Thirteen

Thirteen-Deceive

Mirae made sure she had her best formal work clothes on, even though nobody asked her to do so. She is going to meet her new boss for the first time today and she ought to at least impress if not stand out. Her new life has started and she resolved to leave all her bad memories in La Bella behind.

This is too ironically amusing that I can smell it from the Far East side of the troll world.

She sat next to Jun and constantly fiddled with the hem of her skirt. This annoyed her superior that he almost stabbed her hand with a pencil. Good thing their boss came in and everybody stood up to greet her formally.

"Sit down." Andrea said coldly as she sat immediately in her chair.

At the sound of her voice, Mirae's head shot up and saw Andrea's icy stare at her as well as Tiffany looking at her in complete surprise. Suddenly, the new world she had imagined crumbled in front of her. All this time, she thought she had escaped her only to find out that she is still in Andrea's little labyrinth, like that one in EXO's music videos.

"Looks like this company truly loves trash, doesn't it, Mirae?

Mother of God she called her out.

Everybody looked at Mirae as if to ask how the hell their new boss knows her on a first name basis even. Poor girl just wanted to melt into her clothes right then. But she thought about the hardships she went through just to get this job and it gave some air of confidence into her. Just enough to at least sit straight in her chair.

"Long time no see, ma'am." She briefly answered.

"Is it now? Anyway, I'll get straight to the point. All of you were chosen to work exclusively with EXO and I am pretty much sure most of you know them very well, especially you, Ms. Manager. Am I right?"

Sara shook off her own thoughts on where she's seen Andrea before. Her boss looked so vaguely familiar but then again, her job includes talking to hundreds of people on a daily basis. Taking a deep breath, she summoned the courage to talk.

"Ma'am, if you don't mind, I would like to suggest moving the boys to a new dorm. A lot of bizarre things have happened to them recently and it seems like some are done by the sasaengs."

The whole place seemed to be very quiet for that particular meeting and so far, only Andrea, Sara and Mirae have spoken. The others just kept their mouth shut, being the elder ones in the job. The management has briefed them not to cross their new boss because it was part of the contract signed with her: the boys will continue under the same label but will be managed separately.

"And if they change dorms, will it stop? I don't think so. What we need is a more competitive manager who can handle these boys, I suppose. Unless you start doing your job." Andrea smiled, mocking her, "Yes, I know that they have been all over the place unsupervised."

"But Ma'am, you sent me to a useless place-"

"Excuse me? I spent a fortune just to send you there thinking you could make new connections. Which meant it is not useless. You had your phone with you. So, is it still my problem to keep you in touch with EXO?"

Sara was still gonna talk back when Jun pinch the side of her thigh. She wanted to say more but she knew that she wouldn't be able to explain how her emails seemed to be intercepted of some sort because for the whole week, all she got are newsletters and alerts from networks and magazines.

"Moving on, I want all of you to report to me every single thing you know and will know about them. My secretary will receive everything no matter how small they are. And lastly, I don't want any of them knowing of this new ownership." Andrea paused to look at them one by one seriously, "Do I make myself clear?"

When the meeting ended, Andrea hurried to go home and prayed that she will find Kai soon. She needs to know whether having the same flowers in Jessica's room is pure coincidence or is she missing something all this time. She asked Jessica about the carnations but her sister said that almost every day, she finds fresh flowers in her vase when she wakes up and never gets to know from whom they are from. Andrea mentally noted to ask for spy cam footages of the hospital.

She walked deliberately slow in the corridor of the condominium building, hoping that at least one of them would decide to come out. She also thought of calling Sehun but after they got home the other day, the maknae never sent her a single text.

Andrea reached her door to her dismay without any luck of running across an EXO member. After thinking it over and over, she decided to take the Plan B.

"Oh. Andrea. What brings you here? Come in." Suho was too happy to find out that it was the new girl who was knocking on their door.

She modestly came into their dorm, noting that the place was fully fixed now after that sprinkler fiasco she caused. She sat in a big couch next to Lay, who kept his head down in fear that he might get clumsy in front of this beautiful girl.

"Not a busy night, I suppose?" Andrea asked, smiling at the leader who sat attentively across from her.

"Only some of us have engagements tonight so..." Suho ran his fingers through his hair, "So what brings you here, Andrea? Do you need anything?"

"To ruin our lives." Chen passed by, showing absolute annoyance at Andrea.

"Good evening, Chen but I'm sorry to disappoint you. I just found my apartment suddenly too quiet without all of you boys around so I thought I would come and visit."

Chen snickered but Suho just death glared him before smiling back at Andrea. It made him happy to know that the new girl missed them enough to come see them.

"Well, you can always come here-"

"Manager Sara specifically said no strangers in the dorm." Chen sat himself up the window sill, putting a lollipop into his mouth while watching her.

He didn't even make and effort in hiding how he felt for her, knowing the evil coating her entire soul.

"Alright. I guess I should be going now." Andrea faked a pained expression which Suho caught and immediately stood up to stop her.

"No, please stay. I insist." He told her.

Chen watched how Andrea seemed to manipulate the leader and just went back to his room in dismay. Meanwhile, Andrea modestly refused to stay, despite Suho's assurance and apology.

"I guess your place is off limits."

"Yeah... It seems so. I'm sorry, Andrea. Even though I don't regard you as a stranger, I guess we have to follow protocols. But I already thought of something to make it up to you. I hope you are free tomorrow night, that is."

"Of course."

The next day, Andrea found herself driving to a TV station where EXO was supposed to be recording. SUho gave her instructions to go around the back so she can avoid the excited fans up front. She drove around and parked in one of the two empty slots at the back. It was already dark and the lamp posts illuminated the whole parking lot. There was a sign on the door that says Authorized Personnel Only and it was her cue to call Suho.

She leaned on her car as the other line started ringing. She looked around, seeing a couple of people talking in hurried speech then disappearing into the restricted door. She tapped her finger on her arm and turned her head to the right where she saw someone looking directly at her.

Her heart started beating faster as she held her gaze on the masked man standing beside a car just a few meters away from her. She could almost see the blue eyes that pierced through her that one night which was enough to send chills all over her.

"Hello? Andrea?" Suho's voice seemed to take her back to the real world.

"Y-yes. Uhm... I'm here." She didn't like to stutter but she had no other choice.

"Okay. I'll meet you at the door in five minutes."

Five minutes.

She started walking to the door and when she got there, she bravely looked back at the man and almost screamed when he didn't find him there. She frantically looked around to find any sign of him but there was none. Her phone suddenly rang in her hand but she was too scared to notice it. She focused her eyes on where she saw the masked man and silently prayed that it was only her imagination.

"Looking for me?" The silence made his quiet voice a lot louder.

He was coming from her left, closing their gap fast as Andrea started walking back. He was going to get her, she knew that for sure. He was about ten steps away...

Nine...

Eight...

Seven...

"Go away!" Andrea desperately screamed but he didn't stop.

Five...

Four..

"Come here."

A hand grabbed her inside and closed the door behind. She was too scared to notice that Sehun went out the door and saw Andrea's terrified expression and immediately pulled her in. He took her quickly into their dressing room and made her face him.

"Are you okay?" He said, letting go of her hand.

"Y-yes." Andrea took a dep breath and urgently calmed herself down.

"Good. The FD is talking to our leader so he asked me to pick you up. If you're okay then, I've got to get going. It's my turn for individual taping. The others will be back in a bit."

Andrea nodded and even though she was still dead scared, she noticed the sudden coldness in Sehun's voice. He left without saying anything more and she just stood there for a second, a little disappointed for some reason. Was it perhaps because she said she has a boyfriend?

She shook off the idea and reminded herself of why she was there in the first place. She looked around and found mostly makeup kits, a wardrobe rack and some of the boys' things. She just looked around, hoping for some clue that she could use for her sister's case.

...boys with eyeliners.

Henry's voice played in her mind and she smiled while looking at the rack of eyeliners on the table. She was sure that her boyfriend would explode had he known where she was at that very moment. She was dangerously wandering around the cave of the lions. She was going to give up when her eye caught something on one of the chair. She walked over to see it clearly and when she did, she caught her breath.

There, neatly folded and probably eve pressed, was a white handkerchief that she knew very well. She picked carefully picked it up and touched the embroidery that was so similar to that one the police got from the crime scene. All the memories came rushing through her brain that it fueled up the anger that was already in her system.

"Andrea?" Luhan came in without Andrea noticing.

She turned to him, putting down the handkerchief on the chair. Once she knew whose handkerchief it was, they're all done for.

"Hello... Luhan." She smiled sweetly.

"Hi. I thought Suho was kidding about you coming here."

"I didn't want to pass up an opportunity like this." She answered.

Just then, Kai, Suho and Kris came in, each one of them regarding Andrea with a smile. She tried not to focus on Kai while Suho came up to her and thanked her for coming. A few more people came in with some staff that looked at Andrea with surprise. Of course they know who she was.

"Okay boys, you all have five minutes to rest, drink or have something to pop in your mouths. We're shooting the group dance in-"

Sara abruptly stopped talking when she saw her boss standing among the boys. She moved her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She was trying to make sense of everything but she failed to do so.

"Go ahead Ma'am. Don't mind me." Andrea smiled politely.

I don't want any of them knowing of this new ownership.

"Yes. Right. The group dance... so... p-prepare for it. Got it?" Sara's throat felt too dry.

"Okay Sara~ And by the way, this is Andrea. She's the one we are talking about. She took care of us." Suho said proudly.

"Sh-She did? Well, M-Andrea, thank you for your kindness." The confused manager offered a hand to her boss.

"It's nothing." Andrea shook it briefly.

Sara stood there awkwardly, looking at her completely different boss. She thought maybe this was her way of monitoring their job and this was how she knew everything that happened to the boys. But still, why is Andrea this obsessed with EXO?

"EXO you're up. Please proceed to the stage." The floor director appeared.

"Alright, head count." Sara announced and they all started shouting numbers.

"Ten!" Xiumin shouted from the back.

"Eleven." Kris said while powdering his nose.

After that, it went silent, waiting for the last number to be said. But it didn't come. They did the count off again and ended on the same number. Andrea looked around and immediately knew who was missing. She glanced at the handkerchief but it remained unclaimed.

"Anyone of you noticed where Sehun went?" Sara asked.

"He was the last one to record the individual shots." Lay said.

Sara hurried out, too scared to fail her job in front of her boss. Chen glared at Andrea and went out with the rest to look for Sehun. No one could tell where he could have gone to. The maknae must have decided to run away or something, having broken his heart and all.

**

Mirae drank down half a glass of beer and dared to ask for her third that night. She couldn't get over the fact that she was still working for the same evil that she was so happy to have escaped. She'd better start finding a new job because she's losing another one soon.

Half an hour later, someone sat beside her and ordered some drink she's never heard before. She looked at the guy and her eyes widened in recognition. The guy looked back at her and nodded.

"Hey, what's up?" Chen said, fatigue evident all over his face.

"Hey." Was all she said.

"Why are you drinking alone at this hour?" He asked, sipping from his clear colored drink.

He hissed and flinched at the strength of what he put in his mouth and turned to look at Mirae again.

"I'm here to celebrate. I'm about to lose my job again." She chuckled with sarcasm.

"Again?"

"You see, I got fired from my past job by an EVIL boss. I thought I've 'scaped her then. But poof! She reappeared in my new job."

"Andrea?" Chen watched her choke at the mention of her name.

"Oh God. You know'er?" She slurred. "I'mintrouble."

He nodded and said nothing more. They both drank in silence, both of them aware that they have something in common. After what seemed like forever, Chen stood up and paid for their drinks. Mirae tried to refuse but Chen didn't listen.

"Get up. I'll drive you home." He ordered.

"N-no. I... I'm fine on my own."

"I will... drive you home. We have a lot to talk about."

**

Andrea was about to open her purse to get her key to her unit when she was forcefully turned around and pushed on the wall.

"What are y-"

"You think you have control over us, huh? You just bought us! But you don't own us." Chen hissed at her.

She could distinctively smell alcohol in his breath. Even when she was feeling fear at that moment, her face remained placid. She pushed him away easily and stood up straight.

"What are you doing?" Andrea said without blinking.

"Where did you take Sehun?! Huh?!"

"Let go of me or I'll call security."

"How could you sleep at night, huh? You think your sister will be happy to know you are doing this?" Chen slurred but he knew what he was talking about.

"And you? How could you all sleep at night after violating an innocent fan?"

Chen shook his head at her and slowly stepped back from her. He looked at her with, not holding back all the sadness that his whole group had endured all this time because of Jessica.

"None of us did it."

"Are you sure about that?" Andrea asked vilely.

"Yes. Whatever evidence you have against us is means nothing."

Chen paused and ran a hand through his hair. He remembered the bashing on social media and on TV, the fans breaking into their dorms without any sign of force, and the nightmares of having a fan badly hurt for reasons only God knows.

"If you think we are all living in peace, think again. We never forgot about your sister, Andrea, even if we want to. She haunts us at night, even in broad daylight. I understand how you feel for being protective over your sister..." He paused to wipe his cheek, "So, I hope you'd understand that I want to protect my brothers too."

Andrea couldn't say a word. It was true that all this time, she was bringing hell on them. Maybe it was a wrong decision for her to choose Chen to use as a pawn against his brothers. But she couldn't hide the fact that she understood him; every single word that came out of his mouth.

"All you need to do is get me to those people who did it. Unless it's you, yourself."

"Go to hell."

"I will. And I'm taking all of you with me if you don't help me. Maybe I can take your precious Luhan next."

He punched the wall next to her head, making her close her eyes for a moment. His body shook in anger and felt a little dizzy as the alcohol took its toll. He cursed under his breath as the details of his conversation with Mirae ran through his mind.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?" Chen whispered, his fist still buried on the wall.

"There is a handkerchief with EXO embroidered in Korean on one corner. One of you owns it. Find whose it is."

At that moment, Chanyeol went out of the door and Andrea saw him on the corner of her eye. Without thinking any further, she took Chen's face in her hands, taking him by surprise.

"Don't move." Andrea whispered quietly and pressed her soft lips on his.

Chanyeol saw them kissing, not knowing what they were talking about prior to that. He immediately went back in and told his brothers of what he saw.

In her unit, Andrea thought about Chen and everything he said. She touched her lips and momentarily thought about how careless she was becoming but then her mind drifted to Sehun. The youngest is missing and as it sank in, fear overwhelmed her for the third time that night. Why?

Because she was sure as hell she did not do it and now Chen thinks she did.

Oh how the tables have turned.