A woman with long brown hair leaned against the side of a house, watching over her small son playing in the yard as every good mother should. She smiled to herself every time he laughed, with maternal pride and happiness. Yet there was a deep sadness behind her eyes, hidden whenever the child looked in her direction. She loved her son, and she never wanted him to see her sadness. But his mannerisms and preferences, the way he talked and laughed...

It inevitably made her think of him. She thought back six years ago when she was young and in love...

~*~

"Are you alright MC? Don't worry, I'll get us out of here. I will protect you."

"But Saeyoung, I'm worried about you! You don't look well. You need to rest."

"Seven, I agree with your girlfriend. I don't know how you are even sane after much blood you lost, much less plan on how to get us out of here."

"Heh, I have someone I need to protect, Vanderwood. I'm not giving up until she is safe."

Vanderwood - a man with sharp features and a slim, muscular body - shrugged and muttered to himself as he scooted away to sit in one of the corners of the small prison cell they were all cooped up in.

Saeyoung, a young man with bright red hair, turned to MC. "Are you ok? You're trembling. Here." Taking off his black and yellow jacket - trying to be careful with the wound on his shoulder - he tucked it onto MC. He then put his arm around her and took one of her hands into his, wincing as he did so.

"Saeyoung, please be careful. You don't need to hold me if it's hurting you," MC said.

He just gave her a small smile. "Don't worry about me. I'm supposed to be protecting you, remember? We'll get out of this place."

He was silent for a few moments. "I can't believe what Rika did to Saeran. He...he hates me. And why does he call her 'the Savior'? What did she do to him? I left him so that she and V could save him, not break him and then twist him into something else. "

Saeyoung put his free hand to his forehead. "It hurt...so much to leave him. But to find him like this? It's horrible. I never should have left him. We should have stayed together. Then none of this would have happened."

MC squeezed his hand. There was nothing she could say that would comfort him at this point. All she could do at this point was let him know she was with him and that she would always be with him.

He understood the small gesture and squeezed back a little, trying to be careful with his shoulder without her knowing.

He loved this girl so much. There was a time when he thought he would never deserve anyone's affection. Even now, he still didn't think he deserved it. But he did cherish her love, and would protect MC with anything and everything he had, even his life. He looked down at this wondrous girl again, silently renewing his vow to keep her safe.

Feeling his movement she looked up and smiled at him, sending waves of determination through him, as well as an odd slight sense of possessiveness.

He smiled at her reassuringly. "Jumin should be here soon. Within a couple hours. We'll all get out of this, I swear."

MC nodded, and cuddled a little closer. Sighing, Saeyoung leaned his head against hers.

"Mr. Powerful better get here soon. God knows how much longer we'll last in here, with your brother hating you the way he does," Vanderwood said from his corner.

Saeyoung didn't say anything, he just held MC closer. Then they all jerked their heads up when they heard footsteps. Six believers had come to take them to the 'entering ceremony'.

As MC helped up Saeyoung, she noticed his wound had started bleeding again and he looked pale. "Please, he needs help," she said to the men who were marching them out. "If he bleeds to death, I'm sure your 'Savior' won't be happy!"

The men didn't even deign to glance at her. She gave Saeyoung a helpless look. "It's ok, MC," he said. "I'm fine. Everything will be alright."

She nodded, not quite convinced but keeping her worried thoughts to herself, trying to be brave for him. He also kept quiet, looking for any possible escape routes. Unfortunately, there were none to be found.

They were marched into a big open room. MC could see Rika - her predecessor in the RFA - sitting in a throne-like chair in the back of the room, long blonde hair flowing behind her.

MC heard Saeyoung inhale sharply. Following his gaze, she saw Saeran. He was ignoring them for the most part, though he glanced once at Saeyoung in...confusion? She didn't know for sure, but it looked like deep confusion. He quickly looked away when he saw them both staring at him and focused his attention on Rika. MC and Saeyoung switched their gaze to her as well as she stood up.

The crowd started chanting and cheering. "Let's guide the sinners to heaven through the holy cleanse! For everlasting paradise!"

Vanderwood looked around worriedly. "Gahh...what's up with this place? Why are things happening now?"

Saeyoung sagged for a moment against MC, then forced himself to straighten up again. "I don't know. But it looks like they've had all this prepared for awhile."

Vanderwood glanced around again, then came to help support him. "Hey, you're really not doing well right now. You shouldn't even be able to stand up like this. How the hell are you managing to walk?! Damn it... That SOS we wrote on the messenger. Did anyone see it?"

Saeyoung leaned on Vanderwood so that MC didn't have bear as much weight. "I'm sure Jumin noticed. But... he's far away. It'll take more than five hours by car."

"It's been three hours so far, so two more hours!? Will we still be alive by then?" Vanderwood glanced around again. "Why are they doing this so suddenly? That queen has a bad temper."

Saeyoung looked at MC. "MC... I'll try to stall for time. Please be safe until Jumin gets here."

Whatever reply MC was going to make was drowned out by the believers as Rika stood up and proposed a toast. "To Paradise everlasting," she said, a victorious ring in her voice.

"To Paradise everlasting!!!" Her disciples echoed.

Once the cries died down, she began her edict. "We will now begin the initiation ceremony for our new disciples. These three initiates will cleanse themselves of the unnecessary knowledge acquired in the contaminated world. They will give their all to endure the process, and pledge to participate in the party of paradise that only pursues everlasting happiness and joy."

"But before that," she continued, her face twisting into a maniacal smile. "Before that, we will proceed with the cleansing ceremony of the arrogant sinner."

The crowd turned to face V, but he just closed his eyes and said nothing. MC had never seen anyone look so sad in her life. The only one that had ever came close to looking that sad was Saeyoung.

Vanderwood inhaled sharply. "What will happen to him? Will they torture him like they do to agents that have failed?!" he hissed.

Saeyoung sighed. "I don't want to know. Just start thinking about how to get us out of here."

They both went quiet as Rika spoke again. "This is all for everlasting paradise!"

Then the entire room went quiet as a lone voice spoke out. "...Saviour!" Looking around, MC saw it was Saeran. "Didn't you say you would not accept Luciel as a disciple!?"

"Saeran...ugh..." Saeyoung whispered his brother's name, then groaned softly and sagged a little.

Rika spoke again. "I told you that Saeyoung would be a great asset to Mint Eye. Do not interrupt the ceremony. Leave us. Now." Her voice held a warning note, but Saeran either did not hear it or ignored it.

"I can be greater than him! You told me you chose me instead of him! You said I had greater potential!" he nearly shouted.

"Saeran, I gave you your chance. And you never defeated Saeyoung. You need to learn to accept your failures."

Saeran's voice started low, then gradually increased in volume. "You promised...you promised I would get my revenge..! I risked my life to bring him here. But you're going to let him live!? He is now invited to everlasting Paradise!?"

Vanderwood smirked. "This is good. I hope he stalls some time for us. Seven...you okay? Hey! You're going pale. When is Mr. Powerful getting here? Shouldn't he have taken a flight or something?"

"Vanderwood...untie the thing on my arm."

"We were going to use that when someone comes to save us! What do you think you're going to do?!"

"I can't...let them t-take...Saeran...hurry..."

"Saeran, how foolish you are." Rika's voice came again. "Well, I suppose we must get rid of the rotten leaves for new ones to grow."

"You mean I have to be happy with him here!?" Saeran shouted. "He has no right to be happy! You're the one who told me what he did to me!!!"

"Mint Eye wants a greater and more beautiful future!" Rika said soothingly. "You have done well bringing Luciel here. You will be rewarded."

"I don't want a reward!!! Letting Luciel live is betraying my faith!!!"

Rika fell silent for a moment, then pointed to a believer. "You."

"Yes, savior?"

Saeran started talking again, almost babbling. "He won't be able to use his arm anymore. He's useless. Just get rid of him. Paradise will only come when he's gone..!"

Rika ignored him. "Take Saeran away. He needs to be...trained again."

Hearing that, Saeran went still. "What?"

The disciple bowed. "Yes, Savior."

And that was when the world went crazy.

"No...I can't let you take Saeran. Not this time..!"

Saeyoung lunged across the room and got in front of Saeran. MC gasped and tried to stop him, but it was too late.

"Hey! No, stop..!" Vanderwood yelled out.

"No...don't take my brother...stop all this. If you touch my brother, I'm going to...I'm going to destroy you all..!" MC saw Saeyoung hold up a bomb made from a phone.

Gasping again, she wondered where on earth he got it. Probably from V, or Vanderwood had hidden it somehow. She shook that thought aside as she concentrated on the scene unfolding in front of her.

"All of you, stop it! Stop doing this to my family! Stop it. We're going home now," Saeyoung yelled, panting and desperate.

"You dare block me!?" Saeran sputtered from behind Saeyoung. "You dare?! I'm going to kill you!!!" He looked angrily at Saeyoung, but he also looked confused. And that confusion was the only thing keeping him from pushing Saeyoung away.

"Saeran. Please...let's go home..." Saeyoung said quietly. MC noticed he looked even paler and more faint than before. She tried to go to him, but two disciples blocked her before she could even go three steps forward.

"Let's go home..." Those were the last words MC heard from Saeyoung before a gunshot rang out. Horrified, she stopped dead in her tracks - and watched her love slump to the floor.