"Your hair grows back fast." Yixing observes as he does his checkup on Baekhyun, something that he does often in case Baekhyun secretly hurts himself.

"Does it?" Baekhyun asks, hand reaching up to touch out of curiosity. "Does it look weird?"

"Yes." Yixing replies honestly, and Baekhyun flushes in embarrassment before pouting slightly at how blunt the older was. Instinctively, his hands cover his head to cover it up, at least until Yixing returns his beanie.

Yixing finally hands it out, and Baekhyun lets go of his head to hold it. Before he can grasp it, however, Yixing had ruffled his hair.

"Confidence solves everything." Yixing replies before giving his beanie back.

Baekhyun holds the beanie hesitantly, feeling Yixing's sky blue eyes on him as if expecting something from him, but in the end, Baekhyun wears that beanie over his head anyway, blinking at Yixing for a reaction.

Yixing stares at him with no change in expression, and then he moves to take off the eye-patch.

Baekhyun opens his eyes slowly, and suddenly Yixing's face is so close to him his heart is beating crazily.

"I'm surprised." Yixing says before leaning back again.

"What?" The smaller rolls his eyes to feel if there are any problems, not wanting to panic because of the older's vague words.

"You're taking care of yourself."

"What is that supposed to mean ..." Baekhyun mumbles, frowning. "... I just didn't want to burden you."

"Helping someone with their burdens isn't always a bad thing." Yixing replies gently, and at these moments Baekhyun realises that Yixing can be approachable and actually nice.

But this is his hyung after all – his hyung that always came to his aid whenever he needed it – unconditionally.

"I'm going to make something for Tao." Baekhyun says, as Yixing inspects his fingers now. "Beef pancakes! Do you want some?"

"You're asking me ... if I want some."

"... Okay, I'll give you some!" Baekhyun replies cheerfully, grinning when the older wraps his fingers in bandages. "Come."

Baekhyun finishes cooking and then passes the pancakes to the older, who's sitting by himself on the dining table.

Yixing eats silently, saying nothing, but Baekhyun is used to that as he watches the older eat. Knowing the older, he will stop if he dislikes it.

Once the older finishes, Baekhyun cleans up for him and then packs up the remaining.

"I'm leaving." He says as he begins heading towards Zitao, but soon after he feels a presence behind him. Stopping, Baekhyun turns around, blinking up at a Yixing that's following him.

"I'm coming." The older says, then waits for him to proceed.

"Ah ... okay." Baekhyun starts heading off again.

"Good morning, Tao." Baekhyun says with a smile as he holds up the plastic bag. "Look what I got you!"

The boy inside the room perks up, nose in the air, those hazel eyes clearing of any mistrust and violence until it deepens into curiosity and familiarity.

Yixing stares, surprised as the once out-of-control and violent Zitao is now blinking like a harmless animal, all attention on Baekhyun as if he doesn't see any threats.

When he notices Yixing though, he pulls back, snarling.

"This is my hyung!" Baekhyun says. "He can't hurt anyone!"

Zitao continues growling as he backs against the wall and starts scratching at it.

"Ah ... sorry, he's not usually like this ..." Baekhyun mumbles, setting down the food and moving over to Yixing to grab him.

"He's seen me around." Yixing says quietly. "He remembers I was one of them."

Baekhyun grabs him anyway, pulling the older closer to himself.

"I trust him." Baekhyun whispers to Zitao, holding him close. "Look, he's the one that looked after my hurting."

"My hurting." Baekhyun repeats, this time using his free hand to point to his eye and then his fingers, then he holds up his fingers for Zitao to see. "He made it better."

Zitao continues scratching the walls, little whines ripping from his throat, sounding as if something's torturing him from the inside.

"I'll just go." Yixing says quietly. "Just look after him."

Baekhyun tightens his grip at first, not willing to just let this chance pass by. After all, Yixing had always been the one to save him and everyone needs to understand that. But ...

Zitao's whines strike a dissonant chord in Baekhyun's heart, and Baekhyun's reminded of his own pain when at the thought of his parents being murdered by the very own people he believed he would trust for life.

Yes, to all the Lucky Ones, they may have been heroes, but to Baekhyun they will always be murderers, no matter what reason they hold for killing the two most dear to Baekhyun.

At that, Baekhyun loosens his hold like a switch had been turned off, and he doesn't make any move to stop Yixing as the older quickly slips away.

Baekhyun doesn't realise he had spaced out until something brushes across his legs, breaking him out of his trance.

Looking down, he finds Zitao ruffling through the bag, munching onto the meat enthusiastically, the trust returning to his eyes until he looks like a long-lost bunny.

Zitao could've chosen to distrust him when Baekhyun brought in his monster, but instead the boy is still eating his food, still willing to be close enough to him that they touch.

I want to be as brave as you. Baekhyun thinks as he crouches down and watches Zitao eat peacefully.

"Thank you." Baekhyun says softly, meeting those tranquil hazel eyes. "For deciding to keep trusting me."

The boy acts as if he doesn't understand as he continues rummaging through the plastic.

After that meeting's done, Baekhyun decides to have a brief check-up on the plants and animals, and then begin his training. But on the hallways, he notices a tall figure walking towards him elegantly.

Heart skipping, Baekhyun stops in his tracks.

This is the first time he's seen Chanyeol after ... that incident.

All the other times of seeing Chanyeol after he Matured, they were either with others or Baekhyun had always been with someone, or distracted in such a way that he doesn't notice the older at all until they pass each other. So all the other times, there was no chance to greet him.

Yet now, Baekhyun can't ignore the fact that he had noticed the older, and he's not going to ignore him just like that.

But ... what to do?

"Baekhyun." Before Baekhyun is given the painful choice, the older steps in, and Baekhyun looks up immediately, cheeks flushing in embarrassment as those red eyes watch him. "Where are you going?"

"I-I'm ... going to check the others, to see if th-they're still alive, you know?" Baekhyun replies, feeling his cheeks go redder because of that idiotic thing he said.

"What about you?" He blurts before he can stop himself. Yes, he desires to hold a longer conversation with this man, even though he knows he shouldn't.

"Training." The older responds simply, and Baekhyun looks away, suddenly feeling even more idiotic for asking such a dumb question.

Silence fills the entire hallway that's empty except for the two of them, and Baekhyun wonders if he should just quickly say bye and walk away.

"Will you go there too?" Chanyeol asks this time, keeping him in his tracks.

"Yes." Baekhyun says timidly, unconsciously fiddling with his beanie.

"Do you want to train together?"

"No, it's okay, I –" Baekhyun starts, not wanting to give in to this desire that's keeping his stomach and cheeks warm.

"We have similar powers, we can help each other." The older continues softly.

"B-But I ..." Sweating, Baekhyun tries to look for an excuse.

"It's okay if you don't want to." This answer surprises Baekhyun, but once again, it should be expected. Maybe Baekhyun had been with Yixing too long, Yixing who will drag him anywhere without asking his permission, whereas his professor had always been considerate of his opinions.

His heart is beating softly against his chest, but quickly, for this man before him – and with so much desire. This desire is excessive and overwhelming and Baekhyun ...

Baekhyun knows that he shouldn't feel this way.

What's wrong with me? He thinks to himself, frustrated. Ever since I entered the Lab ... what happened to me?

The him that he is now is the him that he doesn't even recognise anymore.

He used to be simple and optimistic, happy and cheerful, but now he's full of guilt, sadness and desire ... all of these emotions that he's trying so hard to keep inside, but he's leaking and he'll burst.

Does Chanyeol ... even like this side of him?

"I'm sorry." Baekhyun says softly, for more reasons than one. Without saying anything, Chanyeol takes a step forward and ruffles his head.

"Don't be." His professor replies, and when Baekhyun dares to glance up, the older is smiling ever so slightly at him – looking at him with such gentleness, reminding him of the professor that he knew.

Just like that, with a small reminder of the past, Baekhyun's heart lifts a little, and he feels less burdened now by his feelings.

Once he finishes feeding the animals and plants, he's carrying a tub of water bottles to the Training Grounds, but because they are too heavy for him, he walks slowly and carefully.

"Hyung!" An energetic voice calls him, and Baekhyun immediately wants to turn around and walk away. "Are you okay?" Over that huge tub that he's carrying, Baekhyun sees the top of someone's head, that rainbow hair bouncing around.

"Here, let me help you." Someone brushes across his arms a little, and then the weight is taken off him. Baekhyun lets out a huge sigh of relief by reflex, eyes searching for the boy that seems to be holding the weight quite easily.

"Carrying heavy things shouldn't be your thing." Sehun says as he starts walking. "You should be our brains instead!"

"Why is that?" A new voice asks, and Baekhyun stiffens immediately, too afraid to turn around.

"Hyung!" Sehun chirps with a smile, and soon, a smaller man appears, blonde hair shining lightly against the lights.

Suddenly, the thought of Jongdae finding out about Baekhyun's true identity has him freezing on the spot.

It's going to happen. He thinks to himself, horrified as he watches Sehun smile at the older man, oblivious to everything around him.

What am I going to do?

The hatred in Jongdae's eyes and his voice ... Baekhyun can't unsee it nor unhear it.

"Oh, nothing much." Sehun replies casually. "Just that Baekhyun-hyung was born with a condition."

"What condition?"

"I don't know what it's called ... but it's rare in Monsters, something about ... having much less strength than the average Monster?"

"Yeah ... I've heard of that, whatever it is." Jongdea shrugs, then turns to Baekhyun. Baekhyun realises now that the older doesn't have the eyepatch anymore, but there is still a slight red line passing through the man's eye as those green orbs stare at him.

"Pretty lips, long time no see." He says softly, with a grin. It takes a while for Baekhyun to realise that he's not pretending to be nice, but is genuinely treating him like the full-blooded Monster he thinks he is.

"H-Hi." Baekhyun finally stammers out, letting those words melt his frozen being. Sehun is looking quite worried at the back, and Baekhyun realises now that he had been playing it cool so Jongdae wouldn't get suspicious.

"Why are you so afraid of me?" Jongdae chuckles. "Are you sure you don't have a crush on me?"

"I-I ..."

"Don't bully him, hyung!" Sehun complains, and in Baekhyun's vision, Sehun's eyes are wide as if trying to get Baekhyun out of a dangerous situation. "He's always been quite shy and introverted ... you'll scare him more."

"Aish, okay." Jongdae finally leaves Baekhyun's personal space and the younger can breathe again. This time Jongdae walks with Sehun and Baekhyun trails behind awkwardly.

Once they get there, Sehun announces to everyone and they crowd over to grab one.

"Hey, thanks for this, and all the other times too." Someone says to Sehun. The boy smiles sheepishly, then jerks.

"Wait, no, it's not from me!" Sehun shakes his head. "I only helped carry it today. It's been Baekhyun-hyung this entire time!"

The eyes fall on Baekhyun, and Baekhyun shakes his head, not really wanting the attention.

"Pretty lips did a good job, didn't he?" Jongdae continues, grinning widely. "He helped me sleep better at night too."

"Wow! What does that mean?"

Everyone seems to be having a good time, trying to pull out gossip from Jongdae, who also seems to be enjoying it.

Baekhyun isn't, though, but he only turns red and stays where he is, not knowing what else to do.

"Are you two ..."

"No ..." Baekhyun says softly, but doesn't have much courage nor intention to speak louder, for fear that he might offend Jongdae.

"He's a little too young for that, I think." Jongdae chuckles, and Baekhyun can't help but wonder how such a nice-looking man can scare him so much. "After all, I've been flirting with him but he doesn't respond at all."

Flushing a deeper red, Baekhyun quickly looks away when those green eyes swimming with mirth turns to catch his gaze.

"Um ..." Sehun starts, as if wanting to speak.

"But I don't think anyone can resist me." Once again, Jongdae catches Baekhyun's eyes and winks at him, biting his lip.

Shocked, Baekhyun quickly looks down, not wanting to seem as if he's condoning this and leading him on! Not that he thinks Jongdae likes him like that at all, but the way he's conducting himself around everyone right now will fool everyone into thinking he is!

And that's true, because there are excited cheers around him, as if they're supporting Jongdae for being so flirtatious.

"Isn't there a rule not to fall in love?" Sehun blurts, trying to save the situation.

"Yeah, who listens to that though?" Someone responds.

"Us!" Someone else hisses.

"I'm not part of this group anyway, so I wouldn't call myself bound to these rules." Jongdae shrugs. "Besides, what's a little messing around?"

Since I'm going to pretend my feelings don't exist, I can defend myself like this! Baekhyun encourages himself, looking up with bravery.

"Dating will only distract us, so it's best to f-forget it." Baekhyun stutters.

"... Are you saying that you're not dating me because you don't want to be distracted?" A small smirk rises up Jongdae's features, and even in Baekhyun's line of vision he sees excited grins on others' faces too.

"What ... no ..." Baekhyun falters, wanting to hit himself for saying such a stupid thing.

"Heh heh, you're too cute. Hyung will really pick you up one day, when no one's looking."

Maybe if I reject him now, everyone will stop.

But ... what if he gets mad?

Before Baekhyun can even choose the conclusion from these saddening options, he is saved that opportunity.

"These are training grounds." A deep voice announces behind him. "Train."

Slowly, the crowd disperses.

"Honestly." Jongdae speaks, sounding a little bored. "What's the point of living if you don't have some excitement? It's not like dating, or flirting, or having one-night stands will affect anything. That rule is pointless. Let's change it."

"Maybe I will." Chanyeol says softly. "But even if I do, it's not like you would be able to be with Baekhyun anyway."

"Why not?"

Don't say it don't say it ... Baekhyun prays in his mind, not wanting his feelings to leak out to everyone, especially when he had promised himself he would hide it until even he believes he doesn't have these feelings. Or maybe Chanyeol will announce his feelings, something that's worse because no one wants a Leader who makes the rules but doesn't abide by them ...

"Because he's not interested in you." Chanyeol replies simply. "You're only scaring him."

"Aish. I'm just playing, right, Baekhyun-ah?"

Baekhyun flinches upon hearing his name.

"Y-Y-Yes." He stammers, not wanting to cause a ruckus for telling the useless truth.

"Hyung!" Sehun cuts in quickly, holding on to Jongdae. "You said you wanted to show me something, right? Let's go!" Then he drags Jongdae away before he can make a bigger ruckus.

Baekhyun is ... of course, left standing awkwardly with Chanyeol.

"Why don't we train together?" Chanyeol suggests once again.

Excuse, excuse ... Baekhyun thinks to himself, trying to run away, but the older seems to take his silence as a sign of giving in, and then the smallest hint of a smile lights up his face.

"Let's go." He says gently, and suddenly Baekhyun doesn't have a heart to reject him.

Maybe he didn't want to in the first place.

"Um, I'm trying to work on controlling my light, so it can mentally heal people." Baekhyun explains, wanting to talk to Chanyeol but not knowing what to say.

"Mm." The older responds, still not looking at him.

"What are you ... training for?" Baekhyun asks shyly.

Chanyeol doesn't reply, and Baekhyun wonders if he had been too soft.

"Why is everyone training so hard?" He asks again, this time making his voice louder and more confident.

This time, Chanyeol doesn't reply him either, and Baekhyun wonders if he's said something wrong.

"They're training to invade SQUAOII." The older says eventually. Baekhyun's face falls.

How could he have forgotten that all of them desire revenge?

All of them, including Chanyeol himself?

"Are you training for that reason too?" Baekhyun asks sadly. War ... Baekhyun had never experienced it firsthand, but his dream had always been to prevent it.

"Yes." Chanyeol says softly.

"I understand your pain." Baekhyun whispers as he turns his head to look at his surroundings, at the Monsters that are training so hard yet have smiles on their faces, looking at peace just by being with each other. "But is there no other way?"

"No."

Baekhyun closes his eyes upon hearing that answer. This moral duty of his ... to comply with his beliefs ... he wants to follow it.

He will follow it.

I'm going to stop you. He wants to say, taking a breath as his lips part to speak those words with bravery. And his Professor seems to predict it too, as those red eyes watch him patiently, waiting for him to speak.

I'm going to stop you, even if this makes us enemies.

"Baekhyun." A new voice enters, cutting of what he's about to say, and Baekhyun turns around, watching those icy blue eyes stare back at him as Yixing walks over. "Are you going to train?"

"Yeah." Baekhyun replies softly, unsure of why his cheeks are flaring up with heat now as he refuses to meet anyone's eyes.

"He's training with me." Chanyeol says, this time that gentleness in his voice gone as he stares at Yixing with a hardness in his eyes. Yixing is unfazed.

"We can't train together ... if we have different ideals." Baekhyun whispers before Yixing can even speak. "... Goodbye."

As he walks with Yixing away from Chanyeol, the doctor doesn't ask him what he had meant. Baekhyun's glad of that.

Attention, everyone. A voice speaks in Baekhyun's head. He stops, blinking as he realises it's not just him that can hear this voice, but everyone else around him too.

Due to sudden shortages of volunteers because of our change in plans in our last meeting, this is another public announcement to recruit more interested volunteers.

Strategists, Attackers and Defenders, please come forward if you have a skill and passion to protect our community. Although our new goal of destroying the Lab, rather than the entire SQUAOII may seem quite an anticlimactic method for revenge, this is what the Leader has decided and we must trust that he has good intentions and a great vision for our future. Frustrating as it may be, ultimately revenge isn't everything – our future is.

Interested applicants please send me a message via thought-messaging and I will note you down ... Actually, I can't multitask so you'd have to come to my bedroom.

The voice disappears.

Baekhyun's heart is racing as he tries to process this by thinking through what this might mean.

"Go if you have to." Yixing says just as Baekhyun's heart understands. Nodding, Baekhyun runs, with a million questions in his head but knowing that there's one answer to it.

Did he change everything right after that time? The last meeting was that day when I said I would oppose revenge. Baekhyun thinks to himself. That long ago? Before I confessed ...

And he didn't tell me ...

"P-Professor!" He calls, when he sees that wild hair flowing as a tall figure walks away slowly.

The man turns around just as Baekhyun runs up to him until they are a few steps away from each other.

"Sorry." Baekhyun breathes just as those gentle eyes capture his. "For misunderstanding you ..." His voice fades away. Relief is overwhelming him in such a way that he can't speak, and his mind is blank.

"There's nothing to apologise for." Once again, his professor is being so kind and gentle to him, just like the professor he fell in love with.

Maybe ... maybe Baekhyun does know his professor after all.

"Thank you." Baekhyun says instead. "For understanding me."

And for the first time since they left SQUAOII, a proper, genuine smile lights up Chanyeol's features.

His professor lifts up his hand to ruffle Baekhyun's head, just like how he used to, except this time it's little pats to the head because Baekhyun is wearing a beanie.

"Hyung." Baekhyun calls softly once he returns to a Yixing that's patiently waiting for him to come back. "I ... I think I want to be part of the team." The older nods.

"Good." He says. "After all, that's why we trained so hard."

Baekhyun stares at him.

"I wouldn't train you so hard if I wasn't going to make you join us." Yixing says eventually.

"You were going to force me?" Baekhyun mumbles, a pout forming, but the older just looks up at the artificial sky.

"I always knew you would come." Those words are mumbled softly in the air, yet they carry sincerity. "You wouldn't let go of your dream, just like that."

Upon hearing that, Baekhyun's heart lifts. Strangely now, he feels more comforted and more confident about his own decision. Maybe he won't makes mistakes after all. Maybe he won't hurt anyone this time. The way Yixing said it ... really makes him believe that he can continue to strive for peace without hurting anyone at all.

"Thanks, hyung." Baekhyun says, watching as those blue eyes match the colour of the ceiling. "For believing in me."

The meeting happens very soon after that, and Baekhyun finds himself attending it, this time with an anticipation on what their plans are.

This time, he notices how there are considerably less people in the room, and most of them look quite unhappy about the way things have turned out.

Yixing is standing next to him, as usual, whereas Chanyeol is right at the front, standing with Luhan.

"So ... we've got quite a lot of drop outs, as expected." Luhan says, staring at the paper in his hand. "Running low on everything, but especially Strategists."

Silence.

"Come on, guys." Luhan sighs, staring at the crowd. "I know we're a dumb race, but we have to try, at least."

"We're not dumb, we just hate thinking." Someone points out defensively.

"Yeah, thinking sucks because it fucks us over, but we ain't dumb!"

The room erupts in agreement.

"This is why I told y'all to read more books while Leader was gone." Luhan complains, then slams the papers on the table in front of him. "And look what happened? Y'all ripped them to make paper cranes."

"We thought they would grant us a wish if we made 1000 of them ..."

"Look," Luhan sighs again, looking as if he wants to leave this meeting already. "If no one is willing to -"

"I can be one."

Luhan stops talking and everyone turns to the voice. Baekhyun's hand is half raised, looking very small amongst all the stares.

"Baekhyun?" Luhan calls.

"I said I can be a strategist." Baekhyun tries to find his voice amongst the stares, and he remembers that almost everyone in this room despises Lucky Ones to a bloodthirsty level. "B-Because I've lived there, y-you know ... I think I have a bit of experience."

"Sounds fair." Someone mutters, and the rest of them begin nodding, turning their eyes away from him. Baekhyun doesn't know how stiff he had been until he relaxes and finds himself leaning just so slightly against Yixing's shoulder, his cheek resting against the smoothness of the cloth until his face is almost buried against it.

His heart is racing so fast from the ordeal alone, and even amongst everyone who had been staring, Jongdae had been one of them, watching him closely without a smile at all on his face.

Baekhyun visits Zitao regularly like he always does, bringing him cooked meat because that seems to be the biggest thing that's attracting the older nowadays.

"Look what I brought you, Tao!" Baekhyun calls out, almost affectionately as he opens the door and slips inside, holding up the plastic bag with his hand. Zitao perks up, those wide eyes staring in anticipation at the plastic bag as he waits for Baekhyun to enter the room and sit down cross legged before placing the plastic bag as far in front of him as possible.

Then he moves forward towards the plastic bag, sniffing it cautiously. Then he picks the plastic bag up and starts eating it with his fingers.

"I told you to use chopsticks, Tao." Baekhyun sighs, watching as the chopsticks stick through the plastic. The older doesn't seem to care at all.

"Do you know what I brought you?" Baekhyun tries again, this time trying to make conversation with the younger in hopes of teaching him how to talk. "It's beef."

Uncaring, Zitao continues to eat, showing no hints of listening to Baekhyun at all.

Baekhyun signs again, but smiles to himself, staring at the white floor that he's sitting on. At least Zitao is getting better now and that's all that matters to Baekhyun, really. One step at a time, after all.

One second he's staring at the floor, but then next second he's on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

What's happening? He thinks to himself when he realises that a body is pushed up against his and someone is nuzzling against his neck.

The warmth that sizzles between the both of them from the physical contact tells Baekhyun that this body has been on him for a long time, yet a second ago Baekhyun swears he was by himself, and Zitao was by himself a distance away from him, keeping to himself.

Yet now, this boy's body is pressed up against him so intimately.

Usually, Baekhyun's first instinct is to pull away out of shock, but he freezes in place instead, heart racing as the older continues to nuzzle against him with affection.

Baekhyun remembers that Zitao probably hasn't really had much physical contact with anyone at all, let alone Monsters, and Baekhyun remembers how addicting the feeling can be, especially for him who had never shared this feeling with anyone for most of his life until the moment he made contact with Chanyeol and Yixing when he entered the Lab.

Knowing exactly how it feels, Baekhyun doesn't move and lets the older nuzzle into him, and instead he brings his hand up hesitantly into an awkward hug.

The boy pulls away to stare at Baekhyun, and for the first time, there is a small smile on his lips.

A little entranced, Baekhyun smiles back.

But then the next second Baekhyun's back to what he was doing before, and Zitao is back to rummaging through the plastic bag for food.

Did I just ... imagine that? Baekhyun thinks, confused as he blinks, staring hard at the scene before him. But that can't be possible, right? After all, why would Baekhyun imagine such a scene that felt out of his control?

Yet, it feels as if nothing had changed, and he's sure Zitao wouldn't act that way anyway.

Deciding that he has no other time to think about this, Baekhyun watches Zitao eat peacefully.

"Do you like it?" Baekhyun asks, and Zitao looks up at him, curious eyes blinking. "Say 'yes' if you do."

Zitao stares at him for a while, then looks down at the food again, munching thoughtfully.

"Do you like talking, Tao-ya?" Baekhyun tries again. Once again, the older doesn't respond.

"How about I teach you sign language?" At that, Baekhyun begins moving his and fingers around – those movements seem to interest Zitao a lot, who looks up.

"I can teach you how to say beef in sign language." Baekhyun says, feeling slightly excited as he shows it to the older. Zitao sets down the plastic bag, visibly interested as he slowly mirrors Baekhyun's movements.

"That's it." The encouragements seem to fuel him up more, and for the rest of their time together Zitao has learned more than Baekhyun would have expected.

As he closes the door, feeling very satisfied with himself that he has finally found some sort of connection with the boy, sadness settles over his heart. It was his parents that had taught him sign language.

"I'm doing well." Baekhyun whispers softly to himself, hoping that if his parents are still here somewhere, then they'll be able to hear him say this. "Don't worry about me."

Then, after a long, tiring but satisfying training session with Yixing, Baekhyun showers and heads to bed and falls asleep very quickly.

But strangely, despite his tiredness, he still dreams.

He is back at SQUAOII even though he knows that if he ever returns, he may be captured, tortured, used, killed.

Yet here he is, back in his hometown feeling at peace, as if it's normal and fine even though he shouldn't be this calm.

When he lifts his head and turns, a handsome smile enters his view. Chanyeol is there, looking happy next to him, those red eyes devoid of that dark grief that had been in there for as long as Baekhyun has seen the red.

When the older reaches down to take his hand, Baekhyun doesn't pull away. For the first time, the guilt, shame, self-hatred isn't there, and here, at this moment, he feels at peace with himself.

Is this what peace feels like?

Baekhyun squeezes that hand and scoots closer to Chanyeol, feeling happy upon realisation that world peace had been achieved and he can finally be with the man he loves.

When he looks up at Chanyeol again, this time, the older isn't looking at him, but above him. Curious, he turns and finds Yixing on his other side, for the first time a smile on his face.

"Hyung." He calls out, loving that gentle smile on the other man's face.

When he looks out into the distance, Dara is there, waving frantically at him with a huge smile on her face. And on the other side, all the Monsters that he had met, happily sitting around together.

Yes. This is his dream and this is what he wanted to work towards.

It will be complete if ...

If ... his parents were here.

Just like that, he turns his head one more time, hoping to see what he had wished to see, and his wishes are fulfilled.

Not quite, though.

There lie his parents' bodies, brutally cut up and broken on the floor. A grotesque scene indeed, his parents treated less than animals.

In one swift moment, everything changes.

Now, the two people he cares most about aren't by his side anymore, and are instead kneeling on the floor, shirtless and cut up and bloodied, barely alive.

"Now ..." An Experimenter stands near them. "Byun Baekhyun, you committed the worst felony. You betrayed your kind, betrayed us who raised you like one of our own."

"Please ... just leave them. They've done nothing ..." Baekhyun is sobbing now. Ah, it hurts – having to face the reality after such a beautiful dream ... really hurts.

"No. This is your punishment for being a traitor. For being a half-blood. There is nothing worse in the world than a traitor."

"I'm sorry, just ... leave them ..."

"Just like you chose which of your kind to serve, you will choose now. Choose: Park Chanyeol or Zhang Yixing?"

No ... not again ...

Please ...

"Please ..." Baekhyun wakes up in tears, and he sits up, breathing ragged. Should he be relieved now that it was just a dream? Yet like all his nightmares, it felt so real, and so disturbing that he doesn't take note of another person in the room.

"Little one." There's that deep voice and Baekhyun turns, finding Chanyeol there in the darkness. The older reaches out to take his hand, eyes having adjusted to the dark, and Baekhyun feels the warmth sizzling from their touch.

Tears are still rolling down his cheeks, and having not recovered from his dream, Baekhyun continues to sob, shoulders shaking.

Chanyeol doesn't talk at all as Baekhyun continues to cry until he recovers.

Then once he has recovered until he sniffles every now and then, he speaks.

"Thank you." He chokes out, heart still beating in fear because there are so many things he's scared of. "I'm sorry, but –"

"Don't push me away again." Chanyeol says softly, and before Baekhyun can move, the older had pulled him in, hugging him tightly. "It's only a nightmare. Whatever happened in there won't happen in real life."

"I'm just a burden ..." Baekhyun whispers. "Even now, I can't do anything right – I can't even push away my nightmares ...

"Even now ... my parents died because of me ... I almost killed you, I ..."

Chanyeol doesn't speak at all, and instead holds him close, stroking his hair soothingly until eventually Baekhyun stops talking.

Strangely, Baekhyun feels comforted even though there are still a million things that bother him.

"Where is the optimistic, confident and carefree Baekhyun that I know?" Chanyeol asks gently, pulling away to meet his eyes.

"I don't know ... what happened to me." Baekhyun whispers back, cheeks flushed and heart beating painfully against his chest. Of course his professor would see through him – does he even love this side of Baekhyun? Maybe ... maybe he'll change his mind, and if so, it'll be good for Baekhyun anyway because then Chanyeol won't get hurt because of him.

"Can I have him back?" Startled, Baekhyun can only stare at the material of Chanyeol's shirt, blinking in shock and shame.

"Um ..." Shocked at Chanyeol's bluntness, a flustered Baekhyun freezes in his place, heartbeat quickening. Truthfully, he doesn't know if that Baekhyun will ever come back.

"I'm sorry, but ..." Baekhyun starts, but stops, and suddenly, he doesn't even know why he's here, in the arms of the man he loves ... who probably doesn't love him back. At least, doesn't love the him now. Cheeks flushed in shame, Baekhyun tries to pull away, once again feeling so much ... embarrassment and ... for assuming that it was okay to be in his professor's arms.

Yes, embarrassment and self-hatred.

Those strong arms stop him, and for the first time, Baekhyun really despises how weak he is compared to full-fledged Monsters. All his life, he had been the strong one who could easily push and pull people around, and now he's the one that's being toyed with. Large hands lift to cup his face, forcing his face to be exposed to those red eyes.

Damn it, he can't even hide from this one.

"Can your self-love come back, Baekhyun?" Chanyeol whispers gently, his thumbs stroking Baekhyun's cheek so soothingly. "Can you love yourself again like I love you?"

Breath hitched, Baekhyun has nowhere else to look but into those gentle red eyes, but then those deep orbs disappear into the darkness, and soft lips meet his.

His professor is kissing him, head tilted, into a chaste yet not-so-chaste kiss, and when he pulls away, Baekhyun can feel a sudden warmth burst inside him, transferred from Chanyeol's body.

Inadvertently, he shivers.

Hands leaving his face, they move to clasp Baekhyun's hands, squeezing it gently, and the tingles send more shivers down Baekhyun's spine.

"Don't do this." Baekhyun whispers. "Is this why you got hurt all the other times? Because your body, because of lack of sleep, was not on balance?"

"That's not important."

"Please don't." The younger urges.

"But seeing you feeling lonely is painful." Chanyeol argues.

"It hurts seeing you in pain." Baekhyun argues back.

Feeling those red eyes on him, Baekhyun at first thinks that nothing is going to convince the older, but in the end the older softens.

"A little side of little one is back." He says softly, a smile in his voice. "The stubborn, persistent side."

"Will you listen?" Baekhyun asks once more, feeling his heart lifting slightly at what his professor said. Maybe a part of him is still there.

"Mm." The older agrees, reaching out to ruffle his head, and Baekhyun remembers once more that his ugly hair with missing spots (that have started to grow hair) is exposed for the older to see and feel. "But only if you promise something in return."

"What?" Flustered, Baekhyun reaches up to cover his head.

"To give me a morning and night hug."

Blushing, Baekhyun splutters a little, and reddens even more and how idiotic he must've sounded.

"That's a bit much ..." He blurts before he can stop himself.

"Quick intense spurts, so I won't have to touch your pinkie with mine all night." The older replies, and Baekhyun swears he hears slight teasing in his tone of voice.

"Do you agree?"

"... ... ... N-"

"If you don't agree, I'll just have to continue coming here."

Baekhyun scrunches up his face, not believing that he's getting caught up into this. He nods in the end, upon realising that Chanyeol can see everything.

Despite how in the end, Chanyeol was able to comfort him from his nightmares, it's still a reminder that he should talk to his parents soon.

Not knowing how, in the end Baekhyun moves to the Animal Room and over to the waterfall, right where Chanyeol fell last time.

Kneeling onto the ground, Baekhyun closes his eyes and clasps his hands together, almost as if he's making a wish.

Mother, Father, I hope you're doing well. Baekhyun thinks. I'm so sorry that I got you into this, but ... thank you for taking care of me all this time ... protecting me, even though you knew it would come to this.

For the first time, tears don't fall out of his eyes like they did every time he thought about his parents so deeply like this. Even so, his heart is in pain, the pain of missing someone that's not entirely sweet nor entirely bitter.

Because of you ... I think, I'm brave enough to keep fighting for peace. Because you make me believe that it's possible.

"Hyung?"

Opening his eyes, Baekhyun looks up and finds the rainbow-haired boy staring down at him curiously. "What are you doing here?"

Baekhyun stands up immediately, not wanting to admit what he was doing in case Sehun, too, will look at him with hatred and disgust in his eyes.

"That's a gesture of talking to the dead, isn't it?" The younger quietens. "Talking to your parents?"

"... Mm." Baekhyun responds truthfully, not knowing how else to respond.

"Ah, okay." Sehun shrugs. "To be honest, I guess I'm kinda glad they saved you."

"Hm?" Baekhyun blinks, surprised.

"How else would I have such a kind hyung by my side?" The younger smiles kindly.

"You ... don't hate them?"

"No. They weren't the ones who betrayed me." Sehun looks up into the sky, his dark eyes looking mesmerizingly gentle.

"I've been betrayed by the two people that I had trusted most." The younger continues. "You'd think I'd have learnt my lesson, but I guess not."

"Even now, I trust people so easily, as if I haven't learnt a thing." Baekhyun sits there, listening patiently because that was always the type of person he was. "Do you think I'm stupid, hyung?"

"No." Baekhyun responds with a small smile on his face – a smile that's not forced and truly arises from the bottom of his heart upon the realisation that this boy is still so pure even after everything that has happened. Baekhyun had a much better life.

"Me neither." Sehun grins. "Because that's all I can do ... Not as a Monster, nor a Lucky One, but as a human being. To trust and depend on others."

"Mm." Baekhyun encourages the younger to keep talking.

"Because I want to be happy." The younger continues. "I'll forgive and forget, laugh and love, even though my life has been turned upside down, because I want to be happy. I want to believe that such a thing is possible."

"But being happy isn't everything, Sehun." This time, Baekhyun cuts in, a small frown on his face. "What if there are more important things in this world?"

"What's more important than happiness? Is this world so bad that we can't even afford a little happiness in our lives?"

"You're right." Baekhyun says eventually. "I ... I fight for peace because I strive for happiness. I always beat myself up because I can't seem to achieve it. And now I'm scared ... because if I have it in the palm of my hand, it might slip away from my fingers again ..."

In this world, it's not the coldest that are the strongest, but the kindest and the happiest.

And I want to be strong, just like that, but I'm not brave enough to be.

"Hyung, you're the bravest person I know." The younger glances at him shyly, and Baekhyun swears he can see the pink on those pale cheeks. "Thank you, for being my strength."

The half-blood's heart swells, so wide and full, as if he had shared the warmth with Sehun physically.

Maybe I should move on and ... forgive.

Little did Sehun know that it was him that gave Baekhyun strength to be happy again.

After Baekhyun had decided to start training, both he and Yixing had agreed to share the responsibilities for the Garden and Animal Room. Today is Yixing's day, so after he checks on the Garden Room (which needs much less caring and dedication than the animals), the doctor moves over to the Animal Room to feed them before he sets out for a fresh new day of training and planning for the invasion.

However, as he's walking towards the waterfall, he hears voices.

"What's more important than happiness? Is this world so bad that we can't even afford a little happiness in our lives?" Walking into the clearing, Yixing can see that it's Sehun and Baekhyun, and even though Sehun is younger, somehow he still looks much larger than the older.

The half-blood stills for a while, partly in disbelief, partly in pain, and partly in admiration.

"You're right." The smaller says eventually, those expressions still clear in his eyes, except, this time there is something more – shame and ...

"I ... I fight for peace because I strive for happiness. I always beat myself up because I can't seem to achieve it. And now I'm scared ... because if I have it in the palm of my hand, it might slip away from my fingers again ..."

And determination.

It's unspoken, but it's there no matter how small and hesitant. Right then and there, Yixing wants to move over to him to give him that slightest push, but for some reason, he stays where he is.

"You're the bravest person I know. Thank you for being my strength."

And there it is. The maknae of the entire ship says those words that the half-blood – the shunned, the hated – needed to hear.

Knowing Baekhyun for so long, Yixing can tell now, that maybe Baekhyun still slowly start to get his confidence back again.

"You know why I fight for peace, Sehun?" Baekhyun says, sounding much more energetic and sincerer than before. "Because I have this image in my mind ... This image of being outside in the vast land where the sun is shining and wind is blowing and the grass is green. All of us are living together in this wide, wide land, and no one is hurting. We can all build a house together, catch fish together as pets, teach each other our strengths and learn from them to improve our weaknesses.

"Everyone is happy and smiling, and ... and we can be with the people that we love. Without feeling like a burden, without feeling as if we're not good enough for them.

"I dreamt of it, Sehun-ah, and it's amazing. It's ... everything I could ever ask for."

We can be with the people that we love.

He must be thinking about Chanyeol.

Once, Baekhyun may have desired peace so both races can be reunited with no hatred.

But now, falling in love has strengthened his dream.

Turning around, Yixing walks away.