At the funeral of the CEO, it was raining alot. Mingyu, Jun, Seungcheol, Vernon and Hoshi were carrying the coffin of Yusoon. Esther was holding his photo. Everyone were in grief and trying not to cry. Somehow except Esther, All ended up crying including Wonwoo also because he talked to him before his death and he was actually a pure person.

~Before some hours of Gumin Apocalypse~

When Wonwoo felt a sudden uneasiness so he decided to take a walk. Everyone were sleeping so he decide not to wake Esther. He went to walk and reached to Cherry Flower Tree. He look at him and he actually admire that.

"So you are admiring my boy?" A voice came to him and it was a lighthearted voice.

"Oh Hello Mr.Baek," He bowed right away he saw Yusoon coming to his way.

"Oh don't call that old thingy just call me dad." That made Wonwoo quite shocked about his open-minded thoughts.

"I know you are quite missing your family. You can meet them whenever some crisis happens,"

"But why at crisis?"

"Many years ago a really hard-working agent died during a mission. That moment he became a dad but a dead one. He haven't met his wife since he went to the mission even in the crisis. That made his wife depressed and she took her own life leaving her child alone. So I want everyone to meet their family in crisis to give them a hope to be alive and their last meeting in case."

"May I know where is that child now?"

"The academy was really cruel to that agent so his son worked hard and established a academy named 'River Academy' and now he's living a really comfortable life without any regrets."

Yusoon's story made him kinda emotional. He thinks that his life was really comfortable but Yusoon's life was full of hardships.

"It must be really hard for you since you're a orphan and you were alone in the darkness. Is there was anyone to help you?"

"My love helped me alot during that time. Now she's helping angels at the heaven. Only Esther gave me some hope to live,"

"So can you tell me why Esther is like that? She's quite cold and distant. Not only me but to other members, she is really cold. Like she wears mask and covers her left eye al the time. Is she ugly? I wonder if her heart is of stones,"

" I also thought this when we met for a really first time. She was still in her mask. But later I saw her closely, she had a hurt inner child in herself. She had a childhood trauma that surrounds her till now. When I accidentally saw her face with her left eye on, she told me all things happened in her past. Later we promised that we won't tell anyone. We spent our time together as father and daughter. I'm blessed to have her. We just ate ice cream before closing the HQ gates."

"So she's going to show her face afterwards?" Wonwoo asked him out of curiosity.

"My boy Wonwoo-ssi don't be too excited! She's really unpredictable. She can if she wants to or she can spend her whole life without even seeing her own face," He said before chuckling to see him as a curious child.

"Wonwoo I think you should sleep now. You must be really tired."

"I'm not tired yet. I still have to walk,"

"Hey, Why won't we walk together?"

They both walk together until they got tired. They later went to sleep and Yusoon went to his office for some important work.

~Present~

They didn't even thought that this day will come. They all were sitting except some members. Esther was lost in her thoughts.

"Mingyu, Wonwoo, Jun and Minghao, go and see the guests. Seungcheol, Vernon, Dokyeom, Seungkwan, Dino and Woozi, go and clean if they made some mess. Jeonghan, Joshua and Hoshi, see if someone is left. Rest of them after completing the task go to the HQ." Esther gave them some tasks.

"But what about you Esther? Aren't you coming with us?" Joshua broke out the question.

"No Joshua. I just wanna stay here for while," She said while looking at his photo.

"Uhh Esther there is nothing to do you said. No one made a single mess. All guests gone," Mingyu sheepishly said rubbing his nape.

"Okay so you guys can go to the HQ. It's not safe to leave HQ alone. There can be invaders in anytime. We have to be careful from right now. I'll join you guys later." She declared that she's not going to move an inch.

"Okay I think we should leave her alone," Woozi said looking at her in despair. All left her alone. She checks if all left. She came inside where there was Yusoon's photo with lots of flowers. She sat down near that.

"You know what? You should not leave me alone. You know that I'm all alone. Even if Joshua and Mingyu are my bestfriends, They were never close as you were with me. You said that you're my dad from the day you declared. You said that you're not gonna leave me alone. Then why you have to die WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LIFE WAS FULL OF HARDSHIPS AND FINALLY WHEN YOU'RE LIVING COMFORTABLY THEN WHY YOU DIED!!?!?!!??!??" She cried so hard and this time she cried with her whole heart. She never expected she will ever cry like this.

She felt a touch on her back. She look back and saw it's Joshua. He was rubbing his back to soothe her. Esther quickly stands on her place.

"You know that you're not supposed to saw that?" Esther asked him.

"I know but sometimes you should cry without caring about people. No matter who is there, you should know that who you should cry in front of and who you don't. I know you always hates to show your vulnerable state to people. But you can trust me. I promise I never use this situation as a weapon. Crying may makes you feel better." Joshua ensures her. He was fully intended to say that.

She sat down with Joshua. She gave him nod and cry. First she sobs silently. Then she started to cry hard and more hard. Joshua continues to rubs her back. She clings into his arms and starts to cry into his arms. Joshua can't hold it back and he also cried with her.

Wonwoo was secretly watching them. He also can't hold it back and went to hug them. They stand up from their place. "I was really worried for both so I went to see you guys,"

All were crying. Joshua and Esther couldn't see like that and they hugged Wonwoo. Later Seungcheol and Mingyu came to them and hugged them. Then slowly Woozi, Vernon, Jun, Minghao, Dino, Dokyeom, Jeonghan, Hoshi and Seungkwan joined them to hug all and they cried together.

"Shall we go now Esther?" Mingyu asked her. He earned a nod and they all left the place.

They all were walking together. While they saw a river, Esther walk towards the river and see her reflection. Moonlight was shining her skin brighter and all joined her later. Mingyu and Joshua hugged her to make her feel better. Later all joined and hugged all together.

"Esther I know it must be really hard but you have to endure it," Seungkwan spoke some words before sighing about her mind.

"You really don't need to worry about me. I'm not a special person anyways." She said giving a bitter remark about herself that made all members pity her.

"You guys really don't need to pity me. I'm going to HQ for some works. I also need to do some file works," She went on towards her way.

"By the way did you found out that who killed Mr.Baek?" Dokyeom said out of nowhere and members were looking at him like he commit a crime. Members were thinking not to remind Esther about the late person.

That made Esther turn back and look at her members. All were in a bad mood and she can see their fearful eyes. Members really fears of Esther because she's in Maknae line but she really know how to scare someone $h!t out of. She walked towards Dokyeom and he gulped his saliva out of fear. She stand close but far to him.

"I'm glad you reminded me of that. I almost forgot that. I really need to investigate till the deep down. Thanks Dokyeom. Watch how I'm going to make that b@st@rd's life a living hell." She said in a deep husky voice that don't even sound like a woman before releasing her evil laugh. She take some glance at her members.

"I'll see how far that punk can survive and run away from me. You guys, Be ready cause I'm going to take revenge for him." All were seeing her as she falls into despair. They can see that it's going to be worst for that murderer.

She sees the sky where moon is shining alot in the late night. She can see the plans to torturing him cause everyone knows the person has a bad fate to die in her hands.

~In HQ Cyber Room~

With the help of Jihoon and Hansol, She get access of the CCTV cameras. She carefully see those details. She ordered Cyber members(Vernon, Jun and Woozi)to see the information.

"We got it Esther!" Jun shouts that made Jihoon startled. He saw them and calm himself down.

"Who was it?" Esther rushed towards his computer and see those information that Hansol, Junhui and Jihoon have obtained.

"This is Yu Seogeum. He works under Gumin's empire 'Victorious' and he's assisting Gumin for a long time." Jihoon read out the obtained things including his birth date and his relationship status.

"So basically he's Gumin's secretary or assistant or something?"

"You can say that but he only works in his empire. He do gave him advice of war tactics but never contributed in wars. I got some theories from internet that both served for 'Gyeona' Kingdom which is our country's kingdom. But both were the traitors. I also heard that he almost murdered his niece who was the second-born princess of the hierarchy." Hansol read out the information and that made Esther quite worried but not that visible on her face.

"The second-born princess?" She utter the words.

"Well actually the king and queen had 3 children. The first-born prince was kind and treated well with respect. The second-born princess was treated badly both subjects and parents also except the elder prince. And the third-born princess was highly spoiled out of 3 children." Jun tell the history of 'Gyeona' Kingdom's hierarchy which makes her quite surprised.

"And there was also one news that the second princess went missing at the age of 8. Her parents considered her dead and the elder prince left the royal family. Now the youngest one is handling the kingdom and he is living a normal life with his fiancè who is a fashion designer. And till now the princess is missing. No one really knows where is she now. It's been 15 years since she's missing," Jihoon helped Hansol and Jun with that. Esther's eyes got bigger when she let her ears enter the words.

"It must be really hard for her," She sadly let her words out that she earned the nod from 3 men.

"Okay I'm done with the 'Gyeona' History class. Yu Seogeum's bad time is coming soon. HuiSolHoon, I heard there is party at his house today. We can also get more details also. I'm declaring it as a secret mission"

"We're with you Esther. Let us inform the members about that and go with majority," They left the cyber room and on the way towards the meeting room. All agreed with her and they had some plan.

[XOXO]

I am so sorry for late update🙇‍♀️Please forgive me for short chapter.