

I WILL TELL YOU A SCARY STORY

Lost Child

Copyright 2019 Luka Claw

Published by Luka Claw at Smashwords

Cover by: Monika Kurianowicz

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Concert

Chapter 2 – When you thought you had only soda water in your bag

Chapter 3 – Into the depths of the darkness

Chapter 4 – Beomseok's sock is lost again

Chapter 5 – Intruder

Chapter 6 – If you're lost, you'll be doomed

Chapter 7 – Don't trust anybody

Chapter 8 – Noisy return

Chapter 9 – Deadly enthusiastic grandma serves us dumplings

Chapter 10 – Glass therapy

Chapter 11 – Next level of bad luck

Chapter 12 – Grisly poster

Chapter 13 – Grounded or not grounded. That's the question

Chapter 14 – Don't take anything from strangers, if you don't want to blow up

Chapter 15 – Secretly open meeting

Chapter 16 – Rescue mission

Chapter 17 – When the last resort is the most irritating resort

Chapter 18 – Voodoo Barbie, Inc. welcomes you

Chapter 19 – Mystery behind the masks

Chapter 20 – Newcomer

Chapter 21 – Horrified mind

Chapter 22 – Colleague

Chapter 23 – Investigation

Chapter 24 – (Not) completely alone

Chapter 25 – Devil-may-care attractions of amusement part

Chapter 26 – Not time to die yet

Chapter 27 – Sweet trap

Chapter 28 – Dreadful surprise

Chapter 29 – Sacrifice-to-be

Chapter 30 – Choose wisely, pt. I

Chapter 31 – Choose wisely, pt. II

Bonus story

Coming next

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About the author

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Mini-dictionary

# _Chapter 1_

# _Concert_

Do you remember when I told you about hooded man and his brother? Well, it was a lot to read. But you coped with it and read it nicely (at least I hope. To be honest, you'll have trouble understanding this diary without reading previous ones. And yes, that was self-advertisement). So, coming back to the topic, this story won't be similar to the previous ones (ha! Got you!), but no less thrilling and full of unexpected events.

The first unexpected event approached us when we were in the United States.

That's right! We had our first concert in New York. We were doing really well in South Korea, but it seemed we had more fans outside it, so it was a surprise when we were invited to the U.S. to perform for one thousand people. As we arrived there a week before the performance, we were so shocked and nervous that we barely ate. Eventually, our manager got angry and ordered us to eat somewhere a good meal before the concert. We went into the nearest restaurant, so we wouldn't get lost in New York.

"I wouldn't mind if we got lost," Chanwoo said. "We could be like Kevin from Home Alone!"

"Right," I replied. "Do you have family here like him?"

"Well... nope."

"Then good luck with getting lost."

"We're bad at English too..." Youngho sighed.

"But we're better than before."

"I'm so hungry!" Beomseok added.

When we sat at the table, suddenly Jongil got hungry too and excited at the same time. Right... He and his love for fried chicken.

"At least one of us will eat a lot," I commented Jongil's behavior with a smirk.

He ignored me and ordered two boxes of chicken. We, on the other hand, had hamburgers and French fries. Fast food but still made us full and we started to feel a lot better. When I was finishing my Cola, I saw someone observing us.

"What's wrong?" Youngho asked, probably seeing my dumb expression.

Group members followed my gaze and saw him too.

A little kid, maybe seven year old, stared at us with an anxious look. I frowned and suddenly the kid ran away. Group members glared at me, as if it was my fault.

"He's an Asian," Chanwoo said.

I wanted to laugh at him but remembered we were in America, so seeing a lone Asian kid here could be strange (well, seeing any kid alone can be strange). Unless he was here with his parents and got momentarily separated from them.

"So?" I asked. "Should we go after him?"

"Why?" Jongil said. "We don't know him and didn't do anything to him either. Let's go, we have little time to the concert."

I looked for the last time at the corner, where the kid was hiding, and followed my gropu members.

Somehow I got worried. That look on his face... But whatever. That was not my problem.

At 3 p.m. we began our first concert in the West. Everything was awesome: audience, atmosphere, place. Although our dream about our solo concert came true some time ago in South Korea, now we felt fulfilled as artists. Getting recognized overseas wasn't easy, especially when not everybody knows and likes Korean pop.

We just finished our fifth song and were about to start the last one, when I saw him again.

Asian kid was staring at us from backstage. How did he get there in the first place? Where was the security?

I was so deep in thought that I almost missed my part. I started singing and exchanged looks with group members, showing them discretely the backstage. After we finished our performance successfully, we went backstage to look for the kid, but didn't find him.

"Is he trying to prank us?" Chanwoo asked irritated.

"I'm curious whether he was a fan or an anti," Youngho said.

"He's a little kid," I stated. "Why would he hate us?"

"I don't know, maybe revenge? We got it a lot lately."

"Are you delicately reminding me about Lee and his psycho brother?" I said angered. And I wanted to forget about it...

"No, I'm just giving an example."

"Very concrete example."

"Hey, calm down," Jongil interrupted us. "That matter is in the past. Don't talk about it anymore."

"But why not," I growled. "It's nothing to be afraid of anymore, right? Psycho brothers are in the jail and Grumpy controls things connected to them personally."

"We haven't heard from Grumpy for months," Beomseok added worried. "Are you sure they didn't escape? Hooded man did it once –"

"I know because I'm a fortune teller," I answered sarcastically. "I don't know, how could I!"

"Please, stop," Chanwoo groaned. "Don't argue again..."

I took a deep breath. Chan was right. We mentioned that case at least four times since Lee and his brother were arrested and we always ended up arguing. The concert's great atmosphere disappeared in a second.

Suddenly something pulled my sleeve and I looked down.

The kid from the restaurant was looking at me with a stone face.

"What?" I blurted surprised.

"Did you get lost?" Beomseok asked, squatting beside him but was pushed aside, which shocked us. We thought Beomseok was good with children, but that one didn't even look at him. Instead, he took out a notebook from his slightly torn backpack. Only now I saw his clothes were messed up too. He wrote something in his notebook and showed me:

I finally found you!

I raised my eyebrows. Before I could ask what did he mean, security guards ran to us out of breath and took the kid.

"You little rascal! Here you are," one of them said in English and then looked at us. "Sorry about that. We'll take care of him. Great show, by the way!"

"T-Thank you, but –" I began but they already took the kid, who sent me last, frightened look.

For a moment we stood in total silence, dumbfounded. When we were about to leave, I looked down and saw a piece of paper. It must have fallen from kid's notebook. It had something like a... logo?

L&F

If you're lost, you'll be found.

# _Chapter 2_

# _When you thought you had only soda_ _water in your bag_

"Somehow I feel bad."

"Don't. It was him who did wrong. He shouldn't have sneaked there in the first place."

"That's true, but still –"

"Don't think about it and enjoy the flight~" Chanwoo added.

Right... I was curious whether he would talk like that if he lost the rock-paper-scissors like me and sat in the worst seat.

"Wanna play again?" I tried.

"Nice try, Jin. Maybe next time."

I felt offended.

"Jinwoo, pass me my cookies," Youngho said from the front.

"Ah, and I'd like to read my manga*," Chanwoo added.

"Could you give me my headphones?" Jongil said.

"Bread for me!" Beomseok raised his hand, as if he was in a kindergarten.

"Anything else?" I growled, standing up.

The worst seat, that I mentioned earlier, was in the corner of the plane, where all curtains were falling on you and all luggage was about to crush you. Even though we were in a private plane (which belonged to one of our staff's friend, who kindly lent it to us), there was very little space and we fought for best seats. As you found out in the previous diaries, I was bad at rock-paper-scissors and, as usual, ended up as a loser.

First, I looked for Youngho's cookies. I found some and tasted (just to make sure I found the right ones). Mm, yummy. Then I took Chanwoo's manga. Black Butler? Sounded interesting. I hid Beomseok's bread in my pocket and put Jongil's headphones on my neck. After all of this I came back to my seat. Group members turned around, probably wondering why it was taking me so long.

"What are you doing?" Youngho outraged.

I finished his cookies and looked at him, stopping reading manga for a moment.

"What do you mean?" I asked innocently. I took out the bread. Beomseok groaned, as if I was tearing his heart apart along with the wrapping. Chan was staring at the manga with sad puppy eyes, while Jongil just shrugged and started doing something else.

"Stop fooling around." Our manager came out of captain's cabin. "Jinwoo, pass me soda water."

"I thought you're on my side," I grumbled but did as he asked, while group members were choking with laughter.

It took me a while, but I finally found the right bag. I tried to take it out of this luggage mountain, but it was surprisingly heavy.

"How many bottles do we have?" I panted, giving up after a minute.

"One for every one of us," manager said, raising his eyebrows. "Why?"

"Then why is it so heavy –!!" I gasped and fell on my butt, when the bag suddenly moved on its own and jumped to the plane's center.

"What the –!" Chanwoo shrieked, jumping in his seat surprised.

I threw myself at the bag, but it ducked and I bumped into Beomseok, and we both fell behind the nearest seat. I turned around and saw that Jongil and manager surrounded the bag. Chanwoo came to his senses, sneaked at it from behind and jumped, imprisoning it under his grip.

"What are you and who sent you!" the youngest shouted.

"You should stop watching so many movies," I stated and opened the bag.

Before me was sitting the Asian boy from New York. He looked even worse, as if he had air sickness. He was pale, his clothes seemed to be more torn that earlier and he had red eyes, as if he was crying not long ago. However, his sharp look remained and now he was piercing through my head with it.

"Who's the kid?" manager blurted dumbfounded.

"No idea," I said. "We've met him twice in New York, but he didn't say anything." I frowned, looking at the kid. He used a notebook to communicate with us. "You can't talk?"

The kid opened his mouth, probably with an intention to talk, but only a weak groan came from his throat. Sickness? Trauma? The kid got angry and took out his notebook, writing something again.

I need to talk to you!

"Me?" I said. "Only to me? Do I know you?"

The kid nodded violently. I frowned more. I thought I would remember such energetic and creepy kid. He wrote another sentence in a hurry. Meanwhile, the plane shook a little.

We're in danger!

"We?" I repeated. He didn't make any sense. "You mean us? Right now? Here?"

The plane shook again. Damn, what was wrong with that weather?

But after the second shake the kid turned paler, looking at something behind me. Then he showed me the notebook.

Right now.

We all turned around and saw some man in a captain cap, standing in the entrance to pilot's cabin. He had a sad theatrical mask on his face and a rope in his hands.

"I have a feeling that he's not our pilot," Chanwoo whispered to me.

This time I nodded and the plane started falling.

# _Chapter 3_

# _Into the depths of the darkness_

The fall ended as soon as it started, the plane was jerked violently and we all fell on the floor.

"The autopilot must have been switched on!" manager gasped.

"That's not helping," I grumbled.

The masked man started walking toward us. I felt someone was trying to pull me back. I turned around. The boy stared at the masked man with a face as if he saw a ghost.

"You know him?" I asked him.

He just pushed me aside, while jumping to the other side. Thanks to that we survived the first attack. The plane shook dangerously.

"And we had peace for some time!" Youngho outraged, standing up.

"Don't start again," I warned him.

This time he decided to pour his anger on the masked man, as he thoughtlessly jumped on his back. I joined him, as soon as I saw that masked man was about to strangle Youngho with the rope. However, the attacker predicted my move and grabbed my neck, tangling himself with the rope, so me, on his chest, and Youngho, on his back, could be strangled at the same time. But before the man tightened the rope, Jongil and Beomseok threw themselves at the man and freed us.

Jongil jerked me angered, shouting, "Why are you always doing that!"

"What?" I blurted.

"Acting before thinking! How many times did I tell you NOT to do it!"

"Okay, I'm sorry! But what should I do then!?"

"Brothers!"

I looked around. Chanwoo stayed with the kid, who was pointing to the windows. We looked through them and froze.

We were about to crash.

"But look on the bright side," I muttered. "We're going to fall into the water."

"What part of it is a bright side!?"

Manager cursed and ran to the pilot's cabin. We searched for Jongil and Beomseok. We found them rather quickly – they flew toward us. I caught Beomseok, but we both fell and I hit painfully my hip.

"Sorry! Are you okay?" Beomseok helped me sit.

"I'll live," I grumbled. "Where's the guy?"

The answer came from above. Before the man attempted to strangle me again, I snatched from boy's hands his notebook and hit the attacker with all my strength. The kid showed voiceless protest but I ignored it and hit man's face once more, so he fell behind the nearest seat. As a result of the last attack, the notebook broke in two. I gave it back to the kid, without looking at his probably enraged face, and grabbed the rope that the man dropped.

"Well?" I said to him with satisfaction when he got up. "What can you do now?"

For a second I thought the man giggled, but I wasn't sure because of his mask and machine's noise.

"Jinwoo!" Jongil scolded me again.

"What did I do now!" I outraged.

"Can you stop provoking murderers!?"

"Why do you think he's a murderer?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because of that!" He pointed to the masked man, who took out a knife.

"Great," I growled.

Suddenly the plane nosedived and we fell, sliding down toward the knife. I caught the kid and Beomseok grabbed my hood in the last moment, before we met the sharp blade.

"You're... suffocating me..." I hissed through teeth.

"Do you prefer the other option?" Beomseok asked, pointing with his head at the man.

"Not really. But can you at least –"

I was slapped by the kid, who was waving his hands as if he was trying to fly away. "What!" I got angry. "I'm sorry about the notebook, okay? Stop moving or we'll both die!"

The kid showed me the thumb-up when I said the word 'die' and pointed again to the window. Shortly after that, we dived into the ocean.

We quickly took deep breaths and in a moment the plane was full of salt water. I looked around, searching for a safe way out, but the masked man disappeared, as if he melted after the dive. If he really got out, we'll be safe... as soon as we get out too.

Someone grabbed my hand and pulled me and the kid outside of the plane. It was manager. I gave him the kid and began to swim by myself toward the surface.

Suddenly something pulled me down, just before the surface. I looked down, sure the masked man tried to drown me, but it was his rope that got tied around my ankle. The other side of it was tied to a part of plane's wing and that was what was pulling me down. I panicked and moved my arms violently. Jongil and Youngho grabbed my hands and wanted to pull me out, but the wing was heavier and soon my hands slipped out from theirs and I went down.

# _Chapter 4_

# _Beomseok's sock is lost again_

I tried to free my leg a few times, but without effect. Then I looked for something sharp to cut the rope, but that was useless too. And my lungs began hurting. I closed my eyes, thinking desperately what should I do.

All of a sudden I heard muffled sound, as if something fell into the water and I looked up. My heart pounded painfully with joy, or because of lack of the air. All group members swam to me. Beomseok and Chanwoo grabbed my hands, while Jongil and Youngho dealt with the rope, holding manager's pocket knife. But will this tiny blade cut the thick rope?

It took a while, as I thought. I felt like my lungs were about to explode. Finally the rope let go and with the help of group members I got out pretty fast.

I took breath too violently and started to cough, almost losing consciousness. I was pulled to the fishing boat. Man, we were so lucky, for a change, that we crashed near it...

After a moment I was lying on a safe wooden surface, happy to be breathing again. Manager was talking to two fishermen, who already contacted the police. I looked around and saw the kid on the other side of the boat, who was staring at me with teary eyes. I had no idea what his stare was supposed to tell me.

"Jin, it'll be a problem," I heard Chanwoo's whisper and looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"This kid. That man was similar to other freaks we've met so far, so I have a bad feeling about it."

"Don't worry," I said, looking at the kid again. "We'll take him to the police station. He has nothing to do with us, so it'll be safer for him, and for us, if they deal with it."

We did as I said. After we arrived to Seoul, we left the kid at the police station and went to our dorm. I ignored kid's frightened look as we left him and tried to think only about nice things during our way back. There were a few, to be honest.

Our performance in the U.S. became a huge thing in South Korea, so today we were the main celebrities in Seoul. Our faces and clips from the concert were almost everywhere and we felt pride and embarrassment at the same time. Thankfully, no one heard about the plane crash. Uncomfortable questions were the last I wanted to hear right now...

After we came into our sweet dorm, the first thing we did was to fight who will go to bathe first. Of course, I lost and was the last after Beomseok, so we almost crawled into our room.

"Will he be alright?" Beomseok said after I lay down, facing the pillow.

"Who..." I muttered half asleep.

"The boy."

I looked at Beomseok with a grimace. "Do we really have to talk about it?"

"But he lives in New York and now he's all alone in Seoul. Isn't it too harsh?"

"He's not our child, we don't have to take care of him," I growled. "Besides, he's the one who followed us, so he surely knew what he was doing."

"He's only eight years old," Beomseok wasn't giving up.

"Just like the child in you," I got angry. "You miss the only person who would understand your world?"

"That's not it! I –"

"Whatever."

We were silent for a while and finally I felt bad.

"Sorry..."

"Don't worry about it."

"How do you know at what age he is?" I became curious.

"Before we left him I saw him showing to a police officer eight fingers." I heard a noise and some kind of beeping from the first level of bunk beds. Beomseok must have turned on his phone.

I decided to not turn on mine. I liked that we got really popular, but seeing my own face day by day was kind of creepy and sometimes tiring. It won't change my dream and career, oh no. But we all needed some good rest, far away from media and exhausting trainings. And not in an unknown, mysterious village, if it was possible.

After we bathed, we fell asleep right away and woke up in better moods around 9 a.m. next morning. Because of our adventure with the ocean, Youngho and Jongil caught a cold, so we received an order from the agency to rest for three days. Today we decided to stay at our dorm and tomorrow Beomseok and Chanwoo were going to visit their families. I saw mine before our trip to the U.S., so I decided to stay with the sick and nurse them.

"You don't have to," Jongil said and sneezed.

"Oh, I think I have," I replied, throwing him a new pack of tissues. "You're so hopeless when you're sick."

"That's true," Youngho got my back.

"You too," I added, giving Youngho his medicine.

"That's also true," he didn't even try to deny.

When Chan and Beomseok came back with groceries, we made dinner. We spent funny and peaceful day with each other, at the end of which we watched a zombie movie in our living room, making one big bed with mattresses from our rooms. Jongil and Youngho fell asleep in the middle of the movie. Chanwoo went to the kitchen to get more snacks, while Beomseok squeezed his pillow along with my arm with fear, as usual.

All of a sudden the movie stopped at a creepy scene.

"It's buffering again?" I groaned. "I hate watching online!"

"Oh God, yes! I need rest..." Beomseok gasped. He looked sadly at his bare foot. "Haven't you found it yet?"

"Really? Do you keep gold in that particular sock, or something?"

Apparently, Beomseok lost his favorite sock again. As you may remember, he did lost it once when we were trainees (not good memory, because I found something worse than a sock then). We were goofing around all day today, so he lost it in action. After his irritating nudging, I decided to search for it once more. We were still waiting for Chan anyway.

I got up, straightened up and was about to begin, when I saw something strange.

The living room was illuminated only by our computer, so the rest of it was darkened. In the corner of the room in front of me were lying empty boxes, where earlier was homemade food that our parents sent to us. Now one of the boxes was overturned.

"Did you move the boxes?" I asked Beomseok, without letting my gaze off the box.

"What boxes? Ah, these boxes. Nope, I didn't do anything." In a second Beomseok appeared beside me. "Maybe my sock is among them?"

He wanted to go there, but I stopped him, pushed him on the mattress and took his other sock. "What are you doing!" he outraged.

I put finger to my lip to hush him. Something wasn't right and I wanted to do a test. I threw the sock toward the overturned box. We waited a few seconds but nothing happened. I wanted to give up, when a hand crawled out from the box and took the sock.

I exchanged frightened looks with Beomseok. Suddenly a terrible scream came from behind us and that something, that was inside the box, jumped out from it, straight at us.

# _Ch_ _apter 5_

# _Intruder_

Box's dweller jumped at me, tangling his arms and legs around my body like an octopus. I tripped over a rolled blanket and landed on a mattress. Beomseok grabbed the TV remote to hit the attacker, when I recognized him and stopped the remote.

The kid from New York was still sitting on my stomach, clenching his fists on my shirt. He seemed to be really frightened. I looked aside at the TV and realized he must have been surprised by a loud zombie's scream, when the movie decided to continue exactly at this point.

Jongil and Youngho, woken up by the noise, flinched and looked around confused. Chanwoo ran out of the kitchen with popcorn in the bowl and his mouth. I sat and detached the boy from my shirt. We all stared at him for a few seconds.

He looked even more miserable than when we left him at the police station. His clothes were dirty and had more holes than before, his hair was messy and dirty too, plus he had no shoes. I recognized Beomseok's lost sock on his left foot. Before he jumped from the box he probably wanted to put on the other sock, because the work was half done. I saw a lot of wounds on his heel, calves and hands. Was he abused at home? That was why he ran away?

"Jin... ?" Chanwoo made wide eyes looking at me and then at the kid.

"Don't ask me," I said. "Hey." I poked kid's shoulder so he would pay attention to me. "What are you doing here? From what I saw you understand Korean, right?" He nodded. "Great. Then explain yourself."

Maybe that was too harsh, but the kid was acting strange. He could really be the stalker, even though he was this young.

The boy understood his situation and stretched out his hand toward me, as if I was supposed to give him something. I raised my eyebrows. He, on the other hand, frowned. Chan was first to caught on what that meant. He gave the kid paper and pen.

Sorry. It was urgent. I didn't know what to do...

"What was urgent?" I asked. "Are you really abused at your home?"

He shook his head violently and wrote:

Not at home. But I need help. And you're the only one I can count on.

"Why?"

This time the kid raised his eyebrows.

Because you know me.

"I know you?" I looked at group members, but they were as puzzled as I was. "How –"

We're family, Jinwoo Kim.

I opened my mouth shocked. I looked at group members again, but they were staring at me, not at the intruder. "I don't know anything!" I defended myself. "He's not my kid!"

The boy hit my arm with pen, angered.

Of course I'm not yours! We're cousins!

"Cousins? But wait... I know my relatives and don't remember someone like you... What's your name?"

The kid hesitated for a moment, but eventually wrote it.

Daewon Kim. Of course... you may not remember, our families met a long time ago. I don't remember you too, but my mom told me about you when you started appearing in media.

That explained how he found me.

At first I didn't recognize you. Now you have pale hair.

Pale hair? What was that?

"Pale hair," Youngho repeated my thought. "That's an interesting wording."

"I think he meant 'fair hair'," Jongil said, while I poked Youngho's arm with irritation.

Daewon looked at us, then at the paper and quickly erased the sentence, as if he didn't realize what he'd written. After that he looked at me with red and angry face.

"Wow, you're so similar!" Chanwoo shouted, pointing to kid's face.

"No, we're not!" I disagreed, now having red face too with embarrassment.

We were quiet for a moment.

"So, Daewon," I broke the awkward silence. "It's not that I don't believe you, but I have to make sure we're related. I'll contact my family tomorrow and ask, okay?"

Daewon nodded enthusiastically. I studied his appearance once more.

"Now it's night, so you'll stay with us today. We'll decide what to do with you in the morning. Bathe yourself and eat."

He nodded even more enthusiastically and ran to Beomseok, who took him to the bathroom, while Chanwoo searched for a towel and some clean clothes. I sighed and fell on the pillows.

"You did the right thing," Jongil said.

"What exactly?"

"Letting him stay and calling your family."

"I hope so..."

# _Chapter 6_

# _If you're lost, you'll be doomed_

I had a nightmare. Well done, my luck. Didn't have these for some time, so why not now?

I was in a plane that was about to crash. However, not into the water but the city. I panicked and jumped to pilot's cabin, where our manager was supposed to be. Why did he change the course!?

But it wasn't manager. When I touched his arm, the masked man turned to me and took off the mask. Behind it was a terrible, deformed face, which I usually saw in zombie movies. Before he bit out my brain, the plane crashed and I woke up.

I gasped, breathing fast and slowly recalling my whereabouts. The living room was still a little dimmed, so the sun must have started to rise only now. Why wasn't I in my room... ? Then I remembered the last evening and looked around.

All five of us were sleeping on connected mattresses from our beds. Jongil and Youngho were next to the wall, while Beomseok and Chan were on my both sides. I frowned. Beomseok's sleeping position was a little strange. I thought he would be the first one to sleep just next to me, but he clung to Youngho like he was scared, leaving some space between us. His place, however, took the sixth person – Daewon.

When I went to sleep I was sure he was between Jongil and Youngho, but now he was clinging to my belly, treating it as a pillow. Suddenly Chanwoo muttered something and wanted to cling to my belly too, but Daewon (surely unconsciously) kicked him in the face and Chan sat confused. He looked at the kid and was ready to smack his back, when he saw I was awake.

"Ah, Jin..." he grumbled. "Were you comfortable?"

"Do I seem like I'm comfortable?" I said, pointing at Daewon with my chin.

"Ah... We didn't have a choice. He was surprisingly aggressive and strong when we opposed." Chanwoo showed me Beomseok. "He fought back but... Anyway, the kid defeated him again."

I smirked. That would be worth to watch: Beomseok losing to an eight year old. My smile disappeared as I looked down at the kid.

He was wearing Chan's old tracksuit, which was still too big for him. He washed up and his skin turned out to be quite fair. Only now I realized how skinny and wasted he was. I decided not to lengthen the issue and woke him up.

Daewon sat, rubbed his eyes and needed a moment to remember where he was. For a moment I saw fear in his eyes, but it disappeared when he recognized us.

"Hi," I said. "Sorry to say it as the first thing you hear in the morning, but we need to know a bit about you. We let you sleep here tonight, but can't hide you forever. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded without hesitation, so he probably predicted it'll be like this. He took paper and pen.

I ran away.

"This much we guessed," I said with impatience. "From home?"

Daewon shook his head. He was about to write from where he ran away, but he hesitated in the last moment and wrote probably something else.

I don't know how much should I tell you...

"What do you mean?" Chanwoo asked.

You could be in danger.

Great. Another psycho was on his way?

"Just what in the world did you do?" I said slowly.

Daewon bit his lip and looked like he was about to burst into tears. Jongil and Beomseok glared at me and I realized I was getting mad at the innocent kid because of my memories. Daewon took a deep breath and wrote:

They call themselves Messiahs. They exist for... five years maybe? They're some kind of a psychic organization with the name L&F, which is the abbreviation of Lost and Found.

Lost and Found? It was on the paper that the kid lost in New York.

They claim they're all equal, but above them there is one man called the Master. I don't really know about their all activities, I'm just sure they're dangerous and use some kind of strange rituals!

He stopped stressed out, breathing fast. But he continued right away.

Their name is strange enough. If you're lost, you'll be found – that's their motto! If there is a person who is 'lost', I don't know, lost the job or sense of life, they somehow find the person and recruit to the organization. Then that person is suddenly 'found'. I don't know what it means though... They're not known in South Korea, they're active only in America.

"So why were you there?" Youngho asked. "Do you live in New York?"

Daewon shook his head again.

I have home in Busan. I... was kidnapped. One month ago.

"Okay, that's enough!" I said, standing up violently. I got dizzy because of this. My heart was beating fast, but for another reason. "This creeped me out. It's not our business but the police! Even American one, if they're not active in South Korea."

Thankfully, no one opposed me. I calmed down a bit and sat on the sofa.

Damn this kid! He brought another trouble to us! Even though he declared he didn't know all about the L&F, that short story of his scared the hell out of me... I hoped we won't see, hear, and even think about this anymore.

"So that guy on the plane was one of them?" I sighed after a moment of silence. And I was thinking about it. Damn it. "Was he a Messiah?"

Daewon nodded grimly. I closed my eyes and leaned against the sofa, all of a sudden tired.

"Wait," Chanwoo gasped. "If he was on the plane, then..." I opened my eyes and saw he looked with fear at the boy. "Can they follow you here? To Seoul?"

Daewon clenched his fingers on the pen, writing.

Probably. I'm their only 'hope' now, so either they'll find someone else, or come for me. They don't fail.

# _Chapter 7_

# _Don't trust anybody_

After poor breakfast, I walked Beomseok and Chanwoo to the exit as they were going home.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Chan asked worried. "I'm not talking about the ill ones –"

"I'm fine. I'll take the kid to the police, tell them everything and forget about it. Have a safe trip, both of you."

After they left, I sighed heavily and turned around. I flinched surprised. Daewon was standing in front of me with a Pokémon notebook, saying:

I borrowed it. You broke mine.

"It's okay, it's not mine anyway," I grumbled. The boy looked worried at the cover. "Don't worry, Beomseok has a lot of them, just take it."

He brightened up and wrote something again.

Thanks! Can I have these too?

He showed me the tracksuit he was wearing.

"Yeah. I'll give you some daily clothes too. But when you change, we'll going."

Before I entered the bathroom, the kid grabbed my shirt.

Are you mad at me?

I sighed once more and rubbed my eyes with fingers. "I'm not mad, it's just... we had some crazy stuff going on lately and I don't want to be dragged into another psycho game. But I don't expect you to understand –"

I do understand.

I raised my eyebrows.

You probably think I'm too young, but I saw more than you can imagine. I also don't want you to be part of it. I'm sorry, it's my fault. I shouldn't have come to you...

He made a stone face, but I saw tears in his eyes, even though he didn't want to cry. Who was I kidding? He was still a child. I couldn't expect him to return home safely by himself. And it seemed he trusted me more than the police.

"Now go and change" I said "then we'll think about it."

Before we went out, I checked how were Youngho and Jongil. Jongil had slight fever since this morning, so I left him the medicaments and brought Youngho another box of tissues.

"Will you be okay?" the oldest muttered. "Going alone like this..."

"We're going to the police," I reminded him. "There's no safer place, even if something was about to happen. But it won't. Stop scaring me."

"I'm not scaring you. I'm just –"

" –worried, I know. Thanks, but we'll be fine. I'll be back in two hours at most. If you need something to buy, call me."

"Okay."

After we left the dorm, soon I regretted I didn't cover my face better. I forgot we were popular these days, so in a while I was surrounded by fans. I put the hood on my head and grabbed Daewon's hand, so he wouldn't get lost (meanwhile, ignoring fans' comments like 'Is he yours? So cute!'), and almost ran to the police station.

When we lost the fans, I realized Daewon was clinging to my waist with fear on his face.

"Sorry about that," I said. "I forgot to be more discrete."

The kid took a deep breath and shook his head. He wrote,

It's okay. I just don't like crowds...

Then he was our complete opposite. He surely wouldn't survive in our environment.

We reached the police station before some young guy with earphones, who kindly let us in first. I looked around, searching for an unoccupied police officer, but they were all busy. One of them looked at me, then at Daewon, and waved to come to him. He sent somewhere an old lady, who glared at me as if I did something bad.

"How can I help you?" the police officer said.

I explained the situation and asked him to take Daewon home. The police officer nodded and took a paper.

"You're from that idol group, U-NIGHT. Right?" he said suddenly.

"How do you know?" I blurted.

The police officer raised his eyebrows and pointed outside with his pen. "Your faces are everywhere, haven't you seen?"

"Ah... right..."

"Tell me your address or phone number in case I had to contact you."

"Why would you contact me?" I said puzzled. "I'm just asking you to send Daewon home safely. I don't want to be involved in anything."

"Too late for that."

"Excuse me?"

"I meant, we can't send him today. There was some accident on the roads and it's hard to get into Busan. We may have to contact you if the kid makes problems."

"But that's not my problem what he does," I said sharply, squeezing Daewon's arm, who wanted to protest about him being a problem.

"You –" The telephone rang on officer's desk. "Eh, go to the bench and wait a moment. I'll call for you."

I stopped myself from being too rude and did as he said. We sat on the bench, waiting. Soon the guy, who let us enter before him, sat next to me. I leaned my head against the wall, sighing, "Aaah, and it won't be two hours... Maybe I should contact brothers?"

Daewon scrabbled,

Sorry.

"Stop, it makes me feel like I'm the bad guy," I muttered, looking at him carefully. "Didn't your parents try to find you?"

Daewon didn't answer. Damn, maybe I was tactless? "Sorry..."

He shook his head and suddenly smiled. Then he looked at me and the smile disappeared as fast as it appeared. He widened his eyes and opened mouth, as if he wanted to scream.

He was staring at something behind me.

I turned around but too late. The guy, who was sitting next to me, tangled cables from his earphones around my neck and tried to strangle me. I gasped and elbowed him between legs. He let go of me and Daewon pulled me aside. I coughed and showed the kid thumb-up that I was okay.

"Sir!" I hissed and ran to the police officer, who listened to my story earlier. "I think it's one of them!"

"Who?" the police officer frowned and looked at the place that I showed him, but... the attacker put earphones into his ears and walked out as if nothing happened!

"W-Wait, what?" I muttered. Daewon squeezed my hand worried. "I'm sure! He tried to –"

"Knowing too much is a sin, child."

"What?" I wanted to turn to the police officer, but suddenly felt something cold on my throat. "W-What are you –!"

"We can't fail," the police officer whispered to my ear, holding the knife. "It's bad for our future."

# _Chapter 8_

# _Noisy return_

I wanted to scream for help, but I knew he would kill me if I opened my mouth. Daewon's face was as white as death. He squeezed my hand even stronger, which surely didn't help me.

"Let's meet in Nirvana!" the police officer suddenly said and got ready to slice my throat.

I, on the other hand, (saw that in a movie) hid my fists in long sleeves in order to catch the blade, but when the knife was in the midway to my neck, someone grabbed attacker's wrist.

"Aaaah, and I wanted to come back for a break."

I opened my mouth and widened my eyes.

Detective Kang Hyun – aka Grumpy – rubbed his messy beard and yawned. Then he looked at the intended victim – me – and widened his eyes too, shocked. Before he said anything, the attacker took advantage of his inattention and hit his face with elbow, running away.

"Damn!!" Grumpy growled. He pointed his finger at me accusingly, shouting, "Stay here!" He went after the attacker, but stopped abruptly before the door, probably thinking the same thing I had in my mind. "No, come with me. Come!!"

I followed him with Daewon, but Grumpy was really fast. We stopped after a few minutes of running, panting and dripping with sweat. We lost him. Daewon jerked my sleeve. I looked at him. He was pointing to the wall on the nearest crossroad. Only now I realized we weren't on Seoul's main street but some settlement's small roads. Next to the wall, which Daewon showed me, was someone's leg. When we ran toward it, the one that was standing there disappeared.

"Did you see who was it?" I asked Daewon. "Was it that police officer?"

Daewon shook his head twice. I cursed under my breath and began looking for Grumpy. When I chose the road on my right, I stopped abruptly, almost stepping on something. I picked up earphones. Very familiar ones...

Daewon hit the wall with his notebook to warn me and I jumped aside, surviving the knife attack. I turned around and faced the first attacker from the police station. What was different about him now was a happy theatrical mask on his face. For a second I wondered how were they choosing these masks – one had sad, and the other happy face.

I moved back a few steps and someone suddenly bumped into me. We fell and I got up right away with a stone in my hand, ready to attack. I lowered the primitive weapon quickly when I recognized Grumpy.

"You're in my way, kiddo!" he growled, pointing gun at the police officer, who had sad theatrical mask on his face.

I ignored his words and pulled him by his coat so that he avoided the thrown knife.

"There's another one!" I panted.

Grumpy only now saw the earphones guy. Then he looked back at the police officer. "What the hell did you do this time?" he whispered confused.

"Don't involve me! I stayed out of everything until now!"

"That's why I'm asking! Your bad luck is really annoying!"

I snorted indignantly. Before I could say to him something no less rude, both of attackers made their moves at the same time. I jumped forward and grabbed Daewon. Even though they wanted to eliminate the witness – me – Daewon was their main target.

"We don't have time for that!" I hissed to the kid, who was scrabbling something. He patted my arm. "What!"

Stop it! I'll go with them, just let me go!

"Are you mad!?" I shouted at him, surprised myself how angry I was at him right now. "They... Well, I don't know what are you to them, you still didn't explain that to me!"

Please, brother Jin! You'll only get hurt! You and that man!

"Grumpy is a crazy for thrill detective, so he'll be fine!" I said with confidence, that disappeared in a moment as I heard Grumpy's scream. "At least was a year ago..."

"KIDDO, DUCK!"

I turned to Grumpy and at the same moment heard a gunshot. I froze terrified, then slowly looked at the wall behind me, where was a bullet hole. An inch to the right and I would lost my ear. I shivered and fell on my knees, suddenly feeling weak. Daewon sat beside me worried.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Grumpy ran to us and squatted in front of me, shaking my arm.

I shook my head, coming to my senses and said with sudden anger, "Of course I'm NOT alright! I almost died!"

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No! I think dying from heart attack is also terrible!"

Grumpy sighed with relief, which angered me more. He turned to the attackers, who were just standing a few steps from us without moving. Then the police officer, who shot at me, threw Grumpy's gun on the ground and left with earphones guy without a word. After a moment we heard a noise and a black van went toward the main street, probably with the attackers in it. And I thought nothing weirder wouldn't happen to me...

"Won't you chase them?" I grumbled, avoiding detective's eyes. Now I was embarrassed and surely had red face.

"No chance. They gave terrorists' aura, so I have to report it and the appropriate squad will take care of it." Grumpy looked at Daewon, who dazed off, maybe full of thoughts. "Is he yours? I'm shocked, kiddo."

"He's NOT MINE!" I outraged. Why everyone thought that!? "He's... probably my cousin..."

"Probably? So you don't know?"

"Not yet. I... It's complicated."

"More than the last time?"

"Yeah..."

A moment of silence.

"I'm still waiting," the detective said.

I looked at him. How could I explain something I didn't understand myself?

"I don't know who they were," I sighed finally. "But they're after this kid, Daewon. He escaped them and has been clinging to us since we came back from New York. We were already almost killed on the plane to South Korea, then this situation at the police station. I'm really sick of it! More than you!"

"Okay, calm down. So you don't know, I get it."

"I only know things Daewon told... I mean, wrote me. He can't talk," I added, seeing Grumpy's face. "I don't know why."

While I was talking to Grumpy, Daewon was again writing something. When he showed us a few pages, I realized they were things about L&F that he explained to me and group members at the dorm. Grumpy read everything carefully. With each sentence his face was getting darker and darker. When he finished, he seemed like he aged a lot.

"Wait!" I realized something suddenly, standing up violently. Daewon almost fell down, when I unintentionally lifted him up too. "This is bad..."

"What?"

"It seemed like they waited for us at the police station! So somehow they knew... And that con officer knew I was from U-NIGHT!" I must have gotten pale, because again in a second I also felt weak. "It's possible they found our dorm's address! Group members –!"

"Calm down, for God's sake!" Grumpy scolded me. "You look like you're about to faint and I don't feel like piggybacking you. I'll contact your manager and you'll come to my house for a few days."

"I... Is it okay with you?" I muttered.

"Do I have a choice? I don't want to ran after you again as you wander wherever you like to."

"But... what about our activities? We have the break only until tomorrow!"

"Simple question: do you prefer career or life?"

That wasn't simple at all. What if my career was my life?

# _Chapter 9_

# _Deadly enthusiastic grandma serves us dumplings_

My jaw dropped as we reached Grumpy's house. I would never even suspect he could live in THAT.

"Are you some abandoned rich child, whose father wants to compensate its childhood?" I asked. I patted Daewon's arm so he would close his mouth too.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. Unfortunately your terrible sense of humor didn't change. I was born here. I moved out when I started working in the police, but my mother still doesn't like it..."

"So your mother lives here?"

"You have problem with that?"

"Not really. But does she know we're coming?"

"I mentioned that earlier. Without the bloody details, of course." Grumpy looked at me with squinted eyes. "Don't worry. She likes kids."

I was about to outrage when I realized he was talking about Daewon, who was still amazed by the size and wealth of the house.

"Mom, we're here!" Grumpy called when we entered a hall.

Suddenly I felt weak but not from tiredness. Daewon let go of my hand and ran toward the kitchen before I could stop him. I wanted to go there so bad too... The smell was so wonderful...

"Oh! Who we have here?" we heard a voice from the kitchen. After a moment an elder, not so tall woman appeared before us with Daewon, who was already eating just-baked bread. I swallowed hard. Looked yummy... "Ah!" The woman saw us. "My potato is back! Wonderful, just for dinner."

Oh my God.

"Potato?" I whispered, silently choking with laughter.

"Shut up, or I'll kill you," Grumpy-potato growled.

Suddenly he got hit with a towel. His mother surprisingly fast founded herself in front of us. "Don't threaten this boy!" she scolded her son and turned to me. "Oh, what a pretty one!" She frowned, looking at me carefully. "Wait, I think I saw you somewhere..." Then she brightened up. "Oh my! You're that –"

" –troublesome brat with bad luck, whom I told you about," Grumpy finished grimly.

"Aren't you talking about yourself?" the mother said the sentence, which I wanted to use. "I'll discuss the matter with you later. Now come eat." She looked at me, as if she was waiting for something.

"Ah, I'm sorry," I said quickly, bowing. "I'm Jinwoo. Jinwoo Kim."

She smiled without saying anything and went to the kitchen. Did she want to hear something else?

She served us delicious dumplings with meat and cabbage. Daewon was in heaven, while I tried to focus on manners, eating slowly. After a few minutes we heard a doorbell.

"Jinwoo!" Jongil and Youngho ran to me. "Are you okay?"

I smiled lightly and nodded. I couldn't utter a word with emotion and happiness that they were here (and partly because of two dumplings in my mouth with which I surely looked like a hamster). Jongil and Youngho sat down when Grumpy's mother ordered them to eat. Daewon just finished his second bowl and was reaching for desert.

After another hour the doorbell rang again and this time Chanwoo, Beomseok and our manager walked into the house. Chan hugged me.

"Jin~!" Beomseok shouted and ran to me, as if he wanted to give me a hug too, but he changed his mind when he saw what was behind me. "Dumplings~!"

Suddenly Grumpy's mother stood up, hitting the table. Beomseok immediately put down the chopsticks and sat down slowly, like a scolded child. Then the mother smiled warmly and passed a bowl of soup to him. "We start with this," she explained and sat down, as if nothing happened.

Beomseok began eating the soup in silence (just like Chanwoo), while the rest of us came back to our dishes. At some point granny began being fascinated by Daewon, who – on the other hand – had more and more red face. I guessed he wasn't used to this enthusiastic treatment.

"Um... granny?" I said. She stopped complimenting Daewon's cheeks. "I need to use the bathroom. Can you tell me where it is... ?"

"Of course, pretzel! The last door in the corridor. I already got ready your towels, so feel yourself at home!"

I wanted to smile, but ended up grimacing. I left the kitchen red, like Daewon, before group members burst out laughing at my new nickname. I found the bathroom rather quickly, but when I reached the handle, I heard Grumpy's voice coming from the nearest room. He was arguing with someone.

" –what do you mean you didn't find anything!"

I came closer to the slight open door. Grumpy was on the phone.

"You're totally incompetent! I don't believe there's no information about the kidnapping of an eight year old brat!"

I frowned. Was he talking about Daewon? What was he looking for?

"And what about that L&F thing? Wait, what!? And you're telling me this now!? Okay, okay, I calmed down. I'm really calm!! My freaking mind is just seeing a similar scene to Lee brothers' case and I don't like it. I actually hate it, you know? And the worst thing is, the same kid is involved in all of this. If you're telling the truth that this L&F is active in South Korea too, then we have big problem that –"

I didn't have to listen to the rest. I leaned against the wall with fast beating heart.

If L&F was really in South Korea, then the last meeting at the police station wasn't a coincidence. They certainly knew about our moves. And if they had investigated us, then we were in big trouble. Even Grumpy seemed to be afraid. But what was worse, we didn't know any of their next moves.

# _Chapter 10_

# _Glass therapy_

What was to be expected, I had a nightmare.

First, I dreamed about our concert in the USA. It was awesome, as I remembered. But when my part was about to start, I saw a strange circle made by the audience. I got curious and left the stage, coming to the empty space.

In the center of the circle was kneeling a boy. He was about eight years old and in a moment I remembered Daewon. I looked around. Fans were totally ignoring the kid, as they were chanting and having fun – they didn't break the circle though. Daewon himself was lowering his head and looked really miserable, even worse than when we met him for the first time. I squatted beside the kid and put my hand on his arm.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked and suddenly the silence fell, as if the noise was cut by a knife. I looked around shocked. Fans were standing without any movement, lowering their heads too. It creeped me out. I looked at the stage and realized my group members were in the same positions.

Then the kid grabbed my wrist. I looked at him and gasped with fear.

I was looking at my younger self. Younger me smiled lightly and reached to my eyes, trying to dig them out. Thankfully, I woke up before he did it.

I screamed and sat violently, throwing Beomseok from a double bed, on which we were sleeping. Somehow he didn't wake up. Daewon, who for a change wasn't sleeping with me but Chanwoo, muttered something and groaned. He was sweating like crazy. I swallowed hard, trying to come to my senses, then I got up. I snatched Bulbasaur plush toy from Beomseok and gave it to Daewon, covering him with blanket too. After a few seconds Daewon calmed down and squeezed the toy. He probably didn't have nightmare anymore. I wanted to smile, but something heavy landed on my stomach and I went to the kitchen.

I poured water to a glass but suddenly didn't want to drink it, so I put it on the table and sat at it, looking at the glass grimly. Soon someone touched my arm and I flinched startled.

"It's only me," Grumpy said, sitting next to me. "What's with that long face, kiddo?"

"Nothing..." I grumbled, going back to staring at the glass.

"Yeah, right. Are you going to tell me, or must I guess? I remind you, I'm very impatient fellow."

I glanced at Grumpy who made a move like he was about to smoke a cigarette, but in the last moment remembered he was inside the house. And I was sure his mother wouldn't enjoy the smell.

"You're nervous," I stated.

"Of course. I would be an idiot if I wasn't."

I stared at him for a moment in silence. "Do you know who they are?"

"Those crazy bastards from L&F? No idea."

"But they're in South Korea already. There is no archives about them?"

Grumpy frowned. "Did you eavesdrop?" He sighed. "Never mind, I'm not surprised. No, we don't have anything on them. Not even a clue. Good you mentioned it, because I have something to tell you: don't even think about investigating it yourself, do you get it? Or I'll lock you up."

I frowned too. "Why would I investigate someone who wants me dead?" I asked.

"And Lee's psycho brother didn't want you dead? You're predictable and naive daredevil, kiddo."

I felt offended. "What about you?" I snorted. "Won't you do something?"

"You're not the president. I don't have duty to protect only you. If they're freaking terrorists, all country is endangered and it's not only my case any longer. I'm a low dog that listens to higher ranked anyway."

I clenched my fists. I was so angry at him! But I didn't know why anymore. Maybe I was angry only at myself and my bad luck that I was involved in it...

"I hate my life..." I growled and wanted to throw the glass from the table, but Grumpy grabbed my wrist. I got goosebumps when I suddenly remembered my nightmare.

"Don't ever think like that," Grumpy said, which sounded like a threat. "If you do something stupid, I swear I'll beat you up. Even though you're a kid."

"I'm NOT a kid!" I exploded, standing up and breaking free. "I'm –"

" –noisy dumb kid, you're right." Grumpy stood up too. For a second I thought he'll lock me up now, but he pointed to my glass, saying, "What do you see?"

"What?" Now I was dumbfounded.

"Tell me what do you see."

"Um... a glass?"

"Is it half empty or half full?"

"Are you playing a psychologist?"

"Just answer me."

I sighed. "Half full. Happy now?"

"Want to know something interesting? You just said 'half full', so normally you would be considered as a positive person. When you say 'half empty', you're a negative one. But do you ever thought about the substance itself?"

"I don't get it," I got more confused.

"Now your glass is filled with water. But it can be filled with juice, alcohol, or Cola. But it also can consists of poison. Do you know what kind of person sees a glass 'half full' but is not a positive one?" I shook my head. "A hypocrite. You're that kind, kiddo. I know you love your life and I'm also aware of times when you hide your pain. You probably don't realize it, but everyone sees it. So get hold of yourself and stop pilling up problems for yourself and those around you. I may be a grumpy detective and boring psychologist, but I'm also human and have a lot more experience than you do. Now go to bed before you find a topic to argue with me."

He left the kitchen just when I wanted to argue. Damn him and his psychology... But I did as he said and went back to our room. I sighed and went to an empty mattress beside the bed, when I saw that the bed was now occupied by Beomseok and Youngho. Suddenly someone grabbed my ankle. I looked down and saw Daewon's hand. He had closed eyes but somehow I had a feeling he was awake. I lay down next to him, this time without having any nightmare.

# _Chapter 11_

# _Next level of bad luck_

The next day we had fixed schedule, so we couldn't skip it. We didn't want our fans and, especially, media to know about our situation. It was really similar to Lee brothers' case (if not worse), so I was nervous when we were going on stage.

"Detective Kang assigned us to watch and protect you," said short detective with sunglasses, who was with five tall and muscular guards. To be honest, he seemed to need more protection than us. "So don't worry and do your job."

"Thanks..." I muttered. "Don't mind us. Take care of Daewon."

"Alright."

We did everything we could so Daewon would stay with Grumpy's mother, but he was more stubborn than we were and stated he felt safer with us, even though he liked granny (he also warned us that if we left him, he would run away). Grumpy went to work early in the morning, so he didn't get a chance to reason with him.

While we were singing, Daewon and guards stayed backstage. In the midway I forgot all about our current problems and enjoyed the concert. My dreams finally came true and I felt really great. I even got teary when we were finishing the concert with talk with fans. After that we performed Life – our debut song as an encore, which was nostalgic not only to us but also fans, seeing that a lot of them cried.

As we were doing chorus, in which we walk in a different directions looking up, something strange caught my eye. The light was blinking, as if it was ready to burn out, but that wasn't the strange thing I mentioned. On a bridge, where were all lights' mechanisms, was a person. I frowned but continued the song. When we did another chorus and I looked up, then I was sure about my fears and my heart stopped beating for a second.

On the bridge was a man with a sad mask. What was worse, he was slowly cutting the rope holding the light, which now was trembling. In a second I recalled the stage accident, which I had some time ago with a stalker, and abruptly stopped. Beomseok and Chanwoo bumped into me. The song was still playing but I froze, staring at the man.

"Jin!" Chanwoo patted my back but I didn't move, so he looked up too and shrieked, "MOVE!!"

He grabbed me by my jacket and we jumped aside, while Youngho, Jongil and Beomseok ran to the other side. Then the lights went out and fell between us. I came to my senses and grabbed Chan's wrist, so we wouldn't get separated.

"I saw him!" I hissed to him. "It's them!"

I didn't see it clearly, but was sure he turned pale. Jongil called our names, but before we could respond, someone grabbed my jacket's collar and pulled from the stage. I didn't let go of Chanwoo's hand, so he was pulled too. We fell on our backs painfully. I groaned and shook my head, then blinked and looked around. Most of the audience ran away while the rest of them was in the middle of it, spreading panic.

"J-Jin... !" Chan squealed with fear, clenching his fists on my shirt.

I followed his eyes and froze. Although it was dimmed, there was still light from opened doors and fans' lightsticks, lying on the floor. Geez, and I thought I already woke up from the nightmare...

We were surrounded by at least seven people, who were wearing similar masks to the one on the bridge. Some had happy mask, some sad. I still didn't know the meaning of them.

"W-What do you want!" I groaned, although wanted to sound confident.

Normal people would definitely laugh at that stupid question (what could they want beside our doom, right?), but they stayed calm and still, as if they were mannequins. It was way creepier.

But wait... They didn't seem to have an interest in attacking us. So why –

Then I heard a whistle. I felt weak. Daewon! I gave him the whistle, so he could use it if he was in danger!

"You bastards... !" I shouted and got up, but suddenly one of them moved and punched me in the ribs. I gasped and fell on my knees, curling up. Chanwoo ran to me worried. I heard the whistle once more. I got furious.

Suddenly a batten hit three men and they fell. Someone grabbed me and Chan under arms and pulled back on the stage. Jongil got ready another batten but manager and one of the guards took us backstage.

"Wait!" I gasped. My ribs hurt again. Did he break some of them... ? "Oh, damn... it hurts..."

"Are you injured?" manager asked shocked.

"No... I mean, maybe, but Daewon is –!"

"For once worry about yourself!" Jongil scolded me grabbing my arm, but I freed myself right away.

"I need to find him..." I whispered and ran before they could stop me.

I didn't say anything to anybody yet, but there was a reason I was so worried about Daewon. The truth is I got a call from my mom this morning. When Daewon spent his first night at our dorm I called her to ask about him to be sure whether he was related to us or not. Today she told me he was indeed my cousin. That was not everything. She tried to contact his parents but couldn't. The rest of our family didn't know anything about their lives for the last few years, so it was hard to gather more information. I felt this terrible stinging in my heart whenever Daewon was in danger and now he was asking for my help and I couldn't protect him? Maybe Grumpy was right and I really was a hypocrite. Maybe to everyone it seemed like I valued my life more than Daewon's, that was why I needed to show them it was the opposite.

I clenched my teeth and speeded up. I found Daewon on the bridge. I ran there and threw myself at the masked men, who were holding the kid. We all fell on a metal floor. I got up right away, but was pulled down again and kicked. I went across the floor to the edge, almost falling down, but in the last moment I grabbed the bar and stopped. Daewon whistled weakly, as if he was asking me if I was okay. I jumped to him but got hit in the ribs again and fell next to one of the men.

"Failure is not acceptable," he said.

I ignored his motto and groaned, reaching out to Daewon, who thankfully had some strength left and freed himself, running to me. I grabbed him. At the same time the bridge trembled and some of the bars broke. I slid a little, grabbing in panic another unstable bar. When I was about to be kicked in the face, someone hit the man from behind. That caused the bridge to broke into two and this time I slid down with Daewon, before our rescuer could grab my hand.

# _Chapter 12_

# _Grisly poster_

I grabbed the bar, but it broke right away. I cursed and tried again, this time with a rope. I did it. I tightened the grip and hissed, looking down. We were quite high above the ground and Daewon wasn't as light as I thought... Although he tangled himself around my waist, I couldn't use the second hand to grab the rope. I was afraid he would fall if I did that. I heard voices above and under me, but couldn't focus on them.

Daewon whistled quietly. I looked at him. He was crying. I clenched my teeth and tried to climb up, but suddenly the rope loosened and we fell few meters down. I screamed. When we stopped, my hand slid down few more centimeters. The rough rope cut skin on my palm.

"What now..." I panted. We were too far from the bridge to climb on it and too far above the ground to jump.

"KIDDO!" I looked at the bridge. Grumpy waved at us. "Are you okay!?"

"Do I LOOK like I'm okay!?" I outraged.

"Can you swing the rope?"

"Swing it?" I looked down and then at Daewon, whose eyes were as big as plates. But he stopped crying.

"That's right! Swing it and I'll grab you!"

"I... I'll try..." I tightened the grip and moved my body. It started swinging but too lightly.

"Hurry up! You don't have time!"

"I'm trying, you know!?" I shouted angered. "If you're bored, kick some butts!"

"I'm talking about THAT!"

I looked at him. He was pointing to something above me. I looked there and gasped, almost sliding down more.

One of the masked men was slowly sliding down too. Toward us.

"Hold on tight," I said to Daewon, letting him go and using my both hands to swing the rope. However, the masked man was one of those muscular ones. He was athletic but heavy. And was closer and closer.

"LOOK OUT!"

Before I could ask 'now what', I had to swing the rope violently, which caused horrible pain in my chest. I groaned and almost passed out. Daewon whistled loudly to keep me awake. The man, who missed the target, fell on the stage from great height. I gasped. He wasn't moving. Did he... die? The sad mask he wore was broken in half. When Grumpy shrieked for the second time, I saw it too late. Another attacker grabbed me and tried to take Daewon. I kicked, but the man ducked and started to strangle me. I guessed he didn't need me if he could only kidnap Daewon. I bit the man and he let go of Daewon's hair, but tightened the grip on my neck. I coughed out of breath...

Suddenly I heard a gunshot and the masked man let go of me, falling down. I coughed and in a second my body felt weak, which ended up letting go of the rope.

But I didn't hit the floor and didn't die on the spot either. In the midway a net was stretched out and we fell on it. I groaned, semi-conscious. Daewon jerked my arm terrified. While the net was slowly going down to group members, staff, guards, and police (who arrived a little late, for a change), suddenly we heard a strange sound and Daewon was grabbed by a masked man, who 'flew' to us on another rope.

"NO!" I screamed hoarsely. I tried to grab him, but reached only masked man's pocket, from which fell some piece of paper. "DAEWON!"

But they already disappeared into a hole in the roof. I wanted to go after them, but I couldn't walk on the net without getting stuck in it. When I was safe on the ground, I tried again, but this time group members and Grumpy grabbed me.

"Stop it!" Chanwoo cried. "Please... let's go to the hospital..."

"No! Daewon is... DAEWON –!"

SLAP.

I blinked shocked. I touched my red cheek and looked at Grumpy, who still had raised hand. "Enough is enough," he said. Then he turned to our manager with words, "I'll take him to the hospital. We'll meet there."

Manager nodded. Only now I saw he had deep cut on his forehead and was kneeling beside Beomseok, who had bandaged leg. I bit my lip when tears ran down my cheeks.

God, what have I done... ?

I woke up few hours later. This time I didn't have any nightmare, even ordinary dream. Just plain, black nothing. I sat with difficulties, forgetting about my broken ribs. They were stiffened by bandages. I looked around.

Right... I was in the hospital. The room was dimmed, there must have been night already. Only the slight moonlight showed me two more beds and people scattered around the room. In the corner on the other side of the room was sleeping Beomseok. His leg was now professionally bandaged, but thankfully it didn't seem to be broken. Beside him, on the floor, was quietly snoring Youngho. On the other bed, near the window, slept Chanwoo and Jongil. At least they seemed to be alright. My bed was next to the door, where also was a chair on which our manager was dozing off in a guard position, as if he was guarding me, so I wouldn't run away.

I leaned against the wall, curling up and ignoring the pain. Everyone was here with me, so why was I feeling so lonely?

Hold on... Was I really feeling lonely or irritated they didn't trust me? I cared about Daewon, but I wouldn't risk group members' lives!

... Or would I... ?

"Jinwoo."

I lifted my head violently, startled. I didn't even realize group members were awake and gathered around my bed (except Beomseok, who probably couldn't walk). I was staring at them for a few seconds. Then I realized I was crying.

"Does it hurt that much?" Chan asked.

"It depends on what kind of pain you mean," I muttered.

"Are you injured somewhere else too?" manager said, getting up.

"No..."

"Are you worried about Daewon?" Beomseok asked quietly.

I glanced at him. "Of course. He's..." Right. I didn't tell them. I took a deep breath. "He's my cousin. It's confirmed."

They didn't seem surprised.

"He'll be fine," Jongil added. "Grumpy said he's been officially assigned to a special group, which will be investigating L&F. That means he'll be around us most of the time and is looking for Daewon even now."

I didn't answer. That was good news, but I wasn't relieved.

"What about the concert?" I said. "Were there more injured?"

"No. Everyone escaped before all that hell happened. The media were on it all day, but it was considered as a terrorist attack. Nobody knows anything about the attackers though."

"I need water..." I grumbled and reached to the bedside table, when something caught my attention. I took a creased piece of paper. "What's this?"

I unfolded it. It was a poster.

"I don't know, you had it in your hand when we saved you," Youngho said.

"I had it –" I began and suddenly remembered it. "AH!"

In a second everyone jumped to me.

"Are you in pain?"

"What's wrong?"

"Do you need something?"

I ignored all of this. My mind was somewhere else. "That's right! He had it!"

"Who had what?" everyone asked at the same time.

"The one who kidnapped Daewon. I snatched it from his pocket." I studied the poster carefully. "Is that –"

"We invite you to the purification of your mind," Chanwoo started reading. "If you have bad time, bad mood, don't love anymore, we will help you find your way. Failure is not in our dictionary. If you're lost, you'll be found."

When he finished, deathly silence fell. We were staring at the poster with faces, as if it was a piece of someone's skin.

"Is this their... advertisement?" Youngho asked quietly.

"Seems that way..." I muttered. "I had a feeling that kidnapping Daewon wasn't their only goal at our concert."

# _Chapter 13_

# _Grounded or not grounded. That's the question_

We left the hospital after a week. I meant, me and Beomseok. Officially the two of us had a healing vacation due to severe cold. But we had to inform our fans about our condition regularly via other media, while the rest of the group members were actively promoting. They found some time to visit us though. Grumpy was 'barging in' too, from time to time. Now, as the leader of the Operation Last & Furious (God, who they had in charge...), he found out a lot more about the organization itself.

"We hired some people in the U.S. to find about their origins," Grumpy said on our last day in the hospital, when all group members and manager came. "So, their beginning is already creepy. At first they were a small group without a name and resided in California. First, they recruited their friends, friends of their friends, and so on. Next, they started making advertisements in social media, like Facebook or Twitter. But soon they were categorized as a sect and the government blocked their accounts. But meanwhile they gathered a lot of followers. They had to move, but didn't leave California. After two years they began some dangerous rituals. Perhaps these Daewon meant, but I still don't know about the sole process. People in the U.S., who heard about them, know them as Vampires of California, but I had no idea what it means. I just hope they aren't immortal, or something. Their motto is to heal lost souls, but I think it's a total bullshit and the case is much more serious than we thought." He took out the poster, which I gave him a few days ago. "This is similar to the Internet ads they had in the past. This group is quite young, five years is like nothing for a sect, but till now they achieved huge success. Terrifying success."

We were silent after his words. He was right. It was a 'terrifying' success... And I couldn't stop worrying about Daewon. A week passed and we didn't even know whether he was still alive...

"For now stay put," Grumpy said. I looked at him. He was staring at me. I clenched my teeth but didn't reply. He frowned, as if he knew what I was thinking.

For the next two days we stayed put in Grumpy's house. Although we were attending our classes and events, we weren't wandering off, coming back straight to the house. Because of this strict routine, we lost our energy. Even granny lost it, looking so depressed that it eventually influenced us. When we were playing the most depressing game of jenga in my life, I exploded.

"That's enough!" I shouted, standing up violently, which caused the fall of jenga tower.

"You lost," was Chanwoo's soulless reaction.

"Not yet," I growled, not talking about the game. I went to the front door, but group members stopped me before I got out.

"Where are you going?" Jongil asked with suspicion.

"You know where."

"No, I don't. You certainly don't know either."

I hesitated. He was right. I didn't know. But I will go anyway.

"Grumpy will be mad at you," Youngho said. "Including us!"

"He's sick!" I snorted. "He won't be here today, I'm sure of it."

"But we are here instead of him," Jongil said.

I smiled and patted his arm. "Thanks for that." And I ran out, before they reacted.

I know, now I was selfishly putting myself in danger, but I couldn't do nothing. At least I had to know if he was alive.

I froze when I left the garden, seeing a few police officers. Damn this detective! He was doing his job, that I could say. I sneaked out, hiding behind parked cars. Meanwhile, I was planning. First, I had to analyze once more the poster. It should have some more information about the place they've been holding meetings. Next –

"Where do you think you're going?" I heard suddenly and gasped, stopping.

Grumpy stood before me with crossed arms and not so happy face. I smiled forcefully.

"Hey! What a surprise! Weren't you off today... ?"

"So meantime you could run away like always and get into the trouble, also like always?" He grimaced and coughed. "Not a chance, kiddo."

"But Daewon needs me!"

"He said that to you in your dream?"

"No, but –!"

"You won't do any good alone!"

That gave me the idea. "Then will you come with me?"

"I –" Grumpy frowned. "Did you plan it?"

I tried my puppy eyes on him, but didn't work.

"Oh, come on!" I outraged. "Don't you want to lock up these guys? Now it's the chance! When we rescue Daewon, you can arrest them!"

"You don't know what you're talking about," Grumpy muttered.

"Why? Do you know more about them?"

"No and that's driving me crazy! But there's no doubt they're CRAZIER and DANGEROUS!"

"Now it's you duty to find them, isn't it? You're the captain of Operation..." I stopped. Man, this name was still embarrassing. "Operation Last & Furious."

Judging by Grumpy's face, he didn't like that name either. "You're really annoying, you know that?" he growled.

"I know."

He sighed, coughed again, and scratched his beard. "Okay. But if you wander somewhere by yourself, I don't know you."

"Fine." I smiled but in a second my smile vanished and I turned pale.

Did I really know what was I doing?

# _Chapter 14_

# _Don't take anything from stran_ _gers, if you don't want to blow up_

What was to be expected, I didn't know what I was doing. Damn, Grumpy really should have locked me up and threw the key somewhere. Maybe it wasn't curiosity, but surely my 'bravery' killed the cat.

I left with Grumpy to save Daewon from L&F's hands. We started it with a bang, going by a train.

"Did someone steal your car?" I asked.

"Very funny. It's being repaired. Yesterday I had some... chasing job." Grumpy looked around and took out the L&F's poster. "I hope we got into the right train."

"How do you know where are they anyway?"

"See this?" He showed me a small logo in the left corner. "I know this bar. It was quite popular among criminals –"

"Really comforting."

Grumpy snorted. "Let me finish. It's outside the city and have few customers. Criminals used to hide there, but we already know about it, so lately they avoid this place. It's surprising this damn sect is hiding there."

"I think they're not hiding." Grumpy sneezed meanwhile, so I passed him a tissue. "They want to recruit people at their meeting, right? It's what the poster says."

"Kind of creepy, if you ask me."

I took a deep breath and leaned against the window. When we entered a tunnel, Grumpy sneezed again and coughed.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" I grumbled.

"Don't mock me, kiddo."

"I don't. I just wonder whether that's your new weapon against the enemy. Do you intend to spread some virus among them?"

"Just admit that you're worried and shut up."

I didn't answer that. When we came out of the tunnel, I jumped surprised, seeing a middle-aged woman beside Grumpy, who was staring at me with big reddish eyes. Then she looked at Grumpy.

"We aren't animals in a zoo," Grumpy growled. "What do you want?"

"You're sick," she said.

"Brilliant. Tell me what I don't know."

"You're tired. Your face is telling me everything."

"I don't have time –"

Suddenly she put something under his nose. It was a small package. I sniffed, but it didn't have any scent.

"I have something good for you to get better," she whispered hoarsely.

"Really? What is it?" Grumpy showed some interest. I frowned.

"A lot of people know this medicine and look for it often. But you can get it only from few people. My family runs western medicine's shop for decades and I know." Then she looked at me and moved the package toward my mouth. "Do you want to try it too, young man?"

"Wow, you got me. How much is it?" Grumpy said, taking the package.

"It's for free," the woman said with a smile. "I want to help people, not to harm them."

"Really?" Grumpy shook the package, listening to its sound, and I saw that woman's smile became smaller. "Let me think... You're saying this is a medicine searched by everyone?"

"Well, yes –"

"Then let me tell you something more interesting than this." Grumpy crushed the package in his hand. Strange looking green dust came from the paper, spreading on the floor. "When you say 'you don't have to pay for it', you're giving me the crap and sound like a drug dealer. Are you the one?"

All of a sudden the woman stood up and threw away her coat. Before I groaned some curse, she unlocked one of the grenades – and she had more on a vest – and screamed, "Let's meet in Nirvana!"

"Damn!!" Grumpy hissed and grabbed my arm, running to the other car.

When we reached the end of the second car, the one we were in just a moment ago exploded. All train shook, jerked, and we fell on the floor, covering ourselves with arms and legs. But it wasn't over yet. As the one grenade exploded, it probably triggered the others the woman had on her vest and there were five more explosions. The train hit something and we fell on the window, breaking it and I almost lost my head because of a tree. Grumpy jerked me toward himself and pushed under seats.

"Stay there!" he said.

"What's your plan!" I cried. The smoke started choking me.

"To survive. If possible."

Whatever his plan was, it didn't even begin. Soon we hit another something and the car fell aside, along with all the passengers. And then everything was over – thankfully, not mine and Grumpy's lives. I couldn't say that about some of other passengers...

"Are you okay!?" I heard Grumpy.

I wanted to tell 'yes', but the world was spinning and my stomach rebelled. I vomited and tried to get up, but my body was too weak from shock.

"I got you," I heard like from under the water and was lifted.

"Thanks..." I muttered but then froze.

The one who was holding my arm wasn't Grumpy. The grenade woman cocked her head, staring at me through two holes in a familiar sad mask. How the heck did she survive all of this!? Then I saw a lot of bloody holes in her body. She also barely kept her balance. Then I saw with horror a pool of blood under her feet.

She was dying.

I heard a rustle, a curse and a sound of loading gun. "Let him go," Grumpy said.

The woman giggled and released me. "Welcome," she whispered and fell down. Dead.

"Oh my God..." I muttered and staggered on a partly destroyed seat.

"Come on," Grumpy said softly, taking me far away from the terrorist's body. "We're going home before we get killed."

But when he said the last word, I saw something dreadful. For some time something was annoyingly ticking. And now I realized what was that. There was a bomb in woman's hand. A bomb with a greater force of explosion than the grenades.

"GO!!" I shrieked but as I pushed Grumpy toward the broken window, the floor under our feet broke and we fell from the bridge into the water.

# _Chapter 15_

# _Secretly open meeting_

I gasped and sat down violently. My head was painfully pounding and I suddenly felt sick. I sighed and fell back on a pillow.

Wait. A pillow... ?

I sat again, looking around. I was in a slightly illuminated, small room decorated like a creepy fortune-teller's den. There weren't any lamps, only candles, and instead of a door there was an open exit with beads on strings. I took a deep breath, to clear my mind, but it had the opposite effect. I felt sick again. Then I saw a cup with sticks, which produced smoke. Incenses, I thought and tried to get up, but my body was heavy and I landed on my knees.

Then the beads at the door jangled softly as someone came into the room. I didn't see this person's face, because I couldn't lift my head. I saw only satin pants, uncovered ankles, and out of the blue sneakers. On the left ankle I discovered a small scar, similar to a four-leaf clover.

"Who..." I muttered but that person gently lay me down and left. After that I fell asleep.

I opened my eyes violently and sat down, looking around. Was it a dream? But the room was similar. Just without candles, pillow, and even incenses. The room seemed to be abandoned. I shivered and stood up. This time I made it, although my head still hurt. I came closer to the beads at the door and looked out of the room. The corridor was in the same style, just a little creepier. I swallowed hard and left the room.

I got lost pretty fast. The corridor was a maze and consisted of a lot of rooms, this time with doors, but they were all locked. When I was reaching to the handle of the last room in the corridor, suddenly someone grabbed my wrist. I took a breath to scream, but this someone covered my mouth with a hand.

"Keep quiet!" It was Grumpy. This time I wanted to scream with happiness, but refrain only to a sigh of relief. "Come on."

We went to a door at the end of the corridor, which was opened.

"What happened?" I whispered. "Where were you?"

"That's my question!" Grumpy hissed. "I thought you drowned, or something! When I woke up I was in a messy room. I wouldn't be surprised if that was their dump. Where were you?"

"I..." I began and then recalled the strange dream, which wasn't a dream, because only now I smelled an incense on my shirt. "... was in one of the rooms. Not so cozy either..."

I partly lied. I knew that earlier I was in a better room than when I woke up for the second time. Was I moved? But by whom? I got goosebumps when we reached the big door with a familiar sign. I felt sick once more as I thought about these guys touching me.

"I guess we're in the right place," Grumpy said and pushed the door before I stopped him. And who was the one who wanted to go home?

We entered a big, wooden hall with tables placed next to the walls, and mats on the floor in the center. On the mats were sitting people. A lot of people. Maybe thirty of them? And they were focusing on one person, who was talking to them from a platform.

All the people, who gathered here, were wearing the same clothes – made from satin. Also, the masks. All of them were wearing sad and happy masks. I got chills and for a moment had difficulty breathing, but that might have been because of the incenses, that were everywhere.

"Hang on," Grumpy said, squeezing my arm to keep me conscious.

"How can you not smell it?" I panted, covering my nose and mouth.

"Of course I can. I'm just used to it. It's not an incense, it's a drug. It makes you sleepy and relaxed, but it lasts only for a few minutes, then your head hurts as hell."

I realized those were my symptoms. Was I drugged in the first room?

"It's strange though," Grumpy continued. "I thought it was banned all over the world."

"Why? Being sleepy and relaxed for a moment doesn't sound so bad."

"Doesn't? But the after effects are the worst. The drug itself is called mage. You know why?" I shook my head. "It's a manipulative drug. It has an impact on human's mind, who does what others order him to."

"So..." I felt cold sweat on my neck. "They manipulate their sect members... ?"

"Probably. But don't worry, they can't manipulate you or me. To do it, it takes a few doses. If you're drugged once, it isn't dangerous."

I clenched my fists. "What about twice?" I asked.

"That would be a problem, if we stayed here longer. But it –" Grumpy stopped, glancing at me suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

"I... I think I was drugged earlier... Just when I got here..."

"What!?" Grumpy suddenly screamed, which interrupted the silent praying of L&F members.

All of them turned around to us at the same time, which startled me more than detective's shriek.

"Tell me you have some plan ready," I whispered to Grumpy, when tall men in suits came from the shadows, reminding me of those who attacked us at the concert. Surely some kind of bodyguards.

"Of course!" Grumpy said, stepping back a little. "I think we should run."

# _Chapter 16_

# _Rescue mission_

"What a great plan!!" I shouted irritated, when we threw ourselves at the door and indeed started to run.

"Don't complain! Your legs will twist!"

I prepared myself to snort with contempt, when we ran into some L&F members. I stopped abruptly, making weird sound between snort and groan and Grumpy grabbed my hood, pulling me back.

"Now what..." I panted, covering my mouth. The smell of incenses was still hitting my nostrils and throat. Maybe it was because of our soaked with the smell shirts.

"Now we have to find a door."

"Shouldn't be difficult," I said with sarcasm.

"Unlocked one would be nice."

We kicked bodyguards and went into the maze.

Of course, every door was locked. Probably the rooms belonged to organization's members. At some point Grumpy got angry and kicked one of the doors. Because it was made from poor wood, it broke after two more kicks.

"How can we hide in here if you destroy the door?" I whispered. The room was dark and no less creepy. I stepped on something, which felt like an irregular stone.

"I don't intend to hide in here. I want to escape from here."

"Oh. Now that makes sense."

I pulled my phone out of a pocket and turned on the flashlight. I looked around with it. The decoration was similar to the room I was in before. The walls were covered in carpets, beads and –

I screamed as someone emerged from nowhere before me, who scared the hell out of me. After a second I realized I was looking at my reflection in a mirror. Damn it! I looked for Grumpy, but he was too busy looking for something like a window to get out of here. I sighed and directed the light on the floor.

I screamed for the second time and sat down surprised. Grumpy got mad at me being noisy and turned around with his flashlight.

"Oh boy," he said, which were much worse words in my head.

The room's floor was full of bones. I guessed I earlier stepped on a bone, that I took as a stone. Grumpy squatted and took one of the bones. I observed him with disgust.

"Those are animal bones," he said.

"Animal bones?" I repeated shocked. Okay, I was glad those weren't human's, but still... Why so many animal bones?

"What are they doing here... ?" I whispered, meaning the whole organization. Then I remembered something. "We can't leave."

"What?" Grumpy looked at me, as if I went crazy.

"We cant's leave yet. Don't you remember for what reason we came here? I'm not leaving without my cousin."

"You... Ah, damn you!! You really like to complicate things!"

"Well, I wasn't the one who entered that damn hall!" I outraged.

Grumpy decided not to argue about that and returned to the door. Only now it hit me we weren't chased. Detective left the room first and I followed him. After a few corridors I realized why we weren't chased. They were waiting for us next to another big door, probably the exit.

Not just bodyguards, there were a few sect members too. What was more, two people on the balcony were wearing different masks than the others – angry masks. I got goosebumps for some reason.

When the enemy started moving toward us, suddenly the ceiling opened and we almost got hit by a ladder.

"What the –" Grumpy began.

"Mission accomplished!" I heard a voice. "I mean, almost."

I looked up and saw my group members. Then L&F attacked us, trying to prevent our escape, but Grumpy pushed me toward the ladder and punched some of the assailants. When I reached safely the top, Jongil and Beomseok pulled me aside, while Chanwoo and Youngho helped Grumpy.

"You guys..." I panted. "How..."

Jongil took something from under my hood and showed me a familiar thingy.

"You bugged me again!?" I outraged, recalling the situation when I was kidnapped by hooded man. But... I was kidnapped now too, so being bugged was a good thing after all. "Thanks."

Jongil smiled and took us somewhere. I stopped him midway. "Daewon!" I gasped. "I need –"

"He's here."

I blinked confused and looked at the end of the tunnel, where stood two people. One of them was our manager, and the other one...

"You damn kid!" I screamed, when he saw me and ran to me. We hugged tightly. "Don't scare me like that! Are you okay?"

Daewon nodded, without looking into my eyes. I frowned and moved back, looking at him carefully. He was again bruised and this time had black eye too. I clenched my teeth with anger, but wasn't strong enough to get a revenge. Instead, we ran to the exit, which turned out to be above the whole L&F's base. But the door was locked.

"It's impossible!" Chan groaned, fighting with the handle. "We came through it a moment ago!"

"Is there another exit?" Grumpy asked. He already called backup, as we finally had a range.

"We don't know," Youngho answered.

"Where's your gun?" I asked Grumpy.

"Lost it."

I wanted to say something rude about his carelessness, when I felt something cold near my temple. Daewon gasped, but I didn't let him go. Everyone turned to me and froze.

"Nothing is long lost here," I heard a high-pitched, modified voice of a person who put gun to my head. "If you're lost, you'll be found."

# _Chapter 17_

# _When the last resort is the most irritating resort_

I clenched my teeth harder and squeezed Daewon's arm.

"You're under arrest!" Grumpy said out of the blue. It would sound nice, if he wasn't the one lacking gun.

"Funny," Pitchy said (let's call him that. It makes me calmer). "You sure you want to do it, detective?"

"You ask one more stupid question and I'll kill you," Grumpy growled. He was surely feeling empty without his weapon.

"Why would you do that?" Pitchy said. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"You're aiming MY gun at MY troublemaker. Not to mention your psycho organization and your psycho philosophy."

"This isn't a psycho philosophy," Pitchy said, kind of surprised. "You can't tell bad things about something you don't understand, detective."

Grumpy was getting angrier and angrier. This masked guy was openly messing with him. Daewon was clenching his fists on my shirt so hard, that at some point he pinched my skin. I looked at him. He was really pale and, what surprised me, wasn't looking at the gun, but at the person holding it. Something heavy dropped on my stomach when I thought about something.

"Everything is on the move," Pitchy sighed. He tapped the gun and I flinched startled. "Water, Earth, blood. Even human life. It's so short, yet so full. You know what I mean?" All of us kept silent, so he continued, "But at some point human gets tired of everything. He is lost and needs something to lean on. Our organization isn't anything bad, detective. It's just a new beginning for poor, lost souls."

Everything Pitchy said creeped me out. I felt sick not from the incenses' stink on my clothes, but literally from his words.

"You won't be getting the kid," Grumpy said. "Not anymore."

"Maybe." Suddenly Pitchy loaded the gun. Chanwoo and Youngho screamed panicked. I closed my eyes. "But I think we found what we've been looking for."

"And what's that?" Grumpy growled.

"It's a secret~."

Grumpy's eyes got big, so I guessed Pitchy was ready to pull the trigger. Suddenly we heard police sirens, which almost caused my heart to explode with panic. Man, I thought the terrorist pulled the trigger...

"But I guess it's not the time yet," Pitchy said and giggled, emptying the gun of bullets and throwing it on the floor. He moved back with words, "No worries. Time is passing, but not ours."

I sighed heavily and turned around. He disappeared. Then I remembered that I nearly died and my legs got weak. Before I lost consciousness, I felt that someone caught me.

I woke up in Grumpy's house. I was alone in a dimmed room. I groaned and sat down, squeezing my temples. Jeez, what an annoying headache...

I looked at my hands and legs. They were covered in bruises and cuts, probably from the train accident. I shivered. So many dead because of one crazy woman...

I searched for news in my phone and found about the accident. The rest of the city was sure it was a terrorist attack, although there weren't any survivors beside me and Grumpy. Well, we should have been considered dead, as we fell into the water from a great height. I wondered how L&F found us there and brought to their base...

Suddenly someone took my phone. I looked up. I didn't even realize the light was switched on and group members came in. Jongil looked at phone's screen, frowned and turned it off.

"Stop digging holes around yourself," he said. "You know it won't change anything if you keep thinking about it."

"I know..." I grumbled. Daewon sat on the bed and started covering my cuts with plasters in pandas.

"Good news!" Grumpy came into the room. "I ordered pizza! Man, it was so stressful... I prefer some chasing case."

I smirked while group members burst out laughing. Great detective Kang was afraid to order pizza?

"You haven't forgotten about garlic sauce, right?" Beomseok said.

Grumpy grimaced. "Is it necessary?" Then he cleared his throat, saying, "Thank God I didn't do that! You all would be smelly!"

"Stop giving excuses and help me here!" we heard granny from the kitchen.

"C... Coming, mom..." Grumpy glared at us for the last time, then left.

"Come on, Jin," Chan said, pulling me out of bed. Daewon put the last plaster on my nose, satisfied.

We went to the kitchen and almost at the same time heard doorbell.

"So fast!" Grumpy said, turning the chicken on the pan. "Jinwoo, you're the closest to the door."

"Yeah." I went to get the pizza with Chanwoo and Daewon, who were jumping like playful puppies.

"Delivery!" the delivery youngster said. "It's 47,800 Won."

"Thanks," I said, giving him 50,000 Won. "Keep the change."

"Thanks!" The youngster looked at me carefully. He pointed to my face. "Are you okay, bro? Looks painful."

"I'm fine," I said and smiled lightly. "Have a nice day."

"You too! Eat well!" And he left.

"Oooh, pizza, pizza!" Chan said and took it from me, running to the kitchen.

I snorted with laughter, seeing him so happy about it. I wanted to go after him, when Daewon pulled my sleeve. He wrote,

He was right. It looks painful.

"I'm fine, Daewon," I assured him, ruffling his hair. "Let's eat."

We ate two pizzas in fifteen minutes and began relaxing. While Grumpy was telling us his recent ridiculous detective adventures, I saw only Youngho was out all the fun. I sat beside him on the sofa. He was looking at something on his computer.

"You're okay?" I asked.

Youngho looked at me a little startled, as if I brought him back from another world. "Yeah, I'm okay..."

"You don't look like you are."

"I'm serious. I'm alright. And you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you're wearing the mask now, Jinwoo. We all do. Just for you and Daewon."

I froze. He was right. Our behavior wasn't natural. We just came back from a brink of death and the first thing we do is eating pizza? I got mad at myself that I let that happen. Everything...

"But don't worry," Youngho said, probably seeing my troubled face. "I've been working on that."

"On what exactly?" I muttered, looking at the site he was on and grimaced. "You're kidding, right?"

"Sects are one of his specializations."

"But HIM? Come on!"

My outcry brought others to us. To my surprise, group members accepted Youngho's idea right away.

"Then let's get started!" he clapped his hands. "Let's find once more Professor Creep."

# _Chapter 18_

# _Voodoo Barbie, Inc. welcomes you_

I knew we shouldn't have come to Creep's base and was right. Although only Grumpy was new to the whole ghost adventure we had some time ago, we were even more shocked than he was when we entered the base.

Remembering the "entrance" we had last time, we chose the other way to the underground – the tunnel through which Creep fired us up. I just hoped there weren't any spikes at the bottom, but knowing this crazy geezer, nothing was certain.

"I doubt he's even here," Chanwoo said as we were looking at the tunnel for at least five minutes, hesitating. "He probably fled just after Rena's case."

"Maybe," I replied. "Or maybe not. Please, don't distract me. I'm trying to stay calm and thinking about Rena and psycho-CEO won't do any better."

The youngest felt offended and kept quiet. Finally we gathered the courage to enter the tunnel. Grumpy sacrificed himself first and slid down carefully. After a minute we heard a quiet flop. I just hoped it wasn't a sound of his bones breaking, or something.

"Clear!" we heard relieved and went down.

"I don't remember this tunnel being so creepy," Youngho whispered.

"Don't complain," Jongil said. "It was your idea after all."

"I know, but still..."

"I'm still against it," Grumpy growled, brushing dust from his coat.

"Yeah, yeah, let's find him and –" I stopped, when something flew from the corner and clung to my face. I mumbled asking for help, but group members ignored me and I fell down.

"Ghosty!" Beomseok screamed happily and took the ugly cat from my face.

"I hate it!" I hissed and the cat brought out similar sound in response.

"It's so cute!" Beomseok said at the same time with Chanwoo who said, "It's so ugly!"

"And helpful," I added, pointing at the corner.

There was a lever, which was suspiciously similar to the one that saved us then from the fall into the bottomless hole. But it saved us, right? This one shouldn't be bad either...

"Wait!" Grumpy stopped me suddenly when I was about to pull the lever. "It's suspicious."

"You don't say," I growled.

"It could be a trap."

"I'm well aware of that."

"And you can die, if it's a trap."

"I know."

"And you're still going to pull it."

"Yup."

Grumpy sighed, scratching his head and making a mess from his curly hair. "That's why I hate when you are involved in something. For some time I thought you're unlucky but you yourself look for trouble."

"You're exaggerating!" I snorted. "I'm not looking for any trouble! It –"

" –finds you itself? These things happen only in movies, kiddo."

"Anyway," I got angry. "I want this stupid case to end, so we have to meet with Creep! But if you don't want to go, you can stay here! I can too, group members can go and –"

"Oh," Chan said suddenly. I glanced at him. He was looking at the lever, so I looked at it too.

"Damn," I muttered.

As I was arguing with Grumpy, I must have unconsciously pulled the lever. The problem about not going in was solved.

Well, it would be solved, if we didn't fall into another tunnel, which happened a second later.

"Youngho, you're sitting on my elbow!"

"Be glad it isn't your head!"

"Where are we?"

"I don't see a thing! Is that your hand, Beomseok? Tell me it is and not some snakes."

"Shut up or I'll beat you up! I'm trying to concentrate, stupid brats."

"Don't threaten them, you ugly panda eyes!"

"What did you –!"

"Look!"

I stopped quarreling with Grumpy once again and looked at Jongil, who was the first to find his phone and turned on the flashlight. Now I recognized it. It was Creep's room, where I woke up after being almost killed by snake's venom. But it seemed to be abandoned. Even spider webs looked real. I hoped there weren't any poisonous spiders...

"I told you so!" Chan exploded. "I told you he's not here anymore –OH GOD!!"

I turned around and saw a familiar big face, illuminated by Chanwoo's flashlight.

"WELCOME!" Professor Creepy Creep shouted and stretched out his hands, almost hitting Youngho in the face. Then lights in the room were switched on. "You're the second client this month! What story do you need?"

I blinked, getting used to the lights. Okay, I said I recognized this room, but only when it was dimmed. Now I needed a moment to come to my senses.

It seemed that Creep changed his profession a bit. The room was spookier but at the same time cleaner (try to imagine it. I couldn't, even though I saw it with my own eyes). He made something like an office desk from a table, with a single bulb on it. Next to the bulb were a lot of papers. When I took a closer look at them, I realized there were some stories. But only when I looked above this 'office', I knew Creep didn't change much.

Familiar Voodoo Barbie was hanging from the ceiling, holding a banner with a sentence, which seemed to me like a company name...

Voodoo Barbie, Inc.

"Have you got madder?" I asked Creep.

"Damn it," he replied me instead, recognizing us. His smile faded and suddenly the lights became weaker, as if the room reflected Creep's mood. He sat at his desk and started selecting the papers. "What now? Did you catch another curse?"

"No," Jongil said. "But we need your help."

"No way! I'm done with it! Don't you see it?" He showed us the banner. "Now I'm selling spooky stories, nothing more! I had nightmares for a few months because of you."

"We can buy a story," I said.

"Nice try, kid, but I know you too well. You're just going to trick me into new mess!" Only now he saw Daewon, who squeezed my arm, hiding behind me. Then Creep glanced at me. "Okay, I didn't know you that well."

I blinked confused, needing a moment to realize what he meant. "He ISN'T MY KID!" I exploded. I looked at group members, who tried to stay serious. "Why everyone thinks that!?"

"I know you," Grumpy said suddenly. He was looking at Creep in silence for some time and now brightened up for some reason. "You're that missing Professor from Hongik University. Wasn't your name –"

"Very clever," Creep growled, then looked at me angry. "Cops? This is how you're going to persuade me?"

"Not really," I said. "We didn't want to come to you either, but the situation is really grave. It's about sects, not ghosts."

Creep dropped his pencil, that rolled under the bed. I heard some strange sound when it bumped into something, and I clenched my lips.

"You came into the wrong cave," Creep hissed. "I know why you're here and I won't help you. L&F isn't a baby game. They're demons. Real, freaking demons."

# _Chapter 19_

# _Mystery behind the masks_

"How do you know about them!?" I blurted shocked.

"Are you one of them?" Grumpy growled.

"What do you know about them?" Jongil added.

"I know nothing and I'd like it to stay that way!" Creep exploded, standing up. That was unusual for him to be that angry. So he was also afraid of L&F. Not good.

"Now you have no choice," Grumpy said, threatening Creep with handcuffs. "If you know something about this case, you have to spill it out, or I'll arrest you."

"Oh, how scary," Creep snorted, grimacing at Grumpy. He went to his wardrobe, which made another strange noise during opening.

"Are you mocking me, creepy geezer!?"

"Why? How could I dare?"

"This personality seems familiar," Grumpy growled, glaring at me. I shrugged innocently. "Anyway, you'll come with me, whether you want or not."

"I will," Creep said suddenly, but then smiled suspiciously. "If you can catch me, that is."

"Wha –!" Grumpy began angrily, but I had to push him, to avoid his head cut off.

Familiar scythe came out of nowhere and got stuck in the wall.

"Not there!" I groaned, seeing that Creep disappeared into the tunnel, that we had to pass to get to him last time.

"Maybe he changed something," Chanwoo comforted me. "Just like the concept is changed in haunted houses from time to time!"

"To spookier?" I grumbled. I looked around. "Where's Grumpy?"

As a response I heard a gunshot and Creep's scream. Having the worst fears, I ran to the door, when Grumpy came back with Creep (thank God, still alive) tangled in a net.

"Let's go," detective said grimly, as if nothing happened, and we went out with screaming and cursing Professor Creep.

Creep decided to help us (although not willingly) and temporarily moved into Grumpy's basement (complaining about being too bright elsewhere).

"I'll have nightmares with this madman under our feet," I sighed during the lunch break in our agency.

"Again in troubles?" I heard suddenly.

Before I answered 'how did you know', I bit my lip. E.T. and his group entered our practice room with their usual annoying smirks.

"Woah, is that how famous U-NIGHT lives now?" Doyoon Lee laughed, pretending to be full of admiration, while looking around the room.

"Immature and jealous as always, Doyoon," I said.

Before DRAGon's youngest member punched me, E.T. stopped him. Doyoon looked at his leader surprised.

"We have a message for all of you," E.T. growled. "CEO said that both of our groups are to have a trainee manager to take care of."

"Really?" Chan got excited. "That's rare."

"We don't know to which group they'll be assigned to later, but as DRAGon is now famous in South Korea, and you are not, too bad, it's our 'mission' to prepare them to their jobs."

Still arrogant and incapable of losing, I thought grimly, but was thankful he informed us. If it was one year ago, they wouldn't even bother to speak to us.

"Alright," I said. "Thanks."

E.T. snorted with contempt and DRAGon left.

"It'll be an interesting experience," Youngho stated. "Training the new manager ourselves. I think –"

I nodded but didn't listen to him anymore, falling into deep thought. I tried to come up with some plan what should we do next, but it was pointless. When I was about to come back to the reality, suddenly the lid of a sofa, next to which I was sitting, moved a little. I moved to it closer to check it out, but then the lid opened and a dirty hand grabbed my wrist.

I screamed and hit the hand with the lid, backing off.

"You're sooo mean!" I heard a groan and the lid fell on the floor, showing Creep's turtle posture in the sofa.

"What the hell, geezer!!" I hissed irritated. "What are you doing here!"

Creep sat down, massaging his hand. We stopped eating, terrified not only by his sudden arrival but also the appearance. Did he come here straight from landfill?

"The better question is: where have you been?" Jongil asked. "You look like you were buried in the ground a moment ago."

"Kind of," Creep said, leaving the dirt in our practice room, which irritated me more. "I'm your private counselor after all."

"Private-what?" I snorted.

"A little respect, cursed boy."

"I'm not cursed."

"No? I think you are. Your fate really hates you. Do I need to remind you that case?"

I clenched my teeth. Creep's 'wise' side was more annoying than his usual self.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated, trying to stay calm.

"Bringing you news, of course. I went to spy on our demon friends. Being for so many hours under the ground is really uncomfortable, so you know."

What? He really... spied on them? That was certainly something to respect. Despite the smell.

"You asked about their masks. It's really something! I mean, creepy but interesting. There are three kinds of them: happy, sad and angry. Most of L&F's members wears sad masks, because they're a prediction of their upcoming fate. Death, that means. You can call them suicide freaks. Well, like most of the terrorists, so it's not so uncommon. But the thing with the happy masks is a bit different. Those, who are great chameleons wear them. They are great actors, or actresses, and can easily merge into the crowd, which literally makes them invisible. But the worst and the most interesting thing is with the angry masks."

"Why?" Chanwoo whispered. He spilled some of the coke, terrified by owners of happy masks.

"Jinwoo said that he saw only two of them. And only in their base. That's because only the most important ones wear them."

"By most important you mean –" Beomseok began.

"Exactly. I mean those, who had the strongest influence and role in this whole circus. Including their leader."

# _Chapter 20_

# _Newcomer_

There was deathly silence after Creep's words.

"Why are you so shocked?" the professor snorted. "You didn't expect to meet their leader in their base?"

"That's not it..." Youngho muttered. He was pale and his hands were trembling. Why mine didn't... ? "We're just... scared. What you told us just now is beyond sanity and our imagination..."

"Good," Creep stated. "If you weren't scared, you would be fools."

"I..." I said idly and everyone looked at me. "I need some fresh air..."

When I reached the door, it suddenly opened and I almost bumped into our manager.

"Where are you going?" he asked surprised. "Are you okay? Why are you so pale?"

"I'm fine... just need some air..." I muttered. I didn't want to talk to him right now.

"Oh. Okay, but come back quickly. I have an assignment for you all."

"Okay."

When manager came into the room, I passed a young man, who was behind him. The youngster smiled warmly at me, but I couldn't respond with the same. Perhaps that was our manager-to-be.

I made a lap around the building and returned with clearer mind. Even before I entered the practice room, I could hear everyone's laughs. I opened the door and saw that the new manager was playing with group members in Post-It*.

"Ah, you're here," our manager saw me and brought to the others. "Meet Min Jang. He's our new manager under your care for one month. After that we decide whether we let him stay, or send to another talent agency."

"Hi!" Min Jang said brightly, bowing to me. "You must be brother Jinwoo! Oh, sorry..." He smiled apologetically. "I should have asked this earlier. Can I call you 'brother'?"

"Y-Yeah..." I answered, puzzled by his liveliness. He was so lucky he didn't have problems like we had. "I guess –"

"Great! Nice to meet you, brother!"

"Yeah..."

"Show him around first," our manager said. "Min Jang is young, but very capable socially and well organized, which is very important for us. He's not into celebrity world, so guide him well."

We all nodded and manager left.

The rest of the day was fine, partly because of Min's bright personality. I didn't know from where he was taking this energy. I started wondering whether I was this bright before all of our problems appeared.

"How old are you, Min?" Beomseok asked.

"I'm turning twenty next month," Min said, looking around the recording room.

"You're really young! Why did you decide to become a manager in music industry?"

"I'm generally interested in music, but don't have any talent," he explained with a smile. "So at first I wanted to be somehow close to it. But later I got fascinated by organizing events."

"Why our agency?" I asked. Min looked at me confused. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like –"

"It's okay, brother. I know. I heard you rarely take inexperienced managers to training. I understand, I've been in other companies, but was 'thrown out' or treated like a trash. But here I think it'll be an awesome experience and hopefully a decent job!"

I couldn't stop the smile, although it may have been a bit awkward. But group members saw that and were probably relieved that for a moment I've forgotten about recent events.

After the sightseeing Min went home and we returned to Grumpy's house, where delicious dinner and Daewon were waiting for us. Granny went shopping. Daewon hurriedly wrote something.

I was so bored! I'm glad you're back!

"Did you already watch every Beomseok's anime* I gave you?" I asked surprised.

No... THAT was boring. I helped granny a little and went to sleep. Your last song is really good, brothers. It helped me sleep well.

"Thanks," I said. "I'm glad you're enjoying your time here, but can I ask you something? It could be unpleasant memory for you though."

Daewon nodded and we all sat down in our bedroom.

"Can you tell me why were you so scared when the L&F's member threatened me with a gun? Do you know this sect member personally?"

Daewon suddenly turned pale and for a moment I thought he would faint. To be honest, I'd suspected the answer since that situation, but I needed the confirmation. The kid clenched his fingers on the pen and wrote hesitantly:

Yes... I know this man.

Okay. I got to know it was a male. "What kind of mask did he have?"

Daewon clenched his teeth now.

Angry.

When group members read it, they gasped. They said earlier that the man's face was in a shadow, so they couldn't recognize the mask, but Daewon was close enough to do it. But I suspected from Daewon's face that the one who almost blew my head off was L&F's leader. No wonder he used computer modified voice, probably through an equipment attached to the mask, so no one would recognize him outside the organization.

"Have you ever seen his face?" I continued. Daewon shook his head. "Even just a glimpse of it?" He shook his head again. His hands started to tremble. "Okay, that's enough for now. Sorry about that. Let's go to sleep."

Because I lost in rock-paper-scissors, I slept next to the door beside Jongil, so neither Daewon nor Beomseok clung to me tonight. It took some time for me to fall asleep but I cleared my mind before 2 a.m. and started dreaming.

After some time I felt coldness. Was that in my dream? Or was the window in our room open and I felt it subconsciously? Anyway, I was irritated by the temperature and opened my eyes in the worst time ever.

"Did you sleep well?" a masked man asked and covered my mouth before I could remember how to scream. The other stranger grabbed me and threw into a bag.

# _Chapter 21_

# _Horrified mind_

I almost fainted with fear. I was jerking, kicking, punching, but without any effect. How was I supposed to free myself... !

"Stop," one of the men said. I was put on the floor. Was I far from the house... ? "Do it."

I panicked. I started screaming again, but the cloth in my mouth was choking me. I jerked and kicked the man who opened the bag, but I missed. Then I saw a knife. I shook my head violently and crawled back, but they grabbed me and got ready to stab...

"HEY!" I heard and the lights were switched on.

I was still in the house's corridor. Grumpy stood next to the bathroom, shocked.

"End it," the masked man said suddenly and the knife cut my forearm. I groaned and tried again to move back, but the attackers ignored me and... ran away. Group members and Daewon burst out of the bedroom at the same time.

"JINWOO!" Grumpy fell on his knees beside me, pulling the cloth from my mouth. I took a few deep breaths. I couldn't calm down. I felt weak and the world was spinning faster and faster... "Hey, breathe normally!! You're going to hyperventilate!" He turned to group members. "Bring me the first aid kit! NOW!"

When Jongil and Youngho threw themselves looking for the kit, Chanwoo and Beomseok sat beside me. Grumpy grabbed my face.

"Hey! Looked at me, you damn kid!"

"Jin!" Chan groaned.

"Too much shock," Grumpy said, snatching the first aid kit from Jongil. "Bring me the blanket, kid," he said to Daewon, who jumped, as if he was touched by electricity.

"Breathe, breathe," Grumpy repeated, while bandaging my wound.

To be honest, I didn't hear them properly that time. Only now, as I'm writing this diary, I remembered most of the words and scenes. Then my mind was so blank and at the same time filled with blood and darkness. But slowly I was calming down.

"Done," Grumpy said when my ears were finally working normally and my mind was a little clearer, although I've been still seeing those masked men and the knife.

"They had happy masks," I whispered, startling everyone.

"Happy?" Grumpy repeated, but was pushed aside by group members.

"Are you okay?" Jongil asked.

"How many fingers do you see?" Beomseok blurted, but Chanwoo almost slapped his face, trying to cover his mouth. "Are you really okay?" he said.

I didn't nod. I wasn't okay at all. I nearly died a moment ago. Again. It was too close. Just like with a gun on the hall's bridge...

Only now I felt the blanket on my back. Then I heard a weak groan. I turned around and saw Daewon with his notebook full of unreadable marks. I realized he wanted to apologize once more, but he probably was too terrified and shocked to write properly. His eyes were red and his cheeks wet from tears. I touched mine and felt tears too. I looked again at my cousin, but couldn't say to him that I was fine either.

"Wicked demons!!" we heard suddenly a shriek and jumped scared. Creep emerged from behind the sofa with an angry face.

"You're right," Youngho said. "That organization is definitely a wicked demon."

"What organization?" Creep growled, cleaning his ear with some stick. "I meant those rats!" He looked outraged at Grumpy. "Don't you clean your basement!?"

"I thought you love dirt and rats," Grumpy said innocently. "My bad."

"I hate you."

"Thank you. I hate you too."

Creep grimaced and looked at me. "And what's wrong with you?" he asked surprised. "You look like you saw a ghost. Oh no, wait. Don't tell me you got cursed again?"

I shook my head but then froze. Or maybe I was cursed?

"Jin," Chanwoo put his hand on my arm. "I know what you're thinking right now. We'll get through this. Like always. We'll get through this..."

I wanted to believe him, but now I had so clear mind that the truth freaked me out. They knew where we were hiding. Yet, they didn't kill any of us and didn't even try to kidnap Daewon, which shocked me the most.

"Does it hurt?"

I looked up and realized everyone was staring at me worried. I probably turned pale again. I shook my head and went to my room in silence. I thought I wouldn't sleep after all of this, but I must have been so tired from shock, that I fell asleep just when I fell on my mattress.

For the next few days we had peace. L&F didn't show up, Grumpy secured his house with patrols, etc., and we came back to our activities. Because now Grumpy's house was the safest place on Earth, Daewon was ordered to stay there. In the agency we had security too, but because everyone was busy, they couldn't watch a child all the time.

Then it hit me as I walked across the main street through the crowd, to get to the restaurant. I saw them EVERYWHERE. When one of the men with a happy mask came closer to me, I bumped into him by accident. I jumped away, terrified that he would attack me. But that wasn't the masked man. It was just an ordinary businessman, who looked at me disapprovingly and left. I took a deep breath and wanted to come back to walking, when I saw a few masked people once again. It almost seemed like the masks were the play of lights – once being on random people, then disappearing – but I saw them too clearly. Was I hallucinating now because of stress? Or have I finally gone crazy?

I jumped when someone touched my arm. Group members caught up with me.

"Don't wander alone like that," Jongil scolded me. "We're with people, they shouldn't attack openly, but on the other hand they can be this wicked and do that too."

I nodded. "Yeah... Sorry."

And we went together to the restaurant. I looked back for the last time. There were still masks in the crowd. I still didn't know whether they were real or not.

# _Chapter 22_

# _Colleague_

I mentioned that I wondered whether I was this happy and optimistic as Min Jang, before all this happened. Well, I wasn't, because I didn't recall being this annoying.

At first Min's enthusiasm was motivating and helped us to overcome stress a little. But after a while it became irritating. I meant, he was kind, hardworking, etc., but somehow he couldn't read the atmosphere. We didn't tell him what was really going on, of course, but joking happily about everything was wrong too. Even E.T. saw something was wrong.

"You look worse than when you were hunted by that hooded psycho," he said one day in the bathroom, when I went to splash cold water on my face to become more focused on training. "I'm not an idiot, Kim. I see there is more security around the building, that also escorts you home. Did you do something stupid again?"

"Yeah, I was born..." I muttered to myself. E.T. raised his eyebrows. "Nothing. Don't worry."

"Who's worried!" he snorted and left, offended.

I sighed and looked at my reflection. I was literally dead outside. My face was pale and tired. I looked like I haven't slept for days. I thought I was sick, but I hadn't any fever. I even went to see a doctor, but I was diagnosed with nothing.

"That's enough," manager said one day. "You're taking a break."

"Why only me?" I outraged. "I'm fine! I –"

"He's right, Jin," Chanwoo said. "Fans are worried too. They think you're ill."

"But I'm NOT! Aren't you just tired of me?"

"What are you saying now," Jongil sighed. "We want you to get better and stop looking like a zombie."

"Well, it's strange that only I look like that! Aren't you afraid?"

"Of course we are! It just –"

" –doesn't concern you, I get it. Whatever, do what you want."

Jongil wanted to say more, but I ignored him, packed my things and went to the car. Midway I bumped into Min, who was running somewhere with papers.

"Ah, brother Jin!" he gasped. "Sorry, I was – Are you okay? You look awful!"

"I'm fine," I grumbled and wanted to pass him, when he stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"You can talk to me, if you want," he said suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not blind, Jin. I see you're arguing a lot with your team. I'll always listen to you."

"I'm not! They just –"

"It's okay." Min smiled lightly, but not happily as usual. He tried to comfort me. "I don't judge you, because I don't know what's going on between all of you. I just want you to know that you're not alone."

And he left. I stood in one place for a few seconds until manager took me to the car. During my way to Grumpy's house something passed my mind and, because I was thinking clearly for a moment, I asked Grumpy for a favor.

"You want me to investigate your new managers?" Grumpy said surprised, when I brought him to the basement, once he returned from work. "And why did we have to come here? This dirty rat is here, remember?"

"I remember and hear you well!" Creep shouted from his den.

"Besides, only my mother is in the house and Daewon is sleeping," Grumpy continued, ignoring Creep.

"That's why we're here," I said. "I don't want her to worry. And professor can hear it too, but I doubt he even wants to."

"Why do you want to investigate Min Jang and... Park-something, I don't remember his name."

"Just in case. You may think I'm paranoid, but it won't hurt anyone. Right?"

"Well... I guess." For a moment he was lost in thoughts. "Alright, I'll ask my colleague to help us. She has nose for backgrounds."

Grumpy's colleague had the worst job for my 'kind'. She was a journalist. Although she wasn't concentrating on pop culture, she recognized me right away.

"Oh my God!" she gasped, when we entered the room full of journalists. She pointed at me, as if she was accusing me of something. I felt uncomfortable. "U-NIGHT! Damn, am I dreaming?"

"What have you done!" I hissed to Grumpy, but he waved at me to be silent.

"Don't tell me you're his fan," Grumpy said. "Then I would have come here for nothing."

The journalist suddenly became serious and shook her head, smiling sneakily. "Don't be silly. I would be ignorant if I didn't know who he is though. But that means my acting became better!"

"You didn't change at all," Grumpy said and pointed at her. "Jinwoo, meet Hwayeon Oh. We grew up together, but she went crazy midway and became a journalist, as you can see."

"Shut up, you panda eyes," Hwayeon snorted, sitting on a chair. "Well? If you came to me personally, the world is ending."

"Kind of," Grumpy said and showed her the door. "Can we talk in private? This matter is a little... delicate."

Hwayeon looked at him carefully, then glanced at me. I felt more uncomfortable. Then she smiled even more sneakily, saying, "I'm all ears."

# _Chapter 23_

# _Investigation_

Hwayeon was listening to Grumpy with a stone face. I still didn't trust her. Maybe she wasn't interested in k-pop and rumors, but she was still journalist. Her hunger for breaking news is as strong as...

"Wow, now that I'm closer, I see you look like a ghost." I jumped surprised. Hwayeon was standing before me with a smile. Then she straightened up and said, "Alright! I'm getting to work. I'll contact you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I blurted. "You'll find all the information already by tomorrow?"

"Who do you think I am, kid? I'm mighty Hwayeon! And don't worry, I'm not a gossip girl." She winked. "I can open my mouth only when you pay me. Bye~."

When she returned to her office, I pulled Grumpy aside. "How much did you pay her!?"

"All of my debt from the past." He snorted with laugher, seeing my shocked face. "Don't worry. She wasn't helpful only once."

So I had to wait till tomorrow. When group members came back to the house, they didn't talk to me, so I didn't either. I only played one video game with Daewon and went to sleep.

The next day I met Min, as I was doing groceries for granny. He waved at me, while drinking banana milk. I bought coffee milk for myself and we went together to some point of a street. Grumpy's house was closer than the agency from here and I didn't want him to know where I was living now. Until I get information from Hwayeon, I had to be cautious. But Min didn't say much. He talked more when we sat on a bench before we parted our ways.

"Are you doing better today, brother?" he asked.

"Yeah," I lied.

"I see. I heard you're on a break."

"Yeah."

We were silent for a moment. For some reason I wanted to talk to him, even though I should be suspicious of him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Min said. He wasn't smiling, which was somehow better for me.

"I'm not sure."

"You don't have to be detailed. Just a glimpse of a situation and you'll feel better."

I hesitated. But before I realized, I told him about my lately bad relationship with group members. I didn't mention L&F, but changed it to a stalker case.

"Don't you have to go to the police?" Min asked worried. "Stalking is a serious problem, especially for a celebrity."

"I was. We're... investigating it."

"Really? That's a relief!" I looked at him carefully. "What?"

"Are you always like that?"

"Like what?"

"I mean... I don't know you well, but you're always seem so helpful, and so on."

Min smiled lightly. "Isn't it my job? As a manager I have to help you anytime, right? I hope I'm doing good job so far."

Well, he was right.

"And about friends, don't worry. Time is flowing, like water. It'll pass."

I flinched. "Where did you hear that?" I whispered.

"What?" Min looked at me, confused by my reaction. "I said that it'll pass with time. Isn't it a famous saying? Did I say something wrong?"

"No..."

Man, I really had to get a grip! First I saw them everywhere, now I was hearing their words from everyone's mouths. I certainly needed a break...

Suddenly some motorcycle stopped in front of us. The rider lifted the glass in the helmet and I almost choked with milk.

"Need a ride, kid?" Hwayeon asked, patting the backseat.

She has the information, I gasped in my head and nodded, standing up. "See you," I said to Min, who smiled, waved and went back to the agency. I sat behind the journalist and we went to Grumpy's house.

"It was him," she said rather than asked.

"Yeah. Did you find something?"

"Yup. You'll be shocked."

"Let's be honest," Hwayeon said, as we sat with Grumpy and Daewon in the living room. Granny was tired, so she dozed up in her room. Creep was creeping out from the corridor. "He's perfectly normal."

"Suspiciously normal, or normally normal?" Grumpy made sure.

"I would say normally normal. He could be suspicious if he was too perfect. But he had some bully problems in high school, like most of the kids. He lives with his parents. They are average in wealth and not so happy that their son works in a celebrity industry, though it's better for them that he's a manager and not an idol. I asked about him his neighbors, friends from high school, and so on. He seems to be a good kid, who is sensitive about someone being troubled. Maybe he wants to prevent bullying. He doesn't have any criminal record and I didn't find any proof that he was ever associated with sects, or even religious school clubs. I also heard he usually smiles and jokes, which can be irritable, but he just wants everyone to be happy as he is, even though he knows it's impossible."

When she finished, we were quiet for a moment. Well, if we didn't have any proof he had some connection to L&F, I guessed I didn't have to worry.

"And what about the other one?" I asked.

"The other one is Tanjae Park and he's an ordinary man in late-twenties. He isn't so optimistic and enthusiastic like Min Jang, but he's responsible and somehow gloomy, but I guess you don't need a volcano of energy as a manager. I didn't find anything suspicious on him either. If you don't count that he sometimes talks to himself, but that didn't sound to me like a sectional disease."

For some reason I thought she was making fun of me. Grumpy must have guessed my thoughts, because he patted my arm and said to Hwayeon, "Okay, thanks for your effort. I'll contact you later."

Hwayeon got up and left without a word. I sighed and leaned against the sofa. Grumpy went to the kitchen and I glanced at Daewon. He was the only one who looked shocked and not relieved.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Daewon flinched and looked at me scared. He wrote something quickly and showed me:

I just remembered something. Something bad.

"What?"

Grumpy mentioned that L&F's nickname was Vampires of California. Now I remember why.

I shivered.

"Please don't tell me they're really immortal," I grumbled, but Daewon shook his head violently and made more terrified face, as if being immortal would be better.

I was in shock every time they visited me in the cell, but now I know from where I have so many cuts and bruises. They collect blood. They need blood for something and I think lack of it makes them nervous.

# _Chapter 24_

# _(Not) completely alone_

When Grumpy read Daewon's words, he wasn't as shocked as I was.

"I wondered why this nickname," he said grimly. "Many sects or other crazy groups used blood for their rituals in the past, but it was maybe thousand years ago? I didn't expect they would do this nowadays. It's another proof these guys are wicked psychos."

"What do we do now?" I muttered. Then I thought about something. "Please don't tell others about it."

"About what? Their use of blood?"

"Everything..."

"Why? You're a team. And I'm sure your manager wants to know that too."

"No! I mean..." I clenched my fists in pockets. "I-I don't want them to worry. There's nothing we can do about it, right? It doesn't make a change whether they use blood or just kidnap people."

Grumpy frowned. "You're acting weird, kiddo. Are there some issues between you and your teammates?"

"No. Nothing. Just don't tell them."

"Alright, I get it. I won't tell, but think about it. You don't have to deal with it alone, you know."

I'm already alone, I thought. Daewon squeezed my wrist and wrote something, but I ignored it and went straight to bed, even though it was still early.

October came and so the weather changed. The atmosphere in the agency was also cold. I didn't talk to anybody, just answered questions directed to me. Because I wasn't focused enough and didn't try to work with group members individually, manager decided to exclude me from our concert in one of Seoul's high schools. I got angry and left the practice room, before he finished talking. I went to buy myself a coffee milk to calm down a bit. When I was on my way back, I saw Min Jang sitting on the same bench we were sitting on last time.

Right. I wasn't completely alone. Even when I was on break Min was sending me messages and we talked on the phone. But this week I haven't seen him until now. He must have been busy. This time he was reading something on his phone with a frown.

"Hi," I said, sitting beside him. "What's up?"

"Ah, Jin!" Min hid his phone into his pocket and smiled. "Not practicing?"

"Needed a break. And you? I haven't seen you for a while. Busy?"

"Yes. Quite busy."

"Are you doing well in this job? In two days the CEO will decide whether you stay here or not. Do you want to stay?"

"Of course! But the main decision is up to the CEO, right?"

"But you have to show them you want this position."

Min smiled widely. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Of course. Thanks to you I'm calmer. I'm lucky to know you."

"Thanks a lot, Jin. Do you want to go with me to amusement park tomorrow?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Great!" Min stood up. "Then see you tomorrow, brother."

When Min disappeared in the building, I thought I saw Chanwoo, or someone else, observing us through the window. I frowned. Really? Now they were keeping eye on me like that? I didn't know if our team will survive with this attitude.

I decided not to come back to the practice and went straight to Grumpy's house. Manager probably would only scold me if I returned, or even exclude from the team, if not fire completely. My parents must have known the situation a little, or they just felt something was wrong judging by my voice, because they wanted me home. I refused, assuring them I'll get through this. Somehow.

While walking next to shop's glass, which was like a mirror, I observed myself almost with disgust. I looked a little better than a few days ago, but my skin looked still unhealthy. I changed my hair color back to black. Somehow the previous one irritated me. And I realized I was stooping. I straightened up irritated and suddenly bumped into someone.

"Sorry!" I said, grabbing girl's hand in the last moment, before she fell down. "Are you alr –!"

The girl had happy mask from L&F. I let go of her terrified and she landed on her back. Then she quickly hid the mask in her backpack and... cut herself with a small knife! I gasped and wanted to run away, but she started screaming while pointing at me, "I didn't know you were like that! How could you do this to me!? Fame isn't everything!"

Only now I realized she was wearing shirt with my picture and had some of U-NIGHT's gadgets. Before I came to my senses, people started to gather around us. Most of them recognized me and were as outraged as the girl. In the crowd I saw a few masked people, who took off their masks too and began attacking me with words.

What the hell –!?

"Isn't he in this famous, well-mannered k-pop group? How could he do that?"

"Shame on you! I thought you were different!"

"Shouldn't he be arrested? It's an assault after all."

"Ah, my daughter will be so disappointed. You were a model for her!"

I moved back staggering. What was happening... I didn't understand a thing. I started panicking, having breathing problems. Then I looked at the girl, who was the cause of all of this. My heart stopped for a moment with fear. She stared at me with a wicked smile. But no one was paying attention to her. Everyone's rage was directed at me. Her plan worked. All of a sudden she said something to me. I read her lips, which was a bad idea, because my heart only hurt more.

"How is it? Being the center of attention? It's just the beginning. The end will be in Nirvana."

# _Chapter 25_

# _Devil-may-care attractions of amusement park_

I groaned and wanted to escape, but some people grabbed me, trying to take me to the police station.

"Out of the way!" I heard suddenly and a motorcycle almost rammed the people. I recognized Hwayeon's motorcycle, but the rider was Grumpy. "Get on, for God's sake!!"

I jumped on the backseat and we fled. People were still shouting curses after me.

"It's a misunderstanding! They'll hate me forever!" I cried.

"Be thankful you weren't arrested! I couldn't get you out without any proof that you're innocent!"

"But I am! It was –"

"Shut up, let me focus!"

We arrived at some building and Grumpy took me inside. Only then I recognized it. We entered the chaos room. Phones were ringing, people were running from place to place, everyone was shouting.

"W-What's going on!" I stammered terrified. I was almost burned by a coffee, when someone passed me in hurry.

"YOU tell me!" Hwayeon grabbed my arm aggressively. "Culture department went crazy! There're calls from all over the country!"

"W-Wha –"

Hwayeon showed me the TV. I froze. On the screen was repeatedly playing a scene, where I supposedly hurt the girl on the street. The sentence below was announcing: 'Famous idol turned thug?'.

"That's not true!" I screamed, but Grumpy quickly covered my mouth. Thankfully, the chaos was louder than me, so no one noticed me. Then my cell phone rang. It was Beomseok.

"B-Beomseok?" I said, looking at the TV like hypnotized.

"Where are you!?"

"I-I'm –"

Grumpy took my phone. "We're going home now!" And he hung up. "Let's go, before someone sees us."

When we returned to the house, I told my story, then Grumpy and Hwayeon told what they heard and found out. Manager and group members were listening to it shocked. Chanwoo and Youngho wanted to tell me something, but I went to the room, telling them I needed rest.

I lay down and put on earphones, pretending I was listening to music. After a while I heard that group members came into the room.

"Should we tell him now?" Chanwoo asked.

"I don't know," Jongil answered. "It may be shock to him. I think it's too much for today."

What the heck? I clenched my fists on the pillow, having wide opened eyes. Did they really want to throw me out of the team?

"I think we should tell him now," Beomseok said. Well, thank you. As if I didn't know that already.

"Let's wait at least till the morning," Youngho stated. "We're not sure either. Let's wait for the confirmation from them."

"No, you should tell me now," I said, sitting and pulling out the earphones.

Chan jumped surprised. "You didn't sleep, Jin?" he whispered.

"Thankfully, no," I growled. "So?"

"Jinwoo, the thing is –" Jongil began anxiously, but I interrupted him.

"I know. I'm not that dumb as you may think."

"What are you talking about?" Youngho blurted puzzled.

"Nice try. I know what you're planning. If that's the case, I'll leave myself. Don't bother."

Group members exchanged shocked looks.

"That's not –" Beomseok began.

"You really think –" Chanwoo interrupted him.

"We'll talk in the morning," Jongil said. "We're all nervous now. Let's rest."

"You're right. Rest," I grumbled and put back earphones, this time turning on the music.

I didn't sleep well. I wanted to cry and destroy something at the same time. I woke up before everyone else and went out. I had still few hours to my meeting with Min, so I wandered around the city. After some time I became strangely calm. Maybe the thought that in a moment I was going to meet someone who believed me and knew how I felt was calming me down.

My cell phone didn't ring at all. But who was I kidding? Why would group members call me? They wanted to get rid of me anyway. Going missing for one day will be a good lesson for them. And tomorrow I'll go home. Maybe I should change my life goal? I could always quit idol life and go to a university. Didn't sound bad. I entered the amusement park at 9 a.m. in a better mood.

Min Jang was already waiting for me. He looked like he waited for a while, but I was sure I wasn't late.

"Hey!" I shouted and waved at him. He hid his cell phone and smiled.

"Hi, Jin." He pointed at the rollercoaster. "Want to ride it?"

"Okay, although I'm a bit scared of it," I admitted.

"It'll be okay! I'm with you."

When we were at the top of the rollercoaster, Min grabbed my arm and I opened my eyes.

"I need to tell you something," he shouted.

"Can't it wait?" I groaned.

"Did you want to change your life? Like everything in it?"

"What do you mean?" We were almost at the end of the top.

"Weren't you lost in your decisions even once? Have you always wanted to be an idol?"

"I don't really understand what you are talking about," I hissed. Now I saw the fall.

"I didn't tell you earlier but I think I'm lost, brother. And someone approached me yesterday. He told me that when I'm lost, I can always be found. If I join them."

"WHAT!?"

And the car rode straight down. I was double shocked by the speed and Min's words. Damn it! Did L&F approach him!? But why... ?

"What did you say to that person?" I shouted when we were on a slower moment. "I hope you didn't agree on that!"

"I didn't yet. I wanted to consult it with you. What do you think about it? I don't remember their name though..."

"Oh, I remember and don't even think about joining them!"

"Do you know them?"

A moment of silence. We reached another top.

"Yeah."

"And do you know why are they doing this?"

"Not really and I don't want to know."

We were about to fall.

"You can't judge something if you don't understand it."

And we fell. Damn, again I was hearing their words. It was really annoying, just when I was supposed to have fun.

"Whatever. Just don't trust them, okay?" I said as we finished our rollercoaster adventure. "Man, I hate amusement parks..."

"Alright. Can we now eat something? I'm starving!"

"Sure."

We bought hot dogs and I planned eating on the bench, when Min stopped me in the middle of the road to show me something. He pointed at the rollercoaster, on which we were a moment ago.

"Isn't that a man?" he asked confused.

I squinted my eyes to see more clearly. He was right! At the top, on rails, was someone standing. He had opened arms, as if he wanted to hug all the world around him, and wasn't moving. But that didn't worry me the most.

He was wearing sad mask.

Knowing what was about to happen, I grabbed Min's arm, but at the same time the man threw himself from thirty meters. When he hit the ground, people started to panic and the chaos began. As if this man's death was a trigger, from all sides L&F attacked.

"Damn it!" I groaned. "Why now!?"

"Jin! What's going on!?" Min shrieked with fear. "Who are they!?"

"They're the guys who wanted to recruit you!" I hissed. "Come on, we have to get out of here!"

I pulled him, running straight to the exit. But so was everyone else, so soon the exit was blocked with people. I took Min to the other exit, but in the midway he tripped over a body and I lost contact with his hand.

"Min!" I screamed and turned around.

At the same time I heard a gunshot. I froze, as if it was me who was shot. But I was fine. The one, who was shot, was Min Jang.

He looked at me with widened eyes and touched his chest. On it was a huge, red stain, which was becoming bigger and bigger.

"NO!!" I shrieked hoarsely.

Min looked at me terrified for the last time and fell down.

# _Chapter 26_

# _Not time to die yet_

I threw myself in Min's direction. He couldn't be dead! No... Not him!!

"No!" Someone grabbed my waist and pulled away.

"Let go of me!!" I cried. "Min... MIN JANG IS –!"

"Jin, listen to us!" It was Chanwoo. Jongil and manager were holding me. Grumpy caught up with them and stopped abruptly dumbfounded, seeing Min.

"What's going on?" he blurted. "Wasn't he –"

"Yeah, he was ALIVE a moment ago!" I shrieked, but group members and Grumpy had strange faces. "What are you doing? Call the ambulance! Min is still –!"

"We have to tell you something!" Jongil outshouted me. "It's about Min Jang!"

"You're firing him too!?" I couldn't believe. I didn't know they would be this extreme. "He didn't do anything wrong! He –"

"We need to go!" Grumpy growled, punching two terrorists. "We'll die if we don't move!"

"I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITHOUT MIN!"

"Alright, shut up!" Grumpy outraged. "I'll take him and... What the hell... ?"

He just put his hand to check Min's pulse. Then he looked with disbelief not at me, but group members. I was angrier and angrier.

"Hurry up, or he –" I began.

"He's dead."

I groaned and suddenly was too weak to keep balance. Group members and manager sat down with me. No... that was impossible. He just... wanted to help me. He was a good guy... He didn't even ask about yesterday's incident with that girl. He only wanted to have a brother to talk about different things...

"It's weird," Grumpy continued. "How can he be dead?"

"Because he's been SHOT!" I enraged, but detective ignored me.

"Were we wrong?" he muttered.

"YES, YOU'RE WRONG NOW! DO SOMETHING OR –!"

Jongil and manager pulled me down and I survived a hit with a stone.

Wait, that stone looked familiar...

"It's a grenade!!" Grumpy shrieked. "Everyone to the car! NOW!!"

Grumpy took me on his shoulder like a bag of rice and we ran to our van. I was thrown inside and they locked the door, before I got up.

"Let me out!" I shouted. "He isn't dead!!"

"Jinwoo, calm down!" Youngho pulled me on the seat, but I jerked and hit him with my elbow by accident.

"No! He's still alive! He's –"

"He had no pulse," Grumpy said suddenly. Manager started the engine. "And there was too much blood. He couldn't survive that."

"You're lying! You just want him to be dead!"

Everyone hesitated. I couldn't believe that. "What the heck... ? Do you really want him dead? Oh my God..."

"That's not it!" Chanwoo tried to touch my arm. "Jin, please, listen to us –"

"NO!" I pushed him on Beomseok. Group members looked at me shocked, as if I didn't know what I was doing. Maybe, but at least I wasn't enjoying others' death.

Then someone grabbed my hand. I tried to break free, when I recognized Daewon. Right. He was a child. He wouldn't want Min dead. I opened my mouth to get his support, when manager stopped abruptly and we were painfully jerked.

"What's wrong?" Jongil panted.

"Are they nuts!?" Grumpy growled and wanted to open the door, when the glass next to him broke and he got hit by a rode.

We screamed terrified. After that the glass next to manager exploded and he was hurt by it.

"No!" I shouted panicked. Daewon hugged me tightly, sobbing in my shirt. Damn it! Was that their plan from the beginning? Then why kill innocent people in the amusement park!

"No way!" Chan suddenly shrieked, when the glass on our side broke and someone was reaching for Daewon. Chanwoo bit his forearm. The man backed off, but another one got ready to hit the youngest group member, when Youngho protected him and got hit instead, in the back.

"Stop!" I screamed.

Then Daewon was taken from me. He was groaning and gasping, not letting go of the door. I grabbed his wrists but released him, when someone fell on me.

"No!" I hissed in despair.

Like in slow motion I saw Daewon crying and waving at me, while masked man took him to the other van. Then Daewon took a deep breath and shrieked, "JIN!!"

That was like an electric shock for me. I kicked the door, along with men behind it, and threw myself after Daewon. I entered the black van violently, surprising masked men, who surely didn't expect me here. I tried to pull my cousin out, but the driver already started the engine and I fell on another terrorist, almost falling out through the door in front of me. I squeezed the backseat and looked for Daewon.

I froze. Only now I realized that all men had sad masks.

"Damn!" I hissed and jumped to the front seats to stop the car.

"Jin, behind you!" Daewon shouted with broken voice.

I got grabbed by neck and pulled back. But Daewon was taken to the front. The man, who was holding me, said, "It's not your time yet."

And we hit the truck before us.

I must have lost consciousness for a moment, because suddenly I realized someone was pulling me out of the car. I jerked shocked and almost fell. The one, who was pulling me out was our manager and one of rescuers. I took a few deep breaths and looked around confused. Sounds and the world around me was slowly coming back to normal.

" –Jinwoo!" I flinched and looked at manager. "Are you alright!?"

I wanted to answer that, but only now I saw someone small being put on a stretcher. "Daewon... !" I whispered hoarsely and ran to him staggering. My head hurt so bad and I got dizzy...

"Jinwoo, stop!" Group members ran to me. "You're injured! Please –"

"Daewon..." was my only worry right now. I felt weak with fear and because of a sudden thought.

Daewon was supposed to die in this accident. L&F were wearing sad masks. They were ready to die. I clenched my teeth and went toward the stretcher, although blood was covering my sight. But then I saw that most of the blood before me belonged to Daewon, who had oxygen mask put on his face. Paramedics were escorting him to the emergency room. I grabbed the stretcher and followed them.

"We're losing him!" the one controlling Daewon's heartbeat informed.

"No!" I groaned. "Daewon, come on! You're stronger than me!" I almost choked with tears. I shook my head to clear it. "You just started to talk again! You can't die on me..."

I tripped over my legs. The other paramedic looked at me. "You need to go to do checkups. You're injured."

"I'm fine," I stated stubbornly. "Don't mind me. Save him..."

"How is he?" A doctor ran from operation room. "Move, boy!" He pushed me and I staggered at the wall. The doctor took command. Meanwhile group members, Grumpy and manager caught up with me. I was breathing as fast as tears were gathering in my eyes.

"It's not your time yet!" I whispered, sobbing. "It's not your time to die yet!!"

Suddenly there was 'piii' sound, coming from the monitor with vital functions.

# _Chapter 27_

# _Sweet trap_

Time around me slowed down again. I stared with disbelief at Daewon, who was motionless as a stone. I staggered at someone, muttering, "It's a lie... IT'S A LIE!!"

"Jinwoo..." Youngho mumbled with suppressed voice. "I'm sorry..."

"No! You're not, because he CAN'T die! Damn it!" I threw myself toward the bed. The doctor and paramedic grabbed me. Other medics started resuscitating. "Wake up! Don't you dare to die on me!!"

"Jinwoo, please stop." Manager pulled me back.

"OPEN YOUR EYES, YOU DAMN KID!!" I shrieked so loud that my throat hurt.

Suddenly the regular beeping was back on the monitor. Daewon breathed in violently. Medics looked at each other shocked and jumped immediately to continue the treatment.

I snorted with laughter mixed with a sob and sat on the floor, exhausted.

"Why do you always worry me..." I muttered.

After Daewon's condition became somewhat stable, everyone fell asleep in his hospital room. Besides me. I was sitting next to his bed with elbows on my knees and crossed fingers, thinking.

Now that my mind was a lot clearer, I remembered what this terrorist said to me. It's not your time yet. What did he mean? Maybe they didn't plan to kill me at all. I clenched my fists, staring at Daewon. I didn't know him that well. I didn't even remember whether we met in the past. But he was my family and I won't forgive anyone who messes with him.

I checked discreetly whether everyone was really deep in dreamlands and left the room.

After an hour I reached L&F's base. It was a bar. I looked for an entry to the underground and found it rather quickly. But the base was empty. This time all the rooms were open, but emptied as well. I frowned. Why did it surprise me? They were almost arrested, it was natural they would flee.

Then my phone rang. I wanted to switch it off, sure it was one of group members or Grumpy, but I saw an unlisted number. I frowned more and picked up.

"Took you long enough," I heard a familiar, high-pitched voice. The blood in my veins froze with fear.

"You..." I whispered. "You're the Master?"

"Nice to meet you, Jinwoo Kim. Were you treated well in the hospital?"

Sudden rage hit me. "You'll pay! I won't forgive what you've done to Daewon!"

"Ah, little Daewon? He became a nuisance and we don't keep garbage, you know? It blocks our way to Nirvana. And it's bothersome."

"You bastard –!"

"Want to meet? I'll explain to you what we really do."

"What are you planning?" I growled. My injured hand started to hurt when I squeezed the phone with it.

"I just want to get to know you. Our last meeting didn't work out well."

I didn't answer. He was a psycho. Different type of psychos I've met so far. How to deal with him?

"What do you want from me?" I said slowly.

"To talk. Just talk. I won't try to persuade you to join us, you're too clever for that. You know us a little too, so you won't fall for any trap. Am I right?"

I didn't answer that either. What should I do?

"We can wait for more victims," Master said suddenly. "It's up to you, Jinwoo."

He was blackmailing me! Damn it!

"Alright. But we'll meet in a crowded place."

"Of course. What do you say about bakery? We'll drink coffee and eat cake."

"Fine."

"I'll send you the address."

I walked into a bakery named 'Sugar Master' and looked around. It was crowded indeed. There were teenagers, middle-aged people and a few elders. I didn't see any children though. I sat at the table in the center and waited. Will he come with the mask on? Or without it? Will I recognize him?

"Want to order?" a waitress asked with a bright smile.

"No, thank you. I'm waiting for someone."

"You should order, it'll make your waiting time sweeter."

"Well... okay then." I looked at the menu. "I'll take a white cupcake."

"I wouldn't recommend it. It's with white chocolate, which you don't like."

"Excuse me?" I blurted, but she left without a word, still smiling.

I got goosebumps. I looked around again. The people were the same, but the atmosphere was somehow different. Then I saw a couple, who wanted to come into the bakery, but they saw some sign on the door and walked away. I realized that sign was probably saying 'CLOSED'.

When I stood up violently to run away, all the customers got up too, blocking my way.

"Why was I so stupid... ?" I whispered to myself and suddenly felt something heavy on my neck, then passed out.

# _Chapter 28_

# _Dreadful surprise_

I woke up with difficulties. My head hurt and I didn't feel the rest of my body. After a while I started to feel it and it was a bad thing, because it was hurting as if I was chopped and put together again. Then I realized I was kneeling on a wooden floor, handcuffed to a pillar. I shook my head to clear it, but the effect was opposite and I had only stronger headache. Also, I was covered in sweat as if I was after our daily dance practice.

After another while my hearing was back to normal and I heard some kind of chanting. Or maybe singing? It was weird anyway. I took a few deeper breaths and looked around, ignoring the neck pain.

I was in a big, round room with a pulpit and something similar to a stage in the center. There were people scattered all around the room too. I shook my head again, when my vision got blurred. Then something on my left caught my eye. I looked there and was awake in a second.

"Miss Hwayeon... !?" I whispered hoarsely.

The journalist was hanging from the ceiling, facing the floor. Her hands were chained and she was covered in blood. She wasn't moving. I jerked, but my injured hand hurt and the pain in the neck became stronger. I gasped and lowered my head, breathing fast.

Suddenly I heard footsteps. I froze. When they stopped, I lifted my head a little. I saw sneakers and a scar, which reminded me a four-leaf clover. I felt sick with fear. This was the guy who probably drugged me in their previous base.

"Are you okay, bro? It looks painful," I heard and my heart started beating fast.

I knew this voice. And only now I realized it belonged also to the delivery guy, who brought us pizza that day. Everything suddenly was placed together in my head and because of that it hurt even more. I looked up with disbelief.

Min Jang smiled lightly and squatted in front of me, putting his hand into his pocket. I flinched, but he only took out a tissue and wiped blood from my neck and forehead.

"Sorry about that," he said. "Sometimes they can't control their own strength."

"You..." I panted. My voice and body were trembling as if I was freezing. "You were dead... I saw it..."

"Was I? But you denied it until the very end, I was moved," Min whispered. He touched his chest. "But I must say, it hurt like hell. I'm so lucky I have so many friends who helped me. What did your friends do, brother Jin?"

I shivered, mumbling, "You didn't have a pulse."

"Ah, that? That's a funny thing, actually. I have this genetic disorder in which you barely feel the pulse. But I'm somehow upgraded, because you can feel my pulse only in ONE place." He showed me the four-leaf clover. "Over there. Would you guess that?"

He was so damn creepy. His tone of voice was similar to the one I was used to, but somehow different. Dreadfully different. Then I thought about something.

"What about the other manager?" My heart hurt when I imagined my group members in danger. "Was he one of you?"

"Him? Not really. I just used him, he isn't even in our group." The silence after that worried me. "However, I don't know what he'll do next. If your pet lose suddenly its guidance, it can bite."

Only now I discovered an angry mask clipped to a belt on his waist. For a moment I saw double, terrified. "You were watching us all the time? Why? I think you have enough followers in South Korea, so why didn't you kidnap Daewon just when he escaped from the U.S.?"

Min sent me a wicked smile and stood up. "That's another funny thing. I had my man on your plane, as you remember. But he failed and went to Nirvana first. You're right, I could take the kid after you came to Seoul. Why didn't I?" His smile was making me feel sick. "Because I found something more interesting. You."

"W-Why me?" I grumbled. I was afraid of that, but until now I hoped it was only my imagination. "What did I do?"

"You were born, brother! But that's a good thing to us. When I heard you're Daewon's family, I decided to test you. You know, we're really patient but demanding people. We could survive without Daewon for a few days, maybe weeks, but not longer."

"Why?" The stink of the incenses was choking me. Not only that though. "What did you do to him? WHY him?"

Min sighed and turned around, crossing his hands. "Have you ever wondered why in Asia people ask each other about their blood type and not zodiac sign, like in the West?" Min glanced at me and smiled, probably because of my expression. "That's right. Everything is in the blood: good and bad things. You can know your personality too, thanks to that."

"Vampires of California..." I whispered. I tried to sound angry, but my voice was trembling too much. "You're not only collecting the blood. You're... drinking it... ?"

"Whoa, you got me. I didn't expect you to know this much."

Now I knew why Daewon was so bruised and covered in cuts. They were sucking blood from him. Like vampires in the movies. L&F wasn't terrifying. It was just sick.

"I mentioned that we tested you," Min suddenly said. "Now you know why you're here?"

I knew. And was about to pass out. I recalled the attack on me in Grumpy's house. They escaped without completing the kidnapping. They wanted to collect my blood for tests. And perhaps to scare the hell out of me too.

"W-What will you do... ?" I muttered with broken voice. "Will you kill me... ?"

"Weren't you told in the car? It's not your time yet. Ah, as for that matter you worried me, Jinwoo. You almost died in the car accident. It was only Daewon's fate. I think I should feel sorry for him. Poor kid, so young in Nirvana."

I decided not to tell him that Daewon survived. He would send someone to finish him. I clenched my teeth. "You won't get away with it," I growled. "My friends aren't stupid, they'll find you."

"I doubt about that. Weren't you out of the team?" I avoided his eyes. "Why do you think I got myself involved into your lives? To break you. You came here without telling anyone, right? And I guess you checked for Jongil's bugs too, before leaving the hospital. You probably thought you would find us in the previous base, talked and went home. But I'm impressed you started to suspect me after a while. Was I too kind? Maybe. To your relief, my background was clear." He looked to my left and suddenly I remembered Hwayeon. "But someone was too stubborn."

"What did you do to her!?" I shrieked and some L&F's members sent me outraged looks so I would lower my voice.

"Silenced her. It's our church after all. You can't bring here your own rights, brother. You need to be careful."

He killed her. Oh my God, he killed her...

"Your friends and that detective started suspecting me too," Min continued. I looked at him with widened, teary eyes. "They even went to where they shouldn't have. But I guarded that secret too. I'm glad you liked me so much, because you didn't listen to them."

I felt like the ground below my knees started crumbling.

They tried to tell me the truth. Group members and Grumpy were so shocked that Min 'died' in the amusement park, because how the group could kill their sacred leader?

"Now," I heard suddenly Min's whisper in my ear. "Shall we start?"

# _Chapter 29_

# _Sacrifice-to-be_

I was freed and brought to another pillar, which was on the stage. I jerked, screamed and tried to bite, but bodyguards were too strong. Soon my hands and ankles were tied by a chain behind the pillar, so I couldn't even touch the ground with my feet.

"Gather everyone," Min ordered one of the masked men. Then he turned to me. I shivered. There was madness in his eyes. "Now then. We have a little time until the preparations are done. Should we talk a bit, as I promised?"

"Preparations for what?" I panted. "Will you suck blood from me too?"

"This isn't simply 'sucking', brother Jin. Having the opportunity to taste a great blood is a ritual. A very important moment for all of us. Well, Daewon couldn't know that, because we were only taking the blood from him and celebrating alone. But now it's different. We didn't do the proper ritual for too long and we're in a hurry, so please understand."

"I don't and WON'T understand your psycho ideas!" I growled. "You're just sick."

"That can say only someone, who really doesn't understand our way of living," Min sighed disappointed. "I hoped you could, but that doesn't matter now. Today was your last day seeing the sunlight, brother. Sorry about that too. I really am."

But he didn't sound like he was sorry at all. Damn, how to escape this mess!? And that cursed incenses were only worsening everything!!

But wait... shouldn't I be drugged by now? I didn't know how long I was here, but the stink was really intensive. Min Jang saw my face and smiled wryly.

"You realized it too, right?" he whispered creepily.

"What," I grumbled anxiously.

"Your resistance to drugs! Little Daewon had it too. You can be inhaled with my drug for hours, even days, but you feel only the first effect and you heal from it quickly. I saw it when we have you as guest in the previous base. The detective may be trained to be resistant to it, but you healed naturally. Isn't it a miracle!?"

"It's a curse, if it brought me to you," I replied.

Min stopped smiling. It looked so unnatural and scary that I flinched. He came closer to me and put his hand to the pillar above my head.

"Curse can be always changed into miracle," he said quietly. "Do you want to hear a story?" he continued. I guessed I didn't even have a chance to refuse. "It's about a thirteen year old boy, who lost his mother due to depression. He became depressed too. His father, alcoholic on the verge of death, beat the boy regularly, because his last victim – the mother – was gone. Then the boy decided to drop out the school and wanted to talk to his father about their relationship, when he found his father dead. All around the room were emptied bottles of alcohol. The boy thought then 'Ah, so this is the time to change something'. And he went on a trip.

He traveled to deep mountains of Japan and met a monk, who happened to be a forgotten ninja. You can laugh, but ninjas were respected gods of war in their era. Luckily, the monk pitied the boy and took him as his disciple. The training lasted two years. The boy didn't really like martial arts, but he got interested in mind arts and seeking to harmony in the world. Unfortunately the monk was old and soon died.

The boy returned to his country to spread the word about his new way of life, but Koreans were blind and deaf to his words. Then he decided to go to the West and there he found people, who listened to him and formed a group with him. For five years they gathered a lot of followers and began winning the whole world. Even South Korea, which was so stubborn to accept its fate."

When he finished, I felt like all blood was drained from my face. "Why are you telling me this?"

Min smiled. "Didn't you want to know me better?"

"I wanted to know the OTHER you."

"The other me doesn't exist, brother. I'm just emotionally intelligent, I know people right away and that makes me a great actor. I know how WICKED and UNTRUSTWORTHY people are."

"Aren't you talking about yourself?" I growled. Maybe it was because of being hit in the head earlier that I got angry and for a moment didn't fear him. "You think everyone besides you is wicked? Killing others, no matter what they did, isn't excuse."

"No matter what they did? And what about you? Didn't you come here to avenge Daewon?"

I didn't say anything, just clenched my teeth. Then Min's eyes got scary. "Don't tell me... He survived?"

"He didn't!" I lied, but stammered after that.

Out of the blue Min burst out high-pitched laughter. "You can't lie, Jin. Too bad, I believed you at first."

"Don't you dare do anything to him!!"

"Alright, I get it. Even if he survived, he won't wake up. He took too much damage for a kid."

"You're lying..." I hissed. Suddenly I felt a painful sting in my forearm. "AH! What the hell!"

I froze. One of the masked women was standing next to me, draining out my blood into a blood bag. I jerked, but the pain worsened, because the needle was still in my veins. I looked at Min shocked. Was he serious about the ritual... !?

He giggled at my reaction. "I'm not lying, brother Jin. Never." He looked back. "The preparations are over. We can begin."

"N-no!" I jerked when the needle was pulled out, but then felt another sting on other forearm. "Stop it!"

The third masked person came to me and opened my mouth, pouring something in it. I spat half of it, but they did that a few times, until I drank all of it.

"It's a purifying water, don't worry," Min said. "You may feel a little sleepy though. It has different effects on every individual."

I coughed and shook my head. He was right... I felt a bit sleepy... But I didn't feel other stings, as they probably covered all my body now...

Suddenly there was a 'bang' sound, which I heard like from underground. I blinked and squinted my eyes. I didn't see it well, but I was sure there were at least six tall people next to the door. But when I blinked once more, there were only five of them.

"Detective!" I heard Min. "What a surprise. What took you so long?"

Then I could see more clearly. I coughed shocked.

Next to the door were standing Grumpy, with his gun pointed at Min, and my group members, who looked terrified at not-so-dead Min Jang, then at me.

"Jinwoo!!" Youngho screamed and wanted to run to me, but Grumpy stopped him with free hand.

"Revealing your true colors at last, Master," Grumpy said. "Was that your plan from the beginning?"

"No. But thanks to you it was easy to carry out."

"You freaky bastard..."

I blinked confused. For a moment I thought Grumpy said the last words, but they came from behind me. I flinched and almost screamed, seeing the sixth person, who was struggling with chains – Creep.

"What have you got me into!" Creep continued complaining.

When he freed me, too late I realized I was two meters above the ground and I fell on my face painfully. Creep grabbed me by my shirt and pulled away at the same time as Min turned around and Grumpy threw a smoke bomb. I thought we would make it, but suddenly a whistle sounded and, as the smoke disappeared, I saw we were surrounded.

Grumpy put his hands up and dropped the gun. Creep let me go and backed off cowardly. Min stepped down from the stage lazily and started walking toward me. I moved a bit but... in his direction. What the heck... ?

"You don't know me, detective," Min said. Now his voice was soothing... "You thought I wouldn't have any backup?"

"You mean your stuffed with drugs puppets?" Grumpy growled. I shook my head. Man, I was feeling weird...

"No." I felt a touch on my arm. Warm, kind touch. Then the same hand put something cold in my hands and grabbed my wrists to point that something at group members. "The other backup."

Grumpy widened his eyes in shock. Group members started screaming something to me, but somehow my ears weren't working well. Like from behind the fog I saw I was holding a gun.

"Now, brother Jin," Min whispered into my ear. Now I could hear only his voice. "Choose the one who according to you is the worst. Then the others will live."

# _Chapter 30_

# _Choose wisely, pt. I_

Min put my finger on the trigger. I didn't stop him. I knew I didn't want to do it. Some voice screamed like crazy in my mind to not to do it, but my body didn't listen to me. I gasped.

"What have you done to him!" Jongil shrieked furious. For me it was a weak whisper.

"Me? Nothing," Min giggled. "I just guided him a little."

"You DRUGGED him, you bastard!" Grumpy shouted and shot to the ceiling. I flinched and groaned startled. For a second I thought it was me who shot... My damn finger didn't want to stay away from the trigger.

"Don't listen to them, brother," Min whispered and my body was again on his command. "Just do what you always wanted to do."

"W-What... are... you..." I panted. Even my jaw didn't want to move properly.

"Oh? You're good. You're resisting. But let it go. You can't fool yourself forever, right?"

"You're fooling yourself!" Beomseok suddenly screamed. He was angry as never. "Get some treatment and leave Jin alone!"

"Will it be him?" Min asked, pointing my gun at Beomseok, who moved back with fear.

"N-No..."

"Why? You hate his childish behavior. Plus, you're irritated when he eats so much."

"Not true..."

"No?" He pointed the gun at Youngho. "What about him? He's too loud, you like silence."

"No, I don't!"

"Okay then. What about Jongil?" I groaned when Min tightened the grip on my wrists. "You have enough of his babysitting. Don't you want freedom?"

"Stop it!"

"I wasn't the one who started it, Jinwoo. No one is lost if not having any problems and doubts. You're the lost child here. And I want to help you find yourself. Don't resist."

I bit my lip so hard that I cut it. When tears ran down my cheeks, I thought the drug went out with them, because I could think by myself, though barely.

"NO," I stated with clenched teeth and slowly lowered the gun. Min let me go surprised.

BANG!

Chanwoo screamed and fell down, holding his thigh. Through his fingers ran down blood. The rest of the group members shouted terrified and jumped to him. I didn't breathe for a moment. Did I do this!? B-But –

"Hesitation is for losing side," Min said suddenly and I turned around.

Next to him was standing another person in the angry mask. I didn't see her earlier, but, judging by her posture, she was an elder. She didn't seem dangerous until I saw it was her who shot Chan.

"I'll kill every one of you!" Grumpy shrieked furious. "Every –!" he stopped and dropped his gun again, this time with shock.

I looked again at the elder and realized she took off the mask. No wonder Grumpy was so shocked. The one, who was hiding behind the mask, was his own mother.

"Granny... !?" I gasped with disbelief. "H-How –"

" –is it possible?" Min finished instead of me. "It's simple. I told you, people are blind. This is a result of it."

"You're a madman!" I hissed. "How could you brainwash granny –"

"I didn't brainwash her, Jinwoo. To be honest, it was her who started all of this. When I was lost after my father's death, she found me on the street and took care of me. It was her, who suggested I should go to the mountains in Japan to clear my mind and think what I should do next." He smiled widely, seeing mine and Grumpy's expressions. "She's my mother, savior and right hand."

"You're lying... !" I said but then hesitated. Min laughed, seeing that.

"You already know that I'm not a liar."

Granny again pointed the gun, this time at Beomseok.

"NO!" I shrieked and wanted to stop her, but Min did it instead.

"That's enough for now, mother," he said. He looked at me. "What will you do, brother Jin?"

"M-Me?" I stammered puzzled.

"They came here to save YOU. What have you done?"

I choked with emotion and slowly turned around. Chanwoo was bleeding heavily, the bullet must have stayed in his leg. Jongil and Youngho were pressing his wound, while Beomseok was trying to keep the youngest conscious. Grumpy was still too shocked to move. He fixed his eyes on his mother. I only guessed what he could think. But everything was my fault. I knew that. Min too.

"Me..." I muttered to myself, looking at my hands, which held the gun. "It was all me..."

"Shouldn't you fix what you've done?" Min's voice vibrated in my head, but now I started to hear some irritating hum too. "Don't you want to take revenge on Daewon? I told you he won't wake up. Maybe he's already dead? Your friends left him to save you. A little unfair, don't you think? JINWOO."

"SHUT UP!" I screamed, annoyed by his words and this hum, which suddenly stopped when I put the cold barrel to my temple. For the first time Min's face became dark and he seemed to be shocked. "Just shut up. I get it. I know it's all my fault. You said that my whole existence is a blessing for you. But for me it's a curse. I'll end this curse here and now."

And I pulled the trigger.

# _Chapter 31_

# _Choose wisely, pt. II_

After I pulled the trigger, everything happened at once.

Someone grabbed my hand with the gun and pointed it to the ceiling. Then it fired up and I screamed shocked and terrified by what I'd nearly done. I was in right mind in a second. Grumpy pulled me aside when a big, monstrous man with angry mask threw himself at me.

"Take him!" Grumpy shouted to Creep, who caught me, but immediately pushed me away with disgust.

"What do I do with him!?" he outraged.

"Get him out of here! All of them!"

"Don't order me around! But I'll try..."

Creep grabbed my arm and pulled to group members, who hugged me tightly.

"What have you been thinking, idiot!" Jongil scolded me, crying. "Why would you kill yourself!"

I was still in shock, but recovered as soon as I saw Chanwoo's pale face. "Chan!" I groaned, crawling to him. "Y-Your leg..."

"It wasn't you, Jin," he said with a weak smile through tears. "It wasn't you."

"Yeah, it wasn't, but it's still MY fault all of this happened!"

"No," Youngho said. "You were used. You didn't do anything deliberately."

"But I hesitated! I –"

"You were manipulated by the drug. We know it and you know it too."

"But that was NOW!" I got angry. "Not earlier! I blindly believed Min when he was undercover! I didn't listen to you!"

"Well, it's true," Jongil said. I looked at him. "It would be easier if you just listened to us and trusted us like always." He smiled. "But we didn't try enough too. We didn't know your true feelings and doubts. But somehow knew what you've been thinking."

"Thanks to that we knew where you went," Chanwoo added.

"But I didn't have any bug," I said slowly.

"You had your phone switched on. Grumpy tracked your GPS signal. Then the signal disappeared when you walked into the bakery, so we guessed you must have been somewhere there. L&F isn't very clever in being secretive, they based their second hiding place underground too."

Chanwoo tried to be funny, but seeing him in this condition made me feel only worse.

"When your suspicions of Min Jang vanished, we decided to dig deeper into the matter," Beomseok continued. "We found the place, which he visited often. It was a mental hospital with victims, who were once sect members of L&F, but they escaped. We tried to get some information from them, but they didn't say anything, as if their mouths were sealed, or they just said they didn't remember."

"When we were about to leave, Grumpy asked about it couple of nurses," Youngho took the lead. "But they didn't know too. For me everyone looked like they were... hypnotized. They were gloomy and muttered something under their noses. Just like DRAGon's manager, but soon after you were kidnapped he ran away. Before we left the mental hospital, cleaning lady took us aside. She said what she saw. Min Jang has been indeed visiting often. She said he was talking to the patients like he was actually hypnotizing them! When he was leaving after each of his 'sessions', patients were like newborn babies – they didn't know a thing."

That makes sense, I thought. Min was trained by ex-ninja in mind arts and probably learned how to control human mind. Adding the drugs, he became the master of mind controlling. Master of L&F.

"I'm sorry..." I grumbled. "I should have trusted you more..."

"You trust us and we trust you. That didn't, doesn't and won't change, Jinwoo. Just don't get lost anymore, okay?"

I smiled lightly, feeling a lot better.

"Sorry to bother you at such moving moment" we heard suddenly and saw that Grumpy was just beside us, blocking the giant with angry mask "but can you run as I ASKED you to do earlier!?"

"Good idea!" Beomseok said and took my hand, but then I heard a jingle sound and felt something heavy and cold on my neck. "NO!"

The chain on my neck tightened and I literally flew away, hitting the floor. I gasped, struggling for air.

"You're a horrible person, Jinwoo." Min stood next to me, playing with the gun. I crawled back, scared. "I did everything so you would shoot ME, not yourself. You're a surprise to me, I must say."

"W-Why would I shoot you?" I groaned. "Why would you want to die!?"

"I wouldn't die. Well, I 'died' once, in the amusement park, so I'm sure I would survive this time too. But you wouldn't. I mean, your mind. However, how can I break you if you die before it?"

I broke free and kicked him, trying to escape, but then the giant man appeared before me and grabbed me by waist, lifting me.

"Mother!" Min said. "Let's continue the ritual."

"NO!" I hissed and jerked, but that guy was so freaking strong! He squeezed me, almost breaking my bones.

"Hey!" Min scolded him. "When I talked about breaking, I didn't mean his BONES. Watch yourself."

The giant nodded and loosened a bit the grip, but I still could barely breathe.

"Time to end this," Min said, turning around to his people, but he faced not them but the gun.

"Yeah, let's end this," Grumpy growled, loading the gun. "That's for MY mother."

And he shot. Min Jang made a surprised gasp and fell down with a bullet in his head. I doubted he could survive that... Grumpy shot the giant in the foot and he let go of me. I jumped on my legs right away, but lost the balance and sat down confused. Grumpy lifted me easily.

"Are you okay?" I asked first. "I mean –"

"That's my line, stupid kiddo. Your friends were right. Stop worry everyone and don't get damn lost ever again. If you do, I'll bring you back myself and it won't be pleasant."

I forced a smile, but then I saw Hwayeon's body and turned pale. Grumpy saw that and put his hand on my head. "I saw her. It's okay. She knew the risk."

I nodded but tears again gathered in my eyes. Then we heard a cry of despair and looked around. Grumpy's mother snapped out of the hypnosis and now was kneeling beside Min's body, crying over it.

"Mom, please," Grumpy tried to touch her, but she pushed him back and continued to cry.

"What's wrong with her?" Beomseok asked shocked. "Shouldn't she be herself after the death of their leader?"

"I doubt she'll ever be the same," Grumpy muttered. "She's like the patients in the mental hospital. She's brainwashed and it's too late to help her."

"What are you saying!" I exploded. "You should at least –!"

"Jinwoo, stop." Youngho shook his head.

Grumpy turned and walked to the exit. The rest of L&F started to behave like granny – like children, who were lost without their leader. Min ruined thousands of people, who couldn't be healed again. They'll stay crazy forever. I bit my lip, furious.

I looked again at Grumpy's stooped figure and sighed. Then I saw someone else at the door when Grumpy left through them, but I guessed I was too tired or still drugged. Why? Because that someone disappeared when I rubbed my eyes. I frowned.

"Let's go back," Jongil stated, piggybacking Chanwoo. He smiled. "Someone wants to see you."

It turned out that Daewon woke up and was finally in stable condition. We talked a lot in the hospital and after my checkups, we could go to Grumpy's house. It was so empty without granny, who was placed in mental hospital with other L&F's members. I promised myself that I'll visit her often.

When Daewon returned home, we were shocked when he told us that part of truth he missed. His parents were dead. It happened when he was kidnapped by L&F in Busan and transported to the U.S.. They caused a car accident, which only he survived. I was trying to come up with a place for him to stay, when Grumpy joined our conversation.

"We already talked about it in the hospital," he said. "The kid will be staying with me. It's annoying to be alone in this big house."

"It's not like you're here often," Daewon said.

"Shut up. I hate that you're cousins. Your sense of humor is the same."

I smiled, while others laughed. That was a good decision. Daewon will be safe here. Besides, to me he was more adult than Grumpy. He'll be fine.

"I guess your popularity is back on top, kiddo," Grumpy said, showing me the news on the Internet. "We cleared the situation with that girl and now you're a hero."

"I don't like it," I stated.

"Being popular again? Then why did you become an idol?"

"To follow my dreams." I smiled. "Popularity is just an extra."

"Don't try to be wise, you're making me laugh."

We laughed instead. After dinner our manager came in, bringing a letter.

"As I said, you all have a healing month" he stated "because in three months we have an important concert and meeting in Japan."

He gave us the letter.

Dear U-NIGHT group,

We are honored to invite you to our luxurious hotel near Tokyo on 31st January next year. We hope we can spend great time together.

Yours sincerely,

Staff of 'Endless Story' Hotel

END OF VOLUME 3

BONUS STORY

Ghostly notes #1

DO YOU WANT TO BE MY FRIEND?

Chanwoo just moved into his new house, but already was in trouble. He broke the old-fashioned picture of a little girl with a doll. His parents said it was previous owners' treasure but for some reason they couldn't take it with them. Now Chanwoo was standing without any movement and staring at the shattered glass.

"It's your fault," said Jinwoo, who happened to come by.

"You pushed me."

"I was in the other room."

Chan decided not to continue this topic and hung the picture back on the wall. The broken glass was making it look ominous, so they quickly left to the kitchen.

"What were we doing?" Jinwoo asked, eating chips.

"I was winning!" Chanwoo shouted satisfied.

"No, you weren't!"

"Prove it~." And they continued playing jenga.

It took a minute for Jin to win. Chanwoo lay down offended. He sighed and closed his eyes.

At some point he heard footsteps. He opened his eyes and glanced at Jinwoo, who was sitting in front of him, eating chips and playing with his phone. Chan frowned and lay back.

The footsteps were hearable again, this time faster and somehow closer. Chanwoo opened his eyes violently. The room was dark. But it was 3 p.m. and still bright outside... Chanwoo looked around but he was alone.

"Jin?" he shouted. No one replied. He took a step toward his room, when the footsteps became faster, as if someone was running. And now he also heard... laughing? No, it was more like giggling.

Child's giggling...

A shiver crept through Chanwoo's back. When the giggling stopped, he also held his breath.

"HELLO," he heard suddenly high voice next to his ear and screamed, jumping.

Then he opened his eyes and gasped, sitting violently and hitting someone's head.

"That hurt!" Jinwoo groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Have you fallen asleep, or something?"

Chanwoo sighed and clenched his fists on Jinwoo's blouse. "Yeah... probably... stupid nightmare..."

Right. It was so obvious. The room was still bright and all the doors were –

Wait. In the house was only one room that wasn't supposed to be opened, because the key was lost and it was literally covered with planks. But now the planks were on the floor and the door was slightly open...

"Jin, did you by any chance go into this room... ?" Chan whispered.

Jinwoo glanced where he was pointing and turned pale. "No... When did it happen!?"

Chanwoo bit his lip. "Come on. Let's check it out."

Jinwoo wanted to protest, but Chanwoo grabbed his hand and pulled him.

They entered the completely dark room. The windows were also covered with planks, just like in Chanwoo's dream. What was more, it was dusty and with a lot of spider webs. Jinwoo gulped, saying, "We shouldn't be here..."

"Why?" Chanwoo snorted. "It's my –"

Suddenly something fell. Boys jumped startled. They illuminated the room with their phones and saw that it was a doll that fell from a shelf. Chan frowned and squatted, taking it and looking at it closer.

It was partly destroyed and melted. Was here once a fire? Didn't look like it though.

"Wait," Jin whispered, pointing at the doll. "It looks familiar."

Chanwoo stared at the doll carefully and at some point remembered. Similar doll was in the picture they broke today. But there it was clean and new, not like this one...

Suddenly he heard footsteps again. Jinwoo heard it too. They froze. Then the giggle sounded just beside Jin and he squeezed Chanwoo's wrist terrified.

"That's mine," Chanwoo heard, now next to him.

Boys panicked and were about to leave the room, but the door was slammed right in front of their noses. They screamed and turned around just to see a scary girl, who said, "Who wants to be my friend?"

Chan hit her with the phone, but she vanished with a laugh. Then their flashlights were turned off.

"AH!" Jin suddenly gasped, letting go of Chanwoo's hand.

"Jinwoo!?"

Silence.

"C-Chan!" Jinwoo muttered.

Chanwoo followed his voice and found him sitting next to the bed. Jin was staring at something under it. Chanwoo turned on his flashlight and looked there, then groaned.

Under the bed was a corpse of an elder woman. He recognized in her the one, who was showing them the house few days ago. Jinwoo turned on his flashlight with trembling hand and followed red tracks with the light.

"I-Is it... ?" Chanwoo mumbled.

"Blood," Jinwoo whispered.

The pattern ended next to the door. Or so they thought. Chanwoo saw another one made from the door to them. The last stain was under Jin's foot. He backed off violently, staggering at Chanwoo.

Suddenly there was a rustle behind them. After that they heard child's giggle and words,

"Mary, I've just made two friends. LET'S PLAY WITH THEM."

END

COMING NEXT

I blinked shocked. What the heck? Then I thought it might have been a dream, but I didn't have time to wonder about that, because suddenly a hand emerged from the hole and clenched the edge of plank, cracking it. I screamed and backed away toward the window.

But that was a mistake.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

Blood is flowing, it's so true.

I shivered. This whisper seemed strangely familiar. Even the cracking every few syllables. Haven't I heard it yesterday... ?

Roses are red, violets are blue.

You are now here, CUE.

I jumped, hearing the voice on my right side. Over there was indeed creepy, dark corner, but it was empty. Then I looked again at the hole and saw that it disappeared.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

Horror will come, your fear just grew.

I panicked. It sounded just like my sister's scary story. And I knew its ending. The poem seemed more dreadful though. Why it sounded like it was specifically addressed to me... ?

Suddenly I felt someone's presence behind me and cold fingers touching my neck.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

You will run, on two.

When the voice said 'one', I indeed ran toward the door. Meanwhile I checked group members' beds. They were empty and looked like never used.

When I reached the door and opened it, a tall man with shadowed face and half of his body emerged from the floor before me without a warning. I gasped and moved back staggering, but tripped over something and got caught by someone.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading my book, I really appreciate it. If you enjoyed it, won't you please leave me a review at your favorite retailer? It'll take only a moment.

Thanks!

Luka

About the author:

Scaredy-cat, fan of scary stories, unforeseen twists, Japanese, Korean and Chinese folklore and culture.

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Not weird enough?

In fact, one day the author is a modern ninja - who wants to discover all the secrets of the world (not only written ones), and another an ancient scholar - who loves to keep head in the clouds. Completely absorbed in fantasy and crime/horror, the author doesn't allow the reader to breathe even for a moment, because of emotional roller coaster.

The inspiration for stories comes from dreams, passion for Asian culture and vivid imagination, because of which even seeing a horror movie requires soundproof room.

Discover other titles by Luka:

I Will Tell You a Scary Story, Volume I: Psycho's Mail

I Will Tell You a Scary Story, Volume II: Beyond the Nightmare

Connect with me:

Follow me on Twitter: <https://twitter.com/LukaClaw>

Favorite me at Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lukaclaw

*Mini-dictionary:

Manga – Japanese comics/graphic novels.

Post-It – one of the games often played by Korean idols, involving sticking post-it notes on someone's body. Then that person can't use hands and needs to shake off the notes either with blowing or moving face muscles.

Anime – Japanese animation.

