring it for the sake of his job as an officer.

With sure steps, Kai walked away from the battle scene, easily hiding himself in the shadows and leaving his teammates, the people he’d fought with, behind. He only looked up from the ground when a familiar sound of a whirring machine – an engine to be exact – came from above.

Flashes of light illuminated the sky, a CCG helicopter in pursuit of something other than the other hiding ghouls. Kai followed the helicopter on instinct, feet taking him farther and farther away from the city and into the woods, towards the unkempt soil of the mountains. His Kagune helped him speed up the trip, ruby red tentacles propelling him further up ahead. Kai breathed in the sweet scent of the wind hitting him in the face, Park Chanyeol’s voice still present in his mind as his body moved on autopilot.

The helicopter was still moving north, heading straight to the cliffs – a dead end that dropped down to a river thousands and thousands of feet below. Kai squinted, spotting a man’s figure with a pair of multicolored wings  constantly shifting protectively around his body. Do Kyungsoo must have escaped from the CCG van and fled from the city to save his own life.

Gasping in realization, Kai gave in to the urge to protect Kyungsoo. He knew something was off a few days ago, but he never paid attention to it. And now, in the middle of their fourth raid, Park Chanyeol chose to distract him for the sake of his brother. That deep voice sent tingles down Kai’s spine and he was urged to do what Chanyeol was supposed to do during this kind of situation.

The moment he was close enough to his target’s location, Kai purposely slammed into Kyungsoo and sent the two of them sprawling on the ground. Kyungsoo’s wing-like Kagune hardened defensively, both eyes a color of crimson.

“What are you doing here?” Kyungsoo demanded, keeping his eyes on the helicopter while backing away from Kai.

“Stop asking questions. Just follow me.” Kai growled, grabbing Kyungsoo’s hand and pulling him closer to the edge. The red haired ghoul looked down in fear, eyes wild and muscles tense. “I want to convince myself that you and Chanyeol are right about this… right about CCG’s intentions when all the city ghouls are gone. , I’m so confused and angry right now that I can’t think straight.”

“That’s the only choice after they’re done using you.” Kyungsoo was trembling, so Kai instantly wrapped his arms around his waist and held him closer, chest pressing against his back. “You don’t need to take pity on me. I can handle myself.”

“And there’s no need to argue with me. I’m here and I’m coming with you wherever this takes us. This is a risk I’m willing to make or my on safety and…” Kai never finished his sentence because Chanyeol was hissing at him angrily, reminding him that their lives were in danger and they needed to escape. Tightening his grip and feeling the strong gust of wind hitting them hard, Kai bit his lip and looked down again, figuring that this was the best choice… for now.

This is just like my dream, Kyungsoo thought for a second, clinging on to the other male before the sounds of gunfire started. The blazing light of the helicopter shined in their faces, almost blinding the two of them as they inched backward, becoming closer and closer to the pit.

“Hold on.” Were the last words Kyungsoo heard before they were jumped off into the gloom, bodies falling faster and faster on their way down. The only thing he could feel were the cold wrapping around their forms and the warmth pressing against him from behind.

Yes, he will hold on.

There's always an infinite numer of possibilities that follow every action.