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(A/N: mentions of ummm bad stuff towards the middle/end. I was reconsidering it but this was becoming more thriller than romance 😭)

(Y/n) is very pleased to report she's survived yet another day. After leaving the fifth floor immediately after Tristan's strange behavior, she took another look on Jaehyun and Leon's floor just in case. She saw the same large white room with Mirror Lake on the fourth floor she went into last time. The blond's floor was a nice change from Kieran and Tristan's austere choice of decoration; everywhere she looked, she saw art. Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, murals, collages. Anything and everything.

The walls were neat and tidy but many of them were an explosion of color. Elaborate sceneries, realistic or surrealist, played various stories as she walked down the hallway. A crescent moon became a full moon and a little boy became an old man. A resting bird became a bird in flight and a group of fairies danced around a man before that man fell over, dead.

Okay, that was a little dark.

Leon's floor where her room conveniently was located had more decoration than Kieran but much less than Jaehyun, that's for sure. The black-haired male didn't pay much attention to luxury, choosing to fill his floor with the basic necessities of a high school student. It felt like a normal place for once. It felt like a normal guy's apartment building blown up several times over.

Most of the rooms were empty. He seemed to only need a few rooms where the other three seemed to find a use for all of them. He had two closets: one for cleaning supplies and the other for his instruments and things to clean/repair them with. There was also a large room with a piano—the room with the "you are here sign" and a smaller, enclosed space with many percussion instruments.

He really was a music geek.

Still, none of them gave her any clue to where Jasper was. She closed the door of the music room behind her—Leon was the least annoying of the four and she was fine with that staying that way—and clicked her tongue in irritation. Where the hell is he?

(Y/n) cast one last look around the floor before taking the elevator to the dreaded floor, floor number three. Kieran's floor. Either she'd see a bloodbath upon closer inspection, his or Jasper's blood, or they could still be fighting. Or maybe neither of them were there.

She was hoping for the last option.

As soon as the elevator doors closed and she arrived on the floor, she began trudging towards the doors. Walking around the oversized manor all day was starting to take its toll on her legs. She did find a room with a vanity table full of makeup, which she wasn't sure why he needed. At least she did find something that looked like concealer, if she remembered Lucinda's lessons correctly, and used it to cover up the fading marks on her neck.

As she walked, yet again all she heard was the almost silent hum of the air conditioner and the faint strains of music.

Music...?

She followed the sound until she arrived in front of a glass door. Peering through it, she saw a dance studio, the kind with a large mirror spanning a whole wall and pale birch wood planks for the floor. There was nothing in the room save for a few water bottles on the floor, a white towel, and a stool with a phone on it, which was probably linked to the music player that was blasting music.

And in the center of it all was a figure. His movements were clean and precise as he moved to the beat of the music, each step unfaltering and smooth as water. Just looking at him made (Y/n) tired, especially with the sweat that soaked his shirt, making it cling to his lithe frame.

At least someone's enjoying themselves, she mused. He doesn't look like someone who was just stabbed in the arm. Well, this is great and all but I better leave before he—

"Oh, (Y/n)-chan!" Kieran turned around with a crooked smile. "You should've said something if you were there."

...Sees me. Darn it.

(Y/n) groaned, knowing there was no way he'd hear her through the glass door and over the energetic music. As if reading her mind, he turned the music player off and made his way to her while wiping his face with a towel.

"Okay, you can stop there." She eyed the space between them and his damp t-shirt with a wary eye. "You could really use a shower."

"Never a kind word for me, huh?" He chuckled, slinging the towel around his neck. Even after all that he barely sounded out of breath. This guy probably runs on something other than ATP, she thought bitterly with some envy. I want to run on electricity. Plug myself in and doze off. Wouldn't that be great?

"Did you finally succumb to my charms?" He teased. He rested his arm against the doorframe and leaned on it. "It's about time. I was beginning to think you swung the other way."

Her neck was beginning to really ache from looking up at these overgrown beanpoles all day. "If I do, then that's your fault. You made me turn lesbian."

"Ouch." He placed his hand on his chest, the gesture so familiar it almost made her choke up. Reese does that. He faked a wince before it morphed into a sly smile. "That's fine. I've been known to turn straight guys gay."

"You are that one kid all the mothers warn their daughters about," she muttered, shaking her head. "Bet all the parents don't let you step a foot into their house."

"I don't really have a thing for older women but they seem to have it for me—"

"OKAY, that was too much information! Thanks but no thanks."

He winked at her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Anytime, love. So, you didn't answer my question. As much as I love your company, what makes you come here today?"

(Y/n) went straight for her point. "Have you seen Jas anywhere? You know, the dude who, uh, messed up your arm?" She stole a look at the said arm. It was bandaged neatly and perfectly white. No trace of blood. Even though Kieran didn't look affected, she was willing to bet that was only because of his condition. A stab wound where the knife almost came out the other side had to hurt like a b*tch.

"Why, are you worried?" His eyes twinkled at her playfully. "You came all this way to check in on me. I'm touched."

"Yeah, great, you're still alive. So where's Jas?"

"What, this wasn't about me?"

"When has this been about you?"

He pouted and sulked for a while before he raised his hand. "I have a question first before you say anything else."

She gave him a skeptical look. "...What is it?"

"Who's this 'Jas' you speak of again? Did you renamed your little pet again?"

"No, you senior citizen!" (Y/n) scowled. "Jasper! The guy who messed up your arm like I said."

"Ohhh." A look of recognization settled over his face. "Tell him when you see him to profess his love to me a different way, okay? It's a bit too violent for my tastes."

Well, f*ck me gently with a chainsaw. She fought back the urge to pull out his hair for real this time. Sorry Reese for stealing one of your lines. Is that seriously what this snowman got out of Jas stabbing him with a knife?!

Kieran grinned cheekily back at her. "What, having second thoughts about not being attracted to me?"

He's definitely not taking this seriously. It's probably easier to solve the meaning of life than make Kieran get serious about something for once.

"I'm having second thoughts about asking you," she fired back. "So did you or did you not see him?"

"Depends on when you're talking about. I have seen him before—"

"You're so helpful. Goodbye—"

"Wait!" He grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. Panic shone visibly in his golden orbs before it died down and he cleared his throat. He slowly let go of her once he was sure she wouldn't bolt. "I didn't see him. If you're looking for him, want some help?"

(Y/n)'s answer surprised him and even herself. "Actually, yeah, I do. I probably searched under every rug and carpet in this place—and there's quite a few on Jay's floor—but I still didn't find him. I asked Tristan but he hasn't seen Jas either. It would be helpful if you helped me. Thanks."

He offered her a reassuring smile, his easygoing aura back. He swept into a playful bow. "No problem, my lady. Lead the way."

She rolled her eyes but her initial frustration with him was gone. Kieran was pretty...okay to be around when he wasn't acting like everything was a game. Because it wasn't. Life isn't a f*cking game.

He trailed after her as they headed in no direction in particular. He seemed to be unusually downcast, she realized. It was subtle but the changes were there. When he thought she wasn't looking the smile would slip from his face. And even when he was smiling, it looked fake.

(Y/n)'s learned to read Kieran by his eyes. He's grown to the point that his genuine anger or happiness was reflected in his marigold orbs that were once dull and soulless, so she could easily see the small hint of sadness in his eyes. Sadness, or was it anger? She didn't know. Anger and sadness are the fruits of adulthood, after all.

As they walked, Kieran couldn't help but admire her posture. The almost noble way she moved despite being the lost lamb in a pack of wolves she was. Wolves in sheep's clothing, that is. Each step she took held no hesitancy in them and were powered by the sheer determination of finding her friend. He admired that part of her.

Though he hated it at the same time.

Her hair was gathered in a messy ponytail, several strands escaping the hairband. It exposed the nape of her delicate-looking neck that swooped like a swan, so fragile and strong at the same time. He wanted to run his hands through her (h/c) locks and mark that unblemished, supple flesh. He wanted to pull her into his arms and feel her body against his, her skin against his. He wanted to lose himself in her bottomless (e/c) eyes filled with melancholy. He'd let her teach him pain while he taught her love. It was a fantastical dream, one he wished to be a reality.

But was it really just a dream?

A pathetic little bunny tossed about by providence, he mused, a newfound merriness lifting his mood. His eyes glimmered dangerously as they locked onto the unsuspecting girl in front of him, never looking away. I can take you out of that if you let me. Order, disorder. Logic, madness. Law, anarchy. Isn't it obvious which is more fun?

Something inside him stirred. It roused another sleeping beast within him and they mixed and melted together, filling his chest with sweet poison and robbing him of his breath until all he could smell was raspberry. Sweet, raspberry, tempting raspberry.

He was a hunter and she was the fruit. The two would never understand each other.

A delicious tingle of adrenaline ran through his veins as he suddenly thought of something and he reached out, stopping (Y/n) before she could go any further. She turned to look at him in bewilderment.

"What's wrong?" She raised an eyebrow. "Did you chip a nail or something?"

His lips curved up at the comment that was all bark and no bite. His mask, the once he's practiced for years upon years settled easily over his face. But this time, it wasn't just a mask. It was a part of him, molded into his skin and replacing the broken pieces hidden underneath. It was a changing mask, shifting from the wolfish smile he put on to drive the girls mad to his true smile.

One that was more of a predator that's caught his prey.

"On second thought," he said smoothly without a moment of hesitation. "I do remember that boy heading upstairs when I was on Leo-chan's floor. I imagine he'd be after me since he has something against me, no?"

Her face lit up with visible relief. Had Kieran not been a master of his expressions by now, his smile would've fallen away. But it didn't. He was so glad it didn't betray the growing ache in his heart.

That Jasper...he's really in the way.

"Okay, back to your floor it is," (Y/n) declared confidently, marching back up the staircase. "I guess I didn't really finish searching your place either. I got distracted." She snuck a look at him, half-expecting him to make another joke about how his charm attracted her over to him. But he didn't. He looked distracted by something but whatever it was, it was putting him in a good mood.

Was that a good thing? She shrugged. Whatever makes them happy. It'll be easier for me in the end.

The end wasn't exactly the most comforting thing to think about. She still had too many questions no one was willing to answer. Who attacked Reese? Who killed Isla? Who killed Keller? Who killed Jason? She didn't understand any of it.

They walked in silence. It was really weird how the white-haired male didn't try to strike up a conversation with her, much less tease her. He didn't look affected, however. In fact, his smile was annoyingly bright every time she looked at him.

Did that mean he was glad she finally shut up for once? She didn't know what to feel about that. Well, sorry I talk so much.

"Over there," he said suddenly. His hands fell on her shoulders as he nudged her into a different hallway than the one they had originally been heading into.

"Huh—what?" She tried to stop but couldn't; he was too insistent. "Shouldn't we check over there first and make our way around?"

"I was there earlier and I didn't see anyone," was his reply. "Why, don't trust me? We could go over there if that makes you feel better, but we'd only be wasting time."

"If you put it that way...I guess you're right."

He stopped pushing her but his hands remained on her shoulder. One fell away while the other dropped to her waist, pulling her closer to him and keeping her by his side all the while his face betrayed nothing.

This cheeky little—! She didn't bother trying to argue. It would only be a waste of energy and she was tired enough as is anyway. "This better help me find Jas or—"

"Again with that person."

Her blood chilled and her spine stiffened as her step faltered, but his hand on her waist kept her moving. He soon stopped but didn't look at her. He stared straight ahead but he wasn't smiling anymore. His eyes turned from pools of liquid fire to hardened yellow diamonds. They weren't smiling either. A shadow was cast over his face, obscuring his expression, but his eyes shone visibly from that invisible veil.

And when he finally looked at her, both his strange tone and the hollow look in his gaze made her fight or flight instincts snap into action. Her flight instinct, to be fair. There was no way she'd stand a chance against him unless she played dirty, which she wasn't sure she'd have a chance to do when he looked this serious.

(Y/n) didn't want to see a serious Kieran anymore. He was also changing, even with as capricious as he was.

Not again...

His eyes caught on the alarm in her face and a smile reappeared onto his face as if he was trying to reassure her despite his strange behavior.

"It's rude of you to talk about another man in my presence," he murmured, curving a hand around the back of her neck, his grip gentle. "It breaks my heart, love. Why are you so cruel?"

Is he drunk again? She warily sniffed the air. Sandalwood and citrus. He was perfectly sober.

She tried to step back but his hold kept her in place. "I don't get it," she said boldly. "Weren't we just going to find him? You said he came here, didn't...you?"

He chuckled darkly in answer. His fingers played with the loose strand of hair at her nape before trailing down the skin, making her shiver.

"Find him?" He shook his head in amusement. She furrowed her brow. What's so funny?

His eyes lifted to hers and what she saw in those smoldering orbs—it was the same thing she saw in Jaehyun and Tristan's.

No way—

"Why find him...when I can have you?"

Her instincts kicked in as she smacked his hand away from her neck. She teetered backward at the loss of support but quickly regained her balance. Shock flickered over his face at the action and he gazed down at his now empty hand in disbelief, that shock soon overwritten with delight.

"Are you trying to run?" He purred, stalking closer to her. She scrambled back. His smile grew wider at that action. "Cute, but it's useless, you know~ I'll always find you. You can't hide from me."

Things just went from zero to one hundred real quick! (Y/n) was starting to see the truth in Jasper's claims that Kieran killed Keller. At first, she was disbelieving but now that she could see that unstable look in her eyes for herself—she was definitely a believer.

This man killed Keller in cold blood. What else was he capable of?

Yep, I'm not sticking around. Time to find the nearest window to throw myself out of. And she did just that, minus the window hopping part. She gave him an innocuous smile that she hoped would throw him off before getting the hell out of there like she never ran before. She seemed to be doing a lot of running away lately; first Jaehyun, then Tristan, and now Kieran.

That was definitely not a good thing.

"(Y/n)-chan!" She heard Kieran call from somewhere behind her. Judging from his voice, he hadn't even bothered to run after her, choosing to walk instead. That made her a little annoyed, to be honest. "Hey, where are you going?"

I don't get why people say that. She ducked into a closet and immediately ran out a second later. Like, do they expect people to answer or something? Because I'm sure as hell not going to.

Aside from bewilderment and her attempts to play the scenario off as another one of his jokes, she also felt a sort of curiosity. The kind that was coupled with fear. Relationships in her life never involved tactics. She never approached anyone for impure motives and vice versa. Even so, it was no clear she'd made all the wrong moves.

Life wasn't a game, but maybe death was.

Yeah, that's very unhelpful.

"Hmm..." Kieran came to a stop at the area where the elevator and staircase were conveniently located next to each other. "She didn't leave yet...so where did our princess go?"

His gaze drifted to a bundle of fur that was shivering behind a potted plant. From fear, of course. Animals were honest. They knew to fear creatures that were obviously superior to it. Dangerous creatures. His mirth only grew at this fact.

He crouched down in front of the canine, making it shrink closer to the wall and whimper. "Let's find her together, shall we?" He purred, though his tone was anything but unthreatening. "Come, you should recognize her scent."

The male took retrieved a handkerchief he'd swiped from her, one that annoyingly enough, belonged to Jasper. It still carried her scent so it would have to do.

The dog, knowing nothing good will await it if it didn't do what this scary human was making it do, took a trembling step forward and sniffed the cloth. Kieran hummed as he rested his cheek on his hand, excitement and joy bubbling up from every inch of his being.

"Where is she?"

Tristan 2.0 yapped once and began running off in a direction the (h/c)-haired girl probably was. Kieran smiled and rose to his feet. He let the handkerchief fall from his fingers and he crushed it beneath his shoes.

"Oh? So that's where you went~"

(Y/n) heard the familiar sound of the Samoyed's barking from where she hid in a shower and her heart sank. That's cheating! She wanted to shriek. So unfair, using Tristan 2.0! Argh, knew you were just as cold as the person you were named after!

A bathroom was too small to hide in and if cornered, she'd have no chance. It was better to either find a way to Leon's floor or hide in a larger room, preferably one with a lot of clutter. Not fair, not fair! She ran into a library and locked the door behind her. Okay, you can do this, (Y/n). Do it like you always did when you played hide-and-seek as a kid with Reese. When they come close, do some ninja thingy to stop your heartbeat and erase your presence. Yep, very smart.

Wait...rather than conserving energy and making me invisible, wouldn't I die?

"Come on, (Y/n)-chan," she heard Kieran call. Her pulse picked up when she realized he was right outside the door. "The game's up. No point in trying to hide."

This is bad, right? Honestly, she had no idea why she was so afraid. She wasn't even afraid when she saw Leon easily throw someone across the room or when Tristan gave her one of his famous death glares. The answer should've been obvious, but it wasn't. (Y/n) couldn't even control her own emotions, how did she ever hope to be able to manipulate theirs?

The door flew open and Kieran strode into the room. She curled closer into the little nook she'd found between the last shelf and the heater, hoping it would provide enough cover for him to not see her and move on.

"Oh?" She could clearly hear his shoes clicking against the smooth wooden floor as he looked for her. "You're not here...? Hmm...maybe the mutt's nose is broken..."

She heard him move away and the door closed with a click behind him. Only when she was sure he'd walked away did she release the breath she was holding. That was close, she sighed, peeking up to scan the library just in case. I didn't think that would actually work. Maybe I should camp here. They wouldn't find me and this is kinda comfortable. I can sleep like this—

"There you are~!"

(A/N: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK O///O)

Her surprised cry was ripped out of her mouth as a pair of strong arms suddenly encircled her and easily lifted her out of her hiding spot. His hold tightened as his head fell to the top of her head, his nose tickling her hair.

"Nice try, (Y/n)-chan, but you lost," he hummed, tracing slow circles with his finger on her thigh. "You aren't going to run anymore, right?"

Maybe I can still reason with this guy? "Uh, no?" She said meekly. "If you wanted to play tag you could've told me—"

"And where's the fun in that?" He suddenly released her and spun her around, pinning her against the bookshelf. A blissful sigh escaped his lips as his gaze fell to her lips, his hand tightening against the wood. "It's too late anyway, I know you'll try to escape again."

"Uh, I mean, if it's tag then obviously I will." She tried to escape the cage he made around her with his arms but everywhere she turned, he was there. His torso. Was she so short she couldn't even look straight and see his face? His cologne flooded her nose—he didn't wear a lot, but it was enough to make her sneeze.

"Hmm, but it's game over now." With a single swift motion, he captured her wrists and pinned them above her head, his expression unchanging. "I didn't expect it would happen here in a library," he mused, his other hand going to loosen his collar. "It lacks romance but I suppose it has its own charm."

Wait, wait, wait a second! She gaped openly at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not one for violence," he sighed, "but if that's what it takes to make you behave, then so be it. Let's make this official, shall we?"

"Wai—" Her protest was cut off as he quite literally stole her voice, capturing her lips with his. Her cry became muffled as he refused to budge despite her kicking him, trying to make him move away. But all that he could think of right now was not the faint, dull sensations of something hitting him but the way her very smell flooded his senses and her soft mouth pressed against his.

The world fell away around him as his other hand moved to her neck and tugged at the sweater, exposing a shoulder. He finally broke away and pressed a burning kiss to the unmarred skin before trailing over her collarbone, feather-like.

"Ki—" She tried to say, only for the male to brush his lips back over hers. He gripped her chin to keep her from turning away.

"Shh, don't speak," he whispered against her skin, releasing her hands. He moved closer until the only thing separating them was the fabric on their bodies. He could feel her warmth mingling with the iciness that gripped him, chasing it away and thought, I knew it...only she can make it better.

He ran his fingers down her torso, already imagining how it would be if the cloth wasn't in the way. He could faintly feel her trembling hands push again at his chest as if that would do anything. The small action made him smile as he nuzzled her neck, to which he heard her breath hitch in her throat. He'd won.

Where (Y/n) couldn't scream out loud, she was certainly doing so in her head. Whatever he was doing to her, it drained the already dwindling energy from her body as she fought to stay upright. "Stop!" She tried to say, turning her head as far away as she could from him. But that only granted him access to her neck. "Kieran, sto—"

But when she looked up into his eyes, there were swirls of emotion that hadn't been there before, making her trail off. Lust and desire. Before she could register the danger that came from it, his hand was in her hair and he yanked her closer, crushing their lips together in a hungry kiss.

In the books and fairy tales, they made out kisses to be some kind of magical thing. Some kind of spell that could only be done between the princess and her "fated" prince that sealed them together. It was beautiful, they claimed. Sweet and loving. Child (Y/n) always saw it as two people swapping spit. Child Reese saw it as people eating each other's faces and got scared.

Current (Y/n) saw it as nothing but a catalyst for impending danger. It wasn't sweet. It wasn't magical. It was scary and possessive. And she wanted it to end, badly, but trying to hurt a CIP patient was like trying to move a mountain for all she tried. Rather, he even looked more excited when she bit him.

"You prefer it rough?" He murmured, pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist. "I'm happy to do anything for you..."

It was official. Drunk Kieran was so much better than sober Kieran.

But then suddenly, the male was ripped off her and thrown into the ground before she could send another knee into where the sun didn't shine.

"What the f*ck are you doing?!"

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A/N: (∗∕ ∕•̥̥̥̥∕ω∕•̥̥̥̥∕)